INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck capped a second-half comeback by throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 35 seconds to go that gave Indianapolis a stunning 30-27 victory over Green Bay on Sunday in the Colts’ first game without coach Chuck Pagano.
Green Bay (2-3) had a chance to force overtime, but Mason Crosby missed a 51-yard field goal with 3 seconds to go. Luck then took a knee and time ran out and the team celebrated. Missing was Pagano, who is in a hospital undergoing treatment for leukemia that was recently diagnosed.
Luck came through with just what Pagano wanted — getting the Colts (2-2) to .500. And they did it despite trailing 21-3 at halftime.
After Adam Vinatieri gave Indy its first lead at 22-21 with a 28-yard field goal, Aaron Rodgers threw an 8-yard TD pass to James Jones to make it 27-22 with 4:30 left before the Colts rallied.
P
atriots 31, Broncos 21
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady won his latest showdown with Peyton Manning with the help of a career-high 151 yards rushing from Stevan Ridley.
In the 13th meeting between the star quarterbacks, and first since Manning left the Indianapolis Colts, Brady directed four scoring marches of at least 80 yards and the Patriots rushed for 252 yards.
Brady improved to 9-4 against Manning, He completed 23 of 31 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown and ran for another. Manning was 31 of 44 for 345 yards and three touchdowns but lost a fumble on a third-quarter sack. The fumble led to Ridley's 8-yard run that put the Patriots (3-2) ahead 31-7 with about five minutes left in the third quarter.
Manning then threw touchdown passes of 2 yards to Eric Decker and 5 yards to Brandon Stokley but Denver (2-3) lost a fumble with 3:42 remaining.
Dolphins17, Bengals 13
CINCINNATI — Reshad Jones intercepted Andy Dalton’s overthrown pass at midfield with 1:22 left, preserving a win that ended two weeks of miserable, last-minute finishes for Miami.
Miami (2-3) had dropped its past two games in overtime. The Dolphins held on against the Bengals (3-2), who never got anything going consistently on offense and wasted a chance for a tighter finish.
Mike Nugent was wide right on a 42-yard field goal try with 3 minutes left — his first miss of the season — giving the Dolphins a chance to run down the clock behind rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was smooth in the toughest moments.
The Bengals got the ball back at their 20 following a punt with 1:45 to go, but Dalton’s second interception sealed it. Dalton was 26 of 43 for 234 yards with three sacks and two interceptions.
Giants 41, Browns 27
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw set career bests in leading New York Giants over winless Cleveland.
Cruz caught three touchdown passes from Eli Manning covering 3, 7 and 28 yards, while Bradshaw surpassed his yardage on the ground for the season with a career-high 200. He had 132 entering the game.
The Giants are 9-0 in games he has rushed for 100 yards or more.
New York (3-2) also forced three turnovers, including Chase Blackburn’s interception in the end zone midway in the fourth quarter to clinch it.
The Browns are 0-5 for the first time since their return season to the NFL in 1999.
Vikings 30, Titans 7
MINNEAPOLIS — Percy Harvin pounded his way through Tennessee's defense for one touchdown rushing and another receiving for Minnesota.
Harvin caught eight passes for 108 yards for the Vikings (4-1), who have given up a combined 33 points in winning three straight games. Christian Ponder threw his first two interceptions after 143 attempts without one, but he still finished 25 for 35 for 258 yards and two scores against the reeling Titans (1-4).
Matt Hasselbeck, starting in place of the injured Jake Locker, went 26 for 43 for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Most of those gains came near the end with the outcome no longer in doubt.
49ers 45, Bills 3
SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and San Francisco amassed a franchise-record 621 yards.
Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis each eclipsed 100 yards receiving to back Smith, who threw TD passes of 43, 28 and 10 yards and surpassed 300 yards passing for only the third time in his career.
Rian Lindell kicked a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter before San Francisco scored the final 42 points to hand Buffalo (2-3) its second straight embarrassing loss.
Bears 41, Jaguars 3
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs returned interceptions for touchdowns — their second in six days — and Chicago used stifling defense to overwhelm Jacksonville.
The Bears (4-1) scored 38 unanswered points, including 35 in the second half, to win their third consecutive game. The streak has everything to do with defense.
Chicago has returned five interceptions for touchdowns in the last three weeks.
Tillman and Briggs returned two of the team's five interceptions for touchdowns in Monday night's 34-18 victory at Dallas. Safety Major Wright returned one the previous week against St. Louis.
The Jaguars (1-4) never recovered and played the final quarter amid a chorus of boos
Seahawks 16, Panthers 12
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Russell Wilson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate with 35 seconds left in the third quarter and Seattle came up with four sacks against Cam Newton.
Wilson shook off two third quarter interceptions — including one that was returned for a touchdown.
Wilson threw for 221 yards, while Marshawn Lynch ran for 85 yards for the Seahawks (3-2).
Newton threw for 141 yards on 12-for-29 passing, while the Panthers (1-4) managed 190 total yards. Their only touchdown came on Captain Munnerlyn's 33-yard interception return early in the third quarter.
