Vikings Sack Pack Minnesota Reserve Linebacker Steps Up Big

It would have been easy to overlook Jeff Brady on Sunday, only he was just too good.

Five key Green Bay Packers were injured, including Brett Favre and Reggie White, and Minnesota’s Warren Moon reached 40,000 career passing yards faster than any quarterback in NFL history except Dan Marino.

But it was Brady, a journeyman linebacker getting his first start of the season, who repeatedly made big plays in the host Vikings’ wild 27-24 victory. The last one, an interception with 50 seconds to play, set up Fuad Reveiz’s 39-yard field goal as time expired in a crucial game for the Vikings.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Brady, playing for his sixth team in five seasons. “A long, long time. It’s one of those things where you just want your opportunity.”

Both teams wasted opportunities in the fourth quarter, combining for four turnovers in the final 5 minutes. Brady, playing because Jack Del Rio was out with a knee injury, had a hand in two of those turnovers, and also forced a first-quarter fumble that led to a field goal.

Oilers 37, Browns 10

Chris Chandler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and rookie Rodney Thomas ran for a season-high 108 yards as visiting Houston beat Cleveland before a somber crowd bracing for more bad news today.

Art Modell, negotiating to move his team to Baltimore, chose not to face the crowd and missed a home game for the first time in his 35 years as owner.

The game seemed to be a sideshow to the 57,881 fans who attended - there were an uncharacteristic 7,868 no-shows, not counting Modell - but the Oilers clearly took it seriously. Their 37 points were the most allowed by the Browns at home since Bill Belichick became coach in 1991.

Steelers 37, Bears 34 (OT)

Neil O’Donnell atoned for a costly interception the only way he knew how, making big play after big play to put Pittsburgh back in front in the AFC Central.

O’Donnell sent the game into overtime with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Ernie Mills with 1:06 left in regulation and the two connected again in overtime to set up Norm Johnson’s winning 24-yard field goal as the Steelers defeated Chicago at Soldier Field.

O’Donnell passed for 341 yards and Erric Pegram scored three touchdowns for Pittsburgh, which took a one game lead over Cleveland and Houston in the division. The Steelers had been 0-12 at Chicago.

Chicago, which entered the game with 12 turnovers, gave the ball away five times. Kramer threw three interceptions, one fewer than he had in the first eight games.

Dolphins 24, Chargers 14

Dan Marino, a senior in high school when the Miami Dolphins last won in San Diego, made sure that long losing streak wouldn’t continue.

Marino threw for at least 50 yards on the Dolphins’ first three scoring drives and 291 yards overall as the Dolphins beat the Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium.

Marino was 25 of 39, throwing touchdown passes of 23 yards to Irving Fryar in the first quarter and 5 yards to Terry Kirby in the third. He needs only 38 yards to pass Fran Tarkenton (47,003 yards) for first place on the NFL’s career list.

The Dolphins were 0-5 since their last win in San Diego, 28-21 in 1978. All of those losses were in the Marino era, but he missed a defeat in San Diego in 1993 because of injury. Overall, the Dolphins improved to 11-21 on the West Coast.

Chiefs 24, Redskins 3

Kansas City picked a good day to have an off-game.

For one, they were home against Washington, a team winless on the road. For another, Redskins’ quarterback Gus Frerotte had his worst day of the season as the Chiefs came off their bye week with a victory that kept them atop the AFC with an 8-1 record.

K.C. quarterback Steve Bono threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Willie Davis after Marcus Allen’s 1-yard TD run as the Chiefs opened a 17-3 halftime lead. Lin Elliot had a 38-yard field goal at the end of the first half.

Raiders 20, Bengals 17

The Oakland Raiders weren’t brilliant or flashy, just brutally effective.

The Raiders scrapped their hightech passing game in favor of something more suited to the weather, and showed they can still win with brute force. Harvey Williams rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown in a conservative offense, and Oakland’s punishing defense took it from there for a win at Cincinnati.

“We did what we thought we had to do,” coach Mike White said. “We needed to run. The weather was a little cool.”

Broncos 38, Cardinals 6

John Elway became the seventh player in NFL history to pass for 40,000 career yards, throwing for three touchdowns as host Denver routed Arizona.

Elway completed 16 of 21 passes for 256 yards, raising his career yardage total to 40,008. He joined Fran Tarkenton, Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas and Warren Moon in the 40,000-yard club, and he became the fourth fastest to reach that figure, doing it in his 183rd game.

Bills 16, Colts 10

Stop Marshall Faulk, stop the Indianapolis Colts.

Buffalo held Faulk on three straight runs inside the 3-yard line, then forced him to fumble on the next possession and beat the Colts at Indianapolis.

Saints 19, Rams 10

Signed this week to replace Chip Lohmiller, New Orleans’ Doug Brien connected for a career-high four field goals, leading the Saints past St. Louis at New Orleans.

Falcons 34, Lions 22

With Jeff George passing for 362 yards and Craig Heyward rushing for 68 yards and two touchdowns, Atlanta built a 34-7 lead against Detroit, then withstood a Scott Mitchell-led rally to down the Lions at Atlanta.

Patriots 20, Jets 7

New England, with a veritable explosion of points, beat punchless New York at East Rutherford, N.J. The Patriots also sidelined the Jets’ second-year quarterback Glenn Foley for the rest of the season with a dislocated right shoulder. Foley replaced Bubby Brister and saw his first extended action of the season. The injury happened on the Jets’ last offensive play of the game.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Jeff George, Falcons31-40-362 N. O’Donnell, Steelers34-52-341 Running backs Curtis Martin, Patriots34-170-2 Terrell Davis, Broncos22-135-1 Receivers Herman Moore, Lions9-176-0 Brian Blades, Seahawks6-153-2