(AP) -- The Detroit Lions finally started fast, finally ran the ball consistently and finally won a game that didn't come down to the final seconds.
Not a bad day's work - but all it did was bring the Lions back to .500 at the season's halfway point.
At 4-4, Detroit is still in last place in the NFC North, facing an uphill climb to reach the playoffs. The schedule doesn't look too favorable the rest of the way, with two games against Green Bay and one each against Houston, Atlanta and Chicago.
In other words, Detroit better build on Sunday's 31-14 victory over Jacksonville. The Lions play at Minnesota next weekend, and a win would pull them out of the division basement.
(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
