NFL Roundup

Monday, November 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints â€” a combined 8-24 last season and now each missing its top running back â€” are looking like strong playoff possibilities after picking up road victories over division rivals.

The San Diego Chargers accomplished a more modest achievement Sunday. They won a game.

The Eagles, who haven't won the NFC East since 1988 and lost Duce Staley to a foot injury in their fifth game, beat the Washington Redskins 23-20 to improve to 9-4. Donovan McNabb ran for 125 yards, the highest rushing total for an NFL quarterback since Chicago's Bobby Douglass had 127 against Oakland in a 1972 game.

The Saints, who have never won a playoff game and are without Ricky Williams and quarterback Jeff Blake for the rest of the regular season, upset Super Bowl champion St. Louis 31-24 to tie the Rams for first place in the NFC West at 8-4.

Just looking at us on paper, it might not look like we have a lot of talent,'' said Jerald Moore, a Rams castoff who scored a second-quarter touchdown. ``But we really do.''

The Saints were 13 1/2 -point underdogs at St. Louis, but quarterback Aaron Brooks made his first career start and was 19-for-27 for 190 yards. He threw a 4-yard pass to Brian Milne in the first quarter and scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter to put the Saints ahead 21-7.

The Rams, meanwhile, have lost four of six games after a 6-0 start, and have dropped three in a row at their Trans World Dome following a 14-game winning streak there.

St. Louis couldn't overcome numerous mistakes, including two fumbles lost by QB Trent Green â€” who probably will give way to Kurt Warner next week â€” inside the Saints 20.

The teams meet again in the regular-season finale Dec. 24 in New Orleans.

``We can regroup,'' Rams coach Mike Martz said. ``We have to.''

San Diego opened the season with 11 straight losses, but edged the Kansas City Chiefs 17-16 when John Carney kicked a 52-yard field goal with 2:14 left.

Carney, who earlier this season became the first Chargers player to score 1,000 points, kicked the ball through the uprights, then leaped into the arms of holder Darren Bennett and head-butted his blockers.

In other games Sunday, it was Baltimore 44, Cleveland 7; the New York Jets 17, Chicago 10; Tampa Bay 31, Buffalo 17; and Pittsburgh 48, Cincinnati 28.

In late games, it was Oakland 41, Atlanta 14; Denver 38, Seattle 31; Miami 17, Indianapolis 14; and Jacksonville 16, Tennessee 13. The New York Giants beat Arizona 31-7 Sunday night.

Green Bay is at Carolina on Monday night. San Francisco was off.

Eagles 23, Redskins 20

McNabb scored on a 21-yard bootleg, scrambled 54 yards to set up the winning field goal, and completed passes to 10 receivers.

Washington (7-5) lost for the third time in four games and fumbled twice deep in its own territory to set up Philadelphia's touchdowns. Eddie Murray had a chance to send the game into overtime for host Washington with 1:21 to play, but the 44-year-old kicker's attempt from 44 yards was wide.

Chargers 17, Chiefs 16

When Chiefs QB Warren Moon's fourth-down pass sailed incomplete with 1:10 left â€” sealing the fourth straight loss for Kansas City (5-7) â€” Chargers linebacker Junior Seau sank to his knees at midfield before joining teammates in a hug.

San Diego's Ryan Leaf was 17-of-30 for 177 yards and two interceptions.

Ravens 44, Browns 7

Rookie Jamal Lewis ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns, and Trent Dilfer threw for two scores as the Ravens (9-4) outgained visiting Cleveland (3-10) 461-112 yards to clinch their first winning season in Baltimore.

Jets 17, Bears 10

New York (8-4), at home, held Chicago (3-9) to 98 yards passing and forced three fumbles by James Allen. All the Jets' scoring came in the first half. Rookie Anthony Becht caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Vinny Testaverde following Allen's first fumble, John Hall made a 20-yard field goal after the second turnover, and Richie Anderson scored on a 15-yard reception.

Bucs 31, Bills 17

Derrick Brooks had 19 unassisted tackles, and Warrick Dunn became the first runner to gain 100 yards on the Bills (7-5) this season, rushing for 106 and two touchdowns for the host Bucs (7-5). Warren Sapp had two of Tampa Bay's six sacks, giving him 13 1/2 this season to break Lee Roy Selmon's 1977 franchise record of 13.

Steelers 48, Bengals 28

Kordell Stewart matched his career high by throwing three touchdown passes â€” one fewer than he had all season â€” and ran for a score as Pittsburgh (6-6) ended a three-game losing streak.

Pittsburgh hadn't scored so many points since another victory in Cincinnati, 49-31 in 1995.

Raiders 41, Falcons 14

Oakland, which has scored 121 points in its last three home games, improved to 10-2 for the first time since 1977 as Rich Gannon threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

Tim Brown and James Jett caught TD passes, while Tyrone Wheatley and Zack Crockett each rushed for a score for the Raiders.

The Falcons (3-10) lost their fourth straight.

Broncos 38, Seahawks 31

Denver rookie Mike Anderson filled in for an injured Terrell Davis with 195 yards on 30 carries and scored on an 80-yard run with 3:34 left under a driving rain at Seattle.

The Broncos (8-4) won their fourth straight game, and their second in a row with Gus Frerotte at quarterback. The Seahawks (4-8) returned two fumbles for touchdowns for the first time in franchise history, but lost starting QB Brock Huard to a kidney injury in the first quarter.

Dolphins 17, Colts 14

Miami (9-3) stayed atop the AFC East by winning with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:10 left from backup quarterback Damon Huard to Oronde Gadsden.

The Dolphins defense, with Zach Thomas back at middle linebacker after missing five of the last six games, held the host Colts (7-5) to their lowest point total of the season and Peyton Manning to his second-lowest yardage total, 209.

Jaguars 16, Titans 13

Mike Hollis made a 38-yard field goal with no time left as Jacksonville (5-7) ended a three-game home losing slide against Tennessee (9-3). Titans kicker Al Del Greco missed a 28-yard attempt with 3:08 left.

Giants 31, Cardinals 7

Kerry Collins completed 20 of 30 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, and Amani Toomer scored with a 19-yard run on a reverse as New York (8-4) ended a two-game losing slide and improved to 5-1 on the road. With quarterback Jake Plummer out with bruised ribs and a sprained left thumb, Arizona (3-9) fell to 1-4 under interim coach Dave McGinnis.