NFL Week 11: Stanton, defense lead Cardinals past Lions

GLENDALE, Ariz. — A new starting quarterback, the same result for Arizona.

The Cardinals win again.

Drew Stanton was good enough, Arizona’s defense was excellent and the Cardinals beat the Detroit Lions 14-6 on Sunday to improve to an NFL-best 9-1.

Stanton threw touchdown passes to Michael Floyd on Arizona’s first two possessions and the Cardinals held the Lions without a touchdown, the first time that’s happened to Detroit since 2009, in a matchup of teams with two of the best records in the league.

“When you score six points, you’re not going to win a lot of ballgames,” Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said.

Detroit got inside the Arizona 20-yard line only once, and that was after one of Stanton’s two interceptions. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Detroit (7-3).

Stanton, starting after Carson Palmer was lost for the season with a knee injury, threw TD passes of 42 and 12 yards. After that, Arizona’s offense stalled and Stanton threw two interceptions. But the Lions couldn’t convert either turnover into a touchdown.

“It was a great win for us,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said, “and solidifies the belief in our locker room that whoever steps in steps up.”

Arizona won its sixth in a row and has its best record through 10 games since 1948. The Cardinals, 6-0 at home, also have a three-game lead over Seattle and San Francisco in the NFC West.

Arizona held an opponent without a TD for the first time this season.

“When a team doesn’t score seven points,” Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote said, “there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to come out on top.”

Stanton, 3-1 as a starter this season, finished 21 of 32 for 306 yards. Stafford was 18 of 30 for 183 yards with one interception. He was sacked four times, while Stanton, facing the No. 1-rated defense in the NFL, was not sacked.

Stanton, whose wife delivered the couple’s second child on Monday, sent Palmer a text right before the game.

“‘I’m stepping in for him,” Stanton said, “but this is still his team.”

Neither team scored in the second half in a matchup of two of the game’s best defenses.

Detroit’s only real threat came late in the first half.

Cassius Vaughn intercepted Stanton’s pass and got the ball at the 19. Detroit advanced it to the 10 and Lions coach Jim Caldwell challenged the spot, arguing that it should have been a first down. But the spot stood and Caldwell decided to go four a field goal on fourth-and-1.

“That was huge, huge,” Arians said. “After that interception, to hold them to three I thought set the tempo for the rest of the football game.”

RAMS 22, BRONCOS 7

ST. LOUIS — Shaun Hill was effective in his first start since regaining the quarterback job and the St. Louis Rams defense made life miserable for Peyton Manning in a victory over the AFC West-leading Broncos.

Rookie Tre Mason had 29 carries for 113 yards, the most allowed by the Broncos’ top-ranked run defense.

Kenny Britt had four catches for 128 yards with a 63-yard score and Greg Zuerlein was a career-best 5 for 5 on field goals for the Rams (4-6).

Manning was 34 for 54 for 389 yards with two interceptions, but was held to a 42-yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders, ending a streak of 15 consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes.

The Broncos (7-3) were held to 28 yards rushing and failed twice on fourth down deep in St. Louis territory.

Manning threw incomplete from the 37 in the first quarter and rookie Aaron Donald’s sack helped end a drive in the fourth quarter on fourth-and-4 from the 28.

CHIEFS 24, SEAHAWKS 20

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City stopped Seattle on fourth down three times late in the fourth quarter, holding on for a tense victory in a matchup of playoff contenders.

Jamaal Charles ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and Knile Davis also ran for a score, as the Chiefs (7-3) won their fifth straight game and moved into a tie for first in the AFC West.

Russell Wilson threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns, and Marshawn Lynch had 124 yards rushing for Seattle (6-4). But the Seahawks’ star running back, fresh off a four-touchdown game, was stuffed twice by the Kansas City defense with the outcome hanging in the balance.

The Seahawks’ last-chance drive ended when Wilson threw incomplete on fourth-and-18 at their 20-yard line with 1:13 left in the game.

TEXANS 23, BROWNS 7

CLEVELAND — J.J. Watt caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Mallett, dominated on defense and Houston climbed back to .500 with a win over Cleveland.

Watt was all over the field. Along with his TD, he recorded a strip sack, made five tackles — three for a loss — recovered a fumble and hurried Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer into several bad throws. Watt provided more proof he’s the NFL’s best defensive player.

Mallett threw a pair of TD passes and finished with 211 yards in his first career start. The four-year veteran was promoted during the bye week after the Texans (5-5) benched Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Texans played without star running back Arian Foster because of a groin injury, but rookie Alfred Blue stepped in and gained 156 yards on a franchise-record 36 carries.

The Browns (6-4) won’t spend a second straight week atop the AFC North. They lost for just the second time in seven games, and Watt is the main reason why.

PACKERS 53, EAGLES 20

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns, Julius Peppers returned his second interception of the season for a score, and Green Bay’s defense stuffed high-octane Philadelphia for a rout.

The matchup of NFC contenders quickly became a blowout with the Packers (7-3) racing out to a 30-6 halftime lead. Rodgers threw for two touchdowns in the first half, while Micah Hyde scored on a 75-yard punt return.

Peppers finished off the Eagles by returning Mark Sanchez’s pass 52 yards for a 39-6 lead in the third quarter.

Philadelphia (7-3) was held to 11 points below its NFC-leading scoring average by a Packers defense rejuvenated since Clay Matthews moved to inside linebacker.

Green Bay’s offense was in good hands again with Rodgers, who broke Tom Brady’s NFL record of 288 straight passes at home without an interception.

49ERS 16, GIANTS 10

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — San Francisco rookie linebacker Chris Borland intercepted a fourth-down pass by Eli Manning at the 49ers 2 with 4:43 to play, capping a goal-line stand in a victory that sent error-plagued New York to its fifth straight loss.

Borland had two of the 49ers’ five interceptions as the Niners (6-4) survived a game in which a big advantage in time of possession and takeaways did not translate into a blowout on the scoreboard.

Colin Kaepernick threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree and Phil Dawson kicked three first-half field goals as the 49ers won their second straight on the road.

Manning threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Larry Donnell on New York’s opening possession, but the reeling Giants (3-7) only got a field goal from Josh Brown the rest of the way.

BENGALS 27, SAINTS 10

NEW ORLEANS — Andy Dalton rebounded from one of the worst outings of his career by passing for three touchdowns, and Cincinnati handed New Orleans its second straight loss.

For Dalton, the game represented a dramatic reversal from a week ago, when he completed only 10 passes for 86 yards and had a passer rating of 2.0 in a 24-3 loss to Cleveland.

Against New Orleans (4-6), Dalton gave the Bengals (6-3-1) an early lead they never relinquished. He was 16 of 22 for 220 yards, did not throw an interception and finished with a passer rating of 143.9.

Two of Dalton’s touchdown passes went to tight end Jermaine Gresham and the other to A.J. Green on a pinpoint 24-yard pass along the sideline.

Drew Brees passed for 255 yards and one TD to Kenny Stills.

BEARS 21, VIKINGS 13

CHICAGO — Jay Cutler threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, and Chicago won for just the second time in seven games, beating Minnesota.

Ryan Mundy intercepted Teddy Bridgewater’s 29-yard pass in the end zone in the closing minute, and the Bears hung on for the win after suffering two of the worst blowout losses in franchise history.

Alshon Jeffery had 135 yards receiving and a touchdown catch, Brandon Marshall added 90 yards and two TD receptions, and Matt Forte ran for 117 yards.

Jared Allen had a sack against his former team, and the Bears (4-6) prevailed after joining the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons as the only teams to give up 50 or more points in consecutive games with blowouts at New England and Green Bay. But it was a different story against the Vikings (4-6).

FALCONS 19, PANTHERS 17

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Matt Ryan threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, Matt Bryant added four field goals and Atlanta moved into a tie for first place in the lowly NFC South with a win over Carolina.

Bryant’s 44-yard field goal with 2:08 left put Atlanta ahead for good, and the Falcons withstood a late Carolina rally.

Carolina’s Graham Gano missed a 46-yard field goal try with 1:27 remaining and had a 63-yarder blocked as time expired.

The Falcons (4-6) moved into a tie with New Orleans for the division lead after the Saints lost at home to Cincinnati 27-10.

Cam Newton overcame two early interceptions to throw for 292 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough for the Panthers (3-6-1), who have lost five straight.

CHARGERS 13, RAIDERS 6

SAN DIEGO — Philip Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Malcom Floyd on the game’s third play from scrimmage, and San Diego held on for a lackluster victory against winless Oakland, extending the Raiders’ losing streak to 16.

Rivers hurt his right leg midway through the third quarter but stayed in the game. The injury appeared to get progressively worse, and Rivers was walking gingerly on the sideline in the fourth as backup Kellen Clemens warmed up. But Rivers went back in after Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 25-yard field goal to pull the Raiders within a touchdown with four minutes to play.

The Chargers (6-4) snapped a three-game losing streak and welcomed back Ryan Mathews, Manti Te’o and Melvin Ingram, who had been out since September.

The skid by the Raiders (0-10) is the equivalent of a full season. Monday is the one-year anniversary of their last win, 28-23 at Houston.

BUCCANEERS 27, REDSKINS 7

LANDOVER, Md. — Mike Evans caught seven passes for 209 yards and scored two touchdowns to help Tampa Bay (2-8) end a five-game losing streak.

Evans became the first rookie to post three consecutive 100-yard games with at least one touchdown in each since Randy Moss in 1998. According to STATS, he’s also the first rookie with 200 yards receiving and two touchdowns since Anquan Boldin in 2003. Evans finished 7 yards shy of Vincent Jackson’s franchise record of 216.

Evans is the youngest player in NFL history with a 200-yard receiving game. It was his third consecutive game with at least seven catches, 100 yards receiving and a touchdown catch. He is the first rookie in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

Tampa Bay’s defense also showed up, forcing three turnovers and sacking Robert Griffin III six times on the latest embarrassing day for the Redskins (3-7), who were booed early and often.

PATRIOTS 42, COLTS 20

INDIANAPOLIS — Jonas Gray rushed for 199 yards and a franchise-record four touchdowns in his fourth career game.

Tom Brady threw two TD passes as the AFC-best Patriots (8-2) earned their sixth consecutive victory. New England also has won five in a row against Indianapolis (6-4).

Brady finished 19 of 30 for 257 yards with two interceptions.

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was 23 of 39 for 303 yards with two scores. He extended his franchise record of consecutive 300-yard games to eight and moved within one of Drew Brees’ NFL record.

But the unheralded Gray was the surprise star. His first two scoring runs gave New England a 14-10 halftime lead. His other two helped put the game away in the second half.

By wire sources