It's tough to win on the road. However, a good number of visiting teams managed to collect road wins in Week 6. However, the most impressive road victory of the weekend came against a team that has been nearly unbeatable at home, especially against opponents from the opposite conference.
Greatest on the road ...
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Entering Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens had won 13 consecutive home games against National Football Conference foes. The Green Bay Packers entered Week 6 having lost both of their road games this season, and were visiting a place -- Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium -- in which the team's only other previous visit resulted in a 48-3 dumptrucking on "Monday Night Football" during the 2005 season.
Rodgers played in that 2005 game, getting some garbage-time action in relief of Brett Favre when things were already way out of hand. Rodgers and the Packers faced another nightmarish scenario against the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens on Sunday, when two of the team's top receivers -- James Jones and Randall Cobb -- were knocked out of the game due to injuries.
With just two healthy receivers remaining on the active roster -- Jordy Nelson and Jarrett Boykin -- Rodgers performed admirably. The decisive blow came when Rodgers hit Nelson -- who somehow got open behind the Ravens defense -- for a 64-yard touchdown strike that gave Green Bay a 16-3 lead late in the third quarter. The Ravens clawed back into the game, closing to within 19-17. However, Rodgers marched his team on a 70-yard clock-killing, game-clinchin drive that was highlighted by a 52-yard pass play to Jermichael Finley.
The 19-17 Packers' victory marked just the fourth time the Ravens were defeated at home in the last 30 games. It was also the Packers' first win in Baltimore since a 20-13 victory over the Baltimore Colts at Memorial Stadium in 1974.
Also considered:
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Newton produced arguably his finest performance since his record-setting rookie season of 2011, completing 20 of 26 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns, and adding another touchdown on a run, as the Panthers steamrolled the Minnesota Vikings, 35-10. It was also the Panthers' first road win of the season.
Newton became just the second quarterback in the Super Bowl era (joining Daunte Culpepper) to have three games with at least three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in his first three seasons in the league.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Once upon a time, the Lions and Cleveland Browns enjoyed a simultaneous run of success that neither franchise has been able to match since. During a six-year span in the 1950s (1952-1957), the Lions and Browns met in four NFL championship games (the Lions won three of those games, with the victory in the 1957 title game marking the team's last championship). On Sunday, the Lions and Browns met with each sporting a winning record entering the game for the first time since 1970.
The 10th Lions-Browns encounter since 1970 featured the Browns jumping out to a 17-7 lead at the half (in fact, the Browns have yet to trail at halftime through six games this season). Stafford led a second-half surge for the Lions, who outscored the Browns 24-0 after the half to claim a 31-17 victory. Stafford finished the game with four touchdown passes. It marked his 13th career game with three or more touchdown passes, topping Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Layne -- who was the team's quarterback during Detroit's 1950s heyday -- for most in franchise history.
The win moved the Lions to 4-2, and the team currently resides in first place in the NFC North.
Previous Greatness on the Road winners:
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.
