Familiar Script: Kramer to the Rescue for Lions : NFC: As he did in 1991, quarterback comes on late in the season. He keys 20-14 victory over Bears.

It’s like 1991 all over again for Erik Kramer. He came on late and led Detroit into the NFL playoffs then, and now he has rescued the Lions again.

Kramer completed 23 of 31 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns Sunday as the Lions earned a 20-14 come-from-behind victory over the Chicago Bears. The former Burbank Burroughs High and Pierce College quarterback had three stretches of six consecutive completions in scoring drives.

The Lions (9-6), who had won only one of their previous nine at Soldier Field, clinched at least a wild-card playoff spot when Philadelphia defeated New Orleans, 37-26.

Detroit and Green Bay will decide the NFC Central title next week in the final game of the regular season.

Chicago (7-8) was eliminated from the division title race with the loss, and then was eliminated from the playoffs altogether later when Minnesota defeated Kansas City.

Kramer, who emerged three weeks ago from the Lions’ third and final quarterback controversy of the season, completed six of six passes for 47 yards during the Lions’ winning touchdown drive after the Bears had taken a fourth-quarter 14-13 lead.

“That’s the story of my career,” said Kramer, who went on from Pierce to star at North Carolina State. “I’ve had the opportunities, and I’ve made the most of the opportunities I’ve had. We’ve got to be excited about having a chance to win the division. That’s our whole season, by beating the Packers next week.”

Kramer played for the Atlanta Falcons during the 1987 players’ strike, then played in Canada with the Calgary Stampeders for two seasons before signing with the Lions in 1990 as a free agent.

Kramer drove the Lions 80 yards in 12 plays for the winning touchdown against the Bears. The Lions had only one third-down situation during the drive. On that occasion, yet another fill-in, rookie Eric Lynch from Grand Valley State, picked up six yards to keep the drive and the dream alive.

“Lynch made some nice runs,” Chicago Coach Dave Wannstedt said. “On that last drive, he made two of them. I don’t know if it was him making the good runs or the guys blocking.”

Lynch, playing in place of injured Derrick Sanders, who was the first backup for injured Barry Sanders, had 85 yards in 22 carries. He also caught seven passes for 46 yards and 131 all-purpose yards.

Kramer’s one-yard flip to rookie tight end Ty Hallock gave Detroit the lead with 3:04 remaining and the Lions’ defense forced the Bears to give up the ball at the Detroit 46 after eight snaps.

In the second quarter Kramer threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brett Perriman.