DETROIT — The Seattle Seahawks got to celebrate at Ford Field — seven months too late.

On the turf where Seattle lost the Super Bowl to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Josh Brown kicked a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the game to lift the Seahawks to a 9-6 victory over the Detroit Lions yesterday.

When the game ended, the Seahawks jumped around, hugged and shouted.

"I'm ready to pass out. That's fun," Brown said on the field after a teammate jubilantly lifted him off the ground. "This is exactly the way I would like to start the season."

Perhaps only a kicker could enjoy a game with five field goals and no touchdowns.

The defending NFC champions, who led the NFL in scoring last season, put together a key drive when they needed it after a sluggish day behind a shaky offensive line.

Seattle started the game-winning drive at its 20 with 3:13 left after Lions' new coach Rod Marinelli decided against a long field goal attempt.

Maurice Morris set up the game-winning kick with a 17-yard run, one of his three carries spelling last year's league MVP Shaun Alexander.

Seattle defensive end Bryce Fisher said it was not an ugly win.

"I've never seen one," Fisher said. "It's like an ugly baby — you never see one."

The Lions blocked two field goal attempts in the first 17 1/2 minutes of the lackluster game to give them a chance to pick up a surprising victory in the season opener.

Marinelli, a head coach for the first time at any level, said he didn't regret his late-game decision that many will second-guess.

The Lions drove to Seattle's 37, but Marinelli chose to punt instead of allowing Jason Hanson to attempt a 54-yard field goal. Nick Harris then sailed the punt beyond the end zone.

"We were playing dominating defense at that point and I was hoping to back them up again and get another shot," Marinelli said.

BEARS 26, PACKERS 0

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Chicago barely let Brett Favre touch the ball, shutting out the three-time MVP for the first time in his 16-year pro career.

Quarterback Rex Grossman found Bernard Berrian for a 49-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive. It would be the Bears' only offensive TD of the day, but Chicago moved the ball well enough to keep the game largely out of Favre's hands.

Favre, who deliberated for several months before deciding to return to the Packers after a 4-12 season, threw only five passes in the first half — completing all five for only 70 yards.

"I was optimistic going into this game, I really was," Favre said. "Maybe I was the only one, but I really felt like we could surprise these guys. Obviously, that was not the case."

CARDINALS 34, 49ERS 27

GLENDALE, Ariz. — After 19 years in Arizona, the Cardinals finally have their own home — and maybe even a home-field advantage.

Kurt Warner completed 23 of 37 passes for 301 yards and three scores, the Cardinals turned two first-quarter San Francisco turnovers into touchdowns, and Arizona held on to beat the 49ers.

Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 63,407 in their $455 million, air conditioned new stadium, Warner said the atmosphere brought him back to his time with the Rams in St. Louis.

"It was fun. It reminded me of the old days," he said. "We're building something new here, and I think it's great to get a win the first time out."

FALCONS 20, PANTHERS 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — John Abraham had two sacks and forced two fumbles in his first game with the Falcons, while Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes as Atlanta made up for two losses by a combined score of 68-17 last season.

Warrick Dunn rushed for 132 yards for the Falcons, who had 252 on the ground in all, the second most allowed by the Panthers.

Behind a revamped defensive line, the Falcons dominated the Panthers, who managed only two long field goals from John Kasay.