Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning drops back for a touchdown pass in the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday.
Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre’s all-time record for touchdown passes, leading Denver to a 42-17 rout of San Francisco to cap a scintillating Sunday in the NFL.
Manning went into the game needing three TD throws to eclipse the record of 508 established by Favre before he retired after the 2010 season.
Manning had done it by halftime, and added on a fourth TD early in the third quarter to stretch his record to 510 and counting.
“It was a special night,” Manning said. “It’s one I’ll always remember.”
The five-time NFL Most Valuable Player fired touchdown passes on three of Denver’s first four drives.
His eight-yard throw to Demaryius Thomas on a third-and-goal in the front right part of the end zone broke the record with 3:09 to play in the second quarter.
Favre congratulated Manning on Twitter shortly after.
“Well deserved Peyton, Congratulations on breaking my record. #Onto600,” he said.
But Manning wasn’t the only NFL record-breaker in week seven.
Dallas’s DeMarco Murray became the first running back in NFL history to open a season with seven straight 100-plus yard games.
Murray gained 128 yards and scored a touchdown in the Cowboys’ 31-21 victory over NFC East division rivals the New York Giants.
He had matched Jim Brown’s record of six 100-yard games to start a season in the Cowboys’ win over Seattle last week.
The Super Bowl champion Seahawks fell short in their effort to bounce back from that defeat as they were stunned 28-26 by the St. Louis Rams.
Rams quarterback Austin Davis completed 18 of his 21 passing attempts with two touchdowns and the Rams added a punt return TD and converted a gutsy fake punt late in the game to seal the dramatic victory.
The defeat spoiled a record-setting performance by Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson, who threw for 313 yards with two touchdowns and also rushed for a game-high 106 yards and a score.
Wilson became the first player in NFL history with 300-plus passing yards and 100-plus rushing yards in a single game.
The Rams’ narrow victory was just one of the day’s nail-biters.
Late-game drama
Cairo Santos, Kansas City’s rookie kicker from Brazil, booted a game-winning field goal with 21 seconds to play in the Chiefs’ 23-20 victory over AFC West rivals San Diego.
Washington cut it even closer, with Kai Forbath kicking his fourth field goal of the game as time expired to lift the Redskins 19-17 over Tennessee.
Corey Fuller’s touchdown catch with less than two minutes to play capped a late Detroit rally, lifting the Lions to a 24-23 triumph over the New Orleans Saints.
Buffalo quarterback Kyle Orton connected with Sammy Watkins for a two-yard touchdown with one second remaining in the Bills’ 17-16 win over Minnesota.
The Bills overcame four turnovers and the loss of running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller with injuries to pull off the victory.
There was no last-minute drama in Chicago, where Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill was nearly perfect in the first half and the Dolphins parlayed a 14-0 halftime lead into a 27-14 victory over a Bears team booed by home fans at the interval.
Green Bay trounced Carolina 38-17 behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck impressed as well, throwing two touchdown passes in his fifth straight 300-yard game as Indianapolis crushed Cincinnati 27-0.
Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ravens to a convincing 29-7 victory over Atlanta.
Jacksonville celebrated their first win of the season as Denard Robinson rushed for 127 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 24-6 win over Cleveland.
Oakland are now the only winless team remaining after falling 24-13 to Arizona.
