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Lions-Bears Notebook First catch better late than never for Detroit's Moore
Posted: Friday November 26, 1999 11:11 AM
By Jon A. Dolezar, CNN/SI DETROIT, Mich. -- Herman Moore isn't used to waiting until the 11th game of a season to catch his first pass of the year, but that's how long it took the Detroit standout wideout to grab his first pass this year. Moore missed eight games with injuries, and he was relieved after the game Thursday to finally have that first catch of the season out of the way. He says that he is nearly fully healthy and would hope to become more involved in the Lions' game plan down the stretch as they fight for home-field advantage for the NFC playoffs. "I felt absolutely normal," Moore said. "I expect them to assume that I'm back to full steam. I told them prior to this game that I was pretty much 90 percent or a little higher as far as how I felt. Hopefully they saw that things are pretty much back to normal with me, and I'm pretty much ready to go full tilt." Moore finished with two catches for 26 yards, but his first catch of the season may have been the most important catch of the Lions' season. On third-and-10 at the Lions 35, Frerotte scrambled out of the pocket and hit Moore at the Bears' 46 for a 19-yard gain. Moore then added a seven-yard grab two plays later. His teammates were happy to see him play for the first time since October 17, as his presence gives the Lions three receiving threats and opens up defenses more underneath. "It was great to have Herman back," fellow wide receiver Johnnie Morton said. "He made some big plays and I'm just thankful to have him back."
All part of the planThe Lions weren't pleased that they let the Bears back in the game after going up 21-0 early, but at least two players saw some humor in the close win. Both Johnnie Morton and Greg Hill hinted that it was all a ploy by the Lions to keep things interesting for the entire game. "I talked to Mr. Ford and he said that he wants a lot of drama this year to attract more fans," Morton said. "I think we're doing a pretty good job, so hopefully I'll get a nice Christmas bonus." Hill claims the he didn't want to lose the country's interest by putting the Bears away too early in the game. "It was Thanksgiving Day, and we were the only show in town," Hill said with a smile. "You want to give the crowd what they want, and I think we made it dramatic enough for everyone to watch. It was dramatic enough for us, too. Every offense would like to just put the game away, but unfortunately we play against great defenses also."
And I want more turkey too, but it's just not in the cardsThe Lions' two-game losing streak prior to Thursday's win may or may not have coincided with Greg Hill getting fewer chances in the game plan, but after another impressive outing, Hill made his plea to the coaches to get him the ball more. "I want it as much as I can get it," Hill said. "I think anybody in the locker room who is a playmaker isn't going to say anything less. If you consider me a playmaker, you got to give me the ball more. But unfortunately with all the playmakers that we have on this team it's hard for me to get the ball. "I've been biding my time and saying, 'Hey, God, please just bless me with another opportunity.'" Hill made the most of his increased role on Thursday, carrying 19 times for 68 yards and a touchdown, and catching three passes for 32 yards.
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