Bengals' Graham hits 7 FGs in win
The Cincinnati Bengals used an uncharacteristic approach to earn a tremendously satisfying victory.
Shayne Graham kicked a team-record 7 field goals, and the Bengals received a surprisingly efficient performance from their defense Sunday in a 21-7 win over the punchless Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore.
Cincinnati (3-6) owned the league's 31st-ranked defense, was tied with winless Miami for most points allowed and had not yielded fewer than 20 points in any game this season. All that changed against the Ravens (4-5), who committed 6 turnovers.
"I think it says a lot for our team. Everyone's kind of put us in a hole right now," Graham said. "You have to give a lot of credit to our defense that everyone seems to be bashing right now. For them to get the ball where we had it for the field position says a lot."
Graham connected from 34, 19, 22, 35, 35, 21 and 33 yards. His 7 field goals were 1 short of the NFL record set earlier this season by Tennessee's Rob Bironas, and Graham might have had the chance to tie the mark if the Bengals didn't run out the clock late in the game.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping, but there really wasn't enough time to do it and explain it with an ethical decision," he said. "With where the clock was, it just wouldn't have been right."
Bills 13, Dolphins 10: Winless Miami controlled the ball for nearly 37 minutes and led most of the game, but Rian Lindell kicked a 34-yard field goal with 46 seconds left and the visiting Bills earned their fourth consecutive victory.
Buffalo scored 11 points in the final 9:46 to improve to 5-4. The Bills' winning streak is their longest since 2004.
The Dolphins fell to 0-9, extending the worst start in franchise history. Five defeats have been by 3 points, none more wrenching than the latest.
Buffalo's only touchdown came after a long drive by the Dolphins that put them ahead 10-2. The Bills capped a 66-yard march with a 3-yard run by Marshawn Lynch, who then ran for the 2-point conversion, spinning across the goal after he was hit.
Miami's Ted Ginn Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for an apparent score, but the touchdown was negated by a holding penalty on Greg Camarillo. The Dolphins punted, and Roscoe Parrish returned the kick 40 yards to midfield with 4:37 left.
Buffalo converted two third-downs to set up Lindell's field goal.
Jaguars 28, Titans 13: Quinn Gray threw for a touchdown and Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor ran for one each as visiting Jacksonville beat Tennessee.
The Jaguars (6-3) came in having lost two of three. They also wanted to amend for a season-opening loss to Tennessee in which they gave up 282 yards rushing.
Jacksonville snapped the Titans' three-game winning streak; the Titans (6-3) struggled with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and defensive end Travis LaBoy sitting out with injuries.
Broncos 27, Chiefs 11: Backup Selvin Young rushed for 109 yards and the Broncos (4-5) scored 2 touchdowns in a nine-second span of the third quarter to beat host Kansas City.
The Chiefs (4-5) replaced shaken-up, turnover-prone Damon Huard with second-year quarterback Brodie Croyle.
In the decisive series in the third quarter, Dre' Bly intercepted Huard and returned it 18 yards to the 31. Three plays later Young, subbing for the injured Travis Henry, broke Bernard Pollard's tackle and went 20 yards for a touchdown and a 13-8 lead for the Broncos, who hadn't won in Kansas City since 2002.
On Kansas City's next play from scrimmage, defensive end Elvis Dumervil crashed into Huard and knocked the ball loose. Linebacker Nate Webster scooped it up and dashed 17 yards for another touchdown.
Falcons 20, Panthers 13: Just before he was drilled to the turf, Joey Harrington found Alge Crumpler over the middle for a 30-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left, and visiting Atlanta defeated Carolina.
Crumpler, who returned after missing the previous two games with ankle and knee injuries, caught the short pass and sliced between safeties Chris Harris and Quinton Teal for the score. Harrington watched from his back after being hit by Thomas Davis, then limped off the field as the Falcons (3-6) won their second straight game.