Denver ? The offense wasn’t moving. Denver was facing overtime in the icy, bitter rain. Linebacker Ian Gold stuck his hand out, knocked down a pass, and with that, the Broncos showed that Washington isn’t the only team that can find odd and ugly ways to win the close ones.

Gold knocked away Mark Brunell’s two-point conversion pass with 1:09 left Sunday to help Denver hang onto a 21-19 victory and keep the Redskins from adding yet another fantastic finish to their charmed season.

“Later in the season, you don’t remember how they came, you only remember it’s a win,” said Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, held to 92 yards passing in the driving rain.

The problems that plagued Plummer, however, didn’t bother Brunell.

He went 30-for-53 for 322 yards and drove the Redskins 94 yards for the touchdown – an 11-yard pass to Chris Cooley – that pulled Washington (3-1) within two.

On the conversion try, Brunell spotted David Patten open in the back of the end zone for a moment, but Gold came over and batted down the pass to prevent a possible overtime.

“You saw what his speed and athleticism will do,” Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. “It was a hell of a play.”

The Redskins won their first three games by a total of six points, including a grinding 20-17 overtime victory last week that came only after Seattle kicker Josh Brown hit the upright on the last play of regulation. This time, though, there was no great finish.

Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell, front, looks for a target while under pressure by Denver defensive tackle Gerard Warren. The Redskins fell to the Broncos, 21-19, Sunday in Denver.

“This one is going to hurt. It’s supposed to hurt,” Brunell said.

While Gold’s big play saved the game, Tatum Bell made the difference for Denver (4-1) the rest of the time, rushing for 127 yards and two long scores to help the Broncos to a 21-10 lead.

In the first quarter, Bell took a toss on fourth-and-one and faked out Phillip Daniels en route to a 34-yard score. That stood as Bell’s longest career run until the third quarter, when he burst through the Washington defense on a sweep for a 55-yard touchdown to put the Broncos ahead by 11.

“I just have to keep working,” said Bell, demoted behind Mike Anderson in training camp this year. “I don’t want to just be a ‘one-game wonder.’ I want to be the starter.”

The Broncos won their fourth straight despite missing Champ Bailey, who sat out his second straight game because of a sore hamstring. It put a damper on what was supposed to be the first meeting between him and Clinton Portis since the Redskins and Broncos pulled off a blockbuster trade and swapped the two stars before last season.

Portis, a flamboyant and temperamental playmaker during his two years in Denver, ran for 103 yards on 20 carries for the Redskins and was booed pretty much every time he touched the ball.

Jets 14, Buccaneers 12

East Rutherford, N.J. – Vinny Testaverde looked as comfortable in the pocket for New York as he was watching them from his couch two weeks ago. The Meadowlands crowd welcomed Testaverde back with rousing cheers and a standing ovation, and in the end, he deserved it: The 41-year-old quarterback led the Jets to a victory over Tampa Bay.

Patriots 31, Falcons 28

Atlanta – The host Falcons kept coming back, even without Michael Vick, but Tom Brady and the New England Patriots simply don’t lose two in a row.

New England tight end Benjamin Watson (84) celebrates his second-half touchdown with teammate tight end Christian Fauria. The Patriots won, 31-28, Sunday in Atlanta.

Brady threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns before Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to lead injury-plagued New England past Atlanta.

Matt Schaub filled in admirably for the injured Vick, matching Brady with three TD passes while rallying the Falcons from deficits of 14-0 and 28-13 against the defending Super Bowl champions.

Packers 52, Saints 3

Green Bay, Wis. – Brett Favre made the most of a makeshift offense and carried Green Bay to a needed victory.

Favre completed 19 of 27 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in three quarters, and the Packers earned their first victory of the season by routing New Orleans.

After going three-and-out and giving up a field goal, Green Bay (1-4) scored 52 unanswered points in snapping a four-game losing streak at Lambeau Field that dated to Dec. 12. Their 35-point first-half outburst was their biggest one-half output since Dec. 6, 1992, against Detroit.

Browns 20, Bears 10

Cleveland – Trent Dilfer connected with wide receiver Antonio Bryant for two touchdowns in a 38-second span late in the fourth quarter as Cleveland rallied to top sputtering Chicago.

With the Browns (2-2) trailing 10-6, Dilfer, making his 100th career start, hit Bryant for a 33-yard TD with 3:02 left. The scoring strike was Dilfer’s 100th career TD pass, and five plays later, he got No. 101.

Bills 20, Dolphins 14

Orchard Park, N.Y. – No matter who the starting quarterback was, Nate Clements and Buffalo’s veteran defense wouldn’t let this one get away.

With Buffalo on the verge of squandering a 17-point lead, Clements stripped Miami running back Ronnie Brown of the ball, securing the victory.

Seahawks 37, Rams 31

St. Louis – Joe Jurevicius, vaulted to the top of Seattle’s depth chart because of injuries, had a career-best nine catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, and Shaun Alexander ran for a pair of scores in a victory over St. Louis.

The Seahawks – playing without Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram – moved into first place in the NFC West. Seattle (3-2) ended a four-game losing streak against the Rams that included a first-round playoff loss last season.

Lions 35, Ravens 17

Detroit – Kevin Jones scored two first-quarter touchdowns, and Detroit beat Baltimore, helped in part by the Ravens’ 21 penalties – one short of the NFL record – and two ejections. Dre’ Bly had two interceptions and recovered a fumble for the Lions (2-2), who lost their previous game at Tampa Bay when a TD catch by Lions tight end Marcus Pollard was reversed by replay with 13 seconds left.

Titans 34, Texans 20

Houston – Steve McNair threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Tennessee over hapless Houston.

The performance gave him more than 25,000 career yards passing. He is the second player in franchise history and the 49th player to reach the mark. Titans coach Jeff Fisher earned his 100th victory.

Cowboys 33, Eagles 10

Irving, Texas – Throwing deep from the start and gladly taking all kinds of chances, Drew Bledsoe and Dallas jumped on Philadelphia with two early touchdowns and turned it into a stunning rout.

The Cowboys led 17-0 before the Eagles had a first down and were up 27-3 at halftime, having scored on five of six possessions.

Colts 28, 49ers 3

San Francisco – Against a struggling opponent with a rookie quarterback and a patchwork defense, Peyton Manning and the Colts were only as good as they needed to be.

Edgerrin James rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown, and the Colts intercepted four passes by No. 1 draft pick Alex Smith to remain unbeaten.

Panthers 24, Cardinals 20

Tempe, Ariz. – Jake Delhomme threw two touchdown passes to Steve Smith, one for 65 yards in the first half and a four-yarder with 6:54 to go to give Carolina (3-2) a come-from-behind victory over Arizona.

Delhomme completed 18 of 29 passes for 243 yards and two scores. He was intercepted once.

Arizona (1-4), leading 20-10 after three quarters, had the ball twice after Carolina’s go-ahead score.

Jaguars 23, Bengals 20

Jacksonville, Fla. – Byron Leftwich threw two touchdowns, Fred Taylor ran for a season-high 132 yards, and the Jaguars handed the Bengals their first loss of the season.

Cincinnati started 4-0 for the first time since 1988 – the franchise’s last Super Bowl season – and entered the game as one of the last two undefeated teams in the league.