SportsOctober 21, 2002
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jason Elam kicked a 25-yard field goal with 12:03 left in overtime Sunday as the Denver Broncos rallied from a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 37-34. Elam's game-winner, set up by a 25-yard pass-interference penalty against Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield, came four plays after Keith Burns blocked Dan Stryzinski's punt and Dwayne Carswell recovered at the Kansas City 32...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jason Elam kicked a 25-yard field goal with 12:03 left in overtime Sunday as the Denver Broncos rallied from a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 37-34.

Elam's game-winner, set up by a 25-yard pass-interference penalty against Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield, came four plays after Keith Burns blocked Dan Stryzinski's punt and Dwayne Carswell recovered at the Kansas City 32.

Shannon Sharpe set a franchise record with 214 yards receiving and caught two second-half touchdown passes for Denver (5-2). Broncos quarterback Brian Griese completed 30 of 50 passes for 376 yards.

Priest Holmes ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Chiefs (3-4).

Chargers 27, Raiders 21, OT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- LaDainian Tomlinson ran 19 yards for the winning touchdown with 11:22 left in overtime as the Chargers (6-1) beat the Raiders (4-2) in a game between the AFC West's top teams.

Tomlinson carried 39 times for 153 yards, and his big day helped coach Marty Schottenheimer preserve an impressive winning streak against the Raiders.

Schottenheimer, who's in his first year with San Diego, has won five straight against the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and his teams have beaten the Silver and Black 20 times in 25 games since 1985.

Oakland's Jon Ritchie scored the tying TD on a 7-yard catch from Rich Gannon with 1:21 left in regulation.

Saints 35, 49ers 27

NEW ORLEANS -- Aaron Brooks scored on a 1-yard run with 1:56 left to seal the Saints' victory over the 49ers.

The Saints drew a penalty for having 12 men on the field, but 49ers coach Steve Mariucci declined so his offense could have as much time as possible to attempt a comeback.

But after outscoring San Francisco 22-3 in the fourth quarter, the Saints (6-1) clamped down on defense, shutting down the 49ers at the New Orleans 39.

The 49ers (4-2) got another touchdown pass from Terrell Owens, a 4-yarder from Jeff Garcia in the first quarter. A week after he took heat for pulling a pen out of his sock and signing the ball, Owens showed his sense of humor when he lifted up his feet so his teammates could inspect him for a writing instrument.

Garcia was 23-of-39 for 275 yards and a touchdown.

Saints running back Deuce McAllister, the NFC's leading rusher, had 139 yards on 21 carries. Brooks completed 23 of 35 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns.

Jets 20, Vikings 7

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After a disappointing 1-4 start, the Jets looked rejuvenated behind Chad Pennington, who completed 24 of 29 passes for 324 yards.

Pennington had his first career 300-yard game and won for the first time as a starter since taking over for Vinny Testaverde two weeks ago against Kansas City.

Minnesota (1-5), which was coming off a win over the Detroit Lions, has lost 13 straight road games.

Led by linebacker Mo Lewis, the New York defense forced Daunte Culpepper into three interceptions.

Bills 23, Dolphins 10

MIAMI -- Nate Clements tied a team record with three interceptions against Miami backup Ray Lucas, returning one for a touchdown to help the Bills exceed last year's victory total.

Buffalo, which went 3-13 last season, improved to 4-3 and closed within a game of Miami (5-2) in the AFC East. The Bills had lost their previous four games against the Dolphins.

Lucas had a miserable day filling in for Jay Fiedler, who is out at least six weeks with a broken right thumb. Making his first NFL start since 1999, he threw four interceptions and had a hand in two lost fumbles.

Drew Bledsoe went 15-for-31 for 182 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Eric Moulds.

Travis Henry outgained Miami's Ricky Williams with 132 yards; Williams had 97 yards.

Falcons 30, Panthers 0

ATLANTA -- In a virtuoso one-man performance, Michael Vick totaled 297 yards running and throwing to lead the Atlanta Falcons past the feeble Panthers.

Vick, who played only three quarters and missed the previous game with an ailing shoulder, had all sorts of plays worthy of the highlight reel, capped by a 44-yard touchdown run when he broke a tackle, tiptoed down the sideline and ran right into the tunnel.

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Atlanta (3-3) moved past the Panthers in the NFC South, winning for the third time in four games.

Ravens 17, Jaguars 10

BALTIMORE -- Chris Redman threw two touchdown passes to Todd Heap, and Baltimore's defense did the rest -- without Ray Lewis, who has a partially separated left shoulder.

The Ravens (3-3) repeatedly frustrated Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell, who threw three interceptions one week after getting a concussion against Tennessee.

Jacksonville's Fred Taylor ran for 151 yards and caught eight passes for 46 yards.

Trailing by 7 points, the Jags (3-3) got the ball back with 2:05 left and moved to the Baltimore 25 before rookie Will Demps picked off Brunell's pass on the final play.

Lions 23, Bears 20, OT

DETROIT -- Jason Hanson's 48-yard field goal with 10:18 left in overtime gave Detroit the victory over the Bears, who have lost four straight.

The Lions (2-4) matched their win total from last season. Chicago already has more regular-season losses than all of last year.

James Stewart ran for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit. Rookie quarterback Joey Harrington led a game-tying drive -- with no timeouts left -- that set up Hanson's 24-yard kick with 2 seconds left.

Chicago (2-4) got 92 yards rushing and a TD from Anthony Thomas.

Browns 34, Texans 17

CLEVELAND -- Tim Couch, booed by Cleveland fans in his previous home game, threw a 25-yard TD pass to Quincy Morgan, and the Browns sacked Houston quarterback David Carr nine times.

Cleveland rookie Andre Davis had a crucial 95-yard kickoff return for a TD, and William Green scored on a 1-yard run as the Browns (3-4) snapped a three-game losing streak by pulling away from a 7-all halftime tie.

The first-year Texans (1-5) have has lost five straight since a season-opening win over Dallas.

Eagles 20, Buccaneers 10

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb didn't put up great numbers, but he threw for one touchdown and ran for another as the Eagles beat Tampa Bay for the fourth straight time.

Philly (4-2) also beat the Bucs in the playoffs the past two seasons. Tampa Bay (5-2) had won five straight.

McNabb threw for 127 yards, and he was held to a career-low 4 yards rushing on six carries. But his 42-yard TD pass to Todd Pinkston in the second quarter put the Eagles in front for good, 10-7.

Duce Staley ran 24 times for 152 yards.

Tampa Bay's only touchdown came on an 11-yard fumble return by Derrick Brooks, his fourth TD of the season.

Cardinals 9, Cowboys 6, OT

TEMPE, Ariz. -- After missing field-goal attempts from 28 and 51 yards in the final 3:24 of regulation, Bill Gramatica kicked a 40-yarder with 3:10 left in overtime.

The Cardinals improved to 4-2, their best start since 1988 -- their first season in Arizona. They are tied with the 49ers for first place in the NFC West. Arizona plays at San Francisco next Sunday.

Quincy Carter threw four interceptions, two in the end zone, to end scoring threats for the Cowboys (3-4).

Packers 30, Redskins 9

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers improved to 6-1, and they breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that Brett Favre's sprained left knee wasn't as bad as it looked when he left in the third quarter.

Ahman Green had the first three-touchdown rushing performance of his career, helping Green Bay win its fifth straight.

The Redskins (2-4) managed just three field goals by James Tuthill.

Favre got sandwiched between Washington's LaVar Arrington and Jeremiah Trotter. An MRI was scheduled for today, but Favre is not expected to miss the Packers' next game, Nov. 4 against Miami.

-- From wire reports

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