Matthew Stafford’s scamper saves Lions

Detroit – Dwayne Washington caught the short pass, stumbled and slipped to the ground. Able to get to his feet just as multiple Chicago Bears defenders arrived, the rookie running back pushed the pile, picking up the first down deep in Chicago territory.

The drive resulted in a touchdown, but the play was symbolic of how hard the team had to fight for a 20-17 victory over their NFC North rival on Sunday.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford overcame a right hand injury to lead a record-breaking eighth fourth-quarter comeback, moving the Lions to 9-4 on the season and allowing the team to maintain its stranglehold on the division.

But it wasn’t easy. The Bears (3-1) showed no interest in rolling over,…