Batch serves up offensive spark
Associated Press
CHICAGO (Sept. 24, 2000) — The Detroit Lions rediscovered their missing offense, with some big help from their defense.
Charlie Batch threw two touchdown passes and Kurt Schulz intercepted three passes from Cade McNown to lead the Lions to a 21-14 victory over the winless Bears on Sunday.
Batch threw first-half scoring passes of 13 yards to Johnnie Morton and 36 yards to Germane Crowell, and James Stewart dove for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as Detroit snapped out of a scoring slump.
The Lions (3-1) came into the game with just a single offensive touchdown, a desperation heave to Crowell in last week's lopsided loss to Tampa Bay. Detroit's offense tripled its touchdown total with a just-potent-enough attack against the Bears (0-4), who helped the Lions' cause considerably by turning the ball over five times.
Batch completed 20 of 37 passes for 207 yards, and Stewart rushed 23 times for 71 yards. For the Bears, McNown was 21-of-35 for 261 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions, while James Allen rushed for 87 yards on 19 carries.
After the Bears erased a 14-0 deficit with two third-quarter touchdowns, Detroit used some rare success with its last-ranked rushing offense to sustain a 91-yard scoring drive. Stewart capped it with a 1-yard dive with 9:36 remaining.
Schulz made his third interception on the next possession, stopping a drive when McNown threw deep into double coverage on wide receiver Marcus Robinson.
Chicago failed to capitalize on two more chances in Detroit territory. A fourth-and-9 pass to Robinson fell incomplete with 1:51 left, and then McNown was sacked near midfield on fourth down with 16 seconds remaining.
Batch took early advantage of lapses in the Bears' pass coverage. He found Morton all alone behind cornerback Walt Harris in the end zone with 6:30 left in the opening quarter.
Then, one play after a questionable instant-replay call wiped out a scoring strike to Crowell, who appeared to have caught the ball before it touched the ground in the end zone, Batch found the receiver wide open on the next play. Crowell's grab and run gave the Lions a 14-0 lead 18 seconds before halftime.
Detroit had a chance to put the game away early in the third quarter after recovering Marty Booker's fumble on the Chicago 12. But Batch overthrew a wide-open Herman Moore on the next play and Mike Wells blocked a 32-yard field-goal attempt by Jason Hanson three plays later.
The Bears got on the scoreboard less than three minutes later with an assist from the wet field conditions at Soldier Field.
Lions safety Ron Rice fell down, and McNown lofted a pass to the wide-open Marcus Robinson, who caught it and backpedaled into the end zone on a 55-yard play with 8:40 left in the third.
Rookie Brian Urlacher, making his second start at middle linebacker for the Bears, set up the game-tying drive with his first career interception.
Six plays later, McNown saw an opening while dropping back to pass and scampered in 14 yards to make it 14-14 with 3:13 to go in the third. |
