Packers hang on, nip Lions

PONTIAC, Mich. -- The Green Bay Packers don't feel sorry for the winless Detroit Lions.

They're just happy to escape Detroit.

The Lions made up all but two points of a 16-point deficit in the final seven minutes with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion, before Green Bay survived with a 29-27 win on Thursday.

"It's not our place to feel bad for the other team," Green Bay's William Henderson said. "It's on them to turn it around."

The Packers (7-3) won in the Silverdome for the first time in five years and for just the second time in the regular season since 1992 to close within a half-game of Chicago in the NFC Central.

But the Lions once again came close to their first win of the season, missing a chance to send the game into overtime when rookie quarterback Mike McMahon threw an incomplete pass on a 2-point conversion with 10 seconds left.

"For 10 years, the games here have always been like this -- turnovers and a lot of wild things," said Brett Favre, who had thrown 10 interceptions in his last four games in Detroit. "I'm just thankful that we got this win, because we have come in here and lost with better records and better teams."

This time Favre was 18-of-26 for 252 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions and one fumble. Ahman Green ran for 102 yards and a touchdown and also caught a 35-yard TD pass for the Packers.

Detroit (0-10) has lost its last seven by an average of 4.6 points.

"Our goal is to go 6-10, period," Detroit coach Marty Mornhinweg said. "This football team has been through seven down-to-the wire crazy games. It's getting a little crazy at this point."

A defensive TD gave Detroit a 13-10 lead late in the first half, but the Packers scored the next 19 points and appeared to be set to win easily.

But McMahon, who was 9-of-20 for 89 yards with a touchdown, kept Detroit's hopes alive.

McMahon gains respect

"I have the utmost respect for Charlie Batch, who is a class guy," Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said, "but when Mike McMahon came in the game, it turned the whole game around.

Lamont Warren's 1-yard TD and McMahon's 2-point conversion run cut the deficit to 29-21 with 1:17 left. After Todd Lyght recovered an onside kick, McMahon threw a 29-yard TD pass to rookie Scotty Anderson on a fourth-and-8 with 10 seconds left. But McMahon scrambled and threw a pass through the end zone on the 2-point try.

Batch was 8-of-19 for 118 yards with no touchdowns, an interception and a fumble before McMahon, who played one series in the first half, came on midway through the fourth quarter.

Batch had set franchise records for completions (36), attempts (62) and yards (436) in the last week's loss at Arizona. He said he couldn't plant and throw effectively because of a groin pull.

McMahon refused to fuel a quarterback controversy that may brew in Detroit.

"I still have a long way to go," the fifth-round pick from Rutgers said. "Charlie is definitely the man."

Detroit's James Stewart, who missed the previous four games with a sprained right ankle, rushed for 102 yards on 14 carries.

It didn't take long for something to go wrong for the Lions.

On their first offensive play, Batch completed a 42-yard pass to Johnnie Morton but rookie Bhawoh Jue poked the football loose and Tyrone Williams recovered the fumble in the end zone.

Then Green Bay took a 7-0 lead on Green's 26-yard TD run.

A fake punt led to Detroit's first score.

On a fourth-and-5 at Green Bay's 46, Cory Schlesinger caught the snap and rumbled to the outside for 26 yards to set up Jason Hanson's 33-yard field goal.

A defensive TD gave Detroit the lead for the first and last time.

Chris Claiborne sacked and forced Favre to fumble at Green Bay's 8 and James Hall scooped up the ball for the score to put the Lions ahead 13-10 with 3:43 left in the half.

Green Bay responded by driving 81 yards on nine plays, capped by Favre's 1-yard pass to David Martin 18 seconds before halftime.

Green turned a short pass into a 35-yard TD catch, which he ran untouched, to make it 24-13.

After another Longwell field goal, Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila sacked Batch and forced a fumble just outside of the Lions' end zone and Warren pounced