Steelers smother Patriots' resurgent offense

Pittsburgh's NFL-best defense stopped Matt Cassel's two-game offensive surge and pushed New England closer to strange territory: a sideline seat for the playoffs.

The Steelers held the Patriots (7-5) to 267 yards, got two touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger and four field goals from Jeff Reed and beat the Patriots 33-10 on a cold, rainy Sunday.

Cassel lost two fumbles and threw two interceptions in the second half and was sacked five times. He had thrown for at least 400 yards in his past two contests. He was 19 of 39 for 169 yards and no touchdowns against Pittsburgh (9-3), which has held all 12 opponents under 300 yards.

In the second half, the Steelers outscored the Patriots 23-0 and gave up just 81 yards.

Broncos 34, Jets 17

Jay Cutler and the Broncos stopped the surging Jets, and showed they might be a team to reckon with in the wide-open AFC.

Cutler passed for 357 yards and two touchdowns, and rookie Peyton Hillis ran for 129 yards and a score at a wet and windy Meadowlands. The Broncos (7-5) washed away the sting of a 31-10 loss to Oakland at home last weekend by stopping the Jets' five-game winning streak.

New York fell to 8-4.

Falcons 22, Chargers 16

Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and the rest of the Falcons are very much alive in the playoff picture. The Chargers, once thought to be Super Bowl worthy, are on life support.

Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, threw two touchdown passes and Turner, LaDainian Tomlinson's former understudy, ran for 120 yards against his former team. The Falcons (8-4) remained a game behind Tampa Bay and Carolina in the NFC South.

San Diego (4-8) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Chiefs 20, Raiders 13

Tyler Thigpen engineered a 91-yard drive capped by Larry Johnson's 2-yard tie-breaking run early in the fourth quarter to lead the Chiefs (2-10) to just their second win in their last 21 games. Kansas City had lost seven in a row.

Oakland dropped to 3-9.

Colts 10, Browns 6

Defensive end Robert Mathis scooped up Derek Anderson's fumble and rumbled 39 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Colts (8-4) stayed in the thick of the AFC playoff chase by winning their fifth straight.

The Browns (4-8) lost their fourth straight at home and may have lost quarterback Derek Anderson and tight end Kellen Winslow for an extended period.

Giants 23, Redskins 7

Eli Manning had his first 300-yard game of the season and Clinton Portis was held to 22 yards rushing as the Giants (11-1) won their seventh straight game.

The loss dropped the Redskins (7-5) out of contention for the division title.

Panthers 35, Packers 31

DeAngelo Williams scored his fourth touchdown of the game with 1:30 left on the clock, giving the Panthers (9-3) the victory.

The Packers (5-7) appeared headed for a comeback win of their own after breaking a 28-28 tie on Mason Crosby's 19-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining. But Green Bay immediately gave up a 45-yard kickoff return to Mark Jones and a 54-yard heave from Jake Delhomme to Steve Smith to set up first-and-goal on the Green Bay 1.

Buccaneers 23, Saints 20

Jermaine Phillips and Phillip Buchanon intercepted Drew Brees, the NFL's leading passer, in the closing minutes and Matt Bryant kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining.

The victory was the fourth straight for Tampa Bay (9-3). The Bucs are 6-1 since Jeff Garcia regained the starting quarterback job, which he lost after a poor performance in a season-opening loss against the Saints (6-6).

49ers 10, Bills 3

Linebacker Patrick Willis had 14 tackles and a forced fumble in a win that all but ended the Bills' dwindling playoff hopes. The 49ers' win also prevented the Arizona Cardinals from clinching the NFC West and their first playoff berth in 10 years -- the longest active playoff drought in the NFL.

Isaac Bruce scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass -- the 90th of his career -- and Joe Nedney hit a 50-yard field goal for the 49ers (4-8).

The Bills (6-6) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Ravens 34, Bengals 3

Receiver Mark Clayton threw a touchdown pass on a reverse, then made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 70-yard score.

The Ravens (8-4) have won six of their past seven games.

The Bengals dropped to 1-10-1.

Vikings 34, Bears 14

With a gutty goal-line stand and one big heave by Gus Frerotte, the Vikings grabbed control of the NFC North and sent Kyle Orton and the Bears home with a humbling defeat.

Seconds after the Bears (6-6) were stopped four times at the 1, Bernard Berrian pulled in a 99-yard touchdown pass from Frerotte that sent the Vikings (7-5) to sole possession of the division lead.

-- AP

-- AP