Lions top Bears, improve to 5-0

Matthew Stafford's second touchdown pass put Detroit ahead in the third quarter and Jahvid Best's 88-yard run later in the quarter gave the Lions a double-digit lead in a 24-13 win over the visiting Chicago Bears last night.

The Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956 -- the year before their last NFL title. The defending NFC North champion Bears (2-3) are off to their worst start since 2007. They are three games behind Detroit and defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay in the division.

Detroit and its fans clearly were fired up for the franchise's first Monday night game in a decade. The Lions had their largest crowd at Ford Field, and the 67,861 fans created enough noise to rattle the Bears into nine false starts.

Chicago quieted the fans briefly by taking a 10-7 lead just before halftime and seemed to make them a little nervous by pulling within eight points with 4:07 to play.

Best, though, made them roar again with a 43-yard run that was capped by a horse-collar penalty that gave Detroit the ball at the Chicago 22. He ran for another first down that took time off the clock and set up Jason Hanson's 31-yard kick with 1:56 to go to seal the win.

Stafford lofted a 73-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson, who extended his NFL-record start with nine TD catches in five games, early in the second quarter.

Best's 88-yard run was the second-longest in franchise history, trailing only Bob Hoernschemeyer's 96-yard run against the New York Yankees on Nov. 23, 1950.

Texans' Williams out

The Houston Texans lost defensive end Mario Williams for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. He appeared to get hurt while sacking Oakland's Jason Campbell with about five minutes left in the first quarter Sunday. Coach Gary Kubiak said Williams will go on injured reserve and undergo surgery. Williams was the top overall pick in the 2006 draft.

Ex-Jet Rhodes hurts foot

Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes broke a bone in his left foot and will be sidelined for several weeks. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said the injury to the former Jet is not season-ending but that surgery might be required.

Several other players suffered injuries Sunday and will be out for some time:

Buffalo Bills receiver Donald Jones will miss four to six weeks with a sprained ankle. The Giants host the Bills on Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Joshua Morgan broke a bone in his lower right leg and will undergo surgery.

Green Bay Packers left tackle Chad Clifton suffered a severe hamstring injury.