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Despite critics calling for them to lose each week, Jeff Fisher and the the Tennessee Titans just keep winning.
Kerry Collins threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, and Tennessee beat the Chicago Bears 21-14 Sunday to stay perfect through nine games - despite rushing for just 20 yards, a franchise-low for a team that had been third in the league.
The Titans also set another franchise mark, though: 12 straight regular season wins.
"We're getting there,'' said Collins. "We're getting there.''
The Lions, on the other hand, are still getting nowhere.
Maurice Jones-Drew ran for a career-high three touchdowns in the second quarter alone, David Garrard threw two touchdown passes in the second half and the Jacksonville Jaguars scored a 38-14 victory that dropped the Lions to 0-9 on the season.
The Lions are off to their worst start since losing their first 12 games in 2001, and they might have what it takes to be the NFL's first 0-16 team.
Not even Daunte Culpepper could do much positive for one of the league's most dispiriting franchises. Making his debut just five days after ending his brief retirement, Culpepper lasted three quarters and was 5-of-10 for 104 yards with an interception.
"I feel sick in my stomach,'' said Lions rookie running back Kevin Smith.
In other games Sunday, it was: the New York Giants 36, Philadelphia 31; Indianapolis 24, Pittsburgh 20; San Diego 20, Kansas City 19; Carolina 17, Oakland 6; Minnesota 28, Green Bay 27; Miami 21, Seattle 19; Atlanta 34, New Orleans 20; New England 20, Buffalo 10; the New York Jets 47, St. Louis 3; and Baltimore 41, Houston 13.
Tennessee hasn't always won pretty, and this one was no exception.
LenDale White managed only 14 yards on 10 carries and Chris Johnson carried 14 times for eight yards, the anemic total keeping Rex Grossman and the Bears (5-4) in the game.
"Did you look and see how many guys they put in the box?'' Johnson said. "Eight, sometimes nine. They really wanted us to beat them throwing the ball.''
The Titans did, with Collins completing 12 straight passes at one point and finishing 30-of-41 without an interception. Brandon Jones caught eight passes for 82 yards, and Bo Scaife had 10 for 78 yards with a touchdown.
"Everybody right now is filling their role,'' Collins said. "At this point in my career, to be playing on a good football team that has a chance to go out and win every Sunday is exciting for me.''
Oh, what the Lions would give for such a feeling. Detroit has won just once in 17 games, falling to an NFL-worst 31-90 since 2001.
Jacksonville opened the second half with a run-first, throw-when-necessary drive and capped a 9:20 possession with Garrard's 7-yard pass to Jerry Porter. On his next and final drive, Garrard connected with Troy Williamson in the end zone and took 4-plus minutes off the clock.
"As players and coaches,'' Detroit coach Rod Marinelli said, "they physically beat us.''
Jacksonville (4-5) avoided the dubious distinction of being the first team in NFL history to get beaten in consecutive weeks by winless opponents who had lost at least six games.
"If we would have come out this week and laid an egg,'' Garrard said, "and not showed up, guys not giving their all and came out with a loss, there's no telling what would have happened to this team.''
Giants 36, Eagles 31
At Philadelphia, Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes, Brandon Jacobs had two TD runs and the Giants held on to further distance themselves in the brutal NFC East.
The Eagles (5-4) had the ball at their own 45 with 1:55 left, but Brian Westbrook was stopped on fourth-and-1.
The Giants (8-1) are two games ahead of the Washington Redskins and three in front of the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. New York is 3-0 against its division rivals.
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Colts 24, Steelers 20**
At Pittsburgh, Peyton Manning took advantage of Ben Roethlisberger's second costly interception to find Dominic Rhodes on a 17-yard TD pass with 3:04 left for Indianapolis' only lead.
The Colts (5-4) had dropped their last 12 in Pittsburgh, including the postseason, dating to a 41-7 win in 1968 when the Steelers played at now-demolished Pitt Stadium.
Pittsburgh (6-3) had a chance to win at the end, but Roethlisberger's pass into the end zone on the final play was intercepted by Melvin Bullitt.
Chargers 20, Chiefs 19
At San Diego, Clinton Hart knocked down Tyler Thigpen's 2-point conversion pass with 23 seconds left and the Chargers held on to beat the scrappy Chiefs.
The Chiefs (1-9) had pulled within one on Thigpen's 3-yard scoring pass to Tony Gonzalez.
San Diego (4-5) was booed off the field while trailing 13-6 at halftime, but rallied behind Philip Rivers in the second half.
Panthers 17, Raiders 6
At Oakland, Calif., Jake Delhomme threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive before matching his career-worst performance with four interceptions, but it was still enough to beat the Raiders.
DeAngelo Williams ran for 140 yards and scored on a 69-yard run for the only touchdown after the opening drive for the visiting Panthers (7-2).
Oakland (2-7) lost for the fourth time in five games under interim coach Tom Cable.
Vikings 28, Packers 27
At Minneapolis, Adrian Peterson ran for 192 yards and the go-ahead score with 2:22 left in helping Minnesota snap a five-game losing streak to the Packers.
Mason Crosby's 52-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds was just wide, helping the Vikings (5-4) pull into a first-place tie with the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
Green Bay (4-5) allowed two safeties in the first half, the first time that's happened since San Francisco did it against St. Louis on Sept. 8, 1996, according to STATS LLC.
Dolphins 21, Seahawks 19
At Miami, the Dolphins (5-4) won their third straight and remained in the thick of the AFC East race, moving above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2005 season.
Ricky Williams ran for 105 yards, his first 100-yard game since Jan. 1, 2006.
The Seahawks (2-7) trailed for the final 53 minutes but nearly forced overtime. A two-point conversion try with 2:57 left was batted away at the goal line.
Falcons 34, Saints 20
At Atlanta, Drew Brees threw a season-high three interceptions, the last returned 95 yards for a touchdown by Chevis Jackson in the Saints' road loss.
Matt Ryan threw two touchdown passes for the Falcons (6-3), who won for the fourth time in five games to remain in the playoff hunt. The Saints (4-5) again failed to put together their first winning streak of the season.
Patriots 20, Bills 10
Patriots rookie runner BenJarvus Green-Ellis had his best game as a pro, quarterback Matt Cassel had a solid one and the free-falling Bills had another bad one in Foxborough, Mass.
The Patriots (6-3) moved a game ahead of the Bills (5-4), who are 1-4 since winning their first four games. The loss was Buffalo's 10th straight to New England and was especially harmful to the Bills, who have lost three straight in the division.
Jets 47, Rams 3
At East Rutherford, N.J., Thomas Jones had three touchdown runs, Jay Feely kicked four field goals - including a franchise record-tying 55-yarder - and the Jets converted five turnovers into 27 points for the largest margin of victory in team history.
The Jets (6-3) have won five of six, with the only blemish a 16-13 overtime loss at Oakland three weeks ago. New York is tied with New England atop the AFC East, and the rivals play for sole possession Thursday night.
Things were so bad for the visiting Rams (2-7) that Trent Green, who replaced the ineffective Marc Bulger at halftime, hit umpire Bill Schuster in the head with a pass.
Ravens 41, Texans 13
At Houston, Joe Flacco threw for two touchdowns and Ray Lewis had a pair of interceptions to lead the Ravens to their fourth straight win. Baltimore (6-3) has scored at least 27 points in a team-record four consecutive games.
The Texans (3-6) had a mistake-filled day with Sage Rosenfels at quarterback for the injured Matt Schaub. Rosenfels was intercepted four times, the first coming in the end zone.
