Sports (washingtonpost.com)

Two-Minute Drill
Martin's Presence Drives the Jets

The Washington Post
Monday, Nov. 21, 2004, Page D12

With King, Cards Get Decked | Star of the Day
By the Numbers | Quotable | Sunday's Best | Looking Ahead

Knowing he was too hurt to be effective, running back Curtis Martin still wanted to be in the huddle as the New York Jets attempted to rally in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns. So he went to Jets Coach Herman Edwards and asked a favor.

"I said, 'Just let me go in there, let me look the offensive linemen in the eye and see if we can't get this thing going,' " Martin said.

Martin rushed for 88 yards on 17 carries and helped the visiting Jets come back for a 10-7 victory.

In the first quarter, he went over 1,000 yards this season, joining Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only players in NFL history to begin their careers with 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons.

Martin bruised his right knee in the second quarter and carried just twice in the fourth as the Jets rode the powerful LaMont Jordan, who spent the past week hoping for a chance at redemption after his option pass was intercepted in last Sunday's loss to Baltimore.

As the Jets' offense continued to misfire in the second half, Martin wanted back in, and Edwards finally let him. He picked up 13 yards on the first two snaps of New York's game-winning drive before the Jets put the ball in Jordan's hands.

Martin's return to the field may have been brief, but it inspired the Jets.

"I never count Curtis out," said Jordan, who rushed for 61 yards in the fourth quarter. "I've been around him for four years, and I've seen him play through some incredible injuries. You can't count Curtis Martin out unless he says he's out. Doctors can't even tell him no."

-- From News Services

With King, Cards Get Decked
First-year coach Dennis Green benched quarterback Josh McCown, who had started all nine games for Arizona. The move backfired as Shaun King struggled against the Panthers in a 35-10 loss in Charlotte.

King went 10 for 21 for 112 yards in the first half with two interceptions. Colin Branch intercepted both passes, returning the second one 76 yards to set up Nick Goings's one-yard score. King finished with 343 yards passing, most of it coming with the Panthers leading comfortably in the second half.

"We decided to start Shaun King because I think we've got to play better offensively," Green said. "In 31 years of experience, I made the decisions that I think will help us win. And I'm probably right a hell of a lot more than I'm wrong."

-- From News Services

Star of the Day
Edgerrin James ran for 204 yards and a touchdown to lead the Colts to a 41-10 victory over the Bears. James fell 16 yards short of surpassing his career-high rushing performance. He is the only running back in Colts history with two 200-yard games.

By the Numbers
2: Players in NFL history with two kickoff returns for touchdowns and two punt returns for touchdowns in the same season. The Lions' Eddie Drummond had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 22-19 loss to the Vikings yesterday and joined the Chiefs' Dante Hall in the exclusive club.
4: Touchdowns Dolphins quarterback A.J. Feeley has thrown to the other team, including Michael Boulware's 63-yard interception return for Seattle in the final minute yesterday.
35: Most touchdown passes in a season in Colts history. Peyton Manning threw four touchdowns in a 41-10 victory over the Bears to surpass his previous mark of 33, set in 2000.

Quotable
"It's the worst performance I've seen by them in the 20 years that I've owned them. They looked just like high school kids."
Saints owner Tom Benson after his team lost to the Broncos, 34-13.

Sunday's Best
Top Rushers (by yards)
204: Edgerrin James, Colts, 23 carries, 1 TD
166: Reuben Droughns, 28 carries, 1 TD
164: LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, 37 carries, 1 TD
129: Jerome Bettis, Steelers, 29 carries
121: Nick Goings, Panthers, 22 carries, 3 TDs
107: Tiki Barber, Giants, 21 carries
106: Michael Pittman, Bucs, 21 carries, 2 TDs
104: Michael Vick, Falcons, 15 carries
103: Fred Taylor, Jaguars, 21 carries
100: Kevin Jones, Lions, 19 carries

Top Passers (by yards)
383: Brett Favre, Packers, 33 of 50, 1 TD, 2 INTs
377: Aaron Brooks, Saints, 34 of 60, 1 TD, 3 INTs
343: Shaun King, Cardinals, 28 of 52, 1 TD, 3 INTs
287: Marc Bulger, Rams, 27 of 45, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
233: Daunte Culpepper, Vikings, 22 of 32, 2 TDs, 1 INT
232: Kyle Boller, Ravens, 23 of 34, 2 TDs
229: A.J. Feeley, Dolphins, 23 of 45, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Top Receivers (by yards)
148: Donald Driver, Packers, 10 catches, 1 TD
122: Donte Stallworth, Saints, 10 catches, 1 TD
118: Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers, 6 catches, 2 TDs
107: Andre Johnson, Texans, 6 catches
106: Todd Pinkston, Eagles, 5 catches
106: Reggie Wayne, Colts, 6 catches, 2 TDs
103: Chris Chambers, Dolphins, 9 catches, 1 TD
101: Antonio Gates, Chargers, 8 catches, 1 TD

Looking Ahead
Indianapolis at Detroit. It's the better of the two Thanksgiving day games. The other is Chicago, which lost to the Colts, 41-10, against Dallas, which fell to the Ravens, 30-10. Indianapolis is entertaining to watch most every week thanks to quarterback Peyton Manning and tailback Edgerrin James, who rushed for 204 yards yesterday.

Philadelphia at New York Giants. The Eli Manning era began officially yesterday, and the rookie quarterback figures to be tested against an Eagles defense that thrives on blitzing and applying heavy pressure with a variety of packages.

San Diego at Kansas City. The Chargers have been among the league's biggest surprises this season with Drew Brees's success complicating their plans to make Philip Rivers the quarterback of the future. The game has Chargers Coach Marty Schottenheimer going against a team he coached to seven playoff appearances.