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Monday, September 8, 2003

NFC games: Mariucci successful in debut


Favre serves up four picks in surprise loss to Minnesota

The Associated Press

DETROIT - Joey Harrington made sure Steve Mariucci's debut with the Detroit Lions was a good one.

Harrington threw a career-high four touchdown passes to lead the Lions past the Arizona Cardinals 42-24 Sunday, spoiling Emmitt Smith's first game with his new team and Anquan Boldin's record-setting day.

"Everyone wanted to see what would happen with Coach Mariucci handling things," Harrington said. "I don't think it could've been much better."

Boldin caught 10 passes for 217 yards, a record for a rookie in his debut, and two touchdowns. Boldin, a second-round pick from Florida State, broke the record set by Washington's Hugh Taylor, who had 212 yards against Philadelphia on Sept. 28, 1947.

Lions defensive end Robert Porcher said if he were Smith, he would've retired in Dallas after breaking Walter Payton's NFL rushing record last year.

Smith ran for 64 yards on 13 carries, extending his rushing record to 17,226.

Harrington was 17-of-30 for 195 yards and no turnovers. The third pick in last year's draft is the first Lions quarterback to throw four TDs since Scott Mitchell against Chicago in 1996.

Vikings 30, Packers 25

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Randy Moss sure knows how to spoil a party.

Moss caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown as Minnesota beat Green Bay before a record crowd of 70,505 at remodeled Lambeau Field, which was rededicated at halftime.

Moss is glad the stadium was refurbished and not replaced because it always brings out the best in him, starting with a five-catch, 190-yard coming out party in 1998.

"I think since my rookie year, the excitement we had in the locker room is something I'll never forget," Moss said. "And what happened on the field I'll never forget. It's what drives me to come here and do good."

The Packers stormed back from a 27-3 deficit but their comeback was stifled by injuries to starting receivers Donald Driver (neck strain) and Robert Ferguson (ankle, knee) and backup Karsten Bailey (hamstring).

Brett Favre threw four interceptions in the loss.

49ers 49, Bears 7

SAN FRANCISCO - While the San Francisco 49ers provided all the fireworks Dennis Erickson promised, Kordell Stewart and the Chicago Bears were total duds.

Jeff Garcia passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns, and Garrison Hearst caught a TD pass and rushed for another score as the 49ers sparkled in new coach Erickson's debut.

Ahmed Plummer returned an interception 68 yards for a score. Jimmy Williams and Brandon Lloyd made exceptional special-teams plays in San Francisco's electric season opener.

In his first game, Erickson led the 49ers to their biggest victory since 1989.

With a variety of big plays, San Francisco scored 23 points in the final 6:01 of the first half. Tai Streets had a TD catch, Terrell Owens caught seven passes for 112 yards, Plummer had two interceptions and Jeff Chandler kicked five field goals.

Stewart, who infuriated Steelers fans for eight years with erratic performances, went 14-of-34 for 95 yards.

Seahawks 27, Saints 10

SEATTLE - Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander made sure the Seattle Seahawks maintained their offensive momentum from last season against the Saints.

Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes and Alexander ran for 108 yards and scored twice. Seattle's defense held the Saints to 103 yards rushing, meaningful because the Seahawks ranked last in the NFL last season, giving up 152.6 yards rushing per game.

The Seahawks scored 21 straight points in the second quarter, reaching the end zone on each of their possessions to erase the Saints' early 3-0 lead.

The Saints' Deuce McAllister had 99 yards rushing on 22 carries and Aaron Brooks completed 29-of-47 passes for 274 yards with one interception. He threw a 2-yard TD pass to Joe Horn in the fourth quarter.

Falcons 27, Cowboys 13

IRVING, Texas - Bill Parcells was stoic. Other than moving his hands from his hips to behind his back, or crossing his arms, he rarely let his emotions show - even though he had to be seething.

His Dallas Cowboys could not stop making the kind of mistakes he preaches to avoid, letting Atlanta recover from a slow start to win.

Doug Johnson didn't make the kind of magic Michael Vick does, but he threw third-quarter touchdown passes to a sliding Warrick Dunn and a rumbling Alge Crumpler, and dove 1 yard for a victory-sealing score early in the fourth to spoil Parcells' return to the NFL. This was the fourth straight opener Dallas has lost.

Peerless Price had only two catches for 30 yards in his Atlanta debut, one in the first quarter, then a spectacular 22-yard grab that set up the final touchdown. Brian Finneran, the Falcons' leading receiver last year, broke his left hand in the third quarter after catching two passes for 45 yards.

Panthers 24, Jaguars 23

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Jake Delhomme came to Carolina to be a starting quarterback. It took him one half to win the job and his first game as a Panther.

Delhomme replaced an ineffective Rodney Peete at the start of the second half.

He energized Carolina's offense with three touchdown passes - the last with 16 seconds to play - to rally the Panthers to a 24-23 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Sunday's opener.

Delhomme, one of a handful of offseason additions brought in to revamp Carolina's sluggish offense, was facing a fourth-and-11 on the Jaguars 12 with time ticking away.

With the defense closing in, he found Ricky Proehl in the left corner of the end zone for the winning score.

New Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio, Carolina's defensive coordinator a year ago, just slumped his shoulders in disgust.




BENGALS
Broncos 30, Bengals 10
Daugherty: Still no reason to cheer
Fans: New look, but it's same old Bengals
Guard: Kitna not to blame
Honeymoon ends abruptly for Lewis
Interceptions don't impact final outcome
Denver manages to bottle up Dillon
Bengals-Broncos game stats

MORE NFL
Warner takes a beating in his return
AFC games: Houston enjoys the last laugh
NFC games: Mariucci successful in debut
Opener spotlights Eagles' stadium

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
MAC making believers out of doubters
Miami passes Ohio State for No. 2

REDS / BASEBALL
Cardinals 9, Reds 0
Notes: Reese comeback a possibility
Pirates at Reds series preview
NL: Simon, Sosa power Cubs to first place
AL: Tampa Bay gets to Zito

GOLF
Morgan's approach earns Kroger title
Tway wins Canadian in playoff with Faxon

TENNIS
Roddick aces Open's test

PREP SPORTS
Results and honor rolls
Prep sports schedules

ON THE AIR
Sports on TV, radio

SUNDAY'S SPORTS SECTION
Sunday archive

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