Colts Pull A Super Upset

The Indianapolis Colts finally found a team they could beat: the defending Super Bowl champions.

Cary Blanchard kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired as the Colts beat the visiting Green Bay Packers 41-38 Sunday. It was the Colts’ first win this season but the third game-winning field goal by Blanchard against a defending Super Bowl champion in three years.

With the Colts lined up at the Packers’ 3-yard line, the game-winner was nothing more than an extra-point kick, a gimme.

“I’m not going to miss an extra point. I’ve never missed an extra point,” Blanchard said.

The Colts moved 72 yards in the final 5:19 after Green Bay tied the game 38-38 on Brett Favre’s second touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman.

Paul Justin, who passed for a career-high 340 yards, completed four straight passes on the winning drive. His 27- and 28-yarders to Ken Dilger took the Colts to the Packers 1 with just under two minutes to go. Instead of trying for a touchdown, Justin, starting in place of injured Jim Harbaugh, dropped to his knee on three straight plays, forcing Green Bay to use its last time out and running the clock down to three seconds.

Blanchard, whose field goals beat San Francisco two years ago and Dallas last year, then kicked the game-winner as time ran out.

Only three other teams, Houston, the Los Angeles Rams and San Diego, have beaten a defending Super Bowl champion three years in a row.

“This is a big load off the players, the fans, everybody,” Blanchard said. “Everybody in that locker room believed we could win.”

Favre passed for 363 yards and three touchdowns, but he had three big turnovers that led to 17 points by the Colts.

“It’s tough to lose any game,” Favre said. “I tip my hat to the Colts. I knew there was no team in this league that could go without a win. Unfortunately, it was against us. We just didn’t get the job done.”

Indianapolis trailed 28-27 at the half, but an interception by Quentin Coryatt set up a 35-yard field goal by Blanchard. That put the Colts back on top 30-28 late in the third quarter.

“I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t special,” said Colts coach Lindy Infante, who was fired by the Packers in 1992.

Chiefs 24, Broncos 22

John Elway’s late-game heroics were not enough for Denver. Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 54-yard field goal on the game’s final play as host Kansas City moved within a game of Denver.

Just a minute earlier, Jason Elam had kicked a 34-yarder that gave Denver the lead. It ended a 61-yard march that appeared to be the 44th come-from-behind fourth-quarter drive of Elway’s career - his seventh against the Chiefs.

49ers 27, Panthers 19

Getting an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown from Terry Kirby and surviving a blocked field goal late in the game, host San Francisco completed its 8-0 run through NFC West opponents.

The Niners won the West for 13th time in 17 years. Clinching in the 11th game matched the Bears for the quickest division title since the 16-game schedule started in 1978.

Falcons 27, Rams 21

At St. Louis, Chris Chandler threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kozlowski with 6:03 to go as Atlanta beat St. Louis for the second time in three weeks.

The Rams scored twice in a span of 3:49 late in the third quarter.

Lions 38, Vikings 15

Scott Mitchell, shaking off a sore leg, passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns as Detroit snapped visiting Minnesota’s six-game winning streak.

Barry Sanders turned in his ninth straight 100-yard rushing game, running for 108 on 19 carries.

Bucs 27, Patriots 7

Trent Dilfer threw for 209 yards and one touchdown and Mike Alstott and Errict Rhett scored on 1-yard runs for host Tampa.

The Patriots, who started the day tied for first in the AFC East, were held to 16 yards and no first downs in the first half. The Bucs ended their NFL-record streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons.

Jets 23, Bears 15

Otis Smith intercepted two passes, returning one for a 38-yard touchdown, and caused a third by tipping a pass for visiting New York.

The Jets survived the loss of starter Glenn Foley, who was sacked and forced out early in the second quarter with injuries to his left leg.

The Bears made five turnovers and were sacked five times.

Ravens 10, Eagles 10 (OT)

Host Baltimore wasted nine sacks and lost a 10-3 lead in the final four minutes of regulation. Philadelphia had only three first downs in the first half and missed the win when Chris Boniol’s 40-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired.

It was the first NFL tie since the Cleveland Browns tied Kansas City 10-10 on Nov. 19, 1989.

Cowboys 17, Redskins 14

Troy Aikman’s clutch passing and Richie Cunningham’s 42-yard field goal with four seconds left kept Dallas close in the NFC East.

Dallas drove 97 yards and tied the game at 14 with 1:55 left on Aikman’s 6-yard pass to Michael Irvin and a 2-point conversion pass to Emmitt Smith.

Giants 19, Cardinals 10

Charles Way ran for 114 yards and Danny Kanell threw for two touchdowns for host New York. Jake Plummer kept the Cardinals close until Jason Sehorn’s interception set up Brad Daluiso’s clinching 34-yard field goal.

Raiders 38, Chargers 13

Harvey Williams scored a career-high four touchdowns as visiting Oakland snapped a three-game losing streak. San Diego failed to score an offensive touchdown, and in losing three straight has surrendered 113 points.

Steelers 20, Bengals 3

At Pittsburgh, Kordell Stewart threw two touchdown passes in the second half for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers won for the seventh time in eight games and assured the Bengals of a seventh consecutive non-winning season.

Jaguars 17, Oilers 9

Jacksonville kept Eddie George in check and got an efficient game from Mark Brunell as the Jags won their 12th straight home game.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Jake Plummer 22-33-388-1-2 Erik Kramer 32-60-354-2-3 Brett Favre 18-25-363-3-2 Paul Justin 24-30-340-1-0

Running backs Jay Graham 35-154-0 Terrell Davis 34-127-0 Marshall Faulk 17-116-0

Receivers Frank Sanders 9-188-1 Jimmy Smith 8-158-0 Rob Moore 8-139-0