Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

NFL roundup: Titans, Rams get into win column

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vince Young threw for a touchdown in his first start since the 2008 season opener, Chris Johnson set a franchise record by rushing for 228 yards, and the Tennessee Titans won their first game of the season by routing the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-13 Sunday.

The Titans had been the only winless team left in the NFL along with Tampa Bay at kickoff, and their skid of eight straight went back to the end of last season.

That's why owner Bud Adams wanted Kerry Collins benched for Young.

Johnson helped Young as he scored on TD runs of 52 and 89 yards, and the Titans eased Young in with lots of short throws and runs to work off any rust. It worked as Young was 15 of 18 for 125 yards, and ran 12 times for 30 yards.

Jacksonville now has lost two of three. Maurice Jones-Drew provided the lone highlights as he scored twice on eight runs.

St. Louis 17, (at) Detroit 10 | Steven Jackson's 25-yard touchdown run with 1:38 left lifted the Rams to a win over the Lions, snapping their 17-game losing streak.

The Rams avoided matching their worst start in franchise history. They also ended talk about joining Detroit as the only teams in NFL history to have an 0-16 season.

St. Louis' key score came on a trick play. It lined up to kick a field goal and had kicker Josh Brown throw a short pass to a wide-open Daniel Fells, whose 36-yard reception gave the Rams a 10-2 lead in the final minute of the first half.

Miami 30, (at) N.Y. Jets 25 | Ted Ginn Jr. had two long kickoff returns for touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Dolphins held off the Jets.

Miami swept the two regular-season games after the teams met for the second time in 20 days, capping a week filled with trash talk from both sides in a reignited rivalry.

Facing a fourth-and-13 following a sack by Randy Starks with just over a minute remaining, Mark Sanchez scrambled before firing an incomplete pass over an outstretched Dustin Keller in the end zone to seal it.

Ginn became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Green Bay's Travis Williams in 1967. Ginn had returns of 100 and 101 yards against the Jets.

(At) Dallas 38, Seattle 17 | Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game and Patrick Crayton returned a punt for a score for the second consecutive week, sending Dallas past the Seahawks and into a share of first place in the NFC East.

Tony Romo went a third game in a row without an interception. Since a herky-jerky first month, the Cowboys have found quite a groove, winning three straight, setting up a showdown next Sunday night against the co-leading Eagles in Philadelphia.

(At) Chicago 30, Cleveland 6 | Pounded the previous week and losers of two straight, the Bears couldn't afford to go down again. Good thing for them that Derek Anderson and the Browns were in town.

Jay Cutler threw for 225 yards, Matt Forte ran for two touchdowns and the Bears beat the bumbling Browns .

Anderson had another miserable day for the Browns and was lifted for Brady Quinn, the man he replaced in Week 3, with about three minutes left in the game. Anderson completed just 6-of-17 passes for 76 yards and got intercepted twice.

Houston 31, (at) Buffalo 10 | Running back Ryan Moats, taking over after starter Steve Slaton lost yet another fumble, scored three touchdowns on consecutive fourth-quarter drives, giving the Texans a victory over the Bills.

The Texans won their third straight game for their best start in franchise history. Matt Schaub bounced back from two first-half interceptions to lead six scoring drives on seven possessions.

(At) San Diego 24, Oakland 16 | Some things never change in San Diego, such as the great weather and LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers beating the hapless Raiders.

Tomlinson scored twice, the first in the wildcat, and the Chargers won Sunday, their 13th straight victory against the Raiders. It's the longest active NFL winning streak by one team over another.

The Chargers have swept the series for the sixth straight season. Many Chargers, including quarterback Philip Rivers, have never lost to the Raiders. It was San Diego's seventh straight home win against the Raiders.