Steven Jackson, Rams shock Saints for first victory

ST. LOUIS — Steven Jackson scored two touchdowns and had his first 100-yard rushing game in three seasons as the St. Louis Rams stunned the New Orleans Saints 31-21 on Sunday for their first win.

Drew Brees kept alive his touchdown pass streak in the final seconds a week after throwing five TDs in a 62-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts. Brees was intercepted twice, with Darian Stewart’s pick and 27-yard return putting the game away with 2:51 to go.

The NFC South-leading Saints (5-3) average an NFL-best 35 points but never got going against a defense ranked near the bottom of the league. The Rams (1-6) had a season-high six sacks after entering the game with just 11, three by Chris Long.

Steelers 25, Patriots 17

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger passed for 365 yards and two touchdowns, and Pittsburgh finally solved its Tom Brady problem with an emphatic victory over New England.

Roethlisberger completed 36 of 50 passes and led the Steelers on a series of clock-chewing drives, effectively keeping Brady and the NFL’s top-ranked offense off the field. Pittsburgh held the ball for more than 39 minutes and survived a late rally to win its fourth straight following a 2-2 start.

Brady passed for two touchdowns, but threw for a season-low 198 yards and couldn’t get into any sort of rhythm while losing to the Steelers for just the second time in his career.

Giants 20, Dolphins 17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 5:58 to play and New York barely avoided a post-bye letdown by keeping Miami winless.

Manning hit 31 of 45 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns in rallying the Giants from an 11-point first-half deficit. Mario Manningham caught the other touchdown, a 7-yard play that got New York (5-2) back into the game late in the first half.

Lawrence Tynes kicked two short field goals, and New York’s defense got four sacks on the Dolphins’ final two drives.

Steve Slaton and Matt Moore (13 of 22 for 138) capped the Dolphins’ first two drives with 1-yard runs.

Vikings 24, Panthers 21

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ryan Longwell kicked a 31-yard field goal with 2:43 left in the game to lift Minnesota over Carolina.

Cam Newton put the Panthers in position to tie the game in the final two minutes. He completed a 44-yard pass to Brandon LaFell on fourth-and-15, but Olindo Mare was wide left with a 31-yard field goal attempt with 26 seconds left.

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