National Football League

Stafford, Best lead Lions past Browns

Published Aug. 28, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown pass, rookie Jahvid Best had a 51-yard run and Aaron Brown scored twice in the fourth quarter to lift the Detroit Lions to a 35-27 win over the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game Saturday night.

Stafford was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and connected with Bryant Johnson in the end zone on Detroit's first drive.

Jake Delhomme was 20 of 25 for 152 yards and a TD for the Browns.

Cleveland rookie Colt McCoy fumbled on his first drive to set up a lead-padding touchdown for the Lions.

Browns defensive back Nick Sorensen was able to move his arms and legs after being taken off the field on a backboard in the second quarter. Sorensen was covering a kickoff when he was blocked simultaneously by the Lions' Caleb Campbell and Andre Fluellen. He was responsive when he was taken to a Detroit hospital for further evaluation.

The Browns led 24-14 at halftime after finding a lot of holes in Detroit's defense and taking advantage of a turnover.

Phil Dawson made his first of two field goals and Eric Wright returned Kevin Smith's fumble 44 yards for a score in the first quarter. Delhomme tossed a short pass to Lawrence Vickers midway through the second quarter and Peyton Hills had a 1-yard TD with 24 seconds left in the half.

The Lions were spectacular on their first drive with Stafford handing off to Best for a 51-yard run on their first play, throwing a 10-yard pass to him on the second and lofting a 7-yard TD to Johnson on the third.

Smith stunted Detroit's second possession with a fumble, an incomplete pass stopped the next drive and the third ended with a punt on fourth-and-1 at the Browns 45 as the crowd booed.

Detroit's fans had a reason to cheer one play later because Jerome Harrison fumbled and Chris Houston returned it 14 yards for a score.

Smith tried to make up for his fumble with a touchdown in the third quarter to pull the Lions within three points and Brown put them ahead in the fourth with enough speed to get into the end zone twice.