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BOSTON, Massachusetts - There are times over the course of a season when a team needs its ace starter to be a stopper. For the Blue Jays the time was Wednesday and the ace was R.A. Dickey. He stepped up. "I feel some responsibility as a stopper from time to time," said Dickey. "I feel like thats why one of the reasons Alex pursued me and wanted to make the trade because he felt like I could be a guy that could help stop streaks when they werent going in our favour. Its not necessarily extra pressure but you do feel a real responsibility to be your best." Consider the situation: Following a franchise record-tying 11-game win streak the Blue Jays traveled to Tropicana Field, where the worst always seems to happen, and promptly lost the first two games of a three-game set against the division rival Rays. In stepped Dickey for an unusually early 12:10 afternoon start. 93 pitches and only two ground ball singles later, the Jays had won 3-0 and avoided the possibility of a lengthy losing skid. "Thats his job," said veteran Mark DeRosa. "Thats his job. Hes a number one, you know. We fully expected him to go out, maybe not throw a two-hit potential no-hitter the way he was rolling, but I have all the confidence in R.A. He knows, he knows, anybody who reads his post-game comments, this guy is thinking 10 days in advance. He knows what it takes and hes been there before and won a Cy Young." The Jays have won 12 of 15 despite Thursday nights 7-4 loss to the Red Sox. While the club, for the most part, has received excellent starting pitching during the stretch, a clearly defined staff ace has yet to emerge. Dickey is hesitant to discuss Wednesdays outing as a turning point in his season but his personal catcher, Josh Thole, who caught the knuckleballers Cy Young 2012 season with the Mets, suggested it could be. Thole struggled to catch the knuckleball in Wednesdays pregame bullpen session. It was even more difficult in-game. These are good signs. "I mean thats what I remember," said Thole. "What we saw (Wednesday,) is what I remember. Every fifth day it was a challenge to go out there, warm him up, take him into a game. Thats what I remember." "I dont usually say this but you could tell in the bullpen," said pitching coach Pete Walker. "I kind of kept it to myself but I think Pat (Hentgen) knew as well. We were watching him warm up and you could see the action on the ball." As a knuckleballer, Dickey often is left to his own devices. He can confide in Thole and bounce ideas off Walker but because theyve never thrown the pitch, there is a limit to which they can offer advice. As he does with all of his pitchers, Walker studies video of Dickeys work. He keeps a checklist with him, provided by Dickey, which details Dickeys mechanics. If Walker notices anything off kilter, even in the slightest, he provides Dickey with feedback. "There are some things he does like a traditional pitcher," said Walker. "Anytime he gets out of whack his front side will open up a little too soon, hell get underneath the ball a little too much and that ball will tend to stay up in the zone and take off on him. Like a traditional pitcher, when he stays closed long enough and gets his arm through the zone where it should be, you know out in front consistently, he gets the action that hes looking for." Dickey often travels into the clubhouse in-between innings to watch video. "So I can make an in-game adjustment," said Dickey. "But sometimes the differences are microscopic. Its the difference in an inch or two landing or an inch or two in my wrist position. I mean, thats what youre up against when you tackle becoming a knuckleball pitcher because you have to go through some things you dont have to go through as a conventional pitcher. Thats just part of the territory." Dickey spent most of the first two months pitching in pain. He had what can best be described as a strain on the right side of his upper back, pain he first felt in Kansas City in his third start of season. Being a knuckleballer coming off a Cy Young award was both a blessing and a curse. Throwing a knuckleball isnt as strenuous on the body so Dickey was able to pitch through the injury. Having been a conventional pitcher early in his career, Dickey says the pain would have sent the old him to the disabled list. On the flip side, hes struggled to live up to lofty expectations. With an overall record of 7-8, an ERA of 4.72 and 41 walks – an unusually high number based on his standard – Dickey has heard the jeers from frustrated Blue Jays fans and accepts them as a reality of the business hes chosen. He, too, has been frustrated. Now, hes focused on building off Wednesdays start and continuing the correction of the bad mechanical habits he developed because of the pain in his neck. "Sometimes its tough, especially when youre thinking about trying to throw without pain," said Dickey. "When youre trying just to throw a ball and not have pain in your back, you know, youre distracted maybe from being able to be in the moment with your mechanic." Now healthy, Dickey expects to be better in the seasons second half. Recent starts in San Francisco and, of course, Wednesday in Tampa Bay suggest hes on the right track. His next test wont be easy. Dickey is scheduled to start Mondays Canada Day matinee, at home, versus the offensively potent Detroit Tigers. 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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Having nine wins with three games left in the regular season used to be almost a guaranteed ticket to the NFL playoffs.Its not for the Detroit Lions and New York Giants as they head into Sundays game at MetLife Stadium.Both are 9-4, in good position, and either team can make the postseason with a win and a combination of other results.The Lions are riding a five-game winning streak that has given them a two-game lead over Minnesota and Green Bay in the NFC North. The Giants are two games behind Dallas (11-2) in the NFC East but they hold a one-game lead in the wild-card race after winning seven of eight.The problem for the loser will be the schedule. After the Giants, the Lions close at Dallas and then return home to face the Packers, who have are playing much better after a midseason slump.The Giants close with road games against division rivals. They have a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game against the Eagles (5-8) and finish at Washington (7-5-1), which beat them earlier this season.Theyre playing for a lot, were playing for a lot, said Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford , who will be playing with an injured middle finger on his throwing hand. Its an NFC game, its going to be a big one. Were excited about the opportunity, obviously, great to be in this type of a position. Just got to go out there and play well.The Lions, who made the playoffs as a wild card in coach Jim Caldwells first season in 2014 with an 11-5 record, are looking to get back to the postseason after going 7-9 last year. The Giants are looking to end a four-year playoff drought in Ben McAdoos first season as coach.For us to be here where we are, standing at 9-4 with playoff contention right there on the horizon, it is definitely fun to be here and to understand that the offense hasnt reached that top pinnacle of where we want to be, and we know it is coming, said receiver Victor Cruz, a member of New Yorks Super Bowl-winning team in February 2012. We know it is only a matter of time and hopefully it is this week.The defense has been the strength of both teams, with New Yorks group preserving probably all nine wins. The Giants offense has yet to score 30 points. The Lions offense has played well in the fourth quarter, posting comeback wins eight times.Some things to consider for Sundays game:MATCHING MANNINGS: Caldwell is close with Peyton Manning, dating to their years with the Indianapolis Colts. While he has watched Eli Manning from afar, he sees a lot of similarities.ddddddddddddHe has the same sort of mental makeup and youd have to certainly attribute that to Archie and Olivia, Caldwell said of the quarterbacks parents. Theyve had some young guys in that family, or the men in that family, that have performed very, very well under pressure. Theyve been built for it. Hes had maybe some of the best tutelage that one can have watching his older brother play, and then obviously both of them watching their dad play.ELI WOES: The Giants offense has been horrible in recent weeks, and so has Eli Manning. His passing yards have been in the 190s in the last three games and he has thrown three interceptions and lost two fumbles. He has not had a 300-yard game since throwing for 403 against Baltimore on Oct. 16.I got to play better, Manning said. Got to find completions, got to protect the football better. Thats whats got to happen in these type of games, and you get into December, you got to protect the football. Thats the most important thing right now.LEANING ON THE OL: Detroit desperately needs its offensive line to keep the Giants line off Stafford, who hurt the middle finger on his right hand early in last weeks win over Chicago . The line, which includes first-round pick Taylor Decker at left tackle and third-round pick Graham Glasgow at center, will have to block 350-pound defensive tackle Damon Harrison and defensive end Oliver Vernon.The Giants have 26 sacks since mid-October, second best in the league in that span.FIELD POSITION: Giants punter Brad Wing has placed 10 of his last 22 punts inside the oppositions 20. He was the NFC special teams player of the week for netting 42.9 yards in the win over the Cowboys. Watch New York long snapper Zak DeOssie; he is dealing with a hamstring issue.NO RUNNING: The Lions and Giants are among the NFLs worst rushing teams. Detroit is ranked No. 29, averaging 83.7 yards. The Giants are No. 31, averaging 78.7 yards. Theo Riddick leads the Lions with 357 yards on 92 carries, a 3.9 yard average, but is a major threat as a receiver. Rashad Jennings has 459 yards on 136 carries for New York, a 3.4 yard average.---AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Allen Park, Michigan contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '