The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sometimes only great plays stop great players.

Chris Crocker avoided a block and made a desperation ankle tackle of Dante Hall Sunday, keeping the NFL's most electrifying player from uncorking a record-breaking fifth touchdown return.

Hall's return ended up going 77 yards and set up Morten Andersen's 29-yard field goal, paving the way for a 41-20 victory over Cleveland that kept Kansas City (9-0) the NFL's only unbeaten team.

"I'm thinking 'Oh, my God.' That's literally what I'm thinking," said Crocker. "Somehow I managed to get him on the ground."

Said Hall, "You've got to take your hat off to him. He played it well."

Trent Green threw three touchdown passes and Priest Holmes scored two touchdowns as the streaking Chiefs took a four-game lead over Denver in the AFC West.

The Browns (3-6), weakened all year by injuries, were without suspended running back William Green.

"I don't know when it's going to be, but we're going to win some games," said Cleveland coach Butch Davis.

As Crocker and Hall picked themselves off the turf, Cleveland players high-fived and congratulated the rookie safety as though he had scored the game-winning TD. Hall immediately went over to console teammate Gary Stills, who failed to block the oncoming Crocker.

"Dante said it's OK, that we'll get them next time. But it was bad judgment on my part," said Stills, one of the Chiefs' best special teams players. "It was a good play. That was really good hustle."

Hall, who had touchdown returns in four straight games earlier in the season, totaled 159 yards of kick returns.

Green hit 29-of-42 passes for 368 yards, and Holmes had 93 yards rushing and 66 receiving. He has six touchdowns in his last two games against Cleveland.

In addition, Eddie Kennison caught seven passes for 115 yards for the Chiefs, who converted 12-of-16 third-down plays, their highest percentage since the NFL began tracking the stat in 1972.

James Jackson had 66 yards in place of Green. Kevin Johnson, the Browns' leading receiver, was also benched for much of the game.

After Jackson's 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, Tony Gonzalez made it 21-10 with a 14-yard touchdown catch.

Kelly Holcomb made it 21-17 with a 2-yard TD pass to R.J. Bowers.

Andersen's 27-yard field goal made it 27-17 at half.

Jaguars 28, Colts 23

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Fred Taylor ran the ball Sunday as well as he ran his mouth all week.

The result for Jacksonville was a surprising 28-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, highlighted by Taylor's game-winning, 32-yard touchdown run with 1:08 left.

Taylor finished with a season-high 152 yards and delivered on his promise to "punish" Colts safety Mike Doss, whose rough play in the season's first meeting prompted Taylor to send out this midweek warning: "I'm going to punish him. If he hits me, fine, but if I catch him, believe me, I'm going to get the better shot."

As it turned out, Taylor's trash talk was the perfect motivation for the Jaguars (2-7).

The Jaguars earned the first victory in franchise history over the Colts (7-2), who fell into a first-place tie with Tennessee in the AFC South.

Indy walked away with a loss and some prickly issues to go with it.

The Colts played the final three quarters without receiver Marvin Harrison, who strained his hamstring.

Also, some players were snippy in the locker room, upset with play-calling that was heavy on screen passes and light on handoffs. Edgerrin James finished with 15 carries for 44 yards and six catches for 26 yards.

"Maybe I'm not good enough, but I don't make those decisions," said James, who shared significant time with Ricky Williams. "I don't know why we had so many screens called. That's not my call."

Titans 31, Dolphins 7

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Steve McNair and Tennessee are on a roll that neither a bye week nor the Miami Dolphins could slow down.

McNair threw for 201 yards and two TDs in the Titans' fourth straight victory, and sixth in the past seven games.

The Titans snapped a five-game skid against Miami (5-4).

Tennessee improved to 7-2 by setting a franchise record of scoring 30 or more points for the sixth straight game. The defense sacked Brian Griese four times and forced him into two fumbles and three interceptions that the Titans turned into 17 points.

Jets 27, Raiders 24, OT

OAKLAND, Calif. - Chad Pennington calmly rallied the New York Jets, just as he did so many times last season, and Doug Brien came through this time.

Pennington threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerald Sowell with 1:09 left and completed the 2-point conversion pass to Anthony Becht to force overtime. Then Brien kicked a 39-yard field goal in the extra period.

Brien made up for his botched field goal in a 31-28 overtime loss to the Giants last Sunday.

The Jets (3-6) sent the Raiders (2-7) to their fifth straight loss despite an admirable job by QB quarterback Rick Mirer and a running attack that staked the Raiders to a 21-10 lead.

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