manufacturers’ championship forChevrolet.

Kenseth finished second, ClintBowyer was third, Brad Keselow-ski fourth, and Jimmie Johnsonrounded out the top five.

“I have nothing to complainabout,”Kensethsaidofhis runner-up finish. “You’re always disap-pointed when you’re running upfront late (and don’twin).”

Johnsonenteredtheracewithafour-point lead in the champi-onship points standings, but afterKenseth led the most laps (202)and finished threepositionsaheadof Johnson, the two drivers leftMartinsville tied atop the stand-ings.

“It’s going to be a dog fight tothe end,” Johnson said.

Kenseth and Johnson weremainstays up front for the first200 laps before pit strategies

began to vary throughout the racefield as a large number of cautionsplagued the remainder of theevent.

With Kenseth leading andJohnson second on a restart fol-lowing a lap-218 caution, Johnsonlost several spots on the restart,then gave up additional spots tohead down pit road during acaution on lap 229.

Kenseth continued to move up,butafterhe lost the leadtoBowyer

MARTINSVILLE — Jeff Gor-don claimed his first win of theseasononSundaywithavictory intheGoody’sHeadache Relief Shot500 atMartinsville Speedway.

“There’s nothing better thangetting a clock at Martinsville,”Gordon said of the grandfatherclock awarded as a trophy to racewinners at the track. “It’s hard totopwhat it feels like towin.”

HepassedMattKensethwith21laps remaining in the 500-lap raceand led the restof theway toclaimthe win and clinch the season

NASCAR SPRINT CUP GOODY’S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500

Gordon’s victory knots up the ChaseKenseth, Johnson tiedatop standings withthree races remainingBy Amanda VincentThe Sports Xchange

Jeff Gordon leads a pack of drivers during Sunday’s race at Martinsville.Gordon went on to capture his first victory of the season.

PETER CASEY/USA TODAY SPORTS PHOTO

See NASCAR/Page 4

Up nextAAA Texas 500When: 3 p.m. SundayWhere: Texas Motor Speedway,

Fort Worth, TexasTV: ESPN

DENVER—Forabriefmomentin the second half of their gameagainst the Denver Broncos, itappeared the Redskins had achance to give Mike Shanahan atriumphant return to the citywherehewonback-to-backSuperBowls15 seasons ago.

Takeaways by the defense onback-to-back stands led to twoquick touchdowns and a 14-pointlead with just more than 11 min-utes left in the third quarter.

But then Peyton Manning andthe Broncos came storming backwith 38 unanswered points in thefinal 23 minutes of play,Washing-ton turned unresponsive and Sha-nahan left his old stompinggrounds with a 45-21 loss Sundayat Sports Authority Field at MileHigh.

The loss dropped the Redskinsto 2-5 on the season, while the

Broncos improved to 7-1oneweekafter suffering their first loss.

TheRedskins entered the gameinneedofamonumentalperform-ance from their defense and ahighly effective offensive showingas they faced off with Manningandhis league-leading attack.

Instead, Washington’s defensesuffered a fourth-quarter collapseafter three strong quarters.

Meanwhile, Robert Griffin IIIand the offense did not have theirbest day. Griffin completed only15of 30 passes for 132 yards, atouchdown and two intercep-tions. He fumbled once and leftthe game with 5:53 left to playafter injuring his left knee whilebeing driven to the ground duringhis second interception. KirkCousins took over for the finalstretch but threw two intercep-tions, including one that Domi-nique Rodgers-Cromartie re-turned 75 yards for a touchdown.

The late-game flurry marked a

drastic change from the first half,inwhichDenver scoredon its firstpossession but lost its rhythm.

During that first half, Washing-ton did a commendable job de-spite facing significant limitations.

With starting free safety Bran-don Meriweather serving a one-game suspensionbecause of a pairof helmet-to-helmet hits againstthe Bears and starting strongsafety Reed Doughty sidelined bya concussion, the Redskins wereforced to make do with a pair ofbackups. They started cornerbackE.J. Biggers at free safety andundrafted first-year player JoseGumbs at strong safety.

Manning worked the middle ofthe field on the opening drive ofthegame,his longest completiona19-yard catch-and-run to tight endJulius Thomas, who had a step onGumbs and reached the 23 beforebeing tackled. Three plays later,Manning connected with a wide-open Wes Welker for a six-yard

scoring strike that gave the slotreceiver his ninth touchdowncatch of the season.Wide receiverDemaryius Thomas set a pick forWelker, preventing nickel back

Broncos safety Rahim Moore celebrates with the ball after intercepting Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III during the fourth quarter of Denver’s victory on Sunday.

JUSTIN EDMONDS/GETTY PHOTOS

Broncos reel off 38 unanswered points in second half as they cruise past Redskins

Denver’s Knowshon Moreno runsfor a touchdown on Sunday.

Sunday’s resultsDENVER 45, Washington 21DETROIT 31, Dallas 30KANSAS CITY 23, Cleveland 17NEW ENGLAND 27, Miami 17NEW ORLEANS 35, Buffalo 17N.Y. Giants 15, PHILADELPHIA 7San Fran. 42, Jacksonville 10

(in London)CINCINNATI 49, N.Y. Jets 9OAKLAND 21, Pittsburgh 18ARIZONA 27, Atlanta 13Green Bay at Minnesota, late

THURSDAY’S RESULTCarolina 31, TAMPA BAY 13

Home team in CAPS

ByMike JonesTheWashington Post

See REDSKINS/Page 4

Mile Highmeltdown

NFL BRONCOS 45, REDSKINS 21

| MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013 |

like, but Vick doesn’t look for thesideline.Hehas to be taken out,and that iswhatChipKelly did inthe second quarter of Sunday’sdreadful15-7 loss to theGiants.

Kelly let Vick remain in thegame for one series after thequarterback reinjured his lefthamstring, just as he didwhenthe injury originally occurredthreeweeks prior in theMeadowlands, but itwas clearVick couldn’t run. For some

Michael Vick said hewouldhave continued to play on Sundayhad that been asked of him. Ifthere is nothing else consistentabout theEagles starting quarter-back—andprettymuch there “isnothing else consistent”— it isthat he alwayswants to keepplaying football.

Criticizewhatever else you

quarterbacks, that’s no big deal.ForVick, it changes everything.

WhenKelly took a deep breathandwentwith rookieMatt Bark-ley, Vickwent to the bench anddraped a towel over his head.Hehas been in theNFL long enoughto know that it isn’t a good signwhen threeweeks of rehab comesundone in just nine plays.

“I tested itmany times, but

NFL COMMENTARY

Kelly may give up on VickBy Bob FordThe Philadelphia Inquirer

See VICK/Page 5Eagles QB Michael Vick left Sun-day’s loss against the Giants.

YONG KIM/PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS

As the Cardinals prepared for

Sunday night’s Game 4, there

was suspenseover the availabili-

ty of slugger Allen Craig, who

reinjured his ankle on the bi-

zarre end to Game 3 Saturday

night. For full World Series

coverage, turn toPage 5.

INSIDE BASEBALL

Craig’s statusup in the air