Gritty Falcons remain perfect
By CHARLES ODUM
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AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA — Michael Turner had a tiebreaking 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Matt Bryant kicked four field goals and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-13 on Sunday night to extend their run as the NFL’s only unbeaten team.
Turner had 20 carries for 102 yards and Matt Ryan had a season-high 342 yards passing for the Falcons (8-0), who took their first lead with 14:16 left in the game.
Tony Romo completed 6 of 6 passes for 78 yards, including a 21-yard scoring pass to Kevin Ogletree, on the Cowboys’ touchdown drive later in the fourth.
The Falcons then worked the clock, holding the ball for 5 minutes, 4 seconds, leaving only 17 seconds left after Bryant’s 32-yard field goal.
The Cowboys burned all their timeouts as Ryan kept the Falcons’ offense on the field in the crucial time-consuming drive. Ryan passed to Jacquizz Rodgers for 31 yards and 11 yards on third-down plays. A defensive holding call against cornerback Orlando Scandrick on another third down prolonged the drive.
Finally, the Cowboys stopped Turner on a third-down run at the Dallas 14.
Romo never attempted a deep pass, though he had only 17 seconds to cover 80 yards. He found Jason Witten for passes of 7 and 11 yards, leaving 9 seconds. He passed to Felix Jones for 8 yards, leaving time for one play from the Cowboys 40.
Romo scrambled before passing to Jones, who was dropped near the Atlanta 22 to end the game.
Romo completed 25 of 35 passes for 321 yards and one touchdown.
Ryan was 24 for 34. Roddy White had seven catches for 118 yards and passed Terance Mathis for the most receptions in Falcons history.
There were no turnovers in the game.
Dallas (3-5) has lost four of its last five.
For three quarters, the game was a kicking exhibition.
Bryant kicked field goals of 45 and 46 yards in the second quarter for Atlanta’s only points before Turner’s touchdown. Bryant also missed from 43 and 37 yards, wide right each time.
Dan Bailey’s field goals from 23 and 32 yards were the Cowboys’ only points. He missed from 54 yards.
Ryan was sacked three times and faced constant pressure from the Dallas defense.
Ryan’s 48-yard pass to Julio Jones set up Bryant’s 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 16-6.
Dallas nose tackle Jay Ratliff suffered an apparent left leg injury late in the first half but returned in the second half.
Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
STEELERS 24, GIANTS 20
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Isaac Redman ran for 147 yards, and scored the winning touchdown from a yard out with 4:02 remaining as the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied past the New York Giants, 24-20.
The Steelers (5-3) snapped New York’s four-game winning streak by overcoming some uncharacteristic sloppiness and dominating the second half.
Temporary relief from the destruction of Superstorm Sandy was what New York’s fans sought, and the Giants (6-3) provided it for a while. But they couldn’t stop Redman or touchdowns of 51 yards for Mike Wallace and 4 yards for Emmanuel Sanders on passes from Ben Roethlisberger.
The Steelers arrived in New Jersey hours before the game, which might have accounted for their carelessness. They had the fewest giveaways in the NFL entering the game, but were neglectful with the ball and in pass coverage; cornerback Keenan Lewis had 87 yards on two pass interference penalties, and they wasted some great kick returns, too.
COLTS 23, DOLPHINS 20
INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck broke the NFL’s single-game rookie record by throwing for 433 yards in leading Indianapolis.
Luck was 30 of 48 with two TDs and broke Cam Newton’s previous mark of 422 yards set last season. And it came on the day coach Chuck Pagano returned to Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time since being diagnosed with leukemia.
Indy (5-3) has won three straight.
Miami (4-4) got another strong performance from Ryan Tannehill, too. He went 22 of 38 for 290 yards with one TD.
The rookie quarterbacks traded jabs all day, but Luck’s 36-yard TD pass to T.Y. Hilton gave Indy a 20-17 lead, and Adam Vinatieri’s 43-yard field goal with 6:03 left broke a 20-20 tie.
BUCS 42, RAIDERS 32
OAKLAND, Calif. — Rookie Doug Martin rushed for a franchise-record 251 yards and four touchdowns and Ahmad Black intercepted a Carson Palmer pass after Oakland had cut an 18-point deficit to three late in the fourth quarter.
Martin, who was born in Oakland, had a memorable homecoming for the Bucs (4-4) by scoring on runs of 1, 45, 67 and 70 yards in the second half as he gashed what had been an improved run defense for the Raiders (3-5).
Martin, the 31st pick in April out of Boise State, became the first back since at least 1940 to score on three TD runs of at least 45 yards in one game, according to STATS LLC.
PACKERS 31, CARDS 17
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Tom Crabtree had a 72-yard touchdown that was Green Bay’s longest of the season, and Randall Cobb added two scoring catches.
The Packers (6-3) finished with a season-high 176 yards rushing on 39 carries, the first time in a month they’ve cracked the century mark.
James Jones also had a touchdown reception, and Green Bay goes into its bye week with a four-game winning streak.
The break comes at a good time for the Packers, who lost Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson and Bryan Bulaga to injuries.
John Skelton was 23 of 46 for 306 yards, his most passing yardage since last December, but Arizona (4-5) lost its’ fifth straight.
TEXANS 21, BILLS 9
HOUSTON — Matt Schaub threw two touchdown passes and Arian Foster ran for 111 yards against Buffalo’s NFL-worst rushing defense.
Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 118 yards and Foster scored for the fifth straight game for Houston (7-1).
Mario Williams had a sack and five tackles in his return to Reliant Stadium after he signed with the Bills (3-5) in the offseason. The Texans made Williams the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft and he’s still Houston’s career sacks leader (53).
Schaub won for the 10th time in 11 starts. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 268 yards.
PANTHERS 21
REDSKINS 13
LANDOVER, Md. — Cam Newton completed 13 of 23 passes for 201 yards with a touchdown and ran eight times for 37 yards and a score as Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak.
The Panthers (2-6) were in desperate need of a win after a series of close defeats that had players questioning whether the team had any leadership. Newton responded with one of his best games of the season, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith and an 82-yard completion that set up a score.
Robert Griffin III was 23 for 39 for 215 yards, ran 11 times for 53 yards and was sacked four times as the Redskins lost their third straight and fell to 3-6.
BEARS 51, TITANS 20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brian Urlacher became the latest Chicago defender to return an interception for a touchdown and Jay Cutler threw three TD passes to Brandon Marshall.
Cornerback Charles Tillman forced four fumbles and Chicago created five turnovers while winning its sixth in a row.
The Bears (7-1) scored a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter. They took control by forcing three turnovers in the first 13 minutes and turning them into 14 points. Urlacher went 46 yards for his score.
The Titans (3-6) lost their second straight with Chicago fans taking over LP Field, booing any video highlights featuring the rival Green Bay Packers and frequently chanting “Let’s go, Bears.”
Tennessee’s lone highlight when Chris Johnson scored on an 80-yard run in the fourth quarter.
SEAHAWKS 30, VIKINGS 20
SEATTLE — Marshawn Lynch ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, rookie QB Russell Wilson threw three first-half touchdowns, and Seattle overcame 182 yards rushing by Adrian Peterson.
The matchup between the top two rushers in the NFL — Peterson and Lynch — didn’t disappoint with Peterson having his best game since 2008.
Lynch ran for a 3-yard TD in the third quarter, while Wilson threw TD passes of 11 yards to Sidney Rice, and TDs of 6 and 11 yards to Golden Tate for the Seahawks (5-4).
Peterson and the Vikings (5-4) had 197 yards rushing in the first half, but only had 46 yards rushing in the second half. Quarterback Christian Ponder was 11 of 22 for 63 yards.
BRONCOS 31, BENGALS 23
CINCINNATI — Peyton Manning overcame a pair of interceptions by throwing three touchdown passes.
Trindon Holliday also returned a kickoff a Broncos-record 105 yards for a touchdown.
Manning improved to 8-0 career against Cincinnati (3-5), which has lost four in a row for the first time in two years. This win didn’t come so easily.
The four-time MVP threw a pair of interceptions — one in the end zone — that led to 10 points and a 20-17 Cincinnati lead early in the fourth quarter.
That’s when the Broncos (5-3) have been at their best.
Manning threw a 1-yard touchdown to tight end Joel Dreessen that put Denver back ahead. After Andy Dalton underthrew a pass under pressure that was picked off by Champ Bailey, Manning put it away with a 4-yard pass to Eric Decker with 3:36 remaining.
RAVENS 25, BROWNS 15
CLEVELAND — Joe Flacco threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith with 4:26 as Baltimore won its 11th straight game inside the AFC North.
Smith caught Flacco’s strike and spun away from cornerback Joe Haden as the Ravens (6-2) beat the Browns (2-7) for the 10th consecutive time. It was also Baltimore’s 15th straight win following a loss, and helped the Ravens shake off a 30-point loss to Houston two weeks ago.
Baltimore improved to 5-0 after a bye week under coach John Harbaugh, who is 10-0 in his career against Cleveland.
Phil Dawson kicked five field goals for the Browns.
LIONS 31, JAGUARS 14
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mikel Leshoure ran for three touchdowns, Calvin Johnson got involved early and Detroit turned in its most complete victory of the season.
Detroit built a three-score lead before halftime and coasted after the break. It was a much different feeling for the Lions (4-4), who trailed in the second half in each of their other wins.
Leshoure finished with 70 yards rushing and scored on runs of 7, 1 and 8 yards, becoming the first in franchise history to run for three touchdowns in the first half. Not even Hall of Famer Barry Sanders accomplished that feat.
Johnson, who got off to slow starts in Detroit’s last three games, had five receptions for 99 yards before the Jaguars (1-7) even recorded a first down. He finished with seven catches for 129 yards despite playing through a knee injury.
