DENVER — Over 33 painstaking plays and 19 mind-numbing minutes, Mike Anderson and Jake Plummer toyed with the New York defense in a cruelly effective examination of all the things the Jets couldn't do.

The Broncos got a touchdown and a field goal out of those early drives to more than set the tone for their 27-0 victory yesterday, a win that bolstered Denver's drive toward the playoffs and did little to prove the Jets to be anything more than bottom feeders in the NFL.

"We're struggling on offense, and it's very difficult to win in this league if you can't score," Jets coach Herman Edwards said.

Impossible, of course, and in part because the Denver offense stayed on the field for nearly 42 1/2 minutes, the defense was able to enjoy its first shutout since 1997, the year the Broncos (8-2) won their first Super Bowl.

Plummer threw for 225 yards and again went without an interception. Anderson ran for 113 yards and three scores. The highlight, though, was the shutout, paced by four sacks, five turnovers and a thorough dismantling of all three New York quarterbacks: Brooks Bollinger, Vinny Testaverde and Kliff Kingsbury.

"It feels good," linebacker Al Wilson said. "Anytime you get it, I think it says a lot about the character of the defense."

New York (2-8) lost its fifth straight, sustained its first shutout since 1995 and went without a touchdown for the third time this season and the second time in two weeks.

Denver held the venerable Curtis Martin to 7 yards on four carries, his worst output since a 5-yard game early in 2002 when he was hurting and didn't play much.

The Broncos did what good teams do to bad ones; they put them away early and added on late.

John Lynch and Champ Bailey had interceptions and Michael Myers, Nick Ferguson and Roc Alexander had fumble recoveries, as the Denver defense produced its most turnovers since 2001.

CHARGERS 48, BILLS 10

SAN DIEGO — Drew Brees threw for 339 yards and a season-high four touchdowns, and San Diego overcame the loss of Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates to an injury to win its third straight.

Brees completed 28 of 33 passes, and the Chargers (6-4) scored on five of their first seven first-half possessions.

J.P. Losman was sacked six times, and Willis McGahee was held to 39 yards on 10 carries for Buffalo (4-6), which is winless in five road games.

"It seemed like nothing was going our way," quarterback J.P. Losman said.

Gates sprained his right foot at the end of a 21-yard reception midway through the third quarter when he was tripped up by Angelo Crowell and then had safety Lawyer Milloy land on him. The Chargers aren't sure how long Gates will be out.

BROWNS 22, DOLPHINS 0

CLEVELAND — Reuben Droughns scored on a 75-yard run on Cleveland's first play and finished with 166 yards as the Browns earned their second shutout in 107 games since returning to the NFL in 1999.

"I was dying," Droughns said. "I felt like I ran 250 yards."

Cleveland (4-6) held Miami to 55 yards passing as the Browns ended a six-game losing streak against the Dolphins (3-7). Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards had a season-high six catches for 90 yards.

JAGUARS 31, TITANS 28

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Byron Leftwich threw for three touchdowns for the first time in his NFL career and ran for another score as Jacksonville (7-3) won its third straight in its best start since the 1999 season.

The Titans (2-8) had dominated this series between the former AFC Central and now AFC South foes, winning six of seven, and 11 of the past 14.

"I think things have turned now," Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith said.

Leftwich finished 22 of 38 for 258 yards with TD passes to Kyle Brady and Ernest Wilford.

RAVENS 16, STEELERS 13

BALTIMORE — Matt Stover kicked a 44-yard field goal with 4:09 left in overtime as Baltimore (3-7) snapped a four-game losing streak.

The winner came at the end of a 30-yard drive that included an 11-yard pass from Kyle Boller to Randy Hymes on third-and-9 from the Baltimore 45.

"We need a win around here. It's been a while since we've won, and it means a lot, man," Boller said.

Pittsburgh (7-3) had won 11 straight on the road since losing in Baltimore in September 2004.

CHIEFS 45, TEXANS 17

HOUSTON — Larry Johnson broke the Chiefs' rushing record with 211 yards and scored two touchdowns.The record was 200 yards, which Barry Word set in 1990.

Johnson was supposed to come into the interview room after the game, but then told Chiefs officials he wouldn't talk.

The Texans (1-9) had only 129 yards at halftime to 292 by Kansas City (6-4), which piled up 31 first-half points a week after managing only three points in a loss at Buffalo.

AFC-NFC

PATRIOTS 24, SAINTS 17

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and led two scoring drives of more than 90 yards.

The loss spoiled Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks' 116th touchdown pass that broke Archie Manning's team record.

Brooks had a chance for his 117th — and a shot at overtime — on the last play of the game, but Eugene Wilson intercepted a pass intended for Joe Horn in the right corner of the end zone.

Bill Belichick coached the Patriots after his father's death on Saturday night. Steve Belichick, 86, died of heart failure.

"We're coming off the field all happy, and then you could hear people go, 'Whoa!' " nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "This game is for Bill and his father."

New England (6-4) won consecutive games for the first time this season. New Orleans (2-8) dropped its sixth in a row.

RAIDERS 16, REDSKINS 13

LANDOVER, Md. — Sebastian Janikowski's third field goal, a 19-yarder with 1:08 remaining, helped Oakland (4-6) snap a two-game losing streak.

Warren Sapp presented the game ball to an emotional Norv Turner, who was Redskins coach from 1994-2000. It was his first game in Washington since he was fired by owner Dan Snyder with three games remaining in the 2000 season.

"We know what happened, we know the emotion and the excitement he had to come back here," defensive end Bobby Hamilton said. "We gave him the game ball, coming back to the team who ran him out."

Washington is 5-5.