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NFL: Patriots approach perfect season

The New England Patriots defense lines up against the offense of the Miami Dolphins during their game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

The New England Patriots set a National Football League record with their 15th win on Sunday, and moved within one victory of becoming the first team in 35 years to finish the pro American football season undefeated.

Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes, two to Randy Moss, and the Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 28-7 on Sunday to improve to 15-0, the best start in league history. The old mark: Miami's 14-0 in 1972 when the season lasted just 14 games.

Brady increased his total to 48 touchdown passes, one shy of Peyton Manning's NFL record of 49 set in 2004 and tied with Dan Marino's production in 1984.

Redskins 32, Vikings 21

At Minneapolis, playing the kind of hard-nosed, harder-hitting defense that fallen teammate Sean Taylor was famous for, the Redskins shut down Adrian Peterson and set up two early touchdowns with interceptions to take control of their playoff fate.

Todd Collins was 22-for-29 for 254 yards and two touchdowns and Clinton Portis had 124 total yards, threw a TD pass and ran for another score for the Redskins (8-7), who can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Dallas next week.

Peterson had nowhere to go all night, gaining just 27 yards on nine carries. Tarvaris Jackson's rebound from a difficult start came too late for the Vikings (8-7), who could have clinched a playoff berth with a win.

Jaguars 49, Raiders 11

In Jacksonville, Florida, Fred Taylor's 62-yard touchdown run on Jacksonville's opening play set the tone for a rout that propelled the Jaguars into the playoffs.

Taylor finished with 111 yards as the Jaguars (11-4) won for the sixth time in seven games and clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC half of the playoff bracket.

The Raiders (4-11), who suffered their worst loss of the season, eventually inserted No. 1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell, who completed 7-of-23 pass attempts for 83 yards with a touchdown, three interceptions and a fumble.

Giants 38, Bills 21

In Orchard Park, New York, the Giants clinched a playoff berth by overcoming a Bills team inspired by Buffalo tight end Kevin Everett's return to the field where he was injured.

Brandon Jacobs scored twice and Ahmad Bradshaw had an 88-yard TD run in sloppy conditions as the usually pass-happy Giants leaned heavily on their running attack. Kawika Mitchell's 20-yard interception return produced the go-ahead points and sparked a three-touchdown fourth-quarter rally.

Everett, who was feared paralyzed after making a tackle in the Bills' season opener Sept. 9, is now walking on his own, watched the ugly and sloppy game from a suite near midfield.

Titans 10, Jets 6

In Nashville, Tennessee, Kyle Vanden Bosch had three of Tennessee's six sacks and Chris Brown ran for a touchdown for Tennessee.

The Titans (9-6) have the edge over Cleveland in tiebreakers if tied for the AFC's final wild-card berth. They still must close out the season with a victory over the defending Super Bowl champs in Indianapolis.

Bengals 19, Browns 14

In Cincinnati, Derek Anderson's consecutive interceptions set up a pair of touchdowns late in the first half, and he threw four in all in a loss that left the Browns scrambling for a playoff spot.

Cleveland (9-6) could have clinched with a victory over the already eliminated Bengals (6-9), who had nothing more than pride on the line and several starters out with injuries.

Eagles 38, Saints 23

In New Orleans, Donovan McNabb passed for 263 yards and three touchdowns, jeopardizing the Saints' chances for making the playoffs.

McNabb scrambled 40 yards on the third play that led to a bizarre touchdown after his fumble was recovered in the end zone by Kevin Curtis.

McNabb also had touchdown passes of 31 yards to Reggie Brown and 7 yards to Curtis.

Drew Brees threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but lost his best receiver when Marques Colston left the game in the first half with a chest contusion.

Seahawks 27, Ravens 6

In Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck overcame two interceptions to throw two touchdown passes and Shaun Alexander had his biggest rushing day since Week 4 as the Seahawks clinched the No. 3 seed in the NFC.

Hasselbeck's scores gave him a career-high 27 TD throws this season. One went to Alexander, on a screen pass of 14 yards. That gave Seattle (10-5) a 21-0 lead late in the first half.

Alexander turned a season of being jeered at home into holiday cheers by gaining 73 yards on 13 carries.

49ers 21, Buccaneers 19

In San Francisco, Shaun Hill passed for three touchdowns to remain unbeaten as an NFL starter, and Michael Clayton landed out of bounds with his catch on a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:20 left for Tampa Bay (9-6).

In Sunday's other games it was:

* Bears 35, Packers 7

* Colts 38, Texans 15

* Cardinals 30, Falcons 27, OT

* Lions 25, Chiefs 20
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