Packers stay unbeaten

Published 12:41 am Friday, November 25, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and the Green Bay Packers built a big lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of Ndamukong Suh’s ejection and beating the Detroit Lions 27-15 on Thursday.

The defending champion Packers (11-0) have won 17 straight, including the playoffs. They passed what was expected to be one of their toughest tests toward joining the 2007 New England Patriots as the NFL’s only teams to have 16-0 regular seasons.

Detroit (7-4) has lost a franchise-record eight straight on Thanksgiving and added to its misery in ugly fashion. Suh was tossed for stepping on Evan Dietrich-Smith’s arm, and Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions. The Packers turned Stafford’s interceptions into two TDs and a field goal.

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Rogers was 22 of 32 for 307 yards with two TDs — a 3-yard pass to Greg Jennings with 4:51 left in the first half to make it 7-0 and 65-yard pass to James Jones in the third for a 21-0 lead.

Stafford was 32 of 45 for 276 yards with a TD in the final seconds and three interceptions, getting picked off by Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews and Robert Francois.

Cowboys 20, Dolphins 19

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes to Laurent Robinson, and Dan Bailey made a 28-yard field goal as time expired to lift Dallas past Miami.

Dallas (7-4) won its fourth straight and grabbed sole possession of first place in the NFC East, a half-game ahead of the New York Giants.

Miami (3-8) had won three straight. The Dolphins hadn’t allowed a touchdown for 13 quarters before Robinson’s first TD with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Matt Moore led Miami to scores on four straight possessions. He had three straight drives of at least 70 yards in the second half, putting the Dolphins up 19-17 with 7:14 left. He didn’t score on his final drive, and that wound up being the difference.

Ravens 16, 49ers 6

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens sacked Alex Smith nine times and beat the San Francisco 49ers 16-6 Thursday night, giving John Harbaugh an emotional charge in the first NFL game featuring brothers as opposing head coaches.

The Ravens (8-3) chased, hindered and battered Smith for much of the night despite playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the team’s leading tackler and spiritual leader. Lewis was inactive for a second straight game with a foot injury.

The nine sacks tied a franchise record, accomplished twice previously.

San Francisco (9-2) had its eight-game winning streak broken under rookie coach Jim Harbaugh.

John, 49, and Jim, 47, grew up dueling each other in all sorts of games. Competing this time on a national stage, John got the best of his little brother.

Baltimore broke a 6-6 tie with a 76-yard, 16-play drive that last more than 7 1/2 minutes and ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to tight end Dennis Pitta with 14:56 left. Flacco went 4 for 4 on third down during the drive.