CHICAGO -- Chad Hutchinson, who was surfing in California a little more than two months ago, made his first Chicago start a memorable one, throwing three touchdown passes. Since the Bears (5-7) signed Hutchinson in September following a season-ending knee injury to Rex Grossman, he has spent most of time as a third-stringer.\nIn three previous games, the offense had produced just one touchdown.\nMinnesota (7-5) saw its playoff chances hurt for the second straight year by a late-season loss to the Bears. Daunte Culpepper, completing 70 percent of his passes entering the game, was intercepted three times -- he had only seven before Sunday -- and the Vikings were held scoreless in the second half.
Eagles 47, Packers 17\nPHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb threw a career-high five touchdown passes in the first half and finished with a team-record 464 yards passing. Brian Westbrook had 11 catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns and Terrell Owens caught eight passes for 161 yards and one score. McNabb set a team record by completing his first 14 passes and finished 32-of-43.\nMeanwhile, Brett Favre threw two interceptions that led to Philadelphia's first two scores. His streak of games with a touchdown pass was snapped at 37, second in NFL history to Johnny Unitas' 47 straight.\nThe four-time NFC East champion Eagles (11-1) matched the best start in team history. Since losing to Pittsburgh 27-3 last month, the Eagles have won four in a row by at least 20 points, outscoring opponents 151-50.\nThe Packers (7-5) snapped a six-game winning streak, but remained tied with Minnesota for first place in the NFC North.
Patriots 42, Browns 15\nCLEVELAND -- Bethel Johnson returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and Corey Dillon rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns before halftime. Randall Gay ran in a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown early in the second half as the Patriots (11-1) continued their best start in franchise history and won for the 26th time in 27 regular-season games.\nDillon, who bruised his leg in the first half, carried just once in the second half and finished with 100 yards -- his seventh 100-yard game this season.\nIt would have been easy for New England to look past the Browns (3-9), who lost their sixth straight game and first under interim coach Terry Robiskie. On Tuesday, coach Butch Davis resigned under fire. He picked the perfect week to bow out.\nThe 42 points were the most scored by the Patriots since Sept. 15, 2002, a 44-7 win at the New York Jets. It's the most points the Browns have ever given up in consecutive games since joining the NFL in 1950; they allowed 58 to Cincinnati last week.
Chargers 20, Broncos 17\nSAN DIEGO -- The Chargers -- yes, the Chargers -- took firm control of the AFC West by hanging on to beat the Broncos. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for two touchdowns, and San Diego's defense saved the win by intercepting Jake Plummer four times, including in the end zone in the closing minutes.\nOn a rainy, cold and windy afternoon, the Chargers proved that water and electricity do mix, although it took them until the final play to do so. Playing their biggest game in 10 years, the Chargers (9-3) clinched their first winning season since 1995 and took a two-game lead in the division over Denver (7-5).\nNow all that's left for Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Antonio Gates and the Chargers' rather anonymous defense to do in this surprising season is to clinch a playoff berth, which the Bolts haven't done since 1995.\nSan Diego is on a six-game winning streak for the first time since going 6-0 to open the 1994 season, when it made its only Super Bowl appearance. They were an NFL-worst 4-12 last year.\nThe biggest defensive play came with 3:39 left after the Broncos drove the Chargers 7. Safety Jerry Wilson intercepted Plummer in the end zone after cornerback Drayton Florence, who intercepted Plummer in the game's opening minutes, tipped a pass intended for Rod Smith.
Buccaneers 27, Falcons 0\nTAMPA, Fla. -- Making Michael Vick look ordinary for much of the day, the Buccaneers (5-7) kept the first-place Falcons (9-3) from clinching the NFC South.\nSimeon Rice became the 22nd player in league history to reach 100 sacks, getting Vick on the ground twice and forcing a fumble to set up a touchdown. Rice boosted his career total to 101 in nine seasons.\nDerrick Brooks also made it a miserable day for the Atlanta quarterback, tipping an ill-advised pass that Dwight Smith intercepted in the end zone and sacking Vick once to force a fumble that led to a field goal.\nThe loss also ended a four-game winning streak for Atlanta.
Bengals 27, Ravens 26\nBALTIMORE -- Carson Palmer capped his finest day in the NFL with an appropriate ending to an improbable comeback.\nDown by 17 points entering the fourth quarter, the Bengals pierced the proud Baltimore defense for 24 points over the final 15 minutes. Shayne Graham kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Bengals their first win in Baltimore (7-5) in eight tries since 1996.\nMatt Stover's fourth field goal put Baltimore up 26-24 with 1:42 left, but Palmer calmly drove Cincinnati (6-6) into position for the winning kick, covering 60 yards in seven plays.\nPalmer went 29-for-36 for a career-high 382 yards. T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 10 catches for 171 yards and Chad Johnson amassed 161 yards on 10 receptions. Palmer passed for 200 yards and three touchdowns during the wild fourth quarter.\nBaltimore's Chester Taylor ran for 139 yards and a touchdown in place of the injured Jamal Lewis.
Jets 29, Texans 7\nEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- While Chad Pennington's return from a strained right rotator cuff was far from perfect, Curtis Martin was stellar yet again.\nPennington, back after missing three games, directed three second-half touchdown drives and Martin added his seventh 100-yard game of the season to help the Jets (9-3) stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race.\nThe Jets had another solid defensive effort, shutting out the Texans (5-7) in the second half -- the sixth time this season they've blanked an opponent over the final two quarters -- and allowing 10 points or fewer for the third straight game.\nMartin had 134 yards on 23 carries, going over the 1,300-yard mark on the season. He needs 26 yards to become the fifth back to reach 13,000 yards in a career. In all, the Jets had 36 carries for 210 yards on the ground.
Bills 42, Dolphins 32\nMIAMI -- In a shootout worthy of Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, Drew Bledsoe threw four touchdown passes, and the Bills forced seven turnovers.\nThe Bills (6-6) have scored 117 points in the past three games, all wins, and they're in playoff contention despite an 0-4 start. They completed a season sweep of the Dolphins (2-10), who fell to 0-8 against AFC opponents.\nA.J. Feeley threw three touchdown passes, all in the first 12-and-a-half minutes, for Miami. He also had a hand in six turnovers, including an interception returned 20 yards for the game's final score by 317-pound tackle Pat Williams with 1:55 left.\nWillis McGahee, playing in South Florida for the first time since a standout college career with the Miami Hurricanes, carried 23 times for 91 yards. Terrence McGee opened the game scoring on a 104-yard kickoff return, the longest in Bills' history.
Rams 16, 49ers 6\nST. LOUIS -- Steven Jackson ran for 119 yards on 26 carries, his first career 100-yard game, to help St. Louis compensate for Marc Bulger's shoulder injury. Bulger had taken every snap this season before leaving with a sprained right shoulder after a sack by Bryant Young late in the first quarter. His replacement, 38-year-old Chris Chandler, threw his first touchdown pass in more than a year.\nThe Rams (6-6) added three field goals from Jeff Wilkins, two from 52 yards. The St. Louis defense sealed it against one of the worst teams in the NFL by holding the 49ers (1-11) to 63 yards rushing on 27 carries.\nTorry Holt had 10 catches for 160 yards to help the Rams go to 5-0 against the weak NFC West. The Rams are the fifth NFL franchise to win 500 games.
Panthers 32, Saints 21\nNEW ORLEANS -- John Kasay kept the Carolina Panthers' late-run for a playoff berth on track with six field goals, a team record. It was the Panthers' fourth victory in a row and, in the weak NFC, their 5-7 record has them in the middle of the wild-card race.\nThe Panthers have shaken off the loss of 14 players to injuries. The defending NFC champions put the game out of reach early and stopped the Saints' second-half effort with two interceptions, including one on the Carolina 11-yard line.\nThe Saints (4-8) have lost three straight and seven of the last nine games.
Lions 26, Cardinals 12\nDETROIT -- Kevin Jones played like the running back the Lions have been searching for since Barry Sanders abruptly retired five years ago. Jones ran for 196 yards and a touchdown, ending the Lions' five-game losing streak and keeping their playoff hopes alive in the muddled and mediocre NFC.\nJason Hanson was 4-for-4 on field goals and Dre' Bly had two interceptions for the Lions (5-7).\nArizona (4-8) lost its third straight with its third quarterback in four weeks. Rookie John Navarre, who hadn't taken a snap in the regular season, threw four interceptions and was 18-of-39 for 168 yards with a TD.
Redskins 31, Giants 7\nLANDOVER, Md. -- The Redskins finally scored 20 points. The historic moment occurred with 41 seconds left in the first half, when tight end Robert Royal cradled Patrick Ramsey's 9-yard pass for Royal's first career touchdown.\nThe Redskins (4-8) broke a three-game losing streak and broke the 20-point barrier for the first time since Joe Gibbs returned as coach, ending their longest such drought since the 1930s. Clinton Portis ran for 148 yards and scored twice. Portis has 1,093 yards on the season, giving him 1,000-plus in each of his first three years. The Redskins are 4-0 when Portis runs for 100 yards, 0-8 when he doesn't.\nDerrick Ward's 92-yard kickoff return in the third quarter was the only score for the Giants (5-7), who have lost five straight.
Chiefs 34, Raiders 27\nOAKLAND, Calif. -- Trent Green completed 14 of 15 passes after halftime for 229 of his 340 yards and hit Eddie Kennison for a tiebreaking 70-yard touchdown with 2:04 left.\nKennison's winning catch came at the 35-yard line, then he ran out of the grasp of rookie safety Stuart Schweigert. The Chiefs (4-8) scored on all four second-half possessions to end a four-game losing streak. Larry Johnson scored two second-half touchdowns, on a 5-yard run and a 10-yard reception from Green, who was questionable all week with sore ribs.\nThe Raiders (4-8) haven't won at home since beating Tampa Bay in Week 3.
