Packers Hurdle Past Bucs

Thanks to 300-pound hurdler Gabe Wilkins, the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are both back to their old ways.

Wilkins’ 77-yard interception return for a touchdown helped the reeling Packers halt their slide and stop visiting Tampa’s equally astonishing ascent with a 21-16 victory Sunday.

The Buccaneers, trying for their first 6-0 start, trailed 7-3 and were in good position to take the lead in the second quarter after Brett Favre fumbled at his 17.

But Trent Dilfer’s screen pass was intercepted by Wilkins, a first-year starter at right defensive end who then hurdled Dilfer and was in the clear on his way to the end zone.

“It’s as far as you can swing,” Favre said. “I fumbled on the quarterback sneak and the next play, he comes along and looks like O.J. running through the airport.”

Wilkins, a first-year starter from tiny Gardner-Webb who replaced the retired Sean Jones, said the hurdle came naturally.

“Quarterbacks, they always try to cut you,” Wilkins said. “I said, ‘Hey, if I get in the air and I get past him, there is nobody.”’ “They always tell us to go low on the tackles,” Dilfer said. “Next time, I’m going high.”

Wilkins wasn’t done. His sack just after the two-minute warning set up a punt, and the Packers (4-2) got the ball at the 50. Then Favre found Antonio Freeman in the end zone for the second time for a 21-3 halftime lead.

Giants 20, Cowboys 17

Tito Wooten got two interceptions for host New York. The first he took 61 yards for a TD in the third quarter.

Charles Way scored on a 3-yard run for New York (3-3), which used Danny Kanell at quarterback for most of the game after Dave Brown reinjured his chest.

Dallas (3-2) almost tied it. But right tackle Erik Williams couldn’t get set after Troy Aikman’s completion to the Giants 17, forcing a 10-second penalty, allowing the clock to run out.

Steelers 42, Ravens 34

Jerome Bettis rushed for 137 yards, Yancey Thigpen had 162 yards receiving and Will Blackwell returned the second-half kickoff 97 yards for visiting Pittsburgh (3-2).

But Kordell Stewart was the story. At one point he was 3-for-8 with three interceptions. In the second half, he was 11-of-14 for 181 yards. And his TD run came after the Ravens (3-3) closed to 35-32 and put the game away.

Bills 22, Lions 13

The game-turning safety came two plays after Eric Smedley downed Chris Mohr’s punt at the 1. Barry Sanders ran off right tackle before getting tripped by Bruce Smith and tackled by Phil Hansen.

Rookie running back Antowain Smith put the game away for the Bills (3-2) with a 56-yard TD run. Scott Mitchell’s 8-yard TD run tied the score for visiting Detroit (3-3) with 5:54 left in the game.

Dolphins 17, Chiefs 14

Miami’s defense held Kansas City scoreless in the final 31 minutes and Olindo Mare kicked a 26-yard field goal with 5:40 left to give the Dolphins (3-2) the win.

Elvis Grbac had touchdown passes to Andre Rison and Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs (4-2), who had a four-game winning streak broken and lost in Miami for the sixth straight time.

Jaguars 21, Bengals 13

At Jacksonville, Mark Brunell threw three TD passes for the Jaguars (4-1), who got 160 yards rushing from an offense that had run for just 110 yards combined in the past two games.

The Bengals (1-4) had a chance to tie after Mike Hollis missed a 27-yard field goal. But Kelvin Pritchett got his third sack of the game, and Blake missed Carl Pickens on a fourth-and-4 play with less than a minute left.

Eagles 24, Redskins 10

Ricky Watters, Charlie Garner and Kevin Turner combined for 202 yards rushing for the host Eagles (2-3). Watters had 104 yards and two TDs and Ty Detmer was 17-of-27 for 246 yards and ran for a score.

The Eagles defense, meanwhile, pressured Gus Frerotte of Washington (3-2), who finished 16 of 37 for 216 yards.

Jets 16, Colts 12

Adrian Murrell gained 99 yards on 30 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown run for the Jets (4-2), who won for the third straight time and are 3-1 on the road.

The Colts (0-5) rallied from a 13-0 deficit behind Paul Justin, who replaced the injured Jim Harbaugh, to 13-10. But John Hall then got his third field goal of the game.

Vikings 20, Cardinals 19

Eddie Murray kicked a 38-yard field goal with 10 seconds left as the visiting Vikings (4-2) came back from a 19-10 fourth-quarter deficit. It was the fourth tight loss for the Cardinals (1-4), who have lost two games by one point, another by three and another in overtime.

After Kevin Butler, who kicked four field goals, missed from 31 yards with 52 seconds to play, Brad Johnson took the Vikings 62 yards in 37 seconds to set up Murray.

Chargers 25, Raiders 10

At Oakland, Greg Davis, replacing the injured John Carney, tied Carney’s team record with six field goals and Gary Brown rushed for 181 yards for the Chargers (3-3).

Oakland (2-4), which entered the game with the NFL’s top-rated offense, gained only 210 yards, just 13 on the ground, against a defense led by Junior Seau.

Saints 20, Bears 17

Mike Ditka returned to Chicago and got revenge in his first game against the franchise that fired him almost five years ago, as his New Orleans Saints defeated Chicago on Heath Shuler’s 89-yard touchdown pass to Randal Hill with 5:39 to play.

Ditka, who became a Chicago icon when he coached the Bears to victory in the 1986 Super Bowl, spent much of the game agonizing over his team’s poor play. The Saints (2-4) blew a 13-3 fourth-quarter lead, committed three turnovers and failed to convert a single third down.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Vinnie Testaverde 28-47-290-3-2 Troy Aikman 34-52-317-1-2 Brad Johnson 25-39-292-2-2 Kent Graham 22-38-293-1-0

Running backs Gary Brown 38-181-1 Warrick Dunn 16-125-1 Jerome Bettisi 28-137-0

Receivers Napoleon Kaufman 3-100-1 Yancey Thigpen 7-162-0 Herman Moore 8-116-0