Author: jhawkes51

Raiders head to Kansas City for season finale

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Quarterback Derek Carr and the Raiders look to spoil Kansas City’s chances at the AFC West crown when the Silver and Black travel to the Show Me State Sunday to take on the Chiefs in the season finale for both teams.

Oakland (7-8) can finish with a .500 record for the first time since 2011 with a win in Kansas City, where they have lost their last two trips to Arrowhead.

A .500 record would be great for Oakland, who have won a combined 11 games over the past three seasons.

Oakland is coming off a 23-20 overtime victory over the visiting San Diego Chargers in Week 16 behind Carr’s 204 yards, one touchdown and one interception performance.

It was Oakland’s last home game for the season, and potentially the last Raiders’ game in Oakland as the team is rumored to be heading to Los Angeles for the 2016 season.

The win for Oakland was great in what was safety Charles Woodson’s final home game. The 18-year veteran announced his retirement last week.

”Charles is one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform,” coach Jack Del Rio said. ”He’s a great Raider. To be able to send him out the right way, to be able to cap off a special evening like this, our last home game of the year … I’m just really proud of the effort.”

Running back Latavius Murray carried the ball 19 times for 79 yards and a touchdown. The third-year running back from Central Florida leads the AFC in rushing with 1,035 yards and has become the bellcow for the Raiders.

Oakland’s defense had trouble generating a solid pass rush on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers for nearly three quarters, registering just one sack.

After starting the season 1-5, Kansas City (10-5) have been red hot winning their last nine in a row.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals have ever qualified for the playoffs after starting 1-5, until Kansas City clinched a playoff spot with a 17-13 home win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16.

The Chiefs are seeking a franchise-record 10th straight victory, but want more.

With a win over their hated rivals from Oakland, coupled with a Chargers’ victory over the Broncos in Denver, Kansas City could win the AFC West title for the first time since 2010.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has been what head coach Andy Reid and Kansas City have hoped and then some in his first season with the team.

Maclin, who was voted to his first Pro Bowl this season, is having a monster season with 84 catches (one shy of his career-high set last season in Philadelphia), 1,034 yards, and seven touchdowns.

Kansas City didn’t have a wide receiver catch a touchdown all of last season. Maclin has caught a touchdown in four of the last five games for the Chiefs, including a pair of touchdowns against Oakland in Kansas City’s 34-20 Week 13 victory at O.co Coliseum.

With Pro Bowl linebackers Justin Houston (hyperextended knee) and Tamba Hali (broken finger) sitting out last week, Kansas City failed to record a sack for the first time since Week 4.

Houston and Hali have combined for 14 of Kansas City’s 41 sacks this season, which are tied for fourth-most in the league this season.

Both players are day-to-day, but could suit up Sunday.

Kansas City have won four of the last five meetings, and forced the Raiders second-year signal caller into throwing three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

 

 

Warriors improve to 29-1 behind Curry’s triple double

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Stephen Curry overcame a slow start, but managed to pick up the pace by finishing with 23 points helping the Golden State Warriors improve to 29-1 with a 122-103 over the visiting Sacramento Kings Monday night in front of a sellout Oracle Arena crowd.

Curry finished with a career-high 14 rebounds and 10 assists, earning his sixth career triple double to help Golden State remain undefeated at home improving to 14-0, and extending their regular season home winning streak to 33 games dating back to last season.

Curry was held scoreless for 20:44 minutes to begin the game, but got red-hot in the second quarter scoring 17 points and nailing five 3-pointers.

Klay Thompson scored 29 points and Draymond Green finished with 25 points, helping Golden State to their 11th straight win over their Northern California rival, their longest losing streak since the Cincinnati Royals dropped 13 straight to the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959-60.

Omri Casspi scored a career-high 36 points (leading all scorers for the game), and tying a Kings’ record set by Mike Bibby with nine made 3-pointers.

Center DeMarcus Cousins, who was finally healthy in three games versus Golden State, was ejected in the third quarter by referee Monty McCutchen after arguing his fifth personal foul.

Once Cousins was ejected, the Warriors went on a 15-0 run that after being up by just two points to push their lead to 79-66. Another Curry 3-pointer just before the end of the third raised Golden State’s lead to 90-75.

Rudy Gay finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, Darren Collison had 13 points and 11 assists, while Rajon Rondo scored just four points and played just 17 minutes after picking up three fouls in the first quarter.

Sacramento (12-19), who lost 98-94 at home to the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday, have lost three of their last four games.

Warriors center Festus Ezeli left the game with a sore left foot and forward Harrison Barnes missed his 13th game with an ankle sprain.

Golden State travels to Texas for a two-game road trip, visiting Dallas on Wednesday and Houston on Thursday.

The Kings host Philadelphia on Wednesday.

 

 

 

Woodson, Raiders prep for Chargers in home finale

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit: KCRA TV Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson

OAKLAND — When Raiders safety Charles Woodson announced his retirement on Monday from the game of football after an illustrious 18-year career, it came as a shock since Woodson has been playing at high level for the Raiders this season.

On Tuesday, Woodson, along with linebacker Khalil Mack, and fullback Marcel Reece were selected to the Pro Bowl, as announced on the NFL Network during the network’s annual selection show.

Quarterback Derek Carr, rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper, and running back Latavius Murray are heading to Honolulu as well on Jan. 31, 2016 after being selected as Pro Bowl alternates for the first time in their young careers.

It marks the ninth time that Woodson has been voted to the Pro Bowl, while Reece is making his fourth-straight team, and Mack being voted to his first.

Woodson is a viable lock for a spot in Canton once the five-year waiting period is over.

When the Raiders host the Chargers (4-10) on Thursday in Oakland’s last home game (possibly in Oakland, but don’t lose hope), Raider Nation will have one more opportunity to see one of the greatest defensive players (at any position) in the NFL.

The former fourth overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft will no doubt receive the loudest ovation from the expected sellout crowd on Christmas Eve.

Oakland (6-8) dropped their last home game to the visiting Green Bay Packers 30-20 on Sunday eliminating the Silver and Black from playoff contention for the 13th straight season.

The Chargers (4-10), defeated the Miami Dolphins 30-14 in what many believe was the final game in San Diego for quarterback Philip Rivers and Co.

Rivers passed for three touchdowns (one interception), all to running back Danny Woodhead.

Woodhead added a rushing touchdown, giving him four total for the game.

Oakland and San Diego have been rumored, along with the St. Louis Rams as teams that are planning to relocate to Los Angeles next season.

 

Warriors hang tough, rally past Bucks to move to 26-1

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Klay Thompson scored a game-high 27 points and Stephen Curry added 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists to help the Golden State Warriors avenge their only loss of the season with a 121-112 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night in front of a sellout Oracle Arena crowd.

Thompson shot 8 of 16 from the floor (2 of 9) on 3s, while Curry shot 7 of 14 including 2 of 6 on 3s.

Curry extended his streak to 100 games with at least one 3-pointer made.

The Bucks ended the Warriors 28-game winning streak dating back to last season in Milwaukee last weekend. Milwaukee came within an eyelash of  joining the Chicago Bulls as the last team to beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena.

With the win,  Golden State has now won 30 straight games at home.

Golden State (26-1) yielded a season-high 70 points in the first half, but turned on the defense in the second half by limiting Milwaukee to just 42 points the rest of the way. The Warriors found themselves down by as much 15 points in the third, and trailing by 11 points with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Draymond Green nailed a huge 3-pointer from straight away to pull the Warriors within three at 100-97 and after being fouled on a 3-point attempt, Curry sunk three free throws to tie the game midway in the fourth quarter.

Green finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, but Andre Iguodala’s 3-pointer from the corner pushed Golden State’s lead to seven cementing the Warriors’ victory.

The made 3-pointer by Iguodala was his only points of the game.

Festus Ezeli who played the majority of the game in place of starting center Andrew Bogut, finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Bogut left the game in the first quarter with a back injury and never returned.

Michael Carter-Williams led the Bucks with 24 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo chipped in 20 points for Milwaukee (10-18), who have dropped five of their last six games but have provided Golden State with its stiffest competition so far this season.

Greg Monroe had 10 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists for the Bucks, who were out-rebounded 46-41 but shot a blistering 62 percent from the floor in the first half.

Khris Middleton added 16 points and Jabari Parker scored 14 points.

So much trash talk was voiced between both squads leading up to their rematch tonight and even after the final whistle, the trash talk couldn’t be stopped.

Green and O.J. Mayo had some heated words when exiting the court, prompting security and fellow players having to come in between the two before heading into the locker room.

Mayo scored just 12 points off the bench after scoring 18 points as a starter in the previous meeting in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee head to Phoenix Sunday, while Golden State doesn’t play until Wednesday when the Utah Jazz visit Oracle Arena.

 

Raiders look to slow down Rodgers, Packers

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit: sportsworldreport.com Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers

OAKLAND — At 6-7, the Raiders have a chance to reach the .500 mark this late in the season for the first time since finishing 8-8 in 2011 but it will be a tall order with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers visiting O.co Coliseum Sunday for Week 15.

Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. PDT with rain predicted for the forecast. This the first meeting between the two teams in Oakland since 2003, as each of the previous two match-ups occurred in Green Bay.

After a 1-4 stretch in November when the Packers found themselves behind the then first place Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North, Green Bay (9-4) has won back-to-back games and have overtaken Minnesota, who have dropped back-to-back games in December.

If there is ever a game where fans can see two exceptional quarterbacks that are eerily similar in playing styles, then the battle between Chico’s own Rodgers and Fresno’s own Derek Carr is the game.

Both quarterbacks are tied for fourth in the NFL with 28 touchdown passes, while Carr has the advantage in passing yards (3,313 to 3,175), Rodgers has thrown four less interceptions (five to nine) than Carr.

Seven of Carr’s nine interceptions have come in the fourth quarter. Fourth quarter interceptions have been Carr’s Achilles’ heel this season.

Carr and the Raiders had -12 yards of total offense in the first half, but turned things around in the second half with two touchdown passes to lead Oakland to a shocking 15-12 victory in Denver last Sunday.

Carr completed just 12 of 29 passes for 135 yards. His 41.4 completion rating was his lowest for any game this season.

Oakland held a very good Broncos’ offense to just 34 yards rushing, and have held eight of their last 11 opponents under 100 yards rushing. Dissecting the Raiders’ run defense further, they have yielded an average of 55.7 yards rushing per game in the last three games.

Amari Cooper, Oakland’s talented rookie wide receiver who came into the game with a team leading 920 receiving yards, was held without a catch against Denver’s tough secondary. Cooper might be hitting the rookie wall this late in the season, has been dealing with a foot injury this week.

The real story from Oakland’s victory in Denver was the tremendous play from defensive end Khalil Mack.

After being quiet in the first half, Mack was a house on fire in the second half tormenting Denver’s maligned offensive line by recording five sacks, seven tackles (six solo) and a forced fumble while being named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance. It was Mack’s third straight game with at least two sacks.

Mack, who leads the NFL with 14 sacks, is just two sacks away from Derrick Burgess’ franchise record of 16 sacks he set in 2006,  will have the Packers’ full attention Sunday.

Rodgers and Co. are coming off a 28-7 home victory over the down-trodden Dallas Cowboys in Week 15.

Green Bay’s signal caller completed 22 of 35 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns against Dallas. The two-time NFL MVP has his lowest completion percentage (61.2) and passer rating (97.5) since becoming the team’s full-time starter in 2008.

Rodgers is hoping that facing Oakland’s 28th ranked pass defense (271.5) will improve those numbers, but Rodgers must be aware that Oakland has gotten to the quarterback as the defense has recorded 19 sacks in the last five games.

Rodgers has been sacked 31 times this season, fourth-most in the NFC.

Sunday will also be the first time that current Raiders’ safety Charles Woodson and Packers’ wide receiver James Jones face their respected former teams.

Woodson, 39, was released by Green Bay in 2013, returned to Oakland and has found the fountain of youth.

The 18-year veteran who helped Green Bay win the Super Bowl in 2010, has played steady this season tied for third in the NFL with five interceptions and ranks first with four forced fumbles.

Jones, who was released by Oakland last year after leading the team with 73 catches and six touchdowns, is tied with tight end Richard Rodgers for the team lead with seven touchdown catches, and second on the team with 660 receiving yards behind fellow wide receiver Randall Cobb’s 737 yards.

Jones’s 18.9 yards per catch leads all NFL wide receivers with 30-plus catches.

 

 

 

 

 

Raiders travel to Denver looking to play spoiler

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit: raiders.com Raiders come off practice field at Alameda facility on Thursday

OAKLAND — Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Kansas City at O.co Coliseum not only dropped the Raiders to 5-7, but pretty much knocked Oakland from the AFC playoff race for the 13th consecutive season.

Raiders’ starting quarterback Derek Carr threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter (one returned for a touchdown by former Raider safety Tyvon Branch) to ice the game. All three interceptions led to 20 points for Kansas City.

Carr became the first Raiders’ quarterback to throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter since 1995, finished Sunday’s game 31-of-48 for 283 yards and two touchdowns.

Oakland heads to Denver Sunday looking to thwart the Broncos’ chances of locking up their fifth consecutive AFC Western division title, play a Broncos team coming off a key 17-3 victory in San Diego, but are banged up on both sides of the ball.

Linebacker Danny Trevathan and tight end Vernon Davis are dealing with concussions, safeties David Bruton Jr. (knee) and Omar Bolden (hamstring), and running back C.J. Anderson is hampered with an ankle injury. Denver was already playing without starting safety T.J. Ward, who might miss his second game due to an ankle injury.

Denver should get back veteran linebacker DeMarcus Ware back after a four-game absence due to a back injury. Denver’s defense No. 1 ranked defense didn’t miss a beat without Ware, collecting 11 sacks during Ware’s absence.

Linebacker Von Miller who will a be a free agent at season’s end, recorded two of Denver’s four sacks against San Diego.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler has won three straight games since taking over the starting role in place of the injured Peyton Manning. Despite just tossing 166 yards, Osweiler has steady the ship for the Broncos, who are currently the second seed in the AFC playoffs at 10-2.

Denver defeated Oakland 16-10 on Oct. 11 thanks in large part to a suffocating defense that forced three turnovers. Cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s go-ahead 74-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter proved to be the biggest play of the game.

In three career games against Denver, Carr (0-3) has thrown four touchdowns and four interceptions.

Denver has outscored Oakland 121-41 in three straight home wins, will attempt to defeat Oakland for a ninth straight time.

With a win and a loss or tie by Kansas City in San Diego, Denver will win the division. A loss or tie by Kansas City would also give Denver the division.

 

Raiders, Crabtree agree to extension

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Michael Crabtree was going to be a sought after free agent at season’s end and the Oakland Raiders didn’t want to see that happen, by locking up Crabtree to a contract extension Wednesday according to an NFL.com report.

The two sides agreed to a four-year deal worth $35 million with roughly $19 million guaranteed. Crabtree signed a one-year, $3.2 million contract this past offseason after spending his first six years in San Francisco.

The deal is expected to be signed soon, according to ESPN’s Adam Kaplan who first broke the story.

Crabtree is on pace to have career highs in catches and touchdowns. The 28-year-old leads The Silver and Black with 66 catches and seven touchdowns, while pacing second behind rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper’s team-leading 920 receiving yards with 760.

Oakland (5-7) who are coming off a 34-20 home loss to division-rival Kansas City in Week 13, travel to Denver to take on the Broncos Sunday.

 

Raiders host Chiefs with playoffs at stake

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit: SB Nation of Charcandrick West running back KC Chiefs

OAKLAND — After starting the season 1-5 and looking like a mess, the Kansas City Chiefs are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having won five in a row giving the Chiefs the first AFC wild-card spot at 6-5.

But the Oakland Raiders (5-6) are also playoff contenders, making Sunday’s match up at O.co Coliseum at 1:05 p.m. PDT in Week 13 that much spicier between these two AFC West rivals separated by just one game.

This is the first meeting between Oakland and Kansas City this season. Both teams see each other again in Week 17.

Kansas City defeated the Buffalo Bills 30-22 last Sunday at rainy Arrowhead Stadium thanks in large part to quarterback Alex Smith.

Smith completed 19-of-30 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Kansas City’s signal caller has tossed 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, but hasn’t thrown an interception in 283 attempts (last interception came in Week 3).

The Chiefs have not turned the ball over during their five-game winning streak, and can become the first team since the 2010 New England Patriots to have no turnovers in six consecutive games.

That Patriots team also won every game during their streak.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin caught nine balls for 160 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown catch from Smith in the second quarter.

With running back Charcandrick West (who took over the starting role after Jamaal Charles was lost on Oct. 11 with torn ACL) out with a hamstring injury, backup Spencer Ware shouldered the running load for the Chiefs.

In his first career start, Ware rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

The Chiefs are dealing with a few injuries outside of the aforementioned West,  with offensive tackle Eric Fisher (neck) and center Mitch Morse (concussion), but the biggest injury could be on their defense.

Linebacker Justin Houston hyper-extended his knee last week and left the game. Houston is Kansas City’s top pass rusher and sets the tone for the defense, given his team-leading 7.5 sacks this season.

If Houston isn’t able to go Sunday, look for the Chiefs to utilize linebacker Dee Ford in Houston’s place.

Oakland went to soggy Nashville and came out with a 24-21 victory over the Titans to snap a three-game losing streak.

Derek Carr continues to establish himself as a premier NFL quarterback with each week in only his second year, completing 24-of-37 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Carr found wide receiver Seth Roberts for the go-ahead 12-yard touchdown with 1:21 left in the fourth quarter.

Roberts finished a career-day with six catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper added seven catches for 115 yards.

Carr’s 24 touchdowns has him on pace to pass to challenge Daryle Lamonica’s franchise record of 34 set in 1969, the Raiders’ final season in the AFL. Jeff George’s 29 touchdowns in 1997 is the most by a Raider since the team joined the NFL.

Safe to say that Carr has a strong chance at passing George this season.

Kansas City has won six of the previous seven meetings between the two teams.

Oakland defeated Kansas City 24-20 at O.co Coliseum last season, snapping a 16-game losing streak after opening the season at 0-10.

 

Raiders head to Music City for tussle with Titans

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit USA Today Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Amari Cooper

OAKLAND — Suffering a three-game losing streak in the NFL is like losing 10 games in the NBA. It’s hard to come back from it, but its doable.

The Raiders (4-6), are hoping that a trip to Nashville to face the (2-8) Titans Sunday in Week 12 will get the team trending in the right direction after whispers of playoff talk surfaced after their second-straight win (a 34-20 victory over the New York Jets), three weeks ago.

Oakland averaged 35.3 points per game during a three-game stretch from Oct. 25-Nov. 8 and were in the top-five in most offensive categories but after last week’s 18-13 loss at Detroit, Oakland fell back down to earth and were held to a season-low 214 total yards.

Coming into the contest, Detroit allowed an average of 384.2 total yards per game.

Starting quarterback Derek Carr failed to throw a touchdown for the first time since Week 1, which was a surprise. Carr finished 13-of-25 for 169 passing yards.For the season, Carr is currently tied for fourth in the NFL with Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning with 21 touchdown passes and just six interceptions with a 99.4 quarterback rating.

The biggest surprise was that exciting rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper was held by a putrid Lions’ secondary to just one catch on four targets. Cooper has not gone over a 100 yards receiving since Week 7 (a 37-29 win at San Diego). Oakland needs to  find more ways to get Cooper more involved in the offense early.

AFC rushing yards leader Latavius Murray (157 carries, 706 yards and four touchdowns), has been quiet the last two weeks, just managing 75 yards rushing on 25 carries. Murray scored Oakland’s lone touchdown Sunday at Detroit.

After giving up 68 points over the past two games, Oakland’s defense has played well in Detroit but didn’t produce a turnover and allowed the Lions to drive 80 yards in nine plays for the go-ahead touchdown by Detroit starting quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee is coming off a bye week and has won the last three games in the series versus Oakland, but are tied with the worst record in the NFL.

The Titans are 1-2 under interim head coach Mike Mularkey, who took over for the fired Ken Whisenhunt. Mularkey has seen Tennessee drop to last in the AFC with 18.2 points per game and just totaled 23 points in two games.

Titans’ rookie starting quarterback Marcus Mariota was sacked four times in Tennessee’s 19-13 loss at Jacksonville. Mariota scored Tennessee’s lone touchdown, but has not thrown a touchdown since his four-touchdown passing performance in a 34-28 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 8 at the Mercedes Superdome.

 

Raiders try to rebound in Motown

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

photo credit Wikipedia Matt Stafford in 2014 Detroit Lions

OAKLAND — Last Sunday’s 30-14 home loss to the visiting Minnesota Vikings certainly left a bad taste in the Raiders’ mouth dropping Oakland to 4-5 on the season.

In a game where Oakland racked up 371 yards of total offense, the Raiders managed just two second quarter touchdowns.

Raiders’ starting quarterback Derek Carr, who had thrown for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns in each of the last three games, was neutralized by the Vikings by throwing two interceptions, one in the end zone to Vikings’ cornerback Terrance Newman in the fourth quarter that iced the game.

Carr had just four interceptions coming into the game.

The Raiders look to snap their current two-game losing streak when they travel to Detroit to face the Lions Sunday at 10:00 a.m. PT.

With the year-long suspension of starting outside linebacker Aldon Smith, Oakland lost arguably its best defensive player not named Charles Woodson.

But over the past two games, Oakland has been torched by the opposition’s running game.

Steelers’ running back DeAngelo Williams gashed the Raiders for 170 yards and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s 38-35 victory over Oakland in Week 9.

Adrian Peterson registered 203 yards on the ground, including a crushing 80-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter last Sunday. The hole in the Raiders’ defense that Peterson ran through was big enough for a truck to run through.

Detroit (2-7) has been a relatively dumpster fire this year with in-season firings of front office personnel and assistant coaches, but are coming off a 18-16 victory over Green Bay at Lambeau Field Sunday sending the Packers to their third-straight loss.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns  helping Detroit pick up its first win in Green Bay since December 1991, snapping a 24-game road losing streak.

The Lions punished Packers’ starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers by sacking the former league MVP three times, and frustrated Green Bay’s offense all day by playing aggressive defense.

Stafford threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns, and wide receiver Calvin Johnson had nine catches for 214, including the game-winning touchdowns with 39 seconds left in Detroit’s 28-27 victory on Dec. 18, 2011 at Oakland.

The win was Detroit’s third straight over Oakland.