By The Associated Press

MIAMI - The Miami Dolphins finally gave their fans reason to celebrate, combining a polished offensive performance with solid defense for their first victory this season, 31-14 over the St. Louis Rams.

After enduring the worst start in their 39-year history, the Dolphins took out their frustration on the Rams, who had at least five players injured Sunday. Much-maligned quarterback Jay Fiedler threw for two touchdowns, embattled coach Dave Wannstedt made some risky calls that paid off and Miami held the Rams' explosive offense in check.

The Dolphins, the last NFL team to win this season, improved to 1-6. St. Louis (4-3) had won three in a row.

Fiedler, a frequent target of boos, heard none as he went 13-for-17 for 203 yards. He shrugged off five sacks and threw touchdown passes of 42 yards to Randy McMichael and 71 yards to Chris Chambers.

The conservative Wannstedt, his job in jeopardy, took some uncharacteristic gambles to keep St. Louis guessing. A 48-yard pass by receiver Marty Booker set up the game's first score, and Miami also pulled off a fake punt and tried a halfback pass.

The Dolphins scored four touchdowns, matching their total for the first six games.

Miami, which came into the game with a league-high 17 turnovers, committed none. The Rams' lone turnover was costly, with Marc Bulger intercepted in the end zone when they were threatening to tie the game in the third quarter.

Eagles 34, Browns 31, OT

CLEVELAND - David Akers kicked a 50-yard field goal in overtime and Donovan McNabb matched a career high with four touchdown passes - two to Terrell Owens - as the Eagles remained unbeaten. Akers' kick barely cleared the crossbar in front of Cleveland's Dawg Pound with 5:02 remaining in OT as the Eagles (6-0) continued their best start since 1981.

They survived their stiffest test by far this season from the Browns (3-4), who made as many big plays as the Eagles.

McNabb finished 28-of-43 for 376 yards, but set up Akers' game-winner with a 28-yard run.

Owens, whose feud with Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia - his former San Francisco teammate - dominated the pregame hype, had four catches for 109 yards. Garcia went 21-for-36 with 236 yards and tied the game at 31 with 30 seconds to go in regulation on a 4-yard run after a questionable roughing call against Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. He was flagged on a fourth-and-7 play despite making minimal contact with Garcia.

Patriots 13, Jets 7

FOXBORO, Mass. - Rodney Harrison broke up a fourth-down pass by Chad Pennington with 2:14 remaining, and the Patriots extended their NFL-record victory streak to 21 games, including playoffs.

The Patriots also set the regular-season mark of 18 straight wins, surpassing the 17 won by the 1933-34 Chicago Bears. They moved to 6-0 for the first time in franchise history while handing the Jets (5-1) their first loss this season.

It was the first matchup of unbeatens with five or more wins since 1973. The game turned into a defensive struggle in the second half.

New England led 13-7 at halftime and then couldn't muster much on offense. Neither could the Jets until late in the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-1 from their 23, they went for it with 6:55 remaining. Pennington made the first down on a 2-yard sneak and the Jets marched down to the Patriots 27. On fourth down, Pennington tried to throw to Wayne Chrebet, but Harrison was there to make the play.

Jaguars 27, Colts 24

INDIANAPOLIS - Byron Leftwich led a 30-yard drive in the final four minutes and rookie kicker Josh Scobee made a 53-yard field goal to lift Jacksonville to its fifth fourth-quarter win this season.

Leftwich finished 23-of-30 for 300 yards with two touchdowns and was at his best late, ending the game with three straight scoring drives.

The Colts' four-game winning streak ended after a rusty performance that gave the Jaguars (5-2) the lead in the AFC South.

The Colts (4-2) committed a season-high 11 penalties, turned the ball over twice, and their defense struggled to get off the field. Peyton Manning was 27-of-39 for 368 yards and three touchdowns, and Edgerrin James rushed 18 times for 87 yards.

Jimmy Smith caught five passes for 113 yards and one touchdown for the Jaguars, and Fred Taylor rushed 20 times for 107 yards and made five receptions for 67 yards.

Packers 41, Cowboys 20

GREEN BAY, Wis. - With coach-general manager Mike Sherman directing the offense for the second straight game, the Packers scored on their first seven possessions. The Packers (3-4) snapped a three-game losing streak at Lambeau Field and Brett Favre beat the Cowboys (2-4) for just the second time in 10 tries.

Ahman Green ended a monthlong funk by rushing for 163 yards and two scores, including a 90-yarder in the third quarter. He became the second player in NFL history with two career touchdown runs of at least 90 yards, joining Bo Jackson, who did it in 1987.

Green, who had a 98-yarder last December, also set a franchise record with his 27th 100-yard game, breaking Jim Taylor's record.

Cardinals 25, Seahawks 17

TEMPE, Ariz. - Emmitt Smith ran his way to another NFL record and Neil Rackers booted himself into a share of one.

Smith sealed Arizona's victory with a 23-yard scoring run, breaking Walter Payton's record with 78 100-yard rushing games. Rackers was good from 55, 55 and 50 yards to tie Morten Andersen's record for most field goals of at least 50 yards in a game. Gerald Hayes blocked a Seattle punt for a safety for the decisive points.

Matt Hasselbeck was just 14-of-41 and was intercepted four times and the Seahawks (3-3) lost their third in a row, blowing a chance to take sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Smith, who broke Payton's career rushing yardage mark two years ago, gained 106 yards on 26 carries, his second 100-yard effort in three games for Arizona (2-4).

Saints 31, Raiders 26

OAKLAND, Calif. - Deuce McAllister ran for two short touchdowns, Aaron Brooks threw for 282 yards and a touchdown, and New Orleans ended a three-game losing streak.

Joe Horn had nine receptions for 123 yards, and Jerome Pathon added six catches as the Saints (3-4) used a strong second half to send the Raiders to their fourth straight defeat.

John Carney kicked a 41-yard field goal with 4:31 left, then Colby Bockwoldt scooped up Carlos Francis' fumble on the ensuing kickoff and ran it 6 yards for another Saints score.

Brooks was 23-of-39 with a 4-yard TD pass to Lamont Hall.

Oakland (2-5) ended a seven-quarter touchdown drought when Kerry Collins connected with wide-open tight end Doug Jolley on a 34-yard TD pass 26 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Ravens 20, Bills 6

BALTIMORE - High-stepping Deion Sanders made sure the Ravens wouldn't lament the absence of Jamal Lewis.

Sanders returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown and also picked off a pass in the end zone, and Chad Williams went 94 yards with another interception as the Ravens (4-2) sputtered offensively but took advantage of five turnovers by the punchless Bills (1-5).

Lewis is serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. Chester Taylor filled in for Lewis and ran for 89 yards on 21 carries.

Chiefs 56, Falcons 10

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Priest Holmes sprained his ankle early in the second half, so Derrick Blaylock scored the other half of Kansas City's NFL-record eight touchdowns rushing.

Shredding what had been the NFL's leading rushing defense, Holmes and Blaylock each scored four times on the ground. Holmes scored on runs of 1, 2, 2 and 15 yards during a 35-0 first-half blitz. He was stopped just a couple of feet short of what would have been his fifth TD rushing for the Chiefs (2-4).

Holmes, who set the NFL record last year with 27 touchdowns rushing, then left with a mild ankle sprain.

Holmes tied the NFL mark with four TDs rushing in one half. Those touchdowns also broke the record for most in a game against the Falcons (5-2), who came in leading the NFL with 74.5 yards rushing allowed per game.

Vikings 20, Titans 3

MINNEAPOLIS - With the injured Randy Moss relegated to two snaps of decoy duty, Daunte Culpepper and the Vikings shifted gears and grind out a win.

Culpepper completed 24 of 30 mostly low-risk passes, and an aggressive Vikings (5-1) defense knocked quarterback Steve McNair out of the game for the Titans (2-5) when he reinjured his chest.

After throwing 10 touchdowns the last two weeks, Culpepper finished with 183 yards and one score to Marcus Robinson just before halftime. Rookie Mewelde Moore rushed for 138 yards on 20 carries.

Moss extended his consecutive games streak to 102 with a token start, but his strained right hamstring kept him out of Minnesota's plans and he went without a catch for the first time in his seven-year career.

Lions 28, Giants 13

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - After going three years without winning on the road, the Lions seem unbeatable away from the Motor City.

Joey Harrington threw two touchdown passes and Chris Cash made a diving interception in the end zone late in the first half to lead the Lions (4-2), who won their third straight away game.,

Kevin Jones scored on a 2-yard run and Artose Pinner iced the game with an 8-yard TD run as the Lions snapped a four-game winning streak for the Giants (4-2).

New coach Tom Coughlin could not change the Giants' woes after a bye week. New York has lost four straight and 13 of 16 since the NFL started giving teams weeks off in 1990.

Chargers 17, Panthers 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - LaDainian Tomlinson scored on a 8-yard run and Jesse Chatman added a 5-yard scoring run with 1:42 to play to lift San Diego (4-3), which equaled its win total from last season.

It was a disheartening loss for Carolina (1-5). The defending NFC champions have lost four straight and had pointed to this game as one that could turn around the season. Instead, the Panthers let it slip away with an inefficient offense and very questionable play selection late in the game.

Keenan McCardell, acquired by the Chargers on Tuesday in a trade with Tampa Bay, showed no signs of rust from missing the first six games of the season during a holdout. He started and helped set up Tomlinson's touchdown with a pair of catches on a 64-yard scoring drive. He finished with 65 yards on five catches.

Bucs 19, Bears 7

TAMPA, Fla. - Michael Pittman rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown, sparking the Bucs to victory in a matchup of teams desperately needing to jump-start disappointing seasons.

Brian Griese threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Michael Clayton and Martin Gramatica kicked a pair of 22-yard field goals for Tampa Bay (2-5), which rushed for a season-high 138 yards. Pittman became the fourth back in six games to top the century mark against the Bears (1-5).

Chicago continued to struggle with Jonathan Quinn at quarterback for the injured Rex Grossman. Craig Krenzel replaced Quinn after the Bears fell behind 10-0, and the rookie completed 9 of 19 passes for 69 yards, but threw an interception that set up Pittman's 3-yard TD run.

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