Browns bounce Ravens
Associated Press
| |||
BALTIMORE — No one could have imagined Cleveland would end up winning the way it did in overtime yesterday.
Phil Dawson's tying 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation hit the upright, then tapped the crossbar before bouncing back onto the field. As the stadium emptied and the Ravens pumped their fists in the air, several of the Browns insisted Dawson's kick hit the curved center support behind the crossbar, making the field goal good.
They were right. After a long discussion, the officials ruled the kick went through the uprights and called the teams back onto the field.
The Browns took the kickoff in overtime and drove 43 yards in nine plays before Dawson kicked a 33-yard field goal to give Cleveland (6-4) a 33-30 win and a rare season sweep of the Ravens.
"I couldn't tell for sure," Dawson said of his 51-yard field goal. "I could tell by the way it glanced off the upright, it looked like it went forward. But we had people down near the goal post who were screaming at the top of their lungs that it had hit whatever that bar you call it."
Baltimore (4-6) rallied from a 13-point deficit for a 30-27 lead on a 47-yard field goal by Matt Stover with 26 seconds left in regulation. But Derek Anderson drove the Browns into position for the tie.
"It's crazy, it's weird," Ravens receiver Derrick Mason said. "Just when you thought everything that had gone wrong you had overcome it, then there's another thing. They probably made the right call."
Ravens QB Kyle Boller was sacked six times and committed three turnovers. But he went 22-for-41 for 279 yards.
Brodney Pool had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown for Cleveland.
PATRIOTS 56, BILLS 10
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Scoring touchdowns on its first seven offensive possessions and getting the eighth on a turnover, New England (10-0) routed Buffalo (5-5). Patriots QB Tom Brady was 31-of-39 for 373 yards with five TD passes, four to Randy Moss. Brady increased his TD passes to 38, just 11 short of Peyton Manning's single-season record, set in 2004. Moss' four TD catches gave him 16 for the season, six short of the record set by Jerry Rice in 1987.
EAGLES 17, DOLPHINS 7
PHILADELPHIA — Backup quarterback A.J. Feeley led a pair of second-half scoring drives in place of injured Donovan McNabb, and Brian Westbrook had a career-best 148 yards rushing for Philadelphia (5-5) against Miami (0-10). McNabb left with a sprained right ankle in the second quarter, nearly a full year after his season ended with a torn knee ligament. X-rays were negative.
COLTS 13, CHIEFS 10
INDIANAPOLIS — Adam Vinatieri made a 24-yard field goal with 4 seconds left that kept Indianapolis (8-2) atop the AFC South and sank Kansas City (4-6). Colts QB Peyton Manning finished 16-of-32 for 163 yards with one interception.
COWBOYS 28, REDSKINS 23
IRVING, Texas — Terrell Owens caught touchdown passes of 4, 31, 46 and 52 yards, marking the first four-TD game of his career, as NFC East leader Dallas (9-1) held off Washington (5-5). Jason Campbell had Washington 19 yards from a go-ahead TD, but he was intercepted by Dallas' Terence Newman with 1:39 left.
JETS 19, STEELERS 16, OT
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Mike Nugent kicked a 38-yard field goal 5:03 into overtime as the Jets (2-8) broke a six-game losing streak by beating Pittsburgh (7-3). Jets running back Thomas Jones had 117 yards on 30 carries, and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was sacked a season-high seven times.
SEAHAWKS 30, BEARS 23
SEATTLE — Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns against Chicago (4-6), and the Seahawks (6-4) took advantage of Rex Grossman's late fumble and turned that into Josh Brown's clinching field goal from 46 yards with 3:36 remaining.
RAMS 13, 49ERS 9
SAN FRANCISCO — Marc Bulger, sacked six times, passed for 155 yards and an early 3-yard touchdown to Torry Holt, and the defense of St. Louis (2-8) was solid against San Francisco's (2-8) league-worst offense until two desperate fourth-quarter drives.
PACKERS 31, PANTHERS 17
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Brett Favre threw three touchdowns to lift NFC North leader Green Bay (9-1) over Carolina (4-6). It was Favre's 62nd career game with at least three touchdown passes, tying yet another of Dan Marino's records.
GIANTS 16, LIONS 10
DETROIT — Michael Strahan had a season-high three sacks, while James Butler and Sam Madison both made victory-sealing interceptions for New York (7-3) against Detroit (6-4). Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass to Brandon Jacobs and Lawrence Tynes kicked three field goals.
JAGUARS 24, CHARGERS 17
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — David Garrard threw two touchdown passes to lead Jacksonville (7-3) over San Diego (5-5). Down 24-17, the Chargers got the ball back with 2:13 remaining. But Phillip Rivers' second pass was intercepted by Sammy Knight near midfield.
TEXANS 23, SAINTS 10
HOUSTON — Andre Johnson had 120 yards receiving and a 73-yard touchdown, and Mario Williams had one sack, a forced fumble, several hurries and finished with six tackles to lead Houston (5-5) over New Orleans (4-6).
BUCCANEERS 31, FALCONS 7
ATLANTA — Jeff Garcia threw for two touchdowns, Ronde Barber returned a fumble for another score and the defense of Tampa Bay (6-4) stifled the Byron Leftwich-led Falcons (3-7).
CARDINALS 35, BENGALS 27
CINCINNATI — Antrel Rolle scored on interception returns of 55 and 54 yards — and had another interception return for a TD wiped out by penalty as Arizona (5-5) beat Cincinnati (3-7).
VIKINGS 29, RAIDERS 22
MINNEAPOLIS — Chester Taylor had 202 total yards and three touchdowns in place of injured rookie star Adrian Peterson as Minnesota (4-6) topped Oakland (2-8).