(MENAFN- Arab Times) DENVER Oct 20 (Agencies): Peyton Manning threw his name into NFL history when he broke Brett Favre's record for touchdown passes on Sunday taking his career tally to 510 in leading Denver to a 42-17 rout of San Francisco 49ers. The 38-year-old Manning a five-time NFL Most Valuable Player came into the contest needing three TD passes to eclipse Favre's record of 508 and he'd done it before halftime. The record-breaking 509th was an eight-yard pass caught by Demaryius Thomas with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter. With the extra point the score put the Broncos up 21-3.
Fans erupted and a beaming Manning was congratulated by team-mates on the sidelines. 'Broncos fans you have just witnessed history' the public address announcer at Denver's Mile High Stadium boomed. Manning whose career once seemed in jeopardy as he battled to return to the field after four neck surgeries reached the record in his 246th game 56 games fewer than Favre who retired after the 2010 season. Manning had connected with Emmanuel Sanders with a three-yard scoring pass on Denver's opening drive. He tied Favre with a 39-yard pass caught by Wes Welker on Denver's second drive. The record-equalling TD was confirmed after a video review satisfied officials that Welker got the ball into the end zone clipping the pylon marking the outside edge of the goal line. After a 49ers field goal had made it 14-3 the Broncos again moved into scoring range. A pass interference call on San Francisco's Tramaine Brock set Denver up with the ball on the one-yard line. But Manning tripped on left guard Orlando Franklin's foot for a loss of seven yards on second-and-goal. On the next play however Thomas made a leaping catch on the edge of the end zone and was able to drag his right foot to stay inbounds for the score. Manning extended the record early in the second half. After San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick was intercepted Manning lofted a 40-yard touchdown pass to Thomas on the next play for number 510. Manning and Favre are the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw more than 500 TD passes. Retired great Dan Marino is third on the all-time list with 420 while New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is the next active player on the list with 374 followed by New England's Tom Brady with 372. 'Well deserved Peyton' Favre said on Twitter. 'Congratulations on breaking my record. #onto600.' With the record looming Manning insisted all week that he was less concerned with the milestone than with putting another win on the board as he tries to guide the Broncos back to the Super Bowl for a second straight season. In February they were pummelled 43-8 by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL's championship showcase. With the record in the bag Manning said it was 'humbling' to break a mark held by a player he has long admired. 'He played the position with so much passion and just great toughness and great productivity as a quarterback' Manning told NBC. He also paid tribute to the coaches and team-mates in Denver and in Indianapolis where he played the first 14 seasons of his NFL career who helped him reach the record. 'I think throwing a touchdown is a group effort' he said. 'The offensive line everybody. I really think about how grateful I am for all the team-mates and coaches that have helped me.' His Broncos team-mates injected a little humor into the emotional moment tossing the ball used on the record-breaking play among each other as Manning tried to grab it. He finally got it in his arms before it was turned over to a representative of the Pro Football Hall of Fame where it will be displayed. 'I haven't played keep-away since I was probably eight years old' Manning said. Jaguars 24 Browns 6 In Jacksonville the Jacksonville Jaguars are winless no more. Denard Robinson ran for a career-high 127 yards and a touchdown Jacksonville's defense came up big in the red zone and the Jaguars snapped a nine-game losing streak. Jacksonville (1-6) won for the first time since beating Houston on Dec. 15 2013. Blake Bortles connected with fellow rookie Allen Robinson for a 31-yard score and the game's first touchdown. It was really all the Jaguars needed on a day in which coach Gus Bradley's defense delivered time and time again. The Browns (3-3) settled for field goals in two trips inside the 20-yard line and failed to convert on fourth-and-1 at the 24. Cleveland which entered the game with the league's third-best rushing attack was held in check most of the day. The Browns ran 30 times for 69 yards including 36 by Ben Tate. Rams 28 Seahawks 26 In St. Louis punter Johnny Hekker's pass from the St. Louis 18 caught the Seattle Seahawks by surprise for the last of three big plays by Rams special teams. Stedman Bailey had a 90-yard touchdown on a trick return that fooled the Seahawks into thinking another player was going to catch the punt. Benny Cunningham's 75-yard kickoff return set up an early touchdown for the Rams (2-4). Russell Wilson rushed for 106 yards on seven carries and also passed for two touchdowns while going 23 for 36 for 313 yards. The Seahawks (3-3) dominated statistically outgaining the Rams 463-272. Doug Baldwin's' 9-yard reception cut the deficit to two with 3:18 to go but the Rams were able to run out the clock after Hekker's completion to Cunningham. Cowboys 31 Giants 21 In Arlington Texas Tony Romo threw three touchdown passes and DeMarco Murray broke Jim Brown's 56-year-old NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard rushing game to start a season. The Cowboys (6-1) won their sixth straight. Romo had a fourth scoring pass overturned on replay. Instead Murray wound up with his seventh TD rushing on a 1-yard plunge. Murray finished with 128 yards rushing to pass Brown who hit the century mark in the first six games of the 1958 season for Cleveland. The Cowboys are off to their best start since they went 13-3 in 2007 and were the top seed in the NFC before losing to New York in their first playoff game. Eli Manning had three touchdown passes for the Giants (3-4) who have lost at the NFC East's top two teams in consecutive weeks. Chiefs 23 Chargers 20 In San Diego Cairo Santos kicked a 48-yard field goal field goal with 21 seconds left and the Chiefs snapped the Chargers' five-game winning streak. The Chiefs moved into field goal range thanks to Alex Smith who completed three straight passes for 43 yards including a 29-yarder to Dwayne Bowe. Smith was playing on the same field where he led Helix High to consecutive San Diego Section championships. Coming off their bye the Chiefs (3-3) made the AFC West a three-team race pulling within 1 1/2 games of San Diego (5-2). The Denver Broncos (4-1) hosted San Francisco on Sunday night. The Chiefs' Andy Reid is 14-2 after a bye week the most victories for any coach. The Chargers flunked their sternest test in a month and lost for the first time since a defeat at Arizona in the season opener. Cardinals 24 Raiders 13 In Oakland California Carson Palmer threw two touchdown passes in his return to Oakland to send the Raiders to their 12th straight loss. Stepfan Taylor caught one touchdown pass and ran for another and Andre Ellington gained 160 yards from scrimmage for the Cardinals (5-1) who are off to their best start since 1976. Darren McFadden ran for a touchdown for the Raiders (0-6) off to their worst start to a season since losing their first 13 games in 1962 - the year before late owner Al Davis joined the franchise. Lions 24 Saints 23 In Detroit Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes in the final 3:38 including the winner to Corey Fuller with 1:48 remaining. The Saints (2-4) were in control late in the fourth quarter when Stafford found Golden Tate for a 73-yard catch-and-run that made it 23-17. Then Drew Brees was intercepted on third down by Glover Quin whose 23-yard return gave the Lions (5-2) the ball at the New Orleans 14. Detroit caught a break when Rafael Bush was called for pass interference on fourth down. Stafford eventually connected with Fuller in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown and the win. The Saints committed 12 penalties for 134 yards. Colts 27 Bengals 0 In Indianapolis Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes and the Colts' defense dominated Cincinnati. Luck was 27 of 42 for 344 yards as Indianapolis (5-2) won its fifth straight. It was Indy's first shutout since December 2008. Cincinnati (3-2-1) which hasn't won since starting 3-0 endured its first shutout since December 2009 and had a franchise record tying 11 punts Sunday. Andy Dalton was 18 of 38 for 126 yards. Indy churned out 506 yards struck early and pulled away late. Bradshaw's 1-yard TD run made it 10-0 in the second quarter and Luck threw two second-half TD passes to make it 24-0. Colts linebacker Erik Walden was ejected in the first half for making contact with umpire Bruce Stritesky. Packers 38 Panthers 17 In Green Bay Wisconsin Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns and Randall Cobb torched the Carolina secondary for 121 yards on receptions. Sure-tackling Green Bay (5-2) limited quarterback Cam Newton in the first half. The Packers scored touchdowns on their first three series and led 28-3 at halftime eliminating the threat of the Panthers' running game. Newton who had a career-high 17 carries last week had 41 yards rushing on seven attempts. He passed for 205 yards for Carolina (3-3-1). The Packers never looked back after Rodgers connected with Jordy Nelson for a 59-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive in winning their fourth straight. Eddie Lacy and James Starks each added TDs rushing in the first half. Ravens 29 Falcons 7 In Baltimore Elvis Dumervil and Pernell McPhee each had two sacks part of a dominant defensive performance that carried the Ravens. Baltimore (5-2) led 17-0 at halftime and coasted to its second straight blowout win. The Ravens beat Tampa Bay 48-17 last week. The Falcons (2-5) averted their first shutout loss since December 2004 when Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White for a 4-yard touchdown with 7:12 remaining. It was Atlanta's first fourth-quarter score in five games. Terrell Suggs sacked Ryan for a safety and Joe Flacco threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith on a fourth-and-9 to seal Baltimore's fourth win in five games. The Ravens allowed only four first downs in the pivotal first half and finished with five sacks in dealing the Falcons their fourth straight defeat. Dolphins 27 Bears 14 In Chicago Ryan Tannehill threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns in an efficient performance. Tannehill connected on his first 14 passes and was 25 of 32 overall helping Miami bounce back from a brutal 27-24 loss to Green Bay. Lamar Miller also had a 2-yard touchdown run for the Dolphins (3-3) who had lost three of four since an opening victory over New England. The Bears (3-4) remained winless in three home games this season and have dropped five of their last seven at Soldier Field. Matt Forte scored two touchdowns and Jeremiah Ratliff finished with a career-best 3 1/2 sacks. Redskins 19 Titans 17 In Landover Maryland Kai Forbath kicked a 22-yard field goal on the last play of the game and Colt McCoy stepped in after Kirk Cousins was benched at halftime to lead the Redskins. McCoy completed 11 of 12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in his first meaningful role in a win since Nov. 20 2011. Back then he led the Browns to a 14-10 victory over the Jaguars. The Redskins (2-5) snapped a four-game losing streak. The Titans fell to 2-5. McCoy's first pass was a career-long 70-yard touchdown to Pierre Garcon after the Redskins trailed 10-6 at halftime. Charlie Whitehurst was 17 for 26 for 160 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for the Titans. Bills 17 Vikings 16 In Orchard Park New York Kyle Orton hit Sammy Watkins on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1 second remaining. The touchdown capped a 15-play 80-yard drive which Orton extended by converting a fourth-and-20 and a third-and-12. Orton set up the decisive score with a 28-yard pass to Chris Hogan at the Vikings 2. Orton overcame an interception a lost fumble and six sacks to finish 31 of 43 for 283 yards and two touchdowns - both to Watkins. It was Orton's second last-second victory in three starts for Buffalo (4-3) which overcame injuries to running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. The Vikings' defense forced four turnovers. Teddy Bridgewater went 15 of 26 for 157 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as Minnesota (2-5) lost its third in a row.
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