Rosenfels has reserve strength

If Sage Rosenfels keeps this up, he’s never going to land a starting job.

Rosenfels relieved injured starter Matt Schaub on Sunday for the Houston Texans and directed an improbable fourth-quarter comeback that eventually wasn’t enough in a 38-36 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

He had four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to tie an NFL record, and his 249 yards passing in the quarter were the second-most in a fourth quarter in NFL history.

And this isn’t the first time he has done this. A career backup who has started only twice in his seven-year career, Rosenfels has directed comebacks of at least 19 points the last three times he has played at least two quarters.

Sunday, Houston was outgained, 233-24, in the first half and 311-80 through three quarters before the comeback began.

“It upsets offensive players when you look up at the scoreboard and their team’s got 250 yards offense and we’ve got 30,” Rosenfels said. “If that doesn’t upset you as a player, you can’t play this game. We were very upset about it, and the nice thing is we did do something about it.”

Just not quite enough.

Over ‘Dale

Lost in all the hoopla of fourth-quarter comebacks and a record-breaking field-goal performance was LenDale White’s performance for the Titans against Houston.

He had 104 yards in 27 carries -- both career highs. It was the first 100-yard rushing game for White, which, coincidentally, tied him with former USC teammate Reggie Bush.

Welcome Holmes

Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes, who hadn’t played since Oct. 30, 2005, because of a serious neck injury that threatened his career, returned to the lineup Sunday in a 12-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who rushed for 5,933 yards and 76 touchdowns from 2001-05, had nine yards in four carries and was used mainly in third-down situations.

“It was good to get the first hit out of the way,” Holmes said.

Catching on

Amani Toomer, who last week became the New York Giants all-time leader in receptions, caught a four-yard touchdown against San Francisco that gave him 49 touchdown catches and broke a tie with Kyle Rote for the franchise record.

What does it mean?

“I have been around this organization a long time,” said Toomer, who has played his entire 12-year career with the Giants.

Giant runner

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs rushed for a career-high 107 yards and became the first Giants back other than Tiki Barber with two 100-yard games in the same season since 1998.

It also gave Fox television announcers occasion to unleash their entry for the useless-information-of-the-year award when they came up with this nugget about Jacobs’ size, which is listed as 6 feet 4, 240 pounds:

Jacobs now has 841 career yards. Only one other player of his size or larger has more career rushing yards, and that’s Raiders quarterback Daunte Culpepper (6-4, 260), who has 2,523.

Snap decision

The obscure ruling of the week came during the Chicago Bears’ 19-16 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The score was tied, 9-9, in the fourth quarter when quarterback Brian Griese got under center and Olin Kreutz snapped the ball when Griese wasn’t ready. The ball went into the backfield, and Eagles safety Sean Considine scooped it up and ran to the Bears’ 10.

NFL rules stipulate, however, that when a quarterback is under center (i.e., not in shotgun formation) any snap not touched by the quarterback is a false start. The Bears lost five yards but kept the ball and eventually ended the drive with a field goal for a 12-9 lead.

Milestones

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Joey Galloway surpassed 10,000 yards receiving with five catches for 46 yards in a 23-16 loss to the Lions. . . . Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, the eighth of his career to set the modern NFL record for a defensive lineman. . . . Jeff Garcia set a Tampa Bay record by completing 18 consecutive passes. He has thrown 270 passes without an interception, the longest current streak.

Foreign territory

The Miami Dolphins are 0-7 for the first time in their 42-year franchise history. Next week, they play the Giants in London, which is good news to some.

“We can’t win in America. Maybe we can win overseas,” Taylor said.

Monday preview

The Indianapolis Colts (5-0) are looking to become only the third team in NFL history to start 6-0 in three consecutive seasons when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1).

The Green Bay Packers from 1929-31 and the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2001 also started 6-0 three straight seasons.

The Jaguars, on a four-game winning streak, are giving up only 11.6 points a game and defeated the Colts, 44-17, in their last meeting. The Jaguars set a franchise record with 375 yards rushing in that game.

Injury report

Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, the NFL leader in yards from scrimmage through six weeks, left in the third quarter because of a knee injury against New England and will have an MRI exam today. . . . Houston quarterback Matt Schaub was knocked out of the game against Tennessee by a helmet-to-helmet blow and did not play the second half. . . . Falcons quarterback Byron Leftwich left in the third quarter against New Orleans with a high ankle sprain and is out indefinitely. . . . Denver Broncos defensive back Champ Bailey sat out against Pittsburgh because of a strained quadriceps. . . . Titans quarterback Vince Young sat out against Houston with a strained quadriceps, though he remained active. . . . Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler sat out the game against New Orleans because of a knee injury.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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peter.yoon@latimes.com