Surprising Lions win in OT

MINNEAPOLIS -- Staring at a 20-0 deficit as they trudged into the Metrodome locker room at halftime, the old Detroit Lions would have started making travel plans. In this young season, it is becoming abundantly clear that these are not the same old Lions.

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes in the second half to help Detroit get to overtime, and Jason Hanson kicked a 32-yard field goal to finish off a 26-23 victory over the Minnesota Vikings Sunday.

Calvin Johnson had seven catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns and Brandon Pettigrew had 11 catches for 112 yards for the Lions, who are 3-0 for the first time since 1980. They won in the Metrodome for the first time since 1997, snapping a 13-game skid.

"This is my best win ever," said Lions center Dominic Raiola, who had been 0-for-10 in the Metrodome. Detroit was favored in Minnesota for the first time since 1981.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 78 yards and a TD, but only 5 of those yards came in the second half as the Vikings (0-3) gave away a double-digit halftime lead for the third week in a row.

"It's tough," Peterson said. "I feel sick right now."

Stafford was 32-for-46 passing for 378 yards, and he saved his best throw of the day for his last.

With blitzing Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway right in Stafford's grill, the young quarterback heaved a pass off his back foot in Johnson's direction. The 6-5 Johnson made a brilliant 40-yard catch with Cedric Griffin all over him, and Hanson drilled the field goal for the winning score.

"Nothing needed to be said. I think we knew we were going to go down there and score -- that's the way every good offense is," Stafford said of the final drive. "We didn't blink at all. We just went down there and put some points on the board."

Johnson said: "[Stafford], for missing two seasons [with injuries], he's so calm and collected and that whole attitude goes over the whole huddle. He's our coach on the field. He's a great leader for us and he makes big plays."