Sports

‘D’ ravages Ravens

The Broncos no longer can be considered a notch below the best in the AFC, nor can they be viewed as a team that can succeed only when Peyton Manning puts up dazzling numbers.

Their 34-17 rout of the Ravens yesterday in Baltimore showed just how good these Broncos can be.

Chris Harris returned an interception 98 yards for a momentum-turning touchdown, and Denver cruised to its ninth straight victory in surprisingly easy fashion.

Manning threw for 204 yards and a score in his ninth consecutive win against Baltimore, the first with the Broncos (11-3).

But he was merely a role player in this one, because Denver’s defense dominated the Ravens (9-5), who sputtered in their first game with Jim Caldwell as offensive coordinator.

Seahawks 50, Bills 17

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are not only surging toward a playoff berth. They showed they can pile up the points on either side of the border.

A week after a 58-0 win at home against Arizona, Wilson ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in a rout of the Bills in Buffalo’s annual game in Toronto. Wilson’s scores all came in the first half.

The Seahawks’ opportunistic defense then took over by forcing three consecutive turnovers to start the second half, including safety Earl Thomas scoring on 57-yard interception return.

The Seahawks (9-5) became the NFL’s third team to score 50 points in consecutive weeks, joining the Rams andGiants, who both did it in 1950, according to STATS.

Packers 21, Bears 13

The Packers clinched their second straight division crown with a victory over their archrivals — at Soldier Field, no less.

Aaron Rodgers connected with James Jones on all three touchdowns, Clay Matthews hounded Jay Cutler with two sacks and the Packers (9-4) limited the Bears to just 190 yards, their third-lowest total of the season. Rodgers finished 23 of 36 for 291 yards as Green Bay won its sixth straight against Chicago.

Brandon Marshall had a 15-yard TD catch for the Bears, who have lost five of six and are in danger of missing the playoffs after beginning the season 7-1.

Cardinals 38, Lions 10

In Glendale, Ariz., Greg Toler brought back an interception 102 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, the longest return in franchise history, to seal the Cardinals’ triumph over the Lions, snapping Arizona’s nine-game losing streak.

Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3

While the Dolphins dominated on defense, rookie Ryan Tannehill had his best game to help them beat the Jaguars in Miami.

Tannehill went 22 for 28 for 220 yards and two scores with no interceptions, and Reggie Bush ran for 104 yards, including a 53-yarder to set up a field goal. Dan Carpenter kicked field goals of 53, 30 and 31 yards for the Dolphins (6-8).