DETROIT — Matthew Stafford connected with running back Theo Riddick on a sidearm 11-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds remaining as the Detroit Lions won their fourth straight 20-16 over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Ford Field.

The game-winning pass completed an 11-play, 74-yard drive and gave the Lions their third consecutive fourth-quarter comeback victory.

Stafford passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit (7-2), which leads the NFC North.

Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who missed the three previous games with a high ankle sprain, caught a 49-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter and finished with seven catches for 113 yards. Receiver Golden Tate contributed 11 receptions for 109 yards.

Caleb Sturgis kicked three field goals for the Miami Dolphins, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 26-of-37 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown.

The game featured two of the league’s top three defenses and that’s the way it played out most of the way, as both teams collected three sacks and made an interception.

Johnson’s early score was the only touchdown of the first half as the Lions led 10-3 at halftime. He nearly had the game-winner one play before Riddick’s score, but Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan knocked the ball out.

Detroit had a 15-play drive to open the game, which was extended by a fake punt, but had to settle for Matt Prater’s 26-yard field goal. Punter Sam Martin hit wide-open fullback Jed Collins over the middle on a 24-yard toss to get the Lions into Miami territory.

Johnson’s leaping grab into the end zone to beat the one-on-one coverage of Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes gave Detroit a 10-0 lead later in the quarter. Grimes exacted revenge in the second quarter after a 70-yard interception return by Lions safety James Ihedigbo. Stafford tried for a quick strike but Grimes, who checked Johnson closely in the second half, made a leaping, one-handed grab of his own to deny Johnson of another potential touchdown.

The Dolphins got on the board with 14 seconds left in the half on Sturgis’ 23-yard field goal. Sturgis blasted a 50-yarder during the third quarter to make it 10-6.

Miami’s special teams delivered a big play late in the third, as Prater had a 42-yard field goal try blocked and defensive end Dion Jordan returned it 55 yards to the Lions’ 3. Tannehill connected with wide receiver Mike Wallace on the next play to put the Dolphins up 13-10.

Prater got a measure of redemption when he ripped a 50-yard field goal with 12:02 remaining to tie it.

Miami responded with a clock-chewing, 13-play drive that included four receptions by tight end Charles Clay and culminated with Sturgis’ 20-yard field goal with 4:19 left.

NOTES: Miami LT Branden Albert and Detroit RG Larry Warford suffered first-half knee injuries and did not return. … OG Daryn Colledge (back) and TE Dion Sims (toe) were among the Dolphins’ inactives. … The teams had not met since Dec. 26, 2010, when the Lions won in Miami, 34-27. … Detroit has not started 7-2 since the 1993 season. … Detroit WR Calvin Johnson joined Herman Moore as the second player in team history with 600 career receptions.