Sanders Gets the Lions Rolling, 38-7 : NFC: He gains a season-high 122 yards as Detroit hands Buccaneers third loss in a row.

There was nothing mysterious about the Detroit Lions’ struggles this season.

Running back Barry Sanders averaged only 61 yards during the Lions’ first six games and the result was a 1-5 record.

Sunday, Sanders rushed for a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns as the the Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-7.

Sanders, who had touchdown runs of one and 55 yards, had not rushed for more than 100 yards since gaining 119 against Chicago in the Lions’ season opener. He carried 21 times Sunday and looked like the running back who helped Detroit to a 12-4 record a year ago.

“I’m so excited about winning that I don’t know what to say,” Sanders said. “I kept hammering and running until something broke open for me.

“The offensive line did pretty well, and that was a key for us. But we can’t celebrate too much. Even though it feels good to win, it’s only one game.”

Lion quarterback Rodney Peete completed 11 of 19 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Peete connected on touchdown pass plays of 31 yards to Willie Green and 63 yards to Herman Moore on the Lions’ first two possessions. Peete finished the rout with a four-yard touchdown pass to Brett Perriman early in the fourth quarter.

“This is a real big win for us,” Peete said. “We were frustrated at 1-5, so we definitely needed the win. Now we can build on this and get on a roll.”

The Lions (2-5), 22nd in the NFL in total offense, amassed a season-high 400 yards against the Buccaneers (3-4), who have lost three consecutive games since defeating the Lions, 27-23, to end a 15-game road losing streak.

“Detroit is a good football team, even though their record doesn’t show it,” Buccaneer Coach Sam Wyche said. “We feel fortunate to have split the series with them.

“On paper, they’re ahead of us. We’re a team struggling, and they’re a team defending their (division) title. The fact that they marched down the field from the start showed that they were ready to play and we weren’t.”

The Buccaneers avoided a shutout with an 80-yard scoring drive directed by Steve DeBerg, who replaced Vinny Testaverde midway through the second quarter with the Buccaneers trailing, 21-0.

DeBerg completed seven of his first eight passes to set up Reggie Cobb’s one-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds to play in the half.

Detroit’s Mel Gray returned the next kickoff 89 yards to set up Jason Hanson’s 27-yard field goal for a 24-7 halftime advantage.

Testaverde completed five of 11 passes for 26 yards and had one pass intercepted. DeBerg completed 11 of 20 passes for 135 yards.

Wyche benched Testaverde because the offense was struggling and he believed DeBerg, a 16-year veteran, could turn it around. Wyche refused to speculate about who will start next week against New Orleans.

“The only way you shake up a team and try to get something generated is to change that position,” Wyche said. “You can’t change any other position on the squad and get it done.”

Testaverde said, “I’ll wait like everybody” to see who starts the next game.