SEVEN FROM SUNDAY – WEEK 9 NFL
A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, November 2, the ninth week of the 2025 season.
- With two games remaining in Week 9, nine games were within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and nine games were decided by one score (eight points or fewer), including four teams – Carolina, Chicago, Denver and Jacksonville – that recorded the game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime.
There have been 35 games decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime this season, tied with 2021 for the most-such games through Week 9 in NFL history.
Jacksonville kicker Cam Little kicked a 68-yard field goal in Week 9, the longest field goal in NFL history, surpassing Justin Tucker (66 yards on Sept. 26, 2021).
| PLAYER | TEAM | DATE | YARDS |
| Cam Little | Jacksonville | 11/2/2025 | 68 |
| Justin Tucker | Baltimore | 9/26/2021 | 66 |
| Chase McLaughlin | Tampa Bay | 9/28/2025 | 65 |
| Brandon Aubrey | Dallas | 9/22/2024 | 65 |
| Brandon Aubrey | Dallas | 9/14/2025 | 64 |
| Matt Prater | Denver | 12/8/2013 | 64 |
| Joey Slye | New England | 9/29/2024 | 63 |
| Brett Maher | Dallas | 10/20/2019 | 63 |
| Graham Gano | Carolina | 10/7/2018 | 63 |
| David Akers | San Francisco | 9/9/2012 | 63 |
| Sebastian Janikowski | Oakland | 9/12/2011 | 63 |
| Jason Elam | Denver | 10/25/1998 | 63 |
| Tom Dempsey | New Orleans | 11/8/1970 | 63 |
- New England quarterback Drake Maye passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns with a 102.5 passer rating in New England’s 24-23 victory over Atlanta.
Maye is the first player under the age of 24 and fourth player in NFL history to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in eight consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (12 consecutive games in 2011 and eight in 2020), Tom Brady (eight in 2007) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (eight in 2004).
- Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen completed 23 of 26 pass attempts (88.5 percent) for 273 yards and totaled three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) in the Bills’ 28-21 victory over Kansas City.
Allen, who has seven rushing touchdowns this season, became the first quarterback and sixth player ever with at least six rushing touchdowns in eight consecutive seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (10 consecutive seasons from 1994-2004), LaDainian Tomlinson (10 from 2001-10), Jim Brown (nine from 1957-65) and Thurman Thomas (eight from 1989-96) as well as Derrick Henry (eight from 2018-25).
Allen is the first quarterback and sixth player in NFL history with at least six rushing touchdowns in eight consecutive seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (10 consecutive seasons from 1994-2004), LaDainian Tomlinson (10 from 2001-10), Jim Brown (nine from 1957-65) and Thurman Thomas (eight from 1989-96) as well as Derrick Henry (eight from 2018-25).
Allen has 15 career games with multiple rushing touchdowns, joining Jalen Hurts (16 games) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 15 such games.
Allen has 79 career rushing touchdowns, including the postseason and surpasses Cam Newton (77 rushing touchdowns) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, including the playoffs, in NFL history.
Allen became the third player ever with an 85+ completion percentage (minimum 15 attempts), two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass in a single game, joining Kyler Murray (Sept. 10, 2024) and Trevor Lawrence (Oct. 16, 2022).
- Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 281 yards with four touchdowns, including two to wide receiver Davante Adams, and a 140.8 passer rating during today’s 34-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Stafford, who has 20 touchdown passes and two interceptions this season, is the fifth different player with at least 20 touchdown passes and three-or-fewer interceptions in his first eight games of a season in NFL history, joining Tom Brady (2007 and 2015), Patrick Mahomes (2020), Aaron Rodgers (2011 and 2020) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle (1963).
Adams has eight touchdown receptions this season and is the seventh wide receiver in NFL history with at least eight touchdown receptions in six consecutive seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (11 from 1986-96), Marvin Harrison (eight from 1999-2006), Lance Alworth (six from 1963-68), Cris Carter (six from 1995-2000) and Tommy McDonald (six from 1958-63) as well as Antonio Brown (six from 2013-18).
Adams has 111 career touchdown receptions, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (111) for the eighth-most touchdown receptions in NFL history.
Adams has 119 career touchdown receptions, including the postseason and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (118) for the seventh-most in NFL history, including the playoffs.
- Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns for a 114.8 passer rating, including the game-winning 58-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Colston Loveland with 17 seconds remaining in the Bears’ 47-42 win at Cincinnati.
Williams, who also had 53 rushing yards and two receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown in Week 9, is the first player in NFL history with at least 275 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, and 20 receiving yards in a single game and the first player ever with at least 20 completions and multiple receptions in a game in NFL history.
Loveland’s 58-yard game-winning touchdown reception marked the third-longest game-winning touchdown reception by a rookie in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime since 1970, trailing only John Brown (75 yard touchdown reception on Oct. 26, 2014) and Santonio Holmes (67 yard touchdown reception on Dec. 31, 2006).
Loveland’s 58-yard game-winning touchdown reception marked the second-longest game-winning touchdown reception by a rookie tight end in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime since 1970, trailing only Richard Rodgers (61 yard touchdown reception on Dec. 3, 2015).
Loveland, who had 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Week 9, is the fifth rookie tight end in the Super Bowl era with at least 100 receiving yards and multiple touchdown receptions, joining and Raymond Chester (Oct. 25, 1970 with the Oakland Raiders), Junior Miller (Sept. 14, 1980 with Atlanta), Bob Tucker (Oct. 25, 1970 with the New York Giants) and Charle Young (Nov. 4, 1973 with Philadelphia).
Per Next Gen Stats, Loveland’s 58-yard go-ahead touchdown in Week 9 against the Bengals increased the Bears’ win probability by 58.7% (39.8% to 98.5%). It marks the second-largest win probability increase on a play this season (New York Giants’ Russell Wilson 48-yard touchdown pass to Malik Nabers with :25 remaining in Week 2, 61.2 percent increase).
For more information on Next Gen Stats, check out NFL Pro, available within NFL+ Premium. With NFL+ Premium, get access to NFL Pro and track advanced analytics powered by Next Gen Stats and watch All-22 film. Available on desktop and mobile web, visit pro.nfl.com for more information.
With Loveland (118 receiving yards) and rookie running back Kyle Monangai (176 rushing yards), the Bears became the first team in NFL history with a rookie rushing for at least 175 yards and a rookie recording 100-or-more receiving yard in the same game.
- Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passed for 250 yards and two touchdowns with a 101.2 passer rating and added 57 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown during the Chargers’ 27-20 victory at Tennessee.
Herbert has 50 career game with at least two touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (50) for the fourth-most games with at least two touchdown passes in a players first six seasons in NFL history. Only Patrick Mahomes (58), Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (58) and Josh Allen (54) have more.
- San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey totaled 173 scrimmage yards (106 rushing, 67 receiving) and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in the 49ers 34-24 win at the New York Giants.
McCaffrey has 33 career touchdown receptions and surpassed Darren Sproles (32 touchdown receptions) for the second-most touchdown receptions by a running back in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (36).
McCaffrey has 16 career games with both a rushing touchdown and touchdown reception, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (15 games) for the most such games in NFL history.
McCaffrey became the third player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in 10 career games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (15 games) and Walter Payton (10).
- Additional notes from Sunday include:
- Minnesota quarterback JJ McCarthy totaled three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the Vikings’ 27-24 win at Detroit.
McCarthy is the first player in NFL history with at least two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in two of a player’s first three career games.
- New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart recorded two touchdowns (one passing one rushing) in Week 9, becoming the first rookie in NFL history with a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown in four consecutive games.
Dart joins Cam Newton (2011) as the only rookie quarterbacks in NFL history with a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games.
Dart is the third rookie in NFL history with a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown in five games, joining Cam Newton (eight games in 2011) and Justin Herbert (five in 2020).
- Cincinnati quarterback Joe Flacco passed for a career-high 470 yards with four touchdowns, two to wide receiver Tee Higgins, in Week 9.
Flacco, who is 40 years and 290 days old, is the third quarterback age 40 or older with at least 400 passing yards and three touchdown passes in a game, joining Tom Brady (four times) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon.
Flacco, at 40 years and 290 days old, became the oldest player in NFL with at least 450 passing yards and four touchdown passes in a game, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (38 years, 195 days old on Oct. 5, 2014 with Denver).
Higgins is the third player all-time with a touchdown reception in nine consecutive home games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Cris Carter (10 consecutive home games with Minnesota from 2000-01) and Jerry Rice (nine with San Francisco from 1989-90).
- Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce has 540 receiving yards this season and became the fourth tight end all-time with at least 500 receiving yards in 12 career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Gonzalez (16 consecutive seasons) and Antonio Gates (13) as well as Jason Witten (15).
NFL IS WIDE OPEN THROUGH WEEK 9 WITH NO DOMINANT TEAMS
The Colts became mistake-prone. The Packers wasted opportunities. The Lions got pushed around. The Chiefs fell out of a playoff spot.
Both conference leaders looked ordinary Sunday and other top teams had rough games.
The NFL looks more wide open every week.
Even some winning teams struggled along the way to victory.
The Chargers let the lowly Titans hang around in a one-score game. The Jaguars needed to stop a 2-point conversion to secure an overtime victory over the Raiders. The Broncos had to rally to beat the Texans, who lost C.J. Stroud to a concussion in the first half. The Patriots held off the Falcons because of a missed extra point. The Bears blew a 14-point lead in the final two minutes against the Bengals but came back thanks to a woeful defense.
Week 9 demonstrated again why there are no dominant teams in the NFL this season. The better teams have shown flaws. The bad teams are awful. There’s plenty of parity overall.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills had the best week, beating Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City 28-21. Buffalo’s defense held Mahomes to a career-worst 44.1% completion rate. Allen continued his mastery of the Chiefs in the regular season with his fifth straight win against them. But the Bills have lost to Kansas City in the playoffs four times in five years. Both teams may have to go the wild-card route to meet again in January.
The Bills (6-2) trail surprising New England (7-2) in the AFC East, already lost to the Patriots and have difficult games in the second half.
The Chiefs (5-4) are third in the AFC West and also have a tough schedule coming up.
The key to success for Indianapolis (7-2) this season has been ball security. The Colts had four turnovers in the first eight games before six giveaways in a 27-20 loss at Pittsburgh. Daniel Jones threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles, exposing some flaws for the first time this season.
The Steelers (5-3) snapped a two-game losing streak and extended their lead over Baltimore in the AFC North to two games.
Green Bay (5-2-1) may have been looking ahead to a playoff rematch against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (6-2) next Monday night because the offense didn’t show up to face Carolina, a 13-point underdog.
After dicing up Pittsburgh’s secondary last week, Jordan Love only led the Packers into the end zone once in a 16-13 loss at Lambeau Field. Green Bay’s first three trips inside the red zone resulted in one field goal.
Outside of a convincing win against Detroit in Week 1 and last week in Pittsburgh, the Packers haven’t been impressive. They lost to the Browns in Week 3, tied Dallas and needed to rally to beat Arizona.
The Lions (5-3) were 8 1/2-point favorites at home against Minnesota but the Vikings dominated the line of scrimmage in a 27-24 victory. Detroit has already lost more games than all of last season.
In Tennessee, the Chargers (6-3) kept the Titans (1-8) in the game. They trailed 14-7 after one quarter, led 20-17 from halftime into the fourth and finished with a 27-20 win. It was a costly game for Los Angeles because left tackle Joe Alt was carted off the field with an ankle injury. The Chargers already lost two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season due to a knee injury. They need to protect Justin Herbert to have a shot at making a deep playoff run.
AFC West-leading Denver (7-2) needed another fourth-quarter comeback to beat Houston 18-15. Facing the league’s stingiest defense, Bo Nix tossed a touchdown pass and connected for a 2-point conversion to tie it before leading the winning drive that ended with Wil Lutz hitting a 34-yard field goal as time expired.
The Broncos have won six straight games, coming back from a fourth-quarter deficit in four of those. It’s hard to sustain long-term success winning that way.
The Patriots also extended their winning streak to six games. They had a 10-point lead against Atlanta in the fourth quarter and came away with a 24-23 victory after John Parker Romo missed an extra point with 4:40 left in the game.
New England has a real chance to end Buffalo’s run of dominance in the division. Only two of the Patriots’ final eight games are against teams that currently have a winning record, including this week at Tampa Bay (6-2).
Six of the NFL’s eight divisions are jumbled with no lead more than 1 1/2 games. Seventeen teams have winning records.
There’s a lot of competition just like the NFL wants it.
GIANTS GET DOMINATED IN ALL PHASES AS THEY DROP TO 2-7 WITH A 34-24 LOSS TO 49ERS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Brian Daboll loves to talk about playing complementary football. What his New York Giants did on Sunday was the polar opposite.
Mistakes on offense, defense and special teams doomed the Giants in a 34-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers that was not as close as the score indicated and was played in front of a crowd that sounded as if the game was being played in the Bay Area instead of the Meadowlands.
“I’ve never played in a home game that was lopsided in that department,” rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart said. “But they have a big fan base.”
Theo Johnson and Wan’Dale Robinson dropped passes thrown right at them by Dart. Christian McCaffrey was left wide open for one of the easiest touchdowns of his career, and he and Brian Robinson Jr. carved through would-be tacklers all afternoon.
If that wasn’t enough, Graham Gano was wide left on a field goal attempt in the final minute of the first half, and Zaire Barnes ran into returner Gunner Olszewski on a punt in the third quarter.
“We have to keep believing that we will win,” Dart said. “It’s not fun to lose. We missed out on certain phases of playing complementary football. You have to win at least two of those areas, and we didn’t.”
It added up to New York’s third consecutive loss to drop to 2-7 this season, with the NFL trade deadline looming Tuesday. And it came after a plane flew over the stadium that read, “Mr. Mara enough is enough — clean house,” with frustration boiling within the fan base. Another wished owner John Mara well in his fight against cancer.
“Look,” Daboll said, “we’re not where we need to be.”
Adding injury to insult, starting center John Michael Schmitz, inside linebacker Darius Muasau and rookie receiver Beaux Collins all left the game. The Giants were already without their top two cornerbacks, Paulson Adebo and Cor’Dale Flott, and starting free safety Jevon Holland, and that’s without mentioning the season-ending injuries to Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo.
Dart and the energy he has brought is the biggest reason for long-term optimism, and he showed flashes against San Francisco. He was 3 of 4 with a TD pass to Theo Johnson on the opening drive, and that was the high point.
The Niners scored on their first possession and rolled from there. The Giants have allowed at least 33 points in each of their past three games on this skid.
“Nothing was good enough,” said Daboll, who defended his decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line and causing home fans to boo. “We have to keep working on our tackling. whether it’s finishing tackles or finishing catches, we have to do better.”
Dart and Daboll have worked closely together since the Giants traded back into the first round to draft the Mississippi product as their future at football’s most important position. Asked about pressure for a coaching change, Dart deferred.
“I can only control what I can control,” he said. “As a team, we should be thinking the same way.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF TAKES HIS SHARE OF BLAME FOR DETROIT’S LOSS TO THE VIKINGS
DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff knew he didn’t have a great game on Sunday.
The Detroit Lions quarterback wasn’t about to let coach Dan Campbell shoulder all the blame for a 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
“I know Coach likes to take ownership of what happens out there, but I thought we were ready to go,” Goff said. “I’m sure he would like to do some things separately, but we did what we were supposed to do coming off a bye.
“We just didn’t play well as players.”
On paper, Goff’s numbers weren’t bad. He completed 25 of 37 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He started the game with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta on fourth down, and he gave the Lions one last chance by hitting Jameson Williams for a 38-yard score with 1:55 to play.
Goff, though, didn’t see it that way.
He took a season-high five sacks, and the Lions had a 29% conversion rate (5 of 17) on third down.
“It starts with first and second downs, certainly,” he said. “Third and short always helps, but we need to convert on third-and-long. That keeps us on the field, allows us to get into the red zone and to score more points.
“But it is tough sledding in third-and-seven-plus.”
Campbell, though, thinks it is too easy to pile blame on the quarterback when an offense plays poorly.
“Look, on offense, it takes all 11 guys to get it right — it really does,” he said. “One guy can kill you, and that’s what is going on right now. It puts us in a bad way and we can’t get out of it.”
That situation has been a specialty of the Lions’ offense over the last few years. A bad play is followed up by a big one. Against the Vikings, that didn’t happen.
“We get out of those by making a play at the right time,” Campbell said. “We’re just not doing that. The fact we had 17 third downs is crazy — that’s a high, high number of third downs.”
The Lions also struggled in the running game. The Vikings give quarterbacks fits with their varied blitz packages, but teams have been able to run against them. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, though, managed 65 yards on 20 carries with a long of 11 yards.
“When you can’t run the ball, it is hard to be an explosive offense,” Campbell said. “Now the quarterback is a sitting duck back there.”
Goff, though, took some of the blame for that as well.
“If we’re more efficient on first and second down, some of those runs probably end up hitting for more yards,” he said. “It all works together — the running game and the passing game aren’t exclusive from each other.”
Of course, the Vikings played a huge role. Not only did they sack Goff five times, they hit him 11 times and had 10 tackles for loss.
“The line of scrimmage was big,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I thought we moved Jared off the spot. He’s as good as anybody in the National Football League if he can stay clean.”
Defensively, the Lions allowed Minnesota to rush for 142 yards while J.J. McCarthy threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.
Even Detroit’s vaunted special teams struggled. Minnesota averaged 32.8 yards per kick return and returned a blocked field goal 41 yards in the final seven minutes.
“It has been a long time since we’ve had this feeling of playing poorly in all three phases,” Goff said. “We have a ton of things to fix, but that’s what we do best.”
BEARS OUTLAST BENGALS FOR WILD 47-42 WIN ON WILLIAMS’ TD PASS TO LOVELAND IN FINAL MINUTE
CINCINNATI (AP) — Caleb Williams connected with Colston Loveland for a 58-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left, and the Chicago Bears beat the Cincinnati Bengals 47-42 on Sunday in a wild game that featured three touchdowns in the last two minutes and two lead changes in the final minute.
After Joe Flacco put the Bengals ahead 42-41 with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Andrei Iosivas, Chicago (5-3) took over on its own 28 with 54 seconds left. Four plays later, on first down from the 42, Williams found Loveland down the middle. The rookie tight end caught it at the Bengals 36, bounced off Cincinnati defensive backs Jordan Battle and Geno Stone and ran to the end zone to give Chicago its fifth win in six games.
Williams passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns, and he also caught a TD pass from D.J. Moore on a trick play for the Bears’ first score. He later hauled in a 20-yard pass from Tyson Bagent, becoming the first starting QB in nearly 82 years with multiple receptions in a game.
The 40-year-old Flacco, who did not practice on Wednesday and Friday after injuring the AC joint in his right throwing shoulder in last week’s loss to the New York Jets, was 30 of 44 for a career-high 470 yards and four TDs. But the Bengals scored at least 30 points and lost for the second straight week and sixth time dating to last season.
Cincinnati (3-6) had not scored 40 points or more in defeat since falling 51-45 to Cleveland on Sept. 16, 2007.
Loveland had six catches for 118 yards. Moore, a wide receiver, had a 17-yard touchdown rush along with the scoring pass to Williams. He added four catches for 72 yards.
The Bears appeared to be in good shape after Moore’s TD run made it 41-27 with 4:53 left. Flacco was intercepted on the Bengals’ next possession, but the Bears went three-and-out, and the veteran led a scoring drive that took just 32 seconds.
Flacco found Noah Fant for a 22-yard TD with 1:43 left, and Tee Higgins caught a 2-point conversion pass to get the Bengals within 41-35. Joseph Ossai recovered the ensuing onside kick to keep Cincinnati’s hopes alive, and the Bengals took just 49 seconds to take the lead on Flacco’s toss to Iosivas.
Cincinnati has dropped two straight and six of seven. It allowed at least 31 points for the third straight game.
Rookie Kyle Monangai rushed for 176 yards on 26 carries as the Bears piled up 576 yards of offense against a Bengals squad that came in ranked last in total defense.
Monangai, a seventh-round draft pick, got the start with D’Andre Swift sidelined due to a groin injury. Monangai finished with a 6.8-yard average and already had 100 yards on 16 carries at halftime.
Chicago rushed for a season-high 283 yards and averaged 7.6 yards on the ground. Brittain Brown, called up from the practice squad for the game, had a 22-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to put the Bears up 31-27.
Charlie Jones put Cincinnati ahead 11 seconds into the game by taking the opening kickoff 98 yards, but the Bengals consistently failed to get stops as the Bears scored on seven of their nine drives, including their first four possessions of the second half.
Higgins had seven catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder along the left sideline late in the second quarter that gave the Bengals a 20-17 halftime lead. Ja’Marr Chase added 111 yards on six catches.
Williams’ milestone
According to Sportradar, the last starting QB with more than one reception in a game was George Taliaferro of the Baltimore Colts on Dec. 5, 1953, at the Los Angeles Rams. He also became third Chicago QB and first since Matt Barkley in 2017 to have a receiving score.
Wild start
Jones found a seam on the left side and took the opening kickoff to the house to put the Bengals up 7-0.
The wide receiver also ran a kickoff back for a score last year. He is the first player to return two kickoffs for TDs since the league changed the kickoff format in 2024.
The Bears evened it on the ensuing drive when Moore threw to Williams on a double reverse on fourth-and-goal.
Injuries
Bears: TE Cole Kmet and DB Josh Blackwell suffered concussions and did not return. … DL Dayo Odeyingbo had an ankle injury in the second half.
Bengals: RB Samaje Perine suffered a right ankle injury during a kick return in the first quarter and did not return.
Up next
Bears: Host the New York Giants next Sunday.
Bengals: After a bye, play at Pittsburgh on Nov. 16.
DARNOLD LEADS SEAHAWKS TO DEMOLITION OF COMMANDERS ON SNF
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Sam Darnold threw four touchdown passes before his first incompletion, and the Seattle Seahawks played a near-perfect first half offensively on their way to a 38-14 rout of the Washington Commanders, who again lost Jayden Daniels to an injury Sunday night.
Daniels, Washington’s second-year quarterback, left in the fourth quarter after his non-throwing arm bent gruesomely while he was being tackled near the Seattle goal line.
Darnold completed his first 17 passes. At halftime, he was 16 for 16 for 282 yards and four TDs against Washington’s beleaguered defense. Rookie Tory Horton had the first two touchdown catches for the Seahawks, and even practice squad elevation Cody White got in on the action before the half was over. It was 31-7 at halftime.
Seattle (6-2) remained tied with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West. The Seahawks were without injured receiver Cooper Kupp, but Darnold had plenty of open teammates to throw to. Washington (3-6) lost its fourth straight.
Darnold went 21 of 24 for 330 yards before being removed late.
The Seahawks took over at their own 10-yard line early on and drove all the way down the field to take the lead on Darnold’s 4-yard scoring pass to Horton. Seattle actually accumulated more than 100 yards of offense on that drive because of penalties.
A 25-yard scoring pass to Horton in the second quarter made it 14-0, and after a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Darnold threw his second TD pass in 11 seconds — 26 yards to Elijah Arroyo.
White’s 60-yard catch-and-run made it 28-0, and after Daniels scored on a 1-yard run with 53 seconds left, Darnold easily drove Seattle into range for a field goal to end the half.
He threw his first incompletion early in the third, and even an interception later that quarter couldn’t do much to dampen Darnold’s night. Daniels, meanwhile, was scrambling around from the start. He rushed for 51 yards but threw for only 153 with an interception.
AJ Barner scored on Seattle’s version of a tush push in the third quarter to make it 38-7. Chris Rodriguez scored from 4 yards out for Washington, immediately following Daniels’ injury.
Injuries
Seahawks: CB Josh Jobe (concussion) and LB Ernest Jones IV (knee) left the game.
Commanders: Washington was without standout WR Terry McLaurin (quadriceps), and then the Commanders lost WR Luke McCaffrey (shoulder) almost immediately. CB Trey Amos (hip) and CB Marshon Lattimore (knee) were also hurt in the game, as was S Quan Martin (hamstring). Of course, Daniels’ injury was the most significant.
Up next
Seahawks: Host Arizona next Sunday. Seattle beat the Cardinals 23-20 in September.
Commanders: Host Detroit next Sunday in a rematch of Washington’s victory in last season’s playoffs.
TREVOR LAWRENCE SCORES IN OT AND JAGS’ DAVON HAMILTON DENIES RAIDERS’ 2-POINT TRY FOR 30-29 WIN
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Trevor Lawrence went into Sunday’s game at Las Vegas battling an illness, and then had trouble getting the Jaguars’ offense going. He even threw an interception into double coverage in the end zone.
A third consecutive defeat was growing more likely.
But Lawrence shined when the Jaguars needed him most, and it was his pinpoint passing and two rushing touchdowns — including the winning sneak in overtime — that gave Jacksonville a much-needed 30-29 victory over the Raiders.
“He was pale as a ghost throughout the whole game,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “Obviously the frustrating interception down on the goal line, but man I’m very proud of the way he responded, the way that he played, especially later on when the game really was on the line.”
Nose tackle DaVon Hamilton secured the victory when he batted down Geno Smith’s pass to deny the Raiders a winning 2-point conversion.
Jacksonville’s Cam Little broke an NFL record with a 68-yard field goal at the end of the first half, and his 48-yarder with 16 seconds left sent the game to OT.
With 3:24 left in the extra period, Lawrence jumped over the pile and stretched the ball just over the goal line for a 30-23 lead with 3:24 left. Smith responded by hitting Brock Bowers for a 2-yard TD, but his throw on the 2-point try never even reached the end zone because the 335-pound Hamilton got his hands up and swatted it away.
Smith said the Raiders got the look they wanted — and new acquisition Tyler Lockett was wide open in the end zone.
“Hats off to (Hamilton),” Smith said. “He made the play.”
The Jaguars (5-3) ended a two-game skid and improved their playoff chances. Las Vegas (2-6) has lost six of seven.
Lawrence completed 23 of 34 passes for 220 yards, and his 7-yard run early in the fourth quarter put the Jags ahead 13-9. He was 11 of 15 for 120 yards in the second half and OT.
“I feel a little bit better after getting the win,” Lawrence said. “That was a fun one, so I’ll definitely feel better on this plane ride back, but it will be nice to rest up and get off my feet a little bit.”
Travis Etienne rushed for 84 yards on 22 carries for Jacksonville.
For the Raiders, Smith passed for 284 yards and four TDs.
Bowers, who missed the previous three games because of a knee injury, caught 12 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns. He became the first player in NFL history to have five games with at least 10 catches in his first two seasons. Bowers also is the third Raiders tight end and first since Todd Christensen in 1983 with three touchdown catches in a game.
He made up for lost time.
“Mentally, it hurt not playing,” Bowers said. “I wanted to be out there so bad. It sucked not being able to help the team.”
The game began slowly before Bowers came down with a one-handed, falling-backward 7-yard touchdown catch with 35 seconds left in the first half. The play, which completed a 13-play, 95-yard drive, was initially ruled incomplete, but a video review showed Bowers’ hip landed inbounds.
Daniel Carlson missed the extra point to the right, keeping the Raiders’ lead at 6-0 — a mistake that proved costly.
The Jaguars moved the ball to the 50, and Little made his 68-yard field goal to cut the Raiders’ lead to 6-3. It was 2 yards longer than the previous NFL record, set by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker to beat Detroit on the final play on Sept. 26, 2021.
The game became a shootout in the second half and overtime, with six lead changes.
The Jaguars were without two-way rookie standout Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, after he injured his right knee in Thursday’s practice. Jacksonville placed Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, on injured reserve. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. didn’t play in OT because of an ankle injury.
Josh Hines-Allen had 1 1/2 sacks to give him the Jaguars franchise record of 55 1/2, surpassing Tony Brackens’ mark.
Bowers extended his streak with at least two receptions to 22 games, making it the longest for a tight end to open a career. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta set the previous record in 2023-24.
Jaguars pass rusher ejected for punch
Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker was ejected with 6:29 left in the third quarter for throwing a punch at Raiders left tackle Stone Forsthye, who was penalized for unnecessary roughness. That cost Jacksonville one of the league’s top pass rushers; Walker has 20 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons. He has just two this season, however.
Raiders rookie receiver inactive
Raiders wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr., who was drafted in the fourth round out of Tennessee, was inactive. Thornton had a promising training camp, but that didn’t translate into results. He has five catches for 94 yards, and the acquisition of Lockett on Monday made it an easier decision to sit Thornton.
Injuries
Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd (calf), as expected, did not play. CB Jourdan Lewis (shoulder) was injured in the first quarter. TE Hunter Long (hip and knee) was hurt in the second quarter but later returned. WR Dyami Brown (concussion protocol) was injured in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Jaguars: Visit Houston next Sunday in an AFC South matchup, Jacksonville’s fourth true road game in five weeks.
Raiders: Las Vegas has a short turnaround with a game at AFC West rival Denver on Thursday night.
ALLEN HAS 3 TDS AND BILLS USE STURDY DEFENSE TO TOP MAHOMES AND CHIEFS 28-21
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After Josh Allen spent much of the past week downplaying Buffalo’s showdown against Kansas City, the Bills quarterback revealed there was more to the rivalry than he let on.
Turns out beating the Chiefs — a team that has blocked Allen and the Bills’ path to the Super Bowl for much of the past five years — meant something more to Allen. And the NFL’s reigning MVP had a near-perfect performance in a 28-21 victory Sunday.
“They’re the pinnacle of what you want your franchise to be. They’ve been that for the last eight years,” Allen said. “Any time you get a chance to play the best and you can come away with a victory, you’re going to be feeling pretty good.”
Allen put aside questions and criticisms of how Buffalo’s passing attack has sputtered over the past month by throwing one touchdown pass and running for two other scores rushing. The eighth-year player set the franchise record for completion percentage by going 23 of 26 (88.5%) for 273 yards.
He also outdueled Buffalo’s arch nemesis, Patrick Mahomes. Though the Bills have won five straight regular-season meetings against Kansas City, they’re 0-4 in playoff meetings dating to the 2020 postseason, including last season’s AFC championship game.
Mahomes, by comparison, finished with his worst completion percentage — 44.1% — while going 15 of 34 for 250 yards and an interception. The two-time NFL MVP had previously never finished a regular-season game completing fewer than 50% of his passes over his nine-year career.
The Bills’ defense played a major role in harassing Mahomes, who was sacked three times and hit 15 more.
“We’ve had great moments, we’ve had bad moments. We have to be more consistent as a team,” Mahomes said. “I have to be more consistent as a quarterback. And we have to be able to battle.”
The Bills (6-2) suddenly have the upper hand in the playoff seeding race by opening a 2 1/2-game edge over the Chiefs (5-4). Buffalo, however, is still chasing New England (7-2) in the AFC East standings after losing to the Patriots last month.
The Chiefs, meantime, opened a season with four or more losses through nine games for just the third time since Andy Reid took over as coach in 2013.
“Against a team like this, you have to be able to score touchdowns, not field goals,” Reid said.
Kareem Hunt and Rashee Rice scored on touchdown runs, and Harrison Butker hit both field goal attempts for the Chiefs.
The game was decided in the final 17 seconds, when Mahomes threw three straight incompletions from Buffalo’s 40. The last throw fell short of the end zone and was batted down by rookie Maxwell Hairston, who earlier intercepted Mahomes.
The Chiefs’ drive began at Kansas City’s 42 after Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal attempt for the Bills struck the right upright.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid led Buffalo with 101 yards receiving and James Cook had 114 yards rushing.
Bills coach Sean McDermott credited his team for coming together to pull out what stands as a signature victory. Buffalo’s previous five wins came against opponents that entered Week 9 with a combined record of 11-30, while they lost to New England and Atlanta.
“We’re not where we need to be, but I saw the team come together and when it got tough,” McDermott said, “they stood tall.”
Allen opened the scoring with a 23-yard TD pass to Kincaid. The quarterback also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in a game where the teams traded leads twice.
After the Chiefs built a 10-7 lead on Butker’s 46-yarder 5 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, the Bills responded by scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions.
Ty Johnson capped a five-play 70-yard drive with a 3-yard run for the go-ahead score.
The Chiefs followed by gaving up the ball on downs at Buffalo’s 40 when Cole Bishop broke up a pass attempt to Rice on fourth-and-3. Allen then marched Buffalo on a seven-play, 60-yard drive that he capped with the first of two touchdowns.
The Bills defense got impact plays from two youngsters.
Hairston, a rookie first-round pick was appearing in just his second career game after missing the first six with a knee injury. Bishop is a second-year player, who only took over the starting job this season and finished with a team-best seven tackles and was credited with four passes defended.
“Games like this is the games that I prayed for growing up,” Hairston said. “And the fact that I was part of this game tonight, man, was like truly a dream come true.”
Allen milestones
Allen’s first TD run was the 78th of his career, including the playoffs, breaking the NFL record for quarterbacks he shared with Cam Newton. With his three TDs, Allen has 282 (passing and rushing), moving ahead of Mahomes for second among players before the age of 30. Allen, who turns 30 in May, now trails only Peyton Manning (288).
Injuries
Chiefs: Starting RT Jawaan Taylor hurt his right ankle.
Bills: McDermott announced DE Michael Hoecht tore his right Achilles tendon. He was hurt in non-contact situation in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Chiefs: Bye week before they travel to play the Denver Broncos on Nov. 16.
Bills: Travel to play the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.
JUSTIN HERBERT SHAKES OFF A PICK-6 AS THE CHARGERS BEAT SKIDDING TITANS 27-20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A pick-6 on the Los Angeles Chargers’ second offensive play of the game. Then Justin Herbert lost his right tackle to injury later in the first quarter followed by left tackle Joe Alt carted off the field in the second.
With the Tennessee Titans sacking Herbert a season-high six times, Sunday’s game featured enough excuses to let a victory slip away.
Herbert shook all that off by throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for another score and the Chargers beat the woeful Titans 27-20 Sunday for their third win in four games.
“There’s no other ways I think that he can impress, you know?” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Herbert. “But then every time I think that, then he finds a way to, you know, it’s like another rung on the ladder of esteem. Yeah, he’s that guy. He’s that competitor.”
Herbert came in leading the NFL with 2,140 yards passing. He was 19 of 29 passing for a 101.2 passer rating, and he also led the Chargers with 57 yards rushing. Herbert said the early pick-6 was tough.
“But it happened early,” Herbert said. “And I thought we did a good job weathering the storm, and it was a weird, kind of a different game for us. A lot of uncharacteristic things, but I think there’s going to be a lot of good learning from it and as long as guys hang in there, there’s time and downs, I think we got a shot.”
Odafe Oweh had two of Los Angeles’ four sacks.
The Chargers (6-3) took control midway through the third quarter, stopping the Titans and running back Tony Pollard on back-to-back plays at the 1 to protect a 20-17 lead.
Herbert then drove the Chargers 99 yards over 15 plays chewing up 9 minutes, 3 seconds off the clock. Herbert scored himself, running into the end zone for a 1-yard TD celebrating a 27-17 lead with a baseball slide.
“It’s a huge testament to the offensive line getting that push and being able to move the ball, especially backed up like that,” Herbert said. “I thought that was a pivotal moment for us.”
After Joey Slye’s second field goal pulled the Titans within 27-20 with 4:19 left, Herbert helped the Chargers play keep-away to finish off the win. Herbert finished with a team-high 57 yards rushing.
The Titans (1-8) lost their fourth straight and third under interim coach Mike McCoy in his first game against the franchise he coached in San Diego between 2013 and 2016. McCoy said the Titans beat themselves with seven penalties for 60 yards all in the first half.
“The big turning point obviously is getting stopped on the 1-yard line, then a big drive go down there and score so that’s the difference,” McCoy said. “It’s frustrating to look at it because of the missed opportunities that we had early.”
Tennessee sacked Herbert six times led by Jihad Ward who had 2 1/2. The Titans played without four defensive starters with cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on injured reserve and tackle Jeffery Simmons, outside linebacker Arden Key and safety Xavier Woods all sidelined by injuries.
Linebacker Cody Barton had a pick-6 off Herbert, stepping in front of Keenan Allen on the Chargers’ second offensive play for a 24-yard interception return for the Titans’ first defensive score this season.
Rookie Chimere Dike, who came in leading the NFL in all-purpose yards, returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown giving Tennessee a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. That gave the Titans two TDs on defense and special teams for the first time since Dec. 30, 2012, when they had four against the Jaguars.
The Chargers outgained the Titans 343-206 on offense. Titans rookie Cam Ward threw for 145 yards and snapped a six-game streak with an interception.
Injuries
Chargers right tackle Bobby Hurt hurt a groin in the first quarter, and Alt reinjured his right ankle. Neither returned. Harbaugh didn’t have an update on Alt’s condition but said, “Feel bad for him.”
Chargers DL Jamaree Caldwell was hurt on the goal-line stand.
Up next
The Chargers host Pittsburgh on Nov. 9.
The Titans have the NFL trade deadline, their bye and then host Houston on Nov. 16.
PATRIOTS HANG ON TO BEAT FALCONS 24-23 AFTER LATE EXTRA POINT MISS BY ATLANTA
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — With his team watching as its lead whittled away late in the fourth quarter, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel knew he had to say something.
“I told our offense that we were going to need one drive to win the football game,” Vrabel said. “And that’s all that’s going to matter.”
He just wasn’t sure if it would be a five-minute drive or a two-minute drive.
“It wound up being a five-minute drive,” Vrabel said. “They executed.”
Drake Maye threw two touchdown passes and had a pair of turnovers in an uneven performance, and New England held on for its sixth straight victory, 24-23 over Atlanta on Sunday after Parker Romo missed a potential tying extra point for the Falcons.
Terrell Jennings had his first career rushing touchdown for the Patriots (7-2). DeMario Douglas had four catches for 100 yards, the first 100-yard receiving game of his career.
New England led 24-17 in the fourth quarter when Michael Penix Jr. connected with Drake London for a 40-yard gain along the sideline with Christian Gonzalez in coverage. Gonzalez left with a head injury on the play after being landed on the play, leaving the Patriots without their best cornerback with the Falcons in the red zone.
The Patriots forced a fourth-and-goal on the 8, but London outstretched Carlton Davis III on a jump ball for a toe-tapping touchdown to get the Falcons within a point.
But Romo’s extra point attempt missed wide right.
New England went three-and-out on its next possession, giving the ball back to Atlanta with 3:30 remaining.
The Falcons (3-5) drove to the Patriots 48 before an intentional grounding penalty on Penix pushed them back and forced them to punt.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said the Patriots clapped their hands to simulate Penix’s snap call on the play he was called for grounding. It forced center Ryan Neuzil to snap the ball early.
“Nice job by those guys. Great situational football,” Morris said. “He wasn’t ready for the snap.”
New England faced another third down, but this time Maye completed a pass to Hunter Henry for a 17-yard gain that allowed the Patriots to run out the clock.
Maye finished 19 of 29 for 259 yards, but was sacked six times. He also had an interception and was strip-sacked just before halftime to set up a touchdown by Atlanta.
Still, he walked off the field confident his teammates that his team was happy, but not satisfied.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s 24-23 or 3-2,” Maye said. “You can feel in that locker room that guys know we can play better.”
The Falcons have lost their last eight meetings with the Patriots. Atlanta hasn’t won in Foxborough since 1998.
Penix passed for three touchdowns and finished 22 of 37 for 222 yards. Bijan Robinson rushed 12 times for 46 yards as the Falcons dropped to 0-5 when he rushes for fewer than 75.
New England remains the only team in the NFL this season not to allow 50 yards rushing to a running back through nine games.
“We’re going to learn from winning so that we don’t have to learn from losing,” Vrabel said.
Injuries
Falcons: LG Matthew Bergeron left in the first quarter (ankle). … Edge rusher Leonard Floyd exited in the second with a hamstring injury.
Patriots: WR Kayshon Boutte was ruled out after leaving in the second quarter with a hamstring issue. … LB Christian Elliss left in the second with a hip injury. … Gonzalez didn’t return after his head injury. He said afterward that he was put through the concussion protocol, but was cleared.
Early action
Despite missing running back Rhamondre Stevenson, the Patriots tried to establish the run at the outset by employing multiple tight end sets to the ball on early downs. It helped open the field for Maye and the passing attack.
First, Maye connected on a fade to Douglas for a 16-yard touchdown pass on the Patriots’ opening drive.
With the game tied at 7 in the second quarter, Maye linked up with Douglas again, this time finding him near the sideline on a post route. Douglas stumbled initially after pulling in the ball, then evaded a few tacklers before falling to the turf after a 58-yard gain to set the Patriots up in the red zone.
Maye found Stefon Diggs two plays later for an 11-yard TD pass to stretch New England’s lead to 14 points.
But a Patriots miscue helped the Falcons get it back to single digits just before halftime.
The Patriots had the ball near midfield with 32 seconds remaining when Maye was strip-sacked by Jalon Walker. The ball was recovered by James Pearce Jr. who returned it to the Patriots 6 before being dragged down by Will Campbell.
Atlanta scored two plays later via a 2-yard touchdown pass from Penix to London.
Up next
Falcons: Plays Indianapolis in Berlin next Sunday.
Patriots: At Tampa Bay next Sunday.
RICO DOWDLE’S BIG DAY AND RYAN FITZGERALD’S BIG KICK GIVE PANTHERS 16-13 WIN OVER PACKERS
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Rico Dowdle made one big mistake on an otherwise splendid afternoon.
Dowdle and Carolina Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald made sure it didn’t prove costly.
Dowdle rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns, and his big run in the final minute set up Fitzgerald’s last-second 49-yard field goal as Carolina beat Green Bay 16-13 on Sunday to climb above .500 and snap the Packers’ three-game win streak.
It was the second time this season that Fitzgerald, a rookie from Florida State, has made a winning field goal as time expired. He hit a 33-yarder in the Panthers’ 30-27 triumph over Dallas on Oct. 12.
“I think there is a sort of comfort level from the fact that I’ve done it before,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m still learning new experiences. Tough environment on the road this week, tough conditions.”
The loss could prove costly for Green Bay (5-2-1). Packers star tight end Tucker Kraft was carted off the field with a knee injury in the third quarter.
“It doesn’t look good,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s going to be tough, but it’s football. Other guys are going to have to step up.”
Carolina (5-4), a two-touchdown underdog according to BetMGM Sportsbook, bounced back from a 40-9 home loss to Buffalo. Fitzgerald and Dowdle both had to redeem themselves from setbacks earlier in the game.
Dowdle’s second touchdown of the day gave the Panthers a 13-6 lead late in the third quarter. He celebrated that score by thrusting his hips twice, an homage to a “Key & Peele” sketch, and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“From my understanding and everything I’ve learned, we go over stuff like this every week in the meeting room. I definitely think you’re supposed to get two pumps,” Dowdle said. “Hopefully, I don’t get a fine.”
Fitzgerald’s ensuing 48-yard extra-point attempt into a swirling wind was well short, keeping Carolina’s lead at 13-6. So when Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs scored from 1 yards out on third-and-goal with 2:32 left, the Packers didn’t need to go for 2 and tied the game on Brandon McManus’ extra point.
After Carolina got the ball back, Dowdle’s 19-yard carry on second-and-10 from midfield set up Fitzgerald’s kick.
“I just wanted to make up for it,” Dowdle said. “So I knew I had to come out there and keep putting my best foot forward, because I didn’t want that to end up biting us.”
Panthers coach Dave Canales said this past week that Dowdle would get the bulk of the carries after splitting time with Chuba Hubbard. Running behind an injury-riddled offensive line, Dowdle delivered against a Green Bay team ranked third in the NFL in rushing defense.
“From carry one, it was attitude, it was aggression and violence at the end of it,” Canales said. “It really does affect the group. It affects the whole sideline when they see that kind of energy. That kind of violence, it gives them confidence. It’s who we want to be.”
That wasn’t Canales’ only pregame move that paid off.
The Panthers usually defer when they win the coin toss, but they took the ball first. As a result, Fitzgerald’s game-winning kick was much easier than the jumbo-sized extra-point attempt he missed in the third period.
“I’ve got to give a lot of props to (special teams coordinator) Tracy Smith,” Canales said. “He and I were talking before the game and he was like, ‘If we take the ball, we can set ourselves up to have the ball with the wind to our backs to finish the game to give us the opportunity.’ And it played out just like that.”
Packers’ missed opportunities
Green Bay had itself to blame for this loss.
Before Jacobs’ touchdown, the Packers had marched inside the Carolina 35 on five of their first six possessions but had only two field goals to show for it.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Jordan Love, who went 26 of 37 for 273 yards with an interception on his 27th birthday. “I think everybody was feeling that as an offense. First half, we were limited in possessions. Those games, you have to maximize every time you’re on the field. We didn’t do that.”
Green Bay entered the day with just three turnovers all season, matching Philadelphia for the lowest total in the league. Savion Williams had a red-zone fumble that thwarted a scoring opportunity, and Carolina’s Tre’von Moehrig picked off a pass by Love, leading to a Panthers touchdown.
McManus converted from 49 and 27 yards out but also missed a 43-yarder that would have put Green Bay ahead in the third quarter. Dowdle’s second touchdown came after Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon was called for pass interference on a third-and-goal incompletion.
Green Bay also passed up a short field-goal attempt while trailing 13-6 in the fourth quarter and went for it on fourth-and-8 from the Carolina 13. Love’s desperation, across-the-field pass was dropped by Carolina’s Mike Jackson in the end zone.
“Hindsight’s 20-20,” LaFleur said. “I wish we would have taken the points. Didn’t do that there. Bad decision.”
Injuries
Panthers: OG Chandler Zavala (elbow) departed in the first half. LB Trevin Wallace left late in the fourth quarter.
Packers: Along with the injury to Kraft, WR Matthew Golden (shoulder), OG Aaron Banks (stringer) and DL Colby Wooden (shoulder) all left the game.
Up next
Panthers: Host New Orleans next Sunday.
Packers: Host Philadelphia on Monday, Nov. 10.
BRONCOS RALLY TO BEAT TEXANS 18-15 WITH LAST-SECOND FIELD GOAL
HOUSTON (AP) — Bo Nix knows Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans wasn’t pretty.
That seems to be a theme with several of Denver’s wins lately and their quarterback is perfectly fine with that.
“It proves that we can win tough games and it proves that our mentality can adjust to where we expect to find ways to win,” Nix said. “It’s a really good issue to have is when you’re finding these ugly wins.”
Nix threw two touchdown passes and Wil Lutz made a 34-yard field goal as time expired and the Broncos rallied for an 18-15 victory Sunday to extend their winning streak to six games.
“We did just enough things to come out of here with a win,” coach Sean Payton said.
That’s been the case with many of Denver’s games in this streak, with four of them coming by four or fewer points. They improved to 4-0 this season in games where they trailed entering the fourth quarter.
The Broncos (7-2) had punted three times in a row before a 25-yard scramble by Nix got them to their 39 with less than a minute to go.
“We wanted to move the pocket and get a new launch point, change up the pace for those edge guys,” Nix said. “And we got out on the end and felt like everybody was running over there for the pass and there just ended up being a good lane. And I finally got to use my legs there at the end.”
J.K. Dobbins followed with a 9-yard scamper and a 9-yard run by Nix two plays after that set up the game-winning field goal.
Nix couldn’t do much in the first three quarters against Houston’s top-ranked defense, but RJ Harvey’s 27-yard TD reception and Troy Franklin’s 2-point conversion grab tied it at 15-all early in the fourth quarter.
C.J. Stroud sustained a concussion when he was hit at the end of a slide early in the first quarter. Ka’imi Fairbairn tied a career-high with five field goals, but the Texans struggled to move the ball with Davis Mills at quarterback after Stroud’s injury.
They punted six consecutive times after a field goal made it 15-7 on their first possession of the second half.
“Disappointed as a team that we didn’t finish the game,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “The defense, they did a good job of getting stops multiple times. We just sputtered there offensively, we lacked just being able to move the ball. We lacked just being able sustain drives there in the second half. It just wasn’t good enough.”
Mills was 17 of 30 for 137 yards as the Texans fell to 3-5. Houston was 0 of 3 in the red zone and converted just 3 of 17 third downs.
Nix 18 of 37 for 173 yards with an interception.
The Broncos were down by six when Courtland Sutton’s 30-yard touchdown grab gave them a 7-6 lead about five minutes before halftime.
Houston regained the lead with a 38-yard field goal with less than two minutes left in the first half.
Michael Bandy fumbled a punt with about 40 seconds left in the second quarter and it was recovered by Jaylin Smith. Houston cashed in on the error with a 40-yard field goal to push the lead to 12-7 at halftime.
Harvey had five catches for 51 yards and his score made him the first rookie to have a touchdown catch in three straight games in franchise history.
Nico Collins had seven catches for 75 yards for Houston after sitting out last week recovering from a concussion
The Texans had a first down on the 1 on their second drive. But Nick Chubb was stopped on first down and British Brooks was stuffed on the next two plays before a false start penalty on fourth down forced Houston to settle for a field goal to make it 3-0.
Stroud was injured on the next possession. He scrambled for 6 yards and was hit on the shoulder near the end of his slide by Kris Abrams-Draine and the back of his head violently bounced off the turf.
Calen Bullock intercepted Nix on Denver’s ensuing possession to give the Texans the ball near midfield. Collins had a 26-yard reception to get that drive going and a 10-yard catch a few plays later gave them a first down at the 2.
But the Texans couldn’t do anything after that and a sack of Mills on third down left them to settle for another field goal to push the lead to 6-0.
Fairbairn missed from 51 on Houston’s first drive.
Injuries
Denver: Star cornerback Pat Surtain II missed the first of what is expected to be several games with a pectoral strain. … DB J.T. Gray left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. … WR Trent Sherfield injured his knee in the third.
Texans: LB Christian Harris missed the second half with a shin injury. … OL Tytus Howard left in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion. … DE Darrell Taylor injured his ankle in the third quarter.
Making history
Marcedes Lewis made history Sunday, when at age 41 he became the oldest tight end to ever play in an NFL game. When he entered the game on the fourth snap of Denver’s first drive he also became the oldest player to appear in a game in franchise history. Lewis, who was signed Wednesday, is the second-oldest active player in the NFL behind Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 42 in December.
Blocked
Denico Autry blocked a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Lutz on Denver’s first drive. It’s the 13th blocked kick of his career, tying Julius Peppers for the second most in the NFL since 1991.
Up next
Broncos: Denver hosts Las Vegas on Thursday night.
Texans: Houston hosts Jacksonville next Sunday.
BOB TRUMPY, LONGTIME BENGALS PLAYER AND NBC BROADCASTER, DIES AT 80
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bob Trumpy, who was an original member of the Cincinnati Bengals for 10 years before enjoying a career as a network radio and television analyst, has died. He was 80.
The Bengals announced on Sunday that Trumpy died peacefully and was surrounded by family at home. The team had a moment of silence before its game against the Chicago Bears.
“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” said Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get downfield and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.
“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the field.”
Trumpy played collegiately at the University of Utah before being drafted by the AFL expansion Bengals in the 12th round of the 1968 common draft. He scored the franchise’s first receiving touchdown on a 58-yard reception against Denver on Sept. 15, 1968.
Trumpy’s 4,600 receiving yards, 35 receiving touchdowns and 15.4 yards per catch remain the most by a tight end in team history.
After retiring, Trumpy went on to have a distinguished career in radio and television. He joined NBC Sports as an NFL analyst in 1978 and called games through 1997, when it lost the AFC package to CBS.
Trumpy was NBC’s lead analyst with Dick Enberg from 1992-94 and he called two Super Bowls. He also called “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowls with Don Criqui on radio. He would also be a part of three Summer Olympics and three Ryder Cups for NBC.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave Trumpy the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement in NFL broadcasting.
Trumpy also was a sports talk show host in Cincinnati from 1980 to ’89. In 1983, while hosting “Sportstalk” on WLW, he received a call from a despondent woman who said she was going to commit suicide.
Trumpy spent the next 2 1/2 hours on the phone with the woman — who identified herself as “Sugar” — until police located her.
“I don’t know why she called a sports talk show,” Trumpy told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. “It probably was just the first phone number she heard on the radio and decided to call it.
“I sure didn’t feel like a hero after that. I hated that woman. She wasn’t the only one who had to go to a crisis center for therapy. So did I, since I couldn’t figure out why I hated her. They convinced me I hated her because of what she put me through.”
