SEATTLE -- Two games into Kam Chancellor's return, the Seattle Seahawks sure are glad the strong safety is back.

Chancellor, whose holdout over a contract dispute led him to miss the season's first two games, came up with a win-preserving play Monday night.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson was approaching the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes, but Chancellor punched the ball away, saving the Seahawks' 13-10 victory in a defensive battle at CenturyLink Field.

Trailing by three points with 6:23 remaining, the Lions drove from their own 9-yard line to the Seattle 11. On third-and-1, quarterback Matthew Stafford hit Johnson with a short pass on the left side. Just as Johnson was reaching for the goal line while being tackled by free safety Earl Thomas, Chancellor knocked the ball away from the receiver and through the end zone, resulting in a touchback.

"It's exactly what this team stands for," Chancellor said. "We fight to the end. We fight for each other because we're brothers. ... We have faith in each other and faith in our ability."

The big play was not without controversy, which has been known to occur during "Monday Night Football" games in Seattle. On Chancellor's strip, Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright knocked the ball out of the back of the end zone.

According to the NFL rulebook, an illegal bat occurs if "any player bats or punches a loose ball (that has touched the ground) in any direction, if it is in either end zone." Had the penalty been called, Detroit would have got the ball back inside the 1-yard line.

Lions coach Jim Caldwell discussed the issue with the officials, but the non-call stood, and the Seahawks took over on offense to close out the game.

"I know that the play at the end was a questionable play because it was a batted ball, but that goes to upstairs. So, there's nothing you can do about it," Caldwell said. "What can you do? You know what I mean? You're not going to cry about it, that's for sure. ... We lost. No matter how we lost, we lost."

Seattle coach Pete Carroll of the play, "We were fortunate."

NFL head of officials Dean Blandino acknowledged that the officials blew the call, saying that the back judge felt Wright inadvertently touched the ball.

The Seahawks' defense held the Lions' offense to 256 yards and three points but didn't force a turnover until Chancellor's game-saving play.

"We're one of the best defenses to ever play the game," Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett said. "We're complete with Kam back, and we just continue to do what we always do: give up not a lot of points and not give up many yards."

The Detroit defense also shined. The Lions forced two fumbles, had four sacks and scored on a 27-yard fumble return by defensive tackle Caraun Reid.

Seattle (2-2) managed 345 total yards.

"I think our defense did a tremendous job, just in terms of (getting turnovers) for us," Caldwell said. "Giving us an opportunity to get the ball back. They had some very important stops that had them kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns. A lot of outstanding play from the guys up front."

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson completed 20 of 26 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown. He added 40 yards on 10 rushes but fumbled twice.

"Those were my fault," Wilson said. "Those are on me. It's something we can fix."

Seahawks rookie running back Thomas Rawls made his first career start in place of Marshawn Lynch (hamstring), and he rushed 17 times for 48 yards.

"It was exciting," Rawls said. "But like I always said, even if I'm not the starter, whenever my number's called, I'm always going to be prepared. That's one thing I pride myself on. It's not about who's out there. It's the expectation for the position. If you're a running back in the backfield on the Seahawks' roster, you should go out there and produce."

Stafford finished 24-for-35 for 203 yards.

The Lions (0-4) got their lone offensive score on a 41-yard field goal by kicker Matt Prater in the second quarter. It was the only offensive drive that resulted in points against the Seahawks' defense in the past two games.

Early in the second quarter, Wilson sparked the Seahawks' offense with a scramble to avoid a sack on third-and-12, running from pressure and throwing a 34-yard completion to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. On the next play, Wilson hit wide receiver Doug Baldwin over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown to get the Seahawks on the scoreboard.

The score, which capped a six-play, 67-yard drive, was the first offensive touchdown in the first half by Seattle this season.

Prater's second-quarter field goal ended a streak of 13 consecutive drives against the Seahawks' defense that ended in punts, going back to Seattle's game last week against the Chicago Bears.

Seattle countered with a 51-yard field goal by kicker Steven Hauschka with one minute remaining in the second quarter to take a 10-3 lead into halftime. Hauschka added a 52-yard field goal in third quarter.

NOTES: Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch, who injured a hamstring last week against Chicago, was inactive Monday. It was the first time Lynch was ruled inactive for a game since he came to Seattle in 2010. He was shown on the television broadcast watching the game from a suite. ... Detroit RB Joique Bell (ankle) and TE Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring) were ruled out prior to the game. Rookie Ameer Abdullah replaced Bell in the starting lineup. ... Lions G Larry Warford missed the game because of an ankle injury. Starting LG Manny Ramirez moved to the right side to replace Warford, and rookie Laken Tomlinson started at left guard. ... Seattle RB Fred Jackson (ankle), DE Michael Bennett, CB Marcus Burley (thumb) and WR Ricardo Lockette (shortness of breath) left the game, as did Detroit TE Eric Ebron (knee) and DT Haloti Ngata (calf).