Aaron Rodgers, Packers Hold Off Ravens as Lamar Jackson Sits with Ankle Injury

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

The Green Bay Packers earned a 31-30 road win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon for their third consecutive victory. Aaron Rodgers threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns as Green Bay improved to 11-3.

Rodgers recorded his 442nd touchdown as a Packer, tying Brett Favre for the all-time franchise record.

The Packers are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC after the Detroit Lions (2-11-1) upset the Arizona Cardinals (10-4).

The Ravens fell to 8-6 after their third straight loss. Rookie quarterback Tyler Huntley accounted for four touchdowns, and tight end Mark Andrews had 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Baltimore had the chance to tie the game after a late touchdown but instead decided to go for a two-point conversion that was unsuccessful.

Baltimore was without star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who sat out because of an ankle injury. It was the first game Jackson missed because of an injury in his four-year career.

Notable Stats

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Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB: 23-of-31 for 268 YDS, 3 TD

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, GB: 5 REC for 98 YDS, TD

Tyler Huntley, QB, BAL: 28-of-40 for 215 YDS, 2 TD; 13 CAR for 73 YDS, 2 TD

Mark Andrews, TE, BAL: 10 REC for 136 YDS, 2 TD

Packers Flip Script in 2nd Half

The Green Bay offense played well in the first half but only possessed the ball for 12:49 compared to 17:11 for Baltimore. After halftime, it was the Packers who played keep-away to stifle the Ravens.

The Packers held on to the ball for nearly 19 minutes in the second half. Green Bay opened the third quarter with a 13-play touchdown drive that ate up 7:20 of playing time.

Baltimore only had the ball once in the period, which resulted in a field goal by Justin Tucker. Green Bay followed with an 11-play drive that was capped by Rodgers' record-tying touchdown pass.

The Packers defense was strong until allowing back-to-back touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. But when it mattered most, Green Bay got a stop on Baltimore's two-point conversion attempt to seal the victory.

The Packers have looked like a Super Bowl contender throughout the season, and a gritty road win like this is something the team can build on as it charges toward the playoffs.

Huntley Battles in 2nd Career Start, Comes Up Short

A rookie out of Utah, Huntley was up against arguably the best quarterback in his generation. But the first-year signal-caller was undaunted and kept his team in the game despite facing one of the best teams in the NFC.

Huntley leaned on Andrews early and often, as he should have. Andrews has proved to be one of the most sure-handed tight ends in the NFL, and he ran circles around Green Bay's defense in the first half. He had six catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns with two quarters left to play, surpassing 1,000 yards on the season.

The transition from Jackson to Huntley looked seamless as the Baltimore offense performed as we're used to seeing. The Ravens relied on their rushing attack to set up play action and take pressure off the passing game.

Unfortunately for Huntley, Baltimore's defense had trouble getting the Packers off the field in the second half. Huntley managed to make things interesting with a couple of rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter. But he came up short on the two-point conversion, and that decided the game.

Despite the loss, Huntley's performance should inspire confidence for the Ravens. It's a good sign that the team's offense still looked good with a rookie signal-caller who was on the practice squad a few weeks ago. When Jackson returns, Baltimore will have a better chance of getting back to its winning ways.

What's Next?

The Packers will look to keep their win streak alive on Christmas Day against the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens hope to end their skid next Sunday in a road matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.