Scott Mitchell, shaking off a sore wrist, tossed three touchdown passes to Herman Moore and Detroit's defense came up with three interceptions and a fumble as the Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-16 Sunday.
The Packers (5-3), who have lost nine straight on artificial turf, appeared to be driving for a touchdown late in the game. But a hit by Tracy Scroggins caused Brett Favre to give up the first fumble by the Packers' offense this season.Favre's arm was cocked when he was hit and the Packers argued unsuccessfully that the play should simply have been an imcomplete pass.
"I was trying to give Mark (Ingram) some time to make his move, and he made a great play to get open," Favre said. "If I had one more second, it was an easy touchdown. But Scroggins made a great play."
Chris Spielman recovered and the Lions (3-5), avenging a 30-21 loss at Green Bay two weeks ago, ran out the clock, halting a two-game losing streak.
Favre, who completed 26 of 43 for 304 yards, hooked up on a 77-yard scoring play with Robert Brooks for Green Bay's only touchdown. Chris Jacke kicked field goals of 20, 50 and 28 yards for the Packers, who had won three straight.
The defeat spoiled a big day for Edgar Bennett, who rushed 22 times for 121 yards and caught six passes for 50 yards. Brooks finished with 127 yards on six receptions.
Mitchell, who missed one day of practice because of tendinitis in his left wrist, completed 15 of 23 for 249 yards and Jason Hanson added a 37-yard field goal for Detroit.
Barry Sanders kept the Packers' secondary off balance with 167 yards on 22 carries.
It was the first three-touchdown game for Moore, who had six catches for 147 yards. He was sensational in the first half, turning routine passes into touchdowns as the Lions built a 21-10 halftime lead.
-On his first score, Moore beat cornerback Doug Evans on a slant pattern.
-On the Lions' first snap of the second quarter, following Jacke's 20-yarder, Moore caught the ball a step behind Craig Newsome at the Lions' 38 and pulled away up the middle to complete the 69-yard score.
-Late in the second quarter, Moore caught the ball at the 5, spun away from Newsome and dashed into the end zone to complete the 29-yard scoring play.
The game was a big turnaround for the Lions' defense. The Lions had come up with only seven turnovers -- two fumbles and five interceptions -- in their first seven games. They had not had an interception since the San Francisco game Sept. 25.
Saints 11, 49ers 7
At San Francisco, Jerry Rice became the NFL's leader in career receiving yardage, overtaking James Lofton's 14,004. Rice caught eight passes for 108 yards to boost his total 14,140, but it wasn't enough to stave off a New Orleans win over San Francisco.
The Saints (2-6), who entered with the NFL's worst record, took the lead on Mario Bates' 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. A high snap on the conversion turned into a 2-point bonus when holder Tom Hodson recovered to pass to Wesley Walls.
Dolphins 23, Bills 6
At Miami, Bernie Parmalee and Terry Kirby scored on acrobatic runs and Miami clamped down on Buffalo's injury-depleted offense for a victory.
By beating Buffalo for only the second time in 10 games at Joe Robbie Stadium, the Dolphins, broke a three-game losing streak and moved into a tie with the Bills and the Indianapolis Colts atop the AFC East. All three teams are 5-3.
Dan Marino, sidelined the past two games by hip and knee injuries, completed 20 of 35 passes for 232 yards with no touchdowns.
Browns 29, Bengals 26
At Cincinnati, rookie Eric Zeier, starting in place of the benched Vinny Testaverde, passed for 310 yards Sunday and calmly led the Browns on a winning overtime drive after they blew a 10-point lead in regulation. Matt Stover's 28-yard field goal 6:30 into OT clinched a victory over Cincinnati.
Zeier made it all possible, and now the Browns (4-4) sense the possibilities with the plucky rookie at quarterback.
Panthers 20, Patriots 17
At Foxboro, Mass., John Kasay nailed a 29-yard field goal at 7:08 of overtime, lifting visiting Carolina over New England.
Carolina (3-5) became the first expansion team to win three straight games and also tied an NFL record for wins by a first-year club, already matched this season by Jacksonville.
Curtis Martin's two short scoring runs in the fourth quarter, the second with 52 seconds left, sent the game into overtime.
Cowboys 28, Falcons 13
At Atlanta, Emmitt Smith rushed for 167 yards in 26 carries and scored his 14th touchdown in eight games on a 1-yard run as Dallas defeated Atlanta.
Michael Irvin caught 10 passes for 135 yards, including a leaping catch on a 43-yard pass from Troy Aikman, who hit 19 of 25. Jay Novacek caught one pass for a 1-yard touchdown.
Eagles 20, Rams 9
At Philadelphia, William Fuller and Andy Harmon had two sacks apiece, leading Philadelphia (5-3) to its fourth consecutive win.
Fuller also forced a fumble that Kevin Johnson returned for a fourth-quarter touchdown for the league's top-rated defense.
St. Louis (5-3) had no turnovers in the first four games, all victories, but has 13 in the four games since.
Colts 17, Jets 10
At Indianapolis, Eugene Daniel picked off a pass on the final play of the first half and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. That was all Indianapolis, 5-3 for the first time since 1977, would need.
New York (2-7) held the Colts to 3 yards offense in the second half and got two more sacks from rookie Hugh Douglas.
Steelers 24, Jaguars 7
At Pittsburgh, Neil O'Donnell doubled his season total with two touchdown passes and Pittsburgh (4-4), with new starters at nine positions, dominated Jacksonville (3-6).
The Steelers, scoreless on their previous 10 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line, got touchdown on their first three visits to the red zone against Jacksonville. Pittsburgh also had seven sacks.
Oilers 19, Buccaneers 7
At Houston, Cris Dishman snapped Trent Dilfer's club record of 138 straight passes without an interception, setting up Houston's only touchdown in a victory over Tampa Bay.
Houston used Al Del Greco's three field goals in the first half for a 9-7 advantage before Dishman snared an overthrown pass intended for Jackie Harris at the Oilers' 46 with 5:35 left in the third quarter.
Nine plays later, Marion Butts, following guard Erik Norgard, plowed through the left side of the line from the 4 to give Houston a 16-7 lead.
Cardinals 20, Seahawks 14, OT
At Tempe, Ariz., Lorenzo Lynch made Arizona a winner just when it looked like the Cardinals were about to lose.
Lynch intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown with 3:46 to go in overtime, lifting the Cardinals to a victory over reeling Seattle.
It was a sudden finish to the sloppily played game, which saw Seattle's Sam Adams block a 28-yard field goal attempt earlier in overtime.