Lions at least showing some glimpses of promise

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - The Detroit Lions were down in their opener at New Orleans and refused to be out.

In their next game, the Lions stuffed Adrian Peterson more times than not and had some success running the ball against Minnesota's vaunted defense.

Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford has connected with standout receiver Calvin Johnson on breathtaking plays and fellow rookie Louis Delmas looked like a battering ram in a violent collisions with Peterson that jarred loose the running back's helmet.

Detroit is off to an 0-2 start, extending its losing streak to 19 games, and yet coach Jim Schwartz is seeing signs of life.

"There's tangible proof of what we can do - of what we're going to be," Schwartz said this week.

The first-year coach and his players say a lack of consistency has kept them winless.

"We've put up two good quarters in both games," linebacker Julian Peterson said. "Now, we've got to put it together for four quarters to win."

Peterson insisted if Detroit can string together four quarters of sound football to win some games, earning a spot in the playoffs is possible.

Playoffs?!

History suggest it's plausible: 22 teams - including three last season - since 1990 that began 0-2 played in the postseason.

The Lions, of course, would just be happy to start with simply winning a game after becoming the NFL's first team to go 0-16 last season.

Detroit seems to have its best chance at winning before November on Sunday against the Washington Redskins (1-1) and ending talk about its 19-game losing streak dating to Dec. 23, 2007.

The Redskins are 61/2-point favorites - coming off a 9-7 win over St. Louis - but defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth says he's not overlooking the Lions.

"You've seen what we're doing," Haynesworth said. "We scored 9 points against the Rams. I think the Lions are a lot better than the Rams."

If the Lions lose to Washington, they will have the second-longest losing streak in NFL history and their next-best shot to win might be Nov. 1 at home against those Rams.

Detroit is hoping to beat anybody to avoid approaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' league-record, 26-game skid during the 1976-77 seasons.

Until then, Johnson said he can't get too excited about glimmers of hope.

"A win would be the silver lining," Johnson said. "I'll be happy when we get that `W,' that we haven't gotten in 19 games."

The Lions were knocked back on their heels in Week 1, falling behind at New Orleans 14-0. Unlike last year when early deficits led to routs by halftime - and the firing of general manager Matt Millen - the Lions got back in the game.

After losing 45-27 to the Saints and giving up 143 yards rushing to Mike Bell, the Lions started to hear jokes about how Peterson would run for 300 yards.

The Vikings superstar, though, was held to 41 yards in the first half. Peterson finished with a relatively modest 92 yards on 15 carries.

"He had two big runs and we take those away he probably walks away with 50-some yards," Julian Peterson said. "That's encouraging because people have been talking about him being a 3,000-yard back."

Detroit's Kevin Smith, meanwhile, had 83 yards rushing against a Minnesota defense stacked to stop the run.