Document text
--> --> Eagles earn NFC East title; Dolphins nab playoff berth By The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Eagles won their first NFC East title in 13 years. The Giants won't make the playoffs, just one year after reaching the Super Bowl. Donovan McNabb threw three touchdown passes, and David Akers kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7 seconds left to lift Philadelphia past New York 24-21 Sunday. The Giants, though, nearly won a third straight game in the final minute. After Akers' kick, New York had time for one play from its 20, and Kerry Collins threw a 14-yard pass to Tiki Barber, who lateraled the ball to wideout Ron Dixon. With blockers leading him down the left sideline, Dixon made it to the Eagles' 6, before Damon Moore made the game-saving tackle. "I really thought I was going to get in," Dixon said. The Eagles (10-5) scored 10 points in the last 2 minutes, including McNabb's 7-yard TD pass to Chad Lewis to tie the score. Giants defensive end Michael Strahan had 3 1/2 sacks in the first half, breaking Lawrence Taylor's team record for sacks in a season. Strahan has 21 1/2 sacks - a half-sack from Mark Gastineau's NFL mark. Ron Dayne's 16-yard TD run with 2:43 left gave the Giants (7-8) a 19-14 lead, and Barber ran in for the 2-point conversion to make it 21-14. McNabb was 21-of-39 for 270 yards. Philadelphia will play Tampa Bay at home in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. Those teams also play next week to close the regular season. Dolphins 21, Falcons 14 MIAMI (AP) - Miami stopped Bob Christian on fourth down from the 1-foot line with 47 seconds left to clinch a playoff berth and eliminate Atlanta (7-8). The Falcons' loss gave Tampa Bay the final NFC wild-card spot. The Dolphins (10-5) forced four turnovers, including Brock Marion's 26-yard interception return for a touchdown. They also made four sacks, knocked quarterback Chris Chandler out of the game in the second quarter and then hung on against Michael Vick, who threw for a score but also committed three turnovers. Miami's Jay Fiedler threw two touchdown passes in the final 1:02 of the first half. Rams 42, Colts 17 ST. LOUIS (AP) - Marshall Faulk scored four touchdowns and totaled 165 yards rushing and receiving for St. Louis (13-2), which clinched the NFC West championship. Kurt Warner threw three touchdown passes, two to Torry Holt. Faulk, playing against his former team for the first time, had 118 yards on 25 carries and seven receptions for 47 yards. He scored on runs of 1 and 4 yards, caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first half and added a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. Indianapolis (5-10) has lost seven of eight. Warner was 23-for-30 for 359 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Bills 14, Jets 9 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Shawn Bryson ran for 107 yards for Buffalo (3-12), which had to withstand two last-ditch drives by the Jets (9-6). New York could have clinched a playoff berth with a victory. Bengals 26, Steelers 23, OT CINCINNATI (AP) - Neil Rackers' 31-yard field goal in overtime beat Pittsburgh (12-3), which secured home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs because of Oakland's loss. Jon Kitna threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:46 of the fourth quarter. His 68 passes tied for third-most in a game. He completed 35 for a career-high 411 yards. The Bengals (5-10) got the ball at their 1-yard line in overtime following a Pittsburgh punt. Kitna completed four consecutive passes, and Brandon Bennett had a 36-yard run that set up Rackers' winning kick with 4:08 left in overtime. Seahawks 25, Chargers 22 SAN DIEGO (AP) - Trent Dilfer threw three long touchdown passes, and Rian Lindell kicked a career-best 54-yard field goal as time expired to lead Seattle (8-7). The game appeared to be going to overtime after Steve Christie's fifth field goal of the game, from 36 yards with 16 seconds left. But Charlie Rogers returned the kickoff 64 yards to San Diego's 36 with 6 seconds left, setting up Lindell. San Diego is 5-11. Cardinals 30, Panthers 7 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jake Plummer threw two touchdown passes to David Boston, including a 61-yarder, and new kicker Cedric Oglesby made three field goals for Arizona (7-8). The Panthers, who haven't won since Week 1, tied a single-season NFL record by losing their 14th straight game. They can set the mark if they lose next week to New England. Browns 41, Titans 38 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Phil Dawson kicked a 44-yard field goal with 55 seconds left, and Tim Couch threw for three touchdowns and a career-high 336 yards as Cleveland (7-8) erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Tennessee's Eddie George topped 100 yards rushing for the first time this season and his second touchdown of the game put the Titans (7-8) up 38-24 early in the fourth quarter. Bears 24, Lions 0 PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - Jim Miller threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, and rookie Anthony Thomas topped 1,000 yards rushing for the season to lead Chicago (12-3) past Detroit (1-14). Packers 24, Vikings 13 GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - With Green Bay (11-4) trailing late in the fourth quarter, Brett Favre completed five passes on a 79-yard touchdown drive to improve to 30-0 at home in temperatures of 34 degrees or lower. Spergon Wynn threw three interceptions for Minnesota (5-10). Chiefs 30, Jaguars 26 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Tony Gonzalez caught two touchdown passes, and the Chiefs (6-9) stopped Mark Brunell inside Kansas City's 15 twice in the last two minutes. Brunell completed 22 of 37 passes for 283 yards and one touchdown for Jacksonville (6-9). Redskins 40, Saints 10 NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Stephen Davis ran for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Ki-Jana Carter added 51 yards and two TDs for Washington (7-8), which trailed 10-0. New Orleans (7-8) turned the ball over twice on downs, once on a fumble and three times on interceptions. It's the Saints' biggest loss under coach Jim Haslett, and the team has lost three straight games for the first time in his two years as coach. The Saints have given up 122 points in that slide, the most in a three-game span in franchise history. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing