Seattle Tuffs Out A Win Over The Lions

The Lions have some of the same pass blocking problems faced by the Oakland Raiders. But they have a stout defense and a more creative passing system.

Brown's FGs carry Seahawks over Lions

NFL.com wire reports

DETROIT (Sept. 10, 2006) -- The Seattle Seahawks got to celebrate at Ford Field -- seven months too late.

On the turf where Seattle lost the Super Bowl to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Josh Brown kicked a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the game to lift the Seahawks to a 9-6 victory over the Detroit Lions.

When the game ended, the Seahawks jumped around, hugged and shouted.

"I'm ready to pass out. That's fun," Brown said on the field after a teammate jubilantly lifted him off the ground. "This is exactly the way I would like to start the season."

Perhaps only a kicker could enjoy a game with five field goals and no touchdowns.

The defending NFC champions, who led the NFL in scoring last season, put together a key drive when they needed it after a sluggish day behind a shaky offensive line.

Seattle started the game-winning drive at their 20 with 3:13 left after Lions' new coach Rod Marinelli decided against a long field-goal attempt.

Maurice Morris set up the game-winning kick with a 17-yard run, one of his three carries, spelling last year's league MVP Shaun Alexander.

Seattle defensive end Bryce Fisher said it was not an ugly win.

"I've never seen one," Fisher said. "It's like an ugly baby -- you never see one."

The Lions blocked two field-goal attempts in the first 17½ minutes of the lackluster game to give them a chance to pick up a surprising victory in the season opener.


Despite two blocked FGs, Josh Brown celebrates the game-winner as time expired.
Marinelli, a head coach for the first time at any level, said he didn't regret his late-game decision that many will second guess.

The Lions drove to Seattle's 37, but Marinelli chose to punt instead of allowing Jason Hanson to attempt a 54-yard field goal. Nick Harris then sailed the punt beyond the end zone.

"We were playing dominating defense at that point and I was hoping to back them up again and get another shot," Marinelli said.

Hanson acknowledged that it's a tough call for a coach to make.

"I'd like to think I can step out there and make a 55-yarder, and if I do, we have a good chance to win," Hanson said. "But if I don't, they only need one first down to get into field-goal range."

On Detroit's previous two possessions, Hanson made it 6-all with a 37-yard field goal with 7:05 left after being short on a 52-yard kick that he said was tipped at the line.

Marinelli spent the previous 10 seasons coaching Tampa Bay's defensive line and coached the unit in place of Joe Cullen, who was arrested twice recently on suspicion of drunken driving and because police say he was driving nude. Cullen will be back to coach in the next game at Chicago, Marinelli said.

Detroit's defensive front gave the Seattle's offensive line problems, perhaps because it missed Steve Hutchinson, who signed with Minnesota as a free agent.

The Lions sacked Matt Hasselbeck five times, hurried him a few more times and knocked him around on several other attempts. Detroit also limited Alexander to 51 yards on 19 carries. Hasselbeck was 25 of 30 for 210 yards.

"It's not good enough," Marinelli said. "I'm not interested in just playing hard and well."

Detroit's Jon Kitna, who replaced Joey Harrington, was 21 of 37 for 229 yards and was booed at times for making poor throws.

"We will be fine on offense," Kitna said. "We'll score and hold up our end."

Harrington, the third pick overall in 2002, was traded in the offseason to Miami.

The Seahawks got off to a rough start with two blocked field goals and a fumble on their first three drives. Shaun Rogers knocked down Seattle's field goal on the opening drive, the eighth blocked field goal of his career, and James Hall blocked the other attempt

Hanson put the Lions ahead 3-0 on their first possession with a 44-yard kick.

The Seahawks tied the game midway through the second quarter on Brown's 20-yarder and his 51-yard field goal at the end of the half put them ahead 6-3.