PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are doing things never seen before in the NFL, largely because of rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.\nThe Steelers combined their new quarterback's play with a touch of the old -- a Jerome Bettis of yesteryear and a defense that was Steel Curtain-tough -- to dominate the Philadelphia Eagles 27-3 Sunday and leave the NFL without an undefeated team.\nThe Steelers (7-1) are a major reason for that, halting the best start in Eagles history a week after ending New England's record 21-game winning streak with an equally impressive 34-20 victory. Pittsburgh is the only team in NFL history to beat unbeaten teams in consecutive weeks after each had won at least six games.\nHow fitting, considering Roethlisberger is 6-0 as a starter -- the first rookie to do that since Pittsburgh's Mike Kruczek in 1976. But Kruczek didn't throw a touchdown pass all season on a team that won behind the Steel Curtain; Roethlisberger has thrown for 10 touchdowns while playing with the growing confidence and polish of a much more experienced player.\nRoethlisberger again outplayed a more accomplished quarterback, Donovan McNabb, driving the Steelers to scores on their first three possessions with the help of Bettis' 55th career 100-yard game. The 1978 Steelers were the only other team in franchise history to start 7-1, en route to a 14-2 record and a Super Bowl title.\nHines Ward scored on the first two drives, a 16-yard reverse and a 20-yard reception, then playfully mocked the Eagles (7-1) by flapping his arms in the end zone each time.
Patriots 40, Rams 22\nST. LOUIS -- Adam Vinatieri beat the Rams with his leg in the 2002 Super Bowl. This time, he used his leg and his arm. New England's kicker hit a season-best four field goals, then threw his first career touchdown pass on a fake.\nCorey Dillon returned after a one-week absence with 112 yards rushing on 25 carries and a touchdown for the Patriots, whose 21-game winning streak ended in a loss to Pittsburgh last week.\nThe Patriots (7-1) compensated for an injury-ravaged secondary by sacking Marc Bulger five times, forcing a fumble and intercepting a tipped ball. New England was without both starting cornerbacks, then lost one of the fill-ins, Asante Samuel, with an arm injury in the first quarter. That forced them to use wide receiver Troy Brown in the secondary.\nBrown also caught the 4-yard touchdown pass from Vinatieri, after lining up wide left -- unnoticed.\nThe Rams are 4-4.
Chargers 43, Saints 17\nSAN DIEGO -- Drew Brees, the quarterback the front office didn't want coming into this season, threw four more touchdown passes -- three to tight end Antonio Gates. It was San Diego's highest-scoring game since beating the Miami Dolphins 45-20 on Dec. 27, 1993. The Chargers (6-3) won for the fifth time in six games.\nBrees has thrown nine touchdown passes in two blowout wins, pushing his season total to 18, against just three interceptions. Last year, he threw 15 interceptions and 11 touchdowns, was benched for five games and pulled from two others.\nBrees was 22-of-36 for 257 yards. Last week he threw a career-high five TD passes in a 42-10 win over Oakland. He hasn't thrown an interception in three straight games, and in six of the last seven.\nThe Saints (3-5) have lost four of five.
Broncos 31, Texans 13\nDENVER -- Rod Smith became Denver's career leader in receptions and touchdown catches and Jake Plummer threw for four touchdowns with no interceptions to help the Broncos (6-3) snap a two-game losing streak.\nIn the first quarter, Smith caught his 676th career pass to surpass Shannon Sharpe on the team's receptions list. Later, Smith caught a 13-yard touchdown for his 56th score receiving, also passing Sharpe. Last year, Smith became the team's leader in yards receiving, meaning he now holds all of Denver's most significant receiving records.\nHouston (4-4) was seeking the first three-game winning streak in franchise history and a taste of first place in the AFC South, but the Texans were overmatched.
Seahawks 42, 49ers 27\nSAN FRANCISCO -- Darrell Jackson caught two long touchdown passes from Matt Hasselbeck, and Shaun Alexander rushed for 160 yards and two scores.\nJackson had five catches for 114 yards, and Koren Robinson also caught a TD pass for the Seahawks (5-3), who stayed atop the NFC West with their second straight victory following three straight losses.\nTim Rattay passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns for the Niners (1-7), who wasted an impressive offensive performance with dismal defense in their fourth straight loss to Seattle.\nJerry Rice caught one 5-yard pass, but wasn't a factor in Seattle's game plan. The relatively sparse crowd at Candlestick Park gave an ovation to the longtime 49ers star in perhaps his last game in San Francisco.
Bears 28, Giants 21\nEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Bears forced five turnovers, including three consecutive plays in a 20-point explosion late in the first half.\nRookie Craig Krenzel threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to ignite the rally and Anthony Thomas scored on runs of 4 and 41 yards as Chicago (3-5) won its second straight game and handed the Giants (5-3) their second straight embarrassing home loss.\nThe Giants also have to worry about a pectoral injury to All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan, who left in the third quarter.\nNew York, which came into the game with an NFC-best plus-12 takeaway differential, self-destructed after taking an early 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards by Tiki Barber.
Bills 22, Jets 17\nORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Playing in the face of a 25-plus mph wind, Willis McGahee sparked Buffalo's ball-control offense. McGahee finished with a career-high 132 yards and a touchdown, his third 100-yard rushing game in his third career start.\nBuffalo (3-5) won its third game in four outings, and third straight at home -- all with McGahee as a starter. And the weather has played a factor in all three victories, with winds of 25 mph or stronger blowing off Lake Erie.\nAnd the Bills beat the Jets (6-2), a team coming off a 41-14 win over Miami last Monday, and attempting to match its best start in franchise history.\nThe Jets' problems might be worse than the game's outcome. Quarterback Chad Pennington bruised his right shoulder and did not return after he was sacked for a 13-yard loss midway through the fourth quarter.
Buccaneers 34, Chiefs 31\nTAMPA, Fla. -- Michael Pittman scored one of his three touchdowns on a team-record 78-yard run, giving the Bucs (3-5) consecutive victories for just the second time since they won the Super Bowl two years ago.\nBrian Griese threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, completing 22 of 34 passes. The Bucs showed they could play offense, too, despite entering the game ranked 28th in scoring (15.6 points) and 24th in total offense (291.7 yards).\nThe Chiefs (3-5) totaled 101 points and 1,130 yards in victories over Atlanta and Indianapolis the previous two weeks, and put up another big day statistically against Tampa Bay. Trent Green threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted by Dwight Smith in the end zone with under six minutes to go. He was sacked on consecutive plays to end Kansas City's last threat near midfield.\nPriest Holmes scored his 14th TD rushing of the season on a 2-yard run, but was on the sideline with a knee injury when the Bucs' defense put the clamps on Kansas City's last two drives.
Redskins 17, Lions 10\nDETROIT -- Clinton Portis beat the Lions with his legs and right arm. Portis ran for 147 yards on 34 carries and threw a tiebreaking touchdown pass.\nDetroit (4-4) rallied late, but its hopes for a tying drive ended at the Washington 20 as time expired.\nWith back-to-back 21-yard gains to open the second half, Portis became the first player to run for 100 yards against Detroit this season. Those powerful runs with sharp cutbacks set up his 15-yard pass to Laveranues Coles that gave Washington a 10-3 lead.\nTaylor Jacobs blocked a punt and Walt Harris scooped up the ball and returned it 13 yards to put the Redskins (3-5) ahead by 14.
Cardinals 24, Dolphins 23\nMIAMI -- To end a 17-game road losing streak, Arizona merely needed to pay a visit to Miami.\nThe Cardinals met their match in ineptitude, benefited from two critical penalties and drove 70 yards in the final 2 minutes for a touchdown. Larry Fitzgerald caught the winning score on a 2-yard pass from Josh McCown with 19 seconds left after a holding penalty against Miami negated a sack and gave the Cardinals first-and-goal.\nThe road win was the first since Oct. 6, 2002, for Arizona (3-5). The Dolphins (1-8), who have the league's worst record, are one defeat from their first losing season since 1988.\nArizona rallied twice in the second half, overcoming a 12-3 deficit with 18 1/2 minutes left after Miami quarterback Jay Fiedler was sidelined with a shoulder stinger. The margin of defeat was an extra point missed in the first quarter by Bill Gramatica.
Bengals 26, Cowboys 3\nCINCINNATI -- Matt Schobel caught a down-the-middle pass from Carson Palmer and ran 76 yards for a touchdown, leading Cincinnati (3-5). Schobel's catch broke open a game of conservative play calling. The Bengals (3-5) also got four field goals from Shayne Graham.\nIt was another unsettling setback for the Cowboys (3-5), who have lost four of their last five and fumbled away more of their hopes of a second straight playoff appearance. Vinny Testaverde, who turns 41 next Saturday, had his worst game with the Cowboys. Throwing to an injury-depleted receiving corps, Testaverde was 18-of-30 for 207 yards with three interceptions and a fumble.
Raiders 27, Panthers 24\nCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tyrone Wheatley and Amos Zereoue combined to run for three touchdowns, and Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 19-yard field goal with 6 seconds to play. Dante Wesley's 38-yard pass interference gave Oakland the ball at the 4, and Janikowski kicked the winner three plays later.\nIt's gotten so bad for the defending NFC champions that safety Jarrod Cooper, cut by Carolina two weeks ago, returned to help Oakland (3-6) hand the Panthers (1-7) their sixth consecutive loss.\nDon't forget about Kerry Collins, Carolina's first-ever draft pick, who quit the team midway through the 1998 season. Despite a mediocre game -- Collins passed for 231 yards and threw his 12th interception of the season -- he, too, got the upper hand in his first game against his former team.
