Playing a team that had won nine straight, though, called for more than a half's worth of effort.
Kerry Collins threw three touchdown passes, Albert Haynesworth dominated defensively again and the visiting Titans improved to 10-0 with a 24-14 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday.
"They were definitely turning their dials up a little bit and we didn't match it,'' Jaguars quarterback David Garrard said. "That's unfortunate because we had a perfect opportunity. We have to do a lot better than that, especially when the game's on the line.''
Elsewhere, Philadelphia and Cincinnati struggled to a 13-13 tie, the NFL's first in six years, and in other NFL games, it was: Dallas 14, Washington 10; Pittsburgh 11, San Diego 10; Arizona 26, Seattle 20; the New York Giants 30, Baltimore 10; Carolina 31, Detroit 22; Tampa Bay 19, Minnesota 13; Denver 24, Atlanta 20; Indianapolis 33, Houston 27; Green Bay 37, Chicago 3; Miami 17, Oakland 15; New Orleans 30, Kansas City 20; San Francisco 35, St. Louis 16.
After dropping third-down passes and committing costly penalties in the first half, the Titans regrouped at halftime and handed Jack Del Rio the second-worst collapse of his six-year coaching career with Jacksonville (6-4).
"It's great,'' Haynesworth said. "People keep counting us out and we like proving the world wrong, I guess.''
Collins, Haynesworth and third-string cornerback Chris Carr deserve much of the credit.
Collins directed consecutive touchdown drives to open the third quarter, turning an 11-point deficit into a three-point lead.
He sealed the victory with a perfect 38-yard TD pass to Justin Gage with 3:57 remaining. Collins and Gage also hooked up for a 56-yard score in the third period - the only third-down conversion for the Titans. They were 1-of-12 on third down.
Collins finished 13-of-23 for 230 yards, Gage caught four passes for 147 yards and Carr knocked down three passes and had a late interception.
"It's great,'' Haynesworth said. "People keep counting us out and we like proving the world wrong, I guess.''
Eagles 13, Bengals 13, tie
At Cincinnati, Donovan McNabb fumbled and threw three interceptions in regulation, and nearly had another pass picked off in overtime as the Eagles (5-4-1) and Bengals played to the NFL's first tie in six years.
Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in overtime for Cincinnati (1-8-1), falling to the ground as the ball sailed a few inches wide to the right. It was a fitting way to end a game played like the very definition of a tie. Despite all the shanked punts and trick plays, this one went nowhere.
It was the first tie in the NFL since Nov. 10, 2002, when the Falcons and Steelers finished 34-34 with Michael Vick and Tommy Maddox matching each other pass for pass. In this one, the teams matched each other gaffe for gaffe.
Cowboys 14, Redskins 10
At Landover, Md., Tony Romo and Terence Newman put the Cowboys firmly back into the NFC playoff race.
Romo, returning after missing three games with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, overcame a pair of first-half interceptions to complete 19 of 27 passes for 198 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to rookie Martellus Bennett that put the Cowboys (6-4) ahead for good with 10 1/2 minutes to play.
Newman, back after missing five games with a sports hernia, had a second-half interception deep in Cowboys territory and held Santana Moss to 29 yards on five catches. Newman batted away a pass to Moss on fourth-and-4 at the Dallas 37 with 6:40 remaining, ending the last drive for Washington (6-4).
Steelers 11, Chargers 10
At Pittsburgh, the only thing perfect on a snowy, frigid day when the weather and the offenses were equally awful was the Steelers' regular-season home record against San Diego.
Make it 13-0 after the Chargers (4-6) lost the first 11-10 final in NFL history.
Willie Parker ran for 115 yards and Jeff Reed's third field goal won it - a 32-yarder with 11 seconds remaining for the Steelers (7-3).
Cardinals 26, Seahawks 20
At Seattle, Kurt Warner completed 32 of 44 passes for 395 yards - his franchise-record fourth straight 300-yard game - and J.J. Arrington scored two touchdowns.
The 37-year-old Warner completed 19 of his first 21 passes, while Anquan Boldin, who had 13 catches for a career-best 186 yards, and Larry Fitzgerald - 10 receptions, 151 yards - roamed free all day.
Matt Hasselbeck was 17-for-29 for 170 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions in his first game in six weeks for Seattle (2-8).
The Cardinals are 7-3 for the first time since 1977 and can clinch their first division title since 1975 next week when they host the Giants and San Francisco plays at Dallas.
Giants 30, Ravens 10
At East Rutherford, N.J., not even Ray Lewis and the Ravens' league-best rushing defense could avoid becoming the Giants' latest victims.
Bruising Brandon Jacobs pounded his way into the end zone on a pair of 1-yard runs and Aaron Ross iced the game by returning one of his two interceptions 50 yards for a third-quarter touchdown as the Giants (9-1) won their fifth straight.
The Ravens (6-4) extended their streak of not allowing an individual 100-yard rusher to 29 games. Bradshaw finished with 96 yards on nine carries.
Panthers 31, Lions 22
At Charlotte, N.C., Jonathan Stewart rushed for a career-high 130 yards and a touchdown, and DeAngelo Williams added 120 yards and two more scores for Carolina.
The Panthers (8-2) won their fourth straight with a team-record 264 yards rushing as two of their backs rushed for over 100 yards in the same game for the first time. Carolina surpassed last year's win total and stayed atop the NFC South.
Daunte Culpepper got the Lions (0-10) within 24-22 on his 1-yard plunge with 6:05 left, but was stopped on the 2-point try.
Rookie Kevin Smith rushed for a career high 112 yards, while Culpepper threw for 207 yards and a touchdown.
Bucs 19, Vikings 13
At Tampa, Fla., Jeff Garcia threw for 255 yards without an interception and scrambled for two first downs on a time-consuming go-ahead field goal drive in the fourth quarter.
Garcia completed 23 of 30 passes. He moved the Bucs 69 yards in 13 plays, burning nearly 9 minutes off the clock to take a 16-13 lead on Matt Bryant's third field goal.
Minnesota fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, Tampa Bay (7-3) recovered and Bryant added his fourth field goal for a six-point lead with 3:30 to go.
The Vikings (5-5) had two opportunities to put together a winning drive, but turned the ball over on downs with 2:24 left and lost a fumble on their final possession.
Broncos 24, Falcons 20
At Atlanta, Jay Cutler threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham with 5 1/2 minutes remaining, handing the Falcons their first home loss.
Michael Turner scored on a 28-yard run to put Atlanta ahead 20-17 with just under 11 minutes left, but the Broncos (6-4) pulled out their second straight road victory. Atlanta (6-4) had won its first four games at the Georgia Dome and four of five overall.
Colts 33, Texans 27
At Indianapolis, two-time league MVP Peyton Manning led the Colts on four straight scoring drives in the second half, wiping out two Houston leads.
Indy (6-4) won its third straight and stayed near the top of the muddled mass battling for the AFC's two wild-card spots.
Manning took advantage of every opportunity, finished 30-of-46 for 320 yards with two touchdowns, and magnificently mixed the run and pass in the second half when Houston (3-7) couldn't keep up with the Colts.
Packers 37, Bears 3
At Green Bay, Wis., Ryan Grant rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown and the Packers (5-5) moved into a three-way tie atop the NFC North with the Bears and Vikings. It was the Packers' first home victory over the Bears since Lovie Smith took over as Chicago's coach.
Kyle Orton was outplayed by Aaron Rodgers, who completed 23 of 30 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Orton was 13-of-26 for 138 yards, completing only two passes to a wide receiver.
Dolphins 17, Raiders 15
At Miami, Dan Carpenter nailed a 38-yard field goal with 38 seconds left to cap a 61-yard drive, and the Dolphins earned their fourth consecutive victory.
Johnnie Lee Higgins scored on a 93-yard punt with 4:30 left to give the Raiders the lead, but Miami shook off the stunning score. Chad Pennington moved the Dolphins downfield in 10 plays, completing a 7-yard pass on fourth-and-5 to Ted Ginn Jr. to keep the drive alive.
The Dolphins (6-4) set up a showdown at home next Sunday against AFC East rival New England. Both teams trail the division-leading New York Jets by one game.
Oakland (2-8) lost its fourth in a row, and Tom Cable fell to 1-5 as interim coach. The Raiders generated only two field goals on offense, and Jay Richardson sacked Chad Pennington for a safety.
Saints 30, Chiefs 20
At Kansas City, Mo., Drew Brees threw for 266 yards and a touchdown against the league's worst defense.
Lance Moore had eight catches for 102 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown strike. It was the first victory in five road games for the Saints (5-5), who haven't played in their own stadium since Oct. 12 and had to count a win in London over San Diego as a home game.
Tyler Thigpen's second touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe brought the Chiefs (1-9) within seven points with 13:54 left. But Brees led the Saints on a 12-play drive capped by Garrett Hartley's third field goal, a 35-yarder.
49ers 35, Rams 16
At San Francisco, Shaun Hill threw two touchdown passes and Frank Gore rushed for another score during San Francisco's 28-point second quarter, and the 49ers snapped their six-game losing streak with interim coach Mike Singletary's first victory.
Vernon Davis and Bryant Johnson caught TD passes from Hill, who went 15-of-20 for 213 yards and ran for a second-quarter score.
Singletary had lost twice, including last Monday's tough defeat at Arizona, since taking over for Mike Nolan and replacing J.T. O'Sullivan with Hill, who coolly improved to 3-0 as a starter at Candlestick Park.
Gore rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns as the Niners (3-7) took advantage of Marc Bulger's three turnovers.
Bulger went 34-of-53 for 295 yards for the Rams (2-8), who trailed by 32 at halftime just one week after falling behind 40-0 midway through a 44-point loss to the New York Jets.
