Lions’ Ware Looks Like a Winner Again, 16-3

The Detroit Lions and the rest of the NFL finally seem to be aware of quarterback Andre Ware.

Ware, making his second consecutive start, completed 12 of 20 passes for 290 yards Sunday as the Lions defeated the Chicago Bears, 16-3.

Ware’s passing opened up rushing lanes for Barry Sanders, who carried 20 times for 113 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run.

“I played well enough to win,” Ware said. “That’s the main thing. As long as you win, you don’t care how you do it.”

Ware was the Lions’ top draft pick in 1990, but he missed all of his first camp in a contract dispute. By the time he finally reported, he was behind Rodney Peete and never caught up. He is the third quarterback to start this season for the Lions (5-10).

“Right now, I’m on an equal footing with the other two guys,” Ware said of Peete and Erik Kramer. “But you don’t know how that’s going to go. Anything can happen down the road.”

Herman Moore caught three passes for 108 yards for the Lions.

On the final play of the first game of the season, Jim Harbaugh connected with Tom Waddle for a six-yard, fourth-down pass for a touchdown to give the Bears (5-10) a 27-24 victory at Soldier Field.

The Lions, the NFC Central champions in 1991, lost three more games after leading in the fourth quarter. But this time, before 72,777 fans in the Silverdome, there was no letdown.

The Lions’ defense held the Bears to 242 total yards while the offense rolled up 399.

“I thought the defense played a magnificent game,” Lion Coach Wayne Fontes said. “Andre Ware played a decent game and our offense was adequate.”

Jason Hanson kicked field goals of 22, 38 and 30 yards for the Lions. Kevin Butler kicked a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter for the Bears.

Harbaugh completed 11 of 24 passes for 108 yards, with one interception. He was replaced by Peter Tom Willis with 3:30 to play.

But Willis, after two incomplete passes, had a pass intercepted by Ray Crockett, who returned it 35 yards to the Bears’ 20. That led to Hanson’s last field goal with 1:55 to play.

The Lions’ average starting point for their five first-half possessions was their 15. But they led, 13-0, at halftime.