CLEVELAND - As they left the tunnel, the Browns paused to touch the 1964 championship trophy. They then played as if they want one for themselves.
Inspired by a weekendlong celebration for the '64 Browns, the 2004 version pushed Baltimore around for three hours Sunday.
"They played like a team," Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown said. "They won, but it was more the way they won. They all contributed, every one of them."
Just as they did 40 years ago when the Browns won the last world title for any major Cleveland team. These Browns swarmed on defense, made big plays on offense, had no turnovers and won field position with special teams. "This is huge," cornerback Daylon McCutcheon said. "This sets the tone for the whole season."
Jeff Garcia threw a 46-yard touchdown pass and ran for another score in his Cleveland debut, and the defense held Jamal Lewis to 57 yards after he ran for 500 yards in two games against the Browns last season.
"We didn't think about it all week," said defensive end Kenard Lang, who tied a career-high with three sacks and forced a fumble. "We thought about it all year."
Cleveland also stole the spotlight from Deion Sanders, who came out of retirement for a chance to win another Super Bowl ring.
Chargers 27, Texans 20
HOUSTON - The Chargers dedicated their offseason to upgrading at quarterback. It turns out they might have done just that, even if he's the guy they were trying to replace. Drew Brees was 17-of-24 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, helping take the pressure off running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
"I worked tirelessly in the offseason to get to this point," said Brees, who appeared headed for the bench when the team acquired Philip Rivers, the No. 4 draft choice. The job reverted to Brees when Rivers missed most of training camp in a contract holdout. Meanwhile, Rivers started the season inactive as the emergency third quarterback.
Tomlinson had his usual strong game with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown. But he was practically a bystander midway into the fourth quarter when the score was tied at 20 and Brees led the Chargers using his new favorite target, tight end Antonio Gates.
Gates got the ball to the Houston 15 with a 29-yard catch, then San Diego overcame a holding penalty as Brees hit Eric Parker in the back of the end zone on a 19-yard pass. Houston protested the call, although replays failed to show whether Parker's toes landed inbounds.
"We didn't do anything. We lost," Texans cornerback Aaron Glenn said. "We didn't play any good at all. San Diego made plays."
Jets 31, Bengals 24
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When Curtis Martin asked for more carries in the preseason, he had this in mind: a brilliant start to the season and a victory for the Jets.
Martin had 29 carries for 196 yards and scored on a 24-yard run and 3-yard catch, helping New York ruin the debut of 2003 No. 1 draft pick Carson Palmer.
"I knew I was prepared," Martin said. "I knew that I was ready. When you know you're ready, your confidence is higher."
It soared during the game, taking away the hype from Palmer, who made his regular-season debut for Cincinnati. The Heisman Trophy winner commanded the offense well and made few mistakes, going 18-of-27 for 248 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
But trailing 31-24 with two minutes remaining, Palmer made his biggest miscue. From his 49, he heaved a pass for Chad Johnson. But rookie safety Erik Coleman stormed in and intercepted it, sealing the win.
Martin, 31, looked better, mainly because of his renewed effort to turn around the way he started the past two seasons. He ripped off long runs and broke tackles, and that helped open the offense. Chad Pennington threw two touchdowns, going 20-of-27 for 224 yards in the first season-opening start of his career. Last season, it took Martin four games to reach 196 yards.
Steelers 24, Raiders 21
PITTSBURGH - Fittingly on a day the Raiders and the Steelers brought back memories of the '70s by playing an unpredictable game featuring a comeback and a last-minute winner, the Steelers won by going retro.
Pittsburgh returned to its roots Sunday - a strong running game and creative pressure defense - to open an early two-touchdown lead, then held off the rebuilding Raiders thanks to Jeff Reed's 42-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.
"We were good at times, shaky at times, but we still did what we had to and won," quarterback Tommy Maddox said. "It was disappointing we let them back in the game, but everyone's excited we won."
Oakland showed off plenty of new, including coach Norv Turner, big defensive linemen Warren Sapp and Ted Washington and an offensive scheme redesigned to cover up its lack of playmakers.
Still, there was a lot of old left over from last season's 4-12 team, including four turnovers.
"The ball was on the ground way too much and that hurt us," said quarterback Rich Gannon, who passed for 305 yards but had a fumble and two interceptions.
"I think we knew coming in everything wasn't going to go perfect, but we made it difficult on ourselves."
Rams 17, Cardinals 10
ST. LOUIS - Marshall Faulk and Emmitt Smith quieted any talk about last hurrahs.
Faulk rushed for 128 yards on 22 carries to lead the Rams. Despite two knee operations in the last year, the 31-year-old running back's steady play helped the Rams overcome three costly turnovers that kept the game close.
Faulk, who has missed 11 games the past two seasons, shared time with first-round pick Steven Jackson, but it was clear who was getting most of the attention.
"He had an outstanding coming-out party," Jackson said. "And I think he answered a lot of questions about his knee."
Smith, the league's career leading rusher, also had a resurgent game, running for 87 yards on 16 carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run that put the Cardinals ahead 10-9 in the final minute of the third quarter. Smith, 35, was limited to only 256 yards last season due to injuries.
"Emmitt is a great back, a guy that I idolize, a guy that gets it done," Faulk said. "If you look at him out there you wonder, "What's he doing playing?' He makes things happen."
Smith took no solace in his effectiveness because the Cardinals lost: "The way I see it, it wasn't that good of a game. When you turn the ball over three times, there's no way that team that turned the ball over should be winning the game."
Vikings 35, Cowboys 17
MINNEAPOLIS - Daunte Culpepper played like a quarterback entering his prime, changing plays at the line, making all the right throws and protecting the ball like a wise old pro. He threw a career-high five touchdowns, two to Randy Moss.
"He's just got to drive the car," coach Mike Tice said, "and it's a pretty nice car he's driving."
The Vikings are hoping the 27-year-old Culpepper's inconsistent days of interceptions and fumbles are behind him. Against a depleted Dallas defense, he was sensational and efficient - going 17-for-23 for 242 yards with no turnovers and completing passes to nine different receivers.
"I don't feel I have to make a play all the time with all these guys around me," Culpepper said.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Vinny Testaverde did his best to match Minnesota's rising star. Testaverde was 29-for-50 for 355 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. His favorite target, former Buc Keyshawn Johnson, who caught nine for 111 yards in his first game with the Cowboys.
"We play 15 more games," Johnson said. "That's as positive as I can be. I'm not into losing."
Veteran Eddie George looked awfully slow and finished with 25 yards on eight rushes.
Lions 20, Bears 16
CHICAGO - Bracy Walker got one of the game balls and rightfully so.
Needing intravenous fluids to fight off dehydration, Walker rescued the Detroit Lions from the league's longest road losing streak.
He rambled 92 yards for a touchdown after teammate Shaun Rogers blocked a third-quarter field goal. And later he preserved Detroit's victory over the Bears, intercepting Rex Grossman's pass in the end zone with 18 second left.
"It's important to end the streak for all the obvious reasons," coach Steve Mariucci said after his team's 24-game stretch of road losses was wiped away. "We are glad it's over, believe me."
Detroit's victory spoiled the coaching debut of Lovie Smith, whose team was bogged down by penalties and mistakes.
The victory was a costly one for the Lions. They lost receiver Charles Rogers to a broken collarbone for the second straight year and he could miss most of the season. He got hurt going for a first-quarter pass.
Rogers, the second overall pick in the 2003 draft, played five games last season.
Detroit's Dre' Bly will have an MRI exam Tuesday after the Pro Bowl cornerback sprained a knee ligament in the first quarter.
Broncos 34, Chiefs 24
DENVER - Quentin Griffin might make the Broncos forget Clinton Portis after all.
Griffin ran for 156 yards and scored three touchdowns in his first game as Portis'
replacement, lifting the Broncos to a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC West
battle.
Denver traded Portis to Washington to get cornerback Champ Bailey, a potentially risky move
because Portis rushed for more than 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons.
Portis was superb in his debut with the Redskins, rushing for 148 yards and touchdown in a
16-10 victory over Tampa Bay.
Griffin was even better.
He dashed and dived his way to touchdown runs of 25 and 47 yards and caught a 1-yard
touchdown pass from Jake Plummer in the first quarter. Griffin broke Portis' team record for
most yards on opening day. Portis had 120 last season.
Bailey made the trade look even better.
He tipped away a pass to Tony Gonzalez in the second quarter on the first ball thrown his
direction, and intercepted another just before halftime when Trent Green scrambled and tried
throw over his head.
Bailey even got involved in the offense, lining up for a handful of plays and catching an
11-yard pass in the first half.
