Pack are North stars again
BALTIMORE — Aaron Rodgers tied Brett Favre for a major franchise record, and the Packers won the NFC North.
Both of those accomplishments felt a bit like formalities as the season wound down, but this latest victory for the Packers included plenty of drama.
Rodgers threw three touchdown passes — tying Favre on Green Bay’s career list with 442 — and the Packers became the first team to clinch a division title when they beat the Ravens 31-30 on Sunday. The Packers nearly squandered a 14-point lead in the final quarter but held on when the Ravens missed a two-point conversion in the final minute.
The Packers have won the NFC North three consecutive seasons.
“I think at moments like this, it’s important, as much as you win with class, you have to savor these a little bit. These are special,” Rodgers said. “I think it’s important to keep that perspective on how special accomplishing this is three years in a row.”
With Lamar Jackson out with a sprained ankle, Tyler Huntley nearly led the Ravens (8-6) back from a 31-17 deficit. His eightyard touchdown run with 42 seconds left pulled the Ravens within one, but Huntley’s two-point conversion pass was incomplete.
“We were just trying to go get the win right there,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I think our chances of winning right there were a little bit higher than in overtime, maybe, if you calculate it out.”
It was the third consecutive loss for Baltimore, which also fell to Pittsburgh two weekends ago on a missed two-point conversion in the final seconds. The Ravens dropped into a first-place tie in the AFC North with the Bengals. The Browns could join that group with a win Monday night.
Ravaged this season by injuries — especially in the secondary — Baltimore faced a difficult task trying to stop Rodgers and his receivers. The Ravens mounted enough time-consuming drives of their own to keep the game close, but the Packers had the ball first after halftime and took advantage.
The Ravens appeared to have the Packers (11-3) stopped on a third-down incompletion, but minimal contact by Kevon Seymour was enough for a pass-interference flag. Rodgers found Aaron Jones for a nineyard touchdown on the next play.
The Ravens drove into Packers territory before another devastating penalty. With Baltimore running the ball effectively and preparing to go on fourth-and-one in the red zone, Ben Cleveland committed a false start. The Ravens settled for a field goal, and Green Bay drove 88 yards, taking an 11-point lead on an 11-yard pass from Rodgers to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
That was Rodgers’ 442nd touchdown pass, pulling him even with Favre. He went 23 of 31 for 268 yards. Rodgers has thrown for 13 touchdowns without an interception over his last four games and didn’t appear the slightest bit limited by his toe injury.
Favre and Rodgers are tied for third on the list of most passing touchdowns for one team behind Tom Brady (541, Patriots) and Drew Brees (491, Saints).
Down 31-17, the Ravens began their comeback when Huntley ran for a threeyard touchdown with 4:47 remaining. Then they got the ball back and scored again.
Huntley threw for 215 yards and two first-half touchdowns to Mark Andrews. The first, which gave Baltimore a 7-0 lead, was the first time in eight games the Ravens scored an opening-quarter touchdown.