Saints (7-7) stay in hunt for playoffs
No Reggie? No Deuce?
No sweat for Drew Brees, whose decisions and accuracy are turning role players into menacing threats at a crucial juncture in the season for the New Orleans Saints.
Brees connected on 86.7 percent of his throws for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns, keeping the Saints' playoff hopes alive in a 31-24 triumph over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in New Orleans.
"We're really getting the best out of ourselves right now," said Brees, who completed 26 of 30 passes to three receivers, a tight end and three running backs. "This is the time to come together."
With a loss severely hurting playoff hopes for either team, the game was a high-anxiety affair. Played indoors, it was no less sloppy than some of the weather-affected contests far to the north.
Fumbles by each team set up opponents' scores. Roman Harper's interception of Kurt Warner's tipped pass set up another Saints touchdown.
The victory guaranteed New Orleans (7-7) would remain no worse than 1 game out of the wild-card race behind Minnesota (7-6), which plays tonight against the Bears. Arizona (6-8), meanwhile, has little hope of a postseason berth after its second loss in a row.
Colts 21, Raiders 14: Peyton Manning threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to rookie Anthony Gonzalez with 4:49 remaining for Indianapolis' first offensive touchdown of the game in a win at Oakland.
The Colts (12-2), who clinched a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, trailed 14-13 after Justin Fargas' 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter. But Manning completed all 7 passes on the ensuing drive of 91 yards for the go-ahead score. Joseph Addai ran in the 2-point conversion.
"It's one of those drives that you just do at the right time," Manning said. "Part of it kind of makes you wish we could have done that earlier in the game and not have to rely on that, but it's always nice to know that you're capable of doing it -- starting on our own 9, backed up, and a hostile crowd.
"It feels good to be able to get that touchdown."
Browns 8, Bills 0: Jamal Lewis plowed for 163 yards and Phil Dawson somehow kicked 2 field goals through harsh, wintry winds as the surprising Browns improved their postseason chances with a victory over visiting Buffalo.
In blizzard-like conditions, the Browns (9-5) picked up one of their biggest wins since returning as an expansion franchise in 1999.
"When you're a kid, you dream of playing in a game like this," said Browns wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, who grew up just east of Cleveland. "Today was the Turkey Bowl or the Christmas Bowl in the back yard when you're wiping snow out of your eyes.
"This is why I came home -- not for the elements -- but to play in big games like this."
The Browns can clinch their first playoff appearance since 2002 with a victory at Cincinnati next week.
Panthers 13, Seahawks 10: Rookie Matt Moore, the fourth starting QB for Carolina this season, engineered three scoring drives in the fourth quarter in a win over visiting Seattle.
Coming in with 6 losses in seven games and with coach John Fox sitting on the hot seat, the Panthers (6-8) turned in their best defensive performance of the season. Moore surprisingly outplayed Matt Hasselbeck as the NFC West champion Seahawks (9-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Titans 26, Chiefs 17: Vince Young passed for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns and Rob Bironas kicked 4 field goals for a much-needed victory that kept visiting Tennessee (8-6) alive in the AFC wild-card chase.
With the stadium about half-empty on the sunny, chilly afternoon, the Chiefs (4-10) lost their seventh in a row and closed out their most miserable home season in 30 years, going 2-6 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Roydell Williams caught 4 passes for 94 yards, including touchdowns of 16 and 41 yards.