Monday 17 November 2014 11:08, UK
The Green Bay Packers maintained a dominant home spell as they battered the Philadelphia Eagles 53-20 at Lambeau Field, while the Arizona Cardinals retained the best record in the NFL with a gritty win over Detroit.
It was a different look for Green Bay as they sported their throwback uniforms from the old ‘Acme Packers’ days, but it was the same old story for Aaron Rodgers as he lit up the Eagles at will and had the game wrapped up at half time for the second week running.
Green Bay led 30-6 at half time and went on to score 50-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time in their history, while they crucially got to rest Rodgers and several other starters in the fourth quarter.
After dominating divisional rivals Chicago last week, Rodgers and his Packers made short work of the Eagles right from the off, as he found Jordy Nelson with a big gain on the first drive, although they had to settle for a field goal on that occasion.
Rodgers did go on to throw three touchdown passes though, to Nelson, Davante Adams and running back Eddie Lacy, who also ran in a one-yard score, while Nelson and fellow receiver Randall Cobb recorded 100-yard games.
Defence and special teams also weighed in as Micah Hyde scored on a 75-yard punt return, Julius Peppers on a 52-yard interception return and Casey Hayward picked up a fumble recovery and took it 49 yards to the house.
Mark Sanchez threw two touchdown passes but also had two interceptions, one for the Peppers touchdown, and lost two fumbles in a difficult night as the Packers again proved how tough they are to beat on home turf.
The Packers now join the Eagles on 7-3 for the season and they both are in a share of the lead in the NFC North and NFC East respectively, but Green Bay look to be heading in a very different direction judging on the manner of their latest emphatic victory.
Green Bay join the Detroit at the head of the division after the Lions suffered a tough 14-6 loss in a defensive confrontation against the streaking Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals moved to 9-1 for the first time since 1948, when they were based in Chicago, and they own the NFL’s best record after a sixth win in a row to move them to 6-0 at home – the same University of Phoenix Stadium that will host this season’s Super Bowl.
Quarterback Drew Stanton, standing in for the injured Carson Palmer for the rest of the season, threw two touchdown passes to Michael Floyd in the first quarter as the hosts bounced out to a 14-0 lead.
Two Lions field goals from Matt Prater were the only other points to be scored as defences ruled for the rest of the game, including a pointless second half.
Matt Stafford was restricted to just 183 yards and was sacked four times as Detroit mustered just 262 yards of total offence, with the Cards doing a superb job of covering dangerous receiver Calvin Johnson.
San Diego bounced back from three straight defeats with a battling 13-6 win over the hapless Oakland Raiders, who have now lost all ten of their games this season and have 16 defeats in a row dating back to last season.
Philip Rivers threw a touchdown pass to Malcolm Floyd on just the third play of the game, but that turned out to be the last trip to the end zone with just two field goals each to show for their efforts in the rest of the game.
Rivers hurt his leg in the third quarter and despite staying in the game he clearly was struggling with his movement as the Chargers managed to hold on to move to 6-4 for the season.
