Green Bay 37, Detroit 31

DETROIT, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Joey Harrington's potential winning touchdown pass in the final minute glanced off the hands of Mikhael Ricks and he was intercepted on the next play Sunday, allowing Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers to escape with a 37-31 victory over the winless Detroit Lions.

It was the first regular season game played at Ford Field.

Harrington, the third overall pick in the 2002 draft, had seen action in Detroit's first two games and was named the starter over Mike McMahon earlier this week by embattled Coach Marty Mornhinweg.

He was matched up against Favre, a future Hall of Famer who came into the game fourth all-time in touchdown passes.

The rookie struggled severely at times as he was unable to connect on any deep balls, get into a rhythm or properly recognize coverages. He completed 15 of 35 passes for 182 yards, four interceptions and two touchdowns.

"I played it pretty close to the vest early simply trying to get him some completions and it didn't work," Mornhinweg said. "I thought he was composed. He will put your team in a position to win. That's right where we wanted to be -- with a chance to win at the end."

Meanwhile, Favre was his usual spectacular self, going 31 of 47 for 357 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. It was his sixth career 300-yard game against Detroit, his most against any foe.

Ryan Longwell's 47-yard field goal, his third of the game, gave the Packers a 37-31 lead with 1:15 to go. But the Packers were offside twice on the ensuing kickoff and Larry Foster's 19-yard return put the Lions at the Green Bay 48.

Harrington threw a 14-yard pass to Scotty Anderson and an incompletion stopped the clock with 40 seconds left. On the next play, he threw long over the middle for Ricks, who had gotten behind linebacker Na'il Diggs. But the pass glanced off his outstretched hands.

"It felt good," Harrington said. "I might have put a little too much on it. Mikhael can really run and he almost had it."

"That last pass was just off the end of my fingertips," Ricks said. "That's one I need to make. It was just that close today. At that point of the game, you have to make the play -- whether they're grabbing or not."

Harrington tried a similar pass on the next play, but it was overthrown and picked off by Tod McBride at the three.

"I learned that you don't get as many chances in the NFL as you do in college," Harrington said. "The clock runs quicker and you don't have as many possessions so you have to take advantage of the ones you get.

"But the best thing I learned today was the confidence and character of the team. When we were down 17 points with eight minutes to go, every set of eyes and every chin was up. Everybody on the sideline thought we could come back."

"It was a battle," Favre said. "Detroit played hard and gave us everything we asked for. I learned a long time ago that you never pack it and expect it to be over."

It was a bittersweet ending for the Lions, who were outscored, 80-28, in a pair of road losses and played their best game of the season in their debut in their glistening new building. The Lions spent 27 years in the Pontiac Silverdome.

Najeh Davenport filled in for the injured Ahman Green with 84 yards on 22 carries for the Packers (2-1), who have allowed 100 points in their first three games. Donald Driver caught five passes for 94 yards and tight end Bubba Franks had nine for 62.

"He's got a long way to go, but he's making progress," Packers Coach Mike Sherman said of Davenport. "He's fast. He holds on to the football very well. He's very conscious of that."

In the first quarter, Harrington was picked off by Marques Anderson, who returned it 78 yards for a touchdown, neutralizing Az Hakim's 72-yard punt return and pulling the Packers into a 7-7 tie.

But in the second period, Harrington lofted a beautiful sideline pass to a streaking Lamont Warren, who got behind the coverage and hauled it in for a 39-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Lions into a 17-17 tie.

"All winning is not on the scoreboard," Harrington said. "We won the way this team came together today. We all gained a lot of confidence in the huddle and on the field. I didn't have big statistics today, but I know guys got more comfortable with me and gained more confidence in me."

Favre took control in the second half, firing an off-balance bullet to Robert Ferguson for an eight-yard touchdown. After Mike McKenzie picked off Harrington, Favre found Ferguson for 37 yards before tossing a three-yard pass to Franks for a 31-17 lead with 1 1/2 minutes to go in the period.

Sherman thought they key was, "Brett's ability to stay in the game and not to get down and lose his poise. He made the plays he had to make. I feel very fortunate he's my quarterback."

Longwell kicked a 34-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter before the Lions came back. Foster's 50-yard kickoff return set up Cory Schlesinger's one-yard touchdown run and Harrington directed a 95-yard drive that culminated with a 52-yard touchdown to James Stewart, who took a screen pass all the way.