DETROIT — After driving the defensive lineman in front of him to the ground, Rams center Jason Brown sneaked a peek downfield. And then he let out a whoop.

"You look up and you see No. 39 getting smaller and smaller," Brown said, "and you say, 'Thank you ... thank you so much.'"

The sight of running back Steven Jackson steaming toward the end zone in the final moments Sunday was a welcome — and long overdue — sight for the Rams. The last time they had walked off a field celebrating a win, Barack Obama was still the junior senator from Illinois.

Jackson shed at least three would-be tacklers on his 25-yard burst off right tackle with 1 minute, 38 seconds remaining that gave him his first touchdown of the year and the Rams their first victory since Oct. 19, 2008. The 17-10 triumph at Ford Field halted their losing streak at 17 games.

"Man, that run felt really good," said Jackson, who piled up a season-high 149 yards on 22 carries. "We knew that ... whoever had the ball last was going to have a pretty good chance of driving the ball and putting the game away. We really felt like it was our time to take over."

Jackson's scoring run capped a four-play, 62-yard drive and sent the Rams into their bye week at 1-7.

"That's Steven, just the way the run (went) and breaking all those tackles," first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "He was determined to get into the end zone. That's what he's all about."

Throughout the Rams' winless start, Jackson kept pounding the ball on the field and exhorting his teammates in the locker room. His relentlessness finally paid off.

"I'm really proud of what the guys did up front. I don't think I can give them enough praise," Jackson said. "The team as a whole, everyone answered the challenge."

Jackson came into the game No. 3 in the NFL in rushing. He's on pace to finish with 1,568 yards on the ground; his personal best for his six-year career is 1,528, in 2006.

"He played like Steven does every week ... win or lose, that's how he runs," quarterback Marc Bulger said. "I'm glad he got to get in the end zone."

Still, Bulger kept his eye on Jackson all the way. "We've been snakebitten a little bit, so I was just hoping he didn't trip or ... I was looking around for flags," Bulger explained. "Once he was in, we were excited."

Jackson also had three receptions for 17 yards. His 166 yards on 25 touches meant that the Rams advanced 6.6 yards every time Jackson got his hands on the ball.

"One guy can't take him down; he's a horse ... a stallion," Brown said.

Actually, Jackson's decisive run might not have been his most important run. With 6:54 to go, the Rams were pinned at their 2-yard line. A short series almost surely would provide the Lions with good field position and a prime opportunity to break the 10-10 tie.

On first down, Jackson started up the middle, then jumped out around right end for an 11-yard gain. The Rams wound up punting seven plays later, but Donnie Jones' kick, from the Lions' 45, was downed at the 6.

That pushed Detroit into a three-and-out and a punt, and the Rams began their game-winning drive at their 38 with 2:26 left. Four snaps later, Jackson was racing to paydirt and the Rams' 54-week nightmare was nearly over.

"This is exactly what we needed, kind of what the doctor ordered right before the bye," Jackson said. "

After their break, the Rams have back-to-back-to-back games at the Edward Jones Dome vs. New Orleans, Arizona and Seattle. "We have some tough opponents coming home, but ... I think we have a great chance ahead of us these next three weeks," Jackson said.

For now, though, "We're going to take this in," he said. "We're going to enjoy this."