1 2 3 4 T GNB (4-2) 0 21 3 7 31 CLE (1-6) 0 3 0 0 3 CLEVELAND -- On Green Bay's first offensive series, quarterback Aaron Rodgers got his helmet ripped off and punched in the face.

Aaron Rodgers On Packers' Season

 The Cleveland Browns hardly touched him again.

The Packers were the bullies.

"One of the linemen came over and said, 'Who was it? We got your back,'" Rodgers said. "That means a lot to me and that means a lot to our team."

Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards and the Packers warmed up for Brett Favre's first visit back to Lambeau Field next week with a 31-3 laugher Sunday over the Browns, who got over the flu but can't shake other problems.

It would have been understandable if the Packers (4-2) had overlooked an inferior opponent with their eyes on Favre's hyped return to Wisconsin with the Minnesota Vikings. But Rodgers and his teammates took care of business against the pathetic Browns (1-6), who have scored just four offensive touchdowns and 72 points all season.

Rodgers, who steps a little further out of Favre's immense shadow with each win, spent the afternoon focused on the Browns -- not Brett. So when did he allow himself to consider the rematch with the Vikings and No. 4, who beat the Packers 30-23 on Oct. 5 in Minneapolis?

"Just now," Rodgers said with a smile.

He finished 15 of 20 for 246 yards and the three TDs -- a 71-yarder to Donald Driver and 41-yarder to tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner in the first half, and a 5-yarder to James Jones to cap a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter after the Packers defense stopped Cleveland at the 1.

Despite being without injured starting left tackle Chad Clifton, Green Bay's offensive line did not give up a sack after allowing a league-high 25 coming in and blow open huge holes for Grant. Rodgers' white No. 12 jersey had no grass stains. He had plenty of time to throw and picked apart Cleveland's secondary.

In the first quarter, Browns linebacker David Bowens had tried to rough up Rodgers by yanking off his helmet during a tackle.

Rodgers didn't name Bowens, but said "96" when asked about the incident, which he called "kind of a dirty play."

Bowens said he was just playing hard.

"I was just trying to grab anything I had," he said. "It wasn't malicious, I was just trying to get a stop. I apologized to him for it. He can call it what he wants to call it, but the refs didn't call it. I'd treat him different if he was passing the ball, that's different. But if he's running the ball, he's a running back. It's called football."

Right now, the Browns aren't playing football.

They were outclassed again, dominated by the Packers, who outgained them 460-139 and seemed to know their every move.

Leading 7-3, Rodgers hooked up with Driver on a simple play the Packers practiced all week. Watching tape of Cleveland's loss at Pittsburgh, they noticed the Browns blitzed their safety in certain packages. So when Rodgers saw Abram Elam coming, he threw to the open spot and hit Driver in stride. The Packers' wide receiver shook off two tackling attempts by Wright and high-stepped into the end zone.

Rodgers said Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop did a better job in practice showing the defensive look that the Browns did in the game.

"We went long count and I was sitting there thinking, 'I hope that guy comes because if he comes it'll be a big play,'" Rodgers said. "I threw it quick and he looked quick and the rest was Driver being Driver."

Unlike Rodgers, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson was under duress for four quarters. He completed 12 of 29 passes for 99 yards -- just 44 after the first quarter. The Browns had 1st-and-goal at the 1 the fourth, but failed to score on two running plays and two incompletions.

By game's end, Browns Stadium was mostly empty and the only noise was coming from Green Bay fans chanting "Let's go Pack."

"We aren't good right now," Anderson said. "That's it. Period. We haven't executed. We haven't done the right things to win ballgames. We haven't run the ball effectively, thrown it where we needed to. We haven't protected up front like we need to and caught it when we need to."

Ending a tumultuous week with a lopsided loss was not what Browns coach Eric Mangini had in mind.

"It's a very disappointing performance across the board," Mangini said. "I don't think we played very well. I don't think we coached very well. I thought we were making progress in a lot of areas. I don't think we showed that today -- at all."

Game notes
Packers TE Jermichael Finley injured his left knee after a catch in the first quarter and did not return. WR Brett Swain also sustained a knee injury. The team said both would undergo further tests Monday. ... Josh Cribbs (7,214) moved into 18th place in career return yards, passing Bruce Harper (7,191).

1 2 3 4 T SFO (3-3) 0 0 7 14 21 HOU (4-3) 7 14 0 3 24 HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans have consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Never mind that they almost let this one slip away with a poor second half.

Steve Slaton scored two touchdowns and the Texans built a big lead before holding on for a 24-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The Texans (4-3) led 21-0 at halftime, then withstood a rally led by backup quarterback Alex Smith. Eugene Wilson's interception on fourth down halted the 49ers' last-gasp drive.

"We get down, they get up and they all of a sudden grabbed the momentum of the game," Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. "But we made some big plays late and defensively Eugene made a big play so it was a big, big win."

San Francisco (3-3) benched Shaun Hill after a terrible first half, and Smith threw three touchdowns to Vernon Davis to close the gap.

"I just thought it was time to make the switch," 49ers coach Mike Singletary said. "It was as simple as that. No long, drawn-out thought process. But let's make the change."

Singletary wouldn't say who would start next week.

Michael Crabtree started in his NFL debut and had five receptions for 56 yards. Singletary was pleased with Crabtree's performance.

"I was kind of calm," Crabtree said. "I practiced on getting calm and coming into the game, knowing what I was supposed to do and executing my plays. I think I did a good job, but I've got some more work to do."

Davis' third touchdown on a 23-yard reception got San Francisco within 24-21 with 3:49 remaining. Houston's only second-half points came on a 50-yard field goal by Kris Brown with about 7½ minutes left.

Crabtree's first game after ending a 71-day contract holdout Oct. 7 was overshadowed by the quarterback shake-up. In his first game since 2007, Smith sparked San Francisco's offense in the second half and was 15 of 22 for 206 yards. The former No. 1 overall draft pick made only one major blunder -- the desperation throw that Wilson picked off.

His first touchdown came on a 29-yard pass to Davis that made it 21-7, finishing a drive that included a 17-yard reception by Crabtree.

"Starting the second half, down three scores, you're seeing some stagnant looks from the defense, they're not throwing as much at you," Smith said.

Smith found Davis again on a 14-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-14 with about 13 minutes remaining. That score came 10 plays after Dashon Goldson forced and recovered a fumble by Slaton.

Mario Williams, who was the top overall pick the year after Smith, said dealing with the quarterback change was difficult.

"I didn't know who the guy was when he came out," Williams said. "I really didn't. It was one of those things where he definitely managed the game for them. He was getting rid of the ball on time and moving the ball."

Matt Schaub's 42-yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels made it 21-0 in the second quarter. Slaton's scores came on a 1-yard run and a 9-yard reception.

Schaub was 20 of 30 for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

The 49ers couldn't get anything going in the first quarter, netting just 1 yard as Hill was constantly hurried by the Texans' defensive front. Williams, who's been slowed by a sore shoulder, got his first sack since Oct. 4 when he took down Hill on San Francisco's first play.

The 49ers said the play was ruined because of a miscommunication between Hill and Crabtree.

"More than anything, it was just lack of experience," Hill said. "But after that, he knew exactly what happened and he was ready to move forward."

The 49ers managed only 50 yards and three first downs before halftime. It was the fewest yards the Texans have allowed in the first half in franchise history.

Hill finished just 6 of 11 for 45 yards.

Game notes
The Texans were without Andre Johnson on their last drive after the star receiver's chest was bruised earlier in the fourth quarter. ... 49ers RT Tony Pashos has a left shoulder contusion. Singletary did not immediately know the extent of the injury. Also injured were LB Takeo Spikes (right shoulder strain), DT Justin Smith (left calf strain), NT Aubrayo Franklin (right knee strain) and LB Marques Harris (hamstring strain). ... Former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush attended the game.

1 2 3 4 T SDG (3-3) 14 6 7 10 37 KAN (1-6) 0 0 7 0 7  KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- All that talk about San Diego getting better may not be all talk.

Six days after a disappointing Monday night loss to Denver in which they insisted they'd made strides, the Chargers swatted away the flu bug and stomped on Kansas City 37-7 Sunday, dominating in virtually every phase.

Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, LaDainian Tomlinson had a season-best 71 yards rushing and Nate Kaeding, who was vomiting with flulike symptoms Saturday, kicked three field goals.

"Last week, we felt like we made progress," Rivers said. "We had the attitude we were looking for, focus, but we didn't win. But we knew we got better."

The Chargers (3-3) battled the flu much of the week. Tomlinson was unable to practice Wednesday, but the five-time Pro Bowl selection showed signs of getting back to his old self. His 36-yard run got the Chargers rolling on their first touchdown drive against the hapless Chiefs (1-6) and was his longest since last Dec. 28 against Denver.

"It kind of got us going," Tomlinson said. "It was something we needed and it was a big play for us. It was a staple of our offense. It's been around for years, old power. It was perfectly blocked and was just a great job of execution."

With cold rain falling in the fourth quarter and Chiefs fans probably thinking nothing else could go wrong, something else did. Jacob Hester blew in from Dustin Colquitt's right and blocked his punt.

The ball cooperated nicely, skittering 20 yards back into the end zone and waiting there for Hester to fall on it for San Diego's final TD.

"My leg was coming through and any time you heard that double thump ... I didn't see him at all until the last second," said Colquitt, whose punting has been one of the few bright spots for Kansas City. "That double thump is a bad sound."

Virtually invincible in Arrowhead Stadium in the 1990s, the Chiefs have lost 10 straight at home and 29 of their last 32.

"We want to win for the home fans, for us, for everyone out there watching," nose tackle Ron Edwards said. "It's real painful."

Rivers was 18 for 30 for 268 yards and three TDs as the Chargers won their third in a row in Kansas City for the first time since 1981. They took a 20-0 halftime lead.

"Any time you come to Kansas City and win, it's good," said Rivers, who had two 51-yard completions to Vincent Jackson. "We talked about getting on a roll and you've got to win one first before you can. Hopefully, this is something we can build on."

The Chiefs had hoped a sloppy win over Washington the week before might provide some much-needed momentum to first-year coach Todd Haley's faltering program. But they played miserably in just about every phase.

"You never want to lose at home and you never want to lose in this fashion," Cassel said. "It's going to be a hard film to watch."

Cassel was only 10 for 25 for 97 yards. He threw three interceptions and an injury-weakened line allowed him to be sacked four times.

The Chargers reeled off 135 yards on the ground after averaging a nearly league-worst 57.6 the first five games.

"It was a game we could have scored 50-something, we felt like," said Rivers, whose touchdown passes covered 3 yards to Malcolm Floyd, 10 to Jackson and 58 to Darren Sproles, who was wide open in the right flat and outran a safety into the end zone. "What we scored was enough and it's good to win a game."

Kaeding connected on kicks of 20, 39 and 19 yards.

"I thought our guys got prepared to play and played well and we were able to take away the things that Kansas City does best," Chargers coach Norv Turner said.

Kansas City's already injury-weakened offensive line took a severe hit late in the first quarter when center Rudy Niswanger went out with a knee injury. Wade Smith, who started for injured left tackle Branden Albert, moved to center and Barry Richardson came off the bench to play left tackle.

The Chiefs did manage to break a six-quarter touchdown drought in their first possession of the second half when Cassel connected with Dwayne Bowe on a 7-yard toss.

Game notes
Both kickers missed a 43-yard field goal. KC rookie Ryan Succop missed after going 4 for 4 the week before and getting the game ball. ... A steady rain fell much of the second half, which the Chiefs had hoped would be in their favor against the Californians. Knowing rain was forecast for Sunday, the Chiefs had practiced in a hard rain all day on Wednesday.

1 2 3 4 T IND (6-0) 14 7 7 14 42 STL (0-7) 3 0 3 0 6 ST. LOUIS -- The Indianapolis Colts were too good Sunday for Peyton Manning to tie the NFL record with his sixth straight 300-yard game.

It wouldn't have been appropriate for Manning to try for the mark the way his unbeaten team was beating up on the woeful St. Louis Rams. Manning still threw for three touchdowns in a 42-6 victory.

"He functions pretty well within the system," coach Jim Caldwell said. "He does a great job leading our team and being a field general. I don't think he reached 300 yards, but nevertheless he was very effective."

Manning was 23 for 34 for 235 yards, and the defense got its first score of the year on rookie Jacob Lacey's 35-yard interception return. Looking fresh coming off their bye, the Colts won their 15th straight regular-season game and set a franchise record with their eighth straight road victory.

"My hat's off to them," Rams defensive tackle Clifton Ryan said. "Don't be surprised if they compete for a Super Bowl."

There were plenty of cheers from a sellout crowd that included a healthy contingent of Indianapolis fans, many of whom lingered to salute players after the game.

"We had a great following today. It was outstanding," said tight end Dallas Clark, who had a 27-yard TD catch. "When we were introduced it felt like a home game."

The Colts are 6-0 for the fourth time in five seasons.

The Rams (0-7) lost their 17th straight regular-season game, wasting a season-best 134 yards on 23 carries by Steven Jackson.

St. Louis' highlight came on its opening possession, a 50-yard flea-flicker from Marc Bulger to Donnie Avery to the Colts 14, but the drive fizzled and the Colts forced a short field goal.

Jackson has three 100-yard games but no touchdowns. The Rams have been drilled by the Packers, Vikings and Colts in three home games by a combined 116-33.

"We have to learn to put four good quarters together," Jackson said. "We don't know how to win a game right now."

The Colts intercepted Bulger twice, and Dwight Freeney ran his sack streak to seven straight games -- three off the NFL record -- by beating rookie Jason Smith. Safety Bob Sanders (knee surgery) got out of his season debut unscathed, getting 25 snaps and making his lone stop on Jackson one play after whiffing on Avery.

"Everything looks good," Sanders said. "It's been a long time since I played a game and not had any trouble."

Indianapolis' offense had plenty despite losing Reggie Wayne (groin) for a quarter and Donald Brown (shoulder) for most of the last three quarters. The Colts led 21-3 at halftime and never looked back, even without huge numbers from Manning, who missed a chance to tie Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon for the longest string of 300-yard games in NFL history.

Manning wasn't sacked and rarely touched. He did hit one milestone, passing Warren Moon for fourth on the career completion list.

"I really appreciate the protection I've been getting," Manning said. "It's something I don't take for granted."

Wayne had seven catches for 83 yards with a 6-yard scoring reception on the opening drive, but seemed to lack burst after returning and had one catch for 7 yards the rest of the way.

"He was feeling it a little bit toward the end of the second half, so we took him out," Caldwell said. "Hopefully he can recover from it quickly."

There's been no suspense to the Colts' last four games, won by a total of 138-42. That no doubt hurt Manning, who had 24 yards passing in the fourth quarter, although that total included an 8-yard scoring pass to Austin Collie.

Game notes
Rams long snapper Chris Massey will miss the rest of the season after tearing a left knee ligament in the second quarter. Massey was carted off the field. ... Rams OG Richie Incognito (left foot) limped off in the fourth quarter and will undergo an MRI exam Monday. CB Bradley Fletcher (hyperextended right knee) and Avery (ribs, shoulder) also were injured. ... The Colts' Kelvin Hayden, who intercepted Bulger in the fourth quarter, missed the previous three games with a hamstring injury. ... The Colts are 5-0 coming off the bye week since 2005.

1 2 3 4 T NWE (5-2) 14 7 7 7 35 TAM (0-7) 0 7 0 0 7 WEMBLEY, England -- It took a trip across the Atlantic for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to get their first road victory of the season. For the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the change of scenery produced yet another loss.

Brady threw three touchdown passes and had more than 300 yards as the Patriots (5-2) beat the Buccaneers 35-7 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday in the NFL's third regular-season game at the iconic London venue.

The Bucs, who gave up a home game to play in London, fell to 0-7 and saw their losing streak extended to 11 games overall.

The Patriots were coming off a 59-0 win over the Tennessee Titans in which Brady tossed six TD passes. New England wasn't as overpowering this time, and Brady even threw two interceptions in an uneven first-half performance.

But, with a 39-yard score on an interception return by safety Brandon Meriweather on the fifth play of the game, New England was always in control against the league's 27th-ranked defense.

Brady had TD passes to Wes Welker, Sam Aiken and Benjamin Watson. He finished 23 of 32 for 308 yards and was replaced late in the game by Brian Hoyer. Laurence Maroney went over from 1 yard out with 9:25 left to complete the scoring.

"I'm feeling great," Brady said. "I keep rolling. That's two wins in a row. We went out there and put two touchdowns on the board there in the second half. We had plenty of distractions coming over here, but everybody was really energized. To get the win and fly home and have a [bye] week off is just great."

Tampa Bay and quarterback Josh Johnson mustered little offense. The Bucs' only score came on a 33-yard pass from Johnson to Antonio Bryant near the end of the first half. Johnson finished 9 of 26 for 156 yards and three interceptions. He was taken out midway through the fourth quarter and replaced by rookie Josh Freeman.

The game was played before a sellout crowd of 84,254 at Wembley, England's national stadium.

It's the third straight year the NFL has come to London for a regular-season game. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week he envisions playing multiple regular-season games in Britain in coming years with the possibility of London having its own franchise.

Sunday's atmosphere was noisy and festive, and the dry weather left the Wembley field in good playing condition.

Brady said it even had the feel of a Super Bowl.

"All the flashbulbs were going off there before the kickoff," the two-time Super Bowl MVP said. "They went on for about 10 minutes, which you don't see in the States too often. I think it's a privilege to come over here and get to enjoy this type of experience. It will probably never happen again for us, so we'll retire 1-0 internationally."

Even understated Patriots coach Bill Belichick was happy with the international experience.

"It's a great way to end this week," he said. "It's been an enjoyable couple days here and glad we could end it on a positive note."

For the Patriots, it was their first victory on the road this season after losses at the New York Jets and Denver Broncos.

The loss capped a bad day for the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers. The Glazers' also control English soccer powerhouse Manchester United, which lost to Liverpool 2-0 earlier in the day and missed a chance to regain first place in the Premier League from Chelsea. Brothers Bryan and Joel Glazer were at Wembley for the Bucs game.

The Bucs' 11-game losing streak is their longest since 1976-77 when they endured an NFL-record 0-26 skid.

Rookie coach Raheem Morris said his team just couldn't stop Brady.

"Tom, he's the guy that changed the game. He's the guy you worry about constantly," he said. "When you have a great quarterback like that, that's what he does and that's what he will do for you."

The tone of the game was set on the first series when Meriweather stepped in front of Sammie Stroughter on a short slant, picked off Johnson's throw and ran untouched into the end zone.

"I just happened to have a good break on the ball," Meriweather said. "I think the quarterback and receiver were on two different pages, and he just happened to throw it to me. Any big play sets the mood."

Brady hit Welker with a 14-yard TD pass after a 37-yard completion to Randy Moss. Welker took the quick throw behind the line of scrimmage, then weaved his way through the defenders into the end zone with 2:16 left in the first quarter.

The Patriots were driving for a third score early in the second quarter when Brady, who had completed his first seven passes, scrambled out of the pocket and lofted a pass into the end zone for Moss that was picked off by Tanard Jackson.

But Brady came back on his next series, ducked away from the rush and dumped the ball over the middle to Aiken, who slipped a tackle by Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud and went down the sideline for a 54-yard score to make it 21-0 with 11:18 left in the half.

Brady was picked off for the second time in four passes when he made a deep throw over the middle to Brandon Tate that was intercepted by a leaping Aqib Talib.

After an anemic Tampa Bay passing performance for the most of the first half, Bryant beat cornerback Darius Butler down the right sideline and hauled in Johnson's scoring pass.

Brady led the Patriots on a 73-yard, 10-play drive to open the second half, hitting tight end Watson with a 35-yard pass over linebacker Geno Hayes to make it 28-7.

Game notes
The pregame festivities had a local flavor, with a performance by Scottish rock singer Calvin Harris. Welsh opera star Katherine Jenkins sang "God Save the Queen" and Grammy winner Toni Braxton performed "The Star-Spangled Banner." ... Former middleweight boxing champion Joe Calzaghe served as honorary captain of the Bucs..... The Pats had only three active running backs Sunday, with Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor both ruled out with injuries.

1 2 3 4 T MIN (6-1) 0 7 3 7 17 PIT (5-2) 3 7 3 14 27 PITTSBURGH -- Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings were anything but perfect.

The Vikings couldn't gain a half-yard when it might have turned the game, then watched the Steelers' big-play defense end their unbeaten season with two long touchdown returns in the final 6½ minutes.

LaMarr Woodley's 77-yard fumble return and Keyaron Fox's 82-yard interception return on turnovers by Favre allowed the Steelers to turn back Minnesota's repeated comeback attempts, and the Steelers rode three major defensive stands to an important 27-17 victory Sunday.

The anticipated quarterback showdown between Favre and NFL passing leader Ben Roethlisberger became a defensive duel. And the Super Bowl champion Steelers (5-2) -- No. 1 defensively the last two seasons -- are tough to beat in any game that's decided by defense.

The Vikings (6-1) conceded as much in the third quarter when, after failing to score from a half-yard out on three plays in which Peterson got the ball only once, they settled for a field goal that kept Pittsburgh in the lead at 13-10.

To the Steelers, the goal-line stand was as decisive as the two defensive touchdowns that followed.

"That's the biggest point of the game," safety Ryan Clark said. "You have the best running back in the world and you don't give it to him. They're saying they can't beat us running, and that's a major statement when you have the guy they have back there."

Woodley's return, with the linebacker huffing and puffing for the final 30 yards after Brett Keisel stripped Favre of the ball, was reminiscent of James Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl against Arizona. Coach Mike Tomlin called it "one of those slow-motion moments that are a joy in this business."

The touchdown put the Steelers up 20-10 with 6:23 remaining, after the Vikings drove to the Steelers 8 and were in position to take their first lead since Peterson's 2-yard touchdown run put them up 7-3 in the second quarter.

"I got to the 40 and I didn't think I was going to make it," Woodley said.

The Vikings weren't done, not in this season of last-minute surprises. Percy Harvin answered with an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown, but Favre couldn't pull this one out after twice previously rallying the Vikings in the closing minutes.

"There were a lot of what ifs, a lot of reasons we didn't win," Favre said. "The red zone was one of them. They're physical, and they were as good as we thought they'd be. ... When I came here and looked at our schedule [and saw the Steelers game], I went, 'Oh-h-h.' "

With Favre hitting Peterson on a 29-yard pass play, the Vikings drove to the Steelers 18 with just over a minute remaining, and their biggest victory of an improbably good season awaited.

But Fox intercepted Favre's pass intended for Chester Taylor and returned it almost the length of the field, with nearly every Viking except Favre in pursuit. Favre had been intercepted only twice previously.

"Brett tried to force it in there and the running back bobbled it and slipped out of his hands and it fell into my lap," Fox said. "I had just run across the field after Peterson and I was winded, so it felt like it was 100-plus yards."

The Vikings' most significant missed opportunity came when they had the ball only a foot or so from the goal line midway through the third period. Peterson, held to 69 yards on 18 carries after averaging 161.5 yards in his first two games against AFC North teams, failed to get in on first down.

On the next two downs, Favre couldn't get the ball to covered receivers in the end zone. Coach Brad Childress then settled for Ryan Longwell's 18-yard field goal rather than go for it on fourth down, as the crowd of 65,597 -- a Steelers record at Heinz Field -- loudly cheered the potentially decisive stand.

"We had three chances," Favre said. "It's easy to look back now and say we should've done this or should've done that. I would think handing it to Adrian, he'd get it in. I'm sure he will say he should've went in, but ..."

Said Peterson, "Playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers and their defense -- I felt it's the best defense we're going to face -- you've got to get those seven points. I was highly upset about having to settle for three points."

Favre (34 of 51, 334 yards) was better statistically than Roethlisberger (14 of 26, 175 yards) -- except for the turnovers. The Vikings outgained Pittsburgh 386-259, but couldn't outscore the Steelers defense.

Game notes
Steelers DE Travis Kirschke (calf) and LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle) left with injuries during the frantic fourth quarter, after Vikings WR Bernard Berrian (left leg) was pulled. ... Minnesota had only four turnovers in its first six games. ... Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in its last 25 regular-season games.

	1	2	3	4	T
BUF (3-4)	7	0	0	13	20
CAR (2-4)	0	2	0	7	9

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A quick peek of the box score and you'd think it was impossible the Buffalo Bills won. They were outgained almost 3-to-1, had only nine first downs and had a nearly 10-minute deficit in time of possession.

Then you see the stat that decided the game and defined Jake Delhomme's miserable season with Carolina: turnovers.

Delhomme was picked off three more times, and the Panthers committed four turnovers to Buffalo's none Sunday, allowing for the suddenly surging Bills' bizarre 20-9 win in Ryan Fitzpatrick's debut as starting quarterback.

"You can't really complain about a win," Bills receiver Terrell Owens said after another quiet day. "Defensively, those guys are keeping us in ballgames."

Buffalo (3-4) won its second straight despite being outgained 425-167 by getting two more interceptions from Jairus Byrd that set up touchdowns. The Bills recovered Kenny Moore's fumbled punt late in the fourth quarter and watched John Kasay miss two field goals for Carolina (2-4).

Delhomme's interception total has reached an NFL-high 13 -- with only four touchdowns -- and coach John Fox said he'd "evaluate" whether Delhomme keeps his job. Delhomme badly overthrew two passes that led to 14 Buffalo points, and hedged when asked if he should remain the starter ahead of Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley.

"In my heart, yeah, but I mean let's be honest, I don't think I'm a dummy," said Delhomme, whose passer rating is 56.5. "When you're not playing well offensively, you always have to look at the quarterback."

Fitzpatrick was hardly spectacular, but he avoided the big mistakes that have doomed Delhomme. Replacing Trent Edwards following his concussion last week, Fitzpatrick was 11 of 22 for 123 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

"He made the plays when we had to make them," said coach Dick Jauron, who has led the Bills to two stirring wins in a row to take some pressure off himself.

Just like the overtime win over the Jets, the Bills won ugly thanks to their surprising rookie safety.

Byrd, a second-round pick from Oregon, now has five interceptions in three games. The second one Sunday, coming after Carolina's Steve Smith deflected Delhomme's overthrown pass, was returned to the Buffalo 27. Fitzpatrick then split two defenders to find Lee Evans for a 2-yard TD and a 14-2 lead early in the fourth quarter.

At that point, the Bills were being outgained 333-95.

Byrd had an easy interception of a badly overthrown ball in the first quarter and returned it to the Carolina 7. Two plays later, Marshawn Lynch was barely touched on a 7-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

"I can't remember a streak like this," Byrd said.

Carolina got within 17-9 after Delhomme found Smith for 48 yards on fourth down, then DeAngelo Williams scrambled 15 yards for a TD on another fourth down.

The Panthers got the ball back with more than 5 minutes left, but Moore -- who had replaced the injured Captain Munnerlyn -- fumbled the punt return. Derek Fine recovered for Buffalo at the 20, redemption for a Bills team that has lost two games with the help of special teams miscues

The defense kept Carolina in it, getting its second safety in three games when Hollis Thomas led a swarm of players to tackle Fred Jackson in the end zone to make it 7-2 at halftime.

The Panthers, without linebacker Thomas Davis (knee), also harassed Fitzpatrick, who badly underthrew Owens on what would've been a touchdown. Owens was held to three catches for 27 yards, but it didn't matter because the Panthers kept self-destructing.

After Kasay missed from 43 and 39 yards, coach John Fox decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Buffalo 13 early in the third quarter, but Paul Posluszny stuffed Jonathan Stewart for a 2-yard loss.

Buffalo entered with the NFL's worst rushing defense, were without both starting safeties because of injury, and lost starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams (knee) early in the first quarter.

Yet Buffalo has won two road games in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2004.

"Never once on the sidelines was there any doubt that we were going to win the game," Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay said. "Regardless if it's an ugly win over not, it's hard to win in this league."

Game notes
Evans had five catches for 75 yards to go over 5,000 yards in his career. ... After being held to one catch last week, Smith had six catches for 99 yards. Smith was emotional after the game as he mourns the death of Robert Taylor, his coach at Santa Monica College. ... Panthers TE Dante Rosario (knee) and S Charles Godfrey (ankle) left the game. ... Bills FB Corey McIntyre sprained his ankle.

	1	2	3	4	T
NYJ (4-3)	14	10	7	7	38
OAK (2-5)	0	0	0	0	0

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Sanchez had to apologize for his sideline demeanor again. This time, he was hot-dogging it. Literally.

Sanchez shook off the worst start of his young career by running for one touchdown and throwing for another, before taking time to munch on a snack in the closing minutes of a 38-0 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Sanchez was criticized last week for looking dejected on the sideline while throwing five interceptions in an overtime loss to Buffalo. He was happy enough after this performance that he was caught by television cameras trying to discretely eat a hot dog at the end of the blowout.

"I want to apologize for that," he said. "I wasn't feeling very good and didn't eat much before the game, so I was feeling a little queasy. Toward the end of the game, I probably should have eaten one of those bars or something, but someone offered [a hot dog], so I grabbed it and tried to be discreet about it, but obviously not discreet enough. So I shouldn't have done that, and it won't happen again."

The game plan for the Jets (4-3) was to take pressure off Sanchez and they did just that by forcing four turnovers and becoming the first team in 34 years to run for at least 300 yards in two straight games. And that was after losing Leon Washington to a broken right leg.

The Jets started two of their first three drives at the Oakland 4 after turnovers by JaMarcus Russell, setting up touchdown runs by Thomas Jones and Sanchez.

"It makes it so easy on the offense when your defense is playing like that," Sanchez said. "Hats off to them, they had a heck of a game to shut that team out. I don't care who we're playing, that's a big-time accomplishment for our team."

It was so bad for Oakland that Russell, its former No. 1 overall pick, was benched in the first half after committing three early turnovers. This was the most lopsided home loss in the 50-year history of the Raiders (2-5). They were shut out at home for the fifth time ever, with four coming in the past four seasons. The crowd of 39,354 was the smallest since the team returned to Oakland in 1995.

"I don't think we could have beaten an Oakland high school team today," said defensive lineman Richard Seymour, who earlier in the week said the Raiders would make the playoffs.

Rookie Shonn Greene ran for 144 yards and two scores, and Jones had 121 on 26 carries as the Jets ended up with 316 on the ground.

Calvin Pace beat right tackle Khalif Barnes on the first play from scrimmage, sacking Russell and forcing a fumble that Marques Douglas recovered at the 4. Jones eventually scored from the 1 on fourth down.

Jim Leonhard then intercepted a badly overthrown ball by Russell, who was pressured by David Harris, and returned it 44 yards to the 4. Two plays later, Sanchez scored on a 3-yard quarterback draw.

Sanchez got into the act passing the ball in the second half with a pretty 35-yard strike to David Clowney, but by that point it didn't really matter as the blowout was already on. Sanchez was 9 for 15 for 143 yards with no interceptions.

"Sanchez was great," Ryan said. "He was just smart with the football. I think sometimes he could have put the ball on a receiver, but he was making sure the ball wasn't intercepted. It was great to see him respond."

The Raiders came in full of confidence following last week's 13-9 victory over Philadelphia. The week got only better when the Napa County district attorney announced Thursday he would not file charges against Cable for an alleged attack on a former defensive assistant.

But any good feeling ended as soon as this game started, as Oakland lost by at least 20 points for the fourth time in five weeks.

Russell has committed 13 turnovers and completed just 46 percent of his passes in a horrific start to his third NFL season. He has been booed heavily in the past three home games and was finally benched late in the second quarter.

"I thought he was really out of sorts early in the game," Cable said. "I just did not feel like at that point he gave us the best chance to have the success we needed to have offensively and made the move. JaMarcus will continue to be our starter. There is no issue there."

Russell was 6 for 11 for 61 yards, with two interceptions and a fumble. He disagreed with his coach's assessment, saying he felt just fine but that the results weren't there.

"I've never been in that situation," he said. "It was kind of shocking to me at first."

Backup Bruce Gradkowski also lost a fumble to end one potential scoring drive and failed to convert on fourth-and-goal in the closing minutes.

Game notes
The Jets had lost all four of their games on the West Coast last season, including an overtime defeat in Oakland. ... The last team to run for at least 300 yards in back-to-back weeks was Buffalo in 1975.

	1	2	3	4	T
CHI (3-3)	0	3	0	7	10
CIN (5-2)	14	17	7	7	45

CINCINNATI -- Cedric Benson smiled as he greeted his old Bears teammates and coaches at midfield, warmly pumping their hands or wrapping a beefy arm around their shoulder pads for a hug.

No need to rub it in. Everyone knew what he'd just done.

He got his revenge, all right.

Benson ran for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown against the team that let him go, and Carson Palmer threw five touchdown passes -- four during Cincinnati's dominant first half -- in a shocking 45-10 victory Sunday that will go down as one of the worst days in Bears history.

"Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional day," said Benson, who spent two turmoil-filled seasons in Chicago. "Everybody knew. What a wonderful day and a wonderful thing, to go out there and strut your stuff."

All around, there was strut in their stride.

The Bengals improved to 5-2 for the first time since 2005, when a fast-strike offense got them to the playoffs. There was a strong resemblance in the first half, when Cincinnati scored on all five possessions and went up 31-0. It tied for the third-most points the Bears (3-3) have allowed in an opening half.

In that half alone, Chad Ochocinco had 103 yards receiving and Benson had 98 yards rushing as the Bears gave up more points than they had in any game all season. Palmer finished 20 of 24 for 233 yards, one shy of his career high for touchdown throws.

"I don't understand why it went this way today and why it didn't go that way last week or the week before that," said Ochocinco, who had 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. "The offensive line played unbelievable. For Ced to run the way he did today and for us to be able to throw, we could have done what we wanted to do."

Something wasn't right on Chicago's reshuffled defense.

The Bears have constantly rearranged their linebackers because of injuries, including Brian Urlacher's dislocated right wrist. Middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer moved outside Sunday in the latest revamping, and the line was missing tackle Tommie Harris.

Even with that, it was hard to explain.

"That was pretty embarrassing," defensive end Alex Brown said. "It's embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do."

Especially No. 32.

The focus was on Benson, who was Chicago's top draft pick in 2005 but couldn't crack the starting lineup for long or earn a spot in some of his teammates' hearts. They let him go after two stormy years, and the Bengals signed him last season.

Carrying a grudge, he played like a No. 1 pick.

Benson ran for 32 yards on the Bengals' opening drive, even taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation. Lowering his shoulder for extra yards, he topped 100 in the half, before a loss dropped him down. After his 1-yard touchdown run made it 45-3, he merely flipped the ball aside.

"He wanted to get back at us," Bears safety Danieal Manning said. "We expected that, and would expect nothing less."

Benson was so inspired that he got a little too excited early in the game.

"There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy," he said. "A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling."

It quickly became a wrecking job, one so complete that Benson could be magnanimous.

"I continue to be as graceful as I can be," he said. "I'm not shoving anything in anybody's face. Like I say, it wasn't a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities."

While Benson did the bruising work, Palmer -- playing with a brace on his sprained left (non-throwing) thumb for the second straight week -- piled up the points. Palmer threw short touchdown passes to different receivers on the first four drives.

Chicago hadn't given up so many first-half points since 2003.

Forced to throw, Jay Cutler had a tough time against a Bengals defense missing its best pass rusher. Antwan Odom had surgery last week for a torn Achilles tendon. In its first game without him, Cincinnati barely missed him.

Cutler got a two-year extension last week through the 2013 season, an extra $20 million guaranteed as a sign of the Bears' faith. In his first game since the show of confidence, Cutler threw three interceptions, fumbled two snaps and finished 26 of 37 for 251 yards.

Game notes
It was Chicago's most lopsided loss since a 49-7 defeat at San Francisco in the first game of 2003. ... The Bears' record for most points allowed in a first half is 34 at Baltimore on Oct. 4, 1958. They gave up 33 in the first half of that 49-7 loss to San Francisco in 2003. They've given up 31 points four times. ... Palmer threw six touchdown passes in Cleveland for his career high. ... It was Cincinnati's most lopsided win since a 38-3 victory over the Texans in 2002.

	1	2	3	4	T
ATL (4-2)	7	0	7	7	21
DAL (4-2)	0	17	7	13	37

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The young backup who comes from nowhere to make big play after big play for the Dallas Cowboys is the storyline made famous by Tony Romo. Now, he's leading Miles Austin down that same path.

Austin proved his incredible performance in his first career start was no fluke by catching six more passes for 171 yards and two long touchdowns, sending Dallas to a 37-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday that the Cowboys hope shows they're no fluke, either.

Dallas (4-2) had been alternating wins and losses, needing overtime to beat Kansas City last time out. Now the Cowboys have consecutive wins and this was their first against a winning team.

It also was their best overall performance, with Romo having fun without making any careless mistakes, the defense making Matt Ryan miserable and the special teams breaking the game open with a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown by Patrick Crayton.

Coincidence or not, Dallas is 2-0 since Austin became a starter. Could this turn into the same kind of boost the Cowboys got when Romo burst onto the scene in 2006?

Austin is an undrafted guy in his fourth season who'd done little more than special teams the first three years, all of which follows Romo's script. With Terrell Owens gone, the fast kid from Monmouth College showed he could be the new deep threat with a team-record 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs, and backed it up Sunday with touchdowns of 59 and 22 yards.

"He's definitely a big part of this offense," Romo said. "I'm glad to see all his hard work and effort is paying off."

Atlanta came in 4-1, matching the best start in franchise history, but former Falcons star Keith Brooking, DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Dallas defense pestered Ryan into four sacks, two interceptions and two fumbles. He only lost one, and on the very next play Romo hit the long TD pass to Austin, which put the Cowboys ahead for good.

Ryan had gone 142 passes without a sack and had gone down only twice all season before Dallas got him on consecutive plays in the first quarter.

"It's frustrating because we feel we can play better," said Ryan, who finished 19 of 35 for 198 yards and two touchdowns.

Two of the sacks and the lost fumble were caused by Ware, the NFL's reigning sack king, who was stuck at zero sacks through four games. Brooking didn't have any huge plays, but his energy and excitement were as evident as ever a few days before his 34th birthday.

"The last thing I was told by one of the coaches is this is a young man's game. I guess an old man can still play in this league," said Brooking, who grew up in Atlanta, went to college at Georgia Tech and played 11 seasons for the Falcons until being forced to leave when he wasn't re-signed in the offseason.

The Falcons trail undefeated New Orleans in the NFC South and will have to bounce back quickly because the teams will meet in the Superdome next Monday night.

Romo didn't have a single yard passing in the first quarter, just 17 running on a third-and-18 scramble. He was hit hard in the back at the end of that play, then got an ice pack on his neck while sitting on the bench. Backup Jon Kitna got ready to go in, but Romo wouldn't miss a snap.

Romo finished 21 of 29 for 311 yards and three touchdowns. His biggest play came right at the end of the first half. It was second-and-goal from the 5 and Dallas was out of timeouts when Romo eluded three defenders, popped up and threw a touchdown pass to Crayton that stretched the lead to 17-7 at halftime. Had he taken the sack, time would've run out without Dallas getting any points.

Romo used to run around and make plays like that all the time. He hasn't done it much this season, with coaches preaching being smarter with the football. But this was the right time to switch into swashbuckling mode and it paid off.

"I think that you've got a wiser and you've got a more experienced Tony Romo than of old, and I think you see he's still got some of that instinctive thing that he can make plays and make winning plays," team owner Jerry Jones said.

Crayton's two touchdowns came in his first game since losing his jobs as a starting receiver and as the punt returner, replaced by Austin and newly signed Allen Rossum. Crayton got the return job back when Rossum hurt a hamstring on his first return.

"[Crayton] is the kind of guy you want on your football team," Dallas coach Wade Phillips said. "He's going to make plays when he has opportunities."

Game notes
Atlanta scored a TD on its opening drive for the first time this season. The Falcons led the league in first-quarter scoring last season. ... It was a record-low crowd at Cowboys Stadium for the first daytime game, drawing "only" 81,521. ... Austin's 171 yards are the most by a Cowboys receiver following a 200-yard outing.

	1	2	3	4	T
NOR (6-0)	3	7	14	22	46
MIA (2-4)	14	10	10	0	34

MIAMI -- Drew Brees emerged from the locker room with a fresh cut under his chin and another between his eyebrows.

He made the Miami Dolphins look worse.

Brees and the unbeaten New Orleans Saints fell behind for the first time all season, then overcame a 21-point deficit Sunday to beat Miami 46-34.

The NFL's highest-scoring team topped 40 points for the fourth time and outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the fourth quarter.

"There was no doubt on our sideline we would come back and win," said Brees, who threw for 298 yards. "They had given us their best shot, and we had played about as bad as we could play. All we had to do was string together a few drives and gain the momentum back. We knew it was going to happen, and it did."

NFL passing leader Brees had his worst day of the season, with three interceptions, a lost fumble and five sacks. But he led touchdown drives of 82, 79 and 60 yards on successive possessions in the second half to put New Orleans ahead.

Tracy Porter's 54-yard interception return then sealed the win for the Saints (6-0), who are off to their best start since 1991 and are the only unbeaten team in the NFC.

"It can be a season-defining win," linebacker Scott Shanle said. "This was a test we hadn't faced yet, and we couldn't be happier with the way we responded."

Brees threw for one touchdown and scored twice. After his 2-yard keeper with 8:35 left gave the Saints their first lead, he celebrated by dunking the ball over the crossbar.

"There are times in the game when a team just needs an emotional lift," he said. "I felt like I had to do something to get everybody hyped. The first thing that came to mind was to dunk it."

Fading at the finish, the Dolphins (2-4) fell 2 1/2 games behind AFC East leader New England.

"This was our game to win," Miami's Ricky Williams said. "We fought and we fought. They just fought harder at the end."

Williams carried only nine times but tied a career high with three touchdowns rushing, including a 68-yard run, the longest of his career. At that point, the Dolphins appeared en route to a stunning blowout.

By the time the Saints picked up their second first down 22 minutes into the game, Miami led 24-3. Against New Orleans, that wasn't enough of a cushion.

"With Drew Brees, it's like the score is 0-0," Miami cornerback Vontae Davis said. "We knew they would come back and that it would be a tough game."

Two Dolphins turnovers and an ill-advised timeout helped New Orleans back into the game.

After Davone Bess lost a fumble at midfield late in the first half, Marques Colston caught a 21-yard pass that was initially ruled a TD. When a replay review with 5 seconds left determined the ball should instead be placed at the half-yard line, the Dolphins called timeout.

With the Saints trailing by 21, coach Sean Payton sent his field goal unit into the game. During the timeout, Brees lobbied for a shot at a touchdown.

"I just told him I'd get it," Brees said. "I said, 'I'll get the touchdown. I know exactly what to do."

The Saints' offense returned to the field, and Brees plunged across the goal line to make the score 24-10.

New Orleans struck again barely a minute into the second half when Darren Sharper scored on an interception return for the third time this season. The 42-yard runback came after he snatched a pass that deflected off the hands of receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

The pace of scoring soon became frantic, with three touchdowns in less than three minutes. The Saints drove 82 yards for a score to pull within 27-24, but Miami's Brian Hartline turned a short pass into a 67-yard gain to set up Williams' third score.

Jeremy Shockey then broke two tackles on a 66-yard reception for New Orleans, and two plays later Reggie Bush scored from 10 yards out on a reverse, capping his run with a balletic leap near the pylon.

The Saints forced a punt and mounted the go-ahead drive capped by Brees' score, which made it 37-34. John Carney hooked the extra-point try wide, but he hit a 20-yard field goal with 3:23 left.

Trying to mount their own comeback, the Dolphins dropped two passes and committed two penalties before Chad Henne was intercepted by Porter on fourth-and-13.

Game notes
Saints DT Sedrick Ellis left the game with a sprained right knee, and FB Heath Evans hurt his right leg. ... Dolphins CB Will Allen was sidelined by a knee injury. ... Miami's wildcat netted 30 yards in 14 plays. ... Carney became the fourth NFL player to score 2,000 points.

	1	2	3	4	T
ARI (4-2)	0	10	14	0	24
NYG (5-2)	0	14	0	3	17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Arizona Cardinals conquered their House of Horrors with a new approach: scary defense.

A team built around the passing of Kurt Warner and receiving of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin could be downright dominant with a stingy defense. And it sure wasn't the offense that carried the Cardinals to just their third win in 18 visits to the Meadowlands, 24-17 over the New York Giants on Sunday night.

"Tonight," Warner said, "we definitely fed off our defense."

In its final visit to Giants Stadium, Arizona forced four turnovers and bewildered Eli Manning with its blitzes. The Cardinals finished 3-15 at the Meadowlands, but this win lifted the defending NFC champions into first place in the West Division at 4-2 with their third straight victory.

"We feel like we've got one of the best defenses in the league," Boldin said. "It's tough for teams to move the ball on them, let alone score on them."

Safety Adrian Wilson had an interception and a fumble recovery, Antrel Rolle picked off Manning to clinch it, and less-heralded Cardinals Jason Wright, Tim Hightower and rookie Beanie Wells found the end zone.

"Our game plan was to get [Manning] rattled, make him make quick decisions and quick throws," linebacker Gerald Hayes said. "He made some plays, but they came up short."

The Giants (5-2) lost their second straight and were let down by, of all people, their normally solid punter. Jeff Feagles struggled, helping give the Cardinals a solid edge in field position for much of the prime-time matchup.

Feagles said he used the wrong kicking angles trying to keep the ball away from returner Steve Breaston.

Wilson, Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who left late in the third quarter with an ankle injury -- X-rays were negative -- in the Arizona secondary benefited from the confusion the defense caused for Manning, who was 19 for 37 and threw three interceptions.

"We played team defense," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Everybody stepped up. When we had interception opportunities, we made them."

And they made the Giants look puzzled on offense.

"They are constantly moving around and flipping safeties and they did a good job with that," center Shaun O'Hara said. "Sometimes we caught them and sometimes they caught us."

Rodgers-Cromartie was the featured character in two noteworthy first-half plays that both wound up in the end zone. He ran stride for stride with Domenik Hixon, then leaped to wrestle the ball away from the receiver in Arizona's end zone in the first quarter.

He went from hero to villain in the second period on a bizarre play. In man coverage against Mario Manningham, Rodgers-Cromartie used another acrobatic leap. But he deflected the ball with his left hand about 15 yards downfield, where Hakeem Nicks caught it in stride and sped to his fourth touchdown in as many games. That 62-yarder put New York ahead 14-7.

"Weird," Rodgers-Cromartie said.

Quickly, the Cardinals got some points back. Boldin, questionable for the prime-time game with an ankle injury, beat Bruce Johnson for a 44-yard catch-and-run to the New York 19. Neil Rackers' 30-yard field goal ended the first-half scoring.

The Giants used a replay challenge to thwart Arizona's opening drive. Justin Tuck forced Hightower to lose the ball at the New York 27, but officials ruled Hightower down before the ball came out. Coach Tom Coughlin flung his red flag and the call was overruled.

It was one of New York's few victories all night.

"Anytime you turn the ball over four times, you don't have much of a chance to win," Coughlin said.

That overrule didn't help the Giants much, but another turnover did. Warner threw short of Fitzgerald, who had only two receptions for 14 yards in the opening half. Terrell Thomas got his third career interception, second against Warner, and New York went 29 yards on two runs by Brandon Jacobs, who ran over Wilson for a 4-yard TD.

Wells ran 13 yards for his first NFL touchdown late in the second quarter after mediocre punting by Feagles, the oldest punter in the league at 43. Feagles really struggled in the third quarter, as well, helping the Cardinals. But not as much as team leaders Fitzgerald and Wilson.

Fitzgerald broke free down the middle for 26- and 27-yard completions after Arizona got the ball at its 45 on Feagles' 35-yard punt. Hightower scored from the 1.

Wilson picked off Manning at New York's 20 when defensive end Calais Campbell tipped a pass, and third-string running back Wright scored on a 6-yard middle screen -- the same play the Cardinals used to beat Philadelphia in January's NFC title game -- to make it 24-14.

Game notes
Warner finished 26 of 30 for 231 yards, and Wells rushed for 67 yards ... Fitzgerald finished with six catches for 83 yards ... Rookie Nicks caught four balls for 80 yards ... Wright said he saw a field mouse run onto the field and "wasn't sure if it was a big, old rat." He got plenty of teasing from teammates when he scurried away from the rodent.

	1	2	3	4	T
PHI (4-2)	14	13	0	0	27
WAS (2-5)	0	10	0	7	17

LANDOVER, Md. -- DeSean Jackson scored on a 67-yard run and a 57-yard reception, both in the first half. His night might have been perfect if his tender right ankle hadn't messed up his touchdown tap dance.

"I was out there having fun, man, honestly," Jackson said. "My ankle was kind of hurting. I really didn't feel it, but it did kind of affect my dance a little bit. I could put it to perfection a little bit better than that."

The Philadelphia Eagles had reason to do the soft shoe Monday night as they rebounded from an embarrassing loss and dispatched the Washington Redskins 27-17. Three turnovers were converted into points as the visitors raced to a 20-point lead in a game that was as lopsided as expected.

Donovan McNabb completed 15 of 25 passes for 156 yards, getting his 200th touchdown pass and surpassing 30,000 yards passing for his career. The defense sacked Jason Campbell six times, and newcomer Will Witherspoon ran back an interception for a touchdown and created another turnover -- even though he's been with the team less than a week.

Nearly all the scoring came in the first half of an injury-filled game as the Eagles (4-2) regained their stride after last week's jarring loss to the Oakland Raiders. The scariest moment for Philadelphia came when Brian Westbrook left in the first quarter with a concussion. Coach Andy Reid said he expects Westbrook to recover fully but wasn't certain whether his star running back will play next week.

The news was bad all around for the Redskins (2-5), who got no discernible boost from Sherm Lewis' debut as a play caller and lost Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley to a broken right ankle. The offensive line is already a mess without Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas, and the team still hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game this season.

"You can say but so much," defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. "You've got to actually want to. So once we get to that point -- where we want to do something -- then we'll do something. But if we just keep going our separate ways, then we'll just keep getting slaughtered like we have."

Jackson scored on the fourth play from scrimmage, scampering on a reverse down the left sideline untouched almost all the way thanks in part to downfield blocking from Jeremy Maclin. It was the longest Philadelphia run of the season by far -- the team's previous best was 25 yards.

Jackson got his second score when he put a double move on Carlos Rogers and got wide open down the left side, turning a third-and-22 at the Philadelphia 43 into six points in the final two minutes of the first half.

Jackson also had a 29-yard punt return and played the second half with a right foot injury that required X-rays at halftime.

"He's wicked fast," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said.

Witherspoon, acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday, started at middle linebacker because of Omar Gaither's season-ending foot injury. The new guy returned an interception 9 yards for a touchdown and knocked the ball away from Campbell for a fumble that set up a field goal. Safety Quintin Mikell helped with both turnovers, blitzing to tip the pass that Witherspoon picked off, and recovering the fumble after Campbell was stripped.

"You can't expect to get a sack, cause a fumble, turnover, interception for touchdown -- whatever," Witherspoon said. "It's like, 'What? Who in their right mind would think that in their first game?' But when it comes down to it, it happened."

Westbrook was hurt when his helmet collided with linebacker London Fletcher's right knee at the end of a 5-yard run. The running back remained on the ground for several minutes before he was helped up and led off the field directly to the locker room.

"It looked bad," Mikell said. "Anytime a guy is just out like that and not responding, you don't know what's going on. We were praying."

Offensive consultant Lewis has been with the Redskins for only three weeks after being lured out of a retirement consisting of bingo-calling and serving Meals on Wheels -- and his first try at calling the plays proved as unsuccessful as when Zorn was handling the task.

Zorn was stripped of the duty by the front office after last week's loss to Kansas City, causing so much consternation that the front office then felt the need to announce that Zorn won't be fired anytime soon.

It made no difference. The makeshift offensive line again failed to protect Campbell or create room for Clinton Portis, who rushed for only 43 yards and at one point chucked his helmet on the sideline in frustration.

"Well, the result was the same. We got 17 points," Zorn said. "It was difficult for me. It was difficult to stand and watch. The hard part is to keep your mouth shut."

Campbell finished 29 for 43 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He threw his seventh interception of the season, one more than he had all last season. Washington trailed 27-10 at halftime, and Campbell's consolation touchdown pass to Fred Davis in the final two minutes was the only score of the second half.

"You have to take the bitter with the sweet," running back Rock Cartwright said. "And right now we're at a bitter moment."

Game notes
Former Redskins kick returner Brian Mitchell was inducted into the stadium's ring of fame before the game. When he thanked owner Dan Snyder during his speech, fans began to boo. "No, don't do that," he said. ... The Eagles ran the wildcat formation a few times, and Michael Vick also got a handful of plays at quarterback. He completed his only pass for 5 yards and ran three times for 9 yards.