NFL Sidelines - Week 12

HOUSTON (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts spotted Houston an early 17-0 lead before a patented Peyton Manning fourth-quarter rally to stay one of the NFL's two unbeaten teams after 12 weeks of the season. Manning tossed three TDs and the Colts rallied for a 35-27 win, their 20th straight regular-season victory.

Indianapolis is 11-and-0 — one win shy of the New England Patriots' NFL-record 21-game run from 2006-08. The Colts can tie the record if they beat Tennessee at home next weekend.

The Colts are 15-and-1 lifetime against Houston, which fell to 5-and-6 and likely out of the playoff picture.

Manning threw two first-half interceptions, but had a pair of second-half TD passes, including a 4-yarder to Dallas Clark that gave the Colts a 21-20 lead with about nine minutes left. Clint Session stretched the lead to 28-20 when he returned an interception by Matt Schaub 26 yards for a touchdown seconds later. Schaub fumbled on Houston's next possession and Chad Simpson's touchdown run put the game out of reach.

The Colts are the first team to clinch a playoff berth, winning the AFC South title when Jacksonville lost to San Francisco.

The NFL's other undefeated team is New Orleans, which hosts New England Monday night.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The surging San Diego Chargers turned four turnovers into touchdowns, including a 40-yard fumble return for a score by safety Paul Oliver, and posted their sixth straight win, 43-14 over Kansas City.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored two touchdowns and moved into 10th on the NFL's all-time rushing list. Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes to Antonio Gates as the Chargers improved to 8-and-3, good for a one-game lead over Denver in the AFC West.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Speaking of streaks, where will the Tennessee Titans' run end? The Titans are the first team in NFL history to win five straight games after starting 0-and-6. Vince Young hit a leaping Kenny Britt for a 10-yard touchdown as time expired in the Titans' 20-17 win over Arizona.

Young won his ninth straight start and improved to 23-and-11 in his career by driving the Titans 99 yards in the final 2:37. The Titans have not lost since Young replaced ineffective Kerry Collins as starting QB.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Brett Favre (farv) continued his renaissance in Green Bay, throwing for a season-high 392 yards and three touchdowns in the Vikings' 36-10 victory over the Chicago Bears. The 10-and-1 Vikings outgained the Bears by a whopping 537-to-169 and breezed to their fifth straight win.

The 40-year-old Favre went 32 for 48 without a turnover and was 10 yards off his career best. He threw touchdowns to Visanthe Shiancoe (vih-SAHN'-tee SHANK'-oh), Chester Taylor and Percy Harvin, the unflappable rookie who had his best game yet.

The Vikes recorded 31 first downs to the Bears' eight.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alex Smith threw short touchdown passes to Frank Gore and San Francisco posted a 20-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars as the Niners played mistake-free football. Joe Nedney kicked field goals of 46 and 27 yards for 5-and-6 San Francisco, which snapped the Jaguars' three-game winning streak and dropped the Jaguars to 6-and-5.

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals finished a perfect 6-and-0 within the AFC North Division by running for 210 yards in their not-pretty-but-effective 16-7 win over hapless Cleveland. Newly acquired Larry Johnson, who was just cut by Kansas City, led the ground assault with 107 yards as Cincy improved to 8-and-3 overall. The 1-and-10 Browns reached double-digit losses for the eighth time in their 11 years as an expansion team.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons squeaked by 1-and-10 Tampa Bay 20-17 on Chris Redman's 7-yard TD pass to Roddy White with 23 seconds left. But it was a costly win after the 6-and-5 Falcons lost offensive stars Matt Ryan and Michael Turner to injuries. Ryan injured his right big toe on Atlanta's first series. Turner left in the third quarter when he apparently reinjured his right ankle, a problem that kept him out of the previous game.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In another squeaker, the Philadelphia Eagles improved to 7-and-4 by edging the Washington Redskins on David Akers' 32-yard field goal with 1:48 left. Akers kicked four field goals for the Eagles, who also rallied for a fourth-quarter comeback in a four-point victory last weekend at Chicago. The 3-and-8 Redskins continue to fade at the finish. They fell short at the end for the second straight week after losing at Dallas last weekend.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets picked off four Jake Delhomme (deh-LOHM') passes and beat Carolina 17-6 for their first home victory since Week 3. Darrelle Revis picked off one of those passes and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown for the Jets' first defensive score of the season. Thomas Jones added a 3-yard TD run for the 5-and-6 Jets. Carolina fell to 4-and-7 with its second straight loss.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) —Rian Lindell's career-long 56-yard field goal with 3:35 left and a long touchdown catch by Terrell Owens in the final minutes propelled the Buffalo Bills to a 31-14 win over the Miami Dolphins. That's the first win was the first for interim coach Perry Fewell (fewl), who replaced the fired Dick Jauron two games ago. That ends a three-game losing streak for the 4-and-7 Bills.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Justin Forsett set career highs with 130 yards and two touchdowns and the go-ahead score came on the Seattle Seahawks' third defensive touchdown of the season in a 27-17 victory over St. Louis. The Rams have lost 11 straight home games and are 1-and-10 overall. Seattle won its first road game and is 4-and-7 overall.

The announced attendance of 47,475 was the Rams' worst in 15 seasons in St. Louis.

In tonight's game, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH'-lihs-bur-gur) is sitting out against Baltimore because of the concussion he suffered in the loss to the Chiefs last weekend. That means inexperienced Dennis Dixon would make his first NFL start against the ever-tough Ravens defense.