One stop short

DETROIT - The Seahawks had a great shot to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time this year.

Seattle's defense, though, couldn't make a stop when one was needed.

Former Boise State standout Titus Young caught his second touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford on a 1-yard slant with 20 seconds left, lifting the Detroit Lions to a 28-24 win over Seattle on Sunday.

"We as a defense have to come up and make those plays," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "The game was on us and we failed to make those plays."

Seattle's offense did its part.

The Seahawks went ahead 24-21 with 5:27 left when Zach Miller made a spectacular, 16-yard catch on a toss from Russell Wilson.

But Seattle (4-4) couldn't stop the Lions (3-4) on their last possession or hold them to a field goal that would've extended the game to overtime.

"We're disappointed that after that terrific drive, we couldn't finish it off the way we wanted to," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "We didn't get the stops on third down."

That was a problem for the Seahawks all afternoon, giving up first downs on 12 of 16 third downs on defense, including three on Detroit's last drive.

"They kind of were able to do what they wanted to do," Carroll said. "They had a huge day on third down. Any one of those you stop and it's a different game."

Stafford led the game-winning, 16-play possession that started at the Detroit 20. The drive began with a 15-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and was kept alive with third-down conversion passes to Johnson in Lions territory and to Joique Bell that set up the winning score from just outside the goal line on another third down.

After Stafford had to throw two passes away to avoid sacks, Young broke inside of cornerback Brandon Browner and caught the winning TD pass.

"It was a bang-bang play," Browner said. "It was a good throw-and-catch play."

Burleson broke his right leg in Monday night's loss at Chicago, pushing Young up the depth chart. The second-year pro took advantage of his shot to get more involved with an offense that has fallen short of expectations. Young, who caught a go-ahead TD midway through the second quarter, set career highs with nine receptions and 100 yards receiving.

"Titus stepped up in a big way for them," Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. "He got over the top a couple of times and caught the game-winner. I think they're going to be looking for him a lot more now."

Stafford was 34 of 49 for 352 yards with three TDs, also connecting with rookie Ryan Broyles in the end zone at the end of the first quarter. The quarterback also ran for a 1-yard TD that gave Detroit a lead early in the fourth period for the first time this year.

It looked like the Lions were going to blow it. The Seahawks went ahead when Wilson lobbed a pass into the end zone that a leaping Miller tipped to himself with his right hand and hauled in with both hands for the go-ahead TD.

Seattle, though, was the team that failed to hold onto the lead and ended up losing for the fourth time in five road games this year.

Wilson was 25 of 35 for 236 yards with two TDs and an interception. Marshawn Lynch ran just 12 times for 105 yards, including a career-high 77-yard run early in the second quarter for one of five lead changes in the closely contested game.

Sidney Rice had six receptions for 55 yards and a 9-yard score that put Seattle up 17-7 early in the second quarter.

Young's first score, catching a 46-yard pass in stride from Stafford, started Detroit's comeback on the ensuing possession. His second one sealed the much-needed victory for the Lions - and gave Seattle a disheartening defeat.

"Unfortunately, we're going to lose track of the great drive Russell led down there and the great catch Zach made, but that's the way it goes," Carroll said. "The game was ours to win.

"The offense did what it had to do and we just needed to get our stop and get out of here and it didn't happen."

NOTES: Seattle was without reserve WR Braylon Edwards and also had backup DE Jason Jones inactive. Edwards woke up with a swollen knee and the decision to leave him out was made after he tried to go through pregame warm-ups. "It came out of nowhere," Carroll said. ... Seahawks WR Golden Tate, who led the team with six receptions for 64 yards, had an ankle injury while WR Ben Obomanu (sprained wrist) and FB Michael Robinson (sprained wrist) were also hurt during the game.