DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford led a victory-lap parade around the perimeter of Ford Field, high-fiving fans that have been waiting since 1999 for the Detroit Lions to make the playoffs.

With the crowd chanting "Play-offs! Play-offs!" as the final few minutes ticked away, Detroit clinched a postseason spot thanks to Stafford's three touchdown passes in a 38-10 win over the San Diego Chargers on Saturday.

Stafford appeared to be touched by the face-to-face interaction with fans hanging over the railing to reach his raised right hand.

"You could just get a sense of how much it meant to them," Stafford said. "It was fun to give them that kind of joy."

The Lions (10-5) have won three straight after a seven-game slump to earn an NFC wild card, turning around the franchise after it was bad enough just three years ago to become the league's only 0-16 team.

It was coach Jim Schwartz's idea to reach out and touch the fans.

"There's going to be a time that we don't celebrate getting to the playoffs, but it's not going to be tonight," Schwartz said. "It's been a long time coming."

No one has been waiting longer than owner William Clay Ford.

Ford, whose first season leading the franchise was in 1964, was handed a keepsake in the jubilant locker room.