Vikings 30, Titans 7
MINNEAPOLIS – Percy Harvin pounded his way through Tennessee’s defense for one touchdown rushing and another receiving in helping Minnesota (4-1) to a victory over Tennessee (1-4).
Harvin caught eight passes for 108 yards for the Vikings, who have given up a combined 33 points in winning three straight games. Christian Ponder threw his first two interceptions after 143 attempts without one, but he still finished 25 for 35 for 258 yards and two scores against the reeling Titans.
Matt Hasselbeck, starting in place of the injured Jake Locker, went 26 for 43 for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Most of those gains came near the end with the outcome no longer in doubt.
Saints 31, Chargers 24
NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees threw for 370 yards and broke a half-century-old NFL record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game, and New Orleans won for the first time this season with a victory over San Diego.
Brees’ 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson eclipsed the mark of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-60. Brees also had three scoring strikes to Marques Colston, giving him a franchise-record 52 touchdown catches with the Saints (1-4).
Philip Rivers passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers (3-2), but had an interception and fumble in the final quarter.
Patriots 31, Broncos 21
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Tom Brady won his latest showdown with Peyton Manning with the help of a career-high 151 yards rushing from Stevan Ridley, and New England (3-2) beat Denver (2-3).
In the 13th meeting between the star quarterbacks, and first since Manning left the Indianapolis Colts, Brady directed four scoring marches of at least 80 yards and the Patriots rushed for 252 yards.
Falcons 24, Redskins 17
LANDOVER, Md. – Michael Turner ran 13 yards for the go-ahead score with 2:46 to play, and Atlanta knocked Robert Griffin III out of the game in a victory over Washington (2-3).
The Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.
Matt Ryan completed 34 of 52 passes for 345 yards as Atlanta handed Washington its eighth consecutive home loss.
Griffin left the game in the third quarter after being hit in the head on a sack by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Coach Mike Shanahan said RG3 has a “mild concussion.”
Steelers 16, Eagles 14
PITTSBURGH – Shaun Suisham hit a 34-yard field goal as time expired, and Pittsburgh (2-2) defeated Philadelphia (3-2).
The Eagles took the lead on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick to Brent Celek with 6:33 remaining, but the Steelers responded by driving 64 yards, including a pair of key third-down conversions by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, to set up the winning kick.
Dolphins 17, Bengals 13
CINCINNATI – Reshad Jones intercepted Andy Dalton’s overthrown pass at midfield with 1:22 left, preserving a win that ended two weeks of miserable, last-minute finishes for Miami.
Miami (2-3) had dropped its past two games in overtime. The Dolphins held on against the Bengals (3-2), who never got anything going consistently on offense and wasted a chance for a tighter finish.
Giants 41, Browns 27
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw set career bests in leading New York (3-2) over winless Cleveland (0-5).
Cruz caught three touchdown passes from Eli Manning, while Bradshaw surpassed his yardage on the ground for the season with a career-high 200. He had 132 entering the game.
Ravens 9, Chiefs 6
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ray Rice ran for 101 yards and Justin Tucker made all three of his field goal attempts to help Baltimore (4-1) defeat Kansas City (1-4).
Joe Flacco threw for 187 yards and was picked off once, but the Ravens were still able to come up with enough points to beat the Chiefs, who turned it over four times.
Seahawks 16, Panthers 12
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Russell Wilson and Seattle’s defense were too much for Cam Newton and Carolina to overcome.
Wilson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate with 35 seconds left in the third quarter to help the Seahawks (3-2) beat the Panthers (1-4).
49ers 45, Bills 3
SAN FRANCISCO – Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and San Francisco (4-1) amassed a franchise-record 621 yards in blowing by Buffalo (2-3).
Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis each eclipsed 100 yards receiving to back Smith from the start.
– The Associated Press
