LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -Friends and relatives called to offer congratulations, to say ``great job,'' and that's about as far as the hoopla went for Matthew Stafford.
He wasn't around for most of the Detroit Lions' losing streak, anyway.
He wasn't a part of last year's 0-16 eyesore, the first in the NFL, so that burden wasn't really on his shoulders even if the franchise's hopes are.
The No. 1 draft pick, Stafford helped the Lions snap their 19-game losing streak with a 19-14 win over Washington, and they'll try to make it two in a row when they visit the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
``We really don't talk about it too much and don't really think about it either,'' Stafford said. ``It was a big win for the city and the players that were here last year, but we have to put it behind us and start working toward Chicago.''
For the players who were around last year - and with 31 newcomers, there aren't many - the win provided a welcomed sense of relief. Detroit (1-2) hadn't won since Dec. 23, 2007 and its 19-game skid matched the second longest in NFL history.
When it all came to an end, center Dominic Raiola blew kisses to the crowd at Ford Field, and new coach Jim Schwartz sent his team back onto the field following a brief meeting and prayer in the locker room.
``It was good to get the monkey off our back, but he's still behind us clawing,'' said running back Kevin Smith, who ran for 101 yards last week before leaving with an injured right shoulder. ``One win is one win.''
That monkey saw them produce the worst winning percentage over an eight-season stretch since World War II thanks in large part to poor drafting under former president Matt Millen. They went an NFL-worst 31-84 in seven-plus years before firing him three games into last season, when they were on their way to an unprecedented low.
The ax fell on coach Rod Marinelli at the end of the season, and he is now coaching the Bears' offensive line. Jim Schwartz replaced him, but the front office remained largely intact with Tom Lewand elevated to team president and Martin Mayhew to general manager.
Now, the Lions have a chance to put together their first winning streak since they beat Tampa Bay, Chicago and Denver to go to 6-2 in 2007 - which seems like an eternity ago.
``I know exactly what they're going through with the fans, just not winning,'' Bears defensive tackle Anthony Adams said. ``This is a team that you can't write off. They're still pretty good.''
A Detroit native who rooted for the Barry Sanders-Herman Moore teams, Adams was glad to see the losing streak end. He just doesn't want them to go on a winning run, either.
Those feelings seemed to extend throughout the Bears' locker room. They could certainly empathize with Detroit, yet they don't want to see a turnaround at their own expense. The changes they'd like to see are in their running game and the way they've started games.
The Bears rank 28th in rushing and have struggled early in games. Otherwise, they have few complaints.
The defense ranks ninth overall despite losing Brian Urlacher to a season-ending wrist injury and seeing other key players dinged up, and quarterback Jay Cutler is delivering as promised following the offseason trade with Denver. After a rough opener at Green Bay, he's completed a league-high 73.8 percent of his passes the past two weeks, and he's getting help from a group of wide receivers widely viewed as a weakness before the season.
``I never doubted them,'' Cutler said. ``There was no chance of us bringing anybody else in. We knew we were going to go with this crew. We felt good about it, and they're playing very well right now. I'm proud of them.''
Cutler's arrival was a big boost to a team that missed the playoffs the past two years, and a fan base that hasn't cheered a franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman, a six-decade drought. To Lions fans, that losing streak might have seemed just as long, but if there was a positive that came out of it, getting the No. 1 draft pick was it.
The win last week was a big step for the franchise and the quarterback.
After throwing five interceptions and one touchdown in the first two games, Stafford delivered his best performance against the Redskins. He threw for 241 yards with a TD and did not get picked off.
``I feel like I have played pretty well,'' he said. ``Obviously, I made some mistakes here and there that have cost us, but this last game I felt really comfortable and feel like we are moving in the right direction.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
