Batch Has Barry Good Day Without Sanders

The Detroit Lions started the day without Barry Sanders and then lost Herman Moore because of a strained left knee early in the game.

It didn’t discourage the Lions, who got three touchdown passes from Charlie Batch in the first half and spoiled Mike Holmgren’s debut in Seattle with a 28-20 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday.

“Everybody in the world thought they [the Seahawks] would win the ball game,” Batch said. “I think it’s a shock for everyone. But it wasn’t a shock for us.”

Playing for the first time in 11 seasons without the retired Sanders, they also had to play most of the game without star receiver Moore. He suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and could not continue, ending his streak of games with a reception at 107.

Moore, who is expected to be sidelined for about four weeks, said the NFL is about to find out about Germane Crowell, a second-round draft choice from Virginia in 1998 who caught two touchdown passes.

“He had a tremendous game,” Moore said. “He’s a guy we all have a lot of confidence in. Right now, people don’t know a lot about him. But they’re about to find out.”

Batch threw touchdown passes of 16 yards and 41 yards to Crowell and one of five yards to David Sloan in the second quarter.

Sanders stepped away from the NFL this summer needing only 1,458 yards to overtake Walter Payton as the league’s career rushing leader. The Lions were 5-11 with him last season and they played like they had something to prove in their opener.

Lion Coach Bobby Ross said his players responded to the challenge of winning without Sanders and Moore. “You’ve got to play up to your capabilities,” Ross said. “If we do that this season, we can be competitive.”

Batch completed 16 of 26 passes for 216 yards.