NFL Week 11 Roundup: Broncos End Chiefs' Perfect Season
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Denver Broncos stamped themselves as the AFC's top team by ending Kansas City's perfect run.
Peyton Manning threw for 323 yards and a touchdown Sunday night and was barely touched by Kansas City's sack-happy defense in Denver's 27-17 victory.
The Broncos (9-1) tied the Chiefs atop the AFC West. Temporarily, Denver holds the tiebreaker, but the teams meet again in two weeks in Kansas City.
With Jack Del Rio replacing coach John Fox in charge of the Broncos for the second straight week — Fox is recovering from heart surgery — Denver became the first team to score more than 17 points on Kansas City this season.
"We knew they would have some stops, that's an excellent defense," said Manning, whose team had scored at least 28 points in every game. "We knew that once we got down to the red zone, getting touchdowns was critical. They make teams settle for field goals down there."
But the Broncos got those TDs as rookie Montee Ball rushed for two scores and Manning hit Julius Thomas for a 9-yard touchdown.
Denver isn't getting cocky about the win, though.
"We put a lot of work into this game and these guys, play them again in two weeks, which is kind of strange," added Manning, whose right ankle sprain held up well. So did his offensive line against the NFL's sacks leader: Kansas City didn't add to its 36 sacks.
"I thought he did a good job getting the ball out fast and I thought he worked the pocket well," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "There were times when we had pressure and you saw him slide and throw the opposite (way) which isn't an easy thing to do. Most guys wouldn't be able to get away with it."
On Monday night, New England (7-2) is at Carolina (6-3).
On Thursday night, Indianapolis (7-3) beat Tennessee (4-6), 30-27.
Off this week were Dallas (5-5) and St. Louis (4-6).
BILLS 37, JETS 14
At Orchard Park, N.Y., Jairus Byrd had two interceptions in leading a Buffalo defense that forced four turnovers. Kyle Williams had two sacks and forced a fumble, and Da'Norris Searcy returned Geno Smith's third interception 32 yards for a touchdown. Buffalo (4-7) snapped a three-game skid.
Buffalo's EJ Manuel won Round 2 of the AFC East showdown of rookie quarterbacks by finishing 20 of 28 for 245 yards and two scores.
Smith struggled in blustery conditions, finishing 8 of 23 for 103 yards four turnovers — including a lost fumble — before being yanked in favor of Matt Simms after three quarters.
"The way I can sum up this game for myself -- awful," Smith said. "I know I can play better. This is not who I am."
The visiting Jets (5-5) became the NFL's first team to alternate wins and losses through the first 10 games of the season.
GIANTS 27, PACKERS 13
At East Rutherford, N.J., defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul scored on a spectacular, leaping 24-yard fourth-quarter interception return and the resurgent Giants won their fourth game in a row by beating slumping and injured-riddled Green Bay.
Eli Manning threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle and Brandon Jacobs added a 1-yard run as the host Giants (4-6) handed the Packers (5-5) their third straight loss, their longest skid since a five-game losing streak near the end of 2008.
Two of the three losses have come with quarterback Aaron Rodgers sidelined with a broken left collarbone.
While Scott Tolzien played well at times in his first NFL start, the Giants intercepted him three times.
"We're getting there," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Anytime you win four in a row, there are some good things happening. There are some things that as a coach I would like to clean up, but we're happy to be in the position we are in and we'll be back in the division this weekend."
BEARS 23, RAVENS 20, OT
At Chicago, in perhaps the longest game in pro football history — counting a nearly 2-hour weather delay — the Bears (6-4) moved into a tie atop the NFC North with Detroit. Robbie Gould kicked a 38-yard field goal in overtime after Justin Tucker tied it for the Ravens (4-6) with a 21-yarder at the end of regulation.
The big delay came after Tucker kicked a 52-yard field goal with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter. Fans were ordered to take cover. Players headed to the locker rooms as heavy rains and winds whipped through Soldier Field. When they emerged the sky was clearing and the sun coming out, but the rain and wind returned in the third quarter, turning the stands into a sea of ponchos.
"It was pretty muddy, windy," Bears tight end Martellus Bennett said. "I feel like I've been fishing all day."
Ray Rice rushed for 131 yards for Baltimore; he had 289 all season.
STEELERS 37, LIONS 27
At Pittsburgh, the Lions (6-4) saw their short-lived sole division lead disappear as Ben Roethlisberger passed for 367 yards and four touchdowns.
Antonio Brown caught seven passes for 147 yards and two scores and Pittsburgh's defense rebounded from allowing 27 points in the second period. The Steelers kept the Lions (6-4) winless in Pittsburgh for 58 years.
Matthew Stafford threw for 362 yards with two touchdowns and an interception to become the Lions' all-time leading passer. Calvin Johnson hauled in six passes for 179 yards and both scores, but Detroit's two stars disappeared over the final 30 minutes.
SAINTS 23, 49ERS 20
At New Orleans, the 49ers fell far behind in the NFC West race and New Orleans (8-2) took a big step toward an NFC South title and a postseason first-round bye.
Marques Colston capped a record-setting day with a 20-yard reception to get the Saints into field goal range, and Garrett Hartley kicked a 31-yarder as time expired. Hartley, who missed four field goals in the Saints' previous three games, made all three of his field goal attempts in the fourth quarter.
Colston finished with five catches for 80 yards to become the Saints' all-time leader in yards receiving with 7,923, passing Eric Martin's two-decade-old mark of 7,854.
The Saints overcame three turnovers and a failed fourth-down conversion.
Colin Kaepernick completed 17 of 31 passes for only 127 yards and was sacked three times as the Niners (6-4) slipped 3½ games behind Seattle in the West.
EAGLES 24, REDSKINS 16
At Philadelphia, Nick Foles threw for 298 yards and ran for a touchdown, LeSean McCoy had two TDs rushing and Philadelphia snapped a 10-game home losing streak. The Eagles hadn't won at the Linc since defeating the Giants on Sept. 30, 2012.
"Not one person on this team was defeated," Foles said. "Everybody in our locker room believed we can win and if you feel that way, it's something special. We have to keep the momentum going."
Chip Kelly's Eagles (6-5) are first in the NFC East, a half-game ahead of idle Dallas. The defending division champion Redskins (3-7) were down 24-0 in the fourth quarter and rallied behind Robert Griffin III's TD passes of 62 yards to Darrel Young and 41 yards to Aldrick Robinson and a pair of 2-point conversions.
BENGALS 40, BROWNS 21
At Cincinnati, in nasty weather, Andy Dalton threw two touchdown passes and the Bengals returned a blocked punt and a fumble for touchdowns during a 31-point second quarter that set a team record.
The Bengals (7-4) head into their bye week with a 2½-game lead atop the AFC North.
This was the most lopsided game in the intrastate series since Cincinnati's 30-0 win in Cleveland in 2006. It actually started well for the Browns (4-6), who got two picks by Joe Haden, who ran one of them back 29 yards for a touchdown and a 13-0 lead in the first quarter.
SEAHAWKS 41, VIKINGS 20
At Seattle, Percy Harvin made an impact in his season debut, returning a kickoff 58 yards to set up Russell Wilson's 19-yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin, in the Seahawks' franchise-record 13th straight home win.
Harvin made his anticipated Seattle debut against the Vikings (2-8), his former team, after missing the first 10 weeks following hip surgery. But Wilson and Marshawn Lynch wouldn't let Harvin's debut take the entire spotlight. Wilson had two touchdown passes, while Lynch had two touchdowns running and one receiving. Wilson completed 13 of 18 for 230 yards and a career-best passer rating of 151.4.
CARDINALS 27, JAGUARS 14
At Jacksonville, Fla., Carson Palmer threw for 419 yards and two scores and did not throw an interception for the first time all season.
Michael Floyd had a career-high 193 yards receiving, including a 91-yard touchdown on a catch-and-run as the Cardinals (6-4) won their third straight game.
The Jaguars (1-9) at least scored a touchdown at home for the first time this season. On fourth-and-2 from the 38 on the opening drive, Chad Henne found tight end Danny Noble behind the defense for a 62-yard score. It was Noble's first NFL reception.
DOLPHINS 20, CHARGERS 16
At Miami, the Dolphins held the Chargers without a touchdown over the final three quarters, and Brent Grimes broke up Philip Rivers' final pass in the end zone as time expired.
The victory gave the Dolphins (5-5) something to celebrate amid a harassment scandal that has raised questions about the team's locker room culture. An NFL special investigator will question players this week about what might have happened between Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito.
Ryan Tannehill threw for 268 yards, including a 39-yard score to Charles Clay, who broke two tackles on the play. Miami managed 104 yards rushing behind a makeshift line.
The Chargers (4-6) lost their third game in a row.
RAIDERS 28, TEXANS 23
At Houston, rookie Matt McGloin threw three touchdown passes in his first NFL start and Oakland extended Houston's franchise-record skid to eight games in Texans coach Gary Kubiak's return from a mini-stroke.
McGloin, an undrafted free agent, was 18 of 32 for 197 yards in place of an injured Terrelle Pryor.
Kubiak wasn't on the sideline, instead coaching from upstairs on doctor's orders two weeks after collapsing at halftime of Houston's game against Indianapolis.
The Texans (2-8) had a chance to take the lead late. But Matt Schaub's pass to Andre Johnson on fourth down from the 8 was broken up in the end zone to give Oakland (4-6) the win.
BUCCANEERS 41, FALCONS 28
At Tampa, Fla., the Bucs won again as Bobby Rainey rushed for 163 yards and scored three touchdowns. A waiver wire pickup filling in for the injured Doug Martin and Mike James, Rainey scored on first-half runs of 43 and 3 yards. He caught a 4-yard TD pass from Mike Glennon in the third quarter to help the Bucs (2-8) win for the second straight time following an 0-8 start.
The Falcons (2-8) have lost four straight by a combined 135-61.
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