Lions blow 17-0 lead, Seahawks rally for 32-20 win

The lowly Detroit Lions are going to win on the road again.

Someday.

Detroit roared to a 17-0 lead at Seattle on Sunday before gaining only 73 yards over the next 2 1/2 quarters. The Seahawks scored 25 consecutive points for a 32-20 victory.

Lions rookie Matthew Stafford threw five interceptions, a sharp contrast to Seahawks veteran Matt Hasselbeck, who had a team-record 39 completions in 51 attempts for 329 yards.

"Just crushed," Lions linebacker Larry Foote said.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh tumbled inside the goal-line for a 2-yard touchdown reception from Hasselbeck to give the Seahawks their first lead late in the third quarter. Houshmandzadeh never doubted his team was going to win.

"It could be that we were playing Detroit," he said.

The Lions ended a 19-game losing streak earlier this season, but they still have another skid to conquer. It's been 25 months and counting since their last win away from home.

Stafford moved Detroit from its own 5 with 2:03 left to midfield while out of timeouts. Then came interception No. 5, something he hadn't done since at least high school in Highland Park, Texas.

Josh Wilson returned the underthrown pass 61 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds left. And the Lions (1-7), seeking their first road win since Oct. 28, 2007, at Chicago, instead flew home unhappy - again.

"It's super tough, man," said cornerback William James. "We were so close. We're always so close. I'm tired of being so close."

The Seahawks (3-5) escaped from embarrassment to set up their next must-win game, Sunday at NFC West-leading Arizona (5-3).

The Cardinals steamrolled the Seahawks 27-3 in Seattle last month, holding them to their fewest points in a home game since 2002.

Hasselbeck completed just 34 percent of his throws in that game, his lowest since 2004.

"We can do the math. We knew that we needed to get this one," Hasselbeck said of beating the Lions.

The Seahawks were coming off their first consecutive losses by more than 20 points since 2001, Hasselbeck's first season as their starting quarterback. The week began with coach Jim Mora telling his team he would fire people, if necessary. Then he cut NFL active rushing leader Edgerrin James and veteran cornerback Travis Fisher.

The Seahawks answered with a sloppy opening against Detroit.

Seattle's first six plays included an interception by Hasselbeck, a lost fumble by Justin Griffith forced by former Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson, two negative-yardage runs by Julius Jones, then another for no gain on a fourth-and-inches gamble in their own end.

Stafford turned the interception into a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Pettigrew. Bryant Johnson made a diving, one-armed catch in the back of the end zone for a 29-yard score off Griffith's fumble. Then, after Foote denied Jones on fourth down, Jason Hanson made a field goal.

Faster than you can say "road kill," it was 17-0 Lions.

Detroit had its largest lead away from home since Sept. 7, 2007, in an eventual 15-point win at Oakland.

And the Seahawks were getting booed off their field.

"It was like, 'You've got to be kidding me. Seriously?'" Hasselbeck said, raising his voice as high as he went on to raise his game.

Hasselbeck banged his shoulder making a tackle following that interception on Seattle's first play. He then relied on short throws until his shoulder loosened and finished with the first 300-yard passing game in two seasons for Seattle.