NFL Roundup: Colts get first win
Published 12:00 am Sunday, December 18, 2011
Associated Press
The NFL roundup …
INDIANAPOLIS ó Dan Orlovsky threw one touchdown pass and the key block on an 80-yard TD run, leading the Colts to their first win of the season.
Indianapolis (1-13) avoided becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16 by winning 27-13 against Tennessee. The loss dealt a serious blow to the Titansí playoff hopes. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was picked off twice and Chris Johnson rushed for only 55 yards for the Titans (7-7).
Orlovsky gave Indy a 10-6 lead with an 18-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne in the third quarter, and Jacob Lacey made it 17-6 with a 32-yard interception return for a TD.
Jake Locker got the Titans within 20-13 with a 7-yard TD pass to Nate Washington with 3:43 to go. But on the next play from scrimmage, with Donald Brown reversing field, Orlovsky threw a block that helped Brown get to the corner and sprint 80 yards to seal the win.
Eagles 45, Jets 19
PHILADELPHIA ó LeSean McCoy ran for three touchdowns to set two team records and keep Philadelphia alive in the NFC East race.
The Eagles (6-8) have won two straight for the second time this season and somehow still have a chance to repeat as division champions despite underachieving most of the year. But they have to catch Dallas (8-6) and the New York Giants (7-7).
The loss snapped New Yorkís three-game winning streak, dropping the Jets (8-6) into a tie with Cincinnati for the final wild-card spot in the AFC.
Michael Vick threw for 274 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for a score.
McCoy had 102 yards rushing and surpassed Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren with his 19th touchdown of the season and 16th rushing TD.
Lions 28, Raiders 27
OAKLAND, Calif. ó Matthew Stafford threw a 6-yard TD pass to Calvin Johnson with 39 seconds remaining to cap a 98-yard scoring drive as Detroit rallied from 13 points down late in the fourth quarter.
The win wasnít sealed until Ndamukong Suh blocked Sebastian Janikowskiís 65-yard field goal attempt on the final play. Suh threw his helmet in celebration after providing a perfect exclamation in his return from a two-game suspension.
The Raiders (7-7) appeared in control of the game when Aaron Curry returned a fumble 6 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-14 with 7:47 remaining.
Cardinals 20, Browns 17
GLENDALE, Ariz. ó Patrick Peterson returned a punt 32 yards and John Skelton threw 32 yards to Larry Fitzgerald to set up a 22-yard field goal by Jay Feely.
It was the Cardinalsí third overtime win in seven games.
Arizona (7-7), winner of six of its last seven, trailed 17-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Seahawks 38, Bears 14
CHICAGO ó Red Bryant returned an interception 20 yards for the go-ahead TD in the third quarter and Seattle kept its faint playoff hopes alive.
Chicago quarterback Caleb Hanie was hit hard on the play by K.J. Wright and threw the ball right into Bryantís arms as Seattle (7-7) scored two TDs in a 50-second span early in the third quarter. Brandon Browner returned another interception 42 yards for a TD in the final quarter as the Seahawks outscored Chicago 31-0 in the second half.
Marshawn Lynch added two touchdown runs for Seattle.
Saints 42, Vikings 20
MINNEAPOLIS ó Drew Brees threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns to New Orleans to its sixth win in a row.
Brees completed 32 of 40 passes to help the Saints (11-3) overcome a slow and sloppy start and stay two games ahead of Atlanta in the NFC South. Brees is 304 yards from breaking Dan Marinoís single-season record for yards passing with two games to play.
Brees threw two touchdown passes to Lance Moore and one each to Darren Sproles, Jimmy Graham and John Gilmore.
Redskins 23, Giants 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ó Rex Grossman threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss and Washington hurt New Yorkís playoff hopes.
Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss, Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of three interceptions by the Redskins (5-9) and Graham Gano kicked three field goals. It was Washingtonís second win in its last 10 games.
Dolphins 30, Bills 23
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. ó Reggie Bush ran for a career-best 203 yards and touchdown to lead Miami to a 30-23 win over the Buffalo Bills in interim Dolphins coach Todd Bowles first game.
Bush sealed the win with a 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Matt Moore threw two touchdowns passes, and Vontae Davis had two of Miamiís three interceptions.
Bowles replaced the fired Tony Sparano last Monday. Miami (5-9) has won five of seven.
Bengals 20, Rams 13
ST. LOUIS ó Rookie A.J. Green had six catches and topped 1,000 yards for the season, and Cincinnati kept pace in the AFC playoff race.
Brandon Tateís 56-yard punt return set up Bernard Scottís go-ahead touchdown run late in the third quarter and Cedric Benson added a short scoring run in the fourth for the Bengals (8-6), who won for the second time in six games.
Green caught a 55-yarder to set up a field goal for the gameís first score. He has 1,006 yards receiving, leaving him 3 shy of Cris Collinsworthís franchise rookie record in 1981.
Chargers 34, Ravens 14
SAN DIEGO ó Philip Rivers threw for a score and reached the 4,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season, Ryan Mathews ran for two scores and hit 1,000 yards rushing, and the San Diego Chargers kept their slim postseason hopes alive.
The Chargers (7-7) neutralized Baltimoreís ferocious defense, which got Ray Lewis back after a four-game injury absence, and scored on six of their first seven possessions. San Diego is tied with Oakland, a game behind Denver with two to play.