The Rangers reached a second consecutive World Series on the strength of an offense led by Nelson Cruz and a shutdown bullpen. The starting pitching? Well, that wasn't so hot.

View full sizeCharlie Riedel, Associated PressNo player in baseball history has ever had a more productive postseason series than Texas right fielder Nelson Cruz, who had six homers and 13 RBI against Detroit in winning the ALCS Most Valuable Player award.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Tigers were supposed to be the hot team coming into the postseason. They ran the table against AL Central pretenders Cleveland and Chicago from mid-August through the end of the season.

Turns out they were merely simmering on the back burner compared to Texas. It didn't always look that hot for the Rangers, especially when it came to the starting rotation. Maybe starting pitching has been overrated all these years.

Texas, in beating Detroit, 15-5, Saturday night to advance to the World Series for the second straight year, has won 17 of its last 21 games. They finished the regular season winning 10 of 11. They went 3-1 against the Rays in the ALDS and beat a Tigers team that left a good part of its game in the trainer's room, 4-2, in the ALCS.

The Rangers are the first AL team to make consecutive trips to the World Series since the Yankees did it from 1999-2001. Now they have to win it.

"We're happy but not satisfied," said first baseman Michael Young, the longest-tenured Ranger, who drove in five runs in the Game 6 victory.

After losing last year to San Francisco, manager Ron Washington and his players met before heading home. Washington said they made a commitment to not only get back to the World Series this year, but to win it.

"It's a very difficult thing to do," said Washington. "You have to weather the storms."

There is still a Texas-sized twister sitting on Washington's shoulder. In 10 postseason games, no Texas starter has pitched more than six innings. C.J. Wilson, the staff ace, went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two ALCS starts. In three starts this postseason, he's 0-2 with a 8.04 ERA. Colby Lewis, the No.2 starter, is the only one to hit six innings.

Matt Harrison and Derek Holland, who could be tired after their first full season in the rotation, have been unimpressive.

In Game 6, Holland didn't make it through five innings even though the Rangers set a franchise postseason record by scoring nine runs and sending 14 men to the plate in the third. The Rangers didn't miss lead-dog lefty Cliff Lee, who helped them reach the World Series last year, during the regular season, but they certainly miss him now.

What the Rangers do have is a bullpen. Texas relievers went 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA in the ALCS. The 1997 Indians were the only other team to do that.

This postseason, the pen has a 2.34 ERA (11 runs in 42 1/3 innings). The star isn't closer Neftali Feliz, it's set-up man Alexi Ogando, who spent much of the year in the rotation. Whoever decided to put Ogando in the pen for the postseason deserves a raise.

Texas went 7-8 against Detroit overall this year. Ogando won five of those games, three as a starter during the regular season and two in the ALCS. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski lamented that their version of Ogando, Al Alburquerque, was rendered ineffective after getting hit in the head by a line drive during batting practice in August.

"It's not an excuse, but things like that make a difference at this time of the year," said Dombrowski.

The Texas bullpen couldn't cover the sins of the rotation by itself. Enter Nelson Cruz. Hitting from the seventh spot, Cruz had the best postseason series in history from a power standpoint. Cruz hit .364 (8-for-22) with six homers and 13 RBI in the ALCS. No other player has that many homers or RBI in one postseason appearance. Cruz, the ALCS MVP, hit them at big times.

"This was a closely contested series," said Dombrowski. "We lost one game by one run and two in the 11th inning."

In Game 1, Cruz's fourth-inning homer was the decisive run in a 3-2 victory. In Game 2, he hit a game-winning grand slam in the 11th. In Game 4, with Texas carrying a 4-3 lead in the 11th, Cruz hit a three-run homer. His two-run blast Saturday night in the seventh was the only one that did not have a direct bearing on the outcome.

In the last two postseasons, Cruz has 12 homers.

"To watch him doing that was incredible," said teammate Josh Hamilton.

Said Washington, "People might just be finding out about Nelson, but we've known he's had that kind of ability for a long time."

Washington kept Cruz in the seventh spot because the lineup took off when he was on the disabled list with hamstring problems in September. Washington didn't want to mess with a good thing.

In the Tigers' locker room, former Indians Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta were on the wrong side of the ALCS celebration for the second time in four years. They were on the 2007 Indians team that folded against Boston after having a 3-1 lead.

"You have so many hopes," said Martinez, who strained a rib cage muscle in Game 3. "You just know these opportunities don't come around to often."

Asked to compare the two losses, Peralta said, "The one in 2007 hurt more because we had so many chances to get to the World Series. This time we were playing from behind."

On Twitter: @hoynsie

AP Top 10 in order: LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Boise State, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Clemson, Oregon and Arkansas.

Associated PressLSU quarterback Jarrett Lee during the Tigers' 38-7 win at Tennessee on Saturday.

NEW YORK, New York -- Surprising Kansas State has climbed to No. 12 in The Associated Press college football poll, the Wildcats' best ranking since 2004.

Kansas State improved to 6-0 on Saturday night with a 41-34 comeback victory at Texas Tech and jumped five spots in the rankings released Sunday. It was the fourth straight week coach Bill Snyder's Wildcats won as underdogs.

The last time Kansas State was ranked this highly was the 2004 preseason poll, when the Wildcats were No. 12.

The top 10 teams in the rankings remained the same after a weekend filled with blowouts. No. 1 LSU received 41 first-place votes, No. 2 Alabama had 11 and No. 3 Oklahoma got six.

The rest of the top 10 was Wisconsin, Boise State (one first-place vote), Oklahoma State, Stanford, Clemson, Oregon and Arkansas.

Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama are ranked 1-2-3 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25. LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma are 1-2-3 in the Harris poll.

(The AP, USA Today/Coaches and Harris polls) 

Ohio State's Buckeyes (4-3) remain unranked. Ohio State earned a 17-7 win at Illinois (6-1) on Saturday, causing the Falling Illini to drop in each of the top 25 rankings.

Ohio State hosts No. 4 Wisconsin (6-0) on Saturday night. 

Kansas State went 7-6 last season and was picked eighth out of 10 in the Big 12's preseason poll. But behind a much improved defense and a solid running game led by quarterback Collin Klein, the Wildcats are perfect after six games for the first time since 2000.

Snyder is in his third season since coming out of retirement to return to the job he held for 17 years.

The Wildcats' resurgence this season is impressive, but when it comes to turnarounds, the 72-year-old Snyder has done much better in Manhattan, Kan.

He first took over the program in 1989 and it wasn't a stretch to call Kansas State the worst program in major college football.

From 1938-1988, K-State won 130 games. Snyder was hired during 27-game winless streak.

But from 1993-2003, Snyder led the Wildcats to a bowl every season, averaged 10 wins and contended for national championships.

He stepped down after the 2005 season, but after three lackluster seasons under Ron Prince, he returned and has the Wildcats, who play in-state rival Kansas on Saturday, contending for a conference title again.

Just ahead of Kansas State at No. 11 in the latest rankings was West Virginia.

No. 13 Nebraska was next, followed by South Carolina and Michigan State, which hosts Wisconsin on Saturday.

The rest of the top 20 had Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Michigan, Auburn and Georgia Tech, which dropped eight spots to No. 20 after its first loss.

The 17th-ranked Wolverines fell seven spots after losing for the first time this season, 28-14 to Michigan State.

The final five were undefeated Houston at No. 21, Washington, Illinois, another first-time loser on Saturday, and Arizona State and Georgia tied for No. 24.

Texas and Baylor dropped out of the rankings after losing Big 12 games.

Darren McFadden carried seven times for 49 yards and a 4-yard TD on 15-play Oakland scoring drive. Raiders defense is fired up.

View full sizePaul Sakuma, Associated PressRaiders coach Hue Jackson and quarterback Jason Campbell took part in a pre-game ceremony honoring the late Al Davis before Sunday's game against the Browns.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Notes, observations and some facts on the first quarter ...

• First Colt McCoy pass: deflected at line of scrimmage. Second McCoy dropback: 10-yard sack.

• First Darren McFadden run: 24 yards off left tackle.

• Browns doing something annoying to Raiders' offense. Raiders spend two timeouts on first possession.

• McFadden's tough running is making Jason Campbell's play-action passing game effective.

• McFadden completes 15-play drive with 4-yard TD run. He carried seven times for 49 yards. Raiders held the ball 7 minutes, 48 seconds.

• Sebastian Janikowski kickoff reportedly comes down on Alcatraz Island.

• Browns first third-and-1 situation: Peyton Hillis runs behind Owen Marecic for 2 yards and first down. Brilliant.

• McCoy's second-down pass for Josh Cribbs hangs just long enough for a Michael Huff breakup. Then he's besieged by Richard Seymour on third down.

• Campbell fires to Darrius Heyward-Bey for 21 yards on inside slant vs. Dmitri Patterson. Velocity of the pass makes the play.

• Campbell on a keeper. Falls down and loses ball. Mike Adams recovers at Browns' 43.

Steelers and Bengals are both 4-2. Lions drop to 5-1 while 49ers become 5-1.

Associated PressSteelers wide receiver Mike Wallace (right) is congratulated by teammate Maurkice Pouncey after Wallace's 28-yard touchdown catch from Ben Roethlisberger during Pittsburgh's 17-13 win over Jacksonville.

Pittsburgh Steelers 17, Jacksonville Jaguars 13

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- One good half is all it took for the Pittsburgh Steelers to continue their mastery of the woeful AFC South.

If the defending AFC champions want to make inroads on the rest of the conference, they'll have to pick it up considerably.

Rashard Mendenhall ran for a season-high 146 yards and a touchdown and the Steelers narrowly avoided a second-half collapse in a 17-13 win over Jacksonville.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 200 yards and a score for Pittsburgh (4-2), which won for the fourth time in five games.

Three of those victories came during a four-week stretch against AFC South clubs, a scheduling quirk that seemed to leave the Steelers bored at times.

They certainly looked it during a sluggish second half in which the offense stalled and the defense had trouble keeping the Jaguars off the field.

Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 96 yards for Jacksonville (1-5), which has dropped five straight to match the franchise's longest losing streak in a decade.

Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert remained winless as a starter, completing 12 of 26 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown on the day after his 22nd birthday. Gabbert's heave into the end zone on the game's final play was knocked down by Pittsburgh's William Gay.

The last-gasp attempt appeared to be a long shot after the Steelers rolled to a 17-0 lead, but Pittsburgh struggled before putting Jacksonville away.

Gabbert found Jason Hill for an 18-yard score in the third quarter to pull Jacksonville within a touchdown and Josh Scobee's 45-yard field goal with 4:17 to play brought the Jaguars within four.

Pittsburgh converted a third down to force Jacksonville to burn its two remain timeouts, but Roethlisberger was sacked on third down and Jacksonville got it at its own 23 with 1:01 remaining.

Gabbert overcame a first-down sack -- Pittsburgh's fifth of the game -- to get the ball to the Pittsburgh 48 with 2 seconds left before his Hail Mary came nowhere close to being answered.

The victory allowed Pittsburgh to gain some momentum heading into a pivotal stretch that includes games against New England and Baltimore.

Yet there's plenty to work on. The offense managed just 70 yards in the second half, with Roethlisberger completing just one pass while getting sacked three times.

The defense had its issues too, allowing the Jaguars -- who entered the game last in the league in total offense and 31st in scoring -- to control the ball for long stretches.

It just wasn't quite enough for the Jaguars to duplicate their stunning upset in their last visit to Heinz Field in the 2007 divisional playoffs. Jacksonville won 31-29, a victory that served as the apex of coach Jack Del Rio's tenure. The franchise has been in steady decline since, going 21-33 in the interim while the Steelers have won a Super Bowl and gone to another.

For the first half, it appeared both trends would continue.

The Steelers sacked Gabbert four times, taking advantage of a shuffled offensive featuring rookies Cameron Bradfield and Will Rackley on the left side. Rackley was thrust into the lineup at left guard after starter Eben Britton was placed on the inactive list when his back locked up early Sunday.

Mendenhall, who sat out last week's romp over Tennessee with a hamstring injury, ripped off a career-best 68-yard run, part of a half in which the Steelers rolled up 315 yards of total offense.

Roethlisberger had all the time he needed to find Mike Wallace for a 28-yard touchdown and the Steelers appeared on their way to a romp similar to the 38-17 drubbing of the Titans.

It never happened.

Jacksonville found its footing behind Jones-Drew and the Jacksonville's defense disrupted Roethlisberger's timing to provide a more interesting ending than either team envisioned.

Cincinnati Bengals 27, Indianapolis Colts 17

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Nate Clements blocked a late field goal try that would have tied the game, and Carlos Dunlap returned a Colts fumble 35 yards for the clinching score, helping the Cincinnati Bengals hold on for a 27-17 victory that kept Indianapolis winless.

The Bengals (4-2) matched their victory total from last season and ended a seven-game losing streak against the Colts, who had never lost to Cincinnati with Peyton Manning at quarterback. Manning was on the sideline again Sunday, watching helplessly as the Colts fell to 0-6 for the fifth time in franchise history.

APBengals rookie Andy Dalton completed 25 of 32 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati's 27-17 win over Indianapolis.

Curtis Painter rallied Indianapolis from a 20-7 deficit in the second half, getting the Colts in range for Adam Vinatieri's 52-yard field goal try to tie with 5:38 left. Clements swatted it away.

After the Bengals missed a field goal, Pierre Garcon was stripped of the ball after a reception and Dunlap ran it back to finish it off.

San Francisco 49ers 25, Detroit Lions 19

DETROIT, Michigan -- Alex Smith's fourth-down, 6-yard pass to Delanie Walker gave San Francisco the go-ahead touchdown with 1:51 left, lifting the 49ers to a 25-19 win over the previously unbeaten Detroit Lions.

The play stood after video review.

Detroit had a chance to drive for a tying field goal or a go-ahead TD, but couldn't get a first down against a swarming defense that hit and confused quarterback Matthew Stafford from the start.

David Akers gave San Francisco (5-1) a six-point lead with 1:02 to go with a 37-yard field goal.

The Lions (5-1) had one last shot and came up woefully short. Then San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit coach Jim Schwartz had to be separated on the field after the game. Harbaugh seemed to say something that fired up Schwartz, and they bumped into each other on the field.

Green Bay Packers 24, St. Louis Rams 3

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin -- The Green Bay Packers remain pefect, thanks to the unmatched play of Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers threw three touchdowns, including a career-long 93-yarder to Jordy Nelson, and the Packers rolled to a 24-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

The defending Super Bowl champions are the only remaining undefeated team after Detroit lost to San Francisco.

Rodgers threw for 310 yards for the Packers (6-0). James Jones and Donald Driver also caught touchdowns from Rodgers, although the Packers offense hit a lull and didn't score in the second half.

Sam Bradford was 28 of 44 for 321 yards with an interception for the Rams (0-5), who were coming off their bye week.

Rams running back Steven Jackson had 18 carries for 96 yards.

Rodgers did throw his third interception of the season, a tipped ball in the fourth quarter.

The Packers were wearing blue-and-gold uniforms designed to replicate a 1929 design, but Rodgers' ability to scramble out of trouble and make big plays was anything but a throwback to the days of leather helmets. Rodgers did offer a wholehearted endorsement of the third uniform earlier in the week, saying the pants were among the most comfortable football pants he'd ever worn.

As Rodgers kept rolling, the Packers continued to brush off a fresh batch of injuries.

Green Bay got right tackle Bryan Bulaga back from a knee injury after the 2010 first-round pick missed the Packers' previous two games. But the Packers will have to live without veteran left tackle Chad Clifton for awhile after he injured his hamstring in last Sunday's victory at Atlanta.

Second-year player Marshall Newhouse took over for Clifton, but the Rams couldn't get much pressure on Rodgers -- and when they did, he simply spun away.

The Packers also were banged up at safety. Already missing Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins -- out for the season after sustaining a neck injury in Week 2 -- fellow safety Morgan Burnett had to play Sunday's game with a huge club on his broken right hand.

Green Bay's secondary took another blow in the third quarter when Packers cornerback Sam Shields sustained a head injury after he picked off a Bradford pass in the end zone and was hit hard.

The Rams were able to run up some yards early on, but potential scoring drives fizzled because of penalties and big plays by the Packers defense.

St. Louis drove to the Green Bay 23 on its first drive, but tight end Lance Kendricks was called for a false start. The Rams settled for a field goal attempt, and Josh Brown missed from 47 yards. Green Bay took over and drove for a 32-yard Mason Crosby field goal.

Facing a fourth-and-3 play near the end of the first quarter, the Rams went for it and Bradford threw incomplete. The Packers got the ball back and gambled on fourth down as well, going for it on fourth-and-1 at the 50. James Starks burst through the line for a 15-yard gain.

Rodgers showed his mastery of play action on the next play, faking a handoff to Starks on the right side, rolling to his left and delivering a perfect pass to Jones in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown and 10-0 lead.

After a Rams punt pinned the Packers at their own 7, Rodgers got the best of former teammate Al Harris on his big play to Nelson. Rodgers got the veteran cornerback to bite on a fake and then threw a rainbow to the wide-open Nelson for an easy score and a 17-0 lead.

Rodgers put together another drive toward the end of the second quarter, capitalizing on the threat of his running ability to finish it off. On second-and-goal at the 7, Rodgers appeared to make a run for the end zone -- then pulled up and flipped the ball to Driver for a touchdown with 1:51 left before halftime.

Bradford took a beating on the Rams' final drive of the half thanks to a couple of hard hits by Clay Matthews, but St. Louis drove for a 36-yard field goal by Brown. Green Bay led 24-3 at the half.

New York Giants 27, Buffalo Bills 24

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey -- The New York Giants finally found their running game, and it has them heading into the bye week with hope for a second half of the season that is bound to be a lot tougher.

Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 104 yards and a career-best three touchdowns and Lawrence Tynes kicked a go-ahead 23-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining to give the New York Giants a 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Bradshaw scored on three 1-yard runs and had a 30-yard run to help set up Tynes' winner as the Giants (4-2) rebounded from a bad loss to Seattle last weekend by limiting the high-scoring Bills (4-2) to seven second-half points.

It marked the first time this season the Giants had a runner gain more than 100 yards.

Ryan Fitzpatrick was 21 of 30 for 244 yards and threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Naaman Roosevelt and 9 yards to Stevie Johnson, but his final attempt was batted down by Jason Pierre-Paul on a fourth-and-5 from the Bills 25 to preserve the win.

Fitzpatrick also was intercepted twice by Corey Webster, with the last starting the possession that led to the winning kick.

Eli Manning was nearly perfect against the Bills' ballhawking defense, completing 21 of 32 for 292 yards and no interceptions. Buffalo came in with 12 interceptions and its defense had set up 79 points.

The Giants didn't turn the ball over once.

Fred Jackson had another monster game for Buffalo, rushing for 121 yards, including a career-high 80-yard TD run. He also caught five passes for 47 yards.

After tying the game on the 9-yard pass to Johnson, Buffalo appeared in position to take the lead when Fitzpatrick completed a 32-yard pass to David Nelson for a first down at the New York 27.

However, he went for the lead on a go-pattern to Johnson down the left sideline and Webster was all over it, intercepting at the 5. Johnson was called for a very flagrant facemask, giving New York the ball at its own 20.

Bradshaw had a 10-yard run on first down and then ripped off his 30-yarder around left end two plays later for a first down at the Bills 37. Two pass interference penalties against Drayton Florence eventually got New York a first and goal and Tynes, who had a 26-yard field goal in the first half, kicked another short one.

The Giants had a chance to take a 14-point lead late in the third quarter when Manning hit Mario Manningham in stride on a pass from the Bills 37-yard line. Manningham caught the ball, but cornerback Terrence McGee stripped it out as the receiver fell in the end zone.

The pass was ruled incomplete. The Giants challenged and lost.

When the drive stalled, Tynes' 51-yard field-goal attempt to put the Giants up by 10 was blocked by Alex Carrington.

Buffalo took over at its 40, overcame a second-and-20 after a sack by Osi Umenyiora and tied the game on Fitzpatrick's 9-yard TD pass to Johnson with 8:57 to play.

New York had take 24-17 lead with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that Bradshaw capped after a review ruled that Manningham did not score on a pass reception from the 7 that had originally been ruled a touchdown.

The first half was a mixture of the Bills' big-play offense and the Giants more methodical approach with the ball. It ended in a draw with the teams tied at 17.

Bradshaw scored on a pair of 1-yard runs for the Giants and the Bills got touchdowns on Jackson's long run -- just one play from scrimmage after Bradshaw's first TD -- and a 60-yard catch and run by Roosevelt, his first career TD.

Tynes kicked a 26-yard field goal for the Giants, while Rian Lindell had a 49-yarder for the Bills with 24 seconds left in the half.

Bradshaw had given the Giants the lead on the previous possession, scoring just two plays after Manning hit Hakeem Nicks on a 60-yard pass down the left sideline, New York's biggest play of the half.

Philadelphia Eagles 20, Washington Redskins 13

LANDOVER, Maryland -- The sign behind one end zone read: "HEY DREAM TEAM REID THIS: 1-5." Michael Vick wasn't far from that sign when he chased yet another Philadelphia Eagles blunder, an errant snap that rolled to a stop near the goal line.

Vick reached the ball first, got rid of it with enough oomph to avoid an intentional grounding penalty and even drew a 15-yard penalty when linebacker Brian Orakpo hit him in the helmet. Instead of committing yet another turnover, coach Andy Reid's Eagles turned the drive into the game's opening touchdown in a season-saving 20-13 win over the Washington Redskins.

The bounces finally started going Philadelphia's way as the Eagles raced to a 20-0 second-quarter lead on their way to ending a four-game skid. Vick completed 18 of 31 passes for 237 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Kurt Coleman intercepted Rex Grossman three times as the Eagles (2-4) at last started to resemble -- at least somewhat -- the team picked to win the NFC East.

This was all but a must-win -- it's been 41 years since a team made the playoffs after starting 1-5 -- and it brought to a sudden halt the momentum of the Redskins (3-2), the division's surprise solo leaders.

Philadelphia has won 10 of 12 at Washington, although this wasn't as lopsided as last year's 59-28 laugher. The Eagles led the NFL with 15 giveaways coming into the game and committed two more, but Grossman had twice as many. He was benched after throwing his fourth interception late in the third quarter as coach Mike Shanahan answered the fans' chants of "We Want Beck!" by giving John Beck his first regular-season appearance since 2007.

Beck got the Redskins back into the game on a 2-yard quarterback draw to cap an 80-yard drive that pulled the Redskins within seven points with 2:44 remaining. But the Eagles ran out the clock on their next drive, with LeSean McCoy rushing for 20 of his 126 yards.

Beck completed 8 of 15 passes for 117 yards. Grossman went 9 for 22 for 143 yards, 45 yards coming on a flea flicker to Jabar Gaffney, the longest Redskins completion this season. Washington was outgained 422-287 and converted only one of 10 third-down attempts.

The Eagles scored on Vick's 7-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek in the first quarter, McCoy's 1-yard TD run in the second quarter, and a pair of second-quarter field goals from Alex Henery. McCoy is the first Philadelphia player to score a touchdown in six consecutive games at the start of a season.

But one drive in the second quarter told the Philadelphia story best. McCoy lost the ball at the end of a run on the first play, but was ruled down. Two plays later, Celek made an incredible 21-yard reception, tipping the ball with two hands, then reaching back to tip it with his right hand before catching it while falling on his back and getting hit by two defenders. Four plays later, Vick had a passed tipped high into the air inside Washington's 10, but it floated to one of his teammates instead of a defender.

Those would have been three turnovers the way the Eagles were playing during their losing streak. Instead, they got a field goal out of the drive to take a 17-0 lead.

Vick did throw one interception, a ball tipped by a lineman in the third quarter. He also left the game for two plays later in the quarter after getting hit by Ryan Kerrigan and LaRon Landry after a scramble. Vince Young filled in, making his Eagles debut, and threw a bad interception that gave the Redskins the ball at the 18.

No need to worry for the Eagles. Coleman picked off Grossman two plays later, giving Philadelphia the type of momentum swing it had been missing much of the year.

Atlanta Falcons 31, Carolina Panthers 17

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Atlanta Falcons finally played a game that's more their style.

For Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, it was just another tough loss.

Michael Turner ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns, Matt Ryan scored the tie-breaking TD with 7 minutes remaining, and Corey Peters came up with a huge interception that helped the Falcons seal a 31-17 victory over the Panthers.

The Falcons (3-3) were clearly intent on re-establishing their trademark running game against a vulnerable defense. Led by Turner, they ran the ball 35 times -- 13 more than they threw it.

Newton, who grew up just a few miles south of the Georgia Dome, wowed the crowd most of the day. He threw for 237 yards and took off on a 14-yard touchdown run that put the Panthers (1-5) ahead 17-14 heading to the final quarter. He even celebrated with Deion Sanders' high-step dance in the end zone, marking a day when the retired Hall of Famer was honored by the Falcons at halftime.

But the homecoming turned sour.

After Matt Bryant's tying field goal and Ryan's 1-yard sneak, Newton made his biggest blunder of the day trying to set up a screen pass. Peters, a 305-pound defensive tackle, caught the rookie off guard by dropping into coverage. Newton flipped a short pass toward DeAngelo Williams, but Peters reached up with one hand to pick it off at the Carolina 40.

The Falcons offense did the rest, driving 39 yards for the clinching touchdown. Turner barreled into the end zone from 2 yards out with 1:56 left to hand the Panthers another excruciating loss. Their first four defeats were by a total of 18 points, and this one was much closer than the two-touchdown margin.

Turner also scored on a 1-yard run at the end of the first quarter, carrying a season-high 27 times and breaking a streak of three straight games without reaching 100 yards.

Ryan, who was averaging more than 39 passes a game, completed 14 of 22 for 163 yards in a performance that looked more like the Atlanta teams of the last three seasons, not the one that got off to a sluggish start this year and was in danger of dropping two games below .500 for the first time since 2007.

Newton finished 21 of 35 but was picked off three times. The other two were a little easier to take, the first coming on a deflected pass, the last on a desperation pass into the end zone on the final play of the game.

The rookie also led the Panthers in rushing with 50 yards on six carries.

Ryan threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ovie Mughelli, giving the Falcons a 14-10 lead at halftime. Jonathan Stewart scored Carolina's first touchdown on a 1-yard run, after Olindo Mare opened the scoring for the Panthers with a 42-yard field goal.

The Panthers didn't have to punt until late in the third quarter, but the Atlanta defense took control in the final period. Carolina's final four possessions ended with two punts and a pair of interceptions.

Atlanta did a good job shutting down Carolina's top receiver, Steve Smith, who came into the game averaging nearly 23 yards per catch and more than 121 yards per game. He was held to five receptions for 66 yards.

Newton was playing at the Georgia Dome for the first time since he accounted for six touchdowns in the Southeastern Conference championship game last December, leading Auburn to a 56-17 rout of South Carolina. The Tigers went on to claim the national title, then Newton headed to the pros as the top overall pick.

Carolina took the second-half kickoff and burned 8 1/2 minutes off the clock, finishing with Newton's touchdown scamper. He dropped back to pass, couldn't find anyone open and took off around left end, shrugging off one would-be tackler along the way before dancing like Deion and posing for the crowd in the corner of the end zone.

But Browns in game, down by 14-7, and defense knocks out Jason Campbell on a scramble. Raiders forced to play with Kyle Boller.

View full sizePaul Sakuma, Associated PressAlex Smith has a firm grip on six points after catching Colt McCoy's short flip for the Browns' first score of Sunday's game against the Raiders. Oakland safety Jerome Boyd is too late to break up the play.

 OAKLAND, Calif. -- Notes, observations and some facts on the second quarter ...

• Montario Hardesty relieves Peyton Hillis. Colt McCoy makes good pass to Josh Cribbs on third down. Cribbs makes good move on safety Tyvon Branch to extend play for 23 yards.

• From the Raiders' 16, Browns line up Hillis as a fullback in front of Hardesty. Good McCoy play-fake. He's got Hillis open underneath. McCoy hits Greg Little at right corner. Little slips at the 1.

• Another good McCoy play-fake results in 1-yard TD toss to Alex Smith. Very, very nice TD drive in 3 minutes, 10 seconds.

• Jacoby Ford does a tightrope run down the right sideline, evading last-gasp pushout attempts by Phil Dawson and Buster Skrine for 101-yard kickoff return. Play survives replay review.

• Quentin Groves devoured Josh Cribbs on a kickoff return of 20 yards. Wow, Raiders are fired up.

• Nice 20-yard gain on short pass to Hillis nullified when two Browns are in motion at same time. McCoy makes another good pass, perfectly leading Greg Little on a quick slant for 12 yards and a first down. Big play to get out of the shadow of the goalposts.

• Nice run by Hardesty for six yards. Browns now mixing up pass and run nicely.

• Raiders pass rush snuffs out Browns' drive at the 47.

• Jason Campbell hurts shoulder or collarbone on 7-yard scramble. He leaves and Kyle Boller comes in to convert a fourth-and-1 sneak. Browns defense now inspired by presence of Boller. D'Qwell Jackson and Phil Taylor have tackles for losses. Raiders punt at two-minute warning.

• After punt, Browns take over at their 9 with 1:48 to go. McCoy's second-down pass is dropped by Hardesty. McCoy's third-down pass is almost intercepted. Should have just handed off three times. Geesh.

• Browns flagged for 12 men on defense after Ahtyba Rubin snuffs out screen pass to Darren McFadden.

• Boller's passes are "just a bit outside." Browns force punt with 42 seconds left when Jackson trips up McFadden on third-down run.

Indianapolis 500 winner Wheldon, in line to win $5 million had he won the race, was injured when his car flew over another on the Lap 12 wreck and apparently caught part of the catch fence just outside of Turn 2.

View full sizeIsaac Brekken, Associated PressDan Wheldon is transported to a medical helicopter following a crash during Sunday's IndyCar Series' Las Vegas Indy 300.

LAS VEGAS -- IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon has died from injuries after his car went sailing through the air during a massive 15-car wreck early in Sunday’s Las Vegas Indy 300.

Wheldon was 33. Drivers were told of Wheldon’s death in a meeting about two hours after the fiery, smoky crash that many drivers said was the worst they had ever seen.

He won the Indianapolis 500 twice, including this year. Wheldon was injured when his car flew over another during the wreck on Lap 13.

Wheldon, in line to win $5 million had he won the race, was injured when his car flew over another on the Lap 12 wreck and apparently caught part of the catch fence just outside of Turn 2.

Wheldon was transported to a hospital in a helicopter after a crash early in Sunday's Las Vegas Indy 300. About two hours after the accident, the race was called off following a meeting of all the drivers and a 5-lap "tribute" was announced to be held approximately at 6:10 p.m.

Paul Tracy, who was involved in the wreck, said a team of doctors had been working on Wheldon. A helicopter lifted off from the speedway, and an IndyCar official confirmed Wheldon was onboard.

Pippa Mann and J.R. Hildebrand also were transported to a hospital after complaining of dizziness.

View full sizeAP fileDan Wheldon didn't have a car for much of the season and spent the last several months doing television work.

The wreck left Townsend Bell upside down, smoldering cars strewn all over the track and debris nearly halfway up the straightaway of the 1.5-mile oval.

"Just a horrendous accident," said Tracy, before Wheldon's death was announced. "Lot of prayers right now for Dan, because it's going to be a long recovery. They're scrambling in there right now. There's 20 doctors in there.

Wheldon had to start in the back of the field as part of the promotion and had quickly worked his way through the 34-car field before the big wreck.

"I've never seen such a mess in my entire career on the race track," said Danica Patrick, in her final IndyCar race before heading to NASCAR. "Really concerned about Dan right now."

Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds on LVMS' 1.5-mile oval after they reached nearly 225 mph during practice.

Their concerns became reality when contact on Turn 2 sent cars flying through the air, crashing into each other and into the outside wall and catch fence.

The wreck left Bell's car upside down, smoldering cars strewn all over the track and debris scattered down the straightaway opposite the grandstand.

"I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like it," Ryan Briscoe said. "The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere. So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping that no one is hurt because there's just stuff everywhere. Crazy."

Wheldon bumped Alex Tagliani from his ride with Sam Schmidt Motorsports and raced two weeks ago at Kentucky as a warm-up for Las Vegas.

The accident also collected championship contender Will Power, who sat for a long time in his car in disbelief. Points-leader Dario Franchitti avoided it, and seemed stunned as he waited out the clean-up on pit road.

"I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff. I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about," Franchitti said. "You saw what happened, one small mistake from somebody ...."

Wheldon was replaced by Hildebrand at Panther Racing at the start of this season, and failed to land another ride. He put together a deal for the Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport, then won the race in dramatic fashion when Hildebrand wrecked going into the final turn. Wheldon sailed past for his second Indy 500 victory.

Despite the win, he was unable to put together anything for the rest of the season and spent the last several months doing television work and helping Herta Autosport test the prototype car the team will use next season.

Then he laid claim to IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard's offer to pay $5 million if any non-regular series driver entered and won the season finale at Las Vegas. Although Wheldon, winner of 14 career races on ovals, didn't meet the spirit of the promotion, Bernard let him participate in the challenge.

Browns PR announces late in third quarter that Peyton Hillis is out with a hamstring injury. Originally said no injury.

View full sizeAP photoThis tackle of Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell by Scott Fujita (99) and Chris Gocong forced Campbell out of Sunday's game with an apparent shoulder injury. But the Raiders repeatedly made big plays to build a comfortable lead after three quarters.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Notes, observations and some facts on the third quarter ...

• QB Jason Campbell's collarbone is being "evaluated." We won't see him again today. Meanwhile, Kyle Boller ducks under Ahtyba Rubin's sure sack and scrambles five yards and a first down.

• Extremely important defensive stand for Browns. Force punt on first series of second half.

• Chance here for Browns to establish control despite field position at their own 10-yard line. Important series begins with Peyton Hillis on bench.

• Shawn Lauvao gets roughness penalty for unnecessary contact after dead ball.

• Good 9-yard bootleg run by Colt McCoy for a first down, then a second drop by Montario Hardesty on a short pass.

• McCoy's third-down pass broken up. Browns punt.

• Browns announce with a minute to go that Hillis does, in fact, have a hamstring injury.

• A 27-yard Boller to Ford pass sets up a 48-yard field goal for the Raiders.

• Two plays into the next possession, McCoy scrambles and fumbles, recovered by linebacker Tommie Kelly at the Browns' 25. Game is slipping away.

• Defense stands tall, but Raiders pull off a fake field goal, with holder Shane Lechler tossing a short pass to Kevin Boss, who rambles 35 yards for the score.

• Still a quarter to go, but the game feels thoroughly decided.

Late TD drive gets Browns close, but after onside kick succeeds, nothing else pans out as Browns fall short.

View full sizeBen Margot, Associated PressWhen Kevin Boss eluded Chris Gocong's last-ditch tackle attempt for a 35-yard touchdown off a fake field goal late in the third quarter, the outcome of Sunday's game was pretty much determined.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Notes, observations and some facts on the fourth quarter ...

• Kyle Boller is getting booed after every errant pass.

• Colt McCoy is nearly snapped in two on blindside hit by safety Matt Giordano. Ball pops out all the way out of bounds -- about 20 yards. Ruled an incompletion.

• On second down, Peyton Hillis materializes in the backfield. Hmmm. After another illegal shift penalty, Phil Dawson boots 47-yard field goal to cut Raiders lead to 24-10.

• Darius Heyward-Bey finally comes down with a couple of Boller's bolo passes. And then Boller drills it in to Heyward-Bey on an inside slant to the Browns' 14.

• Browns stop Michael Bush for no gain on fourth-and-1 carry from the Browns' 5.

• A couple of passes to Ben Watson get the Browns moving with less than four minutes remaining. At 3:00, Watson tumbles out of bounds at the Browns' 45. McCoy is blitzed and sacked on first down, and eventually calls time out with 2:35 left.

• McCoy hits Massaquoi for 12. On third down a crossing pattern to Little gets a first down at the two-minute warning.

• Nice catch and run by Hardesty gets the ball to the 25. But the next pass is deflected Mike Mitchell and scooped off the ground by Tyvon Branch. Review determines the ball hit the turf first.

• Little shows off some strength by turning a five-yarder into 13 yards to the 12. Browns a little slow to reassemble, and McCoy's looping pass to Watson is five yards long.

• McCoy's 40th pass is incomplete under heavy pressure. Third down.

• The 41st pass is a nice touch pass to Massaquoi in the right corner for a score. Game isn't over yet. Kudos to Phil Dawson, who has to pause while Brad Maynard juggles the snap, yet still sneaks the extra point over the crossbar.

• Is it good that the Browns are still within range after a mismatch all game?

• The perfect onside kick is recovered by James Dockery after being tipped by Cribbs at the Browns' 45. Well, well, well. Did Cribbs touch it too early? Replay isn't really obvious ... Cribbs may not have touched it at all. Play stands.

• A stunning golden opportunity at the 49. Bubble screen to Cribbs gets seven. Can't dink all the way as clock runs. Short pass to Little is thankfully incomplete.

• Third down pass of four yards is incomplete ... still nothing but short passes.

• Fourth down ... slant to Massaquoi --- five yards downfield --- is broken up. Nothing longer than five yards. Game over.

The Raiders win without their starting quarterback in their first home game since owner Al Davis' death.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAuston English (94) can't get a good shot at the Raiders' Jacoby Ford, who storms down the sidelines for a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter Sunday at O.co Stadium in Oakland. The score gave the Raiders a 14-7 lead.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders played half of Sunday's game against the Browns without their starting quarterback, and the entire contest with the heavy hearts of their first game at O.co Stadium since owner Al Davis died more than a week ago.

The Browns, meanwhile, merely played with confusion around an absent starting running back for a half, and for most of the game with a defense that was perplexed by the Raiders' run game and trickery on a fake field goal.

The result was a 24-17 Raiders triumph -- a deceptively close score as the sputtering Cleveland offense rallied late while Peyton Hillis sat for all but one series in the second half for what was first deemed a coaches' decision then called a hamstring injury.

The Raiders improved to 4-2 with the victory while the Browns dropped to 2-3.

The Browns nearly completed a final-minute comeback when James Dockery recovered Phil Dawson's onside kick at the Browns 49 with 1:05 left, but quarterback Colt McCoy could only connect with a receiver once in four tries.

Oakland set the tone with a dominant opening drive that moved 88 yards over 7:48 before running back Darren McFadden scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. McFadden had 50 yards on the single drive, beginning with a 24-yard opening dash on the first hand-off of the game.

But the Raiders' momentum stalled with 3:57 remaining in the second quarter when quarterback Jason Campbell was lost with a broken collarbone suffered on a hard hit by Browns linebacker Scott Fujita. Oakland's only other quarterback -- with rookie Terrelle Pryor inactive in his first game back from a five-game suspension -- was Kyle Boller, who played in just five games last season with a 30.2 quarterback rating.

The Browns, however, had injury problems of their own, when Hillis remained on the sideline as the second half began, helmet in his hand. Browns PR initially said the running back was fine, but by the end of the third quarter it was announced he had a hamstring injury. Still, he was able to enter for two plays at the start of the fourth quarter, where he blocked and made no attempts to run.

The Raiders' game-winner came on a 35-yard touchdown on a fake field goal at the end of the third quarter, as strong-legged kicker Sebastian Janikowski lined up for a 53-yard attempt. Punter Shane Lechler connected with tight end Kevin Boss, instead, as the Browns defense was stunned by play.

McCoy managed to connect with Mohamed Massaquoi with 1:06 remaining for a touchdown that closed the gap, but the Browns couldn't complete the comeback attempt. 

McCoy completed 21 of 45 passes for 215 yards. McFadden finished with 91 yards rushing for the Raiders.

Listen as The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona broke down the Browns' 24-17 loss to the Raiders in Oakland in the post-game show.

APBrowns' Alex Smith scores a touchdown in the second quarter.

Listen as The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona broke down the Browns' 24-17 loss to the Raiders in Oakland in the post-game show.

They talked about Colt McCoy's day, Peyton Hillis' mysterious injury, Pat Shurmur's coaching performance and look ahead to next week and beyond.

Click on play on the right to listen or download the MP3 here.

On a day when the Browns had a chance to do something special, the team didn't deliver.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerGreg Little can't keep his hands on a long pass from Colt McCoy in the first quarter Sunday, as DeMarcus Van Dyke defends for Oakland. Little, in his first game as a starter, led the Browns with six receptions for 72 yards in the 24-17 loss.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- There are times when you ask, "How does this happen?"

How does a team with two weeks to prepare allow two touchdowns because of sloppy special teams play? But that's what happened to the Browns in their 24-17 loss at Oakland.

The Browns could have made a major statement. The Raiders lost starting quarterback Jason Campbell to a collarbone injury in the second quarter. The Browns defense allowed only one touchdown.

It was a game in which the Browns were determined to run but couldn't, and that was true even before Peyton Hillis went out in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. He returned early in the fourth quarter. He was on the field for just a few plays, and didn't run the ball as the hamstring remained tight.

He had only 14 yards on six carries. Montario Hardesty had 21 yards in seven carries as the Browns had 16 passes to 14 runs at the half.

While Hillis and the stalled offense will probably dominate the fans' discussion all week, there is so much more to the story that is far more alarming.

Consider how the Browns tied the game early in the second quarter on a nifty 1-yard pass from Colt McCoy to Alex Smith. Then the Browns kicked off, and Jacoby Ford ran it back 101 yards for a touchdown.

In the last two years, the Browns didn't permit anything close to a touchdown on a kickoff. Special teams guru Brad Seely had his men so prepared, the longest return permitted by the Browns was 32 yards in 2010. In 2009, it was 42 yards. Seely went to work for San Francisco after Eric Mangini was fired.

To be fair to new special teams coach Chris Tabor, in the first four games the longest punt return against the Browns was 12 yards, the longest kick return -- 35 yards. But this was an embarrassing performance when the team should have had something special prepared because of the bye week.

Oakland delivered a third-quarter touchdown on a fake field goal, a 35-yard pass and run from holder Shane Lechler to tight end Kevin Boss. The Browns not only were fooled, they looked foolish. No one was within 10 yards of Boss.

Coach Pat Shurmur said the Browns "sold out" in an attempt to block Oakland's 53-yard field goal attempt. "It was a long kick on a day when the wind was swirling," said Browns kicker Phil Dawson. "So it made sense to bring the pressure."

All true, but someone has to be aware of a fake.

"I know that the special teams will probably be the scapegoat for this," said Dawson.

For good reason. Yes, Dawson kicked a 47-yard field goal. Punter Brad Maynard was strong, averaging 45.2 yards per boot. The Browns did recover a perfectly executed onside kick.

But 14 points? Browns special teams didn't allow any points the previous two seasons. Not on kickoffs, punts or anything else. Joshua Cribbs wants to return to covering kicks and punts, which sounds like a wise idea.

There were some other annoying parts of this game. Second-year guard Shawn Lauvao was flagged for holding, and then for a very silly personal foul after a play was over. That gives him four penalties this season. The Browns were flagged twice for illegal motion. Guys, get lined up right!

Montario Hardesty dropped two more passes, giving him six in the last two games. The Browns' longest run was nine yards by Colt McCoy, which is never a good sign. McCoy and center Alex Mack said they were a little surprised when Oakland came out blitzing. McCoy admitted play-fakes to the backs didn't work because the running game was so lame -- not his exact words, but just a fact.

But perhaps the worst thing about this afternoon was how the Browns have lost two aspects of their game that generally were productive the last few seasons -- the running game and special teams.

How discouraged are you by the Browns' 24-17 loss to the Raiders? First strep throat-gate now hamstring-gate? Talk about these topics and more in our open Browns Fan chat room.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (11) gets tackled in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

How discouraged are you by the Browns' 24-17 loss to the Raiders? First strep throat-gate now hamstring-gate? Have you seen any progress by Colt McCoy? Is Pat Shurmur in over his head? Where do the Browns go from here?

Talk about these topics and whatever you like with other fans in our open Browns Fan Chat room. Just remember to play nice with others.

Then Monday afternoon, listen and fire away with your questions for Tony Grossi as he'll join us for an audio chat. You can also stick around and listen to cleveland.com's Fan Show where we'll feature your chat room comments and questions.

Note: To turn off audio alerts, click on round button on bottom left of chat room and click on preferences.

With games against Purdue and Iowa up next, 6-1 Michigan certainly has a chance to get right back on track.

View full sizeAP photoMichigan's Denard Robinson has to be helped off the field late in the Wolverines' 28-14 loss to Michigan State on Saturday. The loss was Michigan's first after a 6-0 start to the season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Brady Hoke needs to beat Ohio State, and after what happened Saturday, with the Wolverines' loss to Michigan State and the Buckeyes' win over Illinois, Michigan fans might feel a little less confident about that.

But Hoke also has to win back his own state.

Four straight wins by Michigan State is officially a thing now, as it stretched from the three-year Rich Rodriguez era into the first season of Hoke. Obviously, Hoke has made up a lot of ground in a short amount of time in Ann Arbor, in recruiting, attitude and enthusiasm. But Michigan State's Mark Dantonio can now look at what Michigan is doing and still think, and say to recruits, that the Wolverines still aren't as good as Michigan State.

"First of all, give Mark and his staff credit. He outcoached us and outplayed us," Hoke told reporters after the game.

Like Ohio State, Michigan now rolls into a bye week. While the Buckeyes knew it was vital to win and avoid having a three-game losing streak to think about during the week of rest, Michigan now has to think about its first loss of the season.

"Physically it's probably a good thing, but mentally I'm ready to move onto the next one," Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs said in postgame news conference. "But it's probably a good thing we have the bye week so we can physically get healthy. At the same time though I'm ready for the next one."

With games against Purdue and Iowa up next, 6-1 Michigan certainly has a chance to get right back on track. In their rivalry games, the Wolverines are now 1-1 with this season, with a win over Notre Dame and this loss to Michigan State. Just 40 days to the last rivalry game of the year.

AFC North standings: Ravens 4-1, Steelers and Bengals 4-2. The Browns, 2-3.

Associated PressBaltimore outside linebacker Jarret Johnson sacks Texas quarterback Matt Schaub during the Ravens' 29-14 win over the Texans.

Baltimore Ravens 29, Houston Texans 14

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- A couple of long passes, Billy Cundiff's right leg and an efficient performance by the Baltimore defense was enough to give the Ravens another double-digit win at home.

Joe Flacco threw for 305 yards and ran for a score, Cundiff kicked five field goals, and Baltimore pulled away to a 29-14 victory over the short-handed Houston Texans.

The Ravens (4-1) did enough on defense to earn their third straight win and remain in first place in the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are both 4-2 and the Cleveland Browns are 2-3.

Baltimore's run of nine straight games with a takeaway ended, but the Ravens held Houston scoreless over the final 21 minutes and limited standout running back Arian Foster to 49 yards on 15 attempts.

Flacco had two turnovers, but he also had completions of 51 yards and 56 yards to put Cundiff in position to score. Cundiff connected from 43, 48, 25, 33 and 40 yards to tie a Ravens record for field goals in a game.

Flacco completed 20 of 33 passes and Anquan Boldin had eight catches for 132 yards.

Even though the Texans (3-3) were without wide receiver Andre Johnson and linebacker Mario Williams, they led briefly in the third quarter. Houston trailed only 19-14 until the Ravens went on a 66-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Ricky Williams with 4:01 left.

Ray Rice ran 23 times for 101 yards to help Baltimore win at home for the 13th time in 14 games. The Ravens are 3-0 at M&T Bank Stadium this season, beating Pittsburgh, the New York Jets and Houston by a combined 98-38.

Matt Schaub went 21 for 37 for 220 yards for the Texans, 0-5 against Baltimore since entering the NFL in 2002.

Rice began the third quarter with an 18-yard run after gaining only 16 yards on eight carries in the first half. That sparked a 47-yard drive to a 48-yard field goal and a 13-7 lead.

Houston moved in front for the only time with a six-play, 80-yard drive. Schaub had completions of 20 yards to Kevin Walter and 16 yards to Foster before throwing a perfect 32-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones, who got behind safety Ed Reed in the end zone.

Baltimore went back ahead on the following series, using a 51-yard pass from Flacco to rookie Torrey Smith to set up a 25-yard field goal and a 16-14 advantage.

After a Houston punt, Flacco found Boldin open down the left sideline for a 56-yard gain, and Cundiff kicked his fourth field goal.

The Texans' next series ended when safety Bernard Pollard, a former Houston starter, broke up a third-down pass to Foster at the Baltimore 30.

Flacco lost a fumble and threw an interception in the first half, but he also scored a touchdown to help the Ravens take a 10-7 lead.

The Ravens moved 97 yards in 16 plays on their first possession and went up 7-0 on a 1-yard run by Flacco, who went 7 for 8 for 82 yards on the drive. It was the first touchdown against Houston in the opening quarter this season.

Midway through the second quarter, Texans coach Gary Kubiak kept his offense on the field on a fourth-and-1 at the Baltimore 20. Foster was stopped for no gain, but Houston got the ball back when Tim Jamison sacked Flacco, forced a fumble and recovered it at the 17.

Three plays later, Texans guard Wade Smith recovered a fumble by Ben Tate in the end zone.

Late in the half, Cundiff kicked a 43-yard field goal.

New England Patriots 20, Dallas Cowboys 16

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts -- Tom Brady got the offense going just in time to lead the New England Patriots to the winning touchdown in the final minute of a 20-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Brady threw an 8-yard scoring pass to Aaron Hernandez with 22 seconds left and the Patriots' top-ranked offense overcame the Cowboys' stingy defense.

Dan Bailey's 26-yard field goal had broken a 13-13 tie with 5:13 left. Each team ran one series before the Patriots got the ball after a punt with 2:30 remaining. Brady then completed eight of nine passes for 78 yards on an 80-play drive capped by his pass to Hernandez in the middle of the end zone.

New England (5-1) won despite its first two lost fumbles of the season and Brady's two interceptions. He finished the game 27 of 41 for 289 yards with two touchdowns.

Dallas (2-3) ended a five-game road winning streak after a bye despite coming back from a 13-3 deficit midway through the second quarter. Tony Romo was 27 of 41 for 317 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Until the final drive, Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was headed for his second straight strong game against the Patriots.

He held that job with Cleveland when the Browns beat the Patriots 34-14 last Nov. 7. Since then, the Patriots had scored at least 30 points in 13 consecutive games. That streak ended Sunday, but New England still won.

The regular-season win was Brady's 20th straight at home and the Patriots 31st in a row at Gillette Stadium.

They took a 3-0 lead on their first possession on a 31-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. It began when Kyle Arrington intercepted a pass that Dez Bryant failed to reach for on a medium-range slant pattern.

The Cowboys tied it on Bailey's 48-yard field goal after Terence Newman intercepted a pass by Brady that was tipped by defensive end Kenyon Coleman.

New England turned the ball over again on the kickoff after the field goal when Gerald Sensabaugh recovered a fumble by Matthew Slater, the first fumble lost by the Patriots this season. But Dallas gave the ball right back five plays later when Tashard Choice fumbled and Gerard Warren recovered.

The Patriots capitalized with a 26-yard field goal by Gostkowski with 12:07 left in the half for a 6-3 lead. They made it 13-3 on their next possession on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Wes Welker. Officials ruled initially that Welker had gone out of bounds as he reached the ball out toward the goal line but that was overturned on video review.

That put Brady into eight place in NFL history with 276 touchdown passes, one more than Vinny Testaverde.

Dallas cut the lead to 13-10 at halftime, marching 93 yards on 11 plays to score on Romo's 1-yard touchdown pass to Witten, the star tight end's first catch of the game, with 33 seconds left.

The Cowboys tied it on Bailey's 22-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26, New Orleans Saints 20

TAMPA, Florida -- The New Orleans Saints lost a game to Tampa Bay and their coach to injury.

Josh Freeman threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, Earnest Graham rushed for 109 yards in place of injured starter LeGarrette Blount, and Tampa Bay outlasted New Orleans for a 26-20 win.

The win pulled the Bucs (4-2) into a first-place tie with the Saints in the NFC South and snapped New Orleans' four-game winning streak.

A bad tone was set on the first drive for the Saints when Payton toppled to the ground during a collision with New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham in the first quarter. Payton got his left leg caught under Graham as he was tackled on the sideline, suffering a torn ligament and a broken bone.

The Saints had a chance to take the lead late, but quarterback Drew Brees was intercepted in the end zone on a fourth-down pass. Brees became the first passer ever with four consecutive 350-yard games, but also threw three interceptions.

New Orleans had four turnovers in the game. Tampa's defense also held the Saints under 30 points for only the second time this season and shut down New Orleans' rushing attack.

The Bucs led 23-13 heading into the fourth period until Mark Ingram's 12-yard run capped a seven-play, 82-yard drive and pulled the Saints to within a field goal.

Tampa pushed it back to 26-20 with a field goal of its own with 7:54 left, opening the door for Saints. But facing a fourth-and-2 on the 4, Brees' pass was intercepted in the end zone by safety Quincy Black. The Bucs then put the ball in Graham's hands and were able to run out the clock.

After the collision with Graham, Payton stayed on the ground for several minutes receiving medical attention before being moved to the end of the bench. He coached from there until late in the half when he was carted to the locker room. It was announced at halftime that Payton tore the MCL in the leg and also sustained a fractured tibia. He was not on the sideline the remainder of the game.

The Saints' first drive of the game also ended with Ingram's fumble that was scooped up by Tampa's Da'Quan Bowers and led to a field goal three plays later.

Brees' touchdown pass to Marques Colston on their next possession briefly put the Saints up 7-3, but there was little to smile about after that as the Bucs reeled off 17 points.

Minus a few misfired throws early, Freeman was spot-on throughout, connecting with Arrelious Benn over the middle for a 65-yard score and later with Preston Parker in traffic from 18 yards.

Brees was intercepted twice in the half, including one off a deflection by Bucs safety Tanard Jackson. He was playing in his first game since being reinstated by NFL after being suspended more than a year for violating league's substance abuse policy.

Josh Cribbs thinks he can be more valuable on all of the special teams because his role on offense is insignificant.

Tracy Boulian | The Plain DealerJosh Cribbs want to get back to being a dynamic player on all special teams.

OAKLAND, California --  Browns receiver said after the loss to Oakland that he wants to re-focus on special teams because his role on offense is insignificant.

Cribbs had five passes thrown his way and caught two passes for 30 yards, including a clutch 23-yard on a TD drive.

"I only got the ball twice,'' said Cribbs. "Snaps, it's insignificant. I want to help my team win. You get the ball to your athletes. And I feel like I can really help the team on special teams. Not taking anything away from anybody. I feel like if I want to give my all to this team, I can do that more on special teams.''

Cribbs said he'd like to get back to covering kicks and punts and help prevent touchdowns on kickoff returns like the one the Raiders had.

"My role on offense when I weigh it to special teams, it's very insignificant on offense,'' he said. "So I need to re-focus more on special teams and not worry about trying to get the ball on offense and this, this and that. I need to let them do (offense) and get back on special teams.  That's how I got into the league.

"I've been playing special teams for years now and now that I'm not on it, I'm not being used to the point where I can really help this football team. I feel like I'm a dynamic special teams player and I want to re-focus back on making tackles, helping the guys out, doing my part.''

He said he'll tell the coaches that's what he wants to do.

"The limited role (on offense) I want our team to win,'' he said. "Greg (Little) has been going good, he's stepped up a lot. We have capable receivers. My two catches aren't significant enough.''

He added, "I'm on punt return, kick return and offense and I feel like the most important thing on this team is special teams, not offense or defense. You run a kickoff back, your offense ain't out there, your defense ain't out there. You scored the touchdown without either one of them out there.''

He said he could rally the guys or make a stop if he was on coverage teams again.

Despite the Browns having a late chance to tie, they were the inferior team through most of the game. The biggest reason?

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns quarterback Colt McCoy gets hit by Raiders free safety Matt Giordano just after delivering a pass in the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 24-17 loss in Oakland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns somehow managed to lose by just 24-17 to the Raiders in Oakland on Sunday.

It was apparent through most of the game that Oakland was the better team, even if not especially impressive.

There were enough factors in the Browns' defeat to spread the blame.

Here, we ask you to pinpoint the biggest culprit.

We're giving a few passes. Running back Peyton Hillis can't be blamed. He had a few early carries behind poor blocking before leaving with a hamstring injury. Hillis went into the game tied for first in the NFL in yards gained per carry after contact, and today it was apparent in his few tries that most anything he'd get would be on his own.

We'll absolve running back Montario Hardesty of blame. He, too, didn't see much daylight, and though he struggled in other aspects of the game, he is, essentially, a rookie.

And, the defense gets a pass. The Browns do not yet have the kind of playmakers on that side of the football to take over a game when needed. They are what they are, and even without injured cornerback Joe Haden (sprained knee), showed resilience and kept the Browns from being embarrassed.

"When it rains it pours and you just kinda roll with the punches," says Browns running back after limited action vs. Oakland.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis had little success Sunday after suffering a hamstring injury on his second carry against the Raiders.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Peyton Hilli is a deeply religious man who doesn't believe in The Madden Curse. But his star-crossed season took another hit Sunday when he suffered a pulled left hamstring on his second run of the game and managed only four carries thereafter.

Hillis, who ran six times for 14 yards, will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.

"It's all frustrating," said Hillis. "But when it rains it pours and you just kinda roll with the punches. Everything's a life-learned lesson. The more optimistic you are about it, the more positive you can be and have an open mindset about it, the better off you'll be."

Hillis, who sat out the Dolphins game with strep throat and flu-like symptoms, pulled the hamstring on the opening run of the second drive, a six-yarder.

"It was my second run when I went outside and one of the defensive backs pushed me out of bounds and I overextended," he said. "I tried to play there a couple of series afterward the best I could."

Hillis remained in on that drive, but netted two yards on his three subsequent carries. He sat out the next possession and then tried to play in another second-quarter drive, eking out a four-yard run and catching a 16-yard pass that was nullified by a penalty. For most of the rest of the game, he stood on the sidelines with his helmet in hand.

Entering Sunday, coach Pat Shurmur had promised to get his embattled running back "the bulk of the carries.". Colt McCoy was looking forward to the renewed commitment to Hillis.

"That's nobody's fault," said Hillis, who's been the focus of talk-show debate for his absence against Miami and ongoing contract talks with the Browns. "You pull a hamstring, you try to go out there and do your best. It's nobody's fault. It's just unfortunate, disappointing."

In the fourth quarter, with the Browns trailing, 24-7, Hillis was determined to do something to help. After Montario Hardesty missed a safety blitz and watched McCoy get drilled on the field goal drive, Hillis trotted out to shore up the pass protection. He blocked on back-to-back plays and then had to depart again.

"I felt it was a critical part in the game," said Hillis. "I didn't want to leave Montario hanging out there, so I felt if I could go in there and do a little pass protection, do what I could do to help the team win..."

But it wasn't long before he realized that he couldn't play.

"Yeah, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do," he said. "But I wanted to help the team win. I was anxious to get out there and help. It was a critical point, we were just two possessions down and if we got that touchdown -- you saw how things worked out with the onside kick and stuff, we knew it was within reach."

Did he make it worse by re-entering the game? "I don't know," he said. "We'll have to see about that tomorrow.

"Hopefully I can try to play next week. If I'm not 100 percent, I still want to play. We'll see how that works out, see what the trainers say and hopefully I can be out there next week."

Safety Usama Young sat out all four preseason games with a pulled hamstring.

"It's low, that's good," he said. "I hear the lower it is, the better off you'll be. That's good news."

Meanwhile, Hardesty sat at his locker with a dejected look on his face. He finished with 35 yards on 11 carries and caught two passes for 18 yards. But he also dropped two passes and let McCoy get slammed on the blitz.

"There was only one time that I got my quarterback hit but that was a big play of the game," said Hardesty. "We ended up getting a field goal on the drive, but I let my quarterback get hit and I don't ever want to be the man to let my quarterback get hit.

"I'm definitely going to watch the film and correct everything that I did wrong so next week I can perform better and help us come out with a win."

He said he didn't think he was being too hard on himself.

"I want to be a perfectionist on the field and I don't think I had a perfect game today."

He might have plenty of opportunities next week to get it right.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Tailback Dan Herron proved his impact during Ohio State's 17-7 win at Illinois. Unfortunately, it was his first game of the season. And, more Buckeyes links.

Associated PressDan Herron rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown in 23 carries during the Buckeyes' 17-7 win at Illinois.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State tailback Dan Herron's biography will refer to 2011 as the season during which he missed six games because of two suspensions.

Herron, a senior with legitimate NFL potential, sat out the first five games for his role in the memorabilia for tattoos and/or cash scandal, the debacle that rocked OSU's football program, leading to the forced resignation of coach Jim Tressel, the early departure of quarterback Terrelle Pryor and several other player suspensions.

Herron was absent for the Buckeyes' 34-27 Game 6 loss at Nebraska, suspended for that contest as a consequence of being paid by a booster for hours he allegedly didn't work at an offseason job.

Herron gets a chance over the last half of the season to add some football accomplishments to his 2011 bio. That endeavor got off to a good start on Saturday in Illinois, when Herron ran for 114 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State's 17-7 win over the previously undefeated Fighting Illini (6-1).

The Buckeyes went 3-3 without Herron. Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch writes about Herron, and wonders if Ohio State might have had a better record if Herron had been available in the first six games.

Hunter writes:

Yet anyone watching yesterday’s curious exhibition — curious because the Buckeye attempted only four passes, completed one yet still won — couldn’t help but think that Herron would have made a difference. Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde both performed admirably in his absence, but Herron turned next-to-nothing into nice gains on several runs with silky moves that somehow created a passage to daylight in a defensive maze.

The Illini knew that the Buckeyes were going to run the ball. This wasn’t the day to have freshman quarterback Braxton Miller try to read both the Illinois defense and a strong, shifty wind that would have befuddled a grizzled meteorologist. Yet Herron still found his way often enough to help his team put enough points on the board in a game where the scoreboard operator figured to have an easy afternoon.

“He was running the ball extra hard, which he does anyway,” OSU tight end Jake Stoneburner said. “He was just out there being a leader and making plays. He was a big boost to our offense. He was definitely super-excited.”

Ohio State doesn't play next weekend. The Buckeyes will host Wisconsin (6-0), the nation's fourth-ranked team, on Saturday night, Oct. 29, in Columbus.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Doug Lesmerises' game story on the Buckeyes' 17-7 win at Illinois; Bill Livingston's column on Dan Herron; Bill Lubinger's report on a former Ohio State booster from the Cleveland area, now an OSU outcast; Lesmerises' Weekly Wolverine Watch; and, much more.   

About the Buckeyes

The defense comes through for the Buckeyes. By Bob Evans for the National Football Authority.

The Buckeyes send a message in their win at Illinois. By Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com.

What the win at Illinois might mean for Ohio State. By Mark Podolski for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Jounral.

The win at Illinois underscores the impact of Ohio State's suspensions. By John Porentas for the-Ozone.net.

Ten things learned from the Illinois game. By Brandon Castel for the-Ozone.net.

A Bleacher Report slideshow on five things learned from the Buckeyes' win over the Fighting Illini.

The Buckeyes shut down Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins. By Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State feels it's back on track. An Associated Press report on the News-Herald.

Ohio State 17, Illinois 7 game story. By Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch.

Impressions on the Ohio State-Illinois game -- more from an Illinois standpoint -- by Marcus Jackson for the News-Gazette in Illinois.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Had the Oakland Raiders been forced to resort to their third-string quarterback Sunday, after starter Jason Campbell suffered a broken collarbone and backup Kyle Boller was shaky in his season debut, they unquestionably had an ace up their sleeves. They had Shane Lechler. The punter. The punter? "He's 1,000 percent," Raiders coach Hue Jackson boasted. Lechler...

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerKevin Boss saw nothing but green grass after punter Shane Lechler hit him with a pass on a fake field goal attempt that became a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter Sunday.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Had the Oakland Raiders been forced to resort to their third-string quarterback Sunday, after starter Jason Campbell suffered a broken collarbone and backup Kyle Boller was shaky in his season debut, they unquestionably had an ace up their sleeves.

They had Shane Lechler. The punter.

The punter?

"He's 1,000 percent," Raiders coach Hue Jackson boasted.

Lechler was the most accurate of the Raiders' passers in Sunday's 24-17 victory over the Browns, as the longtime punter completed his singular pass attempt, a 35-yard catch and run to Kevin Boss on a fake field goal in the third quarter.

Lechler's surprisingly accurate arm fooled the Browns. Earlier, speedy Jacoby Ford scampered along the sideline chalk while returning a kickoff 101 yards in the second quarter, as the Raiders' special teams made the difference in the first home game since owner Al Davis' death on Oct. 8.

According to Jackson, the Raiders were merely following their legendary owner's famous advice in finding new ways to win Sunday.

"We all understand what he would have told us: 'Win. Play winning football. Find a way to win football games,'" Jackson said afterward.

Just win, baby, in whatever way it takes. Against the Browns, it took Ford fielding Phil Dawson's second-quarter kickoff one yard into the end zone after Cleveland tied the score 7-7, and seeing an opening about 20 yards into his return.

"When I looked to my left and then I saw all the grass over to my right," Ford said. "That's when I knew it."

View full sizePaul Sakuma, Associated PressShane Lechler had no problem making an accurate pass to Kevin Boss on the fake field goal. "We're going to do whatever it takes to win football games," said Oakland head coach Hue Jackson.

Ford's dash left Dawson diving near midfield and Buster Skrine making a final diving attempt about 25 yards before the Raiders receiver cruised into the end zone. He was inches from the right sideline while avoiding Dawson, but maintained his balance.

But the key special teams play came at the end of the third quarter, when Sebastian Janikowski took the field for a 53-yard field goal attempt. He had drilled a 48-yarder with ease one drive earlier, and the Browns pressed the middle of the line when Lechler stood up with the ball.

A couple weeks ago, Boss had been catching some passes from the Oakland punter when he realized something profound.

"He can throw it like a lot of quarterbacks can throw it," Boss said. "[A couple weeks ago] he threw some balls during warmups and I caught a ball from him and I said, 'Wow Shane, you can really wing it.'"

Lechler's toss of about 10 yards hit Boss in stride. He turned and "saw nothing but green grass." The touchdown provided a 24-7 advantage that effectively squashed any hopes the Browns had.

The call was in the spirit of revered owner Davis, whose philosophy is one that Jackson subscribes to now, more than ever.

"On that one, I called it and it was there," Jackson shrugged. "We're going to do whatever it takes to win football games."

If that means special teams becoming the hero, if it means Lechler becoming Oakland's top quarterback while former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor waits on the sidelines after being activated from his five-game suspension last week, that's what the Raiders will do.

Despite the flaws in the BCS system, there might be an obviously legit national champion this season, and coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State are right in the thick of it.

View full sizeMichael Thomas, Associated PressOklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, a 28-year-old former minor-league baseball player, is leading Oklahoma State's powerful offense as the Cowboys chase their own national title dreams.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The first BCS rankings released Sunday night came with a ready-made playoff, which we'll have to settle for in place of an actual playoff: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama, and No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State.

It just so happens that one playoff game will be played in three weeks when the Tigers and Crimson Tide meet on Nov. 5, and the other arrives when the Sooners and Cowboys meet on Dec. 3.

So, despite the flaws in the system, there might be an obviously legit national champion this season, and coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State are right in the thick of it. According to the computers, the Cowboys are actually at the top of it.

Rated No. 1 by the computers and sixth by the Harris and coaches polls, Oklahoma State is in a nearly ideal position, having proven something so far with wins over Texas A&M and Texas, but with more chances ahead. Still on the Cowboys' schedule are four reasonably competitive opponents in Missouri, Baylor, Texas Tech and Iowa State; another game that isn't as tough as it seems but should provide a publicity boost is Kansas State, currently No. 11 in the BCS standings; and the final showdown on Dec. 3 against Oklahoma.

With the shrinkage of the Big 12, the league no longer has a title game, so there's not an extra test to worry about. If the Cowboys get through that schedule, they shouldn't have to.

Boise State in the Mountain West, Wisconsin in the Big Ten, Clemson in the ACC and Stanford in the Pac 10, the undefeated teams rated fifth through eighth in the BCS, probably don't have the schedules to jump the Cowboys. So while the Alabama-LSU game has been staring salivating fans in the face for weeks, the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State showdown could be every bit as interesting and as important.

Alabama and LSU are ranked first and fourth in the nation in total defense, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma are second and fourth in total offense.

The Cowboys, 6-0 after a 38-26 win over Texas on Saturday, have been here before. Oklahoma State started 7-0 in 2008, getting to No. 6, before losing to No. 1 Texas. The Cowboys' three losses that year in the regular season were to teams ranked No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 at the time. Oklahoma State was 6-0 and ranked 14th in 2010 before losing to No. 16 Nebraska.

Now there's no reason for Oklahoma State to not reach 11-0. In fact, with a game still left against Texas A&M, Oklahoma might be in more danger of not reaching Dec. 3 unblemished. The Aggies had a 20-3 halftime lead on Oklahoma State on Sept. 24 before the Cowboys rallied for a 30-29 win.

Ranked eighth in the preseason by the coaches and ninth by the AP, Oklahoma State could be what Auburn was last year -- a good program ready for a great year. One thing to like about the Cowboys -- they've won eight straight on the road dating back to last season, with wins over Texas A&M and Texas this season.

Oklahoma State has a veteran quarterback in senior Brandon Weeden, a former minor-league baseball player who, at 28, is two years older than Ohio State quarterback Joe Bauserman and seven weeks older than Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Cowboys have a game-changing receiver in Justin Blackmon, who had 111 catches for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, and through six games has 53 catches for 608 yards and seven touchdowns.

They have a chance to play for it all if they keep winning.