TEXANS 30, RAIDERS 17
Story line: At 36 games, or 2 1/4 seasons, the Texans (2-2) needed longer than any expansion team to win consecutive games. Raider Nation was excited to see what strong-armed quarterback Kerry Collins could do in place of Rich Gannon. But four straight turnovers after being tied 17-17 explains why the Raiders (2-2) lost their 11th straight on the road.
Stars: Blitzing linebacker Jamie Sharper popped Collins, jarring loose a fumble that Sharper returned for a touchdown and a 10-3 second-quarter lead. . . . After gaining just 65 yards over the first three games, Oakland’s Amos Zereoue had 104 by halftime, including TD runs of 55 and 17 yards.
Extra point: Sebastian Janikowski hit a 50-yard field goal but missed from 35. He’d made his last 40 under 45 yards.
Quote: “The bottom line is I made stupid throws and gave them the ball. I put this all on me.”–Collins, who was 21 of 38 for 237 yards, with three interceptions and no TDs.
STEELERS 28, BENGALS 17
Story line: The Steelers (3-1) won consecutive games for the first time since the end of the 2002 regular season. After taking a 17-14 lead early in the third, the Bengals (1-3) were in position to beat a winning team on the road for the first time in 42 games–a streak that dates to a December 1990 victory in Pittsburgh–but they couldn’t score again.
Stars: Troy Polamalu, Bengals QB Carson Palmer’s former USC roommate, had a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown. . . . The Bengals’ Rudi Johnson ran for 123 yards in his fifth career 100-yard game and first of the season.
Extra point: The Steelers’ Chris Gardocki punted five times in his 200th game, giving him 1,002 attempts without a block.
Quote: “We’ve got to get it together fast. We’re behind the eight-ball.”–Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson.
BROWNS 17, REDSKINS 13
Story line: The Browns (2-2) were desperate for a win. And although it certainly wasn’t pretty, they got one. The Redskins (1-3) can pin their third straight loss on going just 1-for-11 on third downs, mental mistakes and costly fumbles by Clinton Portis and Laveranues Coles.
Star: Lee Suggs, who sat out the first three games with a neck stinger, ran for 82 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Extra point: The Redskins’ headsets and sideline phones were malfunctioning. “It made it tough to communicate,” QB Mark Brunell said. “We had to go to hand signals. But the headsets didn’t cause the fumbles or overthrown passes.”
Quote: “I turned, no one was on me and I saw the end zone. I was like, `I’m getting in there.’ Nothing was going to stop me.”–Browns tight end Aaron Shea, on his 15-yard scoring catch in the third quarter–his first TD since 2000.
CHARGERS 38, TITANS 17
Story line: Drew Brees, who’s had a tenuous grip on his job since last season, threw three touchdowns for San Diego (2-2). His 58-yard strike to Reche Caldwell midway through the fourth quarter put the game away after the Titans had cut a 17-point deficit to 24-17. The Titans (1-3) played without quarterback Steve McNair, who was the emergency third quarterback after bruising his sternum last week.
Star: Billy Volek, McNair’s replacement, was 39 of 58 for 278 yards and two TDs.
Extra point: Tennessee’s Chris Brown, who came in leading the NFL in rushing with 353 yards, was held to 55 yards.
Quote: “People have said we’re one of the elite teams, but we aren’t an elite team right now.”–Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
CARDINALS 34, SAINTS 10
Story line: Arizona (1-3) collected 211 rushing yards–127 from Emmitt Smith and 79 from Troy Hambrick–to get Dennis Green his first victory as Cardinals coach. With temperatures in the mid-90s, the Saints (2-2) were playing outdoors for the first time this season–and they were awful. New Orleans was penalized 12 times for 104 yards.
Stars: Arizona’s Adrian Wilson returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown. . . . New Orleans’ Mel Mitchell blocked one punt, and recovered another for a TD. It was the first time the Saints had turned a blocked punt into a TD in 27 years.
Extra point: It was the Cardinals’ most lopsided victory since beating the Rams 38-10 on Dec. 5, 1993.
Quote: “I know that I’m the leader of all of this, but I’m tired of it. I have to sit back and re-evaluate my situation here in New Orleans. I am going to keep fighting until that change comes.”–Saints QB Aaron Brooks.
BRONCOS 16, BUCCANEERS 13
Story line: Jake Plummer threw a 5-yard TD pass to Patrick Hape and Jason Elam kicked three field goals to keep Denver (3-1) atop the AFC West.
Star: Plummer completed 13 of 31 passes for 138 yards for Denver, saving his best for the fourth quarter–when he took advantage of a 37-yard pass interference penalty to set up Jason Elam’s third field goal, a 24-yarder that snapped a 13-13 tie with 9:03 to go.
Extra points: The Bucs are 0-4 for the first time since 1996, and coach Jon Gruden fell to 1-8 against Denver’s Mike Shanahan. . . . Tampa Bay’s Tim Brown had one catch, extending the NFL’s longest streak with a reception to 176 games.
Quote: “[Saturday] night, to be honest, I didn’t sleep a wink. I don’t know if I was that nervous for the Super Bowl.”–Broncos safety John Lynch, on his return to Tampa Bay, where he played 11 seasons.
JETS 17, DOLPHINS 9
Story line: With quarterback Jay Fiedler back in the lineup, Miami totaled a season-high 293 yards to outgain New York. But five possessions in Jets territory produced only three field goals, and Fiedler’s four second-half turnovers–including an interception returned 66 yards for a touchdown by Donnie Abraham–derailed Miami’s comeback bid.
Stars: The Jets’ Doug Brien kicked a 53-yard field goal, his longest since 1998. . . . Olindo Mare scored all of Miami’s points with kicks from 36, 37 and 23 yards.
Extra point: Jets center Kevin Mawae started his 158th consecutive game despite a broken right hand. He snapped with his left hand. . . . . Coach Dave Wannstedt said he expects Fiedler to start next week against Patriots.
Quote: “The only thing I was thinking was, `Don’t drop it.”‘–Abraham on his INT return.
RAMS 24, 49ERS 14
Story line: Marc Bulger passed for 186 yards, Marshall Faulk rushed for 121 yards and St. Louis (2-2) sent the 49ers to their first 0-4 start in 25 years. The Rams (2-2) got their ninth victory in 11 games against their longtime rivals. Rams coach Mike Martz, criticized for his pass-heavy schemes, called 19 running plays and 18 passes in the first half.
Stars: The Rams’ Isaac Bruce had seven catches for 100 yards. . . . Niners QB Tim Rattay threw for 299 yards, including 134 yards and two TDs in the final quarter.
Extra points: Rams scored on all four of their first-half drives. . . . The 49ers’ Curtis Conway caught his 50th career TD.
Quote: “We were all tired of pass-blocking all day. We knew we could run the ball on these guys. I loved this game plan.”–Rams offensive tackle Orlando Pace.
Monday night matchup
CHIEFS (0-3) at RAVENS (2-1)
Time: 8 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7, WSCR-AM 670.
Line: Ravens by 6.
Last meeting: Chiefs won 17-10 at Baltimore on Sept. 28, ’03.
Terry Bannon’s pick: Ravens 28, Chiefs 17.
