PONTIAC, Mich., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Corey Dillon ran 96 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage Sunday and produced the go-ahead points in the final period, boosting the Cincinnati Bengals to a 31-27 victory over the winless Detroit Lions.
Detroit (0-6) erased a 15-point deficit and had the lead in the fourth quarter but remained the NFL's only team without a victory. The six losses to start the season matches the worst start in club history, also done in 1955.
"This was another game where we fought right to the end," Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg said. "We just didn't have enough plays in us to get it done.
"Our spirits are still up. This is the third week we've battled right up until the very end and we'll continue to do that."
Dillon carried 27 times for 184 yards and two scores, including a one-yard touchdown with 8:06 to play that gave the Bengals (4-3) the lead for good. Cincinnati is 10-0 when its workhorse rushes for at least 130 yards.
Dillon also caught an eight-yard touchdown pass as the Bengals matched their win total from last season.
After the opening kickoff, Dillon took a handoff and ran up the middle before cutting to his left and outrunning Lions cornerback Terry Fair to the end zone.
It was the longest touchdown run in franchise history, surpassing the 87-yard scamper by Paul Robinson on Oct. 27, 1968 against Oakland.
"We had the opportunity to come out and get some yards and we took advantage with a long run," Dillon said. "That play is designed to go right. I saw a crease at the left and it opened up."
Jason Hanson added field goals of 51 and 24 yards, bringing the Lions within 14-6 with 3:47 left in the first half. But Kitna launched a 30-yard pass to Darnay Scott on the first play after the two-minute warning, putting Cincinnati ahead by 15 with 1:53 to play.
"We put 31 points on the board," Kitna said. "We feel good about that.
"This was a huge game for us. This was pivotal for a young team like us, a young team with a fragile state of mind."
Desmond Howard took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards to the Cincinnati nine, setting up Lamont Warren for a one-yard score three plays later, cutting the deficit to 21-13 at the half.
"We needed a big play," quarterback Charlie Batch said. "Desmond did that and the rest of us feed off of it."
Howard opened the second half with a 63-yard kick return to the Bengals' 28 and, two plays later, Batch found wide-open tight end David Sloan one yard out. But the Lions failed on the two-point conversion, making it 21-19.
Howard set a regular-season career high with 229 kick-return yards, breaking the mark of 223 he set four years ago at Seattle while playing for Oakland.
After Neil Rackers booted a 39-yard field goal with just over five minutes left in the quarter, Sloan caught his second touchdown pass of the game, a one-yard reception from Batch with just 34 seconds left.
The Bengals were faced with third and four from their own 23 and Kitna completed a six-yard pass to Ron Dugans to keep the drive going. Kitna had another third down play at the Lions' 12 and ran seven yards, giving Cincinnati first and goal from the five before Dillon's go-ahead score.
"He's one of the best running backs in the games," Lions linebacker Luther Ellis said. "He just keeps on going. Most guys, if you hit them, they'll go down. But he doesn't. He just keeps going hard."
