NFL capsules: Detroit stuns Cowboys; Packers whip Broncos

ARLINGTON, Texas — Matthew Stafford saw his defense start wiping out a 24-point deficit with interceptions returned for touchdowns midway through the third quarter, then he and Calvin Johnson took over from there, leading the Detroit Lions to a stunning 34-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

A week after turning a 20-point halftime deficit into an overtime win, the Lions provided further proof they’re a legitimate contender this season.

Detroit is 4-0 and has won an NFL-best eight straight games. This also was its franchise-record fifth straight road win, avenging a loss here last November that had been its NFL-record 26th straight road loss.

Packers 49, Broncos 23

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers threw for a career-high 408 yards, tied a personal best with four touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and Green Bay remained unbeaten.

Charles Woodson ran an interception back for a touchdown for the Packers (4-0), who join resurgent NFC North rivals Detroit as the only undefeated teams left in the NFL.

Eric Decker caught a pair of touchdowns from Kyle Orton for Denver (1-3). Orton threw for 273 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Backup Tim Tebow made a brief and uneventful appearance at quarterback for the Broncos early, but coach John Fox chose not to give Tebow more work when the game got out of control in the fourth quarter.

Bengals 23, Bills 20

CINCINNATI — Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton shook off a horrid first half and led his first comeback victory, culminating in Mike Nugent’s 43-yard field goal as time ran out against previously unbeaten Buffalo.

The Bills (3-1) came in as the AFC’s last perfect team after pulling off historic comebacks. This time, they couldn’t hold a lead.

Dalton threw a touchdown pass and ran 3 yards on a draw play, tying it with 4:09 to go. He scrambled for a first down on the winning drive — a replay overturn gave him the needed ground — and Nugent ended it with his third field goal in front of the smallest crowd of Paul Brown Stadium’s history.

The Bengals (2-2) overcame a 17-3 halftime deficit to end a 10-game losing streak against Buffalo.

Texans 17, Steelers 10

HOUSTON — Arian Foster rushed for 155 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter as Houston overcame an injury to All-Pro Andre Johnson for the win.,

Johnson left in the second quarter with a right hamstring injury and did not return though he was back on the sideline late to watch Houston (3-1) finish off the injury-plagued Steelers (2-2).

Ben Roethlisberger was under pressure all day and was sacked five times behind an offensive line missing two regular starters. The quarterback injured his left leg late in the game and left the stadium wearing a walking boot.

The Steelers lost running back Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring), linebacker James Harrison (eye) and defensive end Aaron Smith (foot) during the game.

Redskins 17, Rams 10

ST. LOUIS — Ryan Torain ran for 135 yards and a 20-yard score, and Washington held off a late rally by winless St. Louis.

The Redskins (3-1) dominated on defense and got two of their seven sacks late by Stephen Bowen and Brian Orakpo to knock the Rams (0-4) out of scoring position. James Laurinaitis’ interception and 15-yard return of an underthrown pass from Rex Grossman had given St. Louis the ball at the Washington 19 with about five minutes remaining.

Titans 31, Browns 13

CLEVELAND — Matt Hasselbeck’s fresh start in Tennessee has his team off to an unexpected one.

The 13-year veteran quarterback, who left Seattle as a free agent after a playoff-filled decade, threw three TD passes in the first half and safety Jordan Babineaux returned an interception 97 yards for a TD for their third straight win under first-year coach Mike Munchak.

Hasselbeck threw for 194 yards in the first half while helping the Titans (3-1) build a 21-6 lead.

Saints 23, Jaguars 10

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Drew Brees threw for 351 yards and a touchdown, Darren Sproles added 188 all-purpose yards and New Orleans improved to 3-1.

The Saints scored TDs on their first two possessions and looked well on their way to reaching 30 points for the fourth consecutive week. But Brees threw two interceptions, and the Saints were forced to settle for three field goals in the second half.

Bears 34, Panthers 29

CHICAGO — Devin Hester set an NFL record with his 11th punt return for a touchdown, Matt Forte ran for a career-high 205 yards for Chicago (2-2).

Hester had earlier set up a TD run by Forte with a 73-yard kickoff return before he ran back a punt 69 yards in the second quarter to move ahead of Eric Metcalf on the all-time list. He performed three somersaults in the end zone with the lead at 24-10, but the celebration was a little early.

Chargers 26, Dolphins 16

SAN DIEGO — Philip Rivers threw for 307 yards and one touchdown, Mike Tolbert ran for another score and San Diego knocked out Miami quarterback Chad Henne.

Henne hurt his left shoulder at the end of a run on a broken play on the Dolphins’ second possession and didn’t return. Although backup Matt Moore led the Dolphins to the game’s first TD, Rivers’ passing eventually overpowered the Dolphins (0-4).

Rivers threw a 55-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson to tie the game at 7 late in the first quarter. Ryan Mathews’ 48-yard gain on a screen pass set up Tolbert’s 1-yard leap over the pile for a 20-10 lead for the Chargers (3-1) early in the third quarter.

Falcons 30, Seahawks 28

SEATTLE — Matt Ryan threw for 291 yards, rookie Julio Jones caught 11 passes for 127 yards, and Atlanta held off a second-half rally.

Ryan was brilliant in the first half. He started out 13-for-15 and had a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez on Atlanta’s first possession. Michael Turner also ran for TDs of 21 and 1 yards in the first half.

Matt Bryant’s 50-yard field goal early in the third quarter gave Atlanta (2-2) a 27-7 lead.

Giants 31, Cardinals 27

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes in a 58-second span late in the game to rally New York.

The scoring passes of 2 yards to Jake Ballard with 3:37 to go and 29 yards to Hakeem Nicks with 2:39 left came after the Cardinals (1-3) seemingly had taken control of the game 27-17 on Beanie Wells’ third rushing touchdown of the game with 5:16 to go.

Chiefs 22, Vikings 17

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Matt Cassel hit Dwayne Bowe for a 52-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass, Ryan Succop was perfect on five field-goal attempts and the Chiefs are no longer winless.

Succop’s accurate right leg had already staked Kansas City (1-3) to a 15-10 lead by the start of the fourth quarter when Cassel dropped back to pass. He saw Bowe get around Cedric Griffin, who had slipped just after the snap, and hit his Pro Bowl wide receiver in stride.

Bowe made a pirouette to get around safety Jamarca Sanford, then broke Griffen’s tackle as the cornerback tried to recover, and trotted the last couple of yards for the touchdown.

Minnesota is 0-4.