The Colts have no problems with close games — as long as they keep winning them. Peyton Manning delivered another milestone performance, Joseph Addai produced a second straight winning score, and the Colts found another unconventional way to win when Houston's Kris Brown missed a 42-yard field goal as time expired, keeping Indy's winning streak intact 20-17.
DeSean Jackson scored on a 67-yard run and a 57-yard reception, both in the first half. His night might have been perfect if his tender right ankle hadn't messed up his touchdown tap dance. "I was out there having fun, man, honestly," Jackson said. "My ankle was kind of hurting. I really didn't feel it, but it did kind of affect my dance a little bit.
Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings were anything but perfect. The Vikings couldn't gain a half-yard when it might have turned the game, then watched the Steelers' big-play defense end their unbeaten season with two long touchdown returns in the final 6 1/2 minutes. LaMarr Woodley's 77-yard fumble return and Keyaron Fox's 82-yard interception return on turnovers…
Eddie Royal was running so fast that even his brown-and-white striped socks were a blur. Royal became the first player in Broncos history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game, leading undefeated Denver to a wild 34-23 win over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night. Royal thinks one of the Chargers got a hand on him during his 93-yard kickoff return in the first quarter.
Mark Clayton got open and waited for the fourth-down pass that could keep the Ravens' chances alive. Joe Flacco reached his target inside the Patriots 10-yard line and beyond the first-down marker, but Clayton didn't hold on with 28 seconds left. New England did — eking out a 27-21 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
The end was as good as the Vikings could have imagined: Brett Favre zipped a pass to a little-used reserve wide receiver in the back of the end zone in the final seconds for a classic Favre finish. Greg Lewis leaped for a 32-yard touchdown catch with 2 seconds left while a flattened Favre watched from his stomach, and the Vikings stunned the San Francisco 49ers 27-24 on Sunday to stay unbeaten.
Lawrence Tynes sent home the largest regular-season crowd in NFL history muttering about what might've been. Tynes kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired, giving the New York Giants a 33-31 victory over the turnover-prone Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night and ruining the debut of their rival's $1.15 billion stadium.
Hounded in the opener and harassed in the early going again Sunday, Jay Cutler simply wanted a shot at redemption. He got it and finally lived up to his lofty billing. Cutler made a big pass to Devin Hester, and Robbie Gould booted a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to lift the Chicago Bears to a 17-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.