Colts, Raven and Bears Remain Unbeaten

Indianapolis and Baltimore needed last minute scores to keep their unbeaten seasons going. Chicago had a much easier time staying undefeated. <br/><br/>Peyton Manning scored from a yard out with 50 seconds

Monday, October 2nd 2006, 6:39 am

By: News On 6

Indianapolis and Baltimore needed last minute scores to keep their unbeaten seasons going. Chicago had a much easier time staying undefeated.

Peyton Manning scored from a yard out with 50 seconds left in leading the Colts to a wild 31-28 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, boosting Indianapolis to 4-0 and putting it 2 games ahead in the AFC South.

Steve McNair threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Todd Heap with 34 seconds remaining to give the Ravens a 16-13 home win over the San Diego Chargers and a 4-0 record for the first time.

Rex Grossman threw for 232 yards and Ricky Manning Jr. intercepted 2 of Matt Hasselbeck's passes to lead the Bears to a 37-6 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Seven teams entered the weekend without a loss, and just the Colts, Ravens and Bears remain unbeaten.

Four teams are winless going into Week 5, the Tennessee Titans, the Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had a bye week.

Green Bay (1-2) was at Philadelphia (2-1) on Monday night.

The Colts-Jets game produced a sensational finish at Giants Stadium.

Peyton Manning, though, said his team never panicked after Justin Miller returned a kickoff 103 yards for a score to put New York ahead 28-24 with 2:20 left.

``When they ran the kickoff back, we were just getting back on the bench,'' Manning said. ``We didn't have time to get mad or to panic.''

Manning was 6-8 for 60 yards on the winning drive, including a 19 yard pass to Marvin Harrison and a 15 yarder to Reggie Wayne that put the ball at the 1. Manning took it in from there.

``I was pumped,'' he said.

The Jets (2-2) tried a circus play, a never ending lateral fest, to try and win it.

With 8 seconds left, Chad Pennington threw a short pass to Leon Washington, who ran for an 8 yard gain and lateraled to Brad Smith. A series of 4 laterals, including 1 back to Pennington, who then threw a cross field pass to Justin McCareins to keep the chaos rolling, and 2 fumbles recovered by the Jets followed. Finally, center Nick Mangold lost the ball at the Colts 35 and Jason Davis recovered to end the game.

It was a little simpler for the Ravens, but no less exciting.

McNair brought the Ravens back for the second week in a row as they handed the Chargers (2-1) their first loss.

He went 4-5 for 43 yards and ran once for 12 yards during the final drive, which began after San Diego intentionally took a safety with 3:12 to go.

``The defense gave us the opportunity by keeping it within 6 points,'' McNair said after finishing 17-30 for 158 yards, with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions. ``We knew if they gave us the opportunity, we have the confidence in ourselves to get the job done.''

In Chicago, Bernard Berrian had 3 receptions for a career high 108 yards and a touchdown, and the Bears also got their running game going after three sluggish performances, with Thomas Jones rushing for 98 yards and 2 scores.

Chicago improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1991.

The league's 4th ranked defense also shut down a Seahawks team that was missing injured running back Shaun Alexander.

``We definitely sent a message,'' linebacker Lance Briggs said. ``We're out to send a message every week. Every week, we gain another believer.''

Cowboys 54, Titans 14

At Nashville, Tennessee, Drew Bledsoe and Terry Glenn hooked up on 2 13 yard scoring passes, and Terrell Owens, playing 5 days after going to the hospital for an accidental overdose, caught 5 passes for 88 yards with his broken right hand protected by a plate and a glove.

Dallas (2-1) had a strong running game, led by Julius Jones, who had 122 yards and TD.

Rookie Vince Young made his first start for Tennessee (0-4), and was 14-29 for 155 yards with 2 interceptions, 1 returned 15 yards for a TD by Bradie James.

Redskins 36, Jaguars 30, OT

At Landover, Maryland, Santana Moss leaped between two defenders and caught a 68 yard TD pass from Mark Brunell just 1:49 into overtime to boost Washington (2-2).

After blowing two 4th quarter leads, Josh Scobee's 41 yard field goal with 6 seconds left in regulation tied it for Jacksonville (2-2), the Redskins scored 3 plays into OT.

Brunell found Moss near the sideline, the play had to be reviewed to make sure the receiver didn't step out of bounds, and Moss left Brian Williams and Deon Grant flat footed as he snagged the ball on the run.

Patriots 38, Bengals 13

At Cincinnati, Laurence Maroney ran for 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns as New England (3-1) handed Cincinnati (3-1) its first defeat.

Maroney stiff-armed his way for scoring runs of 11 and 25 yards and Tom Brady was 15-26 for 188 yards and a pair of TDs.

Carson Palmer was sacked 4 times and lost a pair of 2nd half fumbles that set up touchdowns. He finished 20-35 for 245 yards in his least productive showing since he returned from major knee injury.

Rams 41, Lions 34

At St. Louis, Marc Bulger threw a 5 yard scoring pass to Isaac Bruce with 1:56 to lift the Rams (3-1) and leave the Lions (0-4) winless.

Trailing 34-33 with 4:42 to play, Bulger led his team 56 yards for the score, then connected with Bruce on a 2 point conversion. Bulger finished 26-42 for 328 yards and 3 TDs; Bruce caught 7 passes for 100 yards.

Jon Kitna was 29-43 for 280 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for Detroit.

Chiefs 41, 49ers 0

At Kansas City, Missouri, Damon Huard led the Chiefs to their first win, hitting 18-23 for 208 yards and 2 TDs in the team's first shutout in almost 4 years.

Larry Johnson rushed for 101 yards and 2 scores for the Chiefs, who handed the 49ers (1-3) their first shutout since 2004 and only their second since 1977.

Texans 17, Dolphins 15

At Houston, Texans' #1 draft pick Mario Williams came up with his first sack and tipped a 2 point conversion attempt that would have tied the score.

David Carr scored the go ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run and the Texans (1-3) survived a late rally by Miami. The Dolphins (1-3) pulled within 2 points on Daunte Culpepper's 16 yard TD pass to Chris Chambers with 1:39 to go, but Williams got a hand on the 2 point conversion pass and it sailed over Chambers' head.

Falcons 32, Cardinals 10

At Atlanta, DeAngelo Hall returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, Jerious Norwood ran 78 yards for a score and 46 year old Morten Andersen kicked 5 field goals.

The Falcons (3-1) head into their bye week having allowed only 1 touchdown on defense this season. Arizona's lone TD was a 99 yard interception return by Adrian Wilson, the longest in franchise history.

Arizona (1-3) will have a new starter next week in Matt Leinart, who took over for ineffective starter Kurt warner with 13 minutes left.

Bills 17, Vikings 12

At Orchard Park, New York, J.P. Losman passed hit 23-32 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown and set up another score with a 15 yard scramble for Buffalo (2-2).

Brad Johnson's 29 yard TD pass to Marcus Robinson with 3 minutes left cut the Bills' lead to 5 points. Then, Johnson marched Minnesota 67 yards in the final 1:39, but the drive ended when the clock ran out with the Vikings (2-2), who were out of time outs, on the 16.

Panthers 21, Saints 18

At Charlotte, North Carolina, Jake Delhomme threw a 4 yard TD pass to Drew Carter midway through the 4th quarter and DeShaun Foster ran 43 yards for a score with 3:09 left as Carolina (2-2) handed New Orleans (3-1) its first loss.

The Saints, playing 6 days after an emotional win over Atlanta in their return to the Superdome, made it interesting at the end. Drew Brees (28-of-38 for 349 yards) threw an 86 yard TD pass to Marques Colston with 1:15 left and then hit Joe Horn for a 2 point conversion.

Carolina's Nick Goings recovered the onside kick, and the Panthers ran out the clock.

Steve Smith had 10 catches for 87 yards and a TD for Carolina. Saints rookie Reggie Bush was held to 22 yards on 11 carries and lost a fumble.

Browns 24, Raiders 21

At Oakland, California, Charlie Frye threw 3 touchdown passes and Cleveland (1-3) rallied from an 18 point deficits for its first win of the game.

Frye threw scoring passes of 3, 2 and 5 yards to Darnell Dinkins, Kellen Winslow and Joe Jurevicius as the Raiders (0-3) remained winless in coach Art Shell's second stint as coach.