Imperfect Packers
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Green Bay Packers’ perfect season came to a crashing halt on Sunday against the beleaguered Kansas City Chiefs, who rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel and new quarterback Kyle Orton to a shocking 19-14 victory.
Orton finished 23 of 31 for 299 yards in his first start for the Chiefs (6-8), who fired coach Todd Haley last Monday with the team having lost five of its last six games. The loss also ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak.
But behind an inspired performance by the defense, four field goals by Ryan Succop and Jackie Battle’s short touchdown run with 4:53 left in the game, Kansas City managed to hand the Packers (13-1) their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England — exactly one day shy of a full year.
Colts 27, Titans 13
INDIANAPOLIS — 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. The loss dealt a serious blow to the Titans’ playoff hopes. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was picked off twice and Chris Johnson rushed for only 55 yards for Tennessee (7-7).
Chargers 34, Ravens 14
SAN DIEGO — Philip Rivers threw for one 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 San Diego kept its slim postseason hopes alive with a victory against playoff-bound Baltimore.
The Chargers (7-7) neutralized Baltimore’s normally 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. San Diego has won three straight after a six-game losing streak.
Patriots 41, Broncos 23
DENVER — Tom Brady and the Patriots shut down Tim Tebow and clinched a playoff berth with their sixth straight victory.
The Patriots (11-3) won another AFC East title by bouncing back from an early 17-6 deficit and an awful first quarter in which they were outgained on the ground 167-4.
Eagles 45, Jets 19
PHILADELPHIA — 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).
Lions 28, Raiders 27
OAKLAND, Calif. — 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 wasn’t sealed until Ndamukong Suh blocked Sebastian Janikowski’s 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.
Cardinals 20, Browns 17 OT
GLENDALE, Ariz. — 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 Cardinals’ 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 — 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 Bryant’s 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.
Saints 42, Vikings 20
MINNEAPOLIS — 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 Marino’s single-season record for yards passing with two games to play.
Redskins 23, Giants 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Rex Grossman threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss and Washington hurt New York’s 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 Washington’s second win in its last 10 games.
Panthers 28, Texans 13
HOUSTON — Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes and Carolina ended Houston’s seven-game winning streak.
Newton completed 13 of 23 passes for 149 yards, outplaying opposing rookie quarterback T.J. Yates. The Panthers (5-9) built a 21-0 halftime lead.
Dolphins 30, Bills 23
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — 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 Miami’s three interceptions.
Bengals 20, Rams 13
ST. LOUIS — 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 Tate’s 56-yard punt return set up Bernard Scott’s 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.
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 15
TAMPA, Fla. — Tony Romo made it look easy, shredding Tampa Bay’s secondary at will and helping the Dallas Cowboys get back on track.
Dallas stopped a two-game losing streak in which it blew fourth-quarter leads to allow a seemingly solid grip on the division lead slip away.
