Lions Work Overtime to Beat Patriots, 19-16 : Interconference: Hanson’s game-winning, 38-yard field goal makes Detroit 2-0 for first time since 1985.

Drew Bledsoe made all the news when the New England Patriots selected the quarterback from Washington State with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

But Sunday, Bledsoe’s college teammate, Detroit kicker Jason Hanson, made all the difference.

Hanson kicked four field goals, including a 38-yarder with 11:04 left in overtime, to give the Lions a 19-16 victory over the Patriots.

“When you step out there, you just don’t have time to think,” said Hanson, a second-round draft pick last year, who also had field goals of 22, 23 and 26 yards. “You have to relax and let a kick go. It happens so fast, you look up and see it sail through.”

Barry Sanders gained 148 yards in 32 carries for the Lions, who are 2-0 for the first time since 1985.

Bledsoe drove the Patriots (1-1) 77 yards in 3:12 to the tying touchdown, which came on a two-yard pass to Vincent Brisby with 12 seconds left in regulation.

Bledsoe completed nine of 12 passes for 61 yards during the drive, and finished 28 of 49 passes for 239 yards.

Lion quarterback Rodney Peete completed passes of 14 yards to Sanders, 13 yards to Herman Moore and 17 yards to Brett Perriman on the game-winning drive. The last pass gave Detroit a first down at the New England 28-yard line.

Sanders then ran three times for eight yards, setting up Hanson’s kick.

“Up until that drive, we had been too predictable,” said Peete, the former USC star, who completed 16 of 25 passes for 175 yards. “It had been run, run, pass, punt. But I thought on the last drive, we mixed it up real good.”

Until Brisby’s touchdown sent the game into overtime, the only touchdown came just 11 seconds into the game, when Willie Clay returned Troy Brown’s fumble of the opening kickoff 15 yards.

It was the earliest touchdown ever against the Patriots.