Lions Surprise The Pack

They win when they should lose and lose when they’re expected to win. It’s hard to get a handle on the Detroit Lions.

The Lions, 7-1/2-point underdogs, got another interception return touchdown from linebacker Reggie Brown and rode it to a 26-15 win over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday. It left both teams with 3-2 records. The Packers lost just three times last season on the way to the Super Bowl title.

“I felt all week that the thing that was helping us get ready for this game was that it was the Green Bay Packers,” Detroit coach Bobby Ross said. “We stepped up today, but we need to sustain that.”

The defense forced four turnovers and sacked Brett Favre twice.

“We can’t make a lot of excuses,” Green Bay wide receiver Antonio Freeman said. “We just have to put this game behind us. Yet, this was a game that we had our sights set on.”

Detroit’s offense, stymied in last week’s upset at weak New Orleans, finally opened up behind the running of Barry Sanders and the passing of Scott Mitchell.

Sanders, who has had eight regular-season 100-yard rushing games against Green Bay - including five of the last six - scampered for 139 yards on 28 carries. Mitchell, who turned the ball over four times at New Orleans, was nearly flawless in completing 17 of 27 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown without any interceptions.

Favre was far from flawless for the Packers, tossing three interceptions.

Ryan Longwell accounted for the rest of the Packers’ scoring with three field goals. Jason Hanson kicked four field goals for Detroit.

Bucs 19, Cardinals 18

Trent Dilfer’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Karl Williams on a fourth and six with 4:48 to go won it for host Tampa Bay after the Cardinals (1-3) had taken the lead on Aeneas Williams’ 42-yard interception return and a two-point conversion late in the third quarter. Then Kevin Butler missed a 47-yard field goal wide right in the waning seconds.

The victory was a franchise-record sixth straight for Tampa Bay, which is 5-0 for the first time since 1979.

Redskins 24, Jaguars 12

Cornerbacks Darrell Green and Cris Dishman shut down Mark Brunell, and Gus Frerotte overcame a shaky start to throw for two touchdowns as the host Redskins (3-1) handed the Jaguars (3-1) their first loss.

Green held Jimmy Smith to four catches for 52 yards. Both the 37-year-old Green and the 32-year-old Dishman caused interceptions that set up touchdowns.

Jets 31, Bengals 14

Neil O’Donnell threw three touchdown passes in a ball-control offense as New York handed the Bengals their first home loss under Bruce Coslet. Adrian Murrell carried a career-high 40 times for 156 yards against the NFL’s second-worst rush defense, and the Jets (3-2) made few mistakes against their former coach.

Raiders 35, Rams 17

Jeff George had four touchdown passes as the Raiders (2-3) came back from a 14-0 deficit in the first appearance by the Rams in Oakland since 1972.

Cowboys 27, Bears 3

Troy Aikman threw two touchdown passes and Deion Sanders returned a punt 83 yards for a score as the host Cowboys (3-1) finally got their offense going in the second half.

Kevin Smith’s interception set up the only first-half TD, before Dallas scored on its first two drives of the second half to put away the Bears (0-5).

Vikings 28, Eagles 19

Robert Smith scored two touchdowns for the first time in his career, including his first TD reception. The NFC’s leading rusher carried 22 times for 125 yards.

Brad Johnson threw three TD passes for the host Vikings (3-2).

The Eagles (1-3) fell into a last-place tie with Arizona in the East.

Steelers 37, Oilers 24

Kordell Stewart threw for 244 yards, ran for two touchdowns and threw for another for the Steelers (2-2). Jason Gildon scored on a fumble return for Pittsburgh, which opened a 37-9 lead over visiting Tennessee (1-3).

Giants 14, Saints 9

At the Meadowlands, Dave Brown threw touchdown passes of 32 yards to Kevin Alexander and 14 to Chris Calloway and little-used Tyrone Wheatley had three big runs to help kill the clock after the Giants (2-3) were backed to their own 3-yard-line late in the game.

Chargers 21, Ravens 17

Tony Martin caught touchdown passes of 36, 72 and 38 yards from Stan Humphries for the host Chargers (2-3). Martin finished with four catches for 155 yards as the Ravens (3-2) lost after two straight wins on the road.

Dwayne Harper’s interception with 1:40 to go ended the last Baltimore threat.

Broncos 29, Falcons 21

John Elway, who called playing for Dan Reeves “hell,” threw three TD passes as the Broncos faced Reeves for the first time since he left Denver six years ago.

The Broncos (5-0) built a 23-0 lead at the Georgia Dome, then hung on to beat the winless Falcons (0-5). It was also redemption for Denver coach Mike Shanahan, fired by Reeves as the team’s offensive coordinator in 1991.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Sunday’s best Quarterbacks Stan Humphries 17-26-358-3-2 Kent Graham 31-52-339-1-2 Ty Detmer 28-45-298-2-2 Running backs Napoleon Kaufman 26-162-1 Adrian Murrell 40-156-1 Barry Sanders 28-139-0 Receivers Tony Martin 4-155-3 Robert Brooks 9-164-0 Rob Moore 8-147-1