DETROIT (AP) – The Detroit Lions finally survived the fourth quarter.

Roy Williams had 10 receptions for 161 yards – both career highs – and scored a touchdown while Kevin Jones ran for a season-high 127 yards and a score to lead the Lions to a 20-17 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Instead of the usual late mistakes that have cost the Lions in four of five opening losses, Detroit made the clutch plays it needed on both sides of the ball, ending Rod Marinelli’s long wait for his first win as a head coach.

The Lions (1-5) outscored the Bills (2-4) by four points in the fourth – just enough to win – after being outscored 47-14 in the final quarter in their previous five games, four of which they had plenty of chances to win.

Marinelli had to bide his time for more than three decades to be a head coach at any level, and the Lions made him wait just a little longer. When the former Tampa Bay defensive line coach saw the final seconds tick off the clock, he smiled and walked across the field to shake Dick Jauron’s hand, the Buffalo coach, who ended last season as the interim coach in Detroit.

The Lions led 17-10 at halftime, probably wishing they had a bigger lead after dominating in the first quarter.

Jason Hanson’s 29-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter put the Lions ahead by 10. They had to cling to the slim lead after J.P. Losman’s 4-yard TD pass to Ryan Neufeld made it 20-17 on the next drive.

Jones helped seal the victory with a shifty move on a third-down reception, which helped Detroit hold onto the ball long enough to punt it with 22 seconds left.

Detroit’s Jon Kitna was 24-of-36 for 278 yards with a TD and an interception.

Losman was 20-of-33 for 195 yards with two TDs and an interception. He lost one of his top targets, Roscoe Parrish to a hamstring injury, but not before he scored a second-quarter TD.

The Lions had four chances to score in the first – gaining 117 yards to the Bills’ minus-4 – only to come away with 10 points. Detroit was impressive on the opening drive, but had nothing to show for it because Jones was stopped on two straight runs from the 1 on third and fourth down.

Hanson kicked a 43-yard kick on the second possession and Jones scored on a 7-yard run on the third drive to put the Lions ahead 10-0.

After Losman’s pass was intercepted by Terrence Holt and returned to Detroit’s 30, Hanson was just short on a 56-yard field goal.

The Bills took advantage of having good field position for the first time. Losman scrambled and threw a perfect pass on the run, a 44-yard connection with Parrish that made it 10-7.

The Lions went ahead 17-7 on Kitna’s 28-yard pass to Williams with 1:52 left in the half.

Terrence McGee’s 72-yard return on the ensuing kickoff set up Rian Lindell’s 53-yard field goal on the final play of the half to pull the Bills within a TD.

AP-ES-10-15-06 1631EDT

Copy the Story Link