Oilers Have More Left in the End, 24-21 : Pro football: Utley serves as Lions’ inspiration, but Detroit sags in fourth quarter and blows 21-17 lead.

PONTIAC, Mich. —  The emotional lift of having Mike Utley on the sidelines couldn’t prevent the Detroit Lions from having another fourth-quarter lapse.

The Houston Oilers took advantage. Lorenzo White ran eight yards for a touchdown with 1:17 remaining to lift them to a 24-21 victory over the Lions Thursday.

“We told them the draw was coming,” Lion Coach Wayne Fontes said. “But they just didn’t execute.”

Detroit, helped by a key defensive play from Bennie Blades, had taken a 21-17 lead with 2:57 to play. But the Lions (3-9), who have been outscored, 99-66, in the fourth quarter this season, could not hold the lead.

“This was a tough one to lose, but that’s the story of our season,” Fontes said.

On Houston’s final scoring drive, Cody Carlson completed four consecutive passes for 75 yards to get the Oilers (7-5) to Detroit’s eight. White scored up the middle on the next play, capping a five-play, 83-yard drive.

The Oilers, playing their third road game in 12 days, had lost three of their previous four games.

“It’s good to get a win after we fiddled around on offense for pretty much four quarters,” said Carlson, making his second consecutive start in place of injured Warren Moon. “But the offense finally rose to the occasion.”

Utley, the former Lions’ offensive tackle whose NFL career was ended a year ago by a paralyzing neck injury, was named an honorary captain and took part in the pregame coin toss.

“I wanted to be here to show support for the guys, even though I’m not playing,” Utley said. “The outcome of the game wasn’t something I wanted. But it was an outcome the guys fought through. That’s exactly what I’m going to do now.”

Barry Sanders gained 54 yards, including a one-yard touchdown run, in 22 carries for Detroit. He also caught an eight-yard scoring pass from Erik Kramer. Kramer, who completed 12 of 21 passes for 163 yards, with two interceptions, also connected with Herman Moore for a 77-yard touchdown pass play.

Houston led, 17-14, when Blades broke in untouched and tackled Oilers’ punter Greg Montgomery at his 13 before he could get the ball off. Three snaps later, Kramer found Sanders underneath the Oilers’ coverage, and he beat Al Smith into the end zone for his first receiving touchdown of the season.

Carlson completed 24 of 33 passes for 338 yards with two interceptions. The Oilers are 5-3 in the regular-season games he has started over the years.