New Orleans Saints 34, Cincinnati Bengals 30

Big plays in the fourth quarter helped the Saints overcome several mistakes to beat the Bengals...Saints quarterback Drew Brees and running back Chris Ivory had outstanding performances on Sunday.

The Bengals dropped their ninth straight and would now hold the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft...Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens criticized the team's play-calling.

Chicago Bears 24, Detroit Lions 20

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler shook off four sacks to have another Pro Bowl-caliber game...Bears head coach Lovie Smith delivered an angry halftime speech.

Quarterback Drew Stanton played well, but not well enough to keep the Lions from a 19th straight NFC North loss...It may have been a bad call, but Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's penalty was an example of the team's lack of discipline.

Green Bay Packers 34, San Francisco 18

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Greg Jennings connected on a 57-yard touchdown on a free play...Packers sixth-round running back James Starks injected some life into the Packers' running game, gaining 73 yards on 18 carries in his NFL debut.

The 49ers hung with the Packers for one quarter before getting beat for big plays through the air...Despite getting steamrolled, the 49ers aren't giving up on the playoffs.

Kansas City Chiefs 10, Denver Broncos 6

The win was nice, but the Chiefs did not make any statements on Sunday...Within this Chiefs notebook in the Kansas City Star, Dwayne Bowe got blanked and Barry Richardson flipped out after being benched.

Sunday's loss eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention...Quarterback Kyle Orton had his most inaccurate day as the Broncos quarterback.

Cleveland Browns 13, Miami Dolphins 10

Cleveland's defense came up with the big play in the final minute...Browns cornerback Joe Haden showed why he's replaced Eric Wright in the starting lineup.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne's third interception set-up the Browns' game-winning field goal...Nose tackle Paul Soliai was one of the bright spots for the Dolphins.

Minnesota Vikings 38, Buffalo Bills 14

The Vikings overcame some early adversity to demolish the Bills...Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is emerging in the second half of the season.

Several weeks of improvement from the Bills came to an end on Sunday...Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin notched an interception, but had a forgettable first quarter.

New York Giants 31, Washington Redskins 7

Giants running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 200 yards to pound the Redskins into submission...Replacements in all phases of the game stepped up for the Giants on Sunday.

Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth was physically able to play, but head coach Mike Shanahan decided not to give him a uniform on Sunday...At 5-7, the attention turns to the Redskins' future.

Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Tennessee Titans 6

Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 186 yards, easily exceeding his head coach's challenge...Jaguars defensive tackle Terrence Knighton is emerging as a team leader.

A five-game losing streak has sent the Titans into last place in the AFC South...Titans wide receiver Randy Moss continues to be a non-factor on offense.

Oakland Raiders 28, San Diego Chargers 13

By playing physical, smash-mouth football, the Raiders got back to their identity on Sunday...Oakland's defense put the pressure on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

The Chargers' offense ran out of duct tape...Even with Chargers running back Darren Sproles concussed, first-round running back Ryan Mathews did not play a snap on Sunday.

St. Louis Rams 19, Arizona Cardinals 6

The Rams ended their 8-game losing streak to Arizona in drama-free fashion...Rams kicker Josh Brown connected on four field goals on Sunday.

Arizona used all three quarterbacks in their seventh straight loss...Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic thinks its time for the John Skelton Era to begin in Arizona.

Dallas Cowboys 38, Indianapolis Colts 35 (OT)

Dallas' defense intercepted Peyton Manning four times, returning two for touchdowns, in the stunning overtime road win...Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant's rookie season will end with a fractured right ankle.

A second half rally went for naught, putting the Colts' playoff chances in jeopardy...The Colts defense accepted its share of the blame for the fourth loss in five games.

Seattle Seahawks 31, Carolina Panthers 14

Nine minutes in the third quarter helped the Seahawks avoid a third consecutive home loss...The Seahawks rediscovered their running game on Sunday.

The Panthers' 14-point lead evaporated in a nine-minute stretch between the 2nd and 3rd quarters...With Andrew Luck potentially looming, Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen may be running out of time.

Atlanta Falcons 28, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

The Falcons needed a late-game rally to beat the upstart Bucs and improve to 10-2 on the season...Falcons running back Michael Turner and wide receiver Roddy White reached milestones during Sunday's win.

In a performance typical of the teams that originally wore the creamiscle uniforms, the Buccaneers blew a ten-point fourth-quarter lead that hurt their chances in the NFC South...Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib (hip) and center Jeff Faine (triceps) left the game with injuries.

Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Baltimore Ravens 10

Safety Troy Polamalu's sack/forced fumble helped the Steelers take control of the AFC North...Playing with a broken bone in his foot, and a broken nose, Ben Roethlisberger found a way to beat the Ravens.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was blindsided in the fourth-quarter, setting the Steelers' winning touchdown...Ravens head coach John Harbaugh explains his decision not to kick a field goal on 4th-and-2.

NFL News and Notes

The New England Patriots and New York Jets will battle for first place in the AFC East tonight.

For the Jets to win, they'll need to rattle Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair needs to get a Top 10 coach, writes Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle.

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy has shown that he can carry a heavy load.

Today's NFL birthdays: Bears kicker Robbie Gould (28) and practice squad wide receiver Freddie Barnes (24), Lions guard Rob Sims (27), free agent wide receivers Sean Bailey (26), James Robinson (28), Syndric Steptoe (26), and Juamorris Stewart (24), fullback Matt Clapp (24), safeties Dahna Deleston (25) and Marcus McClinton (25), defensive end John Fletcher (25). The late Hall of Famer Otto Graham would have turned 89 today. Retired tight end Mark Campbell (35), safety Michael Green (34), and wide receiver Darrell Jackson (32).