Clinton Portis scores five touchdowns for Denver.
By The Associated Press

DENVER – Clinton Portis is getting better every week, keeping the Denver Broncos in the playoff hunt.

Portis had 218 yards and a team-record five touchdowns, leading Denver to a wild 45-27 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that kept the Broncos within reach of their first playoff appearance in three years.

Portis impressed teammates with a 34-carry, 170-yard game in the rain last week against Oakland, but was even better this time.

He had touchdown runs of 11 and 1 yards in the first half, then added scores of 59, 28 and 53 yards in the second to turn the game into a rout. Portis had 188 yards after halftime and finished with his fifth consecutive 100-yard game – third straight with at least 160 yards.

Portis’ effort helped Denver (8-5) tie Miami for the final AFC playoff spot and prevented Kansas City (11-2) from winning its first division title since 1997.

Trent Green threw for 397 yards and Priest Holmes scored two touchdowns, but the Chiefs struggled after a big first half to lose for the second time in four weeks after a 9-0 start.

Denver scored on three of four possessions in the first half, and kept rolling in the second.

The Broncos opened with a 78-yard scoring drive, capped by Reuben Droughns’ 3-yard touchdown catch that put the Broncos up 24-21.

Jaguars 27, Texans 0

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s improving defense left Houston still looking for its first winning streak and rookie quarterback Dave Ragone still in search of his first scoring drive.

Tony Brackens had two sacks to help Jacksonville stifle Houston’s undermanned offense for a 27-0 victory Sunday. The Jaguars (4-9) handed the second-year Texans (5-8) their first shutout and pulled within one game Houston in the “race” for third place in the AFC South.

Brackens got his fifth and sixth sacks of the season. Fred Taylor broke a late 62-yard run to finish with a season-high 163. Jimmy Smith caught a 32-yard touchdown and Byron Leftwich threw for 194 yards to lift Jacksonville to its second straight victory.

The Texans, meanwhile, lost a good chance to put together the first winning streak in the franchise’s short history. But coming off a win over Atlanta last week, Houston’s hopes were hurt when starting quarterback David Carr (shoulder) and running back Domanick Davis (thigh) were scratched.

Colts 29, Titans 27

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Call the Indianapolis Colts road warriors – and possibly AFC South champs.

Edgerrin James ran for two touchdowns and Mike Vanderjagt kicked five field goals as the Colts beat Tennessee 29-27 to sweep the defending division champion Titans, taking control of the division with three games remaining.

The Colts (10-3) improved to 6-1 on the road by scoring 19 straight points and forcing four fumbles, which they turned into nine points.

In this game featuring would-be MVP quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Steve McNair, Manning easily outplayed McNair, even using his legs to scramble for a couple of first downs. He ran for 20 yards and was 22-of-34 for 228 yards.

McNair still nearly rallied the Titans (9-4) to a tie, throwing two touchdown passes in the final 9:24 and even running for a 2-point conversion.

Steelers 27, Raiders 7

PITTSBURGH – A week after coach Bill Callahan labeled them the dumbest-playing team in America, the Oakland Raiders are nearing another distinction: the NFL’s worst team.

The Raiders’ collapse a season after playing in the Super Bowl reached new depths Sunday as Antwaan Randle El’s playmaking led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 27-7 victory in a matchup of disappointing teams.

Jerome Bettis moved past Thurman Thomas into ninth place on the NFL career rushing list with 106 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown run that put Pittsburgh up 10-3 in the second.

It was the first 100-yard game by a Steelers runner this season and only Bettis’ second in 21/2 seasons.

Bettis has 12,116 yards and needs only 5 more to pass former Steelers star Franco Harris and move into eighth place. Harris would remain Pittsburgh’s all-time leader since Bettis had 3,091 yards with the Rams.

Ravens 31, Bengals 13

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens made Cincinnati look like the same old Bengals.

Jamal Lewis ran for 180 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and the Ravens gained sole possession of first place in the AFC North with a 31-13 victory Sunday.

The Bengals (7-6) came in looking to enhance their turnaround season with a fifth straight win.

Instead, they played a game that was all too typical of their recent past.

Cincinnati committed five turnovers, yielded a season-high six sacks and had no answer for the punishing runs of Lewis, who scored on runs of 1, 3 and 13 yards.

Despite playing with a sprained wrist, Lewis ran for 96 yards in the second half and bolstered his lead as the NFL’s leading rusher.

Bills 17, Jets 6

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Pain couldn’t stop Travis Henry. Neither could the New York Jets.

Continuing to play with a broken bone in his right leg and torn rib cartilage, Henry ran for a career-high 169 yards and a touchdown, carrying the Buffalo Bills to a 17-6 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Drew Bledsoe had an efficient performance, finishing 9-of-15 for 72 yards and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reed. And the defense, led by Sam Adams’ two sacks, limiting the Jets to two field goals – the first time in Chad Pennington’s 18 career starts that New York has failed to score a touchdown.

The victory kept Buffalo (6-7) on the fringes of the playoff hunt while the loss all but mathematically eliminated the Jets (5-8), who failed to build off the momentum of last Monday’s 24-17 upset win over Tennessee. After the Bills took a 7-3 lead into halftime, Henry helped seal the victory with a 4-yard scamper, putting Buffalo up 14-3 midway through the third quarter.

Henry keyed the drive with eight carries for 52 yards.