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Worms turn to surprise NFL top guns

Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn, left, fends off New York Giants safety Omar Stoutmire as he runs for a 45-yard first quarter touchdown after breaking away from Giants defenders on Sunday at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. PHOTO: AP

The NFL's bottom-feeders rose up in a surprising manner.

Atlanta, San Diego, Jacksonville, and Washington all have struggled this season. On Sunday, all were winners.

So were the New York Jets, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Cincinnati, but they also were opposing teams with losing records. The Falcons, Chargers, Jaguars and Redskins came through with upsets.

"It's a great win, particularly when you've lost seven in a row," Falcons coach Dan Reeves said after finally getting his 200th career victory, 27-7 over the New York Giants.

"It's been so long, I don't know how anyone knew how to feel," said Steelers coach Bill Cowher, whose team beat Arizona 28-15 after it hadn't won since Sept. 21.

Falcons 27, Giants 7

At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Warrick Dunn ran for 178 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown.

Reeves, who coached the Giants before taking over in Atlanta in 1997, became the sixth NFL coach to reach 200 victories (200-171-2).

"I'm toward the end of my career," he said. "A lot of these guys are just starting. They need to win."

The Giants (4-5) turned the ball over four times, giving Atlanta (2-7) its first win since the season opener. Giants fans chanted "Fire Fassel" during the game. Coach Jim Fassel termed it a "trap game" early in the week.

Chargers 42, Vikings 28

At San Diego, Doug Flutie, still spry at 41, juked his way to two touchdowns and threw for two more in his first start in nearly two years for the Chargers (2-7).

The big performance from the pint-sized Flutie was complemented by two touchdown runs by LaDainian Tomlinson, including a 73-yarder, his longest career TD.

"I believe in magic, Flutie magic," Tomlinson said. "He played awesome. Doug Flutie, he's just amazing. He's unbelievable."

The 42 points were the most for the Chargers since 1993, a span of 153 games. Minnesota (6-3) lost its third straight.

Jaguars 28, Colts 23

At Jacksonville, Florida, Fred Taylor's 32-yard touchdown with 1:08 left won it. Taylor, who promised payback to Colts safety Mike Doss for his rough play in the first meeting between the teams this season, finished with a season-high 152 yards to help the Jaguars (2-7) defeat the Colts for the first time.

The Colts (7-2) fell into a first-place tie with Tennessee in the AFC South and failed in their quest to become the first team in NFL history to win three games in Florida -- at Miami, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville -- in the same season. They also played the final three quarters without receiver Marvin Harrison, who strained his hamstring.

Redskins 27, Seahawks 20

At Landover, Maryland, receiver Rod Gardner won the game for Washington (4-5) with a touchdown throw.

Gardner took a lateral and threw a 10-yard pass to a wide-open Trung Canidate with 1:57 to play against Seattle (6-3). The trick play wasn't the only audacious call coach Steve Spurrier made on the winning drive. The coach went for a fourth-and-inches at Washington's 25, and fullback Rock Cartwright barely made it after a huge hit by linebacker Anthony Simmons.

Laveranues Coles caught five passes for 125 yards and a touchdown for the Redskins (4-5), who broke a four-game losing streak. Washington's Bruce Smith had one sack to move within a half-sack of Reggie White's career record.

Steelers 28, Cardinals 15

At Pittsburgh, Tommy Maddox threw three touchdown passes, two to Hines Ward barely a minute apart in a 21-point third quarter, and the Steelers (3-6) ended a five-game losing streak.

Antwaan Randle El's 52-yard punt return for a touchdown was his second punt runback for a score in three games. The Cardinals (3-6) are winless in nine road games dating to last season.

Lions 12, Bears 10

At Detroit, Jason Hanson's 48-yard field goal with 39 seconds to go gave the Lions (3-6) consecutive wins for the first time in three years. Hanson made four field goals.

The Bears (3-6) had a chance to win three straight for the first time in two years and end a road losing streak that now stands at 12.

Jets 27, Raiders 24, OT

At Oakland, California, Doug Brien's 38-yard field goal won it in overtime for the Jets. Chad Pennington threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerald Sowell with 1:09 left and a 2-point conversion pass to Anthony Becht to force overtime.

Brien made up for his botched field goal in a 31-28 overtime loss to the Giants last Sunday. He wasn't ready for the snap and had a 51-yard field goal blocked.

The Jets (3-6) sent Oakland (2-7) to its fifth straight loss.

Chiefs 41, Browns 20

At Kansas City, the Chiefs (9-0), coming off a bye, remained the only unbeaten team. Trent Green threw three touchdown passes and Priest Holmes scored two touchdowns. 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.

Dante Hall's 77-yard kickoff return set up a field goal for the Chiefs, who increased their lead in the AFC West to four games over Denver. Hall also had a 29-yard kickoff return and totaled 159 return yards against Cleveland (3-6).

Rams 33, Ravens 22

In St. Louis, the Rams and Baltimore combined for 11 turnovers in the sloppiest game of the season. The Rams got the win by forcing seven turnovers and knocking rookie quarterback Kyle Boller out of the game. That performance covered up for a suddenly incompetent offense that had been ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

St. Louis (6-3) also had the drops with four turnovers, two by punt returner DeJuan Groce, and went almost two quarters without a first down at one point.

Jamal Lewis, the NFL's leading rusher, had 111 yards on 27 carries for his seventh 100-yard game for Baltimore (5-4), but also lost two fumbles.

Panthers 27, Bucs 24

At Charlotte, North Carolina, the Panthers (7-2) got a sweep of the season series over the defending champion Buccaneers (4-5). Jake Delhomme's 5-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith with 1:06 remaining won it.

Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice guaranteed a Buccaneers victory earlier this week, but the defending champions are now left with only a slight chance of even winning the NFC South. The Panthers, played without Stephen Davis, the NFC's leading rusher.

Titans 31, Dolphins 7

At Nashville, Steve McNair threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns, and Tennessee (7-2) won its fourth straight game and sixth in the past seven.

Miami (5-4) came in allowing just 13.8 points per game, best in the NFL, and the Dolphins had been unbeaten on the road this season.

But Tennessee set a franchise record of scoring 30 or more points for the sixth straight game.

In other NHL games: Cowboys 10, Bills 6; Bengals 34, Texans 27
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