| National
Football League Game Capsules (Sunday, December
19th)
Final Score: New England Patriots 28, Tampa
Bay 0
Foxboro,
MA
(MySportsbook)
- Tom Brady threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns
to lead the New England Patriots over the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, 28- 0, at Gillette Stadium.
Brady completed 20-of-31 passes without an interception
for the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots,
who captured their third straight AFC East Division
crown with the win. Corey Dillon added a pair
of touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving,
for New England (9-5), which has won three straight
and five of its last six. Tampa Bay quarterback
Chris Simms completed just 21-of-34 passes for
155 yards with a fumble lost as the Bucs (9-5)
had a two-game winning streak halted.
Final Score: NY Giants
27, Kansas City 17
East Rutherford, NJ
(MySportsbook)
- Tiki Barber set a Giants single-game record
with 220 rushing yards and scored a pair of
touchdowns to lead New York to a 27-17 victory
over Kansas City in a key interconference clash
at the Meadowlands. Barber broke the franchise's
55-year-old mark set by Gene Roberts against
the Chicago Cardinals on November 12, 1950 and
nearly single- handedly carried the Giants (10-4)
to their third consecutive win and one step
closer to a possible NFC East title. New York
now holds a 1 1/2 game lead over Dallas, which
will play at rival Washington Sunday, with two
left in the regular season. Larry Johnson ran
for 167 yards -- his seventh straight 100- yard
game -- and a pair of scores on 31 attempts
for Kansas City (8-6), which entered Week 15
tied with Pittsburgh and San Diego in the battle
for the AFC's final wild card spot.
Final Score: Denver 28,
Buffalo 17
Orchard Park, NY
(MySportsbook)
- Jake Plummer threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns
and Denver clinched a playoff berth with a 28-17
victory over Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Plummer completed 20-of-37 passes for the Broncos
(11-3), who dominated the hapless Bills in the
second half en route to their sixth win in seven
games. Mike Anderson rushed for 97 yards and
a pair of scores, while Rod Smith made 11 catches
for 137 yards and a touchdown to help Denver
assure itself of a spot in the postseason for
the third consecutive year. The Broncos can
capture the AFC West if San Diego loses to Indianapolis
on Sunday. Kelly Holcomb, subbing for the injured
J.P. Losman, threw for 202 yards and a touchdown
on 22-of-35 passing for Buffalo (4-10), which
was dealt its sixth straight loss.
Final Score: Houston
30, Arizona 19
Houston, TX
(MySportsbook)
- Jonathan Wells ran for 87 yards and two scores
in place of an injured Domanick Davis to help
the Houston Texans to a 30-19 victory over the
Arizona Cardinals at Reliant Stadium. David
Carr was 22- of-33 for 150 yards and the Houston
defense forced four turnovers as the Texans
(2-12) broke a six-game losing streak. Kurt
Warner was 10-of-10 for 115 yards and one touchdown
before leaving with a knee injury in the first
half for the Cardinals (4-10), who have lost
their last two games and three of their past
four.
Final Score: Carolina
27, New Orleans 10
Baton Rouge, LA
(MySportsbook)
- Steve Smith scored a pair of touchdowns and
set the Panthers' single-season receiving mark
as Carolina routed the New Orleans Saints, 27-10,
at Tiger Stadium. Smith, who had a rushing touchdown,
had 85 yards and a score receiving for the Panthers
(10-4), who have won three of four and moved
into sole possession of first place in the NFC
South -- one game ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jake Delhomme finished 13- of-22 for 176 yards
with a touchdown and a pick for Carolina, which
has won nine of 11 since starting the season
1-2. Todd Bouman made his first start since
2001 and ended 17-of-34 for 193 yards with a
touchdown and four interceptions for New Orleans
(3-11), which lost for the third straight time
and ninth time in 10 outings.
Final Score: Miami 24,
NY Jets 20
Miami, FL (MySportsbook)
- Sage Rosenfels came off the bench and engineered
a pair of second-half touchdown drives, as the
Miami Dolphins held on for a 24-20 victory over
the New York Jets. Ricky Williams scored the
tying touchdown early in the fourth quarter
on a 23- yard run and Rosenfels hit Marty Booker
with a 50-yard scoring pass on Miami's next
series. The Dolphins (7-7) then held off a late
Jet charge to win their fourth straight game.
Brooks Bollinger threw a pair of touchdown passes
for the Jets (3-11), who were coming off a victory
last week against Oakland to snap a seven-game
losing streak. New York finished its road schedule
0-8 for the first time in club history.
Final Score: Pittsburgh
18, Minnesota 3
Minneapolis, MN
(MySportsbook)
- Jeff Reed kicked three field goals and Ben
Roethlisberger passed for 149 yards and scored
on a three-yard touchdown run as the Pittsburgh
Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 18-3,
in a mistake- filled game at the Metrodome.
Willie Parker rushed for 81 yards on 14 carries
for the Steelers (9-5), who won for the second
consecutive week and significantly enhanced
their playoff chances. Brad Johnson completed
16-of-30 passes for 143 yards as the Vikings
(8-6) lost for the first time in seven games
and damaged their postseason aspirations.
Final Score: San Diego
26, Indianapolis 17
Indianapolis, IN
(MySportsbook)
- Nate Kaeding booted four field goals, including
a go-ahead 49-yard kick with 6:41 left in the
game, and backup running back Michael Turner
sealed the win with an 83-yard touchdown run
in the final minutes, as San Diego put an end
to Indianapolis' perfect season by posting a
26-17 win at the RCA Dome. The Colts were only
the fourth team to start a season with 13 consecutive
wins, joining the 1934 Chicago Bears, 1972 Miami
Dolphins and 1998 Denver Broncos. Only the '72
Dolphins, though, went on to complete the season
undefeated and win the league title. Turner,
who spelled an injured LaDainian Tomlinson late
in the fourth quarter, finished with 113 yards
on only eight carries for the Chargers (9-5),
who kept their playoff chances alive. Peyton
Manning was 26-of-45 for 336 yards with a touchdown
and two interceptions for the Colts (13-1),
who had already clinched home-field advantage
throughout the conference playoffs.
Final Score: Seattle
28, Tennessee 24
Nashville, TN
(MySportsbook)
- Matt Hasselbeck threw for 285 yards and three
touchdowns and Seattle clinched a first-round
bye in the upcoming playoffs with a 28-24 victory
over Tennessee at The Coliseum. Shaun Alexander
continued his stellar season for the Seahawks
(12-2), who won for the 10th straight game and
tied their franchise record for most wins in
a season that was set in 1984. Alexander racked
up 172 yards on the ground on 26 carries with
a touchdown. It was his 10th 100-yard rushing
game of the season and he became just the fifth
player in NFL history with consecutive 1,600
yard seasons. Three different Seattle receivers
caught touchdown passes, including Darrell Jackson,
who was playing in his first game since Week
4 because of a right knee injury. Jackson hauled
in six passes for 72 yards in his return to
the field. Steve McNair threw for 310 yards
and a pair of touchdowns without an interception
on 23-of-38 passing for the Titans (4-10), who
lost for the third time in their last four games.
Final Score: Jacksonville
10, San Francisco 9
Jacksonville, FL
(MySportsbook)
- Josh Scobee kicked a 32-yard field goal in
the fourth quarter to lift the Jacksonville
Jaguars to a 10-9 victory over the San Francisco
49ers at Alltel Stadium. David Garrard ran for
the lone Jacksonville touchdown and the Jaguars
(10-4) bounced back from last week's loss against
Indianapolis to move a step closer to wrapping
up a playoff spot for the first time since 1999.
Jacksonville has won six of its last seven games
-- with all six wins coming against teams with
losing records. The Jaguars need only a victory
against either Houston or Tennessee -- two more
teams with losing records -- to earn a wild
card berth. Joe Nedney was San Francisco's only
offense with three field goals. The Niners (2-12),
with their seventh straight loss, moved a step
closer to the top overall pick in the draft.
Final Score: Philadelphia
17, St. Louis 16
St. Louis, MO
(MySportsbook)
- Mike McMahon tossed a three-yard touchdown
pass to Mike Bartrum early in the fourth quarter,
and the Philadelphia Eagles held on for a 17-16
win over the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones
Dome. Rookie Ryan Moats had 78 yards and a score
on 12 carries for the Eagles (6-8), who ended
a two-game skid. McMahon had a rough game, finishing
15-of-28 for just 97 yards and was intercepted
three times. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 10 of
his 24 attempts for 69 yards with a touchdown
pass and an interception for St. Louis (5-9),
which has lost three in a row.
Final Score: Cincinnati
41, Detroit 17
Detroit, MI
(MySportsbook)
- Carson Palmer threw for 274 yards with three
scores and set a team record for touchdown passes
in a season, as the Cincinnati Bengals locked
up their first division championship since 1990
with a 41-17 victory over the Detroit Lions
at Ford Field. Rudi Johnson rushed 24 times
for 117 yards and two touchdowns for the Bengals
(11-3), who capitalized on four turnovers in
the first half, including a fumble on the opening
kickoff, to secure the AFC North title. Cincinnati
posted its fourth straight win and moved to
6-1 on the road this season. Jeff Garcia connected
on 13-of-21 passes for a touchdown and was picked
off three times for the Lions (4-10), who lost
their fifth straight game, including third in
a row under interim head coach Dick Jauron.
Final Score: Cleveland
9, Oakland 7
Oakland, CA (MySportsbook)
- Phil Dawson hit a 37-yard field goal as time
expired to give the Cleveland Browns a come-from-behind
victory over the Oakland Raiders, 9-7, at McAfee
Coliseum. Charlie Frye got his first win as
a starter, finishing the game 21-of-32 for 198
yards with an interception for the Browns (5-9),
who snapped a three-game losing streak. LaMont
Jordan rushed 25 times for 132 yards for the
Raiders (4-10), who have lost four straight
and six of seven. Jordan also caught five passes
for 40 yards.
Final Score: Washington
35, Dallas 7
Landover, MD
(MySportsbook)
- Mark Brunell threw four first-half touchdown
passes, including three to Chris Cooley, and
Washington put forth a dominating defensive
performance in a 35-7 throttling of Dallas at
FedEx Field. Brunell completed 12-of-20 throws
for 163 yards while Clinton Portis rushed for
112 yards, as the Redskins (8-6) cruised to
their third straight victory and eliminated
the Cowboys from any chance of winning the NFC
East. Washington's defense. led by end Phillip
Daniels and linebacker Marcus Washington, made
life miserable for Drew Bledsoe all day long,
sacking the Dallas quarterback seven times and
pressuring him into three interceptions and
a fumble. Bledsoe, coming off a stellar 332-yard,
three-touchdown effort last week against Kansas
City, threw for just 153 yards and one score
on 16-of-29 passing. Julius Jones ran for 79
yards for the Cowboys (8-6), whose playoff hopes
continue to dim with three losses in four games.
Final Score: Chicago
16, Atlanta 3
Chicago, IL
(MySportsbook)
- Thomas Jones rushed for 91 yards with a touchdown
and Rex Grossman provided a spark off the bench
in his first game action in nearly two seasons,
as Chicago moved one step closer towards a playoff
berth with a 16-3 victory over Atlanta at Soldier
Field. Robbie Gould kicked three field goals
and the Bears' top-rated defense pressured Michael
Vick into one of his worst pro performances,
as Chicago (10-4) rebounded from last week's
disappointing 21-9 loss at Pittsburgh. The Bears
now hold a two-game lead in the NFC North over
the Vikings, who lost to the Steelers on Sunday,
with just two to play. Grossman, who entered
the preseason as Chicago's No. 1 quarterback
before breaking his left ankle, completed 9-of-16
passes for 93 yards and one interception. Kyle
Orton, in contrast, hit just 2-of-10 throws
for 12 yards during the first half. Vick finished
just 13-of-32 for 122 yards -- most coming in
the fourth quarter -- and was picked off twice.
Warrick Dunn rushed for 81 yards on 17 carries
in the loss.
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