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Redskins finally hit Romo, lead 16-12

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—The way the Dallas Cowboys have been playingdefense, their offense can’t ever seem to score enough points.

David Buehler(notes) bailed Dallas out with a 39-yard field goal in the finalminute Sunday before a game-ending interception by Terence Newman(notes) in a 33-30victory over Washington—after the Redskins had wiped out a 20-point deficit inthe second half to tie the game.

“The biggest thing is don’t blink, keep going,” said interim coach JasonGarrett, whose Cowboys got inside the 25 on each of their first eightpossessions through three quarters.

They scored three touchdowns, but twice failed to score in that span.Tashard Choice(notes) was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, and Buehler missed a35-yarder just before halftime. Buehler made three other field goals, two from20 yards after Dallas was stopped at the 2.

“I’d take an ugly win over a hard-fought loss any day,” said Newman, whoseweaving return drained the clock at the end.

Dallas improved to 4-2 under Garrett, while the Redskins, who have benched ahealthy Donovan McNabb(notes) for the rest of the season, lost their fourth straight.Both NFC East rivals are 5-9, tied at the bottom of the division.

Rex Grossman(notes), expected to finish the season in McNabb’s place, was 25 of 43passing for 322 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

“I didn’t have jitters, but it took a while to get into the flow of thegame,” Grossman said. “Maybe we started our run a tad too late.”

Especially against a Dallas defense that has allowed at least 30 points infour consecutive games. That’s the team’s worst streak since five in a rowduring the 1-15 season in 1989.

Three of Grossman’s TD passes came on consecutive series to tie it at 30.The four scores matched a career high, set in 2006.

“I wanted to give him an opportunity and I thought he took advantage ofthat opportunity,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “It’s always tough when you don’tplay for a while. … He demonstrated a lot of poise.”

The home finale came seven weeks earlier than the Cowboys had hoped for in aseason that began with Super Bowl expectations—and the opportunity to be thefirst team to host the championship game.

Dallas instead got off to a 1-7 start, went through the first midseasoncoaching change in team history and will finish with its first losing record insix seasons. The Cowboys will be done playing long before the Super Bowl on Feb.6 at Cowboys Stadium, where Dallas won only twice this season.

At least they won Sunday, and have a chance to avoid last place in the NFCEast.

“To be 4-9 playing this game, against a team that’s out of the playoffs,too, I think that speaks volumes about the character and the mental toughness ofthis group,” tight end Jason Witten(notes) said. “Really beyond all that, we’rebuilding for something else. That’s the mentality you have to have. … We’vegot to see the positive and try to build off this, even though this is obviouslynot the ideal situation.”

Dallas plays Christmas night in Arizona, then closes the season at NFCEast-leading Philadelphia.

The Redskins, with games left against Jacksonville and the New York Giants,have lost six of seven. They are trying to avoid their third consecutivelast-place finish.

Witten caught 10 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown, becoming only thefourth tight end in NFL history with 600 career catches. He did it the fastestof any, in 125 games.

Santana Moss(notes) caught two TDs and might’ve had a third late. The cornerbackcovering him fell and there was only a safety to beat when a ball hit Moss instride around midfield—but he dropped it. The Redskins punted and the Cowboysanswered with the winning drive.

Dallas went only 31 yards over seven plays, but drained plenty of time andset up Buehler’s final kick. He has had the winning kick in Dallas’ last twovictories.

Dallas led 13-0 before Washington crossed midfield. Shanahan’s benching ofMcNabb looked even worse when Grossman fumbled early in the third quarter andthe Cowboys turned it into a touchdown that made it 27-7.

But the Cowboys must have something against lopsided scores.

“Right now, apparently we do,” said Jon Kitna(notes), the Cowboys’ fill-inquarterback who was 25 of 37 for 305 yards with two TDs. “We need to be betterin the red zone. … We weren’t today.”

Tony Romo(notes) hasn’t played since breaking his collarbone Oct. 25. Though it hasbeen expected that he could be cleared to return Christmas night, owner JerryJones wasn’t optimistic after seeing him throw before this game.

“Frankly, he’s still having sensitivity there,” Jones said. “We’re alittle behind where I thought we would be on how healthy he is. … He’s notready to play. That doesn’t mean he might not get out there, throw and practice,but he’s not ready.”

Romo untouched, ‘Skins and Cowboys tied

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—The way the Dallas Cowboys have been playingdefense, their offense can’t ever seem to score enough points.

David Buehler(notes) bailed Dallas out with a 39-yard field goal in the finalminute Sunday before a game-ending interception by Terence Newman(notes) in a 33-30victory over Washington—after the Redskins had wiped out a 20-point deficit inthe second half to tie the game.

“The biggest thing is don’t blink, keep going,” said interim coach JasonGarrett, whose Cowboys got inside the 25 on each of their first eightpossessions through three quarters.

They scored three touchdowns, but twice failed to score in that span.Tashard Choice(notes) was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, and Buehler missed a35-yarder just before halftime. Buehler made three other field goals, two from20 yards after Dallas was stopped at the 2.

“I’d take an ugly win over a hard-fought loss any day,” said Newman, whoseweaving return drained the clock at the end.

Dallas improved to 4-2 under Garrett, while the Redskins, who have benched ahealthy Donovan McNabb(notes) for the rest of the season, lost their fourth straight.Both NFC East rivals are 5-9, tied at the bottom of the division.

Rex Grossman(notes), expected to finish the season in McNabb’s place, was 25 of 43passing for 322 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

“I didn’t have jitters, but it took a while to get into the flow of thegame,” Grossman said. “Maybe we started our run a tad too late.”

Especially against a Dallas defense that has allowed at least 30 points infour consecutive games. That’s the team’s worst streak since five in a rowduring the 1-15 season in 1989.

Three of Grossman’s TD passes came on consecutive series to tie it at 30.The four scores matched a career high, set in 2006.

“I wanted to give him an opportunity and I thought he took advantage ofthat opportunity,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “It’s always tough when you don’tplay for a while. … He demonstrated a lot of poise.”

The home finale came seven weeks earlier than the Cowboys had hoped for in aseason that began with Super Bowl expectations—and the opportunity to be thefirst team to host the championship game.

Dallas instead got off to a 1-7 start, went through the first midseasoncoaching change in team history and will finish with its first losing record insix seasons. The Cowboys will be done playing long before the Super Bowl on Feb.6 at Cowboys Stadium, where Dallas won only twice this season.

At least they won Sunday, and have a chance to avoid last place in the NFCEast.

“To be 4-9 playing this game, against a team that’s out of the playoffs,too, I think that speaks volumes about the character and the mental toughness ofthis group,” tight end Jason Witten(notes) said. “Really beyond all that, we’rebuilding for something else. That’s the mentality you have to have. … We’vegot to see the positive and try to build off this, even though this is obviouslynot the ideal situation.”

Dallas plays Christmas night in Arizona, then closes the season at NFCEast-leading Philadelphia.

The Redskins, with games left against Jacksonville and the New York Giants,have lost six of seven. They are trying to avoid their third consecutivelast-place finish.

Witten caught 10 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown, becoming only thefourth tight end in NFL history with 600 career catches. He did it the fastestof any, in 125 games.

Santana Moss(notes) caught two TDs and might’ve had a third late. The cornerbackcovering him fell and there was only a safety to beat when a ball hit Moss instride around midfield—but he dropped it. The Redskins punted and the Cowboysanswered with the winning drive.

Dallas went only 31 yards over seven plays, but drained plenty of time andset up Buehler’s final kick. He has had the winning kick in Dallas’ last twovictories.

Dallas led 13-0 before Washington crossed midfield. Shanahan’s benching ofMcNabb looked even worse when Grossman fumbled early in the third quarter andthe Cowboys turned it into a touchdown that made it 27-7.

But the Cowboys must have something against lopsided scores.

“Right now, apparently we do,” said Jon Kitna(notes), the Cowboys’ fill-inquarterback who was 25 of 37 for 305 yards with two TDs. “We need to be betterin the red zone. … We weren’t today.”

Tony Romo(notes) hasn’t played since breaking his collarbone Oct. 25. Though it hasbeen expected that he could be cleared to return Christmas night, owner JerryJones wasn’t optimistic after seeing him throw before this game.

“Frankly, he’s still having sensitivity there,” Jones said. “We’re alittle behind where I thought we would be on how healthy he is. … He’s notready to play. That doesn’t mean he might not get out there, throw and practice,but he’s not ready.”

Romo untouched, ‘Skins lead Cowboys 6-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—The way the Dallas Cowboys have been playingdefense, their offense can’t ever seem to score enough points.

David Buehler(notes) bailed Dallas out with a 39-yard field goal in the finalminute Sunday before a game-ending interception by Terence Newman(notes) in a 33-30victory over Washington—after the Redskins had wiped out a 20-point deficit inthe second half to tie the game.

“The biggest thing is don’t blink, keep going,” said interim coach JasonGarrett, whose Cowboys got inside the 25 on each of their first eightpossessions through three quarters.

They scored three touchdowns, but twice failed to score in that span.Tashard Choice(notes) was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, and Buehler missed a35-yarder just before halftime. Buehler made three other field goals, two from20 yards after Dallas was stopped at the 2.

“I’d take an ugly win over a hard-fought loss any day,” said Newman, whoseweaving return drained the clock at the end.

Dallas improved to 4-2 under Garrett, while the Redskins, who have benched ahealthy Donovan McNabb(notes) for the rest of the season, lost their fourth straight.Both NFC East rivals are 5-9, tied at the bottom of the division.

Rex Grossman(notes), expected to finish the season in McNabb’s place, was 25 of 43passing for 322 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

“I didn’t have jitters, but it took a while to get into the flow of thegame,” Grossman said. “Maybe we started our run a tad too late.”

Especially against a Dallas defense that has allowed at least 30 points infour consecutive games. That’s the team’s worst streak since five in a rowduring the 1-15 season in 1989.

Three of Grossman’s TD passes came on consecutive series to tie it at 30.The four scores matched a career high, set in 2006.

“I wanted to give him an opportunity and I thought he took advantage ofthat opportunity,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “It’s always tough when you don’tplay for a while. … He demonstrated a lot of poise.”

The home finale came seven weeks earlier than the Cowboys had hoped for in aseason that began with Super Bowl expectations—and the opportunity to be thefirst team to host the championship game.

Dallas instead got off to a 1-7 start, went through the first midseasoncoaching change in team history and will finish with its first losing record insix seasons. The Cowboys will be done playing long before the Super Bowl on Feb.6 at Cowboys Stadium, where Dallas won only twice this season.

At least they won Sunday, and have a chance to avoid last place in the NFCEast.

“To be 4-9 playing this game, against a team that’s out of the playoffs,too, I think that speaks volumes about the character and the mental toughness ofthis group,” tight end Jason Witten(notes) said. “Really beyond all that, we’rebuilding for something else. That’s the mentality you have to have. … We’vegot to see the positive and try to build off this, even though this is obviouslynot the ideal situation.”

Dallas plays Christmas night in Arizona, then closes the season at NFCEast-leading Philadelphia.

The Redskins, with games left against Jacksonville and the New York Giants,have lost six of seven. They are trying to avoid their third consecutivelast-place finish.

Witten caught 10 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown, becoming only thefourth tight end in NFL history with 600 career catches. He did it the fastestof any, in 125 games.

Santana Moss(notes) caught two TDs and might’ve had a third late. The cornerbackcovering him fell and there was only a safety to beat when a ball hit Moss instride around midfield—but he dropped it. The Redskins punted and the Cowboysanswered with the winning drive.

Dallas went only 31 yards over seven plays, but drained plenty of time andset up Buehler’s final kick. He has had the winning kick in Dallas’ last twovictories.

Dallas led 13-0 before Washington crossed midfield. Shanahan’s benching ofMcNabb looked even worse when Grossman fumbled early in the third quarter andthe Cowboys turned it into a touchdown that made it 27-7.

But the Cowboys must have something against lopsided scores.

“Right now, apparently we do,” said Jon Kitna(notes), the Cowboys’ fill-inquarterback who was 25 of 37 for 305 yards with two TDs. “We need to be betterin the red zone. … We weren’t today.”

Tony Romo(notes) hasn’t played since breaking his collarbone Oct. 25. Though it hasbeen expected that he could be cleared to return Christmas night, owner JerryJones wasn’t optimistic after seeing him throw before this game.

“Frankly, he’s still having sensitivity there,” Jones said. “We’re alittle behind where I thought we would be on how healthy he is. … He’s notready to play. That doesn’t mean he might not get out there, throw and practice,but he’s not ready.”

Eagles lead Giants 10-3 after 3 quarters

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Standing on the sideline with roughly eightminutes to play, DeSean Jackson(notes) was worried about Philadelphia’s playoffchances.

Upset with his own fumble that ballooned the New York Giants’ lead to 21points minutes earlier, Jackson saw the NFC East title slipping away andpossibly the Eagles’ postseason hopes.

A punt return? No way. It might have been the farthest thought from hismind. He had told coach Andy Reid the only way he would get back on the fieldwith his sore foot was if the game was on the line—and that would take amiracle.

Funny thing happened. Thirty-two years after “The Fumble” at theMeadowlands gave Herm Edwards and another group of Eagles a miraculous victorythat turned the Giants’ franchise upside down, there was another miracle, thistime at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Jackson fielded a punt that was supposed to be kicked out of bounds andscored on an incredible 65-yard return on the final play, giving the Eagles astunning 38-31 victory that all but locked up the division title with two weeksto go in the regular season.

“I have never been a part of anything like this game,” Eagles tight endBrent Celek(notes) said. “When we came into the locker room, it was almost like we wonthe Super Bowl.”

If this had been a Super Bowl, the final play might forever be known as“The Return.”

Michael Vick(notes) set the stage for it by throwing for two touchdowns and runningfor another as the Eagles scored 28 points in the final 7:28.

His 13-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin(notes) tied the game at 31 with 1:16 togo, and the game seemed headed for overtime when the Giants were forced to puntin the final seconds.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin even ordered rookie punter Matt Dodge(notes) to kick theball out of bounds.

Before that happened, though, there was drama on the Eagles’ sideline.

Reid had told Jackson before the game he would give him a signal if hewanted him to return a punt, and the signal came in the form of a whistle.

“I knew the whistle was from coach Reid, who said, ‘Get your butt backthere,”’ Jackson said. “Even when I was on the field, he kept whistling atme.”

Dodge had every intention of following Coughlin’s orders, but he got a highsnap from Zak DeOssie(notes) and hurried his punt, getting off a low line drive.

Oops!

“I was thinking to myself, like, ‘They’re not going to kick it to me,”’Jackson said. “I was thinking he was going to kick it out of bounds. But it gotto me. From there, I just used my instincts and my speed to get into the endzone.”

After muffing the ball, Jackson scooped it up, broke past the initial waveof tacklers, avoided a diving tackle attempt by Dodge, got a big block fromreceiver Jason Avant(notes) and broke into the open down the right sideline.

Coughlin was so frustrated, he fired his papers into the artificial turf andlater screamed at Dodge.

Jackson finished his run with a little showtime, running along the goal lineto kill the clock before scoring and throwing the ball into the stands, where 30minutes earlier giddy Giants fans dreamed of a home playoff game.

“Somebody told me that coach Coughlin ran on the field and tried to get hiskicker because he was just so (ticked) that his kicker punted the ball to me,”said Jackson, who was limited in practice this week with a foot injury. “Thatjust shows how mad he was at that punter.”

Coughlin took responsibility for the final play, which the NFL said was thefirst walk-off punt return in league history.

“I’ve never been around anything like this in my life,” said the64-year-old coach, whose job may be on the line if the Giants miss the playoffsfor a second straight year. “It’s about as empty as you get to feel in thisbusiness, right there.”

The electrifying finish gave the Eagles (10-4) a one-game lead over theGiants (9-5) in the NFC East.

Since it swept the season series, Philadelphia can clinch the division witha win in its final two games or a Giants loss.

The stunning turn of events brought back thoughts of Joe Pisarcik’s fumblein 1978. The Giants quarterback botched a handoff at the end of the game,allowing Edwards to scoop up the loose ball and run in for the winning points.

“Of course, mine wasn’t as dramatic,” said Edwards, now an analyst forESPN. “I just had to pick it up and not fall down. I didn’t have to have theburst he had.”

Edwards knows he and Jackson now will be “linked together.”

When he saw Jackson hit the crease, “I said to myself `are you kidding me?Is this about to happen? Same two teams, same result, same site?’ And what manypeople won’t remember is that it was the same corner of the end zone from theMiracle. Different stadium, but it was that same corner that I finished in.Unbelievable.”

The Giants still control their own postseason destiny. They hold a one-gamelead over Green Bay and Tampa Bay for the final playoff berth.

The Packers were beaten 31-27 by New England on Sunday night, while the Bucswere stunned 23-20 in overtime by the Lions.

The problem for the Giants will be recovering from this loss, and they needto do it soon. They play the Packers in Green Bay next weekend.

“I’m not as mad about this game as people might think, just because I’mlooking forward to the next one,” Giants defensive end Justin Tuck(notes) said.“That’s what you have to do, you can’t allow yourself to get caught up in theemotions of this one and not be ready for Green Bay.”

Vick threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for a game-high 130yards and another score. He threw a 65-yard TD pass to Celek to get the rallystarted, ran 4 yards for another and then hit Maclin to tie the game.

Lost in the comeback was a four-touchdown performance by Eli Manning(notes). He hitMario Manningham(notes) on scoring passes of 35 and 33 yards and had 8-yarders toHakeem Nicks(notes) and Kevin Boss(notes), with the one to the tight end giving the Giants a31-10 lead with 8:17 to play.

Manning finished with 289 yards passing. Manningham had eight catches for118 yards. But it was all for naught in the loss, which also clinched a playoffspot for Atlanta (12-2).

“This game is all about momentum. We had it in the first half. They had itin the second,” Giants center Shaun O’Hara(notes) said. “I don’t think there areenough words in the dictionary to describe how we feel right now.”

Eagles lead Giants 10-3 at halftime

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Standing on the sideline with roughly eightminutes to play, DeSean Jackson(notes) was worried about Philadelphia’s playoffchances.

Upset with his own fumble that ballooned the New York Giants’ lead to 21points minutes earlier, Jackson saw the NFC East title slipping away andpossibly the Eagles’ postseason hopes.

A punt return? No way. It might have been the farthest thought from hismind. He had told coach Andy Reid the only way he would get back on the fieldwith his sore foot was if the game was on the line—and that would take amiracle.

Funny thing happened. Thirty-two years after “The Fumble” at theMeadowlands gave Herm Edwards and another group of Eagles a miraculous victorythat turned the Giants’ franchise upside down, there was another miracle, thistime at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Jackson fielded a punt that was supposed to be kicked out of bounds andscored on an incredible 65-yard return on the final play, giving the Eagles astunning 38-31 victory that all but locked up the division title with two weeksto go in the regular season.

“I have never been a part of anything like this game,” Eagles tight endBrent Celek(notes) said. “When we came into the locker room, it was almost like we wonthe Super Bowl.”

If this had been a Super Bowl, the final play might forever be known as“The Return.”

Michael Vick(notes) set the stage for it by throwing for two touchdowns and runningfor another as the Eagles scored 28 points in the final 7:28.

His 13-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin(notes) tied the game at 31 with 1:16 togo, and the game seemed headed for overtime when the Giants were forced to puntin the final seconds.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin even ordered rookie punter Matt Dodge(notes) to kick theball out of bounds.

Before that happened, though, there was drama on the Eagles’ sideline.

Reid had told Jackson before the game he would give him a signal if hewanted him to return a punt, and the signal came in the form of a whistle.

“I knew the whistle was from coach Reid, who said, ‘Get your butt backthere,”’ Jackson said. “Even when I was on the field, he kept whistling atme.”

Dodge had every intention of following Coughlin’s orders, but he got a highsnap from Zak DeOssie(notes) and hurried his punt, getting off a low line drive.

Oops!

“I was thinking to myself, like, ‘They’re not going to kick it to me,”’Jackson said. “I was thinking he was going to kick it out of bounds. But it gotto me. From there, I just used my instincts and my speed to get into the endzone.”

After muffing the ball, Jackson scooped it up, broke past the initial waveof tacklers, avoided a diving tackle attempt by Dodge, got a big block fromreceiver Jason Avant(notes) and broke into the open down the right sideline.

Coughlin was so frustrated, he fired his papers into the artificial turf andlater screamed at Dodge.

Jackson finished his run with a little showtime, running along the goal lineto kill the clock before scoring and throwing the ball into the stands, where 30minutes earlier giddy Giants fans dreamed of a home playoff game.

“Somebody told me that coach Coughlin ran on the field and tried to get hiskicker because he was just so (ticked) that his kicker punted the ball to me,”said Jackson, who was limited in practice this week with a foot injury. “Thatjust shows how mad he was at that punter.”

Coughlin took responsibility for the final play, which the NFL said was thefirst walk-off punt return in league history.

“I’ve never been around anything like this in my life,” said the64-year-old coach, whose job may be on the line if the Giants miss the playoffsfor a second straight year. “It’s about as empty as you get to feel in thisbusiness, right there.”

The electrifying finish gave the Eagles (10-4) a one-game lead over theGiants (9-5) in the NFC East.

Since it swept the season series, Philadelphia can clinch the division witha win in its final two games or a Giants loss.

The stunning turn of events brought back thoughts of Joe Pisarcik’s fumblein 1978. The Giants quarterback botched a handoff at the end of the game,allowing Edwards to scoop up the loose ball and run in for the winning points.

“Of course, mine wasn’t as dramatic,” said Edwards, now an analyst forESPN. “I just had to pick it up and not fall down. I didn’t have to have theburst he had.”

Edwards knows he and Jackson now will be “linked together.”

When he saw Jackson hit the crease, “I said to myself `are you kidding me?Is this about to happen? Same two teams, same result, same site?’ And what manypeople won’t remember is that it was the same corner of the end zone from theMiracle. Different stadium, but it was that same corner that I finished in.Unbelievable.”

The Giants still control their own postseason destiny. They hold a one-gamelead over Green Bay and Tampa Bay for the final playoff berth.

The Packers were beaten 31-27 by New England on Sunday night, while the Bucswere stunned 23-20 in overtime by the Lions.

The problem for the Giants will be recovering from this loss, and they needto do it soon. They play the Packers in Green Bay next weekend.

“I’m not as mad about this game as people might think, just because I’mlooking forward to the next one,” Giants defensive end Justin Tuck(notes) said.“That’s what you have to do, you can’t allow yourself to get caught up in theemotions of this one and not be ready for Green Bay.”

Vick threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for a game-high 130yards and another score. He threw a 65-yard TD pass to Celek to get the rallystarted, ran 4 yards for another and then hit Maclin to tie the game.

Lost in the comeback was a four-touchdown performance by Eli Manning(notes). He hitMario Manningham(notes) on scoring passes of 35 and 33 yards and had 8-yarders toHakeem Nicks(notes) and Kevin Boss(notes), with the one to the tight end giving the Giants a31-10 lead with 8:17 to play.

Manning finished with 289 yards passing. Manningham had eight catches for118 yards. But it was all for naught in the loss, which also clinched a playoffspot for Atlanta (12-2).

“This game is all about momentum. We had it in the first half. They had itin the second,” Giants center Shaun O’Hara(notes) said. “I don’t think there areenough words in the dictionary to describe how we feel right now.”

Unbeaten Pack ready for resurgent Lions

DETROIT (AP)—The Green Bay Packers looked lost without Aaron Rodgers(notes). TheDetroit Lions weren’t much better, but they’re used to playing without theirstarting quarterback.

Drew Stanton(notes) threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Will Heller(notes) midway throughthe fourth quarter, and the Lions held on for a 7-3 win over Green Bay on Sundayafter knocking Rodgers out of the game late in the first half. Detroit snapped a19-game losing streak against NFC North opponents despite an erratic performancefrom Stanton, who is starting because Matthew Stafford(notes) and Shaun Hill(notes) are bothout with injuries.

“If we want to be where we want to get to eventually in the future aroundhere, we have to start winning division games, especially at home,” Stantonsaid. “I think it’s a lot better to play ugly and win than it is to play goodand lose.”

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This one was certainly ugly at times, especially during a scoreless firsthalf. Rodgers left with a concussion toward the end of the second quarter, butthe Packers (8-5) were already having their problems, having gone the entirefirst quarter without a first down.

Rodgers hasn’t missed a game since taking over as Green Bay’s startingquarterback in 2008, but he went to the sideline Sunday shortly after being hiton back-to-back plays. He was slow getting up after being hit by Amari Spievey(notes)and Landon Johnson(notes) at the end of an 18-yard scramble. Green Bay took a timeout,then Rodgers was sacked on the next play.

Rodgers stayed in for the rest of the drive before being replaced by MattFlynn(notes).

“He was a little groggy after those two plays, and the medical staff andAaron decided it was in his best interest not to go back in,” coach MikeMcCarthy said. “That’s not my call, and I don’t know any specifics.”

Rodgers was not in the locker room when it was open to the media. He alsohad a concussion in an overtime loss at Washington in October and played thefollowing week.

Even without their standout quarterback, the Packers took a 3-0 lead in thesecond half and had a chance to extend it when Flynn led a confidence-buildingdrive deep into Detroit territory. But Flynn made one big mistake, throwing ashort pass over the middle that was intercepted by DeAndre Levy(notes) in the end zone.

After withstanding that challenge, the Lions (3-10) still needed points oftheir own. Stanton—whose passer rating for the game was zero at one point inthe second half—finally directed a successful drive in the final quarter. TheLions went 80 yards in 12 plays, and Heller scored on a tight end screen with7:55 remaining.

Stanton finished 10 of 22 for 117 yards with a touchdown and twointerceptions—for a passer rating of 39.4. Stafford has played only one fullgame this season because of shoulder problems, leaving Hill and Stanton to runthe Detroit offense.

Flynn, pressed into by far his most extensive duty of the season, went 15 of26 for 177 yards. He did lead the Packers to the Detroit 31 late in the fourthquarter, but his long pass on fourth-and-1 fell incomplete.

Green Bay got better news later in the day, when Chicago was routed by NewEngland, keeping the Bears’ NFC North lead at one game.

Detroit finally won a close game after being 0-7 in games decided by eightpoints or less.

“I think that there’s been some situations that have come up that would beeasy to go south with, to take the wrong turn,” coach Jim Schwartz said. “Ithink the character of this team is that they haven’t done that. They’ve battledevery single week regardless of what the situation is.”

The first sign that Detroit’s fortune might be changing came in the firstquarter, when Rodgers threw an interception. The Lions were flagged for threepenalties on the play—but officials ruled that Rodgers was out of the pocket,negating a potential illegal contact call. The interception stood because theother two fouls occurred after the change of possession.

There wasn’t much flow to the first half in general. There were three puntsin a 57-second span near the end of the second quarter as both teams usedtimeouts trying to get the ball back, then failed to do anything with it.

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