The Titans were beaten for the first time. The Colts were headed for a 1-3 start.
Not so fast.
Thanks to a stunning rally, Tennessee edged Baltimore 13-10 in a brutally physical and penalty-filled game Sunday. Then Indianapolis, helped greatly by gifts from Houston, topped the Titans’ comeback with an even more improbably turnaround for a 31-27 victory.
“The idea today was to get a little swagger back,” Colts star Peyton Manning said after throwing for two touchdowns in a 2:10 span late in the fourth quarter. “I was proud of the guys for never giving up and fighting ’til the end.”
The Colts scored 21 points in that 2:10 – two touchdowns thanks to fumbles by Texans quarterback Sage Rosenfels – then intercepted Rosenfels’ last-ditch comeback attempt.
Manning connected with Reggie Wayne on a 5-yarder with 1:54 remaining for the decisive points. Linebacker Gary Brackett returned a fumble by quarterback Rosenfels 68 yards for a score in between Manning’s TD throws.
“For one play I made a really stupid mistake and that started the downward spiral,” Rosenfels said. “I feel like I let those guys down.”
ti caught the other late score, a 7-yarder to bring the Colts (2-2) to 27-17 with 4:04 to go. It was his first NFL touchdown.
Tennessee now is the AFC’s lone undefeated team thanks to some late magic from Kerry Collins and a hard-hitting defense.
Kerry Collins threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Alge Crumpler with 1:56 left. The Titans (5-0) trailed 10-6 before Collins directed an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive. The march was aided by a penalty against Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, who was flagged for a blow to Collins’ helmet – although it appeared to be incidental contact.
Baltimore rookie Joe Flacco was then intercepted by Nick Harper, assuring the Ravens (2-2) a second straight defeat.
“It wasn’t always pretty today. It wasn’t my best game,” Collins said. “But at the end of the game we found a way to win.”
Elsewhere, it was: Chicago 34, Detroit 7; Miami 17, San Diego 10; Atlanta 27, Green Bay 24; N.Y. Giants 44, Seattle 6; Carolina 34, Kansas City 0; Washington 23, Philadelphia 17; Denver 16, Tampa Bay 13; Dallas 31, Cincinnati 22; Arizona 41, Buffalo 17; New England 30, San Francisco 21; and Pittsburgh 26, Jacksonville 21. The New York Jets, Oakland, St. Louis and Cleveland had open dates.
On Monday night, Minnesota (1-3) is at New Orleans (2-2).
Colts 31, Texans 27
e the late collapse.
“All of our team played great football today, played winning football and I made those mistakes that cost football games,” Rosenfels said. “There is no reason we should have lost that game.”
The Texans played the 100th game in franchise history in their hurricane-damaged stadium with the retractable roof open; the roof couldn’t be repaired in time for Sunday’s game. Houston was supposed to host Baltimore in Week 2 when Hurricane Ike hit, but that game was postponed until Nov. 9.
Titans 13, Ravens 10
At Baltimore, the game was marred by several skirmishes, most of which resulted in personal foul penalties. Tennessee was penalized 10 times for 78 yards, including two 15-yard infractions that fueled both Baltimore’s scoring drives.
The Ravens received 11 penalties for 91 yards in a matchup between two teams that once were, and seem to still be, bitter rivals.
Suggs was livid about the roughing call.
“If anybody can go back and show something I did illegal, then I would be happy to say I messed up and got what I deserved,” he said. “We hit arms. It just goes to show the referee has too much power.”
Cardinals 41, Bills 17
At Glendale, Ariz., Buffalo’s second-year quarterback Trent Edwards went down with a concussion on a fierce hit from safety Adrian Wilson on the third play of the game.
ns and Kurt Warner threw to Larry Fitzgerald twice for scores. The Cardinals (3-2) are 3-0 at home.
Steelers 26, Jaguars 21
At Jacksonville, Fla., Ben Roethlisberger threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Steelers (4-1) overcome their offensive woes and snap a four-game losing streak against Jacksonville (2-3).
Roethlisberger finished 26-of-41, rebounding from an interception on his third pass that Rashean Mathis returned 72 yards for a score. Roethlisberger’s perfect 8-yard fade pass to Hines Ward in the corner of the end zone put the Steelers ahead 26-21 with 1:53 remaining.
Broncos 16, Buccaneers 13
At Denver, Jay Cutler guided a patient Denver offense over the Buccaneers (3-2). Brandon Stokley hauled in Cutler’s pass in the right flat and followed Brandon Marshall’s big block for a 10-yard touchdown, and Matt Prater kicked three field goals for Denver (4-1).
Cowboys 31, Bengals 22
At Irving, Texas, Dallas (4-1) led 17-0 after only three drives, but ended up getting big plays from Terrell Owens, Tank Johnson and Keith Davis to stave off the bumbling Bengals (0-5).
Tony Romo was 14-of-23 for a season-low 176 yards, but threw three touchdown passes – two in the fourth quarter.
Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer returned after missing a game with a sore elbow and was 23-of-39 for 217 yards with two touchdown passes.
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At San Francisco, Kevin Faulk rushed for two scores, Matt Cassel had 259 yards passing and the Patriots won in San Francisco (2-3) for the first time in franchise history.
Randy Moss had five catches for 111 yards for the Patriots (3-1).
Dolphins 17, Chargers 10
At Miami, Ronnie Brown scored the decisive touchdown from the single-wing formation the Dolphins revived two weeks ago. Miami (2-2) held LaDainian Tomlinson to 35 yards on 12 carries. The Chargers fell to 2-3.
Giants 44, Seahawks 6
East Rutherford, N.J., In a nearly flawless performance, Eli Manning threw two touchdowns, Brandon Jacobs ran for two more and the unbeaten Giants (4-0) scored on their first five possessions.
Falcons 27, Packers 24
At Green Bay, Wis., Atlanta rookie quarterback Matt Ryan turned in another sharp performance, completing 16 of 26 passes for 194 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against the banged-up Packers (2-3).
Michael Turner ran for 121 yards and a touchdown for the new-look Falcons (3-2).
Redskins 23, Eagles 17
At Philadelphia, Clinton Portis ran for 145 yards and one touchdown and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El threw a TD pass for Washington (4-1).
Brian Westbrook, back in the Philadelphia (2-3) lineup after missing a game with an ankle injury, had just 84 total yards.
Panthers 34, Chiefs 0
liams had 123 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns, and the Panthers (4-1) handed the Chiefs their first shutout in nearly six years.
Tony Gonzalez caught a 6-yard pass for the Chiefs (1-4) late in the first quarter to move past Shannon Sharpe for the NFL’s career leader for yards receiving for a tight end.
Bears 34, Lions 7
At Detroit, Kyle Orton set career highs in yards passing, completions and quarterback rating while throwing two touchdowns. He was 24-of-34 for 334 yards and had a 121.4 rating, improving to 3-0 against the Lions.
Chicago (3-2) built a 31-0 lead before rookie Kevin Smith scored for the Lions (0-4) midway through the third quarter.
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