Rex Grossman signed a one-year contract Saturday with the Chicago Bears and will compete for the starting quarterback job.

Grossman, a 2003 first-round draft pick, started the Super Bowl for the Bears after an up-and-down season in 2006. He struggled again last year and was benched following the third game. He returned for five more games before injuring his left knee.

Grossman passed for 913 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for an 80.2 passer rating when he returned. In the first three games, his 45.2 rating with one TD and six interceptions contributed to the Bears’ 1-2 start.

“Rex has won a lot of football games for us around here,” coach Lovie Smith said. “You look at how he played at the end of the football season until he came up with that injury, he is playing good football.”

Grossman has started 30 games with 489 completions in 900 attempts (54.3 percent) for 5,907 yards with 31 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His career passer rating is 70.9.

“We wanted him because we feel like he gives us the best opportunity to be the best team we can be going into this next season,” general manager Jerry Angelo said.

Angelo confirmed Grossman will battle Kyle Orton for the starting quarterback spot and that there could be two other quarterbacks on the roster next season. Angelo did not include veteran backup Brian Griese in those plans, and it’s possible Griese will be cut in early March before he is due a $300,000 roster bonus.

“It’s an open competition,” Smith said. “It’s not like we promised Rex a starting position, or any of the guys a starting position. They’re coming to Chicago because they feel good about competing for the starting job.”

Angelo said stabilizing the quarterback position is the team’s biggest priority, but Grossman’s contract doesn’t help much because he would be a free agent after the 2008 season without a contract extension.

“With one-year deals you’re not solving anything,” Angelo said. “You’re still in the hunt, so to speak. We certainly feel good about the people who are contending at the position, but it’s not solved yet.”

The Bears hope signing Grossman provides leverage to bring wide receiver Bernard Berrian back to the team. He becomes a free agent Friday.

“We’re using everything we possibly can,” Smith said. “Bernard has been a big part of what we’ve done. He’s come up through the ranks with us.

“We’d like to see him finish it at our place. Hopefully, signing guys like Rex will help.”

Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Saturday he expects Berrian and fellow client Lance Briggs to enter free agency rather than sign a contract with the Bears.

“I would say at this time I would project that those guys would at least get to free agency, or at least the beginning of it” Rosenhaus said at the NFL scouting combine. “But the Bears are going to be in the mix as we continue to talk with other teams.

“We’re going to have a good, healthy dialogue with them.”

The New England Patriots‘ path to perfection has one last hurdle: a New York team of road warriors hoping for a Giant upset.

“We’ll try to elevate our game for one last performance,” said Tom Brady, the Patriots’ dimple-chinned, record-setting quarterback with the model girlfriend.

Brady and the Patriots (18-0) will try to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to complete an undefeated season when they face Eli Manning and the Giants on Feb. 3 in the Super Bowl at Glendale, Ariz.

“I think you enter the season and you’re hoping to put together a bunch of great wins and you realize there’s challenges every step of the way,” Brady said after beating San Diego 21-12 in the AFC championship game Sunday. “To not have a letdown like most teams have — we had a few letdowns or times where we didn’t play our best, but we overcame them.”

Standing in the Patriots’ way are the Giants (13-6) and Manning — Peyton’s little brother, whose moxie and leadership abilities no longer can be questioned.

“We haven’t been given a shot, but we’re here,” Manning said of his Giants, who have won 10 straight on the road — including a 23-20 overtime win at Green Bay in the NFC title game. “I think we’re deserving of it.”

Las Vegas oddsmakers might think differently. They installed New England as a 13 1/2 -point favorite in the big game, in which New York will get another shot at destroying the Patriots’ path to perfection.

New England won 38-35 in its final game of the regular season, rallying from a 12-point second-half deficit against the Giants. The teams also played in the preseason finale, when New England won — with Brady sitting that one out.

Brady and the Patriots are playing in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven years. A win in this one would rank the Patriots as perhaps the greatest champion in NFL history — Spygate a long-forgotten speedbump.

In that scandal, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for violating league rules by training a sideline camera on New York Jets coaches in their season-opening win. New England was stripped of its first-round draft pick next season, but the team stood by its coach.

And the Patriots never wavered.

“I think there’s special guys on this team that have stepped up all year when they needed to,” Brady said.

Maybe none more than New England’s record-breaking — and heartbreaking — quarterback.

Brady started this special season by becoming a father for the first time as his ex-girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan, gave birth to their son. Brady’s now dating former Victoria’s Secret model Gisele Bundchen, making them gossip fodder around the world.

When the football-hurling heartthrob got back to business, he became a cover story for other reasons.

Brady threw an NFL-record 50 touchdown passes in the regular season, with 23 of those to Randy Moss, who topped Jerry Rice’s record. Brady was also the league’s Most Valuable Player in helping New England score an NFL-record 589 points.

“They played great all year,” Belichick said. “I’m very lucky to coach this team.”

Linebacker Junior Seau quickly returned the compliment: “Bill is definitely the best coach ever.”

And the Patriots are on the verge of making NFL history.

“Now we can look ahead,” Belichick said.

They sure can. And they’ll see a familiar foe in the Giants, whose run through the playoffs into their first Super Bowl since 2001 was jump-started by their valiant effort against the Patriots in the last week of the regular season.

“That got us going, momentum,” Manning said.

This is the same New York team that gave up 80 points in its first two games and had fans calling for coach Tom Coughlin to be fired. Those same fans also wondered whether Manning, acquired in a draft-day deal in 2004, would ever become a franchise-type quarterback like his brother.

Little brother is now in the Super Bowl with a chance to bring home a title of his own.

“It’s exciting, but it’s not about me,” Manning said in his typical aw-shucks manner. “It’s about this whole team.”

Sure, Manning had a big hand in the Giants’ success, especially when the games took on greater meaning. He has been flawless in the postseason, completing a number of clutch throws without a turnover.

“It’s just a matter of getting hot at the right time,” Manning said. “It feels good because this is what you work for.”

New York became the first NFC wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl since Dallas in 1975. And the Giants did it the hard way, winning all their road games after dropping their season opener at Dallas.

“We’re going on the road again,” Coughlin said. “That’s good.”

New York visited Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay in the playoffs and went home winners. Next up is the biggest game of them all and a chance to make history by ending New England’s attempt at football immortality.

“We have a lot of faith and trust in ourselves,” Manning said.

At least neither team will have to worry about a frigid forecast in Arizona. On Sunday, New England beat San Diego in 23-degree temperatures at Foxborough, Mass., while New York edged Green Bay in subzero conditions at Lambeau Field.

“I’m glad it’s warm weather,” Brady said, flashing that familiar smile. “Weather won’t be a factor. It should be exciting.”

The 2007 season was outstanding for a bunch of fresh faces.

Sixteen players, including league MVP Tom Brady, made The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team for the first time.

Yes, the record-setting New England quarterback who has won three Super Bowls in his eight pro seasons never was chosen an All-Pro, beaten out by the likes of fellow MVPs Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon.

Among the other newcomers were Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who led the league with 10 interceptions; Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware; and Titans placekicker Rob Bironas.

“This year, I think I proved a lot of people wrong, with everybody saying how my knee injury was going to affect me,” said Cromartie, whose first healthy NFL season was 2007. “I mean, I’m two years off of it. My biggest thing was proving everybody wrong.”

Bironas also has proven himself in the NFL after spending four years playing indoor football. He made a record eight field goals in a win at Houston, and was 35-for-39, plus a perfect 28-of-28 on PATs.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Bironas. “I didn’t have any doubt in myself when I got started on this journey in high school. That was my dream to play in the pros, and I just kept pursuing it. I wanted to be one of the better kickers in the NFL, and this year I was able to do that.”

Ware one was of the top linebackers, a pass-rushing threat who also was solid against the run. Offensive coordinators needed to account for Ware on every down.

“Coming from a smaller college, playing defensive end, and then converting to linebacker, seeing how over the years I’ve gotten better and better coverage-wise and stopping the run and, secondly, rushing the passer,” Ware said of his improvement since being a 2005 first-round draft pick out of Troy. “Now, I feel like I’m a well-rounded linebacker. Now I’m getting put in the realm with those other guys that have been here seven, eight years and have been great players. So you really see how your hard work pays off. It’s a great thing.”

The greatest thing in the NFL during the regular season: the Patriots. Along with Brady, who drew 49 1/2 of the ballots from 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL — one voter split at quarterback between Brady and Green Bay’s Brett Favre — New England had wide receiver Randy Moss (a unanimous choice), tackle Matt Light, linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Asante Samuel on the All-Pro team.

All but Moss made the All-Pro team for the first time; Moss was chosen as a Minnesota Viking in 1998, 2000 and 2003.

Along with Moss, the other unanimous pick was Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the league’s rushing leader, who made it for the third time.

Joining Tomlinson and Cromartie from the Chargers was fullback Lorenzo Neal, who clears many of L.T.’s paths.

Also with three players on the team were Dallas and Seattle. The Cowboys had Ware, tight end Jason Witten and wide receiver Terrell Owens; Ware and Witten were first-timers, Owens also was selected in 2000, ‘01 and ‘02 with San Francisco, and 2004 with Philadelphia.

“Any time you can be the best in the entire league, that’s always a special moment,” said Witten, who had 96 receptions and seven touchdowns this season. “There’s a lot of great tight ends out there, so to be on the top of that list is nice.”

The Seahawks had tackle Walter Jones, defensive end Patrick Kerney and linebacker Lofa Tatupu. Jones previously made All-Pro in 2001, ‘04 and ‘05; the others Seahawks were first-timers.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren called Tatupu’s three-interception day in a win at Philadelphia on Dec. 2 “one of the great games I’ve ever seen a linebacker have.”

“Everybody has been instrumental in everything that I’ve been able to do,” Tatupu said. “The D-line has been enabling me to get sacks, DBs staying on their guys so we can get back there and get sacks, or getting interceptions.”

Joining Brady, Tomlinson and Neal in the backfield was Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook, who led the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,104.

“Being named first-team All-Pro is an unbelievable way to cap a season that I am very proud of from a personal standpoint, although I wish things would have turned out differently for our team,” said Westbrook, whose Eagles were 8-8. “I have always said that I would trade personal accomplishments for the success of my team, but it’s great to be recognized for the things I have worked so hard to achieve.”

The rest of the offense had Minnesota guard Steve Hutchinson, Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca, and Indianapolis center Jeff Saturday.

The other All-Pros on defense were Kansas City end Jared Allen, the league sacks leader with 15 1/2 ; Minnesota tackle Kevin Williams and Tennessee tackle Albert Haynesworth; San Francisco inside linebacker Patrick Willis, the only rookie on the squad; Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders, the Defensive Player of the Year; and Baltimore safety Ed Reed, making it for the third time.

San Francisco punter Andy Lee, also a newcomer to the squad, and record-setting kick returner Devin Hester of Chicago, who made it as a rookie in 2006, as well, were the other special-teamers.

In all, 15 AFC players and 12 from the NFC were chosen as All-Pros.

The Motor City Bowl is low in the postseason pecking order.

The Purdue-Central Michigan thriller, however, might be tough to top.

Chris Summers kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Boilermakers to a 51-48 victory over the Chippewas on Wednesday night.

The 99 points tied the second-highest total in a bowl game that ended in regulation, trailing only the 2003 Insight Bowl, where California beat Virginia Tech 52-49.

“It reminded me of some of our early games at Purdue and also of the wacky WAC,” Purdue coach Joe Tiller said. “It wasn’t my favorite game, but it was a heck of a game for the spectators.”

Curtis Painter threw for a school-record 546 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Boilermakers build three 21-point leads and set up the winning kick.

“It’s a fun game to play if you’re on this end,” he said.

Painter was 35-of-54 and both of his interceptions went off receiver Dorien Bryant’s hands.

“It’s big for us to get a win here after losing our last three games,” said Painter, whose passing total ranked third in a bowl game. “It feels good to get all of the statistics, but the best statistic is in the win column.”

Purdue receivers Greg Orton, Jake Standeford and Dustin Keller had at least 112 yards receiving apiece.

Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour threw for 292 yards and four scores and ran for 114 yards and two TDs, feeding off the energy from the crowd of 60,624 that created more noise than most Detroit Lions games in the same venue.

“The atmosphere was amazing,” said LeFevour, who completed 17 of 34 passes and ran 33 times. “As we started rolling in the second half, the crowd started getting into it more and it just got better and better.”

Early on, Purdue (9-5) didn’t seem inspired perhaps because playing in Detroit isn’t exactly what a Big Ten team has in mind when it dreams of playing in the postseason.

The Mid-American Conference champion Chippewas (8-6) got the Boilermakers’ attention, though, with an interception on the third play of the game and by taking a 3-0 lead.

Purdue then seemed to get fired up and appeared to be rolling toward a rout, leading 27-6 midway through the second quarter, 34-13 at halftime and 41-20 early in the third.

The Chippewas proved they belonged on the same field.

Their comeback started with LeFevour’s scoring pass to Bryan Anderson at 10:19 of the third and the quarterback tied the game with two runs late in the quarter.

Purdue answered with Jaycen Taylor’s TD run midway through the fourth quarter and seemed to seal the win with a sack when Central Michigan had the ball with 2:15 and no timeouts.

But LeFevour wasn’t done.

He escaped a sack on the next play and got out of bounds. Then, he connected three first downs before lobbing a pass to Anderson from 19 yards to make it 48-all with 1:09 left to play.

The sophomore finished the season with 27 passing touchdowns and 19 rushing, falling just short of joining Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida as the only players to have 20 of each in the same season.

Painter, who broke the Purdue yardage mark shared by Drew Brees and Kyle Orton, was 4-of-5 for 42 yards on the winning drive.

“It was a heck of college football game and it might go down as one of the best bowls,” Central Michigan coach Butch Jones said. “I can’t say enough about our kids. These kids are special.

“Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, but I think you saw something special out there. They fought to the bitter end.”

Jones, a former West Virginia assistant, is reportedly a candidate for the Mountaineers’ job that opened when Rich Rodriguez left to coach Michigan.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” Jones said.

For the second time in eight months, Michigan lured a coach out of West Virginia.

Rich Rodriguez was to be introduced Monday morning at a news conference in the same place, sandwiched between the Big House and Crisler Arena, that the Wolverines used to announce the hiring of basketball coach John Beilein.

“People here are ready to come to Ann Arbor and shoot,” joked Don Nehlen, a former West Virginia coach and Michigan assistant.

Rodriguez is set to lead college football’s winningest program, succeeding retiring coach Lloyd Carr.

The Wolverines seemingly went 0-for-2 in their first coaching search since hiring Bo Schembechler away from Miami of Ohio, appearing to get turned down by LSU’s Les Miles and Rutgers’ Greg Schiano.

Rodriguez, though, seems to be much more than a consolation prize.

He built West Virginia into a Big East power, winning the conference championship this year for the fourth time in five seasons and going 60-26 overall.

“I am thrilled to have Rich Rodriguez as Michigan’s new coach,” athletic director Bill Martin wrote in an e-mail Sunday to The Associated Press. “Rich brings an exciting brand of football to Michigan Stadium. We welcome the entire Rodriguez family to Ann Arbor.”

The 44-year-old Rodriguez said goodbye to the Mountaineers during an emotional meeting Sunday in Morgantown, W. Va.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do sometimes,” West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt said. “He did all he could for us. As far as I know he did a lot of great things for this university.”

Nehlen expected Rodriguez to focus on his new job, leaving the coaching to someone else when West Virginia plays Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

“He’ll be in Ann Arbor to stay,” Nehlen told The AP. “It would be too hard for him to coach West Virginia in the bowl game.

“He’s got a lot of work right away at Michigan, where he has to assemble a staff and catch up on recruiting.”

Carr announced Nov. 19 that his 13th and final season would end in the bowl game, which wound up being a Jan. 1 matchup with Florida in the Capital One Bowl.

As Nehlen predicted, some in West Virginia are not happy with the means in which Michigan got Rodriguez or the end result.

Martin and university president Mary Sue Coleman reportedly talked with Rodriguez, his wife and agent Friday in Toledo, Ohio. West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong met with Rodriguez on Saturday, saying they talked about general issues within the program.

Pastilong had said he was unaware Rodriguez went to Toledo and declined to disclose whether he had given Michigan permission to talk to the coach.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin blamed the involvement of what he termed “high-priced agents” in college sports.

“I have known Rich for most of his life, from a boy whose only wish was to play football at WVU to a young man whose only wish was to coach at WVU,” Manchin said in a statement. “Something is wrong with the profession of college coaching today when a leader’s word is no longer his bond.”

Alabama’s interest in Rodriguez last year wore on the Mountaineers for several days before he agreed to a one-year contract extension through 2013. The deal included a $4 million buyout clause if he leaves before next September.

Like Beilein, Rodriguez will make enough money at Michigan to cut West Virginia a big check.

Martin said he was prepared to pay as much as $3 million for a coach, roughly doubling what Lloyd Carr made annually.

Michigan is paying Beilein $1.3 million a season, plus bonuses, as part of a six-year contract.

When Michigan lured Beilein away from West Virginia last April, his contract had a $2.5 million buyout clause. Under an agreement with West Virginia, Beilein agreed to pay $1.5 million to the WVU Foundation

Michael Vick’s outlook changed as the dogfighting case against him grew, going from disbelief that he could be hurt to depression at what he’d lost.

Vick broke down when an FBI agent suggested he was lying on a polygraph test about his role in the killing of dogs, ultimately admitting to full involvement in the hope of showing he had accepted responsibility for his actions, lawyer Billy Martin said in court. He sought the numbing comfort of marijuana to cope with his depression.

As Vick awaited his federal sentencing, already having relinquished his lucrative standing as one of the NFL’s most popular stars, he shared another emotion: relief.

“He understood that some of the things he was doing in life and off the field were dangerous,” longtime family attorney Lawrence Woodward said outside the courthouse where Vick was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison, “and he told me he feels lucky that he’s alive and not hurt and now it’s all about the future.”

At least until the summer of 2009, that future will be in a federal prison, most likely a camp-style facility with dormitories and jobs instead of barbed-wire fences and cells.

“He doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him,” Woodward said, sharing a message at Vick’s request. “He just wants a chance to prove himself when all this is over.”

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who turned himself in Nov. 19 to begin serving his sentence, wore a black-and-white striped prison suit as he stood before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. He acknowledged using “poor judgment” and added, “I’m willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions.”

Vick also apologized to the court and his family, drawing a rebuke from Hudson: “You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Vick answered.

Hudson then rebuffed the defense team’s appeals for leniency, determining Vick had lied about his involvement in the killing of dogs, and about his drug use. Vick tested positive for marijuana Sept. 13 after claiming to have avoided illicit drugs.

“You were instrumental in promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity,” Hudson told Vick, who exhibited no visible reaction.

The sentence means Vick will be in prison until at least mid-July 2009, even if he meets the federal standard of 54 days’ reduction per year for good behavior.

Vick, whose $130 million contract was once the richest in NFL history, was suspended without pay by the NFL and lost all his lucrative endorsement deals. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked after the sentencing if Vick should play again.

“That’s a determination we’ll make later on,” he told The Associated Press from a legislative hearing in Austin, Texas. “As I said earlier when we suspended him indefinitely, we would evaluate that when the legal process was closed.”

Hudson also ordered Vick to three years of supervised probation upon his release, enrollment in a substance abuse program if his parole officer deems it necessary, reminded him that felons can’t own guns and said he can never again own a dog.

Throughout the 45-minute hearing, Vick’s brother, Marcus, sat with his arm around their mother, Brenda Boddie, comforting her as she covered her eyes and wept.

Much of what she heard could not have made her feel any better.

Hudson agreed with a federal probation officer’s finding that Vick had lied about his hands-on killing of dogs, calling honesty “really the crux of the matter here.”

“You were a full participant and you were at least equally culpable” as the three other defendants, the judge told Vick in summing up his own findings. “This is a racketeering case in front of me and you are to be sentenced accordingly.”

Hudson said Vick at times admitted killing dogs, and other times denied it.

“I’m not convinced you’ve fully accepted responsibility,” Hudson said.

Federal sentencing guidelines called for a term of 18 months to two years. Federal prosecutor Michael Gill said Vick’s involvement warranted a sentence at the high end.

“He did more than fund it,” Gill said, referring to the “Bad Newz Kennels” dogfighting operation. “He was in this thing up to his neck with the other defendants.”

Vick pleaded guilty in August, admitting he bankrolled the dogfighting operation on his 15-acre property in rural Virginia and helped kill six to eight pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights by his co-defendants, but said he never shared in any winnings.

After making his plea, Vick apologized to the NFL, the Falcons and youngsters who viewed him as a role model and vowed: “I will redeem myself. I have to.”

Court papers revealed gruesome details about the operation, including the execution of underperforming dogs by electrocution, drowning, hanging and other means. Those details prompted a public backlash against the NFL star and outraged animal-rights groups, which used the case to call attention to the brutality of dogfighting.

John Goodwin of the Humane Society of the United States called the sentence appropriate and said the benefits of the exposure the case has received continue.

“People that are involved in this blood sport are on notice. You can throw your life away by being involved in this,” he said. “His future is in his hands.”

Co-defendants Purnell Peace, of Virginia Beach, got 18 months, and Quantis Phillips, of Atlanta, got 21 months at their sentencing hearings on Nov. 30.

Another co-defendant, Tony Taylor, will be sentenced Friday.

The case began in April when a drug investigation of Vick’s cousin led authorities to the former Virginia Tech star’s Surry County property, where they found dozens of pit bulls — some of them injured — and equipment associated with dogfighting.

Vick initially denied any knowledge about dogfighting on the property. He changed his story after the co-defendants pleaded guilty and detailed Vick’s involvement.

Todd Collins kept waiting for another chance to play in the NFL. And waiting … and waiting … and waiting.

Forget about the five years without throwing for a touchdown. How about the three years without so much as attempting a pass of any sort?

Collins finally was called upon Thursday night by the weary Washington Redskins, and the perennial understudy performed brilliantly. Replacing injured starter Jason Campbell, Collins tossed two TDs to lead Washington over the fading Chicago Bears 24-16, ending the Redskins’ four-game losing streak.

Making it even more special for Collins and the rest of the Redskins was the context of this win, coming as it did 1 1/2 weeks after the shooting death of safety Sean Taylor, and only three days after his burial.

“We’ve been through a lot. We really didn’t have any practice time this week, dealing with the death of a teammate and a funeral,” said Collins, 15-for-20 for 224 yards and his first two TD throws since 2002, when he played for Kansas City.

Said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs: “It seems like it’s been forever since we won a game. This team’s overcome so much. … It’s been an emotional roller coaster for us.”

While the Redskins (6-7) consider themselves very much in the playoff chase in the so-so NFC, the Bears (5-8) were ready to concede they’ve followed up a trip to the Super Bowl with a dud of a season.

“It’s pretty much over now,” defensive end Alex Brown said.

Campbell departed in the second quarter with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his throwing elbow, and Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman never returned from a left knee injury on his second drive.

Campbell will have an MRI exam Friday, and the Redskins said they would wait for those results before offering any prognosis.

Asked whether Grossman will play again this season, coach Lovie Smith said, “Don’t know enough about it. You know, it didn’t look good.”

Grossman’s replacement, Brian Griese, threw interceptions on consecutive passes in the second quarter, both picked off by Shawn Springs. The cornerback returned the first 53 yards, setting up Collins’ 21-yard touchdown pass to another backup, tight end Todd Yoder, to put Washington ahead 7-0.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever had a better performance coming off the bench. Ever,” Gibbs said.

Griese was 21-for-45 for 295 yards and one TD, but also raised his interception total to 12 in seven appearances this season.

Both teams had a short turnaround from games Sunday, but the Redskins’ preparation was even more limited. The entire organization traveled to Florida for the funeral of Taylor, who died after being shot last week.

Coincidentally, tickets for this game, printed months ago, featured a picture of Taylor.

“We got closure on Monday, and that’s one of the things that helped us,” defensive end Phillip Daniels said. “To get closure and move forward, that was big for us, for this team.”

One sign of moving forward: The makeshift memorial to Taylor, set up on a patch of grass outside the stadium where his number 21 was painted, is gone. Fans dropped off flowers, candles, teddy bears, homemade signs and other tokens before Sunday’s game, but nothing remained in that spot Thursday, other than some piles of snow.

The temperature was 26 degrees at kickoff, and perhaps a combination of the cold and the lack of regular rest contributed to all of the injuries. Among them: Daniels (sprained knee), running back Clinton Portis (stomach illness and bruised hand), right guard Randy Thomas (elbow) and cornerback Fred Smoot (cramps) of Washington, and defensive tackle Antonio Garay (ankle) of Chicago.

Also, Redskins tight end Chris Cooley limped off to the locker room with a bruised shin but was able to return. Portis made it back, too, but was limited to 36 yards rushing on 17 carries.

There were plenty of blunders on both sides: turnovers, missed field-goal attempts, penalties. Lots of penalties, 10 in the third quarter alone.

The trouble for Campbell began when he was hit on his throwing arm by Brandon McGowan at the end of a scramble. Campbell left for one play, allowing Collins to record his first NFL completion in three years, a 5-yarder to Reche Caldwell.

Campbell returned on Washington’s next possession, but lasted three plays before hurting his knee and being driven off the field on a cart. Then, right before halftime, Springs’ interception set up Collins-to-Yoder — hardly a combination the Redskins would have imagined.

After all, Yoder hadn’t caught a TD this season or any pass at all over the previous five games. And the 36-year-old Collins? He had a grand total of one touchdown toss over the past decade.

“I’ve been preparing … for literally hundreds of games,” Collins said. “This was really the first time I was able to go in and get to play in a situation that really mattered.”

Eli Manning’s second pass landed in Brian Urlacher’s hands. There was a fumble that led to a field goal, too, and just when it seemed his day couldn’t get much worse, he threw an interception in the end zone.

Then, everything turned around.

Manning redeemed himself just in time, and the New York Giants dealt the Chicago Bears‘ playoff hopes another staggering blow.

Manning led two late touchdown drives and Reuben Droughns scored on a 2-yard run with 1:33 remaining to lift the Giants to a 21-16 victory over the Bears on Sunday.

Manning was awful for most of the game but delivered in the latter stages after throwing four interceptions the previous week in a drubbing by Minnesota.

“It’s easy to forget bad plays,” Manning said. “And to be a quarterback, to be a football player, you have to be able to do that. You have to be able to forget the week before. You have to be able to forget the play before and just move on and work out the next play.”

The embattled quarterback threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer, which was initially ruled incomplete, with 6:54 left to cap a 75-yard drive and cut the Giants’ deficit to 16-14.

“I knew I caught it,” Toomer said. “And I knew (the replay) was going to look like I caught it, so it wasn’t a problem. I don’t know if it hit my arms or hands, but I was underneath it. I didn’t even think it was that close.”

After the Bears (5-7) punted, the Giants launched a 77-yard drive that ended with Droughns running around the right end with 1:33 left. Manning hit David Tyree with a 24-yard pass and threw a 15-yarder to Plaxico Burress that put the ball on the 2.

The Bears got the ball with 1:28 remaining and marched from their 41 to the Giants 28, before Rex Grossman threw three incompletions — the last one broken up by James Butler.

It was a brutal loss for the defending NFC champions, who looked like they were about to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

“We’ll continue to play until they tell us we’re out of it,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “Winning out would’ve pretty much guaranteed us getting in. … You just have to keep playing and see what happens.”

Defensive end Alex Brown wasn’t ready to quit, either: “We got to play anyway, so let’s go play and let’s try to win and see what happens.”

Manning kept at it and made up for the turnovers with a strong finish.

He was 16-for-27 with 195 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble, the turnovers dousing several scoring threats by the Giants (8-4) or putting Chicago in good position. He got intercepted on the game’s opening possession by Urlacher, leading to a touchdown, and he fumbled the ball away deep in Chicago territory in the second quarter. That led to a field goal by Robbie Gould.

Manning’s problems continued in the third period. Trailing 16-7, the Giants drove to the 1, only to see him give it away again. He spun and avoided a sack by Alex Brown and lofted a pass to Burress in the left corner of the end zone that a leaping Charles Tillman intercepted.

The crowd erupted, but the Giants celebrated in the end.

Derrick Ward ran for 154 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries for New York, but injured his left ankle. He left the stadium on crutches and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

Although he got sacked six times, Grossman was solid. He completed 25 of 46 passes for a season-high 296 yards and did not throw an interception.

After losing Cedric Benson to a season-ending left ankle injury last week, the Bears turned to Adrian Peterson and he ran for 67 yards and caught seven passes for 82. Peterson had been used primarily on third downs this season, after spending most of his five years on special teams.

But the offense stalled in the second half. There were no sparks from Devin Hester, either.

As expected, the Giants did all they could to avoid Hester and limited him to just three punt returns and one kickoff return for a total of 35 yards.

New York’s defense tightened up in the second half, holding the Bears to 98 yards after allowing 214 through the first two quarters.

Cedric Benson’s season is over.

The Chicago Bears‘ running back needs surgery after injuring his left ankle Sunday — another setback for the team’s first-round draft choice in 2005.

Benson, who took over this season as the Bears’ starter after the trade of Thomas Jones to the Jets, broke free for a 21-yard run in Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

But he was hurt as he landed while being tackled by Denver safety Hamza Abdullah and later had to be carted off the field following the second-quarter play.

“It’s tough when you lose your starting tailback. Cedric went down with a season-ending injury, which is a tough break,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said Monday, the day after the Bears beat the Broncos 37-34 in overtime.

“He went out on a good run. He had put together two good weeks. … We’ll miss him.”

Veteran Adrian Peterson will now move up to the starter’s role with rookie Garrett Wolfe the backup. Peterson had 45 yards on 17 carries Sunday, including a 4-yard TD run during the Bears’ fourth-quarter comeback from a two-touchdown deficit. He also caught five passes.

“You could say he’s a guy who deserves the opportunity to get more playing time,” Smith said of Peterson. “He’s done everything we’ve always asked him to do.”

Benson gained 47 yards on eight carries before he was hurt Sunday. He’d rushed for 674 yards this season on 196 carries, an average of 3.4 yards per carry and had four touchdowns.

Benson had taken his share of criticism for the lackluster performance of Chicago’s running game, one that is averaging only 3.3 per carry. But a week earlier against Seattle, he showed the form that made him a star at Texas when he broke off a 43-yard TD run. It was the longest run in a career that has been slowed by injuries.

“He had a good game against Seattle last week and the run he went out with was a good run,” Smith said. “We rushed over 100 yards yesterday and with him you never know what we would have been able to do.

“If you look at his play there was definitely improvement that he’s made so that’s the light coming on, I guess you would say that. I just know that he had made improvement and he was feeling more comfortable in his role by the production he was having.”

Asked if the Bears regretted trading Jones — who had more than 1,000 yards in each of the previous two seasons in Chicago — Smith said: “We don’t have Thomas Jones here. This is the group we have and we feel comfortable with it.”

A lengthy contract negotiation caused Benson to miss his first training camp two years ago, and a knee injury knocked him out of six games that season.

In 2006, Benson sprained his shoulder during training camp. He went on to become a strong backup to Jones, gaining 647 yards and averaging 4.1 yards per carry. In the Super Bowl, however, he was knocked out of the game in the first quarter after hurting his knee.

Now the Bears will turn to Peterson, who has 189 yards on 52 carries. He also had 33 receptions, tied for second most on the team.

The Bears’ victory Sunday kept their slim wild card chances alive in the wide open NFC, even at 5-6. They face the Giants this week at Soldier Field, looking for their first two-game winning streak.

Devin Hester had a 75-yard punt return and an 88-yard kickoff return, both in the third quarter against the Broncos.

“Seems like every time we need a boost, he’s the guy that steps up to the plate,” Smith said.

In just his second NFL season, Hester broke a club record he shared with Gale Sayers for kick return touchdowns (eight) with his ninth and 10th (six on punts, four on kickoffs). Those numbers don’t include a missed field goal he returned 108 yards last season against the Giants or his return of the Super Bowl’s opening kickoff for a TD against the Colts.

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday, a day after the Pro Bowl player was shot at home by what police say was an intruder. He was 24.

Family friend Richard Sharpstein said Taylor’s father told him the news around 5:30 a.m.

“His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me,” said Sharpstein, Taylor’s former lawyer. “It’s a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans.”

Taylor died at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he had been airlifted after the shooting early Monday, Sharpstein said.

Two carloads of mourners, including Taylor’s father, arrived at the house Tuesday morning. They remained inside and did not speak to reporters. A single bouquet of flowers was left by a palm tree just outside a front gate. Beside the mailbox, an untouched newspaper lay with news of Taylor’s shooting.

Doctors had been encouraged late Monday when Taylor squeezed a nurse’s hand, according to Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins’ vice president of football operations. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn’t sure how he had squeezed the nurse’s hand.

“Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something,” Sharpstein said.

Taylor, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft following an All-American season at the University of Miami, was shot early Monday in the upper leg, damaging an artery and causing significant blood loss.

“According to a preliminary investigation, it appears that the victim was shot inside the home by an intruder,” Miami-Dade County police said in a statement.

But police were still investigating the attack, which came just eight days after an intruder was reported at Taylor’s home. Officers were sent to the home about 1:45 a.m. Monday after Taylor’s girlfriend called 911.

Sharpstein said Taylor’s girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor’s 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor’s girlfriend were injured.

Police found signs of forced entry, but have not determined if they were caused Monday, or the previous burglary.

The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor’s home, according to police.

“They’re really sifting through that incident and today’s incident,” Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, “to see if there’s any correlation.”

Born April 1, 1983, Taylor starred as a running back and defensive back at Gulliver Prep in Miami. His father, Pedro Taylor, is police chief of Florida City.

A private man with a small inner circle, Taylor rarely granted interviews. But, behind the scenes, Taylor was described as personable and smart — an emerging locker room leader.

“From the first day I met him, from then to now, it’s just like night and day,” Redskins receiver James Thrash said Monday. “He’s really got his head on his shoulders and has been doing really well as far as just being a man. It’s been awesome to see that growth.”

After Taylor was drafted, problems soon began. Taylor fired his agent, then skipped part of the NFL’s mandatory rookie symposium, drawing a $25,000 fine. Driving home late from a party during the season, he was pulled over and charged with drunken driving. The case was dismissed in court, but by then it had become a months-long distraction for the Redskins.

Taylor also was fined at least seven times for late hits, uniform violations and other infractions over his first three seasons, including a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman during a 2006 playoff game.

Meanwhile, Taylor endured a yearlong legal battle after he was accused in 2005 of brandishing a gun at a man during a fight over allegedly stolen all-terrain vehicles near Taylor’s home. He eventually pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.

Taylor said the end of the assault case was like “a gray cloud” being lifted. It was also around the time that his daughter was born, and teammates noticed a change.

“It’s hard to expect a man to grow up overnight,” said teammate and close friend Clinton Portis, who played with Taylor at Miami. “But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always talking about his child.”

On the field, Taylor’s play was often erratic. Assistant coach Gregg Williams frequently called Taylor the best athlete he’d ever coached, but nearly every big play was mitigated by a blown assignment. Taylor led the NFL in missed tackles in 2006 yet made the Pro Bowl because of his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league.

This year, however, Taylor was allowed to play a true free safety position, using his speed and power to chase down passes and crush would-be receivers. His five interceptions tie for the league lead in the NFC, even though he missed the last two games because of a sprained knee.

“I just take this job very seriously,” Taylor said in a rare group interview during training camp. “It’s almost like, you play a kid’s game for a king’s ransom. And if you don’t take it serious enough, eventually one day you’re going to say, ‘Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.’

“So I just say, ‘I’m healthy right now, I’m going into my fourth year, and why not do the best that I can?’ And that’s whatever it is, whether it’s eating right or training myself right, whether it’s studying harder, whatever I can do to better myself.”

His hard work was well-noted.

“He loved football. He felt like that’s what he was made to do,” Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. “And I think what I’ve noticed over the last year and a half … is he matured. I think his baby had a huge impact on him. There was a real growing up in his life.”