NFL Feature Capsules - AFC: First-place Bengals still grieving death

CINCINNATI — The fourth quarter was starting, and the game was getting crazy. In the Cincinnati Bengals defensive huddle, players blocked out the raucous Baltimore crowd and reminded each other that a lot more was at stake than first place.

They were playing for someone special.

Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, would bake treats for team and send encouraging notes to players, who dedicated their 17-14 win on Sunday to her memory and her family. She died unexpectedly last week.

"I remember we were in the huddle and a lot of the guys were reminding each other: Remember, let’s do this for Zimmer," defensive lineman Domata Peko said. "He’s going through a tough time now, and let’s do it for him. That helped us push ourselves even more to get this victory."

The Bengals (4-1) took sole possession of first place in the AFC North by beating the Ravens, then gave the game ball to Zimmer in a locker room full of men blinking back tears. A day later, that was still the moment on their minds.

"Very emotional," coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. "Obviously it’s a big win on the road in the division, but that was second to the Zimmer family. We know what Mike had to be going through and thinking about in the quiet times prior to the game and I’m sure right afterward, and maybe at times within. So I think it was second to that."

Zimmer found his wife unresponsive when he got home after practice on Thursday night. The death shocked the entire team, especially those who have known the couple for years. Zimmer was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2000-06, moved to Atlanta for a year and joined the Bengals before last season.

Safety Roy Williams was drafted by Dallas in 2002 and got to know Vikki Zimmer’s kindness in Dallas.

"She was always sending me notes, making sure I’m OK," Williams said. "She will be missed. When coach (Jay) Hayes called me and told me about coach going into the house and finding her dead, I was in shock. Thursday night and Friday night, I probably got one or two hours of sleep every night. It hit home. It makes you just think about life and how precious it is."

Vikki Zimmer had a tradition of baking treats for the defensive players on Mondays after a victory. Those who weren’t watching their weight enjoyed them in Zimmer’s presence. Others had to sneak them.

"She made some brownies that had marshmallow frosting on them," Williams said. "I didn’t have them when Zim was around, but when he left the room, a couple days later, I had them after the Cleveland game and man, they were still good.

"She’ll be missed for many reasons, not just the snacks — the spirit that she had and the encouraging notes and all the inspirational stuff."

The Bengals let Zimmer decide whether he wanted to coach the game on Sunday or stay in Cincinnati and spend time with his family. Zimmer told the team that his wife would have wanted him to coach, so he was on the flight to Baltimore, accompanied by his father, his son and one of his daughters.

The players were impressed by how Zimmer carried himself.

"I couldn’t really imagine how you can go through something like that and be able to come out and make (play) calls and focus in and forget what’s happening in your personal life," cornerback Leon Hall said.

The defense played its best game of the season, holding one of the NFL’s leading offenses to 257 yards and one touchdown — Baltimore also scored on Ed Reed’s 52-yard interception return. The offense then pulled off its third straight last-minute win, with Carson Palmer throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell with 22 seconds left.

It completed a streak of three straight wins against AFC North opponents, two of them on the road, and put the Bengals alone on top of the division — a very rare thing. Cincinnati has only one winning record in the last 18 years.

The last time the Bengals started 4-1? The 2005 season that ended with an 11-5 record and the only playoff appearance during those 18 years.

"We wanted to win not just for Zimmer, but for ourselves, to help solidify our division — which we did," Williams said. "It’s awesome that we did win because winning makes things a little easier. With the (funeral) services coming up, it makes it a little easier on them."

NOTES: QB Carson Palmer might be limited in practice this week because of a sprained left thumb, suffered in the fourth quarter Sunday. He finished the game by handing off with his right (passing) hand. He’s expected to play Sunday against Houston. ... The Bengals will spend the next four weeks at home, with games against Houston, Chicago and Baltimore along with their bye.

Ravens seek to regroup after 2nd straight defeat

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The difference between the unbeaten Baltimore Ravens of two weeks ago and the team currently mired in a two-game losing streak isn’t dramatically significant.

The Ravens (3-2) would still be undefeated if they finished off a late drive against New England on Oct. 4 and prevented the Cincinnati Bengals from marching 80 yards for a touchdown in the waning minutes of a 17-14 loss Sunday.

Then again, Baltimore might be a sub-.500 team if linebacker Ray Lewis didn’t make a game-saving tackle in San Diego in Week 2.

"The bottom line is this: We make a couple plays we didn’t make and we’re 5-0. We don’t make a couple plays in one other game and we’re 2-3," coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "That’s the nature of the NFL. If we want to be in the hunt, we’ve got to win games like this. But no matter what happened in the last couple of weeks, we’re still the same team we would have been. All the things we’re trying to become as a football team, those things are intact."

In the wake of the 27-21 loss to the Patriots, Harbaugh tried to deflect questions about several key penalties that went against Baltimore. He made it clear Sunday that, even though the Ravens were flagged three times during Cincinnati’s final drive, that is not why they lost.

The players agreed.

"If you are going to make those penalties, you’d better play well enough on other downs to make up for them," linebacker Jaret Johnson said. "We didn’t do that."

The Ravens yielded 120 yards rushing to Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson, the first time a running back has eclipsed 100 yards against Baltimore in 40 games.

"That’s something we take pride in," Johnson said. "We put it on our backs, that, ‘Hey, you’re not going to run the ball on us.’ And when a team is able to do that, yeah, it’s hard. We have to get it fixed."

And quickly, because the Ravens face Adrian Peterson and the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.

"We have to do a better job of tackling and filling the holes," tackle Haloti Ngata said.

Other problems against Cincinnati: The defense permitted the Bengals to cover 80 yards in less than 2 minutes with the outcome hanging in the balance; the offense managed only one touchdown; and quarterback Joe Flacco threw for only 186 yards and two interceptions.

If the Ravens are to get back to the AFC championship game, these things must be corrected. Even if Baltimore beat the Patriots and Bengals, the final 11 weeks wouldn’t be any easier.

"We’re the same team, basically, at 3-2 or 5-0," Harbaugh said. "Essentially we’ve got the same issues, and the same things we’re doing well."

When the players gathered Monday to watch game film and discuss this week’s upcoming game against Minnesota, there was no lamenting opportunities lost.

Running back Ray Rice, who ran for 69 yards and caught seven passes for 74 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals, said, "We came here in good spirits. ... If we were 5-0 we’d be riding a high horse right now, but I think this is right where we need to be because we still have things to work on.

"It’s not like we got blown out of the stadium. These are games where, in the fourth quarter, there were one or two plays that if we make the play, we win the game," Rice added. "Those things get corrected. It’s not a lack of effort, it’s not a lack of intensity, it’s not a lack of (being) physical."

-- David Ginsburg

Browns overcome drops in Mangini’s first win

BEREA, Ohio — As the chilly, Western New York winds whipped past, Browns coach Eric Mangini was handed the game ball after his first win for Cleveland.

He didn’t drop it.

Somebody wearing orange and brown finally showed decent hands.

Of all the ugliness that emerged from the Browns’ 6-3 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, 60 minutes of horrifying football more befitting two high school squads than paid NFL professionals, nothing was as hideous as the array of dropped passes by Cleveland receivers.

By unofficial count, nine of quarterback Derek Anderson’s throws were bobbled, butchered and botched.

Mangini didn’t have an official number. Maybe he was afraid to reveal it.

"I’m not sure what the official number was," he said. "It just depends on who you talk to, but it was way too high."

Despite their butter fingers, the Browns (1-4) managed to slip by the inept Bills (1-4), who helped Cleveland’s cause with penalties, turnovers and a muffed punt in the final minutes that set up Billy Cundiff’s game-winning field goal with 18 seconds left.

The Browns snapped a 10-game losing streak dating to Nov. 17 last season, when they defeated the Bills 29-27.

No, it wasn’t a pigskin Picasso, but to Mangini and his team it represented progress. One week after dropping a 23-20 overtime heartbreaker to Cincinnati, the Browns needed something to build on and they got it.

"We were able to finish and get the win," Mangini said. "There’s no style points for winning or for losing. That’s always the end goal and we’re always going to try and do it in whatever way we can. And yesterday that was run the ball a lot, being able to play good defense and good special teams and winning field position. The end goal is to win, and however that comes is a good thing — a positive thing.

"There are definitely things we need to fix, but there are a lot of things I really liked."

Mangini praised Cleveland’s running game (171 yards), a defense that didn’t give up a touchdown, sparkling special teams, third-down conversions, a drop in penalties and protection for Anderson as the pluses for his team. He’s not naive enough to think the Browns can get away with nine first downs, two completions for Anderson and his 15.1 quarterback rating and win again.

But this was progress, albeit small progress.

"I think we’re making strides in how we have to play each week in order to win," he said.

Anderson finished 2 of 17 for 23 yards, a statistical line that prompts a double take.

Cleveland’s receivers and backs didn’t do their QB any favors, dropping at least eight of his throws. Tight end Robert Royal, who is playing despite a badly broken right ring finger, let a certain touchdown — "a beautiful throw," Mangini said — slip through his hands.

Steady winds blew throughout the game and strengthened in the fourth quarter. Mangini said the conditions were a factor, but not an excuse.

"Some of the throws could have been better. Some of them were a function of not looking the ball into the tuck, trying to run," he said. "That was a couple times, guys were more worried with what was going to happen after the catch than securing the catch. There were some throws that were right on target, we had great opportunities and we didn’t bring it."

Mangini promised that his skill players would polish their skills this week.

"We’re going to wear out that JUGS machine, we’re going to get a billion balls there," he said. "They’re going to get a lot of balls from D.A. We’re going to conscientiously continue to improve there and methodically do it because we can’t leave those opportunities on the field."

He plans to leave Anderson out there, though.

Despite Anderson’s woeful outing, Mangini has no intention to switch back to Brady Quinn, whom he benched after 10 ineffective quarters.

"D.A. will continue to start," he said firmly.

Mangini rewarded his players for their win by giving them the day off on Monday. They were only required to report for conditioning and treatment. He wanted to give them some extra downtime to reload before preparations begin for next week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won 11 straight and 25 of 29 over Cleveland.

On Sunday, Cleveland’s players saluted Mangini, whose methods in his first season with the Browns have brought him outside criticism. He appreciated the gesture.

"It will be a nice thing for a long time," he said.

Mangini said he’ll place the souvenir in either his house or office. He’s leaning toward the office, where his three young sons won’t have a chance at it.

"They’ve had some game balls in the past and you get home and they ruined it, you’re like, ‘What are you doing? This is from the Super Bowl.’ To them, it’s just another toy."

-- Tom Withers

Steelers not happy opponents are hanging around

PITTSBURGH — Every fourth quarter is an adventure for the Pittsburgh Steelers, every game is a struggle.

They’re losing games that good teams usually win, and barely winning games that good teams typically dominate. They were forced into overtime in the opener to beat the Tennessee Titans, a team that has yet to win a game. They labored to close out the Detroit Lions, winners of one of 21 games the last two seasons.

Five games into an uneven season, the Steelers are 3-2, yet they haven’t resembled the team that won the Super Bowl last season — and they know it. They can only imagine what their record would be if they were played the same schedule as the Patriots (3-2), who have faced an unbeaten team every week.

"Maybe some games last year you knew you were going to win," safety Ryan Clark said. "You kind of relax and just go out there and go through the flow. This year we’re not like that. We’re not the same team. We’re not the team that won the Super Bowl last year. We’re the ‘09 Pittsburgh Steelers and we have trouble in the fourth quarter."

A team that prided itself on winning games late last season has been outscored 55-13 in the fourth quarter, the NFL’s worst such differential. These fourth-quarter failures cost the Steelers losses to the Bengals and the Bears, and even the Lions were in position to tie them Sunday before losing 28-20 in a game Detroit trailed by 15 points.

"Teams are coming at us," Clark said. "Teams believe they can win in the fourth quarter."

What might seem surprising is that, despite these self-acknowledged failings, there are numerous positive signs for the Steelers, who return home to play the Browns (1-4) and Vikings (5-0) in their next two games.

Their pass rush, missing most of the season, returned with seven sacks in Detroit, including three by James Harrison and 1 1/2 by LaMarr Woodley, who came into the game without any this season. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 242 yards and three touchdowns the last two games. Ben Roethlisberger is completing 73.8 percent of his passes, and isn’t getting as sacked as much as he did the last three seasons. He has been dropped 13 times, or five sacks fewer than at this point last season.

There’s more: Hines Ward is on pace to catch more than 100 passes for only the second time in his career. Heath Miller is averaging nearly six catches per game and is being used more than any Steelers tight end in years. All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu, who injured a knee in the Sept. 10 opener and hasn’t played since, should return Sunday.

And the Steelers, two games down to Baltimore only two weeks ago, have caught the Ravens (3-2) and are only a game out of the AFC North lead with a home game left against the Bengals (4-1).

Still, the Steelers are largely disappointed with a season in which three games have been decided by 3 points and only one game has had a 10-point margin. On Sunday alone, there were scores of 44-7, 45-10, 41-0, 31-9 and 33-14 in the NFL.

As Roethlisberger said after the Steelers couldn’t put Detroit away in the last quarter, "I’ll have to be better, the standard is higher for us on offense."

"We’ll get it right," Ward said. "Would we like to close teams out? Yes, of course. But when teams are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, we’re the defending champions, and they’re going to give us their best."

Even if the NFL hasn’t exactly done that to the Steelers. Because three AFC division champions from last season aren’t playing well (Titans, Dolphins and Chargers), the Steelers’ schedule would appear to be one of its easiest in seasons. It’s substantially weaker than last season’s, when they played what might have been the roughest schedule any Super Bowl winner took on.

This season, they still have two games left against the Browns, plus one each against the Chiefs (0-5), Raiders (1-4), Packers (2-2) and Dolphins. Unless their fourth-quarter problems intensify, the Steelers conceivably could match last season’s 12-4 record merely by playing at their current uneven level.

"We’re still searching for the Steelers," linebacker James Farrior said.

-- Alan Robinson

Colts not statisifed with another 5-0 start

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are back to their October ways.

They’re 5-0, hold a three-game lead in the AFC South and have two fewer losses than San Diego, Pittsburgh or New England — the three teams that traditionally eliminate Indy from the playoffs.

They’ve already won three road games, each in prime time. And with six of their last 10 at home — including New England, Denver and the Jets — the Colts seem to be cruising toward the playoffs and have early control of their division race

Now, players and coaches now find themselves trying to put things in perspective as expectations continue to rise with each additional victory.

"Sure we’d love to win out, but that guarantees us nothing," middle linebacker Gary Brackett said Monday. "The year we won the Super Bowl, I think we were the fourth seed. Twice since I’ve been here, we had the No. 1 seed and lost. So it means nothing. We have to continue to get better."

Coach Jim Caldwell couldn’t have made the case any better.

And it looks like the Colts are heeding his advice.

Peyton Manning is off to arguably the best start of his career after injuries caused him to stumble early last season. The reigning MVP has completed an incredible 73.5 percent of his passes, is on pace for 38 TDs and has five straight 300-yard passing games, one short of the NFL record shared by Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon.

Former league sacks champion Dwight Freeney now has 13½ sacks in his last 12 games, and his tag-team partner, Robert Mathis, has 4½ sacks and three forced fumbles in 2009, too.

But it’s the improvement in the Colts’ weaker areas that have fans thinking big.

A year ago, the Colts ranked in the bottom third of the league against the run. After five games, they are No. 15 and their last three opponents — Arizona, Seattle and Tennessee — have combined for 52 carries for 163 yards, an average of 3.1.

The Broncos (5-0) are the only team allowing fewer points per game (8.6) than Indy’s 14.2

The secondary, which gave up six TD passes in 2008, has allowed only two this season.

And yet the Colts aren’t even close to full strength.

Safety Bob Sanders, the 2007 NFL defensive player of the year, returned to practice last week after having offseason surgery on his right knee. Cornerback Kelvin Hayden missed the last three games with a left hamstring injury and cornerback Marlin Jackson sat out the Tennessee game with soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee. Brackett returned Sunday after missing two games with a sprained left knee.

"Our guys are taking on the challenge," said Hayden, who hopes to return Oct. 25 at St. Louis. "You know we go by the motto ‘Next man up.’ They’re stepping in and making plays, and I’m not surprised because the guys were on the details in training camp."

With 14 consecutive regular-season wins, dating to last season, and Indy now holding the inside track to a sixth division crown in seven years, how much better can the Colts play?

Well, there are still concerns.

The running game is averaging 3.3 yards per carry and ranks 29th in the NFL, partly because of Manning’s incredible efficiency through the air.

Indy also wants to see more consistency from a defense that has rebounded after giving up 239 yards rushing to Miami’s wildcat offense.

And Caldwell knows that the Colts can’t have to expect more from themselves after going 5-0 for the fourth time in five years.

"They’ve done it (start fast) a few times, so they look at this thing as ‘Let’s get on to the next one and not get carried away with our perceived success,"’ Caldwell said.

Now they just have to continue proving that they can get better each week.

"We don’t really look at the standings right now, and as coach Caldwell says ‘Line up the chips at the end.’ I like that," left guard Ryan Lilja said. "I’ve been fortunate to be a part of these starts and we don’t take them for granted. It definitely feels good to be clicking on all cylinders, but there’s more work still to do."

-- Michael Marot

Titans in nosedive at 0-5 with no end in sight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have gone from a 10-0 start and the NFL’s best record to becoming one of the league’s last winless teams.

The Titans (0-5) have matched the winless start of 2006 and have the franchise-worst 0-10 start by the 1984 Houston Oilers within sight. It may only get worse with a road trip to New England (3-2) next Sunday.

This season sounds like a broken record. Another game, another loss. The same words.

The Titans insist they need to make a few plays, win a game. Coach Jeff Fisher insisted again Monday he’s sticking with Kerry Collins because the veteran quarterback isn’t the problem even though he inserted backup Vince Young late in Sunday night’s 31-9 loss to Indianapolis.

His advice to those waiting for a switch to Young as the starter? Wait and see.

In the meantime, the approach that has resulted in seven straight losses since last season remains the same. Fisher told his Titans on Monday they will win a lot of games if they prepare and practice just like last week.

"As far as a quick fix is concerned, it’s not there," Fisher said. "You keep doing what you’re doing. You can go back, you look at the games. You correct them. You move forward. They’re professionals. They expect to do the things we expect them to do. Fine-tune some areas, one in particular the run game. Get some people back healthy on defense, and we’ll be OK."

His Titans keep singing in tune with Fisher — for now.

Linebacker Keith Bulluck said after the Colts’ loss that they need a win immediately. Receiver Nate Washington thinks sticking together and making plays are key.

Linebacker David Thornton couldn’t have been more optimistic Monday.

"Even though this start isn’t the script that we wrote out, we’re not going to lose faith. This doesn’t define us as a players or as an organization. We know we’re winners. We’ve just got to continue to improve. Work hard and hope things get better for us," Thornton said.

Well, the Titans are 3-9 since that 10-0 start.

They’ve all taken turns contributing to losses through turnovers, a defense ranked next to last in yards passing allowed, receivers dropping passes and now Fisher said the run game needs improving. Chris Johnson went into the Colts game as the NFL’s leading rusher and was held to just 34 yards on nine carries.

They have rushed for only four touchdowns this season and have only one over the past 10 quarters. That was Collins’ run in the fourth quarter of a 37-17 loss at Jacksonville on Oct. 4. They had to settle for three field goals after failing to get closer than the Colts 25.

"This is a collective effort. We need to run the football better. I would start there. We run the football better, then all those other things happen down the field," Fisher said.

Fisher’s biggest roster move this season came Sunday night with defensive end Jevon Kearse a healthy scratch. Kearse left the stadium, and Fisher said he would not be fined. A move may be needed with the top three defensive backs all hurt and Nick Harper and Vincent Fuller both out with broken right arms.

During the 0-5 start in 2005, Young was made the starting quarterback over Collins for a team that rallied to finish 8-8. Fisher was asked if he will switch to Young once the team is mathematically eliminated. The coach said he did not say he would make a switch.

But a third straight playoff berth, which has never happened under Fisher, isn’t likely.

Now more fans wore paper bags to this latest loss, something not seen until now with this franchise in Tennessee.

"They have every reason to be frustrated as we are. This is the National Football League. We were a 13-3 team last year. We had high expectations, and we’ve yet to win a game," he said. "I understand their frustrations."

-- Teresa M. Walker

Jaguars offer apologies, few answers after debacle

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars had more apologies than answers Monday.

Receiver Mike Sims-Walker and linebacker Quentin Groves apologized for off-the-field issues that happened before Sunday’s 41-0 debacle at Seattle. Some of their teammates did the same for what took place on the field.

The Jaguars (2-3) had seven three-and-out possessions, two fumbles and a failed fourth-down conversion on their final 10 drives. They were equally inept on defense, allowing nearly 400 yards and getting torched in the secondary for the fourth time in five games.

"We got whupped, we got destroyed," guard Uche Nwaneri said.

It was the most lopsided loss in coach Jack Del Rio’s seven seasons, making for a long trip home from the West Coast.

"It’s one of those plane rides you never want to take, across the country after a bad loss," Nwaneri said. "Guys were upset, guys were frustrated. We knew we had a bad game. But we took it like men. You take your medicine and try to come back and be better."

The Jaguars probably couldn’t have been worse.

David Garrard was sacked four times and fumbled twice. Maurice Jones-Drew was bottled up just about every time he touched the ball, finishing with 34 yards on 18 carries. There were dropped passes, poor throws and a season-high nine penalties for 73 yards.

The defense failed to generate much pressure on Matt Hasselbeck, who threw for 241 yards and four touchdowns in just three quarters. The unit also struggled to cover Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who had a combined 11 catches for 175 yards and four scores.

The Jaguars seemingly gave up at the end as the Seahawks milked the final 11 minutes, 53 seconds by running 13 consecutive times and then taking three knees.

"It was a tough day for everybody," Garrard said. "It was a day where everybody just had a bad day. We don’t usually have a collective bad day from everybody. It’s unfortunate, but we’re ready to move on."

Even after watching video of the game Monday afternoon, players and coaches found little reason for the ineptitude. Lackadaisical effort? Not ready to play after a cross-country trip? Anything?

"They executed, we didn’t. It’s that simple," defensive lineman Terrance Knighton said. "We’re not going to make excuses or try to figure it out. We just have to move on. If you dwell on this week, then St. Louis will sneak up on you and then the bye week will be miserable. We can’t let this game affect the rest of our season."

The Jaguars felt pretty good about themselves last week following wins against AFC South rivals Houston and Tennessee. But all that got kicked to the curb when Seattle scored 31 points in the second and third quarters.

"I’m directly responsible," Del Rio said. "If you need somebody to put something on to make you feel better, then just put it on me. No problem."

The Jaguars will try to regroup against three consecutive winless teams — St. Louis, Tennessee and Kansas City. They also have more off-the-field issues to overcome.

Sims-Walker was inactive for the game after violating an unspecified team rule Friday, and Groves was involved in a three-car accident at Jacksonville International Airport shortly before the team’s charter flight left for Seattle earlier in the day.

Both players apologized Monday.

"It was embarrassing," said Sims-Walker, who declined to reveal why he was benched and fined. "I learned a lot from it and I’m ready to move on. I couldn’t even look nobody in the eyes. It was all me. It was my fault and I put them in a bad situation and felt like I let a lot of people down. I take full responsibility for it."

Sims-Walker insisted it would never happen again.

Groves did the same.

He was trying to change lanes when he hit one car, causing it to spin around. Another car slammed into Groves’ Cadillac Escalade. The two other drivers sustained minor injuries. Groves missed the flight, got fined by the team and had to buy a ticket to Seattle.

"When something like this happens, it kind of tears away at me," said Groves, whose recent play got him demoted to third team. "I don’t want anyone to be in the situation I’m in right now."

-- Mark Long

5-0 Broncos keep showing they’re for real

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Unlike the coach he learned from, Josh McDaniels of the Broncos doesn’t shy from showing a little emotion.

His special teams assistant, Mike Priefer, surely knows about it after being on the wrong side of a protracted rant from the rookie coach.

Denver fans found out about it, too, when McDaniels ran to the corner of the stadium and started pumping his fists and hugging it out with players to celebrate Denver’s latest surprise — a 20-17 overtime win over New England.

"We work too hard not to enjoy the wins," McDaniels said Monday. "We work too hard to try to minimize any success we might have on the weekend."

Success is all McDaniels has enjoyed so far this season, in leading the Broncos to the NFL’s most surprising start.

The latest win, over his more stoic mentor, Bill Belichick, gave the Broncos a 5-0 record and McDaniels responded by giving the Broncos Monday off for the first time this season.

They’ll be back in the film room come Wednesday, and McDaniels insisted he’ll prove to the Broncos that undefeated is not the same as perfect. He’ll break down all the mistakes from their latest win.

"We can coach better and play better and they’ll see that on film. I don’t have to create that," McDaniels said. "No coach has to create it either. They’ll see it on the film, and that’s just the truth."

The brunt of the criticism will come over Denver’s special teams effort. A missed field goal. A decision to run a kickoff out from 6 yards deep in the end zone. Two crucial penalties — offsides and running into the punter — both on fourth-and-short to keep a New England drive alive. Kyle Orton’s tying, fourth-quarter, 98-yard touchdown drive wouldn’t have been that long if not for those two penalties.

After Darrell Reid ran into the punter, the TV cameras panned — then held — on McDaniels and the extended shout-down he was laying on Priefer. Easy to laugh at the episode now, because the Broncos won.

"Sometimes on game day, it’s better to listen to what you’re saying, than how you’re saying it," McDaniels said. "And that would be my message to the staff."

Errors and tantrums aside, Denver is in rarified air. Only three other teams have 5-0 records — and the other four times the Broncos have started this well, they’ve ended up in the Super Bowl.

Nearly a third of the way into the season, it is too late to attribute the Broncos success to them sneaking up on people, or a slate of games against bad opponents. Yes, there were wins over Cleveland and Oakland. But also over New England and Dallas. Even the season-opening Cincinnati win is looking a lot better: The Bengals (4-1) haven’t lost since.

The Broncos have given up a grand total of 43 points, four touchdowns fewer than any team that’s played five games. They are ranked second in yards allowed and have given up only seven points in the second half — none against the Pats.

"It’s a lot of things," defensive coordinator Mike Nolan said. "Sometimes you go out in the second half, and the offense plays so well, you’re not on the field."

The offense controlled the ball for nearly 18 minutes in the third and fourth quarters. Orton threw for 330 yards and two scores against New England. He improved to 26-12 as an NFL starter.

In the preseason, Orton threw a left-handed interception against Seattle that had Broncos fans on edge, wondering if they were getting another Jake Plummer, or worse. Since then, though, Orton’s story has mirrored his team’s — one of steady improvement. How many games does he need to win before people start recognizing him as legit?

"He tries to get better," McDaniels said. "He knows he’s not where he could be if he continues to improve and he sees there are plenty of things he can fix and get better at."

Of course, five wins doesn’t get anyone into the playoffs and there are plenty of roadblocks ahead. Teams now have more film to look at to break down McDaniels’ tendencies. And the schedule remains brutal. Denver still has the Giants and Indianapolis (both 5-0), Pittsburgh and Baltimore (3-2), Philadelphia (3-1) and a pair starting next week with the Chargers (2-2), who were an odds-on pick to win the AFC West.

One big difference between now and when that schedule came out: None of those teams can look at Denver as a sure ‘W’ anymore.

Which is something else for McDaniels to get excited about.

"I’m letting my hair down," he said of his postgame celebration. "It’s more fun when you win. And when you do, it’s everything any coach would want it to be."

-- Eddie Pells

Cable says Raiders need to eliminate distractions

ALAMEDA, Calif. — After watching his team endure yet another blowout loss, Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable said one of the keys to getting his team back on track is to eliminate distractions.

Cable was talking about the how the team responds to adversity early in games, when one bad play or bad call can lead to more and end up in a lopsided game.

The potentially bigger distraction of Cable’s legal problems regarding his alleged training camp assault on defensive assistant Randy Hanson is not an issue, Cable said Monday.

"I don’t believe it is," he said. "I would never believe that because, as I’ve said, I know the truth and I trust in the system, the process, and I just know that what’s supposed to happen will happen. I’ve not let it become an issue. I’ve not put a lot into it, and, quite frankly, haven’t brought it to the team because it’s not their issue. It’s mine."

The Napa police announced last week that they have ended their investigation and forwarded the results to the district attorney’s office. The DA’s office has not said how long it will take to decide whether to file charges, leaving this issue hanging over Cable’s head for the foreseeable future.

The NFL is also monitoring the case and Cable could face a suspension from the league depending on how the legal process plays out.

Hanson ended months of silence by talking to Yahoo! Sports late last week, saying Cable threatened to kill him during the August attack at the team’s training camp hotel in Napa that left him with a broken jaw. Cable has denied the allegations and admits it is difficult not to give his side, even though he has been advised to stay silent.

The more pressing issue for Cable is fixing an offense that has managed only 13 points during a three-game losing streak. The Raiders (1-4) have gained just 426 yards in that stretch, a mark that has been reached 25 times in a single game by other teams so far this season, including the Giants’ 483-yard effort in Sunday’s 44-7 victory over Oakland.

"Obviously guys are frustrated. They aren’t happy with how we’re playing on offense," tight end Zach Miller said. "We’re not going to win games the way we’re playing on offense."

The Raiders trailed New York 28-0 before recording their initial first down of the game and never even had a chance. Their only touchdown of the past three weeks came after Sinorice Moss fumbled a punt at his 15 and the officials ruled Justin Fargas’ forward progress had stopped before an apparent fumble that New York returned for a touchdown.

Oakland finished with 124 yards of offense, was sacked six times, lost three fumbles and managed only seven first downs.

"When you’re kind of riding that rail of having a breakthrough and going backward, you can’t allow like what just happened to us to keep pushing you backward," Cable said. "You have to keep fighting through it. I think it takes three wins in a row to really get faith and a belief in what you’re trying to do, and we’re just not there yet."

The Raiders haven’t won three games in a row since their Super Bowl season in 2002, going 25-76 since the start of the following season in the worst stretch in franchise history.

Offensively, the team has never been worse than it’s been the past few weeks. Oakland has failed to reach 200 yards of offense for four straight games, doubling the longest streak in franchise history and joining last season’s Cleveland Browns as the only teams to reach such depths of offensive ineptitude in the last 32 years.

The Raiders have failed to reach even that low mark of production six times in the 13 games since Cable took over as the play-caller midway through last season. That matches the number of times the Raiders failed to record 200 yards in the entire decade of the 1970s.

Cable said he doesn’t plan to relinquish the play-calling duties despite the team’s offensive struggles.

"I really look at it as, is the play you call, does that have anything to do with executing it?" Cable said. "Does it have anything to do with being in a manageable third down? Those kinds of things probably weigh heavier on my mind than what play’s being called."

Things don’t figure to get much easier the next three weeks with home games against Philadelphia and the New York Jets and a trip to San Diego before the bye week.

"The problem is not who we’re playing, the problem is us," Cable said.

NOTES: LB Ricky Brown injured his right ankle and could miss the rest of the season if he needs surgery. If an operation isn’t necessary, Brown will likely miss four weeks. ... WR Chaz Schilens (foot) and LG Robert Gallery (leg) could return from injuries this week.

-- Josh Dubow

Long drives hurt Patriots in loss to Broncos

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Denver Broncos tore through the New England defense for touchdown drives of 98 and 90 yards. The number that upset the Patriots more was 14 — as in points allowed on the lengthy marches.

To coach Bill Belichick, the distance of the journey mattered less than the destination.

"Any time they get it into the end zone, that’s not a good feeling," he said Monday. "It doesn’t matter if it’s 90 or 10 (yards). If we get a chance to stop them, then that’s our job to stop them."

The Patriots didn’t do it enough and lost 20-17 in overtime on Sunday, falling to 3-2 and leaving the Broncos unbeaten at 5-0.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo, last year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, returned after missing three games with a right knee injury. He had six tackles and forced a fumble.

"He made some plays and there (are) things I’m sure he’ll do better next time around," Belichick said, "but it was good to have him back out there."

Mayo and his teammates didn’t make enough good plays on the Broncos 90-yard march that cut the Patriots lead to 10-7 in the second quarter or on the 98-yarder that made it 17-17 with 5:21 left in the fourth quarter.

Both series ended with touchdown passes from Kyle Orton to Brandon Marshall.

"It’s tough to see an offense go 98 yards," said cornerback Leigh Bodden, who missed the tackle on the tying 11-yard score. "But any time they score, I don’t care if they get the ball on the 10-yard line or the 2-yard line, it’s going to be tough.

"Our job is to hold them to at least field goal attempts or just no points at all, so it’s hard either way."

Six of the 10 plays on the 90-yard drive and four of the 12 on the 98-yarder covered more than 10 yards.

The Patriots couldn’t hold the Broncos on the only overtime series either, a 58-yard drive that ended with Matt Prater’s winning 41-yard field goal.

If Stephen Gostkowski hadn’t missed a 40-yarder in the third quarter with the Patriots ahead 17-10, New England might have won in regulation.

The miss was surprising: Gostkowski had connected on a career-long 53-yarder in the first quarter and had made 12 in a row before the ball hooked to the left.

Like Belichick and Bodden, he didn’t care how much ground was covered. The results are what counted.

"It doesn’t matter," Gostkowski said. "If it’s a long one, great. ... You can’t really take any of them for granted."

The shorter one hurt the team.

"It hooked left on me at the end and I usually don’t get that kind of movement," Gostkowski said. "I’ve just got to chalk it up to a missed opportunity and move on. Once I miss, I don’t sit around and sulk about it. I’d be doing the team a disservice by just sitting there and crying about it all day and then let it ruin the next one."

Tom Brady also had an inconsistent game, his fifth since surgery on his left knee after he was hurt in last year’s opener and missed the rest of the season. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, but went just 5 for 14 for 63 yards and no touchdowns after that.

The Patriots also failed to convert any of their six third-down plays in the second half.

"In the skill positions, you are always working on timing," Belichick said. "It’s an ongoing process. It’s everybody. It’s the receivers, tight ends, backs, the quarterback."

Notes: Belichick gave no update on left tackle Matt Light, who left with an injured right knee in the fourth quarter and had a brace on it after the game. He was replaced by rookie Sebastian Vollmer, a second-round draft pick. ... Bodden was surprised when the Broncos started the game in the wildcat formation. "You didn’t see that on film all year from them so it was a surprise to me," he said. ... The Patriots face the winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday after playing their first five games against unbeaten teams.

-- Howard Ulman

Injuries mount for inept Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — If it’s not ineptitude, it’s injuries. The Buffalo Bills can’t get a break in a season that’s quickly going south and has left coach Dick Jauron fending off critics again.

Before answering another round of questions about his job security Monday, a day after a dreadful 6-3 loss to Cleveland, Jauron announced the Bills lost linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Marcus Buggs to season-ending knee injuries.

Mitchell, who hurt his right knee, and Buggs, who injured his left, will require surgery after being hurt against the Browns.

Their departures leave an already banged-up defense increasingly thin at linebacker. Mitchell had just been shifted from the weak-side spot to the middle to replace Buggs, who had struggled filling in for Paul Posluszny. And Posluszny is still a few weeks away from returning after breaking his left arm in Buffalo’s season-opening loss at New England.

With fourth-year player Keith Ellison now the team’s only experienced linebacker, Buffalo (1-4) is forced to go searching for free-agent replacements as it prepares to play at the New York Jets this weekend.

It didn’t take long for the topic of discussion to return to Jauron’s status after the Bills dropped their second consecutive game against a winless team, a week after a 38-10 loss at Miami. After registering three straight 7-9 finishes under Jauron, the Bills are already in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for a 10th straight season.

Bills fans are growing frustrated. Some wore bags on their heads on Sunday, and one group stood up in a row to display matching white T-shirts featuring letters that spelled: "FIRE DICK NOW!"

Jauron declined to discuss his status, but acknowledged the criticism.

"Yeah, I understand that criticism," Jauron said. "That’s the job. I’m in that position, and I clearly haven’t been able to reach (the players) to help them particularly in these last three games to get them over the hump to get us where we win."

Bills owner Ralph Wilson, attending a fan luncheon on Monday, told The Buffalo News that he’s not going to make any decisions during the "middle of the season right now."

"Yesterday was so bad that it’s hard to make a decision right now," Wilson was quoted as saying. He then assessed the team’s performance against the Browns by saying: "There’s not much I can say about yesterday except it was awful."

Buffalo’s problems start on offense, an anemic attack that’s been undone by quarterback Trent Edwards’ tentative play in front of an inexperienced line that’s allowed 18 sacks — the second-most in the NFL this season — and is having trouble with the snap count.

Against the Browns, the Bills failed to score a touchdown for the second time in three games. They committed nine false-start penalties. And they couldn’t out-duel a Cleveland popgun attack that mustered 193 yards and completed two passes.

"Today’s one of those where you’re frustrated," Edwards said. "Honestly, it’s little things. The good teams don’t make those little mistakes, and we’re making the little mistakes which seems like way too often. And that’s what’s frustrating."

Edwards hasn’t been able to open up a passing attack that features deep threats Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. The two receivers have 12 catches and a touchdown each, while combining for 361 yards — about 90 yards a game.

The Bills join St. Louis and Kansas City as the NFL’s three teams who have yet to score a rushing touchdown this season. And Jauron’s decision to fire offensive coordinator Turk Schonert 10 days before the start of the season has yet to pay off.

Jauron isn’t prepared to scrap the Bills no-huddle attack, while noting there’s no excuse he can make for the false-start penalties.

"I’ve got to do a better job of giving them a chance, finding different ways. And I haven’t found those ways," Jauron said. "Offensively, we just haven’t gotten it done. We’ll keep working at it. I can certainly tell you that."

NOTES: The Browns’ 22 yards passing were the sixth-fewest against Buffalo in team history. The Browns’ two completions tied for the fewest by a Bills opponent. ... S Donte Whitner, who had surgery two weeks ago to repair ligaments in his right thumb, is hopeful he’ll play this weekend. ... RT Jonathan Scott is day to day after twisting his ankle Sunday.