Saints stop Panthers
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns and the New Orleans Saints beat Carolina, 31-13, on Sunday night to regain sole possession of first place in the NFC South and snap the Panthers’ winning streak at eight games.
The Panthers’ defense had not allowed more than two touchdowns in a game this season until the Saints scored three in the second quarter alone, when Brees completed 14 of 16 passes for 159 yards.
The Saints (10-3) also became the only team this season to score more than 24 points against Carolina (9-4), which entered the game No. 1 in scoring defense, allowing 13.1 points per game.
49ERS 19, SEAHAWKS 17
SAN FRANCISCO — Phil Dawson kicked a 22-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining and San Francisco held off the nemesis Seattle, denying the Seahawks a chance to clinch the division at Candlestick Park.
Frank Gore broke a 51-yard gain with just more than four minutes left to key the go-ahead 11-play, 76-yard drive as the 49ers (9-4) kept the playoff-bound Seahawks (11-2) from grabbing away the West in San Francisco.
BENGALS 42, COLTS 28
CINCINNATI — Andy Dalton threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and Cincinnati remained perfect at home and in control of the AFC North.
The Bengals (9-4) improved to 6-0 at Paul Brown Stadium on a cold, windy day — 28 degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of 19 and light flurries. Indianapolis fell to 8-5 but clinched AFC South with Tennessee’s loss.
CARDINALS 30, RAMS 10
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sore elbow aside, Carson Palmer completed 27 of 32 passes, 12 of them to Larry Fitzgerald, and Arizona ended an eight-game losing streak against NFC West foes by beating St. Louis (5-8).
Palmer, questionable for the game after being limited in practice last week, threw for 269 yards and a touchdown as the Cardinals (8-5) won for the fifth time in six games.
PACKERS 22, FALCONS 21
GREEN BAY — Matt Flynn threw for 258 yards and the struggling defense forced a key fourth-quarter turnover as Green Bay (6-6-1) snapped a five-game winless slide by beating Atlanta (10-3). Mike Neal’s sack forced Matt Ryan to fumble.
CHIEFS 45, REDSKINS 10
LANDOVER, Md. — The Chiefs improved to 10-3 by dominating an opponent that offered little resistance.
They scored on their first four possessions, sacked Robert Griffin III five times and Kirk Cousins once, and returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns.
The score was 17- 0 a f ter the first quarter and 38-10 at halftime.
The Redskins fell to 3-10, increasing speculation that coach Mike Shanahan will be gone at the end of the season.
BUCCANEERS 27, BILLS 6
TAMPA — Rookie Mike Glennon rebounded from one of his worst performances of the season to throw two touchdown passes and lead Tampa Bay over struggling Buffalo (4-9).
Bobby Rainey scored on an 80yard run on the second play of the day, and the Bucs (4-9) won for the fourth time in five games following an 0-8 start.