NFL Sunday Review 11/16

Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb didn’t even know it was possible that he could end up kissing his sister.

But that’s what McNabb and his Eagles teammates got on Sunday in Week No. 11 of the NFL season.

Ditto for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Eagles and Bengals played to a 13-13 tie, the first in the NFL since the 2002 season and only the fifth tie score in the last 20 years of play (1989-2008).

No one was more surprised than McNabb (right) that it ended – 3 hours, 46 minutes after the opening kickoff – because the veteran quarterback thought it would keep going until someone scored, just like a playoff game.

“I didn’t know that,” said McNabb. “I’ve never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie.”

It was the first tied game since Nov. 10, 2002, when the Falcons and Steelers finished 34-34. These teams combined for 37 possessions that produced just a pair of touchdowns, one for each team. Combined they had 124 rushing yards.

“It almost feels like we lost because we were winning the majority of the game,” said Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. “It feels weird.”

Sunday’s highlight game was Tennessee’s visit to Jacksonville. The Titans won 24-14 to go 10-0 on the season. They became the 11th team in NFL history to start 10-0.

The day’s most unusual outcome came at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, when the Steelers beat San Diego 11-10. It was the first time an NFL game finished with that score. Only, it should not have finished with that score.

Troy Polamalu returned an errant lateral 12 yards for an apparent touchdown on the final play of the game, but the outcome was overturned on review — it was called an illegal forward pass — and the 11-10 final was restored.

After the game, referee Scott Green said the officials realized afterward the touchdown should have counted, though it wouldn’t have affected the result.

PERFORMANCES TO REMEMBER

The Panthers amassed a single-game team-record 264 rushing yards on 32 carries against Detroit …. The Eagles had eight sacks of Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to take the NFC lead in that category … Pittsburgh had a time of possession advantage of 13 minutes 2 seconds over San Diego.

PERFORMANCES TO FORGET

Seattle ran 22 times for 43 yards, with a long run of seven yards against Arizona … Baltimore had the best rush defense in the league coming into Sunday, but that is likely to change after it gave up 207 yards on the ground to the New York Giants … Donovan McNabb threw three interceptions for the first time since 2006. Philadelphia tried to pass on all 18 of its third-down plays, including three third-and-1 plays. The Eagles converted only three of their third-down plays … the Raiders have scored 33 points in the first half this season the lowest total in the NFL … the Texans are 0-5 on the road this season … the 49ers committed three consecutive false starts and another penalty in the first 6 seconds of the fourth quarter … Seattle is off to its worst start since the 1992 team was 1-8 en route to 2-14. Exiting head coach Mike Holmgren, who called the game against Arizona a “must-win,” has the first 2-8 start in his 17 years as a head coach … San Diego is 0-3 in eastern time zone games.

NOTES TO REMEMBER

Tennessee extended its franchise-record winning streak in the regular season to 13 … Arizona is 7-3 for the first time since 1977, when they were in St. Louis … the Packers have nine return touchdowns (six INT, two punts, one fumble) this season … the Panthers are 8-2 for the first time since 2003, when they played the Patriots in the Super Bowl … Detroit QB Daunte Culpepper came up with his 34th career rushing touchdown, which is most among active quarterbacks … Detroit K Jason Hanson tied his career high and Lions team record with a wind-aided 56-yard FG in the first half against Carolina. He also passed Nick Lowery for eighth place on the NFL’s career scoring list with 1,714 points … the Giants won their sixth straight game at home to start the year. It is the first time they’ve done that since 1990 … Baltimore K Matt Stover set an NFL record, kicking his 372nd consecutive point after touchdown … the Dolphins have won four straight for the first time since November of 2006 … Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning passed Fran Tarkenton for seventh on the NFL’s career completions list. Tarkenton had 3,686 completions; Manning now has 3,702 … the Chargers are 1-5 on the road this season.

LONG PLAYS OF THE DAY

93-Oakland PR Johnnie Lee Higgins returned a punt 97 yards for a TD against Miami.

77-New York Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw had a 77-yard run against Baltimore.

71-Houston RB Steve Slaton had a 71-yard TD run against Indianapolis.

61-Houston WR Kevin Walter caught a 61-yard pass against Indianapolis.

58-Denver WR Eddie Royal had a 58-yard kickoff return against Atlanta.

58-Washington KR Rock Cartwright had a 58-yard kickoff return against Dallas.

RUSHING

156-Houston’s Steve Slaton ran 14 times for 156 yards and a TD against Indianapolis.

145-Green Bay’s Ryan Grant ran 25 times for 145 yards and a TD against Chicago.

130-Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart ran for 130 yards on 15 carries and a TD against Detroit.

120-Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams ran 14 times for 120 yards and 2 TDs against Detroit.

115-Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker had 25 carries for 115 yards against San Diego.

114-Dallas’ Marion Barber had 114 yards o n 24 carries and a TD against Washington.

112-Detroit’s Kevin Smith ran for 112 yards on 24 carries against Carolina.

106-San Francisco’s Frank Gore had 18 carries for 106 yards and 2 TDs against St. Louis.

105-Indianapolis’ Joseph Addai had 22 carries for 105 yards and a TD against Houston.

101-Miami’s Ronnie brown ran 16 times for 101 yards against Oakland.

PASSING

142.3-San Francisco’s Shaun Hill was 15 of 20 for 213 yards and 2 TDs against St. Louis.

112.3-Tennessee’s Kerry Collins completed 13 of 23 passes for 230 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT against Jacksonville.

106.4-Denver’s Jay Cutler after hitting 19 of 27 for 216 yards and one TD against Atlanta.

105.8-Minnesota’s Gus Frerotte completed 14 of 20 passes for 138 yards and a TD against Tampa Bay.

105.8-Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers hit 23 of 30 passes for 227 yards, 2 TDs and I INT against Chicago.

101.4-Tampa Bay’s Jeff Garcia was 23 of 30 for 255 yards against Minnesota.

RECEIVING

186-Arizona WR Anquan Boldin caught 13 passes for 186 yards against Seattle.

151-Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 151 yards against Seattle.

149-Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught 12 passes for 149 yards and a TD against Philadelphia.

147-Tennessee WR Justin Gage caught four passes for 147 yards and 2 TDs against Jacksonville.

124-Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward grabbed 11 passes for 124 yards against San Diego.

102-New Orleans WR Lance Moore caught eight passes for 102 yards and a TD against the Chiefs.

DEFENSE

Green Bay’s Jason Hunter returned a fumble 54 yards for a TD against Chicago.

New York Giants CB Aaron Ross returned an interception 50 yards for a TD against Baltimore.

Oakland defense sacked Miami QB Chad Pennington in the end zone for a safety.

Pittsburgh defense tackled San Diego ball carrier in end zone for a safety.

Carolina’s Julius Peppers, Trent Cole and Darren Howard of Philadelphia, St. Louis’ Jason Craft, Jay Ratliff of Dallas and Jacques Cesaire of San Diego all had two sacks each.

SPECIAL TEAMS

New York Giants DT Fred Robbins blocked a 32-yard FG attempt by Baltimore’s Matt Stover.

Oakland’s Johnnie Lee Higgins returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown against Miami.