ROUNDUP \ Sunday's other games
AFC
Patriots 24, Jaguars 21
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- New England may have knocked Jacksonville out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season -- while clinching their own division title. Tom Brady directed three long touchdown drives, capped one of them with a perfect touch pass to David Thomas, and helped the Patriots clinch their fourth consecutive AFC East crown. New England, returning to the site of its last Super Bowl victory, also crippled Jacksonville's postseason chances. The Jaguars now need to win at Kansas City next week and get lots of help to earn a wild card spot. The Jaguars made the playoffs last season, but promptly lost 28-3 at New England. That game was decided early in the second half when the Pats scored 21 unanswered points. New England put Jacksonville away much later Sunday. Laurence Maroney, who missed the last two games with torn rib cartilage, had a 27-yard touchdown run with 4:36 remaining to put the Patriots ahead 24-14. But Jacksonville answered when David Garrard hooked up with Matt Jones for a 33-yard score about a minute later. The defense then forced its first three-and-out of the game, giving the offense the ball near midfield. Garrard, though, started to scramble out of the pocket and fumbled after getting hit by Jarvis Green. Rodney Harrison, back in the lineup after missing six weeks with a broken shoulder blade, recovered to seal the victory.
Texans 27, Colts 24
HOUSTON -- Ron Dayne had a career-high 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Kris Brown kicked the winning 48-yard field goal as time expired, giving Houston its first win over Indianapolis, 27-24. The loss denied the Colts the chance to clinch a first-round playoff bye. It was the first time Dayne had gained 100 yards since September 2001 with the Giants. The Texans (5-10) used Dayne and rookie Chris Taylor to eat up the clock and exploit the Colts' suspect run defense, which is ranked last in the league, while taking pressure off David Carr and the struggling passing game. The win broke a nine-game losing streak to the Colts (11-4). The performance capped a span of four straight solid games in which Dayne had 429 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Houston led through most of the game, until Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison connected for their second touchdown of the game, this one a 7-yard pass that tied it a 24-24 with 2:41 remaining. Carr and the Texans then engineered a six-play, 31-yard drive that ended with Brown's winner. Dayne scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 6 yards on Houston's first two drives, and fullback Vonta Leach added a touchdown just before halftime. The Texans added a 42-yard field goal by Brown to stretch their lead to 24-17 in the fourth quarter.
Titans 30, Bills 29
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- With Vince Young running the show, anything seems possible for Tennessee, highlighted by a remarkable late season playoff push. The rookie first-round draft pick threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another, keeping the Titans' playoff hopes alive. Young also engineered his fourth comeback in the fourth quarter or overtime, rallying Tennessee from a 29-20 deficit. After hitting Brandon Jones for a 29-yard touchdown pass, Young engineered a 14-play, 75-yard drive, which Rob Bironas capped with a 30-yard field goal with 2:10 left. The Titans, who have won six straight, close their season hosting New England. While they need help, they're still in the running in an attempt to become the first NFL team to qualify for the playoffs by overcoming an 0-5 start. The Bills had their postseason hopes come to an end, unable to complete a last-minute scoring drive. Facing fourth-and-5 at the Titans 28, J.P. Losman scrambled out of trouble and threw a desperation pass that was intercepted by Reynaldo Hill at the goal line. The Bills elected against a field goal, as they were driving into a wind that was gusting up to 20 mph.
NFC
Saints 30, Giants 7
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New Orleans is a game away from a first-round playoff bye. Tom Coughlin may be a game away from the end of his coaching career with the Giants. Reggie Bush ran for a career-best 126 yards and a touchdown and the Saints limited the Giants to six first downs and 142 yards in a win that turned Giants Stadium into a ghost town in the fourth quarter. The Saints (10-5) can clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a bye if Dallas losses either of its final two games (Philadelphia tonight and Carolina next weekend) or New Orleans wins at home against Carolina. Unbelievably, the Giants (7-8), who did not have a snap in Saints' territory all game, remain in the playoff hunt despite losing for the sixth time in seven games. The sellout crowd was so upset with the performance that twice it chanted "Fire Coughlin" before heading for the exits. A year ago, New York won the NFC East. Atlanta, the Panthers and Green Bay also have the same mark heading into the final week of the season in the race for the now-tainted second wild card berth in the NFC.
Panthers 10, Falcons 3
ATLANTA -- Carolina snapped a four-game losing streak and all but ended Atlanta's playoff hopes by shutting down the league's top running attack. The Falcons, who lead the league with 193 yards rushing per game, were outrushed 183-83 by a balanced Carolina attack that helped fill-in quarterback Chris Weinke snap a 17-game losing streak as a starter. Weinke, who had been 1-17 as a starter, won for the first time since his 2001 rookie season with the Panthers. Weinke's 17-game losing streak is the second-longest in NFL history. The Oilers' Dan Pastorini lost 21 straight from 1972-74. Weinke completed only 4 of 7 passes for 32 yards, including a 1-yard scoring pass to Jeff King.
Rams 37, Redskins 31, OT
ST. LOUIS -- Steven Jackson wrapped up a big day with a 21-yard touchdown run in overtime, Marc Bulger tied his career best with four touchdown passes and the beleaguered St. Louis defense made a big play in regulation. The Rams missed a chance to wrap it up in regulation when Jeff Wilkins was wide left on a 41-yard field goal as time expired. Washington squandered its own opportunity when Ladell Betts was stripped by O.J. Atogwe after a 25-yard gain and Corey Chavous recovered at the St. Louis 12 with 2:02 to go. Betts tied a franchise record with his fifth straight 100-yard rushing game for the Redskins and also topped 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.
Bears 26, Lions 21
DETROIT -- Chicago made a quarterback change in the fourth quarter that led to a go-ahead score and added some intrigue to a game with nothing at stake. Brian Griese directed a 72-yard drive that set up Robbie Gould's field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Gould's fourth field goal -- after Jon Kitna made his NFL-high 30th turnover -- gave Chicago a six-point cushion with 2:50 to go after a drive that starting QB Rex Grossman watched from the sideline. With a chance for a game-winning touchdown, the Lions drove to the Chicago 22 and Kitna threw a pass into the end zone on the final play that leaping wide receiver Mike Williams got his hands on, but couldn't control in the end zone while being closely defended by cornerback Devin Hester.
Associated Press
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.