NFL Week 3: Vinatieri FG Lifts Patriots Over Steelers
POSTED: 9:26 pm EDT September 25, 2005
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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh's string of 16-straight regular season wins has been snapped.Adam Vinatieri booted a 43-yard field goal with one second left as the New England Patriots beat the Steelers, 23-20, in a rematch of last season's AFC championship game won by the Pats, 41-27.The Steelers tied the game at 20 on Ben Roethlisberger's 4-yard touchdown strike to Hines Ward with less than a minute to play.Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed 31 of 41 passes for 372 yards, including 12-of-12 in the fourth quarter for 168 yards.San Diego 45, New York Giants 23
LaDainian Tomlinson accounted for a total of 246 yards and four touchdowns, and San Diego proved to be an unruly host in Eli Manning's first game against the team he spurned on draft day, as the Chargers posted a convincing 45-23 win over the New York Giants at Qualcomm Stadium.Tomlinson carried the ball 21 times for 192 yards and scored three times while also catching six passes for 28 yards and throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass.In addition, Tomlinson has now scored a rushing touchdown for the 15th straight regular-season game, which extended his own NFL record. Dallas 34, San Francisco 31
The Dallas Cowboys outscored the 49ers 34-31 in San Francisco.Drew Bledsoe passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 14-yard scoring strike to Keyshawn Johnson with 1:51 remaining in the game.The Cowboys sealed the victory when Dat Nguyen picked off a deflected pass by Tim Rattay with 54 seconds left.Rattay threw three touchdowns including an 89-yarder to Brandon Lloyd. Dallas is 2-1 and the Niners fall to 1-2. Seattle 37, Arizona 12
Shaun Alexander ran for four touchdowns including two inside a 30-second span in the third quarter as Seattle cruised over the winless Arizona Cardinals 37-12.Alexander finished with 140 yards on 22 carries. His 24th 100-yard game tied him with Chris Warren for the most in team history.The Cardinals lost quarterback Kurt Warner to a groin injury in the second quarter. Miami 27, Carolina 24
Winners of only four games last season, the Miami Dolphins are 2-1 under new coach Nick Saban.Lance Schulters intercepted a Jake Delhomme pass with 2 minutes left, setting up Olindo Mare's 32-yard field goal with four seconds left as the Dolphins beat Carolina 27-24.The Panthers lost despite Steve Smith's 11 catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns.Carolina is 1-2. Tampa Bay 17, Green Bay 16
The Green Bay Packers dropped to 0-3 for the first time since 1988 after losing to Tampa Bay, 17-16.The Buccaneers were led by rookie Carnell "Cadillac" Williams who rushed 37 times for 158 yards.Williams broke Alan Ameche's NFL record for most yards in his first three games. He has 434 so far.Joey Galloway caught a pair of touchdowns for the Bucs, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2000.Packers quarterback Brett Favre was picked off three times. Philadelphia 23, Oakland 20
David Akers fought through a strained right hamstring to kick the winning 23-yard field goal with nine seconds left as the Philadelphia Eagles held off the Oakland Raiders 23-20.Donovan McNabb played with chest and groin injuries and threw for 365 yards and a pair of touchdowns.The Raiders are 0-3 for the first time sine 1992. They tied the game with 2:17 left on Kerry Collins' 27-yard touchdown pass to Doug Gabriel.The Eagles improved to 2-1. Cincinnati 24, Chicago 7
Cincinnati is off to its best start in 15 years.Carson Palmer threw for 169 yards and three scores as the Bengals hammered the Chicago Bears 24-7 and improved to 3-0.The Bengals picked off Bears rookie Kyle Orton five times.Even more notable is that Cincinnati is the first NFL team in 34 years to intercept five passes in consecutive games. Indianapolis 13, Cleveland 6
Indianapolis improved to 3-0 after shutting down the Cleveland Browns, 13-6.Edgerrin James ran 27 times for 108 yards and scored on a 2-yard run, while Mike Vanderjagt made two short field goals.The Colts have now allowed only 16 points in three games, their lowest total in the first three games in franchise history.The previous best was 17 points in 1971.The Browns are 1-2. Minnesota 33, New Orleans 16
Daunte Culpepper passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings beat the road-weary and mistake-prone New Orleans Saints, 33-16.The Saints fumbled the opening kickoff -- their first of four turnovers.Both teams are 1-2. Jacksonville 26, N.Y. Jets 20 (OT)
In East Rutherford, N.J., Byron Leftwich threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith in overtime as Jacksonville slipped past the New York Jets, 26-20.Both Jets quarterbacks were banged up in this game. Chad Pennington left in the third quarter with a strained shoulder but returned when backup Jay Fielder hurt his shoulder.Pennington directed the drive that led to Mike Nugent's 25-yard field goal that knotted the game at 20.Jacksonville is 2-1 and the Jets are 1-2. St. Louis 31, Tennessee 27
Marc Bulger threw three touchdown passes and the St. Louis Rams hung on to beat the Tennessee Titans 31-27.Their first meeting since the 2000 Super Bowl was full of turnovers.The Titans converted three takeaways into 17 points while the Rams got an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown from Adam Archuleta.The Rams are 2-1, while the Titans are 1-2. Atlanta 24, Buffalo 16
Michael Vick shook off a tender hamstring to throw two touchdowns and run for 64 yards in leading Atlanta's 24-16 win at Buffalo.The Falcons improved to 2-1 by snapping a three-game road losing streak dating back to last season.The Bills have lost two in a row after a season-opening victory.
LaDainian Tomlinson accounted for a total of 246 yards and four touchdowns, and San Diego proved to be an unruly host in Eli Manning's first game against the team he spurned on draft day, as the Chargers posted a convincing 45-23 win over the New York Giants at Qualcomm Stadium.Tomlinson carried the ball 21 times for 192 yards and scored three times while also catching six passes for 28 yards and throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass.In addition, Tomlinson has now scored a rushing touchdown for the 15th straight regular-season game, which extended his own NFL record. Dallas 34, San Francisco 31
The Dallas Cowboys outscored the 49ers 34-31 in San Francisco.Drew Bledsoe passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 14-yard scoring strike to Keyshawn Johnson with 1:51 remaining in the game.The Cowboys sealed the victory when Dat Nguyen picked off a deflected pass by Tim Rattay with 54 seconds left.Rattay threw three touchdowns including an 89-yarder to Brandon Lloyd. Dallas is 2-1 and the Niners fall to 1-2. Seattle 37, Arizona 12
Shaun Alexander ran for four touchdowns including two inside a 30-second span in the third quarter as Seattle cruised over the winless Arizona Cardinals 37-12.Alexander finished with 140 yards on 22 carries. His 24th 100-yard game tied him with Chris Warren for the most in team history.The Cardinals lost quarterback Kurt Warner to a groin injury in the second quarter. Miami 27, Carolina 24
Winners of only four games last season, the Miami Dolphins are 2-1 under new coach Nick Saban.Lance Schulters intercepted a Jake Delhomme pass with 2 minutes left, setting up Olindo Mare's 32-yard field goal with four seconds left as the Dolphins beat Carolina 27-24.The Panthers lost despite Steve Smith's 11 catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns.Carolina is 1-2. Tampa Bay 17, Green Bay 16
The Green Bay Packers dropped to 0-3 for the first time since 1988 after losing to Tampa Bay, 17-16.The Buccaneers were led by rookie Carnell "Cadillac" Williams who rushed 37 times for 158 yards.Williams broke Alan Ameche's NFL record for most yards in his first three games. He has 434 so far.Joey Galloway caught a pair of touchdowns for the Bucs, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2000.Packers quarterback Brett Favre was picked off three times. Philadelphia 23, Oakland 20
David Akers fought through a strained right hamstring to kick the winning 23-yard field goal with nine seconds left as the Philadelphia Eagles held off the Oakland Raiders 23-20.Donovan McNabb played with chest and groin injuries and threw for 365 yards and a pair of touchdowns.The Raiders are 0-3 for the first time sine 1992. They tied the game with 2:17 left on Kerry Collins' 27-yard touchdown pass to Doug Gabriel.The Eagles improved to 2-1. Cincinnati 24, Chicago 7
Cincinnati is off to its best start in 15 years.Carson Palmer threw for 169 yards and three scores as the Bengals hammered the Chicago Bears 24-7 and improved to 3-0.The Bengals picked off Bears rookie Kyle Orton five times.Even more notable is that Cincinnati is the first NFL team in 34 years to intercept five passes in consecutive games. Indianapolis 13, Cleveland 6
Indianapolis improved to 3-0 after shutting down the Cleveland Browns, 13-6.Edgerrin James ran 27 times for 108 yards and scored on a 2-yard run, while Mike Vanderjagt made two short field goals.The Colts have now allowed only 16 points in three games, their lowest total in the first three games in franchise history.The previous best was 17 points in 1971.The Browns are 1-2. Minnesota 33, New Orleans 16
Daunte Culpepper passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings beat the road-weary and mistake-prone New Orleans Saints, 33-16.The Saints fumbled the opening kickoff -- their first of four turnovers.Both teams are 1-2. Jacksonville 26, N.Y. Jets 20 (OT)
In East Rutherford, N.J., Byron Leftwich threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith in overtime as Jacksonville slipped past the New York Jets, 26-20.Both Jets quarterbacks were banged up in this game. Chad Pennington left in the third quarter with a strained shoulder but returned when backup Jay Fielder hurt his shoulder.Pennington directed the drive that led to Mike Nugent's 25-yard field goal that knotted the game at 20.Jacksonville is 2-1 and the Jets are 1-2. St. Louis 31, Tennessee 27
Marc Bulger threw three touchdown passes and the St. Louis Rams hung on to beat the Tennessee Titans 31-27.Their first meeting since the 2000 Super Bowl was full of turnovers.The Titans converted three takeaways into 17 points while the Rams got an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown from Adam Archuleta.The Rams are 2-1, while the Titans are 1-2. Atlanta 24, Buffalo 16
Michael Vick shook off a tender hamstring to throw two touchdowns and run for 64 yards in leading Atlanta's 24-16 win at Buffalo.The Falcons improved to 2-1 by snapping a three-game road losing streak dating back to last season.The Bills have lost two in a row after a season-opening victory.
Copyright 2006. Courtesy of SportsNetwork.
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