Lions rally from 16-point deficit to beat the Bills 28-23 in preseason finale

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Lions beat Bills 28-23 in preseason finale

DETROIT — Matthew Stafford had an interception returned for a touchdown, but third-stringer Drew Stanton threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes to lift the Detroit Lions to a 28-23 win over the Buffalo Bills in their preseason finale Thursday night.

Stafford’s second pass was picked off by Drayton Florence and Detroit (3-1) punted on his second and last drive.

Trent Edwards was 4 for 4 for 66 yards — including a 50-yard pass to Lee Evans — on his only drive that set up Rian Lindell’s first of three field goals.

Buffalo’s Marshawn Lynch had 2 yards rushing on five carries after missing two games with an ankle injury. Bills rookie running back C.J. Spiller was rested and running back Fred Jackson missed a third straight game because of a broken left hand.

Detroit opens at Chicago, and Buffalo hosts Miami in Week 1.

The Bills (2-2) led the Lions 16-0 late in the second quarter, but began to lose their cushion when Brian Brohm’s pass went off tight end J.P. Foschi’s hands and Ashlee Palmer made a diving interception and 39-yard return.

Jerome Felton’s 1-yard run with 10 seconds left in the half pulled the Lions within nine.

After Shaun Hill was just 2 of 6 for 21 yards, Stanton entered and threw a short pass that DeDe Dorsey turned into a 25-yard TD late in the third quarter and a 16-yard pass to Derrick Williams early in the fourth to put the Lions ahead — for the first time — 21-17.

Dorsey fumbled at the Lions 23 to give the Bills a chance to retake the lead, but they blew it when rookie Levi Brown threw a pass that wasn’t close to a teammate in the end zone. Paul Pratt made a diving interception, got up and returned it 102 yards to seal the win.

The Lions, though, couldn’t have been thrilled because they were hoping Stafford would have a brief and productive tuneup for the regular season.

He didn’t.

Stafford’s first pass was deflected and the second — a short pass to the flat intended for Calvin Johnson — was picked off by Florence, who returned it 40 yards for a score.

He helped Detroit drive to the Buffalo 28, but receiver Nate Burleson was called for holding and pushed the team back to a second-and-20 at midfield and Stafford didn’t attempt to make a big play to get a first down.

Stafford was 3 of 6 for 21 yards and an interception. The No. 1 pick of the 2009 NFL draft was much more effective in his first three preseason games, completing 74 percent of his passes for 332 yards, three TDs and an interception.

Edwards was very efficient and made coach Chan Gailey by taking a calculated chance deep downfield, connecting on a long pass to a leaping Evans.

Lynch was lackluster in his return, while Spiller, who has been spectacular, watched on the sideline in football pants, a jersey and baseball cap.

Chad Simpson’s 1-yard run pulled the Bills within five with 16 seconds left. Buffalo then conceded the exhibition by kicking deep instead of attempting an onside kick.