Detroit Lions: 5 Keys to Win vs. Oakland Raiders

The Detroit Lions' (9-5) ability to come back in football games this season has been nothing short of spectacular.

To think that on four different occasions they have overcome deficits of 13+ points, showcases the type of mental resolve this team needs to make a serious playoff run.

The game against the Oakland Raiders (7-7) bolstered the Lions playoff chances and did so in a big way.

Calvin Johnson reemerged in the passing game after a few quiet weeks, and Matthew Stafford unleashed an aerial attack as potent as nearly any other in the league.

Let's look at the keys to Detroit's victory.

5. Stopping Michael Bush

Detroit has struggled mightily against the run all season—they rank 27th in the league in rushing yards allowed.

But the Lions defense was able to slow down the Oakland rushing attack in a way that rendered it a forgotten aspect of the game.

Raiders running back, Michael Bush, ran for 77 yards on 18 carries with no touchdowns.

Granted, Oakland still found some creative rushing plays through end-arounds and receiver handoffs, but limiting the NFL's sixth-ranked rushing attack to no touchdowns was certainly a key to victory.

4. Playing (relatively) Smart Football

This game featured two of the most penalized teams in the entire league, so it was important for Detroit to cut back on the mental mistakes and avoid yellow flags.

The Lions still had their share of penalties. In fact, they were flagged nine times for 72 yards, but they did not make the crucial mistakes that have hurt them so much this season.

No referees were shoved, no fights broke out, and no defenseless players were stomped on.

This is only one game and Detroit still has a long way to go before they will be considered a clean football team, but I took this game as a step in the right direction.

Even after a questionable call like the whistle for a horse-collar tackle on Cliff Avril's early sack, Detroit did not panic or resort to stupid measures, they simply got back to playing football.

Resolve can help this team throughout the rest of the season, and it was a serious contributor to the Lions win over the Raiders.

3. Calvin Johnson

Heading into Oakland, Calvin Johnson had only one touchdown in his last five games.

The Lions top playmaker had been stifled by opposing defenses, catching for over 100 yards in none of those contests.

But against the Raiders, Johnson was able to rekindle some of the magic from the early part of the season.

The Georgia Tech product had nine catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns.

Oakland does allow 248 passing yards per game, 23rd worst in the league, but to see Johnson find ways to get open and find the end zone is a very encouraging sign for Detroit's offense moving forward.

The Lions are 7-2 when "Megatron" catches at least one touchdown pass this season, and 5-0 when he catches two.

Moving forward, the recipe for success is clear.

2. Making Up for a Lack of a Running Game...Again

The Lions running game rarely does anything of note, and even rarer still does it have a positive effect on the outcome of a game.

This statement proved true again against Oakland as Detroit rushed for a mere 57 yards on 19 attempts.

Luckily, Matthew Stafford and the NFL's fifth-ranked passing game were on fire. Stafford threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns, completing passes to seven different receivers in the process.

The Lions would love to develop a consistent complimentary running game just in time for the playoffs, but this offense has shown it can survive and even thrive when forced to only throw the football.

Detroit had to have a good day through the air to beat the Raiders, and that's exactly what happened.

1. Stepping Up in the 4th Quarter

With five minutes left in the fourth quarter Detroit was down 27-14.

Most would assume this was an insurmountable deficit and the Lions would surely fall to 9-6, but the "Cardiac Cats" found a way to turn the tide and win the game.

Knowing they are never out of a contest has to be a great motivator for Detroit, and against Oakland it shined through in a big way.

The Lions' passing game took over in the final minutes, as Matthew Stafford hooked up with both Titus Young and Calvin Johnson for scores.

Detroit should not count on making comebacks in every game they play, but having the ability and leadership necessary to do so certainly is not a detriment.

These Lions play four quarters of football, and their season continues to get more intriguing.