Monday, October 07, 2002
NFL Today
The Associated Press
SCOREBOARD — Monday, Oct. 7
Green Bay (3-1) at Chicago (2-2). Packers quarterback Brett Favre is 16-4 with 39 career touchdown passes against Chicago.
STARS
Quarterbacks
— Rich Gannon, Raiders, passed for 357 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a TD as the NFL's only unbeaten team downed Buffalo 49-31 to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1990.
— Brian Griese, Broncos, was 26-of-35 passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-9 victory over San Diego.
— Kerry Collins, Giants, threw three touchdown passes to lead New York to a 21-17 victory at Dallas.
— Trent Green, Chiefs, completed 23 of 33 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas City beat the New York Jets 29-25.
— Drew Bledsoe, Bills, passed for 417 yards and two touchdowns — his second 400-yard game this season and the sixth of his career — in a 49-31 loss to Oakland.
Running backs
— Priest Holmes, Chiefs, ran for 152 yards and a touchdown and caught nine passes for 81 yards in a 29-25 win over the Jets. His 19-yard touchdown catch with 27 seconds left handed New York its fourth straight loss.
— Deuce McAllister, Saints, rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a 32-29 win over Pittsburgh.
— Garrison Hearst, 49ers, ran for 116 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's 37-13 rout of St. Louis.
— Clinton Portis, Broncos, had 102 yards rushing on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead Denver over San Diego 26-9.
— Ricky Williams, Dolphins, ran 36 times for 105 yards in Miami's 26-13 win over New England — setting a franchise record for attempts in a game. He has four 100-yard games this season, one shy of the team mark.
— Corey Dillon, Bengals, rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-21 loss at Indianapolis.
Receivers
— Marvin Harrison, Colts, caught nine passes for 145 yards and a touchdown in a 28-21 victory over Cincinnati.
— Keyshawn Johnson, Buccaneers, caught a 76-yard pass for his first touchdown of the season in a 20-6 win at Atlanta. He finished with six catches for 131 yards.
Special Teams
— Bobby Shaw, Jaguars, returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown to lift Jacksonville to a 28-25 victory over Philadelphia.
— Bill Gramatica kicked a 50-yard field goal with 16 seconds left as Arizona beat Carolina 16-13 to improve to 3-2, its best start since 1991. Gramatica also made field goals of 41 and 28 yards.
Defense
— Phillip Buchanon returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown, sparking Oakland to a 49-31 win over Buffalo.
— First-round draft pick John Henderson sacked Donovan McNabb three times to tie a team record and lift Jacksonville over Philadelphia 28-25.
— Jason Webster, 49ers, intercepted a pass by Jamie Martin and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown in a 37-13 victory over St. Louis.
— Jason Taylor had two sacks and forced a fumble by New England quarterback Tom Brady to set up Miami's first score in a 26-13 win. The Dolphins held the Patriots to just 17 yards on their first 21 plays to take over sole possession of first place in the AFC East.
— Tampa Bay scored a defensive touchdown for the fourth week in a row when Warren Sapp intercepted a pass and lateraled to Derrick Brooks in a 20-6 win at Atlanta. The Buccaneers have allowed only 27 points in winning four straight games, and the defense hasn't given up a touchdown on the road all season.
— Denver held LaDainian Tomlinson to 48 yards rushing as the Broncos beat San Diego 26-9. Deltha O'Neal, ejected from last Monday night's game after bumping an official, had two interceptions — one returned for a touchdown.
MILESTONES
Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis went over 11,000 yards rushing for his career. ... Buffalo quarterback Drew Bledsoe moved into 16th place in career completions (2,692) ahead of Steve Young, and into 16th place in career attempts (4,736), passing both John Hadl and Troy Aikman. ... Dallas' Emmitt Smith scored his first TD of the season on a 30-yard run. He finished with a season-high 70 yards rushing, leaving him 234 from breaking Walter Payton's career record. ... Redskins DE Bruce Smith had one sack, and needs 11 1/2 to pass Reggie White for the career record.
STREAKS
Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt extended his consecutive-game scoring streak to 59, breaking the team record. Lou Michaels scored in 58 straight games from 1965-69. ... Tampa Bay extended its streak with at least one sack to 49 games.
SNAPPED
San Francisco ended a six-game losing streak against the Rams with a 37-13 victory. The Rams lost 17 straight to the 49ers from 1990-98. ... Edgerrin James, the NFL rushing champion in 1999 and 2000, had a 3-yard touchdown run for Indianapolis — ending his 34-quarter scoreless drought that dated to Sept. 23, 2001. He gained 60 yards on 22 carries, the first time in 11 home games that James failed to crack the 100-yard mark. ... Peyton Manning's TD run was the Colts' first rushing touchdown of the season. ... Buffalo's Drew Bledsoe broke Jim Kelly's franchise record with his 173rd consecutive attempt without an interception. The streak ended three attempts later. ... The Titans lost 31-14 to Washington, their first loss at home to an NFC team since moving into the Coliseum in 1999.
STATS
The Rams (0-5) are off to their worst start since the 1963 Los Angeles Rams opened 0-5 en route to a 5-9 finish. No 0-5 team has reached the postseason. ... Oakland and Buffalo, two of the NFL's most potent offenses, combined for 974 yards in the Raiders' 49-31 victory. ... The Bills are the only team that hasn't intercepted a pass this season. ... The Patriots fell to 0-13 in Miami in September and October, and lost their second game in a row after winning 12 straight. ... The Bengals are 0-5 for the second time in three years. ... The Cowboys took their first snap inside the opponent's 14-yard line this season with a minute left in the first half against the Giants.
SUPER SUB
Rookie quarterback Patrick Ramsey replaced injured Danny Wuerffel and threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns as Washington beat Tennessee 31-14. After the game, coach Steve Spurrier said he hopes to stick with Ramsey as his starting quarterback for the rest of the season.
INJURIES
Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick was knocked out of a 20-6 loss to Tampa Bay with an injury to his non-throwing (right) shoulder. X-rays were negative, but Vick wasn't sure if he would be able to play next Sunday. ... Oakland lost leading rusher Charlie Garner to a strained left hamstring. ... Saints linebacker Travis Carroll broke his right lower leg. ... Chargers linebacker Junior Seau sat out with a sprained ankle. ... Marshall Faulk left late in the third quarter of St. Louis' loss to the 49ers with back spasms, but he returned and finished with 110 yards rushing and receiving combined. The Rams were without cornerback Aeneas Williams (turf toe), ending his streak of 177 straight starts. ... San Francisco receiver J.J. Stokes sprained his right knee. ... Chargers tight end Stephen Alexander sprained his right foot. ... Giants rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey left with turf toe. New York also lost cornerback Will Peterson (toe). ... The Cowboys lost offensive lineman Larry Allen (ankle sprain) and safety Darren Woodson (sprained ankle). ... Arizona fullback Joel Makovicka injured his hamstring. ... Tampa Bay SS John Lynch left with a sprained right knee.
SUSPENDED
New Orleans cornerback Dale Carter, serving an indefinite suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, has been denied reinstatement by commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
PAY UP
Seattle linebacker Marcus Bell has been fined $25,000 for knocking down umpire Carl Madsen during the Sept. 29 game against Minnesota. It's the largest fine in the NFL this year.
SPEAKING
“We have some deadly bullets on this team. Coach says there should be an investigation, 'cause it looks like there are 12 of us out there right now.” — Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp after a 20-6 win over Atlanta.
———
“I apologize for the effort and the outcome.” — Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher following a 31-14 home loss to Washington.
———
“They have something we want. We want to get where they were last year.” — Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain after a 26-13 victory over New England.
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