The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. - Jon Gruden is still trying to figure out what went wrong. When you are the coach of the defending Super Bowl champions and have one of the NFL's best defenses, you don't expect to blow a three-touchdown lead in the last four minutes of regulation and let an opponent drive 76 yards to kick the winning field goal in overtime.

"For the first time since I've been here, a team was able to overcome tremendous odds in a predictable situation, convert some third downs, and was able to throw the ball and have success," Gruden said Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the 38-35 loss to Indianapolis.

"What can I say? I'm not going to stand up here and justify what occurred. We got bombed in the ninth inning. We have to move on."

Peyton Manning and the Colts became the first team in NFL history to win a game after trailing by 21 or more points with four minutes remaining in regulation when they rallied from a 35-14 deficit to beat the Bucs on Mike Vanderjagt's second-chance field goal in overtime.

• Tampa Bay running back Mike Alstott was placed on injured reserve with a neck problem that might require surgery.

Buccaneers general manager Rich McKay said the season-ending injury, which has bothered the six-time Pro Bowl fullback for about three weeks, is not believed to be career-threatening.

LIONS: Rookie receiver Charles Rogers broke his right collarbone in practice Tuesday and is expected to miss at least a month. Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, got tangled up with cornerback Dre' Bly, landed on his shoulder and was taken to a local hospital.

"I told Dre' Bly it wasn't his fault," coach Steve Mariucci said. "It happens sometimes when guys compete. We do the best we can as players and coaches to minimize it, but it's a contact sport."

The Lions have lost four straight since Rogers scored two touchdowns in the season-opening game against Arizona. Rogers leads the Lions with 22 receptions for 243 yards and three TDs in five games.

With Rogers out, Mariucci said Az-Zahir Hakim, Bill Schroeder, Scotty Anderson and Shawn Jefferson will have to pick up the slack.

BILLS: Rookie Willis McGahee passed a physical on his injured left knee, one of the final steps that would allow the running back to begin practicing next week.

Drew Rosenhaus, McGahee's agent, said his client's knee was "nearly equivalent" to full strength after being examined by John Uribe in Miami. Uribe is the University of Miami team physician who surgically repaired the three torn ligaments McGahee sustained during the Hurricanes' loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl in January.

GIANTS: New York found a short-term replacement for the injured Matt Bryant, signing veteran place-kicker Brett Conway. Cornerback Ray Green was waived to make room for Conway on the roster.

RAVENS: Baltimore signed defensive end Riddick Parker for the second time this season and released end Joe Salave'a.

Parker, who played in 11 games for the Ravens last year, re-signed with the team in the spring, then became one of its final preseason cuts.

Salave'a, a fifth-year veteran, also was cut but was re-signed before the second game of the season. He was not activated in any of his three games.

CHARGERS: Defensive tackle Leonardo Carson missed San Diego's first bye week practice Tuesday to make a court appearance on burglary and kidnapping charges in Mobile, Ala.

Carson was arrested Aug. 21 in Mobile, his hometown, for investigation of first-degree burglary and second-degree kidnapping.

According to the Mobile police, a woman told officers that Carson had forcibly entered an apartment, physically assaulted her and forced her into his vehicle. At the time, he was on leave from the team to attend his grandmother's funeral.

Also, defensive end Adrian Dingle and linebacker Carlos Polk underwent minor surgery to clean debris from their knees. Both are expected to be ready to practice a week from today, when the team starts preparing for its next game, Oct. 19 at Cleveland.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson also didn't practice because of a minor calf injury.

CHIEFS: It's Dick Vermeil's third year as head coach of a Missouri-based NFL team that has won its first five games.

One of his players has emerged from obscurity to become the most electrifying player in the land.

Dante Hall and the 2003 Kansas City Chiefs? Yes. Also Kurt Warner and the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

The parallels are striking between St. Louis then and Kansas City now as the Chiefs keep winning and Hall continues making NFL history with his amazing kick returns. Like the Rams, the Chiefs had an overall losing record in their first two seasons under Vermeil. Then the 1999 Rams started 6-0, something the Chiefs will try to match when they visit Green Bay.

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