NFL ROUNDUP Sunday's other games

INTERCONFERENCE
Patriots 40, Rams 22
ST. LOUIS -- Adam Vinatieri beat the Rams with his leg in the 2002 Super Bowl. This time, he used his leg and his arm. New England's kicker hit a season-best four field goals, then threw his first career touchdown pass on a fake. Corey Dillon returned after a one-week absence with 112 yards rushing on 25 carries and a touchdown for the Patriots, whose 21-game winning streak ended in a loss to Pittsburgh last week. The Patriots compensated for an injury-ravaged secondary by sacking Marc Bulger five times, forcing a fumble and intercepting a tipped ball. New England was without both starting cornerbacks, then lost one of the fill-ins, Asante Samuel, with an arm injury in the first quarter. That forced them to use wide receiver Troy Brown in the secondary. Brown also caught the 4-yard touchdown pass from Vinatieri, after lining up wide left -- unnoticed.
Chargers 43, Saints 17
SAN DIEGO -- Drew Brees threw four more touchdown passes, including three to tight end Antonio Gates. It was San Diego's highest-scoring game since beating the Dolphins 45-20 on Dec. 27, 1993. The Chargers won for the fifth time in six games. Brees has 18 TD passes and just three interceptions this season. Sunday, he was 22-of-36 for 257 yards. The Saints have lost four of five.
Buccaneers 34, Chiefs 31
TAMPA, Fla. -- Michael Pittman scored one of his three touchdowns on a team-record 78-yard run, giving the Bucs consecutive victories for just the second time since they won the Super Bowl two years ago. Brian Griese threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, completing 22 of 34 passes. Kansas City's Trent Green threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted by Dwight Smith in the end zone with under six minutes to go. He was sacked on consecutive plays to end Kansas City's last threat near midfield. Priest Holmes scored his 14th TD rushing of the season on a 2-yard run, but was on the sideline (knee) on the final two drives.
Cardinals 24, Dolphins 23
MIAMI -- The Cardinals benefited from two critical penalties and drove 70 yards in the final two minutes for a touchdown. Larry Fitzgerald caught the winning score on a 2-yard pass from Josh McCown with 19 seconds remaining after a holding penalty against Miami negated a sack and gave the Cardinals first-and-goal. The road win was the first since Oct. 6, 2002, for Arizona. The Dolphins are one defeat from their first losing season since 1988. Arizona rallied twice in the second half, overcoming a 12-3 deficit with 18 1/2 minutes remaining after Miami quarterback Jay Fiedler was sidelined with a shoulder stinger. The margin of defeat was an extra point missed in the first quarter by Bill Gramatica.
Raiders 27, Panthers 24
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tyrone Wheatley and Amos Zereoue combined to run for three touchdowns, and Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 19-yard field goal with six seconds to play. Dante Wesley's 38-yard pass interference penalty gave Oakland the ball at the 4, and Janikowski kicked the winner three plays later. Kerry Collins, Carolina's first draft pick who quit the team midway through the 1998 season, passed for 231 yards but threw his 12th interception of the season.
AFC
Broncos 31, Texans 13
DENVER -- Rod Smith became Denver's career leader in receptions and touchdown catches and Jake Plummer threw for four touchdowns with no interceptions to help the Broncos snap a two-game losing streak. In the first quarter, Smith caught his 676th career pass to surpass Shannon Sharpe on the team's receptions list. Later, Smith caught a 13-yard touchdown for his 56th score receiving, also passing Sharpe. Houston was seeking the first three-game winning streak in franchise history.
Bills 22, Jets 17
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Playing in the face of a 25-plus mph wind, Willis McGahee sparked Buffalo's ball-control offense. McGahee finished with a career-high 132 yards and a touchdown, his third 100-yard rushing game in his third career start. Buffalo won its third game in four outings, and third straight at home. Jets QB Chad Pennington bruised his right shoulder and did not return after he was sacked for a 13-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
NFC
Bears 28, Giants 21
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Bears forced five turnovers, including three consecutive plays in a 20-point explosion late in the first half. Craig Krenzel threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to ignite the rally and Anthony Thomas scored on runs of 4 and 41 yards as Chicago won its second straight game and handed the Giants their second straight embarrassing home loss. The Giants also have to worry about a pectoral injury to All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan, who left in the third quarter. New York, which came into the game with an plus-12 turnover differential, self-destructed after taking a 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards by Tiki Barber.
Redskins 17, Lions 10
DETROIT -- Clinton Portis ran for 147 yards on 34 carries and threw a tie-breaking touchdown pass. Detroit rallied late, but its hopes for a tying drive ended at the Washington 20 as time expired. With back-to-back 21-yard gains to open the second half, Portis became the first player to run for 100 yards against Detroit this season. Those powerful runs with sharp cutbacks set up his 15-yard pass to Laveranues Coles that gave Washington a 10-3 lead. Taylor Jacobs blocked a punt and Walt Harris scooped up the ball and returned it 13 yards to put the Redskins ahead by 14.
Associated Press