Sept. 12, 1999
SportsLine wire reports

SEATTLE -- Wide receiver

	Related Links: Sources: Sanders would return, but only with a different team Week 1 injury report Detroit Lions team report Forum: How much will Moore's loss hurt the Lions?
	T O P   N E W S

Herman Moore, the brightest star left on the Detroit Lions with the offseason retirement of Barry Sanders, will be sidelined three to five weeks due to a knee injury suffered in Sunday's win against Seattle.

Moore left in the first quarter with a sprained left knee. Lions coach Bobby Ross said after the game that he expects Moore to miss four weeks, adding his return could be a week less or more than that total.

Despite Moore's absence, Charlie Batch threw three touchdown passes and Ron Rivers filled in capably for Sanders by gaining 96 yards on 19 carries as Detroit hung on for a season-opening 28-20 victory.

The 29-year-old Moore failed to make a catch, ending his streak of 107 consecutive games with a reception. It was the second-longest active streak to Jerry Rice's all-time record of 194 games.

Last year, Moore had 82 catches for 983 yards and five touchdowns while becoming the fastest player in NFL history to reach the 600-reception plateau, doing so in the 118th game of his career. Rice, the NFL's all-time leader with 1,141 receptions, reached the 600-catch plateau in 123 games.

During the offseason, the four-time Pro Bowl player signed a contract extension with the Lions through 2005. Terms were not disclosed, but Moore reportedly received a seven-year deal worth $33 million with a signing bonus of $8.5 million.

In his eight years with the Lions, Moore has 610 catches for 8,457 yards and 57 touchdowns, all team records. In 1995, he set the NFL record for most catches in a season with 123 for 1,686 yards and 14 touchdowns.