Patriots 38, Colts 34\nINDIANAPOLIS -- New England's charmed season now includes yet another thrilling victory.\nWith 14 seconds left Sunday, Willie McGinest shot around the right side of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line on fourth-and-goal and tackled Edgerrin James in the backfield to preserve the Patriots' 38-34 victory.\nThe Patriots have won eight straight, the longest streak in the NFL, and are 10-2 for the first time in franchise history.\nIndianapolis (9-3) dropped out of first place in the AFC South, at least momentarily, for the first time this year. Tennessee plays Monday night at the Jets.\nPeyton Manning brilliantly rallied the Colts from a 21-point second-half deficit for the second time this season. But this time, after completing 29 of 48 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns, Manning's late-game heroics ran out.\nHe moved the Colts 47 yards on their final drive, getting three chances to win it from the 1-yard line in the game's final 37 seconds.\nBut the Patriots stuffed James on second down and Manning couldn't connect with Aaron Moorehead on third down before McGinest's decisive tackle.
Bengals 24, Steelers 20\nPITTSBURGH -- Jon Kitna's third touchdown pass, an 18-yarder to Matt Schobel with 13 seconds left, finished off a last-minute Bengals drive. Cincinnati (7-5) not only won its sixth in seven games to set up a first-place showdown next week in Baltimore, the Bengals all but eliminated the Steelers (4-8), who had won six of the last nine division titles in the AFC North or Central. The Steelers are one loss away from their third losing season in the last five.\nTommy Maddox, who was 28-of-42 for 313 yards, gave Pittsburgh its first lead at 20-17 with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 1:05 remaining. The Steelers had rallied from a 14-3 deficit behind Jerome Bettis' 1-yard touchdown run on a 75-play drive and Jeff Reed's 39-yard field goal.
Ravens 44, 49ers 6\nBALTIMORE -- Ray Lewis returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown to cap a 17-point flurry in the second quarter.\nOne week earlier, the Ravens trailed Seattle by 14 points at halftime and by 17 in the fourth quarter before rallying to win. Baltimore (7-5) took a far easier path against the 49ers, building a 24-6 halftime lead before coasting to the most lopsided victory in franchise history.\nIt was San Francisco's worst loss since a 41-3 defeat against Jacksonville in September 1999. The 49ers (5-7) are 0-6 on the road.
Rams 48, Vikings 17\nST. LOUIS -- Marshall Faulk ran for three touchdowns and 108 yards, his third straight 100-yard game after going 10 without one.\nThe Rams (9-3) solidified their NFC West lead -- they're tied with the Eagles for the best record in the NFC -- and won their 12th straight home game. The North Division-leading Vikings (7-5) are sinking fast after a 6-0 start.\nFaulk scored on runs of 18, 5 and 7 yards. He has 127 touchdowns, passing Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Jim Brown for fourth on the career list.\nRams wide receiver Isaac Bruce threw a 41-yard end-around pass to Dane Looker to set up Faulk's second touchdown.
Eagles 25, Panthers 16\nCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Donovan McNabb overcame his first interception in six games to lead the Eagles (9-3) to their seventh consecutive victory. Philadelphia committed two turnovers, snapping a streak of four consecutive games without a giveaway.\nMcNabb ended his run of 127 attempts without an interception when Mike Rucker picked him off on the first play. Brian Westbrook fumbled away a punt return and the Eagles also failed on a 2-point conversion try. David Akers kicked four field goals.\nThe loss stalled Carolina's (8-4) attempt to wrap up the NFC South.
Texans 17, Falcons 13\nHOUSTON -- Michael Vick finally returned from a broken right leg suffered in preseason, but he was too late to save the Falcons' season or their game against the Texans.\nDomanick Davis struck for two touchdowns and David Carr made his own unplanned appearance to lead the second-year Texans (5-7) to a franchise-high fifth win.\nVick, the top overall draft choice in 2001 who set an NFL rushing mark for quarterbacks with 1,066 yards over his first two seasons, made his debut with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter. He completed a 9-yard pass to Justin Griffith on his first play for Atlanta (2-10).\nCarr was supposed to miss the game after spraining his right shoulder two weeks ago. But he was pressed into action when Tony Banks broke his right hand on another player's helmet near the end of the first half.
Bears 28, Cardinals 3\nCHICAGO -- With Chris Chandler sidelined by a sore shoulder, Kordell Stewart threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.\nBrock Forsey, a rookie from Boise State, started for Chicago (5-7) in place of leading rusher Anthony Thomas, out with viral pneumonia. Forsey gained 134 yards and scored on a 9-yard run.\nThe road woes continued for Arizona (3-9), which is 0-6 away from home and has been outscored 203-68 in those games.
Bills 24, Giants 7\nEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Drew Bledsoe shook off the effects of a concussion and threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Buffalo (5-7), which snapped a four-game slide, had not scored a road TD since Week 2, but Bledsoe threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dave Moore and a 22-yarder to Bobby Shaw in a 17-point second quarter. Travis Henry finished with 113 yards rushing.\nThe Giants (4-8) have lost four straight for the first time in Jim Fassel's six-plus years as coach.
Seahawks 34, Browns 7\nSEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks remained perfect at home. Credit Matt Hasselbeck and a high-flying offense, but don't overlook a defense that didn't allow any points for the second time this season.\nHasselbeck threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns, while Shaun Alexander rushed for 127 yards and another TD, leading Seattle to a 34-7 victory Sunday over the reeling Cleveland Browns.\nDarrell Jackson, whose troubles catching the ball earlier this fall were well documented, had eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns, while Koren Robinson caught six passes for 122 yards.\nIt was the first game in franchise history where the Seahawks (8-4) had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers.
Broncos 22, Raiders 8\nOAKLAND, Calif. -- The Denver Broncos kept their playoff hopes alive, and their bitter division rivals sure made it easy.\nClinton Portis carried 34 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns and the Broncos held Oakland without a touchdown for the first time this season to defeat the penalty-prone Raiders 22-8 on Sunday.\nDenver (7-5) began the day four games behind Kansas City in the AFC West and trailing four other teams in the postseason race.\nAll the Broncos really had to overcome was the wet weather - the raucous Raider Nation was subdued for a change.
Saints 24, Redskins 20\nLANDOVER, Md. -- All Deuce, all the time.\nExcept for the touchdowns.\nDeuce McAllister did everything but score for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. He had his ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing game, running for 165 yards on 30 carries and catching four passes for 31 more in a 24-20 victory over the Washington Redskins.\nThe victory moved the Saints (6-6) back to .500 and kept their playoff hopes realistic for at least another week. The Redskins (4-8) have lost three straight and seven of eight, and the defense failed to hold a lead by giving up the winning drive in the fourth quarter for the third straight week.
Chiefs 28, Chargers 24\nSAN DIEGO --The Kansas City Chiefs came out of the holiday weekend with neither a wild-card berth nor the AFC West title.\nThe NFL's best team did at least get a win over the San Diego Chargers, 28-24 on Sunday, to remain on track for its first division title in six years.\nPriest Holmes ran 31 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns, and Tony Gonzalez caught two touchdown passes from Trent Green to lift the Chiefs to 11-1. Kansas City capitalized on two turnovers by Doug Flutie in the final 11 minutes.
Lions 22, Packers 14\nDETROIT -- Brett Favre's gambling style has helped him win three NFL MVP awards and plenty of games for Green Bay. It also cost the Packers a win Thursday.\nFavre threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, and the Detroit Lions relied on Jason Hanson's five field goals for a 22-14 victory, dealing the Packers' playoff hopes a blow.\n"I guessed wrong a couple times and I was just off a couple times," Favre said. "That's going to happen in this league. They just made the plays."\nDre' Bly made the most of them; intercepting two passes to negate scoring opportunities for Green Bay. Bly also forced a Javon Walker fumble, setting up Hanson's go-ahead 49-yard field goal to make it 16-14 early in the fourth quarter.\nThe Lions (4-8) surpassed their victory totals from each of the past two seasons and extended their home winning streak to three games.
Dolphins 40, Cowboys 21\nIRVING, Texas -- Both are 8-4 and in second place in their respective divisions.\nYet, while the Miami Dolphins are gaining confidence, coach Bill Parcells isn't so sure about his Cowboys any more -- especially after Dallas' 40-21 loss on Thursday.\n"I just don't think our team quite has the maturity yet to understand the kind of situation we're going to get ourselves in," Parcells said. "We've still got a lot on the line and I don't know whether we can do it or not."\nThe Cowboys have lost three of six games since a five-game winning streak. Just four days after an impressive win over Carolina, Parcells said his team should be embarrassed.
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville was not completed when the IDS went to print.
