American Football: Brooks double inspires Saints

With four weeks remaining in the regular season, the intensity of the game has clearly been raised a notch as the leading contenders prepare themselves for an assault on the Super Bowl. That was especially evident in New Orleans, where the Saints faced a situation in which they simply had to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to keep their hopes intact.

A bitter defensive battle ensued with the Saints, losers of three of their last four, holding out for a vital 23-20 triumph. The Tampa defence pounded the New Orleans quarterback, Aaron Brooks, forcing him from the game with an arm injury. However, by that time, Brooks had thrown the two touchdown passes which ensured his side's triumph. Saints' defenders did the rest, forcing three turnovers and sacking Tampa's quarterback, Brad Johnson, four times.

San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos found themselves locked in a similarly epic duel, with each team knowing that defeat could spell the end of their championship hopes.

The Broncos jumped to an early 10-point lead, but then San Diego's LaDanian Tomlinson ran riot. Tomlinson shattered the franchise single-game record by gaining 220 yards, scoring three touchdowns, but still Denver would not yield. A late Jason Elam field goal sent the affair to overtime, where more drama awaited. The San Diego kicker, Steve Christie, had a 38-yard attempt blocked. The Broncos were unable to capitalise however, and Christie atoned with a successful 27-yard attempt to give the Chargers a 30-27 win.

The Atlanta quarterback, Michael Vick, set a new all-time NFL record by rushing for 173 yards in his team's 27-21 win in Minnesota, erasing the previous mark of 150 yards which had stood for over half a century.

Vick accounted for 346 of his team's 379 total yards, but this time it was his legs, rather than his powerful arm, which did the damage. The thrilling young prospect lost two fumbles and an interception, but still led his team with a dazzling 46-yard touchdown run in overtime to secure the result. "He's changing the nature of the game," said Minnesota's Henri Crockett, Vick's team-mate in Atlanta last year. "Soon there will be no more pocket passers."

There will as long as Brett Favre stays healthy. The Green Bay quarterback overcame flu to inspire his team with a pair of touchdowns on the way to a 30-20 verdict over the Chicago Bears, a result which confirms the Packers as the first of this season's play-off qualifiers.

The Philadelphia Eagles look set to join them. Despite being reduced to fielding their third-string quarterback, A J Feeley, the Eagles dominated the St Louis Rams defensively, forcing five turnovers and sacking Kurt Warner eight times.

The Tennessee Titans kept their prospects intact with an overtime win over the New York Giants. There were important wins also for the Indianapolis Colts, who brushed aside the Houston Texans; the Pittsburgh Steelers, who held on for a win in Jacksonville; and the San Francisco 49ers, who prevailed unconvincingly over Seattle.

However, Miami hopes froze in the Buffalo snow as Drew Bledsoe threw three touchdown passes for the home team.