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SPORTS Wednesday 16 OctOber 2019

Packers get the calls, Crosby hits late FG to beat Lions

By KEITH JENKINS got to finish."
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — It Matthew Stafford finished
took Mason Crosby 13 sea- 18 of 32 for 265 yards and
sons to perform his first Lam- was sacked three times.
beau Leap. Kerryon Johnson scored
The 35-year-old kicker the lone touchdown for the
nailed a 23-yard field Lions from 1 yard out in the
goal as time expired and first quarter.
jumped into the crowd with Preston Smith and Za'Darius
a boost from long snap- Smith each had a sack for
per Hunter Bradley after he Green Bay. Preston Smith
finished off a rally for the and Kyler Fackrell com-
Green Bay Packers, who bined for the other.
benefited from some ques- Rodgers was sacked once
tionable officiating to edge by Damon Harrison Sr. and
the Detroit Lions 23-22 on threw an interception that
Monday night. bounced off the facemask
"That was fun, yeah," Cros- of an open Derrius Shep-
by said of leaping into the herd near the goal line.
crowd. "That feeling, once James Coleman snagged
you get up in the stands, the ball returned it 55 yards,
the energy in there and setting up Prater's last field
teammates and everyone's goal that made it 22-13.
around, that's something Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) fumbles the ball during the first half of an NFL 3,000 YARDS AND RUNNING
I'll always remember. That football game against the Detroit Lions, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. Rodgers surpassed 3,000
was great." Associated Press career rushing yards on a
Aaron Rodgers, in his sec- 12-yard run in the fourth
ond straight game without 104 yards on 14 carries and the chest was a penalty. I prolonged, and that's what quarter. He's the 13th Pack-
top target Davante Ad- four catches for 32 yards thought hands to the face, created the foul." ers player to reach the
ams, completed 24 of 39 for Green Bay (5-1), which but I had him right here in Matt Prater was good from milestone.
passes for 283 yards and captured its first win in five the chest. The second time 26, 22, 41, 51 and 54 yards INJURIES
two touchdowns, including tries against its NFC North I changed it. ... That's part for the Lions (2-2-1), who fell Packers: WR Marquez Val-
a beautiful 35-yard throw rival. of a move that I do. So, to 0-2 under Matt Patricia des-Scantling had his right
to Allen Lazard for the sec- The Packers, who are off to nah, I don't think that was on Monday night. Detroit leg bend under him on a
ond-year pro's first career their first 3-0 start in the NFC a penalty." lost its last Monday night tackle in the second quar-
score. North since 2012, might not Referee Clete Blakeman game to the Jets 48-17 last ter. He was able to walk off
"I actually sit next to him in have pulled it off if not for said each of the calls was year. under his own power. WR
the team meetings," Rodg- two fourth-quarter penal- made by umpire Jeff Rice, "We got to find a way to fin- Geronimo Allison was cart-
ers said of Lazard, who was ties for illegal hands to the and he discussed the last ish," said Kenny Golladay, ed off the field following a
cut by the Packers in Au- face against Detroit's Trey one with him. who had 121 yards on five helmet-to-helmet hit by Tra-
gust and then signed to the Flowers, both of them on "Basically, it's for illegal use catches for Detroit. "That's cy Walker on the first play
practice squad to start the third down. The first set up of the hands, hands-to-the- a big part of it right now. of the third quarter. He did
season. "We've struck up a Lazard's touchdown, and face foul," Blakeman told a Find a way to finish. We left not return. Allison was be-
pretty good friendship. the second allowed Green pool reporter. "To be a foul, a lot of points out there. We ing evaluated for a chest
"The thing that got me was, Bay to run the clock down we basically need some were in the red zone quite a injury and a concussion.
which you love as a quar- to 2 seconds before Cros- forceful contact that's pro- bit and just coming out with UP NEXT
terback, and that's when by's game-winner. In both longed to the head and field goals. That's tough, es- Lions: Host the Minnesota
your receiver's coming cases, replays showed neck area of the defender. pecially when you've got a Vikings on Oct. 20.
back and telling you he Flowers' hands on the neck "So, in his mind he had guy, a quarterback on the Packers: Host the Oakland
wants the ball and what or shoulder — not the face pinned him back, it was other side that you, you've Raiders on Oct. 20.q
route he wants to run. ... — of a Packers lineman.
That was him coming back "I actually changed the po-
in the huddle, telling me sition of my hand, because
what play he wanted, and it was to the chest initially,"
for a young guy to do that, Flowers said. "I was doing it
how can you not have all game. I didn't know that
confidence in that?" was a flag to the chest, so I
Rodgers linked up with Ja- changed it. And he called
maal Williams for the other it again.
TD. Williams finished with "I didn't think hands to