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Week Four game recaps
Rams' skid continues; Warner injured
What is shaping up to be a rough season for the Rams just got worse.
Dallas PK Billy Cundiff booted a 48-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired to give the Cowboys a 13-10 victory over the defending NFC champs, capping off a day for St. Louis that saw starting QB Kurt Warner go down with a broken pinky finger on his right hand.
The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead with a 17-yard TD pass from QB Quincy Carter to WR Darnay Scott. The Rams looked to bounce back, but Warner suffered the broken finger, which forced backup Jamie Martin into the game. Martin responded with a short passing attack, and he found WR Isaac Bruce for a 21-yard TD pass in the second quarter that knotted the score.
A 27-yard field goal by Rams PK Jeff Wilkins gave St. Louis a 10-7 lead in the third period, but the Cowboys answered with a 35-yard kick by Cundiff with 4:23 left in regulation that tied the score again. The Rams moved into position to kick the go-ahead field goal on the ensuing possession, but Wilkins' 49-yard attempt clanked off the right crossbar with 1:27 left on the clock. Carter then led the Cowboys 41 yards in nine plays, including spiking the ball with just :01 left to set up Cundiff's heroics.
Warner's injury is the latest in a series of health problems the Rams have suffered this season. RB Marshall Faulk was forced out of last week's game with a strained neck, and OT Orlando Pace suffered a torn calf muscle in practice this week that is expected to keep him out of action for the next 2-3 games. CB Aeneas Williams also went down with an ankle injury in the first half.
Carter led a balanced attack with 204 yards on 26-of-36 passing for one touchdown and one interception. The Cowboys rolled up 122 yards rushing on the day, including 58 yards on 13 carries for RB Emmitt Smith, who moved within 303 yards of Walter Payton's all-time rushing record.
Martin finished 24-of-37 throwing for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Faulk gained 78 yards on the ground on 18 carries. WR Torry Holt caught nine passes for 106 yards in the defeat.
Eagles 35, Texans 17
The Texans did a decent job of containing Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. They never could have imagined they would have to worry about S Brian Dawkins.
Dawkins caught a TD pass, made an interception, recorded a sack and recovered a fumble to lead Philadelphia to a 35-17 victory over expansion Houston. With the Texans leading 7-3 in the second quarter, Houston QB David Carr was stripped of the ball after a nine-yard gain, and Dawkins jumped on the loose ball. RB Duce Staley scored on a one-yard run on the ensuing possession to give the Eagles the lead.
Staley later scored on another one-yard TD run, and Dawkins intercepted Carr on Houston's next possession, setting up PK David Akers' 41-yard field goal that made it 20-7 at halftime. On Philly's first possession of the second half, the Texans forced the Eagles into a punting situation. But special-teams ace Brian Mitchell threw a 57-yard TD pass to Dawkins on a fake punt, and McNabb found TE Chad Lewis for the two-point conversion to make it 28-7.
A 29-yard TD pass from Carr to WR Corey Bradford and a 48-yard field goal from PK Kris Brown cut the lead to 28-17, but a 38-yard TD catch by WR James Thrash from McNabb sealed the win for Philly.
McNabb completed 24-of-42 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Staley scored two touchdowns on just 12 carries. WR Todd Pinkston led the Eagles with six catches for 70 yards.
Carr finished 16-of-29 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he was sacked seven times. RB James Allen led the Texans' attack on the ground, picking up 41 yards on 14 carries.
Lions 26, Saints 20
For the second time in as many weeks, the Saints spotted their opponent a 20-0 lead. This week, however, that opponent was able to make the lead stand up.
The Lions got a solid performance out of rookie QB Joey Harrington and some strong defense when they needed it in the second half to hang on for a 26-20 victory. Harrington, who threw four interceptions in his first NFL start last week, rebounded with a 267-yard passing day.
Detroit jumped out early thanks to a pair of field goals from PK Jason Hanson and a 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown by DE James Hall to give the Lions a 13-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. A 38-yard TD pass from Harrington to WR Bill Schroeder pushed Detroit to a 20-0 advantage before the Saints cracked the scoreboard. New Orleans QB Aaron Brooks found WR Donté Stallworth for a four-yard TD pass prior to halftime to cut the Lions' edge to 13.
Following a 23-yard field goal from Hanson early in the third quarter, Saints RB Deuce McAllister scored on a 12-yard TD run. Brooks added the two-point conversion to bring New Orleans within eight, 23-15. Hanson added another field goal in the fourth quarter, but Brooks didn't give up. Despite playing without Stallworth, who went down with a hamstring problem, and WR Joe Horn, who injured his knee, Brooks led the Saints back, finding WR Jerome Pathon for a six-yard TD pass. The two-point conversion attempt failed, however, and New Orleans could draw no closer.
Harrington completed 27-of-48 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown, and he looked more comfortable in his second start. RB James Stewart picked up 65 rushing yards on 18 carries, including a 36-yard ramble with just under two minutes left to seal the win. WR Az-Zahir Hakim added three catches for 98 yards.
Brooks finished 27-of-48 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw a pair of key interceptions in the second half that killed Saints rallies. McAllister gained 61 rushing yards on 12 carries, and Horn made six catches for 87 yards to lead New Orleans.
Packers 17, Panthers 14
Brett Favre celebrated his 10th anniversary as the Packers' starting quarterback by throwing a 22-yard TD pass to WR Donald Driver with 4:10 left on the clock to push Green Bay to a 17-14 win over the Panthers.
Carolina, which entered the game looking to open the season 4-0 for the first time in team history, still had a chance to win late in the game, but PK Shayne Graham missed a 24-yard field goal with :13 left. Graham was signed by the Panthers Friday to help bolster the kicking game.
Green Bay started strong, with Favre setting up PK Ryan Longwell for a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter. But Panthers RB Lamar Smith answered with a three-yard TD run that pushed Carolina into the lead. The Packers then resorted to a bit of trickery, with Favre throwing a lateral to TE Bubba Franks, who then lofted a 31-yard TD pass to Driver. Officials initially ruled that the Packers had thrown two forward passes on the play, but a review proved that the first pass had, in fact, been a lateral.
Smith pushed the Panthers back into the lead in the fourth quarter, scoring on a two-yard run. But Favre, who passed Joe Montana for fifth-place on the all-time completions list in the game, took the Packers 65 yards for the go-ahead score.
Favre didn't have a stellar game, but he completed 18-of-32 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Driver led the Packers with five catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, while RB Ahman Green carried the ball 17 times for 73 yards.
Panthers QB Rodney Peete struggled to find his rhythm, completing just 10-of-24 passes for 202 yards, and he was sacked four times. WR Steve Smith, who filled in for injured star Muhsin Muhammad, had five catches for 116 yards. Smith rolled up 66 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Bills 33, Bears 27 (OT)
The Bears made a season of winning the close ones last year. This season, it looks like the Bills have taken up the mantle.
Buffalo QB Drew Bledsoe found RB Travis Henry for a 26-yard TD catch and run to give the Bills a 33-27 overtime victory over Chicago. Henry's score made up for first-quarter fumble that was returned by Bears S Mike Brown 62 yards for a touchdown.
The Bills had an opportunity to win in regulation, but Chicago OT James "Big Cat" Williams blocked a Mike Hollis FG attempt from 39 yards out with :25 left on the clock to send the game into overtime. Chicago won the coin toss and elected to receive, but the Bears couldn't muster any offense and punted after just three plays. Bledsoe got things rolling by finding WR Eric Moulds for a 32-yard completion, and Henry scored on the next play.
The TD pass marked the second overtime winner of the year for Bledsoe, which pushed him past Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw into first place for most game-winning TD passes in overtime for a career. This also marked the third time this season the Bills needed extra time to decide a game.
Buffalo dominated from the opening kick, rolling up 410 yards in total offense, but the Bears still managed to stay in the game thanks to Brown's fumble return and two TD passes from QB Jim Miller. The second scoring toss from Miller to TE John Davis with less than two minutes to play tied the score and sent the game into overtime.
Bledsoe had a spectacular day, throwing for 328 yards on 28-of-36 passing for four touchdowns, while Moulds caught eight passes for 119 yards. Henry gained 68 yards rushing on 12 carries, and he added three catches for 41 yards.
The Bears got 188 yards passing out of Miller, who completed 19-of-31 attempts for two touchdowns. RB Anthony Thomas was bottled up most of the day, gaining just 48 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Steelers 16, Browns 13 (OT)
Steelers head coach Bill Cowher said this week that he would replace starting QB Kordell Stewart if Stewart wasn't effective vs. the Browns. It's safe to say that Cowher is a man of his word.
With backup QB Tommy Maddox leading the charge late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers rallied to tie the score with just 2:02 left in regulation, and PK Todd Peterson kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime to push Pittsburgh to a 16-13 overtime victory over Cleveland. Maddox stepped in after Stewart went 15-of-25 passing for just 143 yards, and Maddox completed 6-of-7 passes for 77 yards on the game-tying drive, which was capped off with a 10-yard TD pass to WR Plaxico Burress that tied the game at 13.
The Steelers won the coin toss in overtime, but Maddox was intercepted by LB Andra Davis at Cleveland's 34 on Pittsburgh's first play. But three running plays picked up only seven yards, and Browns PK Phil Dawson missed a 45-yard FG attempt wide left. Pittsburgh then drove from its own 45 to Cleveland's six-yard line, and Cowher decided to attempt a 24-yard field goal on second down.
The decision paid off. Peterson's attempt was blocked by Browns DT Alvin McKinley, but Steelers LB John Fiala fell on the loose ball, which never crossed the line of scrimmage. Because it was only second down, the Steelers retained possession at the spot where Fiala recovered the ball. Peterson then drilled the game-winner to avoid Pittsburgh's second 0-3 start in three years.
Neither team could muster much offense through the first three quarters, with Dawson hitting a pair of early field goals and Peterson answering with two of his own just prior to halftime. The score remained knotted at 6-6 before Browns RB Jamel White scored on a four-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.
White finished with 105 rushing yards on 16 carries, while QB Tim Couch struggled all day, completing 16-of-29 passes for just 144 yards and two interceptions. Maddox made the most of his opportunity, throwing for 122 yards on 11-of-13 passing, and WR Hines Ward led the Steelers with nine catches for 104 yards.
Chiefs 48, Dolphins 30
The Dolphins shut down Chiefs RB Priest Holmes for the most part Sunday. Unfortunately, they didn't do the same to QB Trent Green.
Green threw five TD passes, including three to TE Tony Gonzalez, as Kansas City ripped Miami 48-30. The two teams combined for 849 yards in total offense, and the Dolphins rolled up 205 yards in kickoff returns.
The fireworks started early as Miami QB Jay Fiedler scored on a one-yard TD run in the first quarter, but the Chiefs responded with an 11-play, 83-yard drive that was capped with a nine-yard TD catch by Gonzalez. A 50-yard field goal by PK Morten Andersen gave the Chiefs a 10-7 lead, but a 42-yard field goal by Dolphins PK Olindo Mare evened the score at 10. Holmes then came back with a 25-yard TD run, and Green found WR Johnnie Morton from eight yards out for a touchdown on Kansas City's next possession to give the Chiefs a 24-10 lead. A pair of Mare field goals allowed Miami to pull within eight by halftime.
Green kept the pressure on by finding Gonzalez for a 42-yard TD pass early in the third quarter, but Miami RB Ricky Williams answered with a three-yard TD run to draw the Dolphins within 31-23. Like two heavyweight fighters, the two teams kept slugging it out, with Green finding Gonzalez again on a six-yard TD pass to open the fourth quarter, and Fiedler came back with a six-yard TD pass to FB Rob Konrad.
But the Dolphins could get no closer. Andersen added a 24-yard field goal to push the lead back to 11, and Green sealed the victory with a three-yard TD pass to TE Billy Baber.
Green finished 24-of-35 passing for 328 yards and the five touchdowns, and Gonzalez rolled up 140 yards on seven catches. Holmes ran for 52 yards on 23 carries, but he also made six catches for 63 yards.
Fiedler, meanwhile, completed 29-of-45 passes for 310 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Three of those picks were made by Kansas City S Greg Wesley. Williams finished with 66 yards rushing on 14 carries, while WR Chris Chambers made six catches for 102 yards.
Jaguars 28, Jets 3
Jacksonville RB Fred Taylor ran for 142 yards and fellow RB Stacey Mack added three TD runs as the Jaguars rolled over the Jets, 28-3.
The game marked the third straight week in which New York has failed to score a touchdown, a stretch in which the team has been outscored 102-13. Starting QB Vinny Testaverde threw four incompletions before leaving the game with a bruised right shoulder, and backup QB Chad Pennington couldn't get anything going on offense either.
The Jaguars opened the scoring with a one-yard TD run by Mack in the first quarter, and he added another one-yard plunge in the second period to give Jacksonville a 14-0 lead. Jets PK John Hall cut into the lead with a 46-yard field goal before halftime, but another Mack TD run from eight yards out in the third quarter pushed Jacksonville to a 21-3 edge. Taylor added a 22-yard TD run to seal the win later in the period.
Taylor also managed to make three catches for 95 yards, including a 72-yard grab that took the Jaguars to the Jets' one-yard line. The 72-yard catch was the second-longest non-scoring play in Jacksonville history.
The Jets weren't completely anemic on offense, with Pennington throwing for 281 yards on 21-of-34 passing, and his performance likely will start a quarterback controversy in the Big Apple. RB Curtis Martin gained 44 yards on eight carries, while WR Laveranues Coles had eight catches for 97 yards.
Jacksonville got just 173 yards on 10-of-15 passing from QB Mark Brunell, but the Jaguars' running game, which totaled 223 yards on 40 carries, made a strong passing attack unnecessary. Mack finished with 70 yards rushing on 15 carries in the victory.
Chargers 21, Patriots 14
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson tied a team record with 217 rushing yards and took off on TD runs of 58 and 37 yards as San Diego knocked off New England 21-14.
The Patriots opened in strong fashion, when QB Tom Brady found TE Christian Fauria for a five-yard TD pass in the first quarter, but Chargers QB Drew Brees answered with a 52-yard TD toss to WR Curtis Conway. Brady then put New England ahead 14-7 in the second quarter with a one-yard TD pass to LB Mike Vrabel, who had lined up as a tight end in the Patriots' goal-line package.
That's when Tomlinson got rolling.
He took off for his 37-yard TD run to tie the game heading into halftime, and he rumbled to his other TD run on the second play of the third period. Tomlinson got a key block at the end of his 58-yard run from WR Tim Dwight, who sprinted past Tomlinson to drive Patriots CB Otis Smith about 12 yards backward to open the way for the score.
New England had opportunities in the second half to cut into the lead, driving into Chargers territory on three straight possessions. But each time, the San Diego defense came up big, twice intercepting Brady and stuffing FB Marc Edwards on a 4th-and-one from the 38.
With Tomlinson carrying the mail, Brees didn't have to do much, completing 10-of-18 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown. Conway led the Chargers with three catches for 69 yards.
Brady threw for 353 yards on 36-of-53 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and his favorite target was rookie WR Deion Branch, who had 13 catches for 128 yards. RB Antowain Smith gained 78 rushing yards on 16 carries for the Pats, who lost for the first time in 13 games, including their run to the Super Bowl last year. The loss also marked the first defeat New England suffered at the hands of the Chargers since 1973.
Cardinals 21, Giants 7
Both the Cardinals and Giants rolled up 263 yards in total offense, but Arizona made more of their gains.
The Cardinals got a pair of touchdowns from backup RB Marcel Shipp in the fourth quarter to break open a 7-7 tie as Arizona walked off with a 21-7 victory. Playing in place of starter Thomas Jones, who was out with a sore left ankle, Shipp scored on a seven-yard TD pass from QB Jake Plummer early in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals the lead, and he added a 10-yard TD run to cap off a 12-play, 78-yard drive to seal the win with just over two minutes to play.
The Giants jumped out to an early lead with a six-yard TD run by RB Tiki Barber in the first quarter, and they appeared to be in control after Cardinals PK Bill Gramatica missed a 42-yard field goal with :14 left in the first half. New York got the ball on its own 32, but instead of running out the clock and settling for the 7-0 halftime lead, QB Kerry Collins threw a sideline pass toward Barber. Arizona S Justin Lucas intercepted the pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown with :04 left in the game.
Giants head coach Jim Fassel said in an interview before halftime that, "I'll never be that stupid again in my lifetime."
New York repeatedly shot itself in the foot, having a 76-yard TD pass from Collins to WR Ron Dixon called back for a holding penalty and committing 10 penalties for 110 yards. The Giants only managed 67 yards on the ground, including 55 yards on 13 carries from Barber. Collins finished with 199 yards on 19-of-36 passing with two interceptions.
Plummer completed 23-of-32 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown, and Shipp gained 92 rushing yards on 17 carries. Shipp also led the Cardinals in receiving with five catches for 39 yards.
Buccaneers 35, Bengals 7
Cincinnati scored on a 51-yard interception return by LB Brian Simmons to jump out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter vs. Tampa Bay. It was all downhill for the Bengals from there.
Buccaneers QB Brad Johnson threw three touchdowns and RB Mike Alstott ran for another as Tampa Bay rolled to a 35-7 win in Cincinnati. The Bengals' lead was short-lived, as Johnson found TE Rickey Dudley for a 35-yard TD pass less than three minutes after Simmons scored. WR Keenan McCardell later scored on a 65-yard TD strike from Johnson when two Cincinnati defenders covered fellow wideout Keyshawn Johnson, leaving McCardell wide open.
Tampa Bay LB Shelton Quarles added to the lead by returning a pass from Bengals QB Akili Smith 25 yards for a touchdown prior to halftime. Smith, who was elevated from third string to starter prior to the game, was harrassed all day, completing just 12 passes and being sacked three times.
TE Ken Dilger extended the lead to 28-7 with a 22-yard TD pass in the third quarter, and a one-yard plunge by Alstott in the fourth quarter finished off the Bengals. Cincinnati's defense struggled all game, giving up 363 yards in total offense and looking confused on the field. The Bengals twice only had 10 players on the field for punts.
Johnson completed 19-of-30 passes for 277 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while McCardell led all receivers with four catches for 108 yards. RB Michael Pittman gained 54 rushing yards on 19 carries to lead the ground attack.
Smith, meanwhille, went 12-of-33 passing for 117 yards and one interception. RB Corey Dillon picked up 59 rushing yards on 21 carries, and WR Peter Warrick made four catches for 51 yards.
Raiders 52, Titans 25
Oakland returned a pair of punts for touchdowns and two Raiders enjoyed record-setting days as they rocked the Titans, 52-25.
Rookie CB Phillip Buchanon made his presence felt on the first play of the game, intercepting a pass from Tennessee QB Steve McNair, but instant replay overturned the decision on the field. Buchanon didn't fade away, scoring on an 83-yard punt return to give Oakland a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Titans were forcd to punt on their next possession, and Buchanon handed off the return to RB Terry Kirby, who went 79 yards to the endzone.
Tennessee RB Eddie George scored on a one-yard run at the end of the first quarter to cut into the lead, but Oakland responded with a 28-yard field goal from PK Sebastian Janikowski and a 10-yard TD catch from QB Rich Gannon to WR Jerry Rice to head into halftime with a commanding 31-7 lead.
S Rod Woodson kept the heat on in the third quarter by returning an interception 82 yards for a touchdown. Woodson finished with three interceptions and 100 return yards, moving him past Hall-of-Famer Emlen Tunnell into first place on the all-time interception return list with 1,339 yards.
Tennessee rallied, scoring 21 unanswered points on a three-yard TD run by RB John Simon and McNair TD passes to WRs Drew Bennett and Justin McCareins to cut the lead to 38-25. But Gannon came back with TD passes to WRs Jerry Porter and Tim Brown to put the game out of reach.
Gannon completed 29-of-39 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, including finding Rice seven times for 144 yards. With an 11-yard catch in the fourth quarter, Rice passed Walter Payton for the all-time record for yards gained from scrimmage in a career. Rice finished the game with 21,281 yards gained, including 20,649 on receptions and another 682 yards rushing.
McNair had a big day as well, completing 32-of-46 passes for 398 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. George had 26 rushing yards on 11 carries, while WR Derrick Mason led the Titans receiving corps with six grabs for 99 yards.
Seahawks 48, Vikings 23
The Vikings outscored the Seahawks 13-3 in the second half of their Sunday night game in Seattle. Unfortunately for Minnesota, it wasn't enough to make up for the 45 points the Vikings gave up in the first 30 minutes.
Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander scored four rushing touchdowns and took a screen pass 80 yards for another touchdown as Seattle overwhelmed Minnesota 48-23. Alexander scored a pair of rushing touchdowns — one from two yards out, the other a 20-yard scamper — in the first quarter, but Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper answered with a 12-yard TD run to cut Seattle's lead to 14-7.
After trading field goals to open the second period, the floodgates opened on Minnesota. First, Alexander scored on the 80-yard TD reception. Then Vikings KR Nick Davis fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Seahawks recovered, leading to a three-yard TD run by Alexander. Minnesota KR D'Wayne Bates then fumbled another kickoff, and Seattle again recovered the loose ball. Alexander went 14 yards for a TD on the next play, pushing the score to 38-10 and becoming the first player in NFL history to score five touchdowns in a single half.
Minnesota managed to keep possession on the next kickoff, but Culpepper threw an interception to S Reggie Tongue, who took the pick 46 yards for another touchdown. When the dust had cleared, the Seahawks had scored four touchdows in the span of 1:47.
The Vikings added a pair of TD runs by RB Moe Williams in the second half, but it wasn't enough to make it a game. Minnesota WR Randy Moss, who was arrested earlier in the week and spent a night in jail, suffered through a miserable game, catching six balls for 50 yards but dropping three passes in the endzone.
Culpepper finished 29-of-53 passing for 273 yards and two interceptions, while Williams led the Vikings' receivers with seven catches for 77 yards. RB Michael Bennett picked up 91 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Seattle QB Trent Dilfer completed 13-of-22 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown, but Alexander obviously was the star of the show. He tallied 134 rushing yards on 24 carries, and made three catches for 92 yards.
Rams' skid continues; Warner injured
What is shaping up to be a rough season for the Rams just got worse.
Dallas PK Billy Cundiff booted a 48-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired to give the Cowboys a 13-10 victory over the defending NFC champs, capping off a day for St. Louis that saw starting QB Kurt Warner go down with a broken pinky finger on his right hand.
The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead with a 17-yard TD pass from QB Quincy Carter to WR Darnay Scott. The Rams looked to bounce back, but Warner suffered the broken finger, which forced backup Jamie Martin into the game. Martin responded with a short passing attack, and he found WR Isaac Bruce for a 21-yard TD pass in the second quarter that knotted the score.
A 27-yard field goal by Rams PK Jeff Wilkins gave St. Louis a 10-7 lead in the third period, but the Cowboys answered with a 35-yard kick by Cundiff with 4:23 left in regulation that tied the score again. The Rams moved into position to kick the go-ahead field goal on the ensuing possession, but Wilkins' 49-yard attempt clanked off the right crossbar with 1:27 left on the clock. Carter then led the Cowboys 41 yards in nine plays, including spiking the ball with just :01 left to set up Cundiff's heroics.
Warner's injury is the latest in a series of health problems the Rams have suffered this season. RB Marshall Faulk was forced out of last week's game with a strained neck, and OT Orlando Pace suffered a torn calf muscle in practice this week that is expected to keep him out of action for the next 2-3 games. CB Aeneas Williams also went down with an ankle injury in the first half.
Carter led a balanced attack with 204 yards on 26-of-36 passing for one touchdown and one interception. The Cowboys rolled up 122 yards rushing on the day, including 58 yards on 13 carries for RB Emmitt Smith, who moved within 303 yards of Walter Payton's all-time rushing record.
Martin finished 24-of-37 throwing for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Faulk gained 78 yards on the ground on 18 carries. WR Torry Holt caught nine passes for 106 yards in the defeat.
Eagles 35, Texans 17
The Texans did a decent job of containing Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. They never could have imagined they would have to worry about S Brian Dawkins.
Dawkins caught a TD pass, made an interception, recorded a sack and recovered a fumble to lead Philadelphia to a 35-17 victory over expansion Houston. With the Texans leading 7-3 in the second quarter, Houston QB David Carr was stripped of the ball after a nine-yard gain, and Dawkins jumped on the loose ball. RB Duce Staley scored on a one-yard run on the ensuing possession to give the Eagles the lead.
Staley later scored on another one-yard TD run, and Dawkins intercepted Carr on Houston's next possession, setting up PK David Akers' 41-yard field goal that made it 20-7 at halftime. On Philly's first possession of the second half, the Texans forced the Eagles into a punting situation. But special-teams ace Brian Mitchell threw a 57-yard TD pass to Dawkins on a fake punt, and McNabb found TE Chad Lewis for the two-point conversion to make it 28-7.
A 29-yard TD pass from Carr to WR Corey Bradford and a 48-yard field goal from PK Kris Brown cut the lead to 28-17, but a 38-yard TD catch by WR James Thrash from McNabb sealed the win for Philly.
McNabb completed 24-of-42 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Staley scored two touchdowns on just 12 carries. WR Todd Pinkston led the Eagles with six catches for 70 yards.
Carr finished 16-of-29 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he was sacked seven times. RB James Allen led the Texans' attack on the ground, picking up 41 yards on 14 carries.
Lions 26, Saints 20
For the second time in as many weeks, the Saints spotted their opponent a 20-0 lead. This week, however, that opponent was able to make the lead stand up.
The Lions got a solid performance out of rookie QB Joey Harrington and some strong defense when they needed it in the second half to hang on for a 26-20 victory. Harrington, who threw four interceptions in his first NFL start last week, rebounded with a 267-yard passing day.
Detroit jumped out early thanks to a pair of field goals from PK Jason Hanson and a 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown by DE James Hall to give the Lions a 13-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. A 38-yard TD pass from Harrington to WR Bill Schroeder pushed Detroit to a 20-0 advantage before the Saints cracked the scoreboard. New Orleans QB Aaron Brooks found WR Donté Stallworth for a four-yard TD pass prior to halftime to cut the Lions' edge to 13.
Following a 23-yard field goal from Hanson early in the third quarter, Saints RB Deuce McAllister scored on a 12-yard TD run. Brooks added the two-point conversion to bring New Orleans within eight, 23-15. Hanson added another field goal in the fourth quarter, but Brooks didn't give up. Despite playing without Stallworth, who went down with a hamstring problem, and WR Joe Horn, who injured his knee, Brooks led the Saints back, finding WR Jerome Pathon for a six-yard TD pass. The two-point conversion attempt failed, however, and New Orleans could draw no closer.
Harrington completed 27-of-48 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown, and he looked more comfortable in his second start. RB James Stewart picked up 65 rushing yards on 18 carries, including a 36-yard ramble with just under two minutes left to seal the win. WR Az-Zahir Hakim added three catches for 98 yards.
Brooks finished 27-of-48 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw a pair of key interceptions in the second half that killed Saints rallies. McAllister gained 61 rushing yards on 12 carries, and Horn made six catches for 87 yards to lead New Orleans.
Packers 17, Panthers 14
Brett Favre celebrated his 10th anniversary as the Packers' starting quarterback by throwing a 22-yard TD pass to WR Donald Driver with 4:10 left on the clock to push Green Bay to a 17-14 win over the Panthers.
Carolina, which entered the game looking to open the season 4-0 for the first time in team history, still had a chance to win late in the game, but PK Shayne Graham missed a 24-yard field goal with :13 left. Graham was signed by the Panthers Friday to help bolster the kicking game.
Green Bay started strong, with Favre setting up PK Ryan Longwell for a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter. But Panthers RB Lamar Smith answered with a three-yard TD run that pushed Carolina into the lead. The Packers then resorted to a bit of trickery, with Favre throwing a lateral to TE Bubba Franks, who then lofted a 31-yard TD pass to Driver. Officials initially ruled that the Packers had thrown two forward passes on the play, but a review proved that the first pass had, in fact, been a lateral.
Smith pushed the Panthers back into the lead in the fourth quarter, scoring on a two-yard run. But Favre, who passed Joe Montana for fifth-place on the all-time completions list in the game, took the Packers 65 yards for the go-ahead score.
Favre didn't have a stellar game, but he completed 18-of-32 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Driver led the Packers with five catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, while RB Ahman Green carried the ball 17 times for 73 yards.
Panthers QB Rodney Peete struggled to find his rhythm, completing just 10-of-24 passes for 202 yards, and he was sacked four times. WR Steve Smith, who filled in for injured star Muhsin Muhammad, had five catches for 116 yards. Smith rolled up 66 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Bills 33, Bears 27 (OT)
The Bears made a season of winning the close ones last year. This season, it looks like the Bills have taken up the mantle.
Buffalo QB Drew Bledsoe found RB Travis Henry for a 26-yard TD catch and run to give the Bills a 33-27 overtime victory over Chicago. Henry's score made up for first-quarter fumble that was returned by Bears S Mike Brown 62 yards for a touchdown.
The Bills had an opportunity to win in regulation, but Chicago OT James "Big Cat" Williams blocked a Mike Hollis FG attempt from 39 yards out with :25 left on the clock to send the game into overtime. Chicago won the coin toss and elected to receive, but the Bears couldn't muster any offense and punted after just three plays. Bledsoe got things rolling by finding WR Eric Moulds for a 32-yard completion, and Henry scored on the next play.
The TD pass marked the second overtime winner of the year for Bledsoe, which pushed him past Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw into first place for most game-winning TD passes in overtime for a career. This also marked the third time this season the Bills needed extra time to decide a game.
Buffalo dominated from the opening kick, rolling up 410 yards in total offense, but the Bears still managed to stay in the game thanks to Brown's fumble return and two TD passes from QB Jim Miller. The second scoring toss from Miller to TE John Davis with less than two minutes to play tied the score and sent the game into overtime.
Bledsoe had a spectacular day, throwing for 328 yards on 28-of-36 passing for four touchdowns, while Moulds caught eight passes for 119 yards. Henry gained 68 yards rushing on 12 carries, and he added three catches for 41 yards.
The Bears got 188 yards passing out of Miller, who completed 19-of-31 attempts for two touchdowns. RB Anthony Thomas was bottled up most of the day, gaining just 48 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Steelers 16, Browns 13 (OT)
Steelers head coach Bill Cowher said this week that he would replace starting QB Kordell Stewart if Stewart wasn't effective vs. the Browns. It's safe to say that Cowher is a man of his word.
With backup QB Tommy Maddox leading the charge late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers rallied to tie the score with just 2:02 left in regulation, and PK Todd Peterson kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime to push Pittsburgh to a 16-13 overtime victory over Cleveland. Maddox stepped in after Stewart went 15-of-25 passing for just 143 yards, and Maddox completed 6-of-7 passes for 77 yards on the game-tying drive, which was capped off with a 10-yard TD pass to WR Plaxico Burress that tied the game at 13.
The Steelers won the coin toss in overtime, but Maddox was intercepted by LB Andra Davis at Cleveland's 34 on Pittsburgh's first play. But three running plays picked up only seven yards, and Browns PK Phil Dawson missed a 45-yard FG attempt wide left. Pittsburgh then drove from its own 45 to Cleveland's six-yard line, and Cowher decided to attempt a 24-yard field goal on second down.
The decision paid off. Peterson's attempt was blocked by Browns DT Alvin McKinley, but Steelers LB John Fiala fell on the loose ball, which never crossed the line of scrimmage. Because it was only second down, the Steelers retained possession at the spot where Fiala recovered the ball. Peterson then drilled the game-winner to avoid Pittsburgh's second 0-3 start in three years.
Neither team could muster much offense through the first three quarters, with Dawson hitting a pair of early field goals and Peterson answering with two of his own just prior to halftime. The score remained knotted at 6-6 before Browns RB Jamel White scored on a four-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.
White finished with 105 rushing yards on 16 carries, while QB Tim Couch struggled all day, completing 16-of-29 passes for just 144 yards and two interceptions. Maddox made the most of his opportunity, throwing for 122 yards on 11-of-13 passing, and WR Hines Ward led the Steelers with nine catches for 104 yards.
Chiefs 48, Dolphins 30
The Dolphins shut down Chiefs RB Priest Holmes for the most part Sunday. Unfortunately, they didn't do the same to QB Trent Green.
Green threw five TD passes, including three to TE Tony Gonzalez, as Kansas City ripped Miami 48-30. The two teams combined for 849 yards in total offense, and the Dolphins rolled up 205 yards in kickoff returns.
The fireworks started early as Miami QB Jay Fiedler scored on a one-yard TD run in the first quarter, but the Chiefs responded with an 11-play, 83-yard drive that was capped with a nine-yard TD catch by Gonzalez. A 50-yard field goal by PK Morten Andersen gave the Chiefs a 10-7 lead, but a 42-yard field goal by Dolphins PK Olindo Mare evened the score at 10. Holmes then came back with a 25-yard TD run, and Green found WR Johnnie Morton from eight yards out for a touchdown on Kansas City's next possession to give the Chiefs a 24-10 lead. A pair of Mare field goals allowed Miami to pull within eight by halftime.
Green kept the pressure on by finding Gonzalez for a 42-yard TD pass early in the third quarter, but Miami RB Ricky Williams answered with a three-yard TD run to draw the Dolphins within 31-23. Like two heavyweight fighters, the two teams kept slugging it out, with Green finding Gonzalez again on a six-yard TD pass to open the fourth quarter, and Fiedler came back with a six-yard TD pass to FB Rob Konrad.
But the Dolphins could get no closer. Andersen added a 24-yard field goal to push the lead back to 11, and Green sealed the victory with a three-yard TD pass to TE Billy Baber.
Green finished 24-of-35 passing for 328 yards and the five touchdowns, and Gonzalez rolled up 140 yards on seven catches. Holmes ran for 52 yards on 23 carries, but he also made six catches for 63 yards.
Fiedler, meanwhile, completed 29-of-45 passes for 310 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Three of those picks were made by Kansas City S Greg Wesley. Williams finished with 66 yards rushing on 14 carries, while WR Chris Chambers made six catches for 102 yards.
Jaguars 28, Jets 3
Jacksonville RB Fred Taylor ran for 142 yards and fellow RB Stacey Mack added three TD runs as the Jaguars rolled over the Jets, 28-3.
The game marked the third straight week in which New York has failed to score a touchdown, a stretch in which the team has been outscored 102-13. Starting QB Vinny Testaverde threw four incompletions before leaving the game with a bruised right shoulder, and backup QB Chad Pennington couldn't get anything going on offense either.
The Jaguars opened the scoring with a one-yard TD run by Mack in the first quarter, and he added another one-yard plunge in the second period to give Jacksonville a 14-0 lead. Jets PK John Hall cut into the lead with a 46-yard field goal before halftime, but another Mack TD run from eight yards out in the third quarter pushed Jacksonville to a 21-3 edge. Taylor added a 22-yard TD run to seal the win later in the period.
Taylor also managed to make three catches for 95 yards, including a 72-yard grab that took the Jaguars to the Jets' one-yard line. The 72-yard catch was the second-longest non-scoring play in Jacksonville history.
The Jets weren't completely anemic on offense, with Pennington throwing for 281 yards on 21-of-34 passing, and his performance likely will start a quarterback controversy in the Big Apple. RB Curtis Martin gained 44 yards on eight carries, while WR Laveranues Coles had eight catches for 97 yards.
Jacksonville got just 173 yards on 10-of-15 passing from QB Mark Brunell, but the Jaguars' running game, which totaled 223 yards on 40 carries, made a strong passing attack unnecessary. Mack finished with 70 yards rushing on 15 carries in the victory.
Chargers 21, Patriots 14
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson tied a team record with 217 rushing yards and took off on TD runs of 58 and 37 yards as San Diego knocked off New England 21-14.
The Patriots opened in strong fashion, when QB Tom Brady found TE Christian Fauria for a five-yard TD pass in the first quarter, but Chargers QB Drew Brees answered with a 52-yard TD toss to WR Curtis Conway. Brady then put New England ahead 14-7 in the second quarter with a one-yard TD pass to LB Mike Vrabel, who had lined up as a tight end in the Patriots' goal-line package.
That's when Tomlinson got rolling.
He took off for his 37-yard TD run to tie the game heading into halftime, and he rumbled to his other TD run on the second play of the third period. Tomlinson got a key block at the end of his 58-yard run from WR Tim Dwight, who sprinted past Tomlinson to drive Patriots CB Otis Smith about 12 yards backward to open the way for the score.
New England had opportunities in the second half to cut into the lead, driving into Chargers territory on three straight possessions. But each time, the San Diego defense came up big, twice intercepting Brady and stuffing FB Marc Edwards on a 4th-and-one from the 38.
With Tomlinson carrying the mail, Brees didn't have to do much, completing 10-of-18 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown. Conway led the Chargers with three catches for 69 yards.
Brady threw for 353 yards on 36-of-53 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and his favorite target was rookie WR Deion Branch, who had 13 catches for 128 yards. RB Antowain Smith gained 78 rushing yards on 16 carries for the Pats, who lost for the first time in 13 games, including their run to the Super Bowl last year. The loss also marked the first defeat New England suffered at the hands of the Chargers since 1973.
Cardinals 21, Giants 7
Both the Cardinals and Giants rolled up 263 yards in total offense, but Arizona made more of their gains.
The Cardinals got a pair of touchdowns from backup RB Marcel Shipp in the fourth quarter to break open a 7-7 tie as Arizona walked off with a 21-7 victory. Playing in place of starter Thomas Jones, who was out with a sore left ankle, Shipp scored on a seven-yard TD pass from QB Jake Plummer early in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals the lead, and he added a 10-yard TD run to cap off a 12-play, 78-yard drive to seal the win with just over two minutes to play.
The Giants jumped out to an early lead with a six-yard TD run by RB Tiki Barber in the first quarter, and they appeared to be in control after Cardinals PK Bill Gramatica missed a 42-yard field goal with :14 left in the first half. New York got the ball on its own 32, but instead of running out the clock and settling for the 7-0 halftime lead, QB Kerry Collins threw a sideline pass toward Barber. Arizona S Justin Lucas intercepted the pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown with :04 left in the game.
Giants head coach Jim Fassel said in an interview before halftime that, "I'll never be that stupid again in my lifetime."
New York repeatedly shot itself in the foot, having a 76-yard TD pass from Collins to WR Ron Dixon called back for a holding penalty and committing 10 penalties for 110 yards. The Giants only managed 67 yards on the ground, including 55 yards on 13 carries from Barber. Collins finished with 199 yards on 19-of-36 passing with two interceptions.
Plummer completed 23-of-32 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown, and Shipp gained 92 rushing yards on 17 carries. Shipp also led the Cardinals in receiving with five catches for 39 yards.
Buccaneers 35, Bengals 7
Cincinnati scored on a 51-yard interception return by LB Brian Simmons to jump out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter vs. Tampa Bay. It was all downhill for the Bengals from there.
Buccaneers QB Brad Johnson threw three touchdowns and RB Mike Alstott ran for another as Tampa Bay rolled to a 35-7 win in Cincinnati. The Bengals' lead was short-lived, as Johnson found TE Rickey Dudley for a 35-yard TD pass less than three minutes after Simmons scored. WR Keenan McCardell later scored on a 65-yard TD strike from Johnson when two Cincinnati defenders covered fellow wideout Keyshawn Johnson, leaving McCardell wide open.
Tampa Bay LB Shelton Quarles added to the lead by returning a pass from Bengals QB Akili Smith 25 yards for a touchdown prior to halftime. Smith, who was elevated from third string to starter prior to the game, was harrassed all day, completing just 12 passes and being sacked three times.
TE Ken Dilger extended the lead to 28-7 with a 22-yard TD pass in the third quarter, and a one-yard plunge by Alstott in the fourth quarter finished off the Bengals. Cincinnati's defense struggled all game, giving up 363 yards in total offense and looking confused on the field. The Bengals twice only had 10 players on the field for punts.
Johnson completed 19-of-30 passes for 277 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while McCardell led all receivers with four catches for 108 yards. RB Michael Pittman gained 54 rushing yards on 19 carries to lead the ground attack.
Smith, meanwhille, went 12-of-33 passing for 117 yards and one interception. RB Corey Dillon picked up 59 rushing yards on 21 carries, and WR Peter Warrick made four catches for 51 yards.
Raiders 52, Titans 25
Oakland returned a pair of punts for touchdowns and two Raiders enjoyed record-setting days as they rocked the Titans, 52-25.
Rookie CB Phillip Buchanon made his presence felt on the first play of the game, intercepting a pass from Tennessee QB Steve McNair, but instant replay overturned the decision on the field. Buchanon didn't fade away, scoring on an 83-yard punt return to give Oakland a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Titans were forcd to punt on their next possession, and Buchanon handed off the return to RB Terry Kirby, who went 79 yards to the endzone.
Tennessee RB Eddie George scored on a one-yard run at the end of the first quarter to cut into the lead, but Oakland responded with a 28-yard field goal from PK Sebastian Janikowski and a 10-yard TD catch from QB Rich Gannon to WR Jerry Rice to head into halftime with a commanding 31-7 lead.
S Rod Woodson kept the heat on in the third quarter by returning an interception 82 yards for a touchdown. Woodson finished with three interceptions and 100 return yards, moving him past Hall-of-Famer Emlen Tunnell into first place on the all-time interception return list with 1,339 yards.
Tennessee rallied, scoring 21 unanswered points on a three-yard TD run by RB John Simon and McNair TD passes to WRs Drew Bennett and Justin McCareins to cut the lead to 38-25. But Gannon came back with TD passes to WRs Jerry Porter and Tim Brown to put the game out of reach.
Gannon completed 29-of-39 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, including finding Rice seven times for 144 yards. With an 11-yard catch in the fourth quarter, Rice passed Walter Payton for the all-time record for yards gained from scrimmage in a career. Rice finished the game with 21,281 yards gained, including 20,649 on receptions and another 682 yards rushing.
McNair had a big day as well, completing 32-of-46 passes for 398 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. George had 26 rushing yards on 11 carries, while WR Derrick Mason led the Titans receiving corps with six grabs for 99 yards.
Seahawks 48, Vikings 23
The Vikings outscored the Seahawks 13-3 in the second half of their Sunday night game in Seattle. Unfortunately for Minnesota, it wasn't enough to make up for the 45 points the Vikings gave up in the first 30 minutes.
Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander scored four rushing touchdowns and took a screen pass 80 yards for another touchdown as Seattle overwhelmed Minnesota 48-23. Alexander scored a pair of rushing touchdowns — one from two yards out, the other a 20-yard scamper — in the first quarter, but Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper answered with a 12-yard TD run to cut Seattle's lead to 14-7.
After trading field goals to open the second period, the floodgates opened on Minnesota. First, Alexander scored on the 80-yard TD reception. Then Vikings KR Nick Davis fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Seahawks recovered, leading to a three-yard TD run by Alexander. Minnesota KR D'Wayne Bates then fumbled another kickoff, and Seattle again recovered the loose ball. Alexander went 14 yards for a TD on the next play, pushing the score to 38-10 and becoming the first player in NFL history to score five touchdowns in a single half.
Minnesota managed to keep possession on the next kickoff, but Culpepper threw an interception to S Reggie Tongue, who took the pick 46 yards for another touchdown. When the dust had cleared, the Seahawks had scored four touchdows in the span of 1:47.
The Vikings added a pair of TD runs by RB Moe Williams in the second half, but it wasn't enough to make it a game. Minnesota WR Randy Moss, who was arrested earlier in the week and spent a night in jail, suffered through a miserable game, catching six balls for 50 yards but dropping three passes in the endzone.
Culpepper finished 29-of-53 passing for 273 yards and two interceptions, while Williams led the Vikings' receivers with seven catches for 77 yards. RB Michael Bennett picked up 91 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Seattle QB Trent Dilfer completed 13-of-22 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown, but Alexander obviously was the star of the show. He tallied 134 rushing yards on 24 carries, and made three catches for 92 yards.