Packers Are Latest to Stop Lions : NFC: They limit Sanders to 38 yards rushing and leave Detroit alone in Central Division cellar.

PONTIAC, Mich. —  Once again, Barry Sanders couldn’t run and the Detroit Lions’ offense couldn’t move.

Sanders was held to 38 yards in 12 carries and Green Bay’s Brett Favre passed for 212 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers defeated the Lions, 27-13, Sunday.

“Nobody can stop Barry Sanders,” Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said. “But any time you can hold him down as well as we did, that’s a great job.”

The Lions (2-6), who appeared to be rebounding in a 38-7 victory over Tampa Bay a week earlier, fell to sole possession of last place in the NFC Central, a notch below the Packers (3-5).

Sanders, with only two 100-yard rushing games this season, was almost effective as a receiver, catching five passes for 30 yards.

“This was just a terrible, terrible game,” Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes said. “This is the worst game I’ve ever been associated with since I’ve been here.

“We didn’t block anybody. We didn’t tackle anybody. We didn’t stop anybody. We didn’t move the football. It was a poor game. We’re hurting at a lot of positions. Maybe it’s starting to catch up with us.”

Detroit was held to 190 yards total offense, 38 on the ground and 152 passing. The Packers rolled up 347 yards, 145 on the ground.

Favre completed 22 of 37 passes, including a 14-yard touchdown to Jackie Harris and a 30-yard scoring play to Sterling Sharpe that broke it open in the fourth quarter.

“The way this game started, I thought it was going to be another typical Green Bay Sunday,” Favre said. “We got the ball, fumbled, and they kicked a field goal. But we came right back. We executed, and we got the job done.”

Rodney Peete completed 14 of 28 passes for 148 yards for the Lions’ faltering offense. He was sacked four times for 29 yards in losses. Detroit’s only touchdown came on the seven-yard return of a blocked punt by Bennie Blades.

Several minutes after the game, official statisticians added three yards to Vince Workman’s totals, giving him 101 yards in 23 carries. That made him the Packers’ first 100-yard rusher in three years.