Mike O'Hara

This Lions victory means more than you might think

Detroit

Highlights, lowlights and hot topics after further review of the Lions' 38-37 victory over the Browns at Ford Field on Sunday:

• What it means to the Lions to win a game between two teams who were 1-8 going into the game:

It meant everything to the Lions in places where records and statistics aren't kept.

A 2-8 record in the standings doesn't look much better than 1-9, which the Lions would have been had they lost.

But for the players, coaches and everyone in the organization, it gives them some relief from losing -- if only until the next game.

After the game, coach Jim Schwartz expressed the difference in emotion this way: "Our philosophy is, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. We'll take this one."

Stafford a selling point

• How Matthew Stafford's performance and the comeback victory can change the national perception of the Lions going into the Thanksgiving Day game against the Packers:

One win and one great game by a rookie quarterback won't erase all the losses and bad things that have happened to the Lions this year and in recent seasons.

But now they have a highlight for the national television audience for Thursday's game.

They have the image of Stafford getting off the turf to go back into the game and throwing the winning TD pass.

Stafford provides the main highlight, and rightly so.

But there are others. Rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew caught Stafford's last TD pass. Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson had long TD catches.

And the defense, which crumpled early, made a stop to give the offense the ball for the last possession.

Win or lose, those would have been nice plays. But winning elevates all of it. Losing diminishes it. And the game is always about winning.

• How winning can guarantee a sellout -- and local TV -- for the Thanksgiving game:

Based on what's been said, make it 98-percent certain there will be a sellout.

• The statement Stafford made by staying in the game with an injured left shoulder and delivering the TD pass to Pettigrew.

It boils down to the love of the game -- playing because competing is the most important thing -- more than contracts or money or fame or anything else.

QB earns respect

Players respect teammates who are gamers -- the ones who don't look for the easy way out, and the ones who grind it out when they're hurt.

Stafford's respect in the locker room has grown steadily all year, and it took a giant leap upward Sunday.

Center Dominic Raiola is one of Stafford's biggest supporters. He helped Stafford to his feet when he was hurt on the play before the TD pass to Pettigrew.

Here's what Raiola said about Stafford: "Nine's a tough SOB. I know that for a fact. He took a pretty bad hit, came back in the game and finished the game -- hung in there with it."

• What it meant that Stafford's five TD passes were to different receivers:

Get open, and he'll throw the ball to you -- Calvin Johnson, Aaron Brown, Kevin Smith, Will Heller or Brandon Pettigrew.

Calvin Johnson will be Stafford's favorite target because he's one of the NFL's best receivers, but he won't play favorites. That should be a good sign to his receivers. He'll find the ones who beat coverage.

• The impact coaching decisions had on the game:

What turned out to be one bad decision was Browns coach Eric Mangini calling time after the penalty for pass interference gave the Lions first-and-goal. It gave Stafford time to recover enough for one more play -- the TD pass to Pettigrew.

Schwartz admitted making an error on the Browns' last possession before the winning drive. He called time before the two-minute warning. He should have saved it for his offense.

Mangini's decision to pass instead of run on his offense's last play stopped the clock when the pass was incomplete. That gave the Lions at least another 35 seconds for their last drive.