Basking in Glow of Moon

Dennis Erickson was afraid to stand too close to Warren Moon on the sideline.

“I didn’t want to touch him,” the Seattle Seahawk coach said. “I didn’t want to burn myself.”

Moon, in his 20th season of professional football, passed for 409 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a 45-34 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

With the Kingdome full of screaming Seahawk fans for the first time this season, Moon completed 28 of 44 passes, including three touchdowns to Joey Galloway in the second half.

Moon also threw for touchdowns of seven yards to Brian Blades and 42 yards to James McKnight against the NFL’s 30th-ranked defense.

“I’m feeling better every week,” said Moon, who passed for 222, 270, 253, 252, 260 and 261 yards in his first six starts for Seattle.

“Too much is made of the fact that I’m 40 years old,” he said. “I can still read defenses and throw the football. As long as I’m surrounded by good people, I’ll be OK.”

Led by Moon, who will be 41 on Nov. 18, the Seahawks had 554 yards, their second-highest ever. Moon’s five touchdowns equaled his personal best and tied the Seattle record held by Dave Krieg.

“Warren Moon was the missing link they needed up here,” Raider Coach Joe Bugel said.

“He plays like he’s in his 20s,” Oakland quarterback Jeff George said.

The Seahawks (5-3) won their third in a row and fifth in their last six games. Oakland (3-5) led, 14-3, after the first quarter, 25-18 at halftime and 34-32 after the third quarter.

Moon had the seventh 400-yard passing game in his 14th NFL season, tying Joe Montana for second place behind Dan Marino’s 13.