Manning keeps Broncos rolling
Peyton Manning and Emmanuel Sanders hooked up for three touchd ow n s and Ju wa n Thompson added two short scoring runs as the host Broncos rolled past the Chargers 35-21 for their fourth straight win.
Manning, who finished 25-for-35 for 286 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, has thrown at least one TD pass in 46 straight games and at least two in 13 in a row. Sanders had nine receptions for 120 yards while Demaryius Thomas added eight catches for 105 yards and Ronnie Hillman rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries for the Broncos (6-1).
Philip Rivers went 30for-41 for 252 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Chargers (5-3), who have lost two straight following a five -game winning streak. Tight end Antonio Gates caught two TD passes and finished with five receptions for 54 yards, passing Lance Alworth as the franchise’s all-time leader with 9,610 receiving yards. Cutler unfazed by rant: Bears quarterback Jay Cutler apparently was not offended by receiver Brandon Marshall’s postgame rant Sunday after a 27-14 home loss to the Dolphins.
“He didn’t come near me,” Cutler said. “He didn’t say my name. I don’t think he attacked anybody personally with what he was saying.
“He’s an emotional guy. Whenever he gets frustrated, he’s going to get emotional most of the time. He’s going to speak from the heart and make sure everyone around him hears him. It wasn’t anything that caught us off guard, or was off-putting. ... It was frustration coming out and him letting us know it was important to him.” Harvin fallout: Conflicts and fisticuffs might be the lasting legacy of receiver Percy Harvin’s abbreviated run with the Seahawks, and the one coach who had previous experience with Harvin as a pro with the Vikings was not pleased with the results.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell expected to draw the best out of Harvin, coaxing the type of play — long gains after the catch to go with flashy returns — that attracted the Seahawks to Harvin two years earlier.
“I was disappointed,” Bevell said. “I did have a history with him, and I thought it would be a different outcome.” Extra points: The Titans are going with rookie Zach Mettenberger as the starting quarterback moving forward, deciding to bench veterans Ja ke Locker and Charlie Whitehurst. ... Lions WR Calvin Johnson, who has missed the last two weeks with a high ankle sprain, could be nearing a return. After sprinting in the team’s first workout in Bagshot, England, and then working agility drills Wednesday, he could be ready for Sunday’s game in London against the Falcons. ... Texans LB Jadeveon Clowney, who has been sidelined since Week 1 with a knee injury, said he expects to return Sunday against the Titans. ... Redskins coach Jay Gruden said QB Robert Griffin III should be back no later than Nov. 16, but some reports suggest he might play Monday against the Cowboys.