By Steve Keating
DETROIT (Reuters) - The Detroit Lions snapped a 19-game losing streak to beat the Washington Redskins 19-14 on Sunday and record their first victory in nearly two years.
Lions fans, who had staged protests and worn bags over their heads during the winless run, had not celebrated a victory since Detroit beat the Kansas City Chiefs on December 23, 2007.
"We not only got the monkey off our back, we got King Kong off our back," Lions owner William Clay Ford told reporters. "I'm hoping this gets up over the hump and gives us a winning attitude."
Only 40,896, the smallest crowd for an NFL game at Ford Field, witnessed the victory with a league-mandated television blackout in effect because the game was not sold out.
Following the win the Lions returned to the field to shake the hands of their loyal fans who had stood behind them through last season's 0-16 campaign and a 19-game losing skid that equalled the second longest in the NFL.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the record after they lost 26 consecutive games over the 1976-77 seasons.
"Just to show appreciation to the fans," said Lions linebacker Larry Foote. "It says a lot about our fans and the people of Detroit."
After becoming the first NFL team to finish a regular season 0-16, the Lions underwent an off-season overhaul that included a new logo, a new head coach Jim Schwartz and a rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford, the number one draft pick in April, completed 21-of-36 passes for 241 yards, including a 21-yard first quarter touchdown strike to Bryant Johnson to give Detroit a lead they would never surrender.
Jason Hanson slotted two field goals in the second quarter to give Detroit a 13-0 lead at halftime before the Redskins answered with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Jason Campbell to Santana Moss in the third quarter.
Maurice Morris rumbled over from the two early in the fourth quarter to push the Lions to a 19-7 lead though Washington answered with a four-yard touchdown pass from Campbell to Rock Cartwright shortly after.
With just over a minute to play, Washington again had the ball, Campbell driving the Redskins down inside the Lions 25 yard-line before the final seconds ticked down sparking the Detroit celebration.
"We'd like to get to a point where a regular season win isn't celebrated that much," said Schwartz. "It had the feel of a post-season win.
"The players went back out on the field and wanted to celebrate with the fans that stayed.
"I thought that sends a strong statement about the kinship we feel with this city."
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
