Jets end losing streak

AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Round-up

The hapless New York Jets finally broke their 11-month losing streak with a 31-21 victory in Arizona. Rich Kotite, the beleaguered Jets coach, was clearly relieved. "When the last ball was caught, everyone relaxed. It's just great," he said.

Keyshawn Johnson, the Jets first-round draft pick who had guaranteed that his team would not finish the season 0-16, did his part by catching a 34-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. But most of the damage was done by Adrian Murrell, who carried the ball 31 times for 199 yards and capped a 90-yard drive with a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Jets' victory meant that the Atlanta Falcons are the only team in the NFL without a win this season. The Falcons were close to breaking their duck, but with three seconds remaining Norm Johnson kicked a 20- yard field goal to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a 20-17 victory.

In the race for places in the play-offs, the Washington Redskins won their seventh game in a row. Terry Allen scored three touchdowns in a 31-16 defeat of the Indianapolis Colts. Washington are enjoying their best start to a season since 1991, when they last won Super Bowl.

Thier closest rivals in the NFC both had narrow victories. Brett Favre, Green Bay's quarterback, failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 17 games as his team squeezed past Tampa Bay 13-7. Antonio Freeman, Green Bay's leading receiver, broke an arm and will be out of action for at least a month.

San Francisco also had injury problems as they came from behind to beat the Houston Oilers 10-9. Steve Young, who has only just recovered from an injury, suffered concussion in the 49ers' opening drive and took no further part in the game. Elvis Grbac, San Francisco's back-up quarterback, is out of action with a separated shoulder, so the 49ers were forced to use Jeff Brohm, their third choice.

In the big match in the AFC, the Denver Broncos avenged their only loss of the season so far with a 34-7 demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs. John Elway completed 16 of 31 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns as Broncos finished with a total of 499 yards of offense.