ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Quarterback Matthew Stafford led the 15th game-winning drive of his career Sunday, throwing a perfect sidearm pass for an 11-yard touchdown to Theo Riddick with 29 seconds left to give the Detroit Lions a 20-16 win over the Miami Dolphins.

“There’s no better feeling than when you come out of that drive successful — as a team, as an offense — so obviously you fight tooth and nail for that feeling,” Stafford said.

These Lions are experiencing a new feeling in 2014. They are 7-2 for the first time since 1993. They’ve won their past four games and produced the game-winning score in the final two minutes of each of the past three.

The Lions’ No. 1-ranked defense held the Dolphins to just 228 yards, forced two turnovers and came up with big stops late in the game.

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who missed the last three games, had seven catches for 113 yards, highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown on the second drive. Golden Tate finished with 11 catches for 109 yards, and he had 94 yards in the second half, including four catches for 39 yards on the game-winning drive.

But Stafford led the Lions to victory on a drive that started at their 26, down 16-13 with just 3:13 remaining in regulation.

“It’s a good feeling as a quarterback to have the ball in your hands at the end of the game, everybody looking to you to make a play,” Stafford said. “You’re not going to win the game every time, but we’ve been very successful this year as a team, as an offense, in those situations.”

Stafford did acknowledge that it would be nice to run the clock out with the lead, but the Lions did that in a few games earlier this year. Now, they’re proving they can win regardless of circumstances.

“I don’t think anybody enjoys stress like that,” Johnson said. “If we can handle ourselves earlier in the game, put that thing away, that’d be great, but a win is a win.”

Stafford finished 25 of 40 for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but the offense stalled for much of the game.

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh led the defense with three tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery. Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah had three tackles for loss and a sack, linebacker DeAndre Levy had 11 tackles and safety James Ihedigbo had an interception, two tackles for loss and a pass break-up on what would’ve given the Dolphins a seven-point lead with less than five minutes remaining.

“By no means are we playing perfect football, but we’re finding ways to win games,” Stafford said. “And that’s the way the NFL goes.”

REPORT CARD VS. DOLPHINS

PASSING OFFENSE: B-plus — Matthew Stafford was average most of the game, but delivered again late and finished with 280 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate both went over 100 yards receiving, but Joique Bell’s 37 yards and Theo Riddick’s game-winning touchdown were the only other significant contributions.

RUSHING OFFENSE: C — Joique Bell ran hard for 44 yards on 10 carries, but the entire rushing attack struggled again. The Lions finished with 19 carries for 63 yards. Reggie Bush started well with four carries for 20 yards, but was limited by an ankle injury in the second half.

PASS DEFENSE: A — The defense dominated early and sacked Ryan Tannehill three times with pressure on countless other dropbacks. Tannehill had just 207 yards on 38 attempts, and safety James Ihedigbo nearly returned an interception for a touchdown.

RUSH DEFENSE: A — Another dominant run-stopping performance from the Lions, who held Miami to 50 yards on 19 carries. Ezekiel Ansah forced a fumble by Daniel Thomas and Ndamukong Suh recovered. Ansah and Suh combined for five tackles for loss, and DeAndre Levy had 11 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C — Punter Sam Martin threw two passes on fakes with the first going for 24 yards to set up a field goal on the opening drive but the second was stopped short. Matt Prater missed another field goal, this time a block from 42 yards, but hit kicks from 26 and 50. The Lions nearly gave up a kickoff return touchdown, but Kyle Van Noy made a tackle just short of midfield.

COACHING: B-plus — The decision to call two fake punts was perplexing because the Lions should’ve used the offense on the second, a fourth-and-five in Dolphins territory. Otherwise, Jim Caldwell and his staff made the right decisions of when to be conservative or aggressive.