Sunday NFL Capsules.
NFL football newsSunday NFL Capsules.
MIAMI 38, NEW ENGLAND 13
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts It looks like the New England Patriots miss Tom Brady after all.
Ronnie Brown set a team record with four touchdown runs and added a touchdown pass in the second half to help the Miami Dolphins shock the New England Patriots, 35-13, on Sunday, ending the NFLs longest regular-season winning streak at 21 games.
New England (2-1) lost a regular-season game for the first time since dropping a 21-0 decision at Miami on December 10, 2006.
The Dolphins (1-2) had won just won of their past 21 games since but rode the magnificent performance of Brown to end an 11-game road losing skid.
Brown rushed for 113 yards 17 carries, including scoring runs of 2, 15, 5 and 62 yards. He also threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano.
New England quarterback Matt Cassel, making his second career start, finished 19-of-31 for 131 yards with one TD and one interception. He also lost a fumble.
Randy Starks picked off Cassels pass over the middle and set up Miamis first scoring drive. Chad Pennington led the Dolphins 74 yards in eight plays, capped off by Browns first score, a 2-yard plunge over the right side.
Running from a direct-snap formation throughout, Miami outgained the Patriots, 238-144, in the first half, adding touchdown runs of 15 and 5 yards from Brown as Miami raced out to a 21-6 halftime lead.
Pennington finished 17-of-20 for 226 yards, continually hitting big plays into the middle of New Englands defense.
The Patriots could only muster field goals of 37 and 44 yards from Steve Gostkowski.
Brown, on a direct snap, rolled out to the left and connected with Fasano for a 28-6 lead.
Ellis Hobbs, who returned the games opening kickoff 51 yards, returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards, setting up New Englands first touchdown, a 5-yard strike from Cassel to Jabar Gaffney to cut the deficit to 28-13.
But Browns fourth touchdown run, a 62-yard run off right tackle, put the Dolphins ahead, 35-13, with 14:49 to play and set a franchise record for most rushing touchdowns in a game.
Miami linebacker Joey Porter, who predicted victory on Wednesday, recovered a fumble by Cassel on the next drive.
Rookie Kevin OConnell replaced Cassel soon thereafter.
MINNESOTA 20, CAROLINA 10
MINNEAPOLIS Gus Frerotte threw for 204 yards and a touchdown pass to rally the Minnesota Vikings to a 20-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Named the starter on Wednesday after back-to-back sub-par efforts by Tarvaris Jackson, Frerotte completed 16-of-28 passes, including a 34-yard scoring pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the third quarter to put Minnesota (1-2) ahead for good, 17-10.
The Vikings defense blanked the Panthers (2-1) in the second half and turned the momentum around with a huge play just before the half.
Cornerback Antoine Winfield sacked quarterback Jake Delhomme and forced a fumble, which he scooped up and returned 19 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 10-10 with 1:04 left in the first half.
NY GIANTS 26, CINCINNATI 23 (OT)
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey Eli Manning directed an overtime drive capped by John Carneys game-winning 22-yard field goal as the New York Giants outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-23.
Manning found Plaxico Burress for a 28-yard reception and also hooked up with Amani Toomer on a 31-yarder to set the stage for Carney, whose winning kick lifted New York (3-0) to its second straight home victory.
Manning completed 26-of-43 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown while Derrick Ward rushed for 80 yards for the Giants, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2000.
TENNESSEEE 31, HOUSTON 12
NASHVILLE, Tennessee Kerry Collins became the 15th quarterback in NFL to pass for 35,000 yards as the Tennessee Titans coasted to a 31-12 victory over the Houston Texans.
Starting in place of Vince Young for the second straight week, Collins helped the Titans improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1999. He completed 14-of-26 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.
Houstons Steve Slaton rushed for 116 yards and a score on 18 carries in his first career start, but the Texans struggled in the red zone, settling for a pair of short field goals by Kris Brown in the first half. After Houston closed within 14-12, LenDale Whites 1-yard TD run with five minutes left in the second quarter gave the Titans a 21-12 halftime lead.
The Texans (0-2) were playing their first first game since last weeks contest against Baltimore was postponed due to the damage that Hurricane Ike caused to Reliant Stadium. They suffered their seventh straight loss to the Titans.
WASHINGTON 24, ARIZONA 17
LANDOVER, Maryland Jason Campbell tossed a pair of touchdowns, leading the Washington Redskins to a 24-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Clinton Portis rushed for 68 yards and a score and Santana Moss made seven catches for 75 yards and a TD for the Redskins (2-1), who have won four straight games at home dating to last season.
Kurt Warner passed for 192 yards and two scores with an interception and Larry Fitzgerald hauled in seven receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals (2-1), who committed two turnovers.
BUFFALO 24, OAKLAND 23
ORCHARD PARK, New York Trent Edwards orchestrated three scoring drives in the fourth quarter to help the Buffalo Bills erase a nine-point deficit and record a 24-23 comeback victory over the Oakland Raiders.
Ryan Lindell completed the comeback with a 38-yard field goal as time expired and the Bills improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1992.
Marshawn Lynch rushed for 83 yards and two scores for the Bills, who trailed, 23-14, midway through the final period.
JaMarcus Russell threw one touchdown pass and rushed for another for the Raiders (1-2), who forced three turnovers.
TAMPA BAY 27, CHICAGO 24 (OT)
CHICAGO Brian Griese haunted his former team, rallying the Tampa Bay to a 27-24 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears, who squandered a 10-point lead in the final 3 1/2 minutes of regulation.
Matt Bryant kicked a 21-yard field goal with 4:21 left in overtime after Griese and Antonio Bryant hooked up for a 38-yard completion two plays earlier.
Griese finished 38-of-67 for 407 yards, setting a franchise record for pass attempts in a game. He drove the Buccaneers (2-1) 80 yards for the tying score in the final two minutes of regulation. Jeremy Stevens caught a 1-yard TD passes with seven seconds remaining to force overtime.
Kyle Orton threw two TD passes in the second half for the Bears (1-2), including a 19-yard strike to Brandon Lloyd that made it 24-14 with under seven minutes remaining.
ATLANTA 38, KANSAS CITY 14
ATLANTA Michael Turner rushed for three touchdowns, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 38-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Turner ran for 104 yards on 23 carries to pace a Falcons rushing attack that racked up 186 yards on the ground.
Rookie Matt Ryan completed 12-of-18 attempts for 192 yards and a TD for Atlanta (2-1), which raced to a 24-0 lead late in the first half.
Larry Johnson rushed for 121 yards and a TD for the Chiefs (0-3), who committed four turnovers.
JACKSONVILLE 23, INDIANAPOLIS 21
INDIANAPOLIS Josh Scobee kicked a 51-yard field goal with four seconds remaining, lifting the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 23-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew each rushed for more than 100 yards for Jacksonville (1-2), which chewed huge chunks off the clock with a ball-control offense, including a 12-minute possession in the fourth quarter, that kept Peyton Manning off the field. Scobee capped the marathon drive with a 21-yard field goal, extending Jacksonvilles lead to 20-14 with 2 1/2 minutes left.
However, the Jaguars still left too much time for Manning, who drove the Colts (2-1) 77 yards in just 86 seconds. He kept alive the Colts hopes with a 27-yard completion to Marvin Harrison on fourth down before Joseph Addai scored on a 2-yard TD run with 67 seconds left to put Indianapolis ahead, 17-14.
But David Garrard responded for the Jaguars, putting Scobee in position for the winning kick.
PHILADELPHIA 15, PITTSBURGH 6
PHILADELPHIA Juqua Parker recorded 2 1/2 sacks to pace a ferocious defensive effort for the Philadelphia Eagles, who overcame injuries to their top two offensive players to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 15-6.
Darren Howard also had two sacks for the Eagles (2-1), who recorded nine sacks in a defensive slugfest.
Philadelphias Donovan McNabb passed for 196 yards and a touchdown despite playing through a chest injury, which forced him to miss the beginning of the second half.
The Eagles also played the majority of the contest without running back Brian Westbrook, who suffered an ankle injury early in the second quarter and did not return.
DENVER 34, NEW ORLEANS 32
DENVER Jay Cutler threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Denver Broncos remained undefeated by holding off the New Orleans Saints, 34-32.
Squandering a 21-3 lead for the second straight week, this time Denver (3-0) survived a failed two-point conversion and a missed 43-yard field goal attempt by Saints placekicker Martin Gramatica.
Brandon Marshall hauled in six receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown, following up his 18-catch effort of a week ago, and Nate Webster returned a fumble 34 yards for a score.
Drew Brees finished 38-of-46 for 419 yards and Reggie Bush amassed 144 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage for New Orleans (1-2).
SAN FRANCISCO 31, DETROIT 13
SAN FRANCISCO J.T. OSullivan threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns as the San Francisco 49ers won their second straight game behind OSullivan with a 31-13 victory over the Detroit Lions.
San Francisco running back Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards on 27 attempts and a score to keep the Lions (0-3) winless.
OSullivan finished 16-of-23 with the two scoring passes and zero interceptions in just his third career start.
The journeyman quarterback, who spent parts of seven seasons with eight different organizations, including the backup role with Detroit last season, was stellar against his old teammates, connecting with Isaac Bruce and Delanie Walker for touchdown passes in the first half.
BALTIMORE 28, CLEVELAND 10
BALTIMORE Ed Reed and Chris McAlister both made key interceptions in the second half as the Baltimore Ravens cruised to a 28-10 triumph over the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens faced a 10-7 deficit and starting strong safety Dawan Landry was taken off the field on a stretcher just before the half. The defense took over after the break.
A jarring hit by linebacker Ray Lewis on Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. prevented a completion and McAlister, in the right place at the right time, picked off the fluttering ball. Four plays later, Baltimore took the lead on LeRon McClains 1-yard TD run.
On Clevelands ensuing drive, Reed intercepted Derek Andersons pass and scampered 32 yards for a score to give the Ravens a 21-10 edge with 10:31 left in the third quarter. It was Reeds fourth interception returned for a touchdown in his career.
SEATTLE 37, ST. LOUIS 13
SEATTLE Julius Jones rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries as the Seattle Seahawks amassed 242 yards on the ground en route to a 37-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams.
Jones, who became the first Seattle running back to total back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Shaun Alexander in December 2005, scored from 29 yards out and T.J. Duckett added 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Seahawks, who posted their seventh consecutive win over St. Louis (0-3).
Matt Hasselbeck completed 12-of-20 for 172 yards and a 10-yard touchdown to Michael Bumpus.
Seattle (1-2) bottled up Steven Jackson on the ground, allowing only 66 yards on 23 carries. He added five catches for 62 yards.
DALLAS 27, GREEN BAY 16
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin Marion Barber ran for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown and rookie Felix Jones had a 60-yard scoring run as the Dallas Cowboys wore down the Green Bay Packers en route to a 27-16 victory.
The Cowboys (3-0) defense also slowed down quarterback Aaron Rodgers for most of the game, recording five sacks, while outgaining the Packers (2-1), 218-84, on the ground.
Jones touchdown gave Dallas a 10-6 lead with 6:04 left in the first half, momentarily breaking what was a defensive struggle early. The rookie speedster ran around the left end and blew past the secondary down the sideline for his third score in as many games.
Leading, 13-9, Dallas took the first two-possession lead of the game as it moved 80 yards in five plays – keyed by a 63-yard reception by Miles Austin. Barber capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown to push the Cowboys advantage to 20-9 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
It was the fifth career 100-yard performance for Barber, who carried the ball 28 times. Jones gained 76 yards on six rushes.
Monday, September 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm and is filed under NFL football news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
