National Sports
Pats teach Luck a lesson...Ravens win again in Steel City
UNDATED (AP) - The old gun outplayed the new gun and the New England Patriots taught top-draft pick Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts a lesson in all-around excellence in the Pats' 59-24 victory. The 59 points tied a New England franchise record. The Pats scored five touchdowns on offense, two on defense and one on special teams. It's the fourth 50-plus performance in the NFL this season -- two by New England.
Tom Brady completed 24 of 35 passes for 331 yards and three TDs to win his first matchup between the three-time Super Bowl champion and the star rookie. Indy had its four-game win streak snapped while the Pats won their fourth in a row to improve to 7-4. Luck threw for 334 yards but tossed three interceptions.
Alfonzo Dennard and Aqib Talib both returned Luck interceptions for touchdowns. Julian Edelman also took a punt 68 yards for a TD.
In other Week 11 results:
--The Baltimore Ravens own a two-game lead atop the AFC North after holding off Pittsburgh 13-10 in a typical, hard-hitting Baltimore-Pittsburgh contest punctuated by teeth-rattling defensive hits. Jacoby Jones' 63-yard punt return produced the only touchdown for the Ravens, who are 8-2 overall. The Ravens have beaten the Steelers three straight times at Heinz Field.
-- Houston outlasted Jacksonville 43-37 in overtime behind a big effort from Matt Schaub. He threw a career-high five touchdown passes, completed a franchise-record 43 passes and finished with 527 yards passing, second most in NFL history. Schaub and Andre Johnson hooked up on the winning TD in overtime when Johnson caught a screen pass and went 48 yards. The Texans are 9-1.
-- Atlanta handed the Arizona Cardinals their sixth straight defeat, 23-19. The Falcons overcame five Matt Ryan interceptions to improve to 9-1.
- Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes, including a 22-yarder to Randall Cobb with 1:55 left to lift Green Bay past Detroit 24-20.
- Drew Brees threw three touchdown passes and Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception for a score to get the New Orleans Saints back to .500 with a 38-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders.
-- Dallas rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit to nip Cleveland 23-20 in overtime. Dan Bailey's 38-yard field goal won it.
-- Denver has a commanding three-game lead in the AFC West over San Diego after rallying for a 30-23 win over the Chargers, who've lost five of six to fall to 4-6. Peyton Manning threw three TDs for the 7-3 Broncos.
-- Tampa Bay edged Carolina 27-21 in OT. Josh Freeman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Clark in overtime to cap a comeback as the Bucs improved to 6-4.
- Robert Griffin III threw a career-best four touchdown passes, and Washington broke a three-game losing streak by mauling Philadelphia 31-6. The Eagles have lost six in a row.
- Mark Sanchez directed a turnover-free offense and Bilal Powell ran for the first two touchdowns of his career as the Jets ended a three-game losing streak by beating St. Louis 27-13.
-- Cincinnati reached .500 by bopping Kansas City 28-6. Andy Dalton threw for 230 yards and accounted for three touchdowns and A.J. Green caught a touchdown pass in his ninth straight game. Cincinnati now plays four straight games against teams with losing records.
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