Allgemeines » struggled mightily under its first-year coach, falli

DETROIT -- Justin Tuckers powerful leg kicked the Super Bowl champions into playoff gear. Tucker made six field goals, including a franchise-record 61-yarder with 38 seconds left that lifted the Baltimore Ravens to an 18-16 win over the Detroit Lions in a Monday night matchup with major post-season implications. Ravens coach John Harbaugh chose to let Tucker try the longest kick of his career -- by 5 yards -- instead of going for it on fourth-and-8 from the Detroit 43. "If they send me out there, they have reason to," Tucker said. "Its because they think I can make the kick." Rookie safety Matt Elam sealed the victory with an interception -- Matthew Staffords third of the night -- after raising eyebrows during the week by calling 28-year-old Calvin Johnson "pretty old" and saying the plan was to make the star receiver uncomfortable by getting physical with him. Stafford threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Fauria with 2:21 left, putting Detroit up 16-15. But the Lions were unable to make a 2-point conversion and couldnt prevent Baltimore (8-6) from setting up its sensational kicker for his 33rd successful field goal in a row. Tuckers kick went just inside the right upright and barely had enough distance -- eight days after Denvers Matt Prater broke the NFL record with a 64-yard field goal. "I definitely felt like I got a lot of leg into it, but it jumped up so high I thought I might have gotten under it," Tucker said. Tucker, who hasnt missed a field goal attempt since he was 0 for 2 in Week 2 at Cleveland, has the NFLs longest streak since Matt Stover made 36 in a row for the Ravens from 2005-06, according to STATS. "What can you say about Justin Tucker?" Harbaugh said. "When we got the ball there, I think at the 45-yard line, I said, Hey, are we kicking this? ... He said, I got it." He sure did. Moments after his clutch kick, Tucker mentioned in a television interview that his big night also benefited his fantasy football team. More importantly, his real club won its fourth straight game and maintained control of an AFC wild card as the Ravens seek their sixth consecutive post-season berth and a chance to defend their Super Bowl title. Detroit (7-7) has hurt its playoff chances by losing four of five, falling out of sole possession of first place in the NFC North to third behind the division-leading Chicago Bears and Green Bay. "This is a setback, no question," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "We had control and now we need help. We have to get two wins and let the rest shake out." Staffords three interceptions followed a troubling trend for the franchise. He has 12 turnovers, including two fumbles, in his last five games. Not coincidently, the Lions have been able to overcome those miscues well enough to win only one game during the slump. Joe Flacco, meanwhile, didnt turn the ball over and made enough subtle moves in and around the pocket to get sacked only once. He has been sacked a career-high 42 times this season, but he stayed upright enough to move the ball into position for Tuckers big kick. Flacco was 20 of 38 for 222 yards, including a 27-yard pass to Jacoby Jones to convert a third-and-15 from the Baltimore 28 on the game-winning drive. Jones had six receptions for 80 yards, and returned Detroits last kick to the Baltimore 33. Stafford was 18 of 34 for 235 yards with a TD and three interceptions -- increasing his five-game total to 10 -- for a season-low 48 quarterback rating. "This was certainly not my best game," he acknowledged. Johnson had six receptions for 98 yards and dropped two possibly pivotal passes thrown his way in the first half. "We just put every guy on him to try to stop him," Elam said. "It was no disrespect meant to Calvin. Hes the best in the league, so why would I challenge him? Words just got stirred up." The Lions started strong, with Reggie Bush running for a 14-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Detroit, though, got in its own way as it often has this year. Johnson dropped a pass that wouldve converted a third-and-15 deep in Ravens territory. On the ensuing drive, Tucker kicked his first of three field goals in the first half -- two of which were set up by penalties against Detroit. Tuckers next field goal was set up by a pass-interference call against safety Don Carey. Johnson couldnt catch another pass in Baltimore territory thrown at him late in the first half. The Ravens took advantage of that mistake and one by Detroits defence on the next drive. Flacco threw an up-for-grabs pass on third-and-8 from the Lions 44 after avoiding a sack, and the incomplete pass was negated by Louis Delmas helmet-to-helmet hit on Marlon Brown with 16 seconds left in the first half. That flag put the Ravens 15 yards closer to Tuckers field goal that gave Baltimore a 9-7 lead at halftime. Detroit drove to the Ravens 31 on its first possession of the second half, but Stafford threw a pass behind Bush that was picked off by defensive end DeAngelo Tyson. Baltimore went ahead 12-7 on the next drive on Tuckers 49-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. The Lions scored on the ensuing drive -- on David Akers 40-yard kick -- for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. The field goal came after Staffords pass into the end zone fell incomplete. A replay showed Detroit receiver Kris Durham had his arm held on the play by Lardarius Webb, but there was no penalty flag for pass interference. Tuckers 53-yard field goal -- matching his previous season high -- put the Ravens ahead 15-10 with 8:06 left. Detroit responded with its best drive since its first one. The Lions might have caught a break from the officials when Brandon Pettigrews catch was upheld after review. NOTES: Tuckers 56-yard field goal last year -- as an undrafted rookie -- matched the previous franchise record set by Wade Richey in 2003. ... Bush had 101 yards of total offence. Buy Nike Air Max Plus Australia . - After three days of light, make that very light, workouts, Team Irvin and Team Carter are ready for tonights Pro Bowl. Cheap Air Max Plus . Sundays race will be held at the Sepang circuit, adjacent to Kuala Lumpurs main airport where the ill-fated flight took off earlier this month. Authorities now say it is almost certain it crashed in the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people aboard. http://www.airmaxplusaustraliacheap.com/ . Forsman closed with a 3-under 69 in windy conditions Sunday for his third Champions Tour title. He beat Jay Don Blake by two shots. Cheap Air Max Plus Australia . Eller scored the midway through the third period after Dallas scored twice to tie it, leading Canadiens to a 6-4 win over the Stars on Thursday night. Air Max Plus Australia . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted Monday morning that Callahan - who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is now open to a six-year contract at less than $7 million per season.FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Tre Mason rushed for 168 yards and four touchdowns as No. 8 Auburn earned their first-year coach a 35-17 win in his return to Arkansas. Mason scored on runs of 9, 4 and 5 and 12 yards as the Tigers (8-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) won their fifth in a row in Malzahns first game in Fayetteville since leaving the Razorbacks as an assistant following the 2006 season. Auburns Nick Marshall, returning from a shoulder injury, accounted for 177 yards of total offence, including an 88-yard touchdown throw to Sammie Coates. Jonathan Williams had 104 yards rushing and Alex Collins added 92 on the ground for Arkansas (3-6, 0-5), which has now lost six in a row. Its the longest losing streak for the Razorbacks since a seven-game stretch in 1990. Much of the discussion leading up to the game involved Malzahns return to his native state, as well as his budding rivalry with first-year Arkansas coach Bret Bielema. The two engaged in a bit of back and forth regarding player safety in a hurry-up offence this summer, and Bielema stoked the fire earlier this week by accusing Auburn of being less-than forthcoming in game video it shared with the Razorbacks. Bielema and Malzahn briefly shook hands before the game, but it was Mason who quickly turned into the centre of attention -- leading a Tigers offence that finished with 233 yards rushing. Masons third touchdown put Auburn up 28-3 to open the second half, helping secure Malzahns first win in four tries at Arkansas. The former high school cooach in the state was 0-3 in Fayetteville as an opposing assistant coach with Tulsa and the Tigers, but he left with a convincing win after his first trip home as a head coach.dddddddddddd Auburn hasnt lost since a 35-21 setback at LSU on Sept. 21. The Tigers were 3-9 last season under former coach Gene Chizik, but theyve found renewed belief under Malzahn. Arkansas, meanwhile, has struggled mightily under its first-year coach, falling to 0-5 in the SEC for just the second time since joining the conference in 1992. After opening the season with three straight wins, the Razorbacks have now lost six games in a row -- lately in convincing fashion. Zach Hockers 34-yard field goal in the second quarter closed Auburns lead to 7-3, and it was Arkansas first points since the opening quarter against South Carolina on Oct. 12. The points snapped a streak in which the Razorbacks had been outscored 121-0. The Razorbacks did close to within 28-17 early in the fourth quarter after a 2-yard touchdown run by Kiero Small, but even the rally wasnt without a show of gamesmanship by Bielema , who said the Tigers had cut out the swinging gate portion of a point-after attempt on the shared video. Smalls touchdown came after Arkansas converted a fourth down, using a play in which the Razorbacks lined up for the first time this season in a swinging gate formation. Even the subtle shot across the field wasnt enough for Arkansas to overcome Mason, who responded shortly afterward with his fourth touchdown run, a 12-yard score that put the Tigers up 35-17. ' ' '