Newest Star Helps Lions End Streak

It was like something out of the movies, and the star was Desmond Howard.

A Detroit Lion for all of a day, Howard contributed a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 33-17 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Having been waived by the Green Bay Packers, Howard was signed by Detroit on Saturday. Now he is the Lion King.

“That’s amazing,” said Luther Elliss, a 305-pound defensive tackle who also scored a touchdown. “The guy gets off the plane, comes in here and does what he does.”

Howard was needed because Terry Fair, who had a household accident and broke a knuckle, was unable to play.

“Desmond just came in and did his job,” Lion Coach Bobby Ross said. “He adds a lot of electricity to the return game, and we’re excited about having him for the rest of the year.”

The Lions (8-4) ended a losing streak at 18 games (that covered 34 years) to the Redskins (7-5).

What did the trick for Detroit was a 17-point run late in the second quarter. It came after James Thrash returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give Washington a 10-3 lead with 5:46 left in the second quarter.

That seemed to be a wake-up call for the Lions, who gained only 12 yards in the first quarter.

After a 23-yard touchdown pass from Gus Frerotte to Herman Moore made it 10-10, Howard’s punt return gave the Lions a 17-10 lead and Jason Hanson had a 45-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half.

Howard’s punt-return touchdown was the first for the Lions since Mel Gray’s 78-yarder against Minnesota on Sept. 13, 1992.

“It was one of those indescribable feelings,” Howard said.

The Lions’ final touchdown came in the fourth quarter when Elliss scooped up a fumble by Brad Johnson--after a sack by James Jones--and returned it 11 yards.

Frerotte, a Washington castoff, completed 21 of 32 passes for 280 yards and one touchdown.

Hanson finished with four field goals--including kicks of 50 and 53 yards.