Advertisement

Aaron Rodgers ties Brett Favre as Packers hold off Ravens rally to maintain first place in NFC

Jason Owens
Staff writer
·3 min read
46

Add another accolade to Aaron Rodgers' resume.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback thew three touchdowns in Sunday's 31-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens to tie Brett Favre as the Packers all-time leader in passing touchdowns. His fourth-quarter strike across the middle to Marquez Valdes-Scantling gave the Packers a 28-17 lead and matched Favre's career tally in Green Bay with 442.

Huntley leads rally, put 2-point effort fails

The Packers needed everything Rodgers gave them as the Ravens mounted a rally from a 31-17 fourth quarter deficit behind backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. Huntley's second rushing touchdown of the day pulled the Ravens within one point with :42 remaining.

But the Ravens rolled the dice and lost when his two-point conversion pass to tight end Mark Andrews fell incomplete.

Huntley, an undrafted second-year quarterback playing for an injured Lamar Jackson, kept the Packers defense off-balance all day with his dual-threat arsenal. Green Bay struggled to contain Huntley as he tallied 73 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. He was effective, if not efficient, as a passer while completing 28-of-40 attempts for 215 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't turn the ball over.

Rodgers excellent, but left door open with late overthrow

While Huntley continued to demand the attention of a league that overlooked him on draft day, his effort wasn't enough to overcome a typically excellent day from the reigning NFL MVP. Rodgers completed 23 of 31 passes for 268 yards with the three touchdowns and no turnovers. But a fourth-quarter overthrow of Allen Lazard in the end zone prompted the Packers to kick a field goal to keep the game within two possessions at 31-17 and allowed the Ravens to mount their almost-comeback.

Big playoff implications for both teams

The win keeps the Packers in first place in the NFC and in control of the No. 1 seed in the playoffs at 11-3. It also clinched the NFC North. The Ravens dropped to 8-6 and a tie with the Cincinnati Bengals for first place in the AFC North. The Ravens and Bengals are scheduled to play next Sunday. Cincinnati won their previous matchup in Week 7.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers clinched the NFC North on Sunday. (Tommy Gilligan/Reuters)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers clinched the NFC North on Sunday. (Tommy Gilligan/Reuters)

Rodgers still trails Favre's career TD total

Rodgers reached his record tally in his 210th game, 45 fewer than Favre needed to post touchdown No. 442 in Green Bay. But he has a ways to go to match his predecessor's full career total. Favre added 44 touchdown passes with the Minnesota Vikings and 22 with the New York Jets to finish with 508 for his career, good for fourth place behind Tom Brady (617), Drew Brees (571) and Peyton Manning (539) on the all-time list.

Rodgers' total is good for fifth place and still growing. Favre's total of 508 is attainable. Brady, of course, is also adding to his tally and could put the league record well out of reach by the time he hangs it up.