The New England Patriots won their seventh consecutive game on Sunday and continued their pattern of knocking off other top NFL contenders.

The Patriots beat the Detroit Lions 34-9, toppling them from first place in the NFC North. Tom Brady threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns. The Pats previously had taken down the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.

The Broncos, who had lost two of their last three, righted themselves by coming from behind to top the Miami Dolphins 39-36. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes, three to Demaryius Thomas.

In the Sunday night game, the Dallas Cowboys stretched their road winning streak to five and came from behind to beat the New York Giants 31-28. Tony Romo threw four touchdown passes. The Giants lost their sixth consecutive game.

The New York Jets-Buffalo Bills game was moved from Orchard Park, N.Y., to Detroit due to the snowfall last week in Western New York. It will be played on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET. The “real” Monday night game features the Baltimore Ravens at the New Orleans Saints.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The Associated Press poll was unchanged at the top four spots, occupied by Florida State, Alabama, Oregon and Mississippi State. The College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday night. … In a very weird NCAA Division III playoff game, Mary Hardin-Baylor defeated Texas Lutheran 27-20. The game ended roughly 25 hours after it began Saturday due to a weather delay. The game was suspended in the second quarter and it resumed on Sunday.

BOXING

Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao knocked down challenger Chris Algieri six times on his way to a unanimous decision in Macau on Sunday night.

Pacquiao immediately started talking up a meeting with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has resisted this matchup for roughly three years. “The people deserve that fight. The fans deserve that fight,” Pacquiao said after dispatching Algieri. “It’s time to make that fight happen. It’s been a long time. I want that fight. They’re always denying the fight. I think the fight has to happen.”

Today’s Question

Will the much-hyped Mayweather-Pacquiao fight ever happen?

Answers in the comment box, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .