Bengals 24, Chiefs 19
CINCINNATI (AP) – Relax, 1972 Miami Dolphins. Your undefeated season is still unmatched.
Peter Warrick scored on a 68-yard punt return and a 77-yard touchdown catch to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to a 24-19 victory Sunday, handing the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season.
Trying to become the first team since 1998 to start 10-0, the Chiefs instead lost to the up-and-coming Bengals (5-5), who backed up their boast and finished the day tied for first place.
Receiver Chad Johnson, who repeatedly guaranteed the victory, was in the trainer’s room getting an intravenous injection for cramps when Warrick made the biggest play of the Bengals’ renaissance season.
The victory moved them into a first-place tie with Baltimore in the AFC North. The Bengals haven’t been in contention this late in a season since 1990, the last time they had a winning record.
Trent Green threw two touchdown passes in the final seven minutes, the last a 3-yarder to Jason Dunn with 3:19 to go. The Chiefs never got the ball back.
As Jon Kitna took the snap to take a knee in the closing seconds, Johnson stood on the field with his right index finger raised and Bengals players doused head coach Marvin Lewis on the sideline.
Members of the undefeated ’72 Dolphins – the NFL’s only unbeaten team – now can go forward with their annual ritual and give a toast to their distinction.
Packers 20, Buccaneers 13
TAMPA, Fla. – Playing with a broken right thumb and shrugging off five years of futility at Raymond James Stadium, Brett Favre led a 98-yard second-half drive to lift Green Bay.
Ahman Green finished the march with a 1-yard run that vaulted the Packers (5-5) back into the thick of the NFC playoff race. They dealt the Bucs (4-6) their third straight loss to hurt the defending Super Bowl champions’ chances of getting back to the postseason.
Green finished with his seventh 100-yard game of the season, gaining 109 on 21 carries. Favre completed 13 of 28 passes for just 92 yards, but threw a TD pass for the 18th straight game.
The three-time NFL MVP was intercepted once, but was not sacked – ending Tampa Bay’s league-record streak of 69 consecutive games with at least one sack.
Panthers 20, Redskins 17
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stephen Davis scored on a 3-yard run with 1:09 remaining to help Carolina beat his old team.
Trying to shake off a nagging ankle sprain that sidelined him last week, Davis had 92 yards rushing on 28 carries for the Panthers (8-2), compared to the 54 yards rushing the Redskins managed.
After Patrick Ramsey put the Redskins (4-6) up 17-13 with 4:19 to play on a 10-yard pass to Patrick Johnson, Davis stepped up to show Washington just what it gave up.
Colts 38, Jets 31
INDIANAPOLIS – Edgerrin James ran for a season-high 127 yards and three touchdowns, and punter Hunter Smith raced 21 yards on a fake field goal for the go-ahead score for Indianapolis.
The Jets (3-7) and Colts combined for 862 total yards of offense, 69 points and scored on a myriad of big and strange plays.
Peyton Manning was 27-of-36 for a season-high 401 yards and one touchdown. And despite missing three starters, including two of Manning’s favorite targets, Marvin Harrison and Marcus Pollard, the Colts (8-2) still found a way to win.
Eagles 28, Giants 10
PHILADELPHIA – Donovan McNabb threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns, and Brian Westbrook caught two TD passes and ran for a score in the Eagles’ fifth straight victory.
The two-time NFC East champion Eagles (7-3) have won seven of eight after opening the season with two losses at home. The Giants (4-6) have lost two in a row, including an embarrassing 27-7 loss to Atlanta last week.
McNabb, heavily criticized for his poor performance in the first six games, completed 24 of 30 passes for his fourth straight solid effort and fifth career 300-yard performance.
Rams 23, Bears 21
CHICAGO – Jeff Wilkins kicked a 31-yard field goal with 38 seconds left to help the Rams win for the sixth time in seven games.
Marshall Faulk ran for 103 yards and the Rams (7-3) overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit. Wilkins’ third field goal came after the Rams moved 67 yards behind six completions from Marc Bulger, including a 21-yarder to Torry Holt.
The drive was aided by back-to-back penalties for illegal contact and illegal use of the hands on the Bears (3-7).
Browns 44, Cardinals 6
CLEVELAND – Kelly Holcomb passed for 392 yards and three touchdowns and the Browns showed no signs of disarray in their rout of Arizona.
James Jackson had two TD runs and Phil Dawson kicked three field goals for the Browns (4-6), who came into the game with three straight losses and seemingly in turmoil.
On Tuesday, coach Butch Davis released leading receiver Kevin Johnson. On Thursday, the NFL suspended star running back William Green four games for violating the league’s substance abuse program.
But the Browns showed no aftereffects. Arizona (3-7) didn’t cross midfield until late in the first half, was outgained 235-60 by halftime and finished with just 10 first downs.
Titans 10, Jaguars 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Steve McNair threw for a touchdown and the defense held off the Jaguars at the goal line in the final minute for the Titans’ fifth straight win.
Jacksonville (2-8) had first-and-goal needing to score to force overtime, but the Titans stopped Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala twice up the middle for losses. Scott McGarrahan tackled Cortez Hankton at the 2 after an 8-yard catch, then Byron Leftwich couldn’t find a receiver in the end zone on fourth-and-2.
The Titans (8-2) have won 10 of the last 12 games in this series. They also snapped their string of games with 30 or more points at six.
Saints 23, Falcons 20, OT
NEW ORLEANS – John Carney kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime to lift New Orleans, which rallied from a 20-3 first-half deficit.
Deuce McAllister, held to 20 yards in the first half, finished with 173 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints (5-5). McAllister had touchdown runs of 5 and 7 yards in the rally and Carney tied the game with a 26-yard field goal.
The Saints got the first possession of overtime, but McAllister fumbled into the end zone, giving the Falcons (2-8) first down on the 20. Jay Feely, who kicked two earlier field goals, missed a 54-yarder, giving the Saints another chance.
Dolphins 9, Ravens 6, OT
MIAMI – Olindo Mare hit a 43-yard field goal with 8:48 left in overtime to win it for the Dolphins.
Mare missed a 48-yard attempt wide right that would have put Miami (6-4) ahead with 2:29 left in regulation. Last month, he missed two 35-yard tries that would have beaten New England.
NFL rushing leader Jamal Lewis lost a fumble to set up Mare’s clincher. The Ravens (5-5) lost their second straight. Miami limited Lewis to 88 yards on 26 carries, just the third time this season he has failed to reach 100 yards.
Texans 12, Bills 10
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Tony Banks came off the bench and hit rookie receiver Andre Johnson for a 46-yard touchdown, and Kris Brown made two field goals to spark the Texans.
Banks filled in for David Carr, who hurt his right shoulder in the first quarter.
The Texans (4-6) matched their win total from last year’s expansion season. Buffalo (4-6) failed to score a touchdown for the third straight game, and kicker Rian Lindell compounded the problem by missing two field goals.
Broncos 37, Chargers 8
DENVER – Jake Plummer showed no signs of rust in his first game in a month and the Broncos kept Doug Flutie in check.
Denver (6-4) came flying out of its bye week, totaling 448 yards and taking a 27-0 halftime lead after holding San Diego (2-8) to 18 yards and one first down.
Plummer played as if he had never left, hitting 23 of 34
passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns after missing four games with foot and shoulder injuries.
Shannon Sharpe caught seven passes for 101 yards and had three touchdown receptions to surpass Jerry Smith’s league record by a tight end with 61.
Raiders 28, Vikings 18
OAKLAND, Calif. – Phillip Buchanon scored on a 64-yard interception return 49 seconds into the game and third-string quarterback Rick Mirer calmly helped the Raiders end a five-game losing streak.
Daunte Culpepper passed for 396 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score. But his mistakes far outweighed his contributions as Minnesota (6-4) lost its fourth straight.
With two fumbles and three interceptions, he had five of his team’s six turnovers after Minnesota came in with only nine giveaways all season. Aaron Elling also missed two field goals.
Seahawks 35, Lions 14
SEATTLE – Bobby Engram had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown and caught a 34-yard scoring pass to help the Seahawks improve to 6-0 at home and maintain a share of the NFC West lead with St. Louis.
The win was wrapped up by halftime, when Seattle (7-3) had 300 yards and a 35-14 lead.
After Detroit’s two home victories gave the Lions (3-7) a modest winning streak for the first time in three years, they couldn’t avoid their 21st straight defeat on the road.
– The Associated Press
