The Green Bay Packers’ perfect NFL season came to a crashing halt on Sunday against the beleaguered Kansas City Chiefs, who rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel and new quarterback Kyle Orton to a shocking 19-14 victory.
Orton finished 23 of 31 for 299 yards in his first start for the Chiefs (6-8), who fired coach Todd Haley on Dec. 12 after the team had lost five of their past six games.
However, behind an inspired performance by the defense, four field goals by Ryan Succop and Jackie Battle’s short touchdown run with 4 minutes, 53 seconds left in the game, Kansas City handed the Packers (13-1) their first loss since Dec. 19 last year.
Photo: Reuters
The Packers had won 19 straight games in the past year, including the Super Bowl.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was just 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered eight yards for another touchdown with 2 minutes, 12 seconds left in the game. However, the Packers were unable to recover the onside kick and the Chiefs picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.
COLTS 27, TITANS 13
Photo: AFP
In Indianapolis, Dan Orlovsky threw a touchdown pass and the key block on an 80-yard touchdown run to lead the Colts to their first win of the season.
Indianapolis (1-13) avoided becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was picked off twice and Chris Johnson rushed for only 55 yards for Tennessee (7-7).
Photo: AFP
Orlovsky gave the Colts a 10-6 lead with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne in the third quarter and Jacob Lacey made it 17-6 with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Jake Locker got the Titans within 20-13 with a touchdown pass with 3 minutes, 43 seconds to go, but on the next play, Orlovsky threw a block that gave Donald Brown on open lane to sprint 80 yards to seal the win.
CHARGERS 34, RAVENS 14
In San Diego, California, Philip Rivers threw for one score and reached the 4,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season as the Chargers kept their slim postseason hopes alive with a victory over playoff-bound Baltimore.
Ryan Mathews also ran for two scores and hit 1,000 yards rushing for the Chargers (7-7), who have won three straight after a six-game losing streak.
San Diego are now level with Oakland and a game behind Denver in the AFC West Division, with two to play.
The Ravens (10-4) had their four-game winning streak broken, but clinched a playoff berth earlier in the day thanks to losses by the New York Jets, Oakland and Tennessee.
EAGLES 45, JETS 19
In Philadelphia, LeSean McCoy ran for three touchdowns to set two team records as the Eagles routed the Jets to stay alive in the NFC East Division race.
Michael Vick threw for 274 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a score in his second game back after missing three games with broken ribs.
The Eagles (6-8) have won two straight for just the second time this season and still have a chance to repeat as NFC East champions, trailing Dallas by two games and the New York Giants by one.
The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Jets (8-6).
SEAHAWKS 38, BEARS 14
In Chicago, Red Bryant returned an interception 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown as Seattle kept their faint playoff hopes alive.
Chicago quarterback Caleb Hanie was hit hard on the play by K.J. Wright and threw the ball right into Bryant’s arms as Seattle (7-7) scored two touchdowns in a 50-second span early in the third quarter.
Brandon Browner returned another interception 42 yards for a touchdown in the final quarter for the Seahawks. Marshawn Lynch added two touchdown runs for Seattle.
Chicago (7-7) lost their fourth straight.
SAINTS 42, VIKINGS 20
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Drew Brees threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns to lead New Orleans to their sixth win in a row.
Brees completed 32 of 40 passes to help the Saints (11-3) overcome a sloppy start and stay two games ahead of Atlanta in the NFC South Division.
Brees is 304 yards away from breaking Dan Marino’s single--season record for passing yards, with two games to play.
Adrian Peterson rushed for 60 yards in his return from a three-game absence for the Vikings (2-12).
REDSKINS 23, GIANTS 10
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Rex Grossman threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss as Washington got just their second win in their past 10 games.
Darrel Young also scored on a six-yard run after one of three interceptions by the Redskins (5-9) and Graham Gano kicked three field goals.
The loss knocked the Giants (7-7) out of first place in the NFC East Division. Dallas are now on top by a game with two to go, including one with Giants on the final weekend of the season.
PATRIOTS 41, BRONCOS 23
In Denver, Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as New England clinched a playoff berth.
The Patriots (11-3) won their sixth straight game and another AFC East Division title by bouncing back from an awful first quarter in which they were out-gained on the ground 167 yards to 4.
Brady was 23 of 34 for 320 yards to beat the Broncos for just the second time in eight career starts.
Tim Tebow was 11 of 22 for 194 yards and ran for 93 more, but he was unable to deliver another dramatic comeback for the Broncos (8-6), who had won four straight after trailing in the fourth quarter.
LIONS 28, RAIDERS 27
In Oakland, California, Matthew Stafford threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson with 39 seconds remaining to cap a 98-yard scoring drive as Detroit rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to stun the Raiders.
The win was not sealed until Ndamukong Suh blocked Sebastian Janikowski’s 65-yard field goal attempt on the final play in Suh’s first game back from a two-game suspension.
The Raiders (7-7) appeared in control when Aaron Curry returned a fumble six yards for a touchdown to make it 27-14 with 7 minutes, 47 seconds remaining.
However, Stafford led two late scoring drives to give the Lions (9-5) a two-game lead in the NFC wild-card playoff race.
In other games, it was:
‧ Panthers 28, Texans 13
‧ Dolphins 30, Bills 23
‧ Bengals 20, Rams 13
‧ Cardinals 20, Browns 17
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