Celtics demolish Knicks by 45, 104-59

The New York Knicks' brief winning streak is history, and the Boston Celtics nearly made history ending it. The Celtics cruised to one of the easiest victories ever on Thursday night, beating New York 104-59 to send the Knicks to their third-worst loss and their second-worst scoring performance of the shot-clock era.

Only Nate Robinson's 37-foot 3-pointer at the final buzzer saved the Knicks from scoring the fewest points in franchise history. That might not be enough to save coach Isiah Thomas from getting fired: He was all-but-gone during an eight-game losing streak, before earning a reprieve with two straight wins.

Now the Knicks are embarrassing themselves again. And, unlike the Boston area's NFL team, the Celtics didn't even try to run up the score.

Kevin Garnett played just 22 minutes, scoring eight points before leaving the game midway through the third quarter with Boston ahead 69-34. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen also sat out the fourth quarter and played 29 minutes apiece. And Rajon Rondo dribbled out 24 of the final 26 seconds, turning the ball over on purpose rather than go for a 50-point win.

Robinson followed with long jumper off the inbound pass to save the Knicks from their lowest-scoring game in the shot clock era. The basket gave Robinson 11 points — the only New York player in double figures.

Pierce and Allen scored 21 apiece and Garnett finished with 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who were coming off an overtime loss at Cleveland — just their second defeat of the season. Boston improved to 8-0 at home, and the Knicks remained winless on the road.

The Knicks were last within 10 points with 4:11 left in the first period. They didn't come within 20 after the Celtics took a 39-18 lead with 5:27 left in the second. Boston made it 30 points for good with 9:14 left in the third, and then extended it to 40 less than five minutes later.

Eddie House hit a 3-pointer to give Boston a 50-point lead, 93-43, with 8:53 to play in the game.

Notes:@ Celtics forward James Posey took out the team's radio announcers going over the scorer's table for a loose ball early in the second quarter. Cedric Maxwell got out of the way, but Sean Grande went to the ground, still talking. ... Garnett had seven rebounds in the first six minutes. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a team won by 50 or more points was March 18, 2007, when Houston beat the 76ers 124-74 in Philadelphia. ... The largest margin of victory in the shot-clock era was 68, when the Cavaliers beat the Heat 148-80 in Cleveland on Dec. 17, 1991. ... The Knicks' low game was 58 points on Dec. 15, 2000, against Utah. ... The low for a Celtics opponent in the shot-clock era is 57 points scored by Milwaukee at Providence on Feb. 27, 1955. ... Boston's biggest win was 51 points against Philadelphia on March 7, 1962.

Police: Taylor shooting appears 'random'

Police investigating Sean Taylor's death say they've found no indication the Washington Redskins safety was targeted or knew the assailant who broke into his home.

Miami-Dade police director Robert Parker called it "more like a random event."

"There's nothing that indicates thus far that there's some kind of involvement on the victim's part," he said Wednesday.

Evidence indicates one or more intruders barged into Taylor's home in an affluent Miami suburb early Monday, Parker said. After a confrontation inside the house, the 24-year-old was shot once in the upper leg and died early Tuesday after losing a tremendous amount of blood.

Police said they had no suspects, and were still investigating a possible link to a Nov. 17 break-in at Taylor's home, during which they said someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed.

"We have no reason to think this was anything other than a burglary or a robbery involving an intruder," Parker said.

Taylor's funeral will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Pharmed Arena on the campus of Florida International University in Miami. Redskins owner Dan Snyder is making arrangements for the entire football organization to attend.

At Redskins Park on Wednesday, Taylor's family and teammates came together to privately share tears and memories. Taylor's father, Pedro Taylor, and girlfriend Jackie Garcia both addressed the team.

"Many of these guys were wondering, 'How in the world am I going to go out and do this on Sunday?'" said Brett Fuller, the team chaplain. "And when Mr. Taylor stood up and said go out and win these next five and make it to the playoffs, we felt a surge in the room, that he almost gave us permission to play well."

Taylor's father didn't state the team should win in honor or memory of his son, but many players adopted that feeling nonetheless. The Redskins (5-6) are in contention for a playoff berth despite three straight losses.

"We all know that's something Sean would want for us," defensive end Andre Carter said. "You've got to keep on moving forward."

The team then began to attempt to focus on preparations for Sunday's home game against the Buffalo Bills. Players went to their game-planning meetings — which were shorter than normal — and later held a quieter-than-usual afternoon practice.

"Nothing was normal about today," linebacker London Fletcher said. "We had the meetings, but it wasn't the normal type of meetings. Practice, it was practice, but it just wasn't the same type of feeling, so to speak. We tried to make it feel the same, but I found myself thinking about Sean and imagining him out on the football field playing free safety for us."

Taylor's locker remained untouched, but the Redskins made the uncomfortably necessary move of dropping him from the official roster as part of a series of personnel moves.

The NFL announced that every player league-wide will wear a No. 21 decal on his helmet at this weekend's games to honor Taylor. Redskins players will wear the decal for the remainder of the season.

Carter was coping with the loss of a teammate for the second time in three years. He played for the San Francisco 49ers when offensive lineman Thomas Herrion died of a heart attack after a preseason game in September 2005. 49ers coach Mike Nolan called Gibbs on Tuesday night to offer sympathy and advice.

"I've experienced the death of two teammates," Carter said. "No person wants to say that."

While players found it difficult to stay focused on Xs and Os in the meetings, the physical nature of the practice was somewhat therapeutic.

"Unfortunately, these guys don't get bereavement leave," Fuller said. "They've got to work through it. They have to live through it. Football is a passion game, and if your soul's broken, if your soul's hurting, it's tough to go out there and give it all."

___

Associated Press Writer Matt Sedensky in Miami contributed to this report.

Police: Taylor shooting appears 'random'

Police investigating Sean Taylor's death say they've found no indication the Washington Redskins safety was targeted or knew the assailant who broke into his home.

Miami-Dade police director Robert Parker called it "more like a random event."

"There's nothing that indicates thus far that there's some kind of involvement on the victim's part," he said Wednesday.

Evidence indicates one or more intruders barged into Taylor's home in an affluent Miami suburb early Monday, Parker said. After a confrontation inside the house, the 24-year-old was shot once in the upper leg and died early Tuesday after losing a tremendous amount of blood.

Police said they had no suspects, and were still investigating a possible link to a Nov. 17 break-in at Taylor's home, during which they said someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed.

"We have no reason to think this was anything other than a burglary or a robbery involving an intruder," Parker said.

Taylor's funeral will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Pharmed Arena on the campus of Florida International University in Miami. Redskins owner Dan Snyder is making arrangements for the entire football organization to attend.

At Redskins Park on Wednesday, Taylor's family and teammates came together to privately share tears and memories. Taylor's father, Pedro Taylor, and girlfriend Jackie Garcia both addressed the team.

"Many of these guys were wondering, 'How in the world am I going to go out and do this on Sunday?'" said Brett Fuller, the team chaplain. "And when Mr. Taylor stood up and said go out and win these next five and make it to the playoffs, we felt a surge in the room, that he almost gave us permission to play well."

Taylor's father didn't state the team should win in honor or memory of his son, but many players adopted that feeling nonetheless. The Redskins (5-6) are in contention for a playoff berth despite three straight losses.

"We all know that's something Sean would want for us," defensive end Andre Carter said. "You've got to keep on moving forward."

The team then began to attempt to focus on preparations for Sunday's home game against the Buffalo Bills. Players went to their game-planning meetings — which were shorter than normal — and later held a quieter-than-usual afternoon practice.

"Nothing was normal about today," linebacker London Fletcher said. "We had the meetings, but it wasn't the normal type of meetings. Practice, it was practice, but it just wasn't the same type of feeling, so to speak. We tried to make it feel the same, but I found myself thinking about Sean and imagining him out on the football field playing free safety for us."

Taylor's locker remained untouched, but the Redskins made the uncomfortably necessary move of dropping him from the official roster as part of a series of personnel moves.

The NFL announced that every player league-wide will wear a No. 21 decal on his helmet at this weekend's games to honor Taylor. Redskins players will wear the decal for the remainder of the season.

Carter was coping with the loss of a teammate for the second time in three years. He played for the San Francisco 49ers when offensive lineman Thomas Herrion died of a heart attack after a preseason game in September 2005. 49ers coach Mike Nolan called Gibbs on Tuesday night to offer sympathy and advice.

"I've experienced the death of two teammates," Carter said. "No person wants to say that."

While players found it difficult to stay focused on Xs and Os in the meetings, the physical nature of the practice was somewhat therapeutic.

"Unfortunately, these guys don't get bereavement leave," Fuller said. "They've got to work through it. They have to live through it. Football is a passion game, and if your soul's broken, if your soul's hurting, it's tough to go out there and give it all."

___

Associated Press Writer Matt Sedensky in Miami contributed to this report.

Manning's 3 TDs lift Colts over Falcons

Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts looked more like themselves Thursday night. All it took was a trip to Atlanta. Manning threw three touchdown passes, Anthony Gonzalez had 105 yards receiving and the defending Super Bowl champions, after getting stunned with 10 quick points by the Falcons, rebounded for a 31-13 victory.

Indianapolis (9-2) had struggled the past three weeks, losing twice and pulling out a lackluster win over Kansas City at home. The Colts' malaise carried over the first quarter at the Georgia Dome, with the Falcons striking for Morten Andersen's 34-yard field goal and Joey Harrington's 48-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White.

But any thoughts the Falcons (3-8) had of pulling off a huge upset were quickly wiped out by Manning. He threw all three of his TD passes in the second quarter, going 23 yards to Reggie Wayne, 8 yards to Dallas Clark and 5 yards to Ben Utecht.

Gonzalez didn't get to the end zone, but he was Manning's favorite receiver. He hauled in a 35-yard pass that set up Wayne's TD and a 32-yarder that led to Clark's score.

Manning was 22-for-32 for 272 yards.

After missing the past two games with a broken thumb, Gonzalez's return was a boost for a Colts' offense still plagued by injuries. Perennial Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison missed his fifth straight game with an ailing left knee. Indy also was missing two starting linemen, Tony Ugoh and Ryan Diem.

Not to worry, not against the Falcons. The Colts rallied for a 21-13 lead by halftime, and Atlanta just faded away over the final two quarters, managing just 92 yards after the break. The Falcons wrapped up a stretch of two home games in five days in which they lost twice by a cumulative score of 62-20.

This was supposed to be a Manning vs. Michael Vick prime-time matchup. But Vick was sitting in a jail cell, having turned himself in Monday to begin serving his expected prison sentence for dogfighting.

It was Vick's off-the-field pursuits that put Atlanta in such a mess, assured of another non-winning season with five weeks still to go.

The only highlight for the Falcons was Warrick Dunn becoming the 22nd rusher in NFL history to reach 10,000 yards. He made it on a 2-yard run early in the second quarter, earning a standing ovation from the Georgia Dome crowd.

That was about the last anyone heard from the home fans, though there were plenty of blue-wearing Indy fans — most of them in Manning's No. 18 jersey — to liven things up.

The Colts are trying to lock down a first-round bye and home field for at least one playoff game, though they have yet to totally find their Super Bowl-winning groove.

Manning was sacked a season-high four times and also threw an ugly interception near the Atlanta goal line, an underthrown pass that was picked off easily by DeAngelo Hall to keep this from being a bigger romp.

But the Indy defense held the Falcons to a field goal over the final three quarters. Joey Harrington, starting again with Byron Leftwich sidelined by a tailbone injury, completed just 14 of 30 for 155 yards with two interceptions.

Dunn finished with 70 yards, pushing him to 10,054 in his 11-year career. White had his third 100-yard receiving day of the season, with six receptions for 104 yards.

NHL-worst Capitals fire coach Hanlon

Glen Hanlon was fired as coach of the NHL-worst Washington Capitals on Thursday, with the team off to its slowest start in 26 years.

Hanlon, in his fourth season at the helm, was told of the decision a day after loud boos and chants of "Fire Hanlon!" echoed through the arena during a 5-1 home loss to the Atlanta Thrashers, Washington's fifth consecutive defeat.

He will be replaced on an interim basis by Bruce Boudreau, the coach of the Hershey Bears, Washington's American Hockey League affiliate.

Boudreau was to run the Capitals' practice Thursday morning, then make his NHL coaching debut Friday at Philadelphia.

Boudreau, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks, is familiar with several of the Capitals' players, having coached seven current members of the roster at Hershey, which he led to the 2006 Calder Cup title.

He takes over a club that is 6-14-1 for 13 points, four fewer than any other team in the league through Wednesday. After beginning the season 3-0, the Capitals have lost nine of 10 games, and 15 of 18, leaving them with their lowest 21-game point total since having 12 in the 1981-82 season.

Expectations among the Capitals — from team owner Ted Leonsis right down to star forward Alex Ovechkin and other players — were high entering the season, because of the addition of a few free agents and the team's top pick in the 2006 draft.

But other than Ovechkin, the team has had plenty of trouble scoring, and the problems have spread to other areas in recent games. Washington keeps falling behind and failing to recover, going 1-10-1 when opponents score first, and turnovers and poor line changes have been increasing.

Hanlon leaves his first NHL head coaching job with a 78-123-9-29 record.

After Wednesday night's loss, he was asked whether he believes his players can turn things around.

"Of course I do — or I wouldn't go in tomorrow," Hanlon replied, his voice soft and words slow. "You never stop believing. That's the real hard part of handling losing, is that you can never stop believing. ... I believe in the players."

The Capitals promoted Hanlon from assistant coach to head coach in December 2003, replacing the fired Bruce Cassidy. Washington wound up finishing last in its division that season, as well as in each of Hanlon's two full seasons.

But after slumping to 27th in the 30-team NHL in both 2005-06 and 2006-07, the Capitals came into this season counting on being an improved club, an optimism reflected in the motto, "New Look. New Season. New Attitude."

Leonsis proclaimed "the rebuild is over" in an interview with Associated Press reporters and editors two days before the start of training camp, while Hanlon spoke early in the regular season about the team being ready to "shift from development to winning."

Vick will spend Thanksgiving behind bars

The Northern Neck Regional Jail doesn't have the comforts of Michael Vick's Georgia mansion, but at least the disgraced quarterback will get to enjoy a hot turkey dinner this Thanksgiving. And, perhaps, a non-contact visit with a loved one.

Vick unexpectedly turned himself in Monday and will be housed at the jail until his sentencing on a federal dogfighting charge in three weeks. He faces up to five years in prison.

Jail officials wouldn't discuss their new celebrity inmate, but a peek inside the facility provided a glimpse of what life for the Atlanta Falcons quarterback will be like in the coming days. And it's not exactly festive.

The jail houses inmates charged with offenses from misdemeanors to murder. About 40 of the approximately 425 current inmates are women, who are housed separately. Some inmates are confined to small cells, while others are housed in dorms.

High-profile inmates are sometimes kept apart from the general population, but jail officials won't say where Vick is being held within the facility.

Vick can forget his flashy suits. Inmates wear standard-issue black-and-white striped uniforms. One bonus: they get to wear their own shoes.

Meals are delivered to each of the jail's 20 housing units. Thursday's will be extra special: turkey, stuffing, rice, cranberry sauce and sweet potato pie.

Conjuring up a jolly holiday atmosphere might be a bit of a stretch even for the most determined inmate. The squat facility is partially encircled by endless loops of barbed wire. Inside the gray cinderblock lobby, grim-faced visitors slump in plastic chairs. At the visitor's booth, a woman screams into a telephone at the inmate sitting across from her. He grins back through the Lexan divider until she finally mutters, "I love you."

This is where Vick will be allowed to see his own loved ones, if he chooses. Inmates are typically allowed one non-contact visit per week, which can last up to an hour, said Maj. Ted Hull.

If he gets bored, Vick could attempt to keep himself in shape in the jail's recreation yard and gym. Inmates are allowed to play basketball and run, but weight lifting is prohibited, Hull said.

The jail is located just behind the welcome sign to this rural town of about 1,500 near the Chesapeake Bay. Down the road, dozens of black cows graze in a pasture. Head in the other direction and shortly you'll come to a Hardee's, where a group of locals who meets each morning for breakfast and gossip is discussing the topic du jour: their new celebrity neighbor.

Let's just call them decidedly unimpressed.

"I love good dogs," 76-year-old Jack Reams, a 50-year resident of Warsaw, said as he nursed a cup of coffee. "I don't like bad dogs. I think he's a bad dog."

Vick won't find much sympathy with this group.

"I think he ought to stay in jail forever," said Eldor Schuman, 70, who lives in nearby Lottsburg. "Anyone with a career like he has, millions of dollars, to go and waste it on the mistreatment of animals is unbelievable.

"I will not feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for all the animals."

After his surrender Monday, one of Vick's attorneys explained the move as yet another step in Vick's public repentance for his involvement in the bloody dogfighting ring.

"From the beginning, Mr. Vick has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his self-surrender further demonstrates that acceptance," Billy Martin said in a statement.

That fell flat with Reams and his friends, who said Vick's surrender was just another attempt to elicit sympathy from the judge. In fact, Reams has his own idea of how Vick should be punished:

"I think he ought to be put in the cell with two pit bulls," he said.

Big-play Broncos tie for AFC West lead

Eighty yards here, 62 there, another 48 somewhere else. Next thing they knew, the Denver Broncos found themselves in a spot they only could have dreamed of a few weeks ago — tied for first place in the AFC West.

Jay Cutler threw touchdown passes of 41 and 48 yards and little-known Glenn Martinez and Andre Hall added to Denver's slew of big scoring plays Monday night in a 34-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

The Broncos (5-5) set a franchise record with four touchdowns of longer than 40 yards.

"It's been a long season, up and down, a little panic in Denver," Cutler said. "But we pulled it together. That's two big wins the last two weeks."

Vince Young threw for a career high — 308 yards — for the second straight week, but this one also resulted in a lopsided loss for the Titans (6-4), who played catchup against Denver the same way they did in a 28-13 loss to Jacksonville last week.

Martinez, a second-year receiver signed off the practice squad in September, returned a punt 80 yards to give Denver a 14-0 lead in the first.

Hall, a first-year player with eight carries this season, turned his ninth into a 62-yard score to help the Broncos regain control of the game after they'd watched a 17-point lead slip to seven.

Hall was in after Selvin Young, who started in place of Travis Henry, went out with a knee injury.

"He was our last tailback and Andre took advantage of his opportunity," coach Mike Shanahan said. "We needed a big play at that time and that's one thing about the running game. You keep pounding and every once in a while, you break one of those."

The Broncos improved to 5-5, good enough to tie San Diego for the league in the woeful West.

Suddenly, the Broncos, who have 44-7 and 41-3 losses on their wildly disparate scorecard this year, are playing like real contenders. They piled up 359 yards against the Titans, who were missing Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line but nonetheless came in with the second-ranked defense in the league.

"This was disgusting," Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan said. "The worst tackling game yet."

This second-straight win hardly means the Broncos are perfect, or anywhere near New England level.

Martinez also muffed a punt that led to a Tennessee touchdown late in the third quarter to make the score 27-17.

That touchdown, a 4-yard run by Young, came after the second of two ill-advised timeouts called by Denver.

Broncos linebacker Nate Webster called a timeout just before the snap on third-and-goal from the 1, a play in which Young was held out of the end zone as he reached for the pylon.

But the timeout gave Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher a chance to review the previous play, in which Young scored on a similar play but had been ruled out of bounds at the 1.

At the end of the first half, Shanahan, trying to duplicate the move that helped him foil Sebastian Janikowski's game-winning attempt against Oakland several weeks ago, called timeout a split second before Rob Bironas tried a 56-yarder before halftime.

Bironas' kick sailed about 20 yards wide of the goalpost, but given another chance, he nailed it to trim Tennessee' deficit to 20-10.

"Don't anybody every question me about those field goals and timeouts again," said Shanahan, who started a trend with that timeout against Oakland. "I told you this would happen sooner or later. You live by the sword and die by the sword."

And really, this one wasn't so much about field goals as big plays for the Broncos.

A team that had only one touchdown of 20 yards or more all season on offense got its second early, when Cutler found Brandon Stokley in the middle of the field and Stokley outran the Titans defense for a 48-yard score.

On the first drive of the third quarter, Cutler found Brandon Marshall in single coverage on Calvin Lowrey, who went for the ball and missed, allowing Marshall to score from 41 yards for a 27-10 lead.

Cutler finished 16-for-21 for 200 yards. Selvin Young finished with 54 yards before leaving with a twisted knee.

That could set the stage for Hall, who could start next week against Chicago if Young is hurt and the Broncos are without Henry, who is awaiting the league's decision on results of a positive drug test. Henry was inactive against Tennessee with a knee injury.

The Titans, meanwhile, have lost two straight and hardly looked like the team that appeared poised to push Indianapolis in the AFC South.

The defense got beat up for the second straight week. Last time, it was on the ground (166 yards against Jacksonville) and this time by the big play and defensive backs who were left in single coverage and got burned by the Broncos.

"It all came down to missed tackles," Fisher said. "We had a missed tackle on the long touchdown run, missed tackles on the long touchdown pass play. That's the problem with missed tackles."

Meanwhile, the receivers dropped no fewer than four easy catches, including one by Brandon Jones, who got behind Champ Bailey but bobbled the pass, which helped stall a promising drive on the opening possession.

Brady's 5 TD passes push Pats to 10-0

The New England Patriots were unstoppable again, making an unbeaten season seem almost inevitable.

Scoring touchdowns on their first seven offensive possessions and getting the eighth on a turnover, the Patriots won their 10th straight game, routing Buffalo 56-10 Sunday night. Tom Brady and Randy Moss, themselves ready to rewrite the NFL record books, led the romp.

Brady was 31-of-39 for 373 yards with five TD passes, four to Moss, as New England became the 10th team since 1970 to start a season 10-0. The way they played, they appear unbeatable, and barring injury are an excellent bet to become the NFL's first perfect team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

It was the ninth time in 10 games New England won by more than 17 points and the ninth time it scored more than 34 points. The Patriots did it coming off a bye week after their only close game of the season, a 24-20 win in Indianapolis in which they came back from 10 points down with less than 10 minutes left.

They also did it against a Buffalo team that came in 5-4 with four straight wins.

Brady, who has yet to throw fewer than three touchdown passes in a game, increased his TD passes to 38, just 11 short of Peyton Manning's single-season record, set in 2004. Moss' four TD catches gave him 16 for the season, six short of the record set by Jerry Rice in 1987.

"They are magnificent. They really are," said Buffalo president Marv Levy, who coached the Jim Kelly-led Bills that went to four Super Bowls between 1990-93 and, at the time, set the standard for offensive excellence.

On New England's last two offensive TD drives, it went on fourth down as the Buffalo crowd shouted obscenities clearly aimed at New England coach Bill Belichick.

After the first week of the season, Belichick was fined $500,000 after illegal tapes of the New York Jets' defense were confiscated by the NFL. The team was fined $250,000 and will forfeit a first-round draft pick.

Since then, Belichick seems on a mission to demonstrate his team has no need to break the rules, several times seeming to run up the score.

He finally took out Brady with just under 11 minutes left in this game. Perhaps because of the affection he expressed before the game for Buffalo coach Dick Jauron, he declined to go for a fourth-and-inches from the Buffalo 30 with 3:56 seconds left, choosing to punt instead.

"I have no problem with that," Jauron said. "It's our job to stop it."

The 56 points were the most by a road team since 1973. And the 46-points was the worst margin of defeat for Buffalo, three points worse than a loss to Baltimore in 1970.

It came on a night in which Buffalo fans were encouraged by a taped video on the message board before the game from Kevin Everett, the tight end who suffered a severe spinal injury in the opening game.

"One of the reasons this is a positive is that he's continued to improve," Jauron said of Everett. "He's gotten better. It's been a big plus for us and that he has gotten as far as he has."

Even though the Patriots were superior Sunday night, Brady says he expects his coach to continue to ride the team again.

"He's on us. He'll be on us all year," he said.

As with most New England games in 2007, this was no contest from the start after Randall Gay intercepted J.P. Losman's pass on the fourth play from scrimmage to set up a 6-yard TD run by Laurence Maroney.

By halftime it was 35-7 on TD passes of 43, 16, 6 and 17 yards to Moss. The sixth score came on a 3-yard pass from Brady to Benjamin Watson on a fourth-down play at the start of third quarter.

After Rian Lindell's 52-yard field goal made it 42-10, New England scored another touchdown on fourth-string running back Kyle Eckel's 1-yard run after the Patriots once again had gone on fourth down, converting on a 3-yard pass from Brady to Moss.

The New England defense finished it off when Ellis Hobbs returned Dwayne Wright's fumble 35 yards for a score. The ball was knocked from Wright's arms by James Sanders and bounced straight to Hobbs.

Moss, who broke Stanley Morgan's team season record of 13 touchdown catches, finished with 10 receptions for 128 yards.

"I'm just in a good situation," said Moss, obtained for a fourth-round pick after two miserable seasons in Oakland. "I'm in a dream. It's too good to be true. I'm with the Patriots."

It was left for Losman to define the rout and the way New England has played just about everyone.

"We felt like we were playing catch-up all day," he said. "But then everyone seems to feel like that against them."

Buckeyes give Tressel historic victory

Jim Tressel got the best of Lloyd Carr again, maybe for the last time. Tressel became the first Ohio State coach to beat Michigan six times in seven years, and the seventh-ranked Buckeyes' 14-3 victory Saturday over their archrival gave them consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time in a half-century.

Chris Wells ran for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns and Vernon Gholston and the Buckeyes' defense dominated Michigan's banged-up offense.

"Our defense was not going to let Michigan control the game on the ground," Tressel said. "I wish our offense could have scored more, and that we could have been a little more consistent, but today, 14 points was enough to win the Big Ten."

The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) are likely headed to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997. They also hold onto slim hopes of climbing back into the BCS title game, but several teams ahead of them would need to go down.

"I might have come from here, but now I bleed scarlet and gray," said Gholston, who had three of Ohio State's four sacks. "Coming from Detroit didn't make this any bigger. When you go to Ohio State, you don't need anything to make the Michigan game big."

A win would've put No. 23 Michigan (8-4, 6-2) in Pasadena for the fourth time in five years, but the loss might send it to a bowl game prior to New Year's Day.

The game might've been Carr's last regular-season game at Michigan, where the national championship he led the school to in 1997 is a distant memory while his loss to Appalachian State this year and 1-6 record against Tressel are often mentioned.

Carr led many to believe he would retire after this season when he altered his contract last winter and made sure all of his assistants were given unprecedented, two-year deals in the spring. Speculation has run rampant that the 62-year-old will announce his plans within days.

Michigan cornerback Morgan Trent said Carr did not address his future before or after the game.

"We'll just have to wait and see like everyone else," Trent said.

For Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, tailback Mike Hart and tackle Jake Long, their stellar careers will end with an 0-4 record against Ohio State and a woeful offensive performance in their final game at the Big House.

If Carr tried to fire up his team before the game by saying it would be his last Ohio State game, it didn't work.

Michigan led 3-0 after the first quarter, but the Buckeyes controlled the game by stopping a one-dimensional offense and handing the ball off to Wells early and often.

Wells put Ohio State ahead with a 1-yard run early in the second quarter and a 62-yard score made it 14-3 on its first snap after halftime. He had a career-high 39 carries, the most by a Buckeye against Michigan, and he ran for more yards than anybody had for them in the history of the storied series.

"Beanie Wells is a difference-maker," Tressel said. "He wanted to take this game on his shoulders and carry us, and that's what he did. In my opinion, he's the best back in the Big Ten."

The Wolverines struggled on offense in part because Henne was ineffective with shoulder injury and Hart was unable to find room to run against a defense that didn't have to respect the pass and could concentrate on stopping the trash-talking running back.

When the Wolverines did try to throw, Gholston made life miserable for them.

"I'm sure Chad Henne will be seeing him in his sleep," Tressel said.

Henne, whose throws were usually high or wide, left the field for one series in the third quarter and returned in the fourth. When he made accurate passes, star receiver Mario Manningham and teammates dropped some of them.

Henne finished 11 of 34 for 68 yards.

Hart had 18 carries for just 44 yards rushing, his first game this year under the 100-yard mark. He seemed to be relatively healthy after being sidelined with a badly sprained right ankle.

On a wet day, Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman fumbled twice, losing neither, and threw an interception in the first half.

After that, Tressel let him throw only once in the third quarter and once in the fourth. Boeckman completed seven of 13 passes for 50 yards.

Ohio State has claimed three Big Ten titles in a row, earning the last two alone for the first time since 1954-55.

Durant's buzzer-beater lifts Sonics

Rookie Kevin Durant made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the second overtime, and Damien Wilkins scored a career-high 41 points in the Seattle SuperSonics' 126-123 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

With Al Horford guarding him at the top of the key, Durant pumped once to get the defender in the air before shooting over his outstretched arm.

Durant, the No. 2 overall draft pick, finished with 21 points as Seattle improved to 2-8 following a victory on Wednesday at Miami.

Joe Johnson had a season-high 39 for the Hawks, who have lost three of four.

Wilkins atoned for a mistake near the end of regulation, when he let an inbounds pass bounce away with the game tied at 107.

Before Wilkins lost the ball, Josh Childress missed the first of two free throws, but made the second to force overtime.

Childress had made his first 24 free throws this season before the potential game-winner misfired.

Seattle's biggest lead was 14 early in the third quarter, but the Hawks came back several times in a game that featured 15 lead changes and was tied 20 times.

Atlanta's last lead came on Marvin Williams' basket on the first possession of the second overtime, making it 116-114.

Wilkins hit a 16-footer on the right baseline with father Gerald Wilkins and uncle Dominique watching a few feet away.

A-Rod, Yanks discuss $275 million deal

Turns out Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees had the outline of a record $275 million, 10-year contract in place last weekend, well before their shake-hands-and-make-up meeting.

The amount of the guaranteed money was revealed by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn't been finalized. A-Rod potentially could earn millions more if he sets the career home-run record.

A-Rod and his wife met Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., with brothers Hal and Hank Steinbrenner.

"The meeting was a final get-together," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. "He wanted to make sure myself and my brother knew that he was sincere and serious."

The Yankees still must draft the agreement with Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras. Asked whether the only remaining details were putting the deal on paper, Steinbrenner responded: "pretty much so."

Boras wasn't a part of the negotiations, in which Goldman Sachs managing directors John Mallory and Gerald Cardinale conducted shuttle diplomacy.

"They were the go-betweens, initially," Steinbrenner said. "That's how he reached out to us."

The Yankees were notified by Boras on Oct. 28 that Rodriguez was opting out of the final three seasons of his $252 million, 10-year contract — the previous record — and becoming a free agent. New York maintained then that it no longer would negotiate with A-Rod because the decision eliminated a $21.3 million subsidy from Texas that was negotiated in the 2004 trade.

About a week later, A-Rod contacted Mallory, a friend who works in private wealth management in Goldman's Los Angeles office. Rodriguez knew the Yankees have a close relationship with the investment bank, which was instrumental in the launch of the team's YES Network.

Mallory called Cardinale, who works in the merchant banking section in New York and helped finance the network. Cardinale in turn got in touch with Yankees president Randy Levine.

A-Rod and the Yankees exchanged proposals via the bankers, and the deal gradually was framed in about a dozen telephone calls.

The sides still are working on putting together a provision that would allow Rodriguez to share revenue created by his pursuit of the career home record held by Barry Bonds, who was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction charges. A-Rod has 518 homers, 244 shy of the mark.

"The Yankees have never had a player since Babe Ruth that really had a 100 percent chance" of setting the record, Steinbrenner said. "(Mickey) Mantle should have, but he had too many injuries. It's a historical achievement bonus more than it is an incentive bonus. There is no yearly incentive bonus."

That provision must be drafted carefully because of Major League Rule 3 (b) (5), which states no contract shall be approved "if it contains a bonus for playing, pitching or batting skill or if it provides for the payment of a bonus contingent on the standing of the signing club at the end of the championship season."

Even with that, the commissioner's office allowed the Boston Red Sox in 2003 to give Curt Schilling a provision for a $2 million raise in a season following a World Series championship. Boston won the title the following year.

The Yankees already have been in touch with Major League Baseball, and A-Rod's side contacted the players' association.

"Because he's generating such enormous revenue potential, both to the player and the club, there should be some way for the player and the club to capitalize on that achievement in some fashion," said Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer. "The devil will be in the details. The minds of men and women in the sport should be able to figure this out."

Steinbrenner said Rodriguez was given bad advice by Boras during the time before the decision to opt out.

"Boras did a lot of good things for Alex through the years, and Alex knows that. I mean, obviously, he's going to look to Scott's advice on everything," Steinbrenner said. "That's not unusual today. It's not like he's the only one. And if an agent gets out of line or makes bad decisions, then that's going to hurt the player. And obviously, that's one of the things that happened here."

Alex Rodriguez may stay with Yankees

Turns out A-Rod might not be leaving the Bronx. In a startling turn of events, Alex Rodriguez and his wife met with New York Yankees executives Hal and Hank Steinbrenner on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., and the star third baseman told the team he wants to stay in pinstripes.

His longtime agent, Scott Boras, wasn't involved in the meeting Wednesday, but said he's trying to work out a deal with the Yankees. New York officials sounded confident the negotiations could lead to an agreement.

"The past is the past. I don't know what brought about him approaching us," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said in a telephone interview. "I guess you could say things didn't go the way before that he intended on and weren't handled properly or whatever.

"But the bottom line, the only thing that really matters, is he wants to stay a Yankee. And it could be very well that he's always wanted to stay a Yankee and we just didn't know it."

Rodriguez, likely to win his third AL MVP award next week, had not made any public statements since becoming a free agent following the Yankees' first-round loss to Cleveland in the playoffs. After consulting with his wife and family, Rodriguez reached out to Hank and his brother, Hal, through a third party.

"It became clear to me that I needed to make an attempt to engage the Yankees regarding my future with the organization," Rodriguez said in a statement. "Prior to entering into serious negotiations with other clubs, I wanted the opportunity to share my thoughts directly with Yankees' ownership. We know there are other opportunities for us, but Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness."

When first contacted, the Yankees wondered whether the message was serious. Before Rodriguez terminated his record $252 million, 10-year contract on Oct. 28 — forfeiting $72 million over the final three seasons — Boras told the Yankees they would have to make a $350 million offer just to get a meeting with the third baseman.

Boras spent time in Miami meeting with Rodriguez in recent days.

"Alex and Cynthia have visited with the Steinbrenners and Yankee officials, and following that meeting Alex has instructed me to discuss contract terms with Brian Cashman and Randy Levine," Boras said, referring to the general manager and the team president.

After the opt out decision, Hank Steinbrenner and Cashman said talks were over because the Yankees lost the $21.3 million subsidy the Texas Rangers agreed to at the time of the 2004 trade that sent A-Rod to New York.

New York let A-Rod know that giving up the $21 million was pretty much a precondition for any talks.

"I also understand that I had to respond to certain Yankees concerns, and I was receptive and understanding of that situation," Rodriguez said. "Cynthia and I have since spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family. During these healthy discussions, both sides were able to share honest feelings and hopes with one another, and we expect to continue this dialogue with the Yankees over the next few days."

Said Steinbrenner: "He's willing to make certain sacrifices. It certainly appears that way."

"The biggest thing with me, and it's no secret with all of us, is the money we would have had from Texas that we don't now," he went on. "But he's willing to do something about that, which shows his dedication. And also, the other thing was, me being convinced he really wanted to be a Yankee, and it kind of looks to me like he does."

One other team that might have been an option for Rodriguez was the Los Angeles Dodgers, owned by Frank and Jamie McCourt.

"I think definitely we would have been involved," new manager Joe Torre said Wednesday evening at a charity event in New York after learning about A-Rod's chat with the Yankees. "The McCourts are committed to helping this ballclub in any way they can to get them to where they want to be, win championships."

Torre, who managed Rodriguez in New York the past four seasons, said the two haven't spoken since the end of the season.

Before Rodriguez opted out, the Yankees were prepared to make an initial extension offer of four or five years with an average yearly salary of $25 million to $30 million. A logical endpoint for a deal could be to take the $72 million the Yankees owed, subtract the $21 million New York lost from Texas, add $10 million in escalators A-Rod would have earned in 2009 and 2010, and then add seven seasons at $30 million annually. That would total $271 million for the next 10 years.

___

AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.

Suns cruise past sorely depleted Knicks

Amare Stoudemire had his best night since his arthroscopic knee surgery six weeks ago with 26 points and 12 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns beat the severely depleted New York Knicks 113-102 on Tuesday night.

The Knicks were without three starters, including Stephon Marbury, who abruptly left the team earlier in the day and reportedly returned to New York as the Knicks opened a four-game road trip.

Phoenix had four starters with at least 21 points.

Shawn Marion scored 23 and Grant Hill 21, his most in his eight games with Phoenix. Hill was 7-for-8 from the field, 3-of-4 on 3-pointers. Leandro Barbosa, starting in place of injured Raja Bell, added 23 for the Suns, who shot 56 percent and won their third in a row.

Steve Nash didn't get his first field goal until 10:04 remained in the game. He finished with five points and 12 assists.

Phoenix led by as many as 17 in the second quarter, 19 in the third and 21 in the fourth.

In addition to Marbury, New York was without Quentin Richardson (hyperextended right elbow) and Zach Randolph (death of his grandmother), then lost Marbury's replacement, Mardy Collins, with a mild sprain of his right foot six minutes into the game.

Jamal Crawford, one of the remaining New York starters, scored 21. Fred Jones added 19 and Nate Robinson 18. Eddy Curry scored 17 before fouling out with 7:45 to play.

WNBC New York and The New York Post reported Marbury sent them messages to say he had Thomas' permission to leave the team.

"I would never leave my team on my own," Marbury told The Post. "What I'm telling you is that I got permission to leave from Isiah. He said I could go home."

Thomas would not confirm that he allowed Marbury to leave. The Knicks' coach avoided the subject altogether in his meeting with reporters before the game.

Stoudemire had sat out three games with swelling in his right knee, the result of the surgery, and had played just 21 1/2 minutes combined in his first two games back. But he was lively and on target from the start on Tuesday. He scored 12 in the first quarter and 18, with nine rebounds, in the first half. He finished 8-for-14 from the field and 10-for-14 from the foul line.

Phoenix was up 62-45 after Stoudemire's fadeaway 13-footer with 1:36 left in the half, but the Knicks finished the quarter with a 7-1 run. Marion's 3-pointer put the Suns up 76-58 with 6:51 left in the third, and Phoenix led 85-66 after Boris Diaw's soft over-the-shoulder pass to Marion for a dunk.

Notes:@ Bell missed his second game in a row with a sprained right ankle. ... Richardson has not played in Phoenix since he was traded to the Knicks after the 2004-05 season. ... New York last won in Phoenix on Feb. 13, 2003. Marbury, then with the Suns, scored 43 points in that game. ... The Knicks' Jared Jeffries made his first regular-season appearance. He had been sidelined with a sprained right ACL and bone bruise.

Vikes' Peterson to miss at least 1 game

As Adrian Peterson was prone on the Lambeau Field turf, his football future flashed before his eyes as a searing pain radiated from his right knee.

"That pain was horrible. I don't know if you've ever experienced pain where you don't want anybody to touch you. Just be still for a few minutes until it calms down. That's the kind of pain it was," Peterson said. "Not really knowing what to expect because it was my knee. I was just praying, 'God please, don't let it be anything serious.'"

He spent a sleepless Sunday night at his home in Eden Prairie, with the worry getting so great that he found himself doing a self-examination of both knees to see if he could detect any differences, all in the hope of finding some comfort.

After getting an MRI exam on Monday, Peterson should be sleeping much better now.

The rookie sensation, who just a week earlier set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards against San Diego, will miss at least one game with a torn lateral collateral ligament. But the injury is not deemed serious enough to require surgery or jeopardize Peterson's season.

"I was very relieved. It could've been a lot worse," Peterson said. "I just thank God. I'll be back soon."

Vikings coach Brad Childress ruled Peterson out for Sunday's game against Oakland, but wouldn't put a timetable on his recovery beyond that.

Team doctors told Childress that with ligament tears graded on a three-point scale, with three being the worst, Peterson's tear is "two-plus." It's not as serious as an anterior cruciate ligament tear.

"He's lucky," head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman said. "If he's 30 degrees in front with that foot fixed, we're talking about a very significant injury today. So he's very lucky that this is all he has."

Peterson was injured in the third quarter Sunday. Packers cornerback Al Harris hit him in the knee just as Peterson was about to make a cut downfield, and he writhed in pain for several minutes in a scary scene.

"I remember just making my cut, trying to beat one guy, and he came out of nowhere," Peterson said.

Losing the only offensive star it has will be a devastating blow to a unit that has struggled in every game Peterson has not topped 200 yards rushing this season. It's been a one-man show in Minnesota, with Peterson accounting for 1,081 of the team's 1,551 yards rushing and eight of the team's 10 touchdowns rushing.

In addition to making history two weeks ago against the Chargers, the No. 7 overall draft pick out of Oklahoma was on pace to smash Eric Dickerson's record for yards rushing by a rookie in a single season.

Peterson took over for veteran Chester Taylor as the starter after rushing for 224 yards in a victory over Chicago on Oct. 14. The Vikings scored 34 points that week, and the only other time they've topped 30 points in a game this season was in their 35-17 victory over the Chargers two weeks ago.

An unbalanced attack on offense is mostly to blame. The Vikings rank No. 1 in the NFL in rush offense, but are 31st in passing offense and have played musical quarterbacks all season.

Brooks Bollinger became the third quarterback to start this season in Sunday's loss to Green Bay, and Childress said he will go with Tarvaris Jackson against the Raiders.

With the Packers keyed almost solely on stopping Peterson, the dazzling runner was limited to 45 yards on 11 carries before he was hurt. The Vikings had just 17 plays in the first half thanks to Bollinger's struggles in the passing game, and had no chance after falling behind 20-0 early in the second half.

"I would just say that I didn't see us play at the level that we played at the week before," Childress said.

For the immediate future, at least, the Vikings must find a way to get back to that level without the player who galvanizes them on offense.

Taylor will jump back into the starter's role until Peterson is ready to go again. He topped 1,200 yards in his first season as a starter last season and is averaging 5.0 yards in a backup role this season.

"He obviously has a track record," Childress said. "He's a good player as well, so just like I mention to you every week, we just expect somebody to pick up from there."

The good news for the Vikings is that Peterson won't be gone for as long as initially feared when replays showed Harris plowing into the planted leg.

He will have to wear a brace to protect the knee at first, Sugarman said, but once he regains the ability to cut and plant, he will be back on the field.

"Adrian's going to be fine," Sugarman said. "He just needs a little time to heal."

Chargers escape on Manning's worst day

Peyton Manning was poised to turn one of his worst games into one of his most memorable. Then Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field goal attempt with 1:31 left, and the San Diego Chargers held on for a wild 23-21 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Colts on Sunday night.

Manning, who set a Colts franchise record with six interceptions, had driven the Colts to the Chargers 12. Vinatieri, who had won two Super Bowls for New England with last-second kicks, pushed his kick just wide right.

The Chargers led 23-7 going into the fourth quarter even though their offense was as waterlogged as the field on a rainy night. Had Vinatieri's kick gone through, it would have been the 29th time that Manning rallied the Colts from either a fourth-quarter deficit or tie to win.

Darren Sproles, San Diego's speedy little return man, brought back the opening kickoff 89 yards for his first NFL touchdown, then ran back a punt 45 yards for his second score later in the first quarter.

But the Colts (7-2), who started the season 7-0 before losing 24-20 to New England a week ago, scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in 23 seconds early in the fourth quarter to pull to 23-21.

Manning threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenton Keith on the first play of the fourth quarter and then a conversion pass to Bryan Fletcher to close to 23-15.

On third-and-10 from the 8-yard line, Philip Rivers went back to pass and the ball slipped out of his hand and into the end zone. After a wild scramble, Colts linebacker Gary Brackett picked up the ball for a TD with 14:28 to play. Joseph Addai was stuffed on the two-point conversion attempt, and the Colts trailed by two points.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie celebrated his first NFL start by picking off Manning three times.

San Diego (5-4) took over sole possession of first place in the anemic AFC West.

Manning's final pickoff came on a desperation pass as time ran out.

Manning completed 34 of a career-high 56 attempts for 328 yards. Rivers was horrible, going 13-of-24 for 104 yards and no touchdowns, with two pickoffs.

Two weeks after breaking Johnny Unitas' franchise record of 287 touchdown passes, Manning passed the Hall of Famer again, but not in a way he'll want to remember. The previous franchise records for interceptions was five, done seven times, including four by Unitas. Manning had thrown just four interceptions coming into the game.

With two touchdown passes, Manning pushed his career total to 291 to pass Unitas and take sixth on the on the all-time list.

The Chargers bounced back from a 35-17 loss at Minnesota in which they allowed rookie Adrian Peterson to set the NFL single-game record with 296 yards rushing.

Sproles and Cromartie were nothing short of sensational.

Three Colts were left grasping air as Sproles returned the opening kickoff, and no one had a decent shot on his punt return until punter Hunter Smith missed at about the 1.

Cromartie was equally exciting as he filled in for injured cornerback Quentin Jammer. After getting zero picks as a rookie last year, Cromartie now leads the Chargers with six.

The third pickoff was a beauty. A week after scoring on the longest play in NFL history, a 109-yard return of a missed field goal at Minnesota, Cromartie burned Manning by reaching up with his right hand and pulling the ball down to his chest in one motion.

It was the 11th time a Chargers player had three interceptions in a game, and it set up Tomlinson's 4-yard TD run to make it 23-0.

Vinatieri missed a 42-yard field goal try as the second-quarter clock expired.

Rivers' return sparks Celtics past Nets

The Boston Celtics won one for Doc Rivers and sent the New Jersey Nets a message in the process. Hours after attending the funeral of his father in Illinois, Rivers saw the new-look Celtics remain the NBA's only undefeated team and personally show the Nets they are the team to beat in the Atlantic Division with an impressive 112-101 win on Saturday night.

The victory was the fifth straight for Boston, which is off to its best start since winning six in a row to start the 1987-88 season. That was the last time the trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish got to the Eastern Conference finals.

Boston's new big three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen put on another impressive performance against the Nets (4-2). The Celtics also showed they could play defense, holding New Jersey without a field goal for more than eight minutes in the decisive third quarter.

Pierce, who was scoreless in the first quarter, had 13 of his 28 in the third period when Boston turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 21-point margin. Allen added 27 points and Garnett had 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Richard Jefferson led the Nets in scoring for the sixth straight game with 28 points, but only eight came after intermission. Vince Carter added 17 before leaving late in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. Jason Kidd added 17 points, 12 assists and six rebounds.

The Nets trailed by 23 points early in the fourth quarter and never got closer than eight points.

Eddie House added 13 points and Celtics rookie Glen Davis also made a major contribution with six points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes when the game was on the line.

It was an emotional day for the Celtics, who didn't know last night whether their coach would be at the game.

Rivers added the funeral of his father, Grady Alexander Rivers Sr., in Mayfield, Ill., earlier Saturday and arrived at the arena about 75 minutes before the game. He didn't speak to the media before the game, but he was on the sidelines wearing a dark suit and tie.

New Jersey got off to a fast start, shooting 67 percent from the field in the first quarter.

Boston took the lead for good midway through the second quarter when Pierce converted a three-point play to ignite a 13-5 spurt. House, a former Nets player booed when he entered the game, added a 3-pointer in the run, Davis put in a rebound, Kendrick Perkins scored in the lane and Pierce capped the run nailing a wide-open 3-pointer for a 52-45 lead.

The third quarter was all Boston. Pierce hit a layup and scored seven points in a 13-3 spurt to start the period. New Jersey missed its first nine shots and didn't score a basket until Carter drove the lane for a layup with 3:39 left in the period.

A little more than two minutes later Carter was gone. The eight-time All Star drove the lane for a big slam dunk with 1:23 to play. His left foot came down but his right foot rolled after landing on Pierce's foot. He limped off.

The good news for New Jersey was X-rays were negative.

Notes:@ Nets C Nenad Krstic had the misfortune to have a rebound slip out of his hands and go into his own basket. Perkins got credit. ... Garnett got a technical for arguing a call. ... Boston outrebounded New Jersey 49-34. ... Boston F Brian Scalabrine was released from a Massachusetts hospital after being held overnight because of a concussion suffered late in Friday night's game.

Heat 0-5 after 106-101 loss to Suns

Steve Nash scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter and finished with 30 to go with eight assists, and the Phoenix Suns added to Miami's season-opening misery by rallying past the Heat 106-101 Friday night.

Leandro Barbosa finished with 17 points, Raja Bell scored 16 and Shawn Marion added 17 points and 24 rebounds for Phoenix, which shot 15-for-33 from 3-point range.

Shaquille O'Neal had season-highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which led by as many as 12 points before falling to 0-5. The Heat had a chance to tie with 9 seconds left, but Ricky Davis' 3-pointer bounced off the rim.

Davis and Jason Williams each had 21 points, Williams added 10 assists, and Udonis Haslem finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat.

Phoenix was down by five with 4:53 left when Nash simply took over.

The two-time MVP hit a 3-pointer with 4:30 left, added another in transition a couple minutes later to give the Suns the lead, and added a layup that put the Suns up 101-98.

And after O'Neal — who was 11-for-19 — missed with about 1:30 left, Nash delivered the dagger. His sixth and final 3-pointer of the night sealed his personal 11-0 spurt, gave Phoenix a 104-98 lead and kept Miami out of the win column.

Suns center Amare Stoudemire, who missed the past three games with a sore knee, started and scored nine points before being ejected early in the third quarter.

Phoenix went up 10-2 after the first 2 1/2 minutes, and a blowout looked rather possible. But Miami — the league's lowest-scoring team entering the night — went on its best spurt of the season after that rocky start.

Williams had seven unanswered points in a 44-second span to kickstart what became a 29-11 Miami run over the next 7 1/2 minutes, a burst that ended when O'Neal scored to give the Heat a 31-21 edge.

How stunning was that?

Well, it was the first time all season Miami led by double digits.

Miami matched a franchise record with 17 field goals in the opening quarter, and its 37 points in the first 12 minutes were one shy of what it managed in the first half two nights earlier at San Antonio.

The Heat took a 12-point lead on a layup by Williams midway through the second, but Phoenix rode an 11-point period by Barbosa to close it to 60-55 at intermission.

And 56 seconds into the second half, Miami's lead was gone.

Bell made a 3-pointer, Nash followed with a jumper to knot the game and the Heat called time-out with 10:57 left in the period. It didn't help: Stoudemire's three-point play put Phoenix on top one trip later.

That would be his final highlight of the night. Stoudemire was ejected with 9:20 left in the third for arguing a foul call — drawing his second technical. With him gone, Miami rebuilt its lead to eight points late in the third before settling for an 84-79 edge entering the frantic and final 12 minutes.

Notes:@ Best miss of the night: All in one motion, Stoudemire grabbed a loose ball away from Alonzo Mourning with 1 second left in the half and threw it 90 feet in a desperate effort to beat the buzzer. The shot hit the backboard, a tad right of the rim. ... It was the first start for Miami forward Penny Hardaway's since late in the 2003-04 season. ... Rory Sparrow, who made the first basket in Heat history, sat courtside. Now a vice president of player development for the NBA, Sparrow presented Dwyane Wade with an award honoring his community service during a brief halftime ceremony.

Mavs finally win in Golden State

If only Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks had showed this much poise the last time they visited Golden State.

Nowitzki scored eight of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Jerry Stackhouse hit a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left and the Mavs got a bit of hollow revenge from their historic playoff defeat with a 120-115 victory over the winless Warriors on Thursday night.

Jason Terry and Josh Howard both had 24 points as the Mavericks barely snapped a five-game regular-season losing streak against the Warriors, who dressed just 10 players and fell to 0-5.

But the Warriors still have Baron Davis, the folk hero of eighth-seeded Golden State's first-round victory over Dallas last spring in perhaps the biggest upset in NBA playoff history.

With a whole lot less at stake this time around, Dallas survived yet another sublime performance from Davis, who scored 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a six-man Golden State rotation repeatedly threatened to embarrass the mighty Mavs again.

But Davis missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 4 seconds to play — an open shot everyone in the arena must have expected him to make, given his unbelievable efforts just six months earlier.

Kelenna Azubuike had 27 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who had a short bench because of injuries and the suspension of Stephen Jackson, their defensive leader against Nowitzki last spring.

The Warriors' fans still hadn't lost their high from cheering the first eighth-seeded playoff team to upset a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series. With a frenzied Oakland crowd and another second half full of dramatics, the playoffs seemingly hadn't ended — but this showdown had a different conclusion.

Dallas held a small lead until Davis drew Howard's sixth foul and hit two free throws to put Golden State up 101-100 with 5:50 left. Terry's 3-pointer put the Mavs back ahead, and they maintained the lead through several tense possessions when the Warriors just couldn't get the go-ahead baskets they hit so regularly last spring.

After Golden State pulled within one point, Stackhouse hit a 3-pointer from the sideline to put the Mavs up 117-113. Davis cut the lead to two points, but Brandon Bass — who wasn't around for last season's defeat — grabbed an offensive rebound amid four Warriors with 8 seconds left.

Stackhouse made just one free throw, giving Golden State a final shot to tie it. But Davis' 3-pointer was short, and Devin Harris hit two free throws to finish with 21 points.

The Warriors lost their first four games this season while struggling to replace Richardson and Jackson, who was suspended for pleading guilty to a felony charge of criminal recklessness. Golden State also played Thursday night without forward Mickael Pietrus, who stayed home with the flu, and injured veteran reserves Troy Hudson and Austin Croshere.

Notes:@ Moments after Davis' putback dunk in the second quarter, Harris and Matt Barnes both got technical fouls for a confrontation under the basket. ... Warriors rookie Stephane Lasme made his NBA debut, playing the final 3.8 seconds of the first half. Lasme was a second-round draft pick from Massachusetts. ... Guitarist Carlos Santana, a Bay Area resident, watched the game in a courtside seat.

Roger Clemens may be ready to retire

Roger Clemens is ready to join the Houston Astros — as a consultant. In a sign that Clemens' pitching career could be over, his agent told the Astros on Wednesday that the seven-time Cy Young winner is set to start his personal-services contract with the team.

"He's moving toward retirement and leaving open the possibility of playing," agent Randy Hendricks said. "As Roger has stated several times, he's failed at retirement repeatedly."

Hendricks sent Astros owner Drayton McLane an e-mail informing him of the decision. This was the first time Hendricks formally told Houston that Clemens was ready to work off the field.

It was not clear how Clemens would respond if the Yankees or Astros asked him to pitch next year.

The 45-year-old Clemens was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 17 starts and one relief appearance for the New York Yankees. He rejoined the Yankees this season following three years with his hometown Astros.

Clemens was slowed by foot and elbow injuries this season, then hurt a hamstring and left in the third inning of his playoff start against Cleveland.

In 2006, Clemens worked with Astros prospects before he decided to pitch again in midseason. He joined the Yankees this June and received $17.4 million, a prorated portion of his $28 million salary.

Clemens is eighth on the career wins list with 354 and second with 4,672 strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan's 5,714.

His decision to start the personal-services contract was first reported by the Houston Chronicle on its Web site.

Goodell not shortening Pacman suspension

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones in April to sit out the 2007 season. On Tuesday, the commissioner informed Jones he still hasn't changed his mind.

Jones had met with the commissioner last week in New York, pleading for some leniency and an early return. But the cornerback whose biggest community service was buying wrestling tickets for Atlanta students to watch him at a pay-per-view event last month didn't convince Goodell.

The commissioner told Jones his suspension will last through this season, which would include the playoffs if the Titans (6-2) qualify.

"He will be eligible to begin working out at the Titans' facility following the conclusion of the team's season," the league said in a statement late Tuesday afternoon.

Attorney Worrick Robinson said Jones received a letter from the NFL notifying him of the commissioner's decision earlier Tuesday. They planned to talk further Tuesday night and a formal statement may follow Wednesday.

"He is very disappointed," Robinson said. "We're looking at different options."

Goodell had promised Jones' case would be reviewed after Tennessee's 10th game of the season. He met with Jones last Friday — two days before the Titans' eighth game.

But the Titans, who have replaced their best defensive player, had been expecting the suspension to stand.

"As we have said all through this process, we understood the suspension was for a year and made preparations to move our team forward without Adam Jones," the team said in a statement. "We will continue to monitor his situation and will address his future when he is reinstated by the commissioner."

Goodell originally suspended Jones in April for violating the league's personal conduct policy. At the time, Jones had been arrested five times since the Titans drafted him with the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft.

The suspension followed a Las Vegas strip club fight Feb. 19 in which police accused Jones of inciting a fight inside that led to a triple shooting outside that left one man paralyzed. Jones was arrested on two felony counts of coercion in June after dropping an appeal of his NFL punishment.

Jones said in interviews since his suspension that he felt he was being treated unfairly and that the punishment was harsh.

To keep himself busy, he signed a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. But the Titans got an injunction that limited his physical contact to prevent any injuries. Jones' contract ended recently with TNA, and the Nashville-based company did not renew the deal.

His legal problems still haven't been resolved.

Jones faces a Nov. 27 hearing in Las Vegas. A felony count of obstruction in Georgia recently was postponed until March, and a public intoxication and disorderly conduct charge in Tennessee from August 2006 was revived and postponed until January.

With Jones on the roster in 2006, the Titans ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed. Without him, the Titans currently rank second in total defense and first against the run. They replaced him by signing veteran Nick Harper and second-year cornerback Cortland Finnegan developed into a starter.

They also have plenty of depth with Reynaldo Hill and Kelly Herndon.

Pettitte declines option with Yankees

Andy Pettitte declined his $16 million option with the New York Yankees, still uncertain whether he wants to pitch next season.

"I have spoken with Brian Cashman, who has reiterated what Hank Steinbrenner said about the Yankees wanting to give Andy all the time he needs to decide about next season," Pettitte's agent, Randy Hendricks, said Monday in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Accordingly, we are declining to exercise the option for 2008 and Andy will declare free agency in order to free up a roster spot for the Yankees.

"If Andy decides to play, I am confident we can reach an agreement with the Yankees within 24 hours. The only options, as Andy has stated, are the Yankees or retirement. He appreciates the Yankees' willingness to give him the time he feels he needs. I do not expect him to make a decision for quite some time."

The 35-year-old left-hander went 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA for the Yankees this year, including 11-3 after the All-Star break. He was their most effective starter in the postseason, pitching 6 1-3 scoreless innings in Game 2 of New York's first-round loss to Cleveland.

Pettitte had until Wednesday to decide on his option, part of the contract he agreed to last December when he returned to the Yankees after three seasons with his hometown Houston Astros. That deal paid him a $16 million salary this year.

"Obviously, we want Andy to stay with the Yanks and pitch for us in '08. In fact, I'd say I need him to," said Cashman, the team's general manager. "He's an important piece for us. ... We're hopeful that at some point that the marriage of the Pettittes and the Yankees can continue."

Last month, Pettitte said he wasn't sure whether he would play again, saying he had to relax and discuss the matter with his family.

"I wouldn't have ever imagined my arm feeling as good as it has," he said. "I'm just very, very blessed, feel very blessed that my arm has held up and I felt strong all year. I haven't had any problems with my elbow this year."

New York is in a state of flux. Manager Joe Torre left after 12 seasons when the team offered him a paycut, and third baseman Alex Rodriguez chose to terminate his record $252 million, 10-year contract with three seasons remaining and become a free agent. The Yankees have said they won't negotiate with A-Rod now that he's opted out.

New York is attempting to re-sign closer Mariano Rivera and catcher Jorge Posada, who both became free agents.

Cashman said Pettitte called him and they spoke for 10-20 minutes. Pettitte has a standing offer of $16 million he can accept at any time. Cashman wouldn't discuss whether the team would entertain a new deal.

"He told me specifically this is not about waiting to see what kind of club we have on the field and anything regarding the manager," Cashman said. "He's earned the right to take some more time, as far as we're concerned."

Without Pettitte, new Yankees manager Joe Girardi would have a projected rotation that includes 19-game winner Chien-Ming Wang, who lost twice to Cleveland in the playoffs; Mike Mussina, who will be 39 next month; and youngsters Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.

On another front, Cashman said he will use this week's GM meetings to explore options for replacing Rodriguez at third base.

"It's time to start scoping out all our needs," he said. "Third is one of them. That's not going to develop all that quickly."

Peterson sets record, Vikes top Chargers

Adrian Peterson raced to the NFL's single-game rushing record at the midpoint of his rookie season. Who knows how many more records he could have at the end of the year?

After giving up the longest play in league history on a missed field goal right before halftime, the Vikings turned to their amazing rookie and Peterson delivered — rushing for an NFL-record 296 yards in a 35-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Minnesota (3-5) pressured Philip Rivers into one of the worst games of his career and made sure LaDainian Tomlinson didn't come close to matching Peterson's performance.

San Diego (4-4) lost a November game for the first time since 2003 and reverted to the shaky play on both sides of the ball that led to a 1-3 start.

Here's what Peterson did:

• He topped 200 yards rushing for the second time in one season, a feat no other rookie has accomplished.

• He scored two of his three touchdowns and gained 253 yards in the second half, helping the Vikings rally from a 14-7 deficit they faced after Antonio Cromartie plucked a missed field goal out of the air and returned it 109 yards for a touchdown.

• He reached 1,036 yards rushing for the season, putting him on pace to smash Eric Dickerson's rookie record of 1,808 yards set in 1983. Dickerson's all-time record of 2,105 yards in 1984 is in reach, too.

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson got hurt again, and backup Brooks Bollinger was much better in the second half that included a 40-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice that put Minnesota in front 21-14.

But it's easy to look good handing off to Peterson.

Earlier in the quarter, he burst through a hole off left tackle for a 64-yard score. In the fourth, with the Vikings holding a 21-17 lead, Peterson stretched for extra yardage and had the ball stripped at the San Diego 20. The Chargers recovered with 10 minutes left.

After they punted, Mewelde Moore returned it 42 yards, and Peterson needed only one play to put the game away and show off his unique blend of power, speed and instinct once again. He ran around right end for a 46-yard touchdown, giving his team an 11-point lead midway through the quarter.

On the game's final possession, the Vikings put Peterson in to get the record with a 3-yard plunge through the middle.

There were nine punts over a 15-minute stretch that ended mercifully on the action-filled final drive of the second quarter.

The Vikings took possession at their 20 with 2:24 remaining with all three timeouts, but they mismanaged the clock again and let it move under 40 seconds when Jackson ran from the pocket and was knocked out of the game with an apparent neck injury during the tackle.

Bollinger came in and moved them close enough for Ryan Longwell to try a 57-yard field goal. It was on line, but just short — leaving Cromartie room to leap and catch the ball without stepping out.

He ran it back all the way, without being touched, and in the process gained 18 more yards than his team did on offense in the entire half.

Normally placid Minnesota coach Brad Childress was so frustrated he chucked his headset off. He was far more pleased after the break, despite two lost fumbles: one by Chester Taylor at the San Diego 3, plus the other by Peterson at the San Diego 20.

Rivers didn't have nearly as much fun. He went 19-for-42 for 197 yards.

He spent most of the game complaining to the officials, while the Chargers continually cost themselves field position with ill-timed penalties and made plenty of mistakes on both sides of the ball. Rivers fumbled two snaps and threw an interception midway through the fourth quarter that the Vikings turned into a short touchdown by Taylor to take a 35-17 lead.

Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 40 yards.

Oregon hands Arizona State first loss

Picked to finish in the middle of the Pac-10, Oregon has thrust itself into the heart of national title race. Dennis Dixon threw four touchdown passes before leaving with an injury, and the fourth-ranked Ducks defeated No. 6 Arizona State 35-23 on Saturday, their second consecutive victory over a Top 10 team.

When it ended, students poured out of the grandstand and mobbed the Ducks at midfield. Last week, the Ducks beat Southern California to set up the West Coast's biggest game of the season — Oregon was in fifth-place in the latest BCS standings while Arizona State was fourth.

Oregon's victory could be costly. Dixon, a Heisman Trophy contender, was hurt on a run early in the fourth quarter and did not return, though he was up and hopping on the sideline late in the game. Dixon completed 13-of-22 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns, and he also ran for 57 yards.

On a clear, crisp afternoon in the Willamette Valley, the largest crowd to attend a football game in the state, 53,379, turned out to watch the Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-10) hand the Sun Devils (8-1, 5-1) their first defeat.

Arizona State came into the game as one of five undefeated teams in major college football, with its own hopes for a national title run.

Oregon ended those hopes behind the deft playmaking of Dixon and the running of Jonathan Stewart, who ran for 99 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Ducks' oft-maligned defense sacked ASUs' Rudy Carpenter eight times.

The Ducks jumped ahead 21-3 and never trailed.

Oregon's lone loss came in the final minute against then-No. 6 California on Sept. 29. That defeat galvanized the Ducks, who have four straight.

Arizona State remains very much in the Rose Bowl picture despite the loss.

Carpenter showed no apparent effects of a sprained right thumb, which was bandaged. Carpenter completed his first seven passes and finished 22-of-36 for 379 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception.

The game pitted the Pac-10's top offense against its toughest defense. The Ducks averaged 43.8 points per game coming in, third in the nation, while the Sun Devils allowed 16.1 points.

The first possessions set the tone. On the game's first snap, Dixon hit Jaison Williams for a 43-yard strike to the Arizona State 33. Three plays later, Williams caught a screen in the right flat and raced 26 yards for a touchdown.

ASU answered with a methodical 11-play, 71-yard march. But with first-and-goal at the Oregon 3, the Ducks repelled Dimitri Nance on three consecutive runs, and the Sun Devils settled for a field goal to cut their deficit to 7-3.

The Ducks led 14-3 after one quarter. It was the fourth time this season Arizona State had faced a double-digit deficit after the first quarter.

Oregon stretched its lead to 21-3 on a seven-play, 75-yard drive early in the second quarter. The touchdown came when Dixon froze the defense with a play fake and found a wide-open Williams for a 27-yard score.

Dixon went 4-for-4 for 56 yards on the drive and ran twice for the other 19 yards.

That's when Arizona State awoke. The Sun Devils answered with 10 points to cut Oregon's lead to 21-13 at halftime.

Oregon took a 28-16 lead midway through the third quarter on a 33-yard touchdown run by Stewart. The Pac-10's leading rusher romped through a huge hole in the middle of the line, cut left and ran over a tackler at the goal line.

Dixon's fourth touchdown pass, a 19-yarder to Drew Davis, gave Oregon a 35-16 lead through three quarters.

Dixon was hurt on the Ducks' next possession, and he was replaced by Brady Leaf, who couldn't move the team.

The Sun Devils pulled within 35-23 on an 11-yard pass from Carpenter to Brent Miller with 5:17 to play.