Colorful Bucs Start 3-0

Forget all those jokes about the orange-sherbet uniforms for the losing-all-the-time Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pewter Power is for real.

Clad in their new subdued colors, the surprising Bucs are the only unbeaten team in the NFC after Sunday’s 28-14 victory over the host Minnesota Vikings, who were the conference’s only other perfect team after two weeks.

Horace Copeland caught his first touchdown pass since 1995 and set up another score with a 49-yard grab, and rookie Warrick Dunn added a nifty 52-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Those big plays and an emerging defense were plenty to keep the Bucs (3-0) perfect in their red-and-pewter uniforms and give them their best start since the 1979 team won its first five games on the way to the NFC Championship game.

“I would like to chalk it all up to the uniforms,” coach Tony Dungy quipped. “It has nothing to do with the players.”

Trent Dilfer was 15 for 20 for 192 yards and two TDs for the Bucs. He now has four TD passes - matching his entire 1995 total - and no interceptions. Dunn, who had 130 yards and a TD in last week’s win at Detroit, finished with 101 yards on 16 carries.

Jake Reed had six catches for 131 yards for the Vikings (2-1). But until Brad Johnson’s 30-yard TD pass to Cris Carter with 38 seconds left, they managed only two short field goals, losing a home opener for the first time since 1986.

Patriots 27, Jets 24 (OT)

Adam Vinatieri’s 34-yard field goal 8:03 into overtime gave New England the win over former coach Bill Parcells and New York in Foxboro, Mass.

It was a wild finish to an unexpectedly close game in which the Patriots lost the lead in the final minute of regulation, then forced overtime by blocking John Hall’s 30-yard field goal attempt.

Ravens 24, Giants 23

Vinny Testaverde threw two touchdown passes as the Ravens rallied from a 23-14 deficit with 12:22 to play in East Rutherford, N.J., to hand the Giants (1-2) their second straight loss.

Testaverde, as backup Eric Zeier warmed up, then drove the Ravens 48 yards in eight plays. Testaverde, 22 of 35 for 223 yards, fumbled the snap on the first play of the drive, but the ball bounced up to him and he ran for 11 yards.

Lions 32, Bears 7

Chicago fell to 0-3 for the first time since 1969 and also lost Rashaan Salaam, a 1,000-yard rusher in 1995, for the season with a broken right leg.

Rick Mirer, acquired in an offseason trade with Seattle, made his Chicago debut at home after coach Dave Wannstedt benched starting quarterback Erik Kramer in third quarter. Mirer’s first possession ended with a fumble, and he finished 10 of 21 for 90 yards.

Redskins 19, Cardinals 13 (OT)

Michael Westbrook caught two touchdown passes, including a fallaway, 40-yard grab 1:36 into overtime in the inaugural game at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover, Md.

Westbrook made a 5-yard TD catch in the second quarter.

The game-winner came after Redskins rookie Kenard Lang stripped Leeland McElroy of the ball on Arizona’s first overtime possession. Another rookie, Derek Smith, recovered.

Packers 23, Dolphins 18

Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes and Dorsey Levens had a career-high 121 yards rushing as Green Bay (2-1) bounced back from a loss at Philadelphia by winning at home.

Ryan Longwell, who missed a chip shot in the final seconds that would have beaten the Eagles, hit all three of his field goals to counter four from Miami’s Olindo Mare.

Chiefs 22, Bills 16

At Kansas City, Mo., Elvis Grbac, who hit Andre Rison with a game-winning 32-yard TD pass in the final seconds at Oakland on Monday night, found Tony Richardson from the 1 with 6:55 left.

The Bills drove from their 33 to a first down at the Chiefs 7 with 27 seconds left. But Todd Collins’ pass on fourth down was intercepted by Mark McMillian in the end zone.

Raiders 36, Falcons 31

At Atlanta, Jeff George, released by Atlanta a year ago after a sideline tantrum, threw a 76-yard pass that set up Cole Ford’s tiebreaking field goal with 4:24 remaining.

Napoleon Kaufman ran 61 and 58 yards for touchdowns for Oakland, and Atlanta quarterback Chris Chandler was injured for the second week in a row.

49ers 33, Saints 7

Steve Young, sidelined last week due to his third concussion in his last 10 regular-season games, threw three touchdown passes, and Rod Woodson intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble in San Francisco’s rout at home.

The Saints (0-3) turned the ball over eight times, and coach Mike Ditka finally put in Danny Wuerffel in place of Heath Shuler, who has eight interceptions and no TD passes this season.

Broncos 35, Rams 14

John Elway threw four touchdown passes, including 72- and 38-yarders to Rod Smith, in Denver’s romp past visiting St. Louis.

Darrien Gordon returned a punt 94 yards for another score, and Terrell Davis had his third straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining 103 yards on 21 carries.

Panthers 26, Chargers 7

Carolina welcomed back quarterback Kerry Collins and wrecked the home debut of San Diego coach Kevin Gilbride.

Collins, playing for the first time since breaking his jaw on Aug. 9, threw two touchdown passes to tight end Wesley Walls, and John Kasay had four field goals.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST

Quarterbacks Brad Johnson 29-44-334-1-0 Todd Collins 22-43-297-1-2 John Elway 16-28-247-4-1 Warren Moon 24-38-270-1-1

Running backs Barry Sanders 19-161-0 Napoleon Kaufman 14-140-2 Dorsey Levins 21-121-0

Receivers Rod Smith 4-126-2 Jake Reed 6-131-0 Andre Reed 4-113-1