BALTIMORE -- Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson appeared in midseason form against a Baltimore Ravens defence still in preseason mode. Stafford threw two touchdown passes, and Johnson had five catches for 111 yards to help the Lions cruise to a 27-12 victory on Friday night. Stafford went 12 for 17 for 184 yards in four possessions. He failed to produce a score in three drives last week against Cleveland, then came up empty in his first two series against Baltimore before guiding touchdown drives of 93 and 70 yards. "We got into a little bit of a rhythm," Stafford said. "When we kind of figured out what they were doing, we went out and executed." That 93-yard drive took only five plays, three of them completions to Johnson for 83 yards. On the last one, Johnson made an excellent catch over cornerback Jimmy Smith in the end zone on an 18-yard score. "We see that same coverage out there, our mouths start to water, we get hungry," Johnson said. "They were blitzing a lot so we left their corners, their DBs, on an island. Thats what we look for." Covering Johnson is no easy task, as evidenced by his numbers last year: 96 catches, 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns. "Youre talking about a person who should probably be running track, but he chose football," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "Hes a mismatch for a lot of people. The bottom line is youve just got to make him earn his check. Today, he earned his money." Safety Bernard Pollard added, "The biggest thing with Calvin Johnson is he understands and knows where everybody is at, and he has a quarterback who doesnt care where anybody is at. He is a talent on the field, and he has a special gift." Stafford also connected with Titus Young for a 24-yard score to help Detroit (No. 11 tie in the AP Pro32) take a 17-9 halftime lead. Operating under first-year co-ordinator Dean Pees, Baltimores defence gave up 254 yards in the first half and a whopping 507 overall. The Ravens (No. 5) are trying to rebound from an off-season injury to linebacker Terrell Suggs and the loss of free agents Cory Redding and Jarret Johnson. "We have to complete plays, not just be in position to make them," Pees said at halftime. "Communication still isnt where we want it to be. We need to get better, and we will." Baltimores points came on four field goals, two apiece by Billy Cundiff and Justin Tucker. The Ravens had two kick returns for touchdowns called back because of penalties. Deonte Thompson had a second-quarter kickoff return nullified, and Asa Jacksons punt return in the third quarter was wiped out. Replacement officials called 20 penalties for 177 yards, including 13 infractions for 123 yards before halftime. Joe Flacco went 7 for 12 for 79 yards and led the Ravens to a pair of field goals before leaving early in the second quarter. Ray Rice played only two series, gaining 12 yards on five carries and catching two passes for 11 yards. "Youre not going to peak real early, its August," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "Were growing in some areas. Were not doing everything were going to do." After getting to midfield on their first possession, the Ravens then moved 60 yards before Cundiff kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Flacco went 4 for 7 for 43 yards on the drive, which was aided by a roughing-the-passer call on Nick Fairley. On Baltimores third possession, Jacoby Jones ran 35 yards on a reverse, and Detroits Justin Durant was called for a facemask penalty to set up a 50-yard field goal by Tucker for a 6-0 lead. Stafford put the Lions ahead with his touchdown pass to Johnson, and in his final series the quarterback completed passes to four receivers in a march that ended with Young diving into the end zone on a third-and-4 play. The Lions were without running backs Jahvid Best (concussion) and Mikel Leshoure (hamstring). Kevin Smith started and ran for 11 yards on four carries, and reserve Stephfon Green went 76 yards for a touchdown with 43 seconds left. Backup Stefan Logan was carted off the field in the second quarter with an ankle injury after colliding with Stafford on a handoff. X-rays were negative. jerseys from china . The schools announcement Thursday did not project Kabongos status beyond Friday night. Texas plays again Monday night. The decision to withhold the sophomore from the opener was a university decision. wholesale nfl jerseys . PAUL, Minn. http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnf... . -- Brady Quinn is getting another shot on the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback merry-go-round. [url=http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/]cheap jerseys from china . -- Canadas Cam Levins capped a memorable 2012 in style on Wednesday. cheap nfl jerseys . And if he keeps throwing as he did against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, the Detroit Tigers rotation will be even more formidable in the closing days of a playoff race.The National League playoff race is down to just a few battles for positioning. The Atlanta Braves who have clinched a playoff spot now set their sights on catching the Nationals in the NL East. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals continue to jockey for Wild Card positioning looking to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. --- Miami at Atlanta, 7:10pm et/4:10 pm pt (Sports Network) - Having locked up their second playoff appearance in three seasons, the Atlanta Braves turn their focus to the NL East title on Wednesday evening when they continue a three-game set with the Miami Marlins. The Braves picked up a dramatic 4-3 win last night, winning on Freddie Freemans two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off Marlins reliever Mike Dunn. Chipper Jones led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch before Freeman launched his 22nd homer of the season. The victory assured Atlanta at least a wild card berth and moved the club to within four games of the first-place Washington Nationals in the division. The Nats lost to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday and have a magic number of five to claim the NL East crown. Atlanta blew an 8 1/2 game lead in the wild card race last season, but have played very well in September this year, going 15-7. That includes wins in three straight and eight of its last 10. "There was never any doubt (we would make the playoffs)," said Jones, whose final MLB season will now extend deeper into October. "We knew that last year was somewhat of a fluke. We kind of got caught not really knowing what to expect. This year we took the bull by the horns. We were shooting for the stars. Were still shooting for the division until (the Nationals) close it out." Starter Kris Medlen did not get a decision, but the Braves still matched an MLB record by winning for the 22nd straight time when he starts. Donovan Solano clubbed a two-run home run and a solo shot for the Marlins, who lost for the fifth consecutive time. Entering play on Tuesday, Solano had no RBI in his first 251 major league at-bats. "Weve lost a lot of games, and to lose a game like that, its heart- breaking," Dunn said. "Especially with the way the team played today. They battled. (Marlins starter Nate) Eovaldi pitched his butt off today. We just fought and never gave up. Then to just give it up on two hitters, it sucks." The Marlins are hoping to have outfielder Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup tonight for the first time since Sept. 16 because of a sore left intercostal muscle, while Michael Bourn is slated to play for the Braves tonight for the first time since suffering a left thumb injury during a headfirst slide on Saturday. Getting the start for the Braves will be Paul Maholm, who did not factor into a start versus the Marlins last Tuesday. He gave up two runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out five with one walks. Maholm has won just once in his past six starts, dropping him to 3-4 with a 4.09 earned run average in nine starts since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs by Atlanta. The lefty went 9-6 with a 3.74 ERA in 21 appearances before the trade. Maholm, 30, is 4-5 in his career versus the Marlins with a 4.75 ERA in 10 starts. Miami counters with Josh Johnson, who has lost two straight starts and six of his past seven decisions. He is coming off a 3-0 defeat to the Braves on Wednesday, giving up all three runs in six innings of work. The righty gave up a run in each of his first three frames of work and yielded five hits and three walks overall. "The first three innings it was all over the place," Johnson said. "They were just fouling balls off and getting deep in their counts. I was getting guys down 0-2 or 1-2 and letting them back in. I cant do that." Johnson, 30, is 8-13 with a 3.84 ERA in 30 starts this season and 6-5 with a 2.29 ERA lifetime against the Braves. The Braves have won 12 of 16 versus the Marlins this season, going 5-2 at home. --- St. Louis at Houston , 7:10pm et/4:10 pm pt (Sports Network) - Veteran righty Chris Carpenter makes his second start since returning from a right shoulder injury Wednesday when the St. Louis Cardinals close out a three-game series with the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Carpenter, who won 11 games in 34 starts last season, was hurt before the start of the 2012 schedule and shelved for its duration until hitting the mound on Sept. 21 against the Chicago Cubs. He turned in a five-inning stint and allowed two runs on five hits while getting a no-decision in the Cardinals 5-4 loss. Carpenter walked one and struck out two in his return against the Cubs. The start against the Astros is the 20th of his career in this matchup. Over the first 19, hes 8-5 with a 2.62 earned run average across 144 1/3 innings, with 32 walks, 104 strikeouts and an opposition batting average of .224. Houston replies with righty Bud Norris, whose long-term skid reached 18 starts in his last ouuting on Sept.dddddddddddd 20. He allowed five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals and has now gone 0-12 since defeating the Cubs to improve to 5-1 on the season back on May 21. Hes lost to the Cardinals three times in the stretch, combining to allow 20 hits and 12 runs in 17 1/3 innings. The Astros are 1-17 in games hes pitched since the last win. On Tuesday, Jaime Garcia pitched seven shutout innings and Jon Jay drove in a pair of runs as the Cardinals downed the Astros, 4-0. St. Louis, which has won four straight, now sits 4 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers for the final wild card spot in the National League. Garcia (6-7) gave up just six hits with five strikeouts to win his second straight start while Yadier Molina and Peter Kozma each drove in a run for the Cardinals, who have won 10 straight over the Astros. "Im feeling good right now, physically," Garcia said. "Im just worrying about one game at a time, one pitch at a time; just make my pitches and give the team a chance to win." Lucas Harrell (10-11) remained winless over his past seven starts as he gave up two runs on seven hits in five innings of work for the Astros, who have lost six of eight. Brandon Laird and Jose Altuve each had two hits in the loss. "I felt like I never picked up a baseball before," Harrell said. "It was embarrassing and it was bad." The Cardinals won nine of the first 12 games between the teams in 2012, including eight in a row since June 6. St. Louis won the season series in 2011, 10-5. --- LA Dodgers at San Diego, 6:35pm et/3:35pm pt (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly described his clubs recent loss to the San Diego Padres as "lousy." Whether that sinks in with the team remains to be seen, but the Dodgers chances of making a playoff push are weakening by the day. The Dodgers will try and bounce back tonight in the middle portion of a three-game set with the NL West-rival Padres at Petco Park. Josh Beckett was on the hill for L.A. and was saddled with the loss for giving up two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. It wasnt all Becketts fault, as the offense failed to produce runs with a 10-5 advantage in hits. Luis Cruz had three of those hits and scored a run, while A.J. Ellis recorded an RBI for the Dodgers, who have alternated wins and losses in the past seven games and are 4 1/2 games off the final wild card spot with eight to play. "Its a lousy loss," Mattingly said afterward. "We had a chance to get back in it at the end, to tie it and extend the game. I know thats not the way to play it. But we didnt do enough to win the game." Aaron Harang was slated to pitch Sunday at Cincinnati just in case Clayton Kershaw couldnt shake off a hip ailment, but the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner was able to throw five innings of one-run ball. Harang now gets the nod on six days rest and looks to end a personal five- start winless (0-3) streak. He lasted 4 1/3 innings in a 3-1 loss at Washington last Wednesday and yielded two runs and seven hits. Harang, who has allowed at least two runs in five straight and nine of 10 starts, is 9-10 in 29 outings to go along with a 3.80 earned run average. The right-hander is 1-1 in five matchups with the Padres this season and 4-5 with a 3.97 ERA in 15 career games (14 starts) against them. San Diego would enjoy ruining the Dodgers chances of reaching the postseason and will continue its final homestand of the season. In last nights one-run victory, Logan Forsythe scored on a fielders choice and Will Venable crossed the plate on Becketts throwing error after a bunt single by Everth Cabrera. Edinson Volquez pitched seven shutout innings to even his record at 11-11, while Huston Street notched his 23rd save even though he allowed two hits and a run in the ninth inning. "Everything is working," said Volquez. "My fastball command is better, my curve, my change-up, everything is better." The Padres also will host NL West-champion San Francisco on the residency. Left-hander Clayton Richard will try to push his win total to a career-high 15 games when he takes the mound for the Friars tonight. Richard is 5-0 with a 3.38 earned run average in his last six starts -- all San Diego wins -- and held on for a win at Arizona his previous time out on Thursday. In a 6-5 victory in the desert, Richard allowed four runs in six innings. The 14 wins ties his career high from 2010, when Richard went 14-9 in 33 starts. Richard is 7-1 in his last eight decisions and 8-4 in 13 home starts this season. He is 2-1 in five outings against the Dodgers in 2012 and 6-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 12 career starts in this series. Los Angeles is 9-7 against the Padres this season, but has lost three straight and five of the previous six meetings between the NL West foes. ' ' '