Suh attends first player-only workout with Lions teammates

Ndamukong Suh's busy offseason included breaking a sweat with the locked-out Detroit Lions for the first time on Friday.

Even though Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since 1999, Ndamukong Suh says the Lions could go 16-0, and should shoot for nothing less if they want to be taken seriously. More...

"I got some good work in," he said in an interview with NFL Network after joining his teammates for conditioning drills at Detroit Country Day School.

Suh declined to talk with reporters after the workout.

He started his offseason by having shoulder surgery that prevented him from playing in the Pro Bowl. He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was the only rookie on the All-Pro team after Detroit drafted him No. 2 overall last year.

Suh was among the celebrities who sped out of London last month for the Gumball 3000 Rally, a seven-day car race stretching across 10 countries in Europe, but insisted he wasn't just kicking back and relaxing overseas.

"No vacations -- I enjoyed myself," Suh told NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest. "No question, I worked out in Europe."

The Lions are wrapping up a second week of practices they've organized on their own during the lingering lockout.

"We're not going to plan another week of workouts, hoping the next time we see each other a deal is done," offensive guard Rob Sims said.

About 30 Lions attended this week's gatherings, including quarterback Matthew Stafford and two second-round picks from the team's 2011 draft, wide receiver Titus Young and running back Mikel Leshoure, who were about as wide-eyed as expected.

"We're going to try to make it as easy on them as possible, and catch them up to speed as much as we can," Stafford said earlier this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Seahawks become first team to win division title with sub-.500 record

SEATTLE -- Pulled over his dapper shirt-and-tie combo, Leon Washington proudly wore a blue NFC West division champion T-shirt and hat.

Pete Carroll thought it was "pretty cool" to be going to the playoffs with a losing record.

Make jokes and laugh all you want at the Seattle Seahawks making the postseason as the champions of the weakest division in football, and with a losing record.

But they're not going to be embarrassed for setting some dubious NFL history on their way to the playoffs.

"There is no apologies for making it into the playoffs. The easiest way to make it to the playoffs is to win your division, period, point-blank," Seattle safety Lawyer Milloy said. "We did that."

The Seahawks became the first-sub. 500 division champs on Sunday night with a 16-6 win over the St. Louis Rams to wrap up their first division title since 2007. They secured a home playoff date with defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans on Saturday.

Seattle finished a laughable 7-9 and tied with St. Louis, but won the title thanks to a better division record than St. Louis, 4-2 vs. 3-3.

"I guess we won for all the teams that have a losing record and think they can't be champions. It can get done, you can do it," Carroll said. "Somehow it happened."

Critics have gladly taken shots about the NFC Worst, er, West this season and reignited the debate whether division champs should automatically be granted home playoff games. The New York Giants and Tampa Bay have better records within the NFC at 10-6 and both clubbed Seattle earlier this season.

But it's the Seahawks who are playoff-bound.

"It just shows that no matter what happens through an awkward year if a team sticks together they can have a shot at the end to accomplish what they talked about in the beginning," Milloy said. "We know it wasn't pretty getting here, but what we talked about was right there at the end and we took advantage of it. Nobody can take that away from us."

Making his second career start, backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw a 4-yard TD pass to Mike Williams on Seattle's first possession and kicker Olindo Mare connected on three second-half field goals.

That was more than enough thanks to a maligned defense that finally found some swagger just in time to rattle St. Louis' rookie quarterback Sam Bradford and end the Rams' feel-good turnaround from a year ago. At this time last year, St. Louis was preparing to draft Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick after winning just one game.

Sunday night, they were despondent after seeing their chance at a division title and becoming the third 8-8 division champ in league history slide away.

"I don't even know if I can tell you right now," Bradford said of his frustration. "The fact our defense played, in my opinion, pretty great, the fact that we let the team down, that we couldn't get anything going, that's what really hurts."

St. Louis (7-9) was kept out of the end zone for the second time this season and Bradford finished 19 of 36 for 155 yards, with a costly interception midway through the fourth quarter.

Seattle's defense that allowed at least 34 points in four of its last five games, suddenly showed a backbone, making St. Louis' conservative offensive approach seem even slower. The Rams managed just 63 yards in the second half and, with the exception of a fumble recovered at the Seattle 21, didn't even cross midfield until midway through the fourth quarter.

And even when the Rams caught a break on Marshawn Lynch's third-quarter fumble, they could only get three points out of it on Josh Brown's 27-yard field goal.

"For the most part we just were out of sync ..." Rams running back Steven Jackson said. "But I don't think they completely shut down the offense."

Now the question for Seattle is who will be the quarterback for its first home playoff game since a January 2008 win over Washington. Carroll was noncommittal late Sunday night who would start against the Saints. Matt Hasselbeck was active against the Rams and went through pregame warmups, but Carroll held to his word and the Seahawks went with Whitehurst after Hasselbeck injured his hip last week against Tampa Bay.

Whitehurst didn't fail in the second start of his career. He wasn't spectacular, but he avoided any critical mistakes: no interceptions, no dumb throws, no miscues a team like Seattle couldn't afford. Carroll said he kept Hasselbeck out fearing the injury would have made him "vulnerable" to the Rams' pass rush.

For his part, Whitehurst did scramble for 30 yards rushing, part of the 141 yards on the ground by the Seahawks.

"You know, this is what I love to do, this is what we all love to do, this is why we're here," Whitehurst said. "So after the first few plays it's kind of business as usual."

Whitehurst finished 22 of 36 for 192 yards with his lone touchdown, a 4-yard toss across the field to Williams on Seattle's first drive. Mare connected from 31, 38 and 34 yards in the second half and Seattle spent the final minute with Carroll screaming into the air and players slapping hands with fans in the end zone.

"It's been rough the last couple years," Seattle running back Justin Forsett said. "I've never been in this position before. I just want to seize it and run with it."

While the Seahawks could celebrate, Steven Jackson slumped on the bench in the final minutes after the Rams' best offensive threat went mostly unused. Jackson had just 11 carries for 45 yards, continuing a streak of failing to crack 100 yards in his career against the Seahawks.

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When the Rams did cross midfield in the fourth quarter, down just 13-7, Bradford followed with his one big mistake, an interception thrown right at linebacker Will Herring, the first pick of his career.

Seattle then ran off the next 7 minutes as Mare connected from 34 yards with 1:37 left, ending the Rams' chance at their first division title since 2003.

"It's just frustrating to get this far and have an opportunity to make the playoffs, and to come up short," Bradford said. "Just frustrating."

Notes: Seattle G Chester Pitts left in the second half with a head injury and did not return. ... Seattle LT Russell Okung left briefly in the first half after injuring his left ankle, but returned after halftime. Seattle had just seven active offensive linemen. ... Jackson was the Rams' leading receiver with four receptions for 39 yards. ... St. Louis has lost 11 of 12 to Seattle.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Bears knock out Favre, Vikings to win first NFC North title since 2006

MINNEAPOLIS -- Bundled up on the sideline in a heavy, gray coat, Brett Favre could only watch as Devin Hester and the Chicago Bears sped through the snow to the NFC North title.

Favre's surprise start ended with a concussion, perhaps putting him out for good, and the Bears spoiled Minnesota's first outdoor home game in 29 years.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre made a surprise start Monday, but a second quarter head injury cut short what was likely the final home start of his Hall of Fame career.  More ...

Hester set the NFL record with his 14th kick return touchdown, running back a punt 64 yards for a score shortly after halftime to help the Bears fly past the Vikings 40-14 on a frosty, hard-hitting Monday night.

"You play long enough, you're going to get your bell rung," Favre said.

Jay Cutler threw for three scores for the Bears (10-4), who last won this division during their 2006 Super Bowl season. Hester caught one of Cutler's touchdown passes and also took back the second-half kickoff 79 yards to set up a field goal a few minutes before his game-breaking punt return made it 27-7.

That was Hester's 14th career return touchdown, kickoff or punt, breaking Brian Mitchell's previous mark.

"Don't dwell on this," Hester said. "It's the record-breaker, but there's going to be a lot more. I guarantee you that."

Favre doesn't have many, if any, left. He finished 5 for 7 for 63 yards before the big hit by Corey Wootton, and the Vikings (5-9) fell apart in front of their proud alumni in town for the franchise's 50th anniversary celebration featuring all kinds of blasts from the past.

With the Metrodome unusable because of a roof collapse, the game was moved to the University of Minnesota. TCF Bank Stadium was about 80 percent full, with snowballs flying from the seats -- sometimes hitting players -- and plenty of frolicking in the flakes.

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Favre wasn't even supposed to play, but his sprained throwing shoulder suddenly felt better this weekend. His NFL-record starts streak over, he still wanted to play once more in front of the Vikings fans that embraced him so warmly after booing him for so long as a member of the Packers.

He passed his pregame throwing test and trotted out in front of the Minnesota fans one last time, finding Percy Harvin for a 23-yard TD to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead after the opening drive.

"There were a few friendly wagers in the quarterback room on whether Brett would be out there," said Cutler, who had a cut on his chin after a hit from Antoine Winfield and played with a big bandage. "I wasn't surprised at all."

Favre managed one more joyful jump on a teammate's back to celebrate a touchdown, piggybacking right guard Ryan Cook before embracing Harvin and raising his left arm in triumph as he jogged off.

"It was a great opening drive," Favre said. "I probably should've went straight up the tunnel after that. But again -- you've got to try sometimes."

Henry Melton tipped Favre's pass on the next Minnesota possession, Julius Peppers intercepted it at the 14 and Robbie Gould kicked a field goal. The next drive was a three-and-out, and Favre had to hustle back and smother the ball after a high snap slipped through his hands. Cutler zipped a 67-yard pass up the sideline over safety Madieu Williams to a streaking Johnny Knox, and the Bears built a 10-7 lead they never lost.

In the second quarter, the Vikings lost Favre -- possibly for good.

On third-and-4 from the Bears 48, Wootton got in the backfield and grabbed Favre by his non-throwing shoulder, slamming him to the cold turf players had worried about in the days before the game. The career leader in almost every major statistical category for quarterbacks, Favre lay motionless for a few seconds before climbing to his feet and walking off with his head hung down.

Devin Hester made NFL history on Monday, setting a record with his 14th career return for a touchdown. The Bears star moved ahead of Redskins great Brian Mitchell on the all-time list.  More ...

With a black cap pulled past his eyebrows, Favre grimaced as he put on an oversized purple coat and got ready to watch the rest of the game. Rookie Joe Webb took over, scoring on a 13-yard scramble to the edge of the end zone to cut the lead to 27-14, but the Bears had their way after putting perhaps the final seal on Favre's storied 20-year career.

Favre repeatedly has said this will be his final season. He spoke wistfully of his career after the game, but refused to rule himself out of either of the last two games just yet.

"He can walk away with his legacy intact," Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier said.

If Favre was diagnosed with a concussion, he'd need to meet NFL guidelines requiring him to be symptom-free and cleared by both a team doctor and independent neurological consultant before he can play again.

The Bears were playing their second straight snow-globe-style game, actually, eager to erase the taste of last week's blowout loss at Soldier Field to the New England Patriots.

They certainly got that done.

"By no means are we completely satisfied," Cutler said. "We know we can be so much better offensively."

Afterthoughts in a division featuring Favre and the reigning champion Vikings plus a dangerous Green Bay team, the Bears didn't buy into the doubts. They've caught several opponents at the right time, including the banged-up Vikings. With Cutler playing better, Hester back in his super-rookie form and the defense relatively healthy again, however, the Bears are feeling just fine.

"It's hard to stop that type of team, when everybody is scoring," Hester said.

Former Vikings coach Bud Grant jogged around the field at halftime in a short-sleeve purple shirt, getting carried off by some of his former players after an inspired ceremony.

With general-admission seating, customers braved the cold in parkas, snowmobile suits and ski caps, celebrating touchdowns with snowball throws and cheering their favorite players from the past as they were introduced at halftime.

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Dozens of workers the massaged the field before the game to make it as playable as possible, with machines pushing snow across the yard lines and into the corners of the brick-lined walls. Crews gently rolled off the tarp before warmups while the flakes kept flying.

Players from both teams expressed concerns this week about the safety of the turf. Vikings punter Chris Kluwe posted on Twitter after Sunday's walkthrough his comparison of the surface to "concrete." He predicted a "trainwreck" and later said he was asked to stop tweeting by the team.

Notes: The temperature at kickoff was 23 degrees, with a windchill of 9. ... The attendance was announced at 40,504. ... Williams left the game with a concussion. ... Chicago's Matt Forte, whose knee to the head knocked Williams out, had 92 yards on 17 carries.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Broncos turn page on McDaniels era, take first steps forward

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Josh McDaniels and his videographer have been fired, Denver is abuzz with hope that John Elway will gain a greater role with the Broncos as a chief football executive, and interim coach Eric Studesville exudes enthusiasm.

But that dark cloud that hung over the fractured franchise hasn't dissipated just yet, quarterback Kyle Orton insisted.

"The only way you lift anything is to win football games," Orton said Wednesday before Studesville's first practice. "I mean, if you want to feel better as a player, if you want to feel better as an organization, if you want to feel better as fans, you've got to win."

The Broncos haven't done much of that lately, winning just twice since September and five times since McDaniels burst onto the NFL scene by winning his first six games last season.

They travel to Arizona for a matchup of 3-9 teams Sunday.

Studesville said he wouldn't change much on offense, defense or special teams. But one thing he did adjust was the volume on the music that McDaniels liked to blare over the concert-style speakers during practice. They were silenced after stretching Wednesday, replaced by the sounds of hits and hollers.

When Studesville was promoted, the typical reaction -- even among Broncos players -- was "Eric who?"

Studesville had only been with the Broncos for 11 months, hired Jan. 23 to replace longtime running backs coach Bobby Turner after six seasons in Buffalo.

McDaniels didn't like to let his assistants speak with the media too much, and the only interview Studesville had given in Denver was a brief chat with The Associated Press in mid-November.

So the stealthy Studesville gathered his captains Wednesday morning ahead of his first team meeting for a get-to-know-me session one day after standing in front of cameras and recorders for the first time.

"Really, what I wanted to do was just kind of open those lines of communication," Studesville said. "Some of those guys don't know me very well."

The players quickly got a taste of his passion.

"He's lit up like a kid on Christmas Day," defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson said.

Correll Buckhalter said the rest of his teammates finally saw what the running backs have witnessed all year.

"All he knows what to do is work," Buckhalter said. "He wants everybody to come to work happy, just to feel like you want to come here even though it's a rough season. We still have four games to go."

Studesville said offensive coordinator Mike McCoy will call the plays from the sideline, something McDaniels used to do. McCoy was the quarterbacks coach last year, so Orton is accustomed to having him in his ear.

As Studesville tries for a quick fix to the many problems facing the Broncos on the football field, the organization's brain trust is mapping out a long-term plan to resurrect the franchise.

Team owner Pat Bowlen faces a massive rebuilding project to fix the mess that McDaniels left behind when he was fired Monday after going 11-17 and making a series of personnel miscalculations that cost the Broncos talented players and valuable draft picks.

The Broncos' to-do list includes reconfiguring the structure of the football operations, retooling a gutted roster, refurbishing their tarnished image and regaining the trust of their frustrated fans.

McDaniels was fired with the franchise mired in its worst funk in four decades and encumbered by a videotaping scandal that cast the Broncos as cheaters, although the team's front office and the league said they found no evidence the coach had ordered the illicit taping.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to meet with fired videographer Steve Scarnecchia, who was busted for wrongfully taping the San Francisco 49ers' walkthrough Oct. 30 in London after he had been caught up in the 2007 videotaping scandal in New England.

Asked if that meeting had been scheduled, league spokesman Greg Aiello said: "At this point, we are going to consider that a confidential matter."

The NFL fined the Broncos and McDaniels $50,000 each for his failure to report the video violation. If the league uncovers evidence of a more widespread breach, the Broncos could be subject to more severe penalties.

In his 23 months on the job, McDaniels seemed intent on imitating his mentor, New England coach Bill Belichick, from his hoodie to his aloofness. But McDaniels never adopted Belichick's personnel acumen, a series of lopsided trades leaving the Broncos with just a half-dozen picks in next year's draft with which to rebuild a roster that has lost the likes of Peyton Hillis, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall.

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Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis said the next coach probably won't have the same amount of power that Shanahan enjoyed or which McDaniels was given when he was hired at age 32 with no head-coaching or NFL executive experience.

It's still an attractive job, Ellis insisted.

"I believe that we can set up a structure that's attractive to the next candidate and move forward," Ellis said.

Elway returned to the team as a consultant this year, and Bowlen dined with him Monday, spawning speculation that the Hall of Famer could have an expanded role in the organization, perhaps by overseeing an organizational chart that includes both a general manager and a coach with separate duties.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Falcons hang on to defeat Bucs, take sole possession of first place

ATLANTA -- With a powerful running back, a balanced passing game and a gutty goal-line stand, the Atlanta Falcons showed they're the best in the NFC South.

At least for this week.

The Falcons overcame a dismal display on special teams and the boasts of Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, coming up with a huge defensive stop in the closing minutes to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-21 Sunday and take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

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Michael Turner rushed for 107 yards and two early touchdowns, and the Falcons (6-2) compensated after Roddy White went out for a while with a knee injury. Tony Gonzalez had eight catches and undrafted rookie Michael Palmer scored his first career TD.

"We know how to win," cornerback Dunta Robinson said. "This team has done a great job of finishing. When our backs are against the wall, we can find a way to win the football game."

Their backs were certainly against their own goal line when the Buccaneers (5-3) drove down to the Atlanta 2 with less than 3 minutes left, facing fourth-and-1.

Josh Freeman faked a handoff to Ryan Purvis, a tight end lined up at fullback, and then gave it to LeGarrette Blount for a run over right tackle. But safety Thomas DeCoud charged up to stuff the slow-developing play, and Coy Wire finished off Blount to make sure he couldn't stretch out for the first down.

"I told the defensive line, 'Get penetration, get penetration,' and the guys in the back will come up to make the play," linebacker Mike Peterson said.

That's just what happened. The ball went over to the Falcons, who ran out the clock after Turner picked up the necessary first down with three straight runs totaling 14 yards, leaving him with 24 carries and his fourth 100-yard performance in the past six games.

Give the Bucs credit. Morris had proclaimed his team the best in the NFC, and it looked like Tampa Bay might back him up. Micheal Spurlock returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter and Freeman threw a pair of touchdown passes.

The Falcons held at the end, though.

"They're a good football team, make no mistake about that," Morris said. "We were big-time resilient against a big-time team."

The Falcons thoroughly dominated much of the game and Freeman -- who had been doing a good job not turning the ball over -- had a pair of interceptions. Spurlock was Tampa Bay's most dangerous weapon, also returning a kickoff 66 yards to set up Freeman's first TD pass.

"We lost by a yard," Bucs rookie Gerald McCoy said. "That's what this league is about."

Turner scored on runs of 2 and 10 yards to stake the Falcons to a 14-0 lead. Freeman cut the gap to 17-14 by halftime with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Arrelious Benn and a 58-yarder to Mike Williams.

On the third play of the second half, Freeman threw a wobbly pass under pressure from Kroy Biermann and it landed right in the arms of defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux. That set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Palmer, the first career score for the undrafted rookie.

Matt Bryant added his second field goal, pushing the Falcons ahead 27-14.

Back came the Bucs.

The ensuing kickoff landed between Spurlock and Maurice Stovall in an apparent mix-up. But Spurlock picked up the bouncing ball at the 11, slipped through a hole, somehow stayed inbound when kicker Michael Koenen took a dive at him along the sideline and streaked the rest of the way for the touchdown that again made a game of it.

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Trying to seize on that momentum, Tampa Bay appeared to get the ball back when kicker Connor Barth recovered an onside attempt. But the Falcons challenged, and the replay showed that the ball touched Barth's left knee just before it covered the necessary 10 yards, giving it over to Atlanta.

The Falcons got a big scare in the first quarter when White, leading the NFL with 54 receptions through seven games, twisted his right knee making an 11-yard catch along the sideline.

White limped off the field, got treated on the sideline, then went back in the game. His return didn't last long, and he walked slowly to the locker room late in the first half.

After everyone had emerged from the tunnel for the second half, White finally came trotting back out. He made a couple of sharp cuts on the sideline to test the knee, ran on the field after Babineaux's interception and made a crucial catch for first down at the 1.

"I came down kind of funny," said White, who finished with four receptions for 49 yards. "(The medical staff) did some good things for me, put my brace and just see if I can go. I went out there and didn't feel much pain, so I kept going."

Unlike Morris, the Falcons were making no boasts about being best in the NFC.

"We definitely feel good to be number one in our division," Robinson said. "But we won't be determining the best team until (early) next year."

Notes: The Bucs came up on the wrong end of turnovers in a game for the first time this season because of Freeman's interceptions. Tampa Bay had been plus-8 in turnover margin, ranking second in the league. Atlanta didn't have any interceptions or fumbles. ... The Bucs converted 8 of 13 third downs, while the Falcons were 8 of 14. Atlanta also converted its only try on fourth down. ... Blount was held to 46 yards on 13 carries after totaling 192 the two previous games.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Missed point-after try vs. Bears is first for Bills kicker Lindell

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Panthers beat 49ers for first win of season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Richard Marshall intercepted a David Carr pass with just over 1 minute left, and John Kasay then kicked a 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining to give the Carolina Panthers their first win of the season, 23-20, over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The Panthers (1-5) tied the score when rookie wide receiver David Gettis, who had dropped a potential touchdown pass earlier in the fourth quarter on fourth down, made a diving 23-yard TD grab with 1:53 left.

With starting quarterback Alex Smith out after spraining his left shoulder, Carr threw a pass into double coverage, and Marshall picked it off at the Carolina 43.

Matt Moore then found Brandon LaFell for 35 yards to set up Kasay's winner.

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Browns rookie QB McCoy to make first NFL start vs. Steelers

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will start his first NFL game this weekend, a team source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Thursday.

It would take a dramatic turn of events with Jake Delhomme or Seneca Walllace -- both of whom are nursing ankle injuries -- for things to change, according to the source.

Rookie QB Colt McCoy is in line to start Sunday, but the Steelers expect to see WR Joshua Cribbs take plenty of snaps in the Browns' Flash package.
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Browns coach Eric Mangini said Thursday that he was pleased with McCoy's first practice as a potential starter. The coach hasn't officially announced that McCoy will start, but he said his lean is "more pronounced" to the rookie quarterback making his NFL regular-season debut Sunday in Pittsburgh against the blitz-happy Steelers.

Mangini said he is happy with McCoy's progress and that the third-round draft pick would take the bulk of the snaps during practice Thursday.

McCoy will be the 16th different quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999. The team re-signed Brett Ratliff this week off the New England Patriots' practice squad as a backup, and with the way things are going for Cleveland, it's not farfetched to think he could see some playing time if McCoy is hurt or struggles.

Wallace doesn't know when he'll be able to play, but he believes the former University of Texas star can hold down the fort until he returns.

"He played at Texas, it's like America's Team, like the Dallas Cowboys," Wallace said of McCoy. "He's been in the limelight before. It's not college, you're going to Pittsburgh. It's going to be tough, but with his type of character and the kind of person he is, he'll be able to deal with it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Lions thump Rams to get first victory of season

DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions moved a step closer toward putting their miserable past behind them, winning for the first time this season and by their largest margin in 15 years.

Stefan Logan's 105-yard kickoff return broke a tie in the second quarter and Detroit rolled to a 44-6 rout of the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

"It feels good to get this one so we can move on," center Dominic Raiola said.

Detroit (1-4) hadn't won since Nov. 22, 2009, when Matthew Stafford threw five touchdown passes against Cleveland after getting briefly knocked out of the game.

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The Lions, who had the NFL's first 0-16 season two years ago, had won just three of their previous 44 games. They had a shot to win three of their first four games -- losing by five, three and two points -- after their 14 losses last season were by at least a TD and several were very lopsided.

"Our players understood how close we were," second-year coach Jim Schwartz said. "But you need validation."

The Lions won by more than a touchdown for the first time since Nov. 4, 2007, when they beat Denver 44-7.

The Rams (2-3) lost standout receiver Mark Clayton with an injured right knee in the first quarter and that limited rookie Sam Bradford's passing options.

Clayton fell to the ground while running a pattern and stayed down until he was carted off the field.

"It doesn't look good," St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said.

Bradford, coming off his best game, had one of his worst. He was 23 of 45 for 215 yards with two interceptions, one that was batted into the air and caught by Ndamukong Suh and one directly to Alphonso Smith, who returned it for the final score.

"There are going to be a lot of things that we have to find on the film and fix because we have to make sure this never happens again," said Bradford, who was drafted this year No. 1 overall just ahead of Suh. "I don't think I've ever been part of a loss like this."

Playing again in place of last year's No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill threw for 227 yards and connected with Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and Nate Burleson for touchdowns. Hill has started since Stafford separated his right shoulder in Week 1.

"Even though we don't have Matt, we have somebody who can hold down the fort," said Burleson, who was flagged for punting the football into the stands after his TD.

The Lions got off to a good start because a risky move backfired for St. Louis, which started the game with a failed onside kick.

"Maybe the biggest play that gets overlooked was the opening kickoff," Schwartz said.

Logan's return was easy to notice.

He went from the middle of his end zone and raced to the other -- breaking one tackle along the way -- for a 10-3 lead to make his mom and dad, who has kidney failure, two of the happiest people at Ford Field.

"I wanted to do it so bad because my parents were out here and I wanted to show off for my parents," Logan said. "My dad, he's sick so he can't just come up to a game every other week."

At least one kickoff has been returned for a score in the first five weeks of a season for the first time since at least 1950, including AFL games before the 1970 merger, according to STATS.

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Logan's TD tied the longest in franchise history and helped the Lions outscore St. Louis 21-3 in the second quarter.

Steven Jackson did his part for the Rams, running for 114 yards on 25 carries, but he didn't have much help without Clayton on the field. Clayton started the game among NFC leaders in receptions and yards receiving.

"Everyone has seen what he's done for this offense in the first four games, and it is going to be tough to replace him," Bradford said. "We just need someone to step up."

Notes: The Lions beat the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars 44-0 in 1995. ... Rams G Jacob Bell and TE Darcy Johnson had concussions. ... Lions DE Cliff Avril left the game with cramps. ... Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, whose team had a bye, was presented with his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring during a halftime ceremony. ... Lions DE Kyle Vanden Bosch confirmed the team voted Thursday to give the NFL Players Association its backing to decertify the union if there is a labor lockout next year. By disbanding their union, the players could sue the NFL under antitrust laws if there is a work stoppage. A similar move following a 1987 labor impasse led to the 1993 agreement that created free agency.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Raiders get first win over Chargers since 2003

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Michael Bush ran 3 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 3:39 remaining and Tyvon Branch returned a fumble 64 yards for a score as the Oakland Raiders snapped a 13-game losing streak against the San Diego Chargers with a 35-27 victory Sunday over their AFC West rivals.

All it took to end the seven-year drought for the Raiders (2-3) was two blocked two punts, two long touchdown drives in the second half led by backup quarterback Jason Campbell and the big play at the end by Branch and Michael Huff.

This was Oakland's first win over San Diego (2-3) since September 2003 -- which was the second longest active streak to Buffalo's 14-game losing streak to New England.

With the Chargers driving for the potential go-ahead score, a blitzing Huff hit Rivers just before his arm went forward, knocking the ball loose. Branch picked up the ball and raced 64 yards for
the score to make 35-27 with 58 seconds left.

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Bills game to be blacked out on local TV for first time since '06

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will be blacked out on local television for the first time in nearly four years after failing to sell out Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars by the NFL deadline.

The Bills didn't reveal how many tickets were unsold by Thursday afternoon to avoid the blackout over a 75-mile radius. Games need to be sold out 72 hours before kickoff.

The blackout is the first for Buffalo in 27 games, dating to Dec. 24, 2006.

After selling out their first two games, fans are showing disinterest in a team that's 0-4.

Last month, the Bills announced they sold just under 44,000 season tickets. Though it marked the team's fifth-highest total since 1995, it was about 11,000 short of last year.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Television ratings for NFL games up through first four weeks

NEW YORK -- More than 150 million people have watched at least part of an NFL game this season, the highest number for the first four weeks of any season.

According to Nielsen, viewership is up for all four of the networks that televise NFL games. CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN are each averaging their most viewers ever to this point for their current packages.

Games are averaging 18.9 million viewers, up 9 percent from this time last year. That's more than double the average prime-time viewership of 9.2 million for the big four broadcast networks in the new TV season. The gap has grown from last year, when the NFL averaged 17.4 million to 9.3 million for prime-time programming.

A record nine game telecasts have topped the 20-million viewer mark.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Texans LB Cushing practices for first time since suspension

HOUSTON -- Brian Cushing insists he hasn't lost a step. The Texans will find out soon enough.

The linebacker returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since his four-game drug suspension, saying he's eager to play again after feeling "helpless" at times watching his teammates on the field.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Cushing will play for the Texans (3-1) against the New York Giants (2-2) on Sunday.

Cushing said he'll use the rest of the week to sharpen his football techniques and relearn Houston's defensive calls and schemes.

"I'm back," Cushing said. "It's going to be the same old (No.) 56 running around. It's what I do. I take a lot of pride in playing football, and I want to be the best at it. Hopefully, I cannot skip a beat, come in Week 5 and be the player I'd be in Week 1."

Kubiak said he's concerned that Cushing is about 250 real-game snaps behind the Texans' other defensive starters. But Cushing has proven before that he can catch up in a hurry after missing practice time. He sat out every preseason game last year, then led the team in tackles in its first four regular-season games.

"He's always handled himself well with the team, he's always been very accountable in his preparation and his work," Kubiak said. "It's not like you have a player who we're fighting to get in here and work and take care of his business. This guy is working all the time, so that's not a problem."

Cushing wasn't shy about sharing what he did in his month away from the team.

Videos posted on YouTube in recent weeks show Cushing working out in a New Jersey gym, with hard-rock music playing in the background. Cushing turns over a giant tire, bench-presses a 347-pound barbell, dead-lifts weights attached to heavy chains and pushes a weighted sled.

Cushing said he worked out about 3 to 4 hours per day during his suspension, including physical therapy and studying film of Texans' games. He took Sundays off and decided not to watch the live broadcasts of Houston's games after the opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

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"I couldn't really watch the games anymore, just from the fact of not being able to be out there and not being able to help the team," he said. "It's kind of a helpless feeling. I played golf and tried to get my mind off it. But I was on my cell phone every single second, checking the score updates."

Cushing was suspended in May after testing positive for HCG, a drug on the league's list of banned substance. Cushing says he never took the drug, which can be used to restart testosterone production after a steroid cycle, and has no idea how it got into his body.

Cushing said during training camp that he has a unique medical condition -- "overtrained athlete syndrome" -- that led to the positive test. Cushing said the syndrome can trigger hormonal spikes after breaks in training. The NFL denied an appeal based on the argument.

Cushing wouldn't address questions about his medical condition Wednesday, other than to say he was relieved to finally have the suspension behind him.

"It's peace of mind," Cushing said. "The last two weeks, it was getting to me a little bit. I was a little on edge. Now I'm back to doing what I do, and it's a really mind-clearing kind of feeling. Now, I'm home."

Cushing said he has talked to Texans left tackle Duane Brown, who received a four-game suspension Sept. 21 for also violating the NFL's banned-substance policy. Brown is eligible to return for the Texans' Nov. 1 game at Indianapolis.

"I just reached out to him and said if he had any questions, let me know," Cushing said. "I know what he's going through. I gave him some positive encouragement, told him to keep his head up and time will pass, and he'll be back on the field again."

Cushing was Houston's first-round draft pick in 2009. He had 133 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions last season to win The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He retained the honor after a revote following his suspension.

Cushing is motivated now to show skeptics that his performance level hasn't tailed off.

"I feel like I have something to prove every time I step on the field," he said. "I'm sure some people will be looking for drop-offs and stuff like that, but nothing like that is going to happen. Come Sunday, I'll be right back out there again, and I'm looking forward to it."

The Texans need Cushing to return to form as soon as possible. They rank last in total defense (408 yards per game) and have given up several big pass plays. Houston also has lacked a consistent pass rusher other than defensive end Mario Williams, who has five of the team's nine sacks.

"Any time you have a Pro Bowl player come back and play for your team, it helps out a lot," defensive tackle Amobi Okoye said of Cushing. "We're looking forward to him getting out on the field and showing us all the things he did last year, and even more. I know he has a lot more in the tank."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Roethlisberger on target in first practice back with Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- Ten seconds were all Ben Roethlisberger needed to prove to the Steelers that he wasn't affected by his month away from the NFL.

On the first pass he threw Tuesday in his first post-suspension practice, Roethlisberger found fast wide receiver Mike Wallace far downfield for an over-the-shoulder catch of a perfectly thrown football.

Right about then, Roethlisberger's teammates probably were thinking the same thing: Ben is back.

"We have our whole team here, and we have our leader -- our quarterback -- back with us," Wallace said. "He makes everybody better. The offense is definitely going to go in another direction."

Roethlisberger showed no rustiness or lack of rhythm in his first practice since training camp, zipping passes throughout a 30-minute drill that was incorporated into the practice to quickly put him and his receivers back in sync.

"It was a good step, and I don't think it'll take as long as I thought," Roethlisberger said.

He'll have two more practice days during this bye week to regain his timing and precision, followed by a full work week before the Steelers' Oct. 17 home game against the Cleveland Browns.

"It normally takes a while to get going out there, but it felt pretty good," Roethlisberger said. "I knew that my arm would be good. I knew it would be strong, and I knew it would feel good. It's just a matter of working with the guys."

Since last being with the team on Sept. 2, Roethlisberger worked out almost daily with a collection of receivers at high school stadiums, intentionally throwing more passes than normal because he wasn't doing anything in games. A private quarterbacks coach helped Roethlisberger with his footwork and delivery.

Wallace, the Steelers' fastest receiver, couldn't remember Roethlisberger throwing a bad pass during the entire practice Tuesday.

"We're going to throw the ball because we've got one of the best guys back," Wallace said. "So I'm excited. I've been smiling. Ever since last night, I've been smiling."

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Despite having the NFL's 31st-ranked passing offense with fill-in quarterbacks Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon, the Steelers came out of Roethlisberger's four-game suspension about as good as could be expected with a 3-1 record. Apparently, the quarterback himself came out of the suspension about as good as could be expected, too.

By playing as well as they did without the two-time Super Bowl winner, the Steelers put aside any doubts about how Roethlisberger would be welcomed back. Potentially, there could have been hard feelings if his off-the-field problems had led to an 0-4 start, but his teammates insisted they have long since put the quarterback's troubles behind them.

Roethlisberger apologized to them during offseason workouts for potentially jeopardizing their season and, by the time training camp arrived, he was warmly received by fans.

Now, seven months after Roethlisberger was accused of, but not charged with, sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman at a Georgia college bar, the Steelers hope there finally is some closure of the issue from a football standpoint. Even if no one is defending Roethlisberger's behavior or the stress he caused an organization that has long taken pride in the way it conducts itself.

"What's in the past is in the past," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. "He did his time. He did his suspension, and now we're moving on. And we're glad to have him back with our team. We're 3-1 right now, so we're going to hand it over to him and let him do his thing and try to win ballgames."

The only apology Roethlisberger made upon his return was telling the wide receivers he was sorry they had to do much extra work during an off-week practice.

"What had to be said was said a long time ago," Wallace said. "He was sorry when it first happened, so we didn't need to go over it again or have him apologize. He doesn't have to do that. We know that he's sorry, and we know he's ready to play football."

Roethlisberger's return is expected to open up a Pittsburgh offense that has leaned heavily on its running game. With Rashard Mendenhall averaging 102.8 rushing yards per game -- he's second in the league to Houston's Arian Foster -- the Steelers probably won't ask Roethlisberger to throw an average of 34 times per game like he did in passing for a team-record 4,328 yards last season.

"I think they've been stacking up to defend our run, so ... I'm sure they're going to play things a little differently now with Ben in there," Mendenhall said. "He definitely adds another dynamic to the offense."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Rams earn first back-to-back wins in two years behind Bradford, Jackson

ST. LOUIS -- Steven Jackson was a question mark until the first snap.

There was no way he was going to miss this one for the St. Louis Rams. So, he went out and showed the Seattle Seahawks he could play hurt and still make a big impact.

"I knew I wouldn't be 100 percent, but I knew I had enough to give," said Jackson, who blocked out a strained groin Sunday. "I feel like the team is going in the right direction, and I wanted to be a part of it."

Just because he is a rookie, does not mean that Sam Bradford isn't capable of posting big numbers. He proved that again Sunday. Check out where he landed among the weekly leaders.

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The two-time Pro Bowler had 126 yards rushing and receiving, complementing another strong game by No. 1 pick Sam Bradford and a stout defense in a 20-3 victory Sunday that gave the Rams consecutive wins for the first time in two seasons.

Bradford, who threw two touchdown passes, knew he wouldn't have been nearly as effective without the two-time Pro Bowler in the lineup.

"I never doubted he would be out there," Bradford said. "He's a huge part of this offense. Anytime he's in the huddle, there's no doubt that it boosts the spirits of everyone in the huddle."

Jackson had 70 yards on 22 carries to pass Marshall Faulk for No. 2 on the Rams' rushing list, shaking off an injury that sidelined him the second half of last week's win over the Redskins. He added three catches for 54 yards, including a 49-yarder before Kenneth Darby scored on a 21-yard screen pass.

Officials stopped the game after a 15-yard gain early in the fourth quarter put Jackson ahead of Faulk. Jackson has 6,991 yards in seven seasons with the Rams and trails only Eric Dickerson, who had 7,245 yards from 1983-87.

"From Day 1, I set a tone that I wanted to leave here putting my footprint on this organization," Jackson said. "It's very meaningful, but I ain't in first place."

Bradford completed 23 of 41 passes with one interception as the Rams (2-2) ended a 10-game losing streak against Seattle and topped their win total from last year.

"It feels great," Bradford said. "To get ourselves to 2-2 and just be in the conversation for the division lead, I think that's big for this team."

Big for the Rams to get such poise so soon.

"We got after him pretty good, we chased him around a lot," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "We're looking at a guy that's going to be a really big-timer."

The last time St. Louis won consecutive games was Weeks 5 and 6 of 2008 under interim head coach Jim Haslett.

Throughout the week, coach Steve Spagnuolo made sure players weren't content with winning just once.

"I was a little concerned that the hunger was gone," Spagnuolo said. "I thought the team came out with the right mind-set."

The Rams sacked Matt Hasselbeck four times, had one interception and forced a fumble. St. Louis' special teams bottled up returner Leon Washington, who had two touchdown returns last week, and Golden Tate, who had been averaging 25 yards on punt returns. There was no daylight for Washington (26.7 yard average) or Tate (6.0 yards) against the Rams.

"Excellent," Spagnuolo said. "I spent time talking about it and I don't know anything about special teams. There was a fire, an intent."

The Seahawks peaked with a 14-play drive in the first half that stalled, leaving them with only a chip-shot field goal by Olindo Mare. The Rams foiled a fake 51-yard attempt near the end of the half when Darby ran down holder Jon Ryan on a would-be roll-out pass to John Carlson.

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Seattle averaged 29 points during its 10-game streak over the Rams dating to 2005, but is 3-18 in its last 21 road games. Two of the victories came in St. Louis.

The Seahawks scored their fewest points since a 44-6 loss Oct. 5, 2008, at the New York Giants.

"I give them credit, but that's not really the issue for us," Hasselbeck said. "We've got to get better and I've got to get better. I know I can and I know we can."

The Rams led 10-3 at the half, but missed a couple of chances in the second quarter that would have made it a much wider gap.

Brandon Fletcher's interception return to the 3 was wasted on Earl Thomas' end zone pick for Seattle, an errant throw that had a dismayed Bradford holding his helmet with both hands on his way to the sideline.

Notes: Rams CB Kevin Dockery injured his right hamstring in the third quarter after sustaining facial lacerations on the Seahawks' foiled fake field goal in the half. ... Seahawks LB Dexter Davis (hamstring) was sidelined in the second half. ... The Rams last held an opponent to single-figure scoring in a 9-7 loss at Washington in Week 2 last season. ... Seattle scored at least 23 points in all 10 of the victories in its streak against St. Louis.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Hillis helps Browns overcome T.O. show as Cleveland gets first win

CLEVELAND -- Another fourth-quarter lead was in danger of disappearing when Cleveland's offense met before taking the field.

Three losses in three weeks had stung the Browns.

It was time to change, so running back Peyton Hillis and his teammates gathered and laid out their plan.

"The message was," Hillis said, "'We've got to pull this one out.'"

This time they did.

Hillis, a human battering ram in helmet and shoulder pads, rumbled for 102 yards and a touchdown, Phil Dawson kicked three field goals and the Browns survived a big day by Cincinnati's Terrell Owens for their first win, 23-20 over the Bengals on Sunday.

The Browns (1-3) had dropped their first three games by a total of 12 points and in cookie-cutter fashion, failing to finish down the stretch and frustrating coach Eric Mangini with silly, self-inflicted mistakes.

Learning from their errors, they overcame a costly penalty against rookie safety T.J. Ward, made a crucial sack of Carson Palmer in the closing minutes and withstood a 10-catch, 222-yard performance by an unstoppable Owens, who moved into second place on the NFL career list in receiving yards.

"We didn't falter," said Hillis, who has surprisingly become Cleveland's best offensive weapon. "The defense came up big and we grinded out the final four minutes. It proves we are improving, and it was good to show our fans we could pull out a win and they could say, 'Hey, we actually got a team.'"

The Bengals (2-2) thought they had one, too. But after having their eight-game winning streak in the AFC North snapped, the defending division champions have some new questions and concerns.

"We're 2-2 and we lost to a team that's 0-3 and is better than their record," said Palmer, who went 25 of 356 for 371 yards and two TDs. "We have to find a way to dig deep. We have to move past this game because this one really hurt. This one stings a lot."

After taking a 23-10 lead in the third quarter on Dawson's 22-yarder, which moved him within one field goal of tying Hall of Famer Lou Groza's franchise record of 234, the Browns nearly let another lead slip away.

With Cincinnati driving for a possible go-ahead touchdown, linebacker Matt Roth sacked Palmer and forced Bengals coach Marvin Lewis to call for a punt with roughly five minutes left.

Cleveland took over at its 11 with 4:41 remaining and was able to run out the clock by giving the ball to Hillis, acquired in an offseason trade with Denver for quarterback Brady Quinn. On second-and-7, Hillis bounced outside and picked up 24 yards to put the game on ice just before the two-minute warning.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace, who made his third straight start in place of the injured Jake Delhomme, then took a knee three times to expire the clock -- a victory formation the Browns hadn't used since last season and one they haven't even practiced.

"We've been playing closer and closer to the way I believe we can and had not gotten the result," said Mangini, who presented a game ball afterward to his oldest son, Jake, who attended his first NFL game. "It's important to know it's something we know we can do on a consistent basis."

One of Palmer's TDs was a career-best 78-yarder to Owens, who ran wild in Cleveland's secondary as the Browns double-teamed Chad Ochocinco.

Cincinnati's offense finally lived up to preseason hype, but failed to come up with the necessary conversions down the stretch.

"We're frustrated," said Owens, wearing dark sunglasses at the postgame podium. "I don't think personally, I'm frustrated. From the standpoint of us knowing we have offensive weapons and we're not moving the ball like we're capable of moving it -- that's where the frustration comes in."

A personal foul against Ward for a vicious hit on rookie Jordan Shipley helped the Bengals pull within 23-20 on Palmer's 4-yard shovel pass to Brian Leonard with 10:44 left.

On third-and-goal, Palmer's pass intended for Shipley was incomplete, but Ward delivered a forearm to Shipley's head in the end zone and was nailed with a penalty, giving the Bengals an automatic first down. Shipley laid dazed with a concussion and was helped off the field.

The Bengals felt Ward was excessive.

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"A ridiculous play," Owens said. "The guy's defenseless. I just hate to see a guy get hit like that in the head. For him to take a cheap shot like that, that's uncalled for. At one point, I thought he was out cold. His eyes were rolling in the back of his head. You never want to see a teammate in that situation."

Ward didn't see anything wrong with his hit, which will likely draw a hefty fine from the league.

"I hit him with my shoulder," Ward said. "They (Bengals) tried to yap at me, but I ignored them. I would do it again."

The Browns went three-and-out the next time they got the ball, and Palmer passed the Bengals down field after huddling with Owens and Ochocinco on the sideline several times in the second half. Cincinnati got to Cleveland's 37, but Ochocinco was called for interference on third down and Roth pulled down a scrambling Palmer from behind on the game's biggest defensive play.

"It's a huge sigh of relief," Roth said. "We finally got the monkey off our back. We've got to keep this thing rolling."

Notes: The Bengals lost both S Roy Williams and CB Jonathan Joseph to injuries. Williams hurt his right knee in the second half. Joseph injured his right forearm trying to tackle Hillis in the second and did not return. Owens passed Isaac Bruce (15,208) into second place on the league's career yardage list. Owens has 15,325 yards, second only to Jerry Rice's 22,895. Owens also jumped Bruce (1,024) for fifth in receptions with 1,030. ... Hillis has scored a rushing TD in four straight games, the first Browns back to do that since Greg Pruitt had five in a row in 1975. ... Browns WR/KR Joshua Cribbs had 107 return yards, putting him 12th on the career list with 8,443.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Texans bench Foster for first quarter in 'coach's decision'

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Arian Foster, the NFL's leading rusher, didn't start for the Houston Texans in Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders.

The Texans said Foster's absence was a "coach's decision."

Foster didn't play in the first quarter and was on the bench for the first drive of the second quarter. He entered the game with just under seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Backups Steve Slaton and Derrick Ward got off to a good start. Ward scored on a 33-yard touchdown run on Houston's opening drive, and Slaton had 47 yards from scrimmage in the first quarter.

Foster leads the NFL with 406 rushing yards through four games.

Houston played without leading wide receiver Andre Johnson, who was inactive with a sprained right ankle.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Browns overcome big day by T.O. for first win

CLEVELAND -- Peyton Hillis rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown, Phil Dawson kicked three field goals and the Cleveland Browns finally held on to a fourth-quarter lead, surviving a big day by Terrell Owens for their first victory of the season, 23-20 over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The Browns (1-3) had lost their first three games by a total of 12 points, failing to finish down the stretch. But this time, they overcame a costly penalty, made a crucial sack of Carson Palmer in the closing minutes and withstood a 10-catch, 220-yard performance by Owens, who also moved into second place on the NFL's career list in receiving yards.

The Bengals (2-2) had their eight-game winning streak against AFC North opponents snapped.

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