Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

Digital Sports Desk

Diamond Out of the Rough

by

HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) Regional sports network giant Diamond Sports Group is ready to exit bankruptcy after getting judicial approval. Judge Christopher Lopez, representing the Southern District of Texas, approved the company’s Chapter 11 reorganization.

Embed from Getty Images

DSG stated in a press release that its plan “will reduce its debt from almost $9 billion to $200 million. Upon completion of its restructuring, Diamond will be well capitalized with more than $100 million in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet.”

The ruling came a day after MLB and the Atlanta Braves dropped their objections to DSG’s reorganization. The Braves came to a revised deal with DSG to keep the company as its primary broadcaster.

Other baseball teams still partnering with DSG are the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.

However, MLB stated Thursday that it will oversee broadcasts of Cincinnati Reds games. MLB previously took over the telecasts for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres.

DS also retains the rights to 13 NBA teams (the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs) and eight NHL teams (the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning).

DSG chief executive officer David Preschlack said in a statement, “Today is a landmark day for Diamond, as we embark on a new path for our business. Diamond is now unencumbered by legacy debt, financially stable and enthusiastically supported by new ownership. Over the last 18 months, we have worked tirelessly to strengthen our business, including by reaching revised multi-year rights agreements with team and league partners, go-forward carriage agreements with major distribution partners, a broad naming rights partnership with FanDuel and a commercial agreement with Amazon.

“These critical achievements and a realigned business are enabling us to emerge as a sustainable, go-forward entity that drives value for our partners and fans.”

–Field Level Media

Tatum Overpowers Nets

by

BROOKLYN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored 15 of his 36 points in the third quarter as the Celtics recovered from a slow start and pulled away in the second half for a 139-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

YouTube player

Five nights after needing overtime to earn a four-point win on their homecourt, the Celtics rallied from an early 13-point deficit. Boston beat the Nets for the sixth straight time and for the 12th time in the past 13 meetings.

Coming off a 5-of-16 showing in Tuesday’s one-point home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Tatum made 12 of 19 of shots, handed out 10 of Boston’s season-best 35 assists and collected nine rebounds.

Jaylen Brown added 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Celtics delighted many of their fans in the crowd by shooting a season-best 53.8 percent. Payton Pritchard contributed 23, Jrue Holiday chipped in 16 and Sam Hauser finished with 12 as the trio combined to hit 11 of Boston’s 22 3s.

Ziare Williams scored 23 points and started for the second straight game for Dorian Finney-Smith (sprained left ankle) but the Nets could not keep pace with Boston’s offense and lost for the third time in four games. Brooklyn also played without Ben Simmons (left calf tightness).

Cam Thomas added 17 and Dennis Schroder contributed 16 as the Nets shot 50.6 percent and took their most lopsided loss of the season.

Cameron Johnson’s 3-pointer opened a 26-13 lead for the Nets with 3:52 remaining, but the Celtics ended the opening period with a 19-8 run wherein Tatum scored nine of their final 12 points of the quarter to slice the deficit to 34-32. The Celtics took their first lead when Hauser’s 3 made it 37-36 early in the second, and they held a 65-60 edge at halftime.

Boston began pulling away with about eight minutes left in the third when Tatum’s open 3 pushed the lead to 80-68. Holiday’s 3 extended the lead to 85-70 with 7:17 left and two hoops by Tatum in the final two minutes helped Boston take a 103-89 edge into the fourth.

Tatum finished off his big night by hitting three free throws with 5:21 left for a 123-101 lead and then hit a 17-footer a few minutes later to a loud ovation.

–Field Level Media

Can Patriots Put 1+1 Together?

by

FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Stringing wins together has been nearly impossible for the New England Patriots for the better part of the past three seasons.

New England hasn’t posted back-to-back victories since a three-game winning streak in 2022. The Patriots will attempt to accomplish the feat on Sunday when the Los Angeles Rams roll into Massachusetts.

The Patriots (3-7) suffocated the Bears last Sunday, notching a season-high nine sacks from their defense in a 19-3 win. They held Chicago to 142 yards of total offense and 1 of 14 third down conversions.

However, considering they haven’t had consecutive wins in almost two years, New England coach Jerod Mayo has made it clear to his team that it needs to play with a sense of urgency to stay in the win column.

“Big win from there, and just build on it,” Patriots quarterback Drake Maye said. “Sense of urgency, what coach Mayo is preaching. I think it starts with cleaning up from the game (last) Sunday, cleaning up some little things that I think we could have ended up being a bigger margin of victory for us, especially offensively.

“I think we’ve got another chance here at home. L.A.’s coming off a short week, so we’ve got to prepare for them. They’re good up front on defense, so we’re preparing for them.”

Los Angeles has a quicker-than-usual turnaround following a 23-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. The Rams (4-5) were never able to find the end zone, getting five field goals from Joshua Karty to at least keep the game competitive.

Embed from Getty Images

It marked the end of a three-game winning streak for Los Angeles, which is still within striking distance of the Arizona Cardinals (6-4) for the lead in the NFC West. Rams linebacker Jared Verse realizes that time is of the essence when it comes to making a playoff push, though.

“We can’t dwell on this (loss against Miami), ‘Oh no, woe is me,’ ” Verse said. “We have to move on.”

Verse was among the few bright spots for Los Angeles against the Dolphins. The rookie had four tackles (two for loss), one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Still, Verse believes he can be even better against the Patriots.

“I’ll never be satisfied with the way I play,” he said. “I think there were definitely a couple plays here and there that I could have made if I did a little bit more.”

Offensive linemen Joe Noteboom and Rob Havenstein are both dealing with ankle injuries that forced them to miss practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Charles Woods (ankle) and defensive lineman Neville Gallimore (neck) did not practice as well. Linebacker Byron Young (knee) was limited during the session.

Four Patriots players did not practice on Wednesday, including defensive end Deatrich Wise (foot) and linebacker Sione Takitaki (knee). Safety Kyle Dugger was limited by an ankle injury and tight end Hunter Henry was limited because of a foot issue.

New England and Los Angeles are facing each other for the first time since Dec. 10, 2020, when the Rams beat the Patriots 24-3.

–Field Level Media

Top 25: St. John’s Returns to Top 25

by

JAMAICA ESTATES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – St. John’s newcomer Aaron Scott scored seven of his 11 points over the final seven minutes of the second half as No. 22 Johnnies survived several choppy stretches before pulling away for a 66-45 victory over visiting Wagner Wednesday night in Queens.

Embed from Getty Images

Ranked for the first time since January 2019, St. John’s (3-0) led the entire way but didn’t put away Wagner (1-2) until it scored 18 straight points to turn a two-point lead into a 57-37 edge with 5:48 left. RJ Luis Jr. led the Red Storm with 13 points.

Deivon Smith and Brady Dunlap added nine points apiece as the Red Storm shot 50 percent from the floor (21 of 42) but missed 12 of its 30 free-throw attempts.

Javier Ezquerra scored 10 points to lead Wagner, which shot a dreadful 29.1 percent overall, went 5-for-24 from 3-point range and committed 16 turnovers.

No. 3 UConn 90, Le Moyne 49

Alex Karaban scored a game-high 17 points and Liam McNeeley finished with 15 as the Huskies crushed the Dolphins in Hartford, Conn.

Karaban was 7 of 11 from the field and made three 3-pointers. McNeeley also connected on three 3-pointers. Samson Johnson had four of UConn’s nine blocked shots.

The Huskies (3-0) had a 17-0 advantage in points off turnovers, and a 12-0 ratio in fast-break points. Dwayne Koroma led Le Moyne (1-3) with 13 points and five rebounds.

No. 5 Auburn 79, Kent State 56

Four days after topping then-No. 4 Houston on the road, the Tigers let much of a 22-point first-half lead against the Golden Flashes slip away before emerging with a home win.

Johni Broome, selected the SEC Player of the Week on Monday, and Chaney Johnson each scored 18 points to lead the Tigers (3-0). Johnson’s night included 12 rebounds plus a dunk that increased the Tigers’ lead to 36-22 entering halftime. Auburn’s Denver Jones and Chad Baker-Mazara tallied 12 points apiece.

Kent State (2-1) was carried by forward VonCameron Davis’ 19 points but struggled from beyond the 3-point arc. The Golden Flashes went 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) from long distance. Davis finished 6-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-6 from 3-point range.

No. 8 Houston 91, Louisiana 45

Terrance Arceneaux led a balanced scoring effort with 14 points and the host Cougars dominated from early in the game while downing the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Milos Uzan added 13 points, Mercy Miller scored 12 and J’Wan Roberts and Emanuel Sharp had 11 each as the Cougars (2-1) bounced back from a 74-69 home loss to then No. 11 Auburn on Saturday.

Louisiana (1-2) got a team-high eight points from Christian Wright. The Ragin’ Cajuns sank just 6 of 21 3-point attempts, while the Cougars made 10 of 23.

No. 11 Tennessee 92, Montana 57

Igor Milicic Jr. scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, paving the way for the Volunteers to throttle the Grizzlies in Knoxville, Tenn.

Chaz Lanier added 13 points, shooting 5 for 8 from the floor, as the Volunteers improved to 3-0. He scored all but two of his points in the second half. Felix Okpara and Cameron Carr each chipped in 13 points, as well.

Money Williams scored 30 points to lead Montana (2-2), which was facing Tennessee for the first time. Williams was 4 of 7 on 3-point shooting and hit on eight of his 15 attempts from the field.

No. 14 Creighton 78, Houston Christian 43

Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 16 points to fuel the Bluejays to a convincing victory over the visiting Huskies in Omaha, Neb.

A three-time conference defensive player of the year, Kalkbrenner also had five rebounds and three blocks. His dominant performance paved the way for Greg McDermott to record his 328th head coaching victory at Creighton, snapping a tie with his predecessor Dana Altman (1994-2010). Steven Ashworth collected 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Fredrick King added 11 points off the bench. Jamiya Neal had nine points and seven rebounds for the Bluejays (3-0), who benefited from a 36-5 run to close the first half.

The Huskies (1-2) made just 25.4 percent of their attempts from the floor and 14.3 percent from beyond the arc. Houston Christian was led by D’Aundre Samuels’ eight points.

No. 18 Arkansas 65, Troy 49

A hot second half from Zvonimi Ivisic allowed the Razorbacks to overcome the pesky Trojans in Fayetteville, Ark.

Ivisic, who scored 19 points and blocked five shots, provided a second-half spark off the bench as he shot 5 of 6 from 3-point range and scored 16 points after intermission. Adou Thiero also had 19 points for Arkansas (2-1).

Paul vs Tyson: Record Gambling Take

by

DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Professional boxers Jake Paul and Mike Tyson’s made-for-Netflix fight on Friday night has the world’s oddsmakers anticipating record wagering for a boxing match.

“We expect the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight to be the most bet on boxing match in BetMGM history,” senior trader Alex Rella said.

Paul, 27, will step into the ring against the 58-year-old Tyson at 8 p.m. ET on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was rescheduled from July 20 because Tyson had an ulcer flare-up in late May.

Paul, the YouTube star turned professional boxer, enters the fight with a 10-1 record that includes seven knockouts. The most recent was a sixth-round TKO of Mike Perry, who filled in for Tyson in July.

Meanwhile, Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) will fight professionally for the first time since losing to Kevin McBride in 2005. The former undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987-90, Tyson began his career with 19 consecutive wins by knockout, with 12 coming in the first round.

The Tyson-Paul bout will consist of eight two-minute rounds, instead of the regulation three-minute rounds. Also, each fighter will use 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10 ounces to limit punching power.

Paul is the heavy favorite at most sportsbooks. That includes DraftKings, where he has been backed by 64 percent of the money at -275. Tyson has drawn 66 percent of the total bets at +210, with the book setting the Over/Under for total rounds at 5.5.

Tyson has been the more popular play at BetMGM, where his odds have shifted from +275 to +188 while being backed by 59 percent of the bets and 76 percent of the money. Meanwhile, Paul’s odds have shifted from -275 to -190 since the market opened.

The most popular prop has been a Tyson win by KO/TKO or disqualification at +250, followed by a Tyson win on points at +1100.

“Bettors want to see Paul get knocked out and love Tyson as an underdog,” Rella said. “The book will be rooting for Paul to win.”

The most-bet fight in BetMGM history was Gervonta Davis’ win by TKO over Ryan Garcia in April 2023, followed by Paul’s unanimous decision victory over Nate Diaz in August of that year. Paul has six of the top 25 most-bet boxing matches in the book’s history.

–Field Level Media

MNF: Dolphins End Three Game Skid

by

INGLEWOOD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa passed for 207 yards with a touchdown as the visiting Dolphins ended a three-game losing streak with a 23-15 victory Monday night over the Los Angeles Rams in California.

Embed from Getty Images

Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill had a second-half touchdown reception for the Dolphins (3-6) after he was questionable to play with a wrist injury. Jason Sanders made three field goals, including a 50-yarder with 2:38 remaining to seal the victory. Miami’s defense recorded four sacks.

Tagovailoa was 20-of-28 passing with an interception, while improving to 1-2 since returning from concussion protocol in Week 8. De’Von Achane ran for a team-best 37 yards and had five receptions for 15 yards.

Matthew Stafford was 32-of-46 passing for 293 yards, but did not throw for a touchdown with one interception, the sixth consecutive game he threw a pick.

Puka Nacua had nine receptions for 98 yards and Cooper Kupp had seven catches for 80 yards as the Rams (4-5) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Rookie Joshua Karty made five field goals for Los Angeles, including a career best from 55 yards.

After Karty missed a 57-yard field-goal attempt on the opening drive of the second half, the Dolphins responded with a six-play, 53-yard drive that ended with Hill’s 1-yard TD reception from Tagovailoa for a 17-6 lead.

The Rams had 133 yards of offense in the fourth quarter but were only able to come away with three Karty field goals.

Sanders made a 37-yard field goal with 9:07 remaining before his boot from 50 yards gave Miami a 23-12 lead with less than three minutes on the clock.

The Dolphins took the opening drive of the game 70 yards in five plays with Malik Washington scoring on a 19-yard end around for a 7-0 lead. A defensive tussle immediately ensued.

After Sanders’ 50-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Miami a 10-0 lead, the Rams finally scored on a 34-yard field goal from Karty with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter. His make from 55 yards got Los Angeles within 10-6 on the final play of the first half.

–Field Level Media

Hockey Hall Deepens Selection Committee

by

TORONTO – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Lanny McDonald, Chair of the Board of the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced new appointments to the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee as confirmed at the Directors’ meeting held yesterday in Toronto.

Embed from Getty Images

Jarome Iginla and Ed Olczyk will join the Selection Committee commencing with the 2025 nomination and election proceedings (replacing David Branch and Mike Gartner, each having served their full-term limit of 15 years). McDonald also announced that Ron Francis will become Chair of the Selection Committee, taking over from Gartner who will transition to Chair of the Board in June 2025.

“One of the things that makes the Selection Committee so strong is the regular inclusion of new voices and the opportunity for highly knowledgeable hockey people to contribute in the process of honouring excellence in our game,” said McDonald. “To this end, we are very pleased to welcome Jarome and Ed to the committee, and thrilled that Ron, a long-time member and one of hockey’s great leaders, has agreed to serve as Chair. I would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude to David and Mike for their outstanding contributions over the past several years.”

Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020, Jarome Iginla played over 15 seasons with the Calgary Flames and led the team in scoring during 11 of those seasons. A three‐time NHL First All‐Star Team member, Iginla recorded 1,300 points in 1,554 regular season games over his phenomenal 22-year NHL career. He was also a member of Team Canada at three Olympic Games, winning gold medals in 2002 and 2010.

Ed Olczyk, a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame (Class of 2012), played more than 1,000 games recording 794 points throughout 16 NHL seasons. During the 1989–90 season Olczyk scored a point in 18 consecutive games, which was then the longest streak by an American-born player in NHL history. Following his playing career, Olczyk has served as an NHL coach and is a two-time Emmy award winning broadcaster.

Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, Ron Francis ranks second on the NHL all‐time assist list and is a two‐time Stanley Cup champion. After his playing career, the Hurricanes officially retired Francis’ No. 10 jersey on January 28, 2006, and the long‐time Carolina Hurricanes captain would serve the club in a variety of capacities before being named General Manager in April 2014. He is currently the Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Seattle Kraken, a position he has held since the expansion club commenced operations in 2019.

In addition to these new appointments, Brian Burke, Marc de Foy, Anders Hedberg and Pierre McGuire were re-appointed to the Selection Committee each for a further three-year term expiring December 31, 2027.

The Selection Committee will meet in late June 2025 to consider duly nominated candidates for election into Honoured Membership and the annual Induction Celebration will be held on Monday, November 10, 2025

NFL Monday Night Football Preview

by

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Rams

Week 10 in the NFL wraps up on Monday night with the Rams rolling out the red carpet for the Miami Dolphins. Although the Dolphins are 2-6 with three consecutive losses, Miami is far more competitive than the record indicates since starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned from a four-game hiatus on injured reserve with a concussion.

Embed from Getty Images

Miami narrowly lost twice since Tagovailoa stepped back into the start job. The Dolphins dropped a one-point decision to Arizona and were also beaten by Buffalo by a field goal margin.

As for the Rams (4-4), they’ll look to keep their playoff hopes alive by extending their winning streak to four games and keeping their noses up with the rest of the pack in the NFC West. Given both teams’ firepower on offense when healthy, this matchup looks tailor-made to produce a high-scoring affair.

–Dolphins’ offense energized with Tagovailoa’s return The Dolphins scored 27 points in back-to-back games with Tagovailoa returning to rescue a group putting up less than two touchdowns per game without him. His presence alone tends to have a calming effect on the offense based on his accuracy and ability to put the ball exactly where he wants it to go. Tagovailoa completed 69.3 percent of his passes last season and is up to 72.7 percent this season. The Dolphins are more likely to remain on schedule with Tagovailoa, who has the fifth-highest success rate among quarterbacks with a minimum of 140 plays. When you’re picking up the necessary yardage on early downs, you’ll have more flexibility with your playcalling.

In their last two games, the Dolphins converted 65.2 percent of their third-down opportunities and 6-for-8 in touchdown conversions inside the red zone. While the offense can sometimes resemble a slow grind, the Dolphins’ efficiency under Tagovailoa makes them a real threat to opposing defenses.

We’re eyeing the over on Tagovailoa completions — set at 21.5 at DraftKings, ESPN Bet and FanDuel — given his high-percentage horizontal route connections with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and the additional threat of running back De’Von Achane. Tagovailoa was 25 of 28 (89.3 percent) at Buffalo last week and 28 of 38 in his first game back from IR.

–Pass defense a mutual concern Los Angeles had its share of injury woes, with wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua combining to miss seven games. Both players are now back with the team to significantly boost the Rams offense. The passing game is vital for the Rams because they struggle to run the ball, ranking 31st in yards per carry (3.8). As a result, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles has the ninth-highest pass play rate at 58.68 percent.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford should be eager for his chance to face this Dolphins defense. According to the FTN Fantasy Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) metric, Miami ranks 27th against the pass.

However, the Rams’ pass defense is only one spot better. Pro Football Focus offers a similar view. It has the Dolphins 26th in pass coverage while grading the Rams as the third worst in this category. Hence, we play the points.

This total opened at 47.5 and was bet up as high as 49.5 before we began to see a little bit of buyback. It’s now settling at 49 at most sportsbooks.

As of this morning, 48.5 was still available at FanDuel. In a perfect scenario — or close to perfect health for both teams — this number would probably be closer to 52. Do not pass: take the value and run with it.

Best bet: over 48.5 points (-115 at FanDuel)

-Field Level Media

Bearly Recognizable

by

CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England’s Deatrich Wise Jr. and Anfernee Jennings each had a pair of sacks as the Patriots buckled down defensively to beat the host Bears 19-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Embed from Getty Images

New England (3-7) had nine sacks in all and held the Bears to 142 yards of total offense. Chicago was forced to punt on eight of its first nine drives of the game, then turned the ball over on downs when it had possession for a 10th time.

The hosts had one last chance to make something happen, but they also failed to move the chains on fourth down on their final drive.

Drake Maye didn’t have to do much under center for the Patriots, completing 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Austin Hooper hauled in three catches for 64 yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson headlined the rushing attack for the visitors, going for 74 yards on 20 touches.

Caleb Williams was under constant duress and finished with 120 yards on 16-of-30 passing for the Bears (4-5), who have dropped three straight games. D’Andre Swift rushed for 59 yards on 16 carries.

Maye put New England in front for good when he found Ja’Lynn Polk for a 2-yard TD with 1:46 left in the second quarter to make it 10-3.

Joey Slye booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to send the Patriots into the break up by 10.

Slye added fourth-quarter field goals from 25 and 33 yards out to put the finishing touches on the victory.

New England opened the scoring with 6:19 to go in the first quarter, getting a 30-yard field goal from Slye.

Chicago finally responded at the 7:17 mark of the second quarter, as Cairo Santos made good on a 33-yard field goal to provide the Bears with their only points of the afternoon.

The Patriots stopped Chicago on 13 of 14 third-down tries for the game.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Chiefs Win, Chiefs Win

by

KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Chiefs FG place-kicker Harrison Butker kicked three field goals, including a go-ahead 20-yarder with 5:57 left, and Leo Chenal blocked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to help the host KC Chiefs rally to defeat the Denver Broncos 16-14 on Sunday. Kansas City remained unbeaten.

Embed from Getty Images

KC QB Patrick Mahomes threw for 266 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (9-0), who exhaled after a late blunder put them in a precarious position. Butker, who also connected on field goals of 36 and 28 yards, sent the kickoff after his final make of the afternoon out of bounds, giving the Broncos the ball at their own 40-yard line.

Denver (5-5) capitalized on the favorable field position and was set up for a chip shot to win the game, but Chenal and the special teams preserved the victory by blocking Wil Lutz’s field-goal attempt.

49ers 23, Buccaneers 20
Jake Moody hit a 44-yard field goal as time expired to help visiting San Francisco edge Tampa Bay in the return of Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey, who missed the first eight games of the season with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, finished with 39 yards rushing on 13 carries and 68 receiving yards on six catches for the 49ers (5-4). Ricky Pearsall’s 46-yard TD reception in the first quarter, which gave the 49ers a 7-0 lead, was the first score of the rookie’s career and came after he was shot in the chest in a robbery attempt in August. He finished with four receptions for 73 yards.

Baker Mayfield completed 18 of 29 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown pass for the Bucs (4-6). Tampa Bay lost All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs to a knee injury in the first half.

Lions 26, Texans 23
Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal just inside the left upright as time expired and Detroit overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to record a victory over host Houston. Bates also drilled a game-tying 58-yard field goal that slipped just inside the right upright with 5:01 left in the game. His heroics helped the Lions (8-1) stretch their winning streak to seven games

Jared Goff threw a career-worst five interceptions while completing 15 of 30 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit. C.J. Stroud completed 19 of 33 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Texans (6-4), who lost for the third time in their past four games.

Panthers 20, Giants 17 (OT)
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yard field goal 2:07 into overtime as Carolina converted off a New York turnover for a victory in the final game of the NFL’s International Series at Munich, Germany.

Embed from Getty Images
The Panthers (3-7) got the ball at the New York 23 for their only possession of overtime. Bryce Young completed 15 of 25 passes for 126 yards with a touchdown, and Chuba Hubbard churned out a career-high 153 yards on the ground on 28 carries.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones went 22-for-37 for 190 yards with two interceptions, and he also ran for a touchdown. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. gained 103 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, but his fumble on the first snap of overtime set up Carolina’s winning points. Graham Gano’s 42-yard field goal with five seconds to play forced overtime for the Giants (2-8), who have lost five straight games.
Patriots 19, Bears 3
Deatrich Wise Jr. and Anfernee Jennings each had a pair of sacks as New England buckled down defensively for the victory at Chicago. New England (3-7) had nine sacks in all and held the Bears to 142 yards of total offense. Chicago was forced to punt on eight of its first nine drives of the game, then turned the ball over on downs during its final two possessions. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 74 yards on 20 carries.
Bears QB Caleb Williams was under constant duress and finished with 120 yards on 16-of-30 passing. Chicago (4-5) has dropped three straight games.
Bills 30, Colts 20
Josh Allen threw for 280 yards and rushed for a touchdown as visiting Buffalo maintained its big AFC East lead with a win over Indianapolis. Allen completed 22 of 37 passes and threw two interceptions, but Buffalo (8-2) still outgained Indianapolis 415-361. The Bills won their fifth straight game and lead the New York Jets by five games in the division.
Joe Flacco completed 26 of 35 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns for the Colts but also tossed three interceptions. Indianapolis (4-6) committed four turnovers and also permitted four sacks. Jonathan Taylor rushed 21 times for 114 yards for the Colts.
Saints 20, Falcons 17
Derek Carr passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns and host New Orleans ended a seven-game losing streak with a victory against Atlanta. Carr completed 16 of 25 passes and Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns as the Saints (3-7) won their first game under interim head coach Darren Rizzi after Dennis Allen was fired Monday.
Kirk Cousins passed for 306 yards and Bijan Robinson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (6-4).
Steelers 28, Commanders 27
Mike Williams caught a 32-yard touchdown pass with 2:22 left in the game and visiting Pittsburgh rallied for a win against Washington in Landover, Md. It was the first catch as a Steeler for Williams, who was acquired Tuesday in a trade with the New York Jets. Russell Wilson was 14-of-28 for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for Pittsburgh (7-2).
Jayden Daniels finished 17 of 34 for 202 yards for Washington (7-3). Terry McLaurin had five catches for 113 yards and Austin Ekeler had two rushing scores.
Vikings 12, Jaguars 7
John Parker Romo made four field goals in his NFL debut, and Minnesota escaped with a win over host Jacksonville. Romo, a 27-year-old rookie who signed with the Vikings this week after rookie kicker Will Reichard went down with an injury, provided all of the scoring for Minnesota (7-2). Sam Darnold completed 24 of 38 passes for 241 yards but threw three interceptions. The Vikings’ defense had three takeaways in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Mac Jones scored on a 1-yard run to mark the only scoring for the Jaguars (2-8). Jones completed 14 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions as a replacement starter for Trevor Lawrence, who missed the game because of a shoulder injury.
Chargers 27, Titans 17
Justin Herbert guided a pair of touchdown drives to open the second half as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to three games with a victory over Tennessee in Inglewood. Herbert completed 14 of 18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score. Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu each had two of the Chargers’ seven sacks as Los Angeles (6-3) held the Titans to 289 total yards.
Tennessee quarterback Will Levis returned from a shoulder injury to go 18-of-23 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns in his first action since Week 6. Levis also had 41 rushing yards for the Tennessee Titans (2-7), who lost for the fourth time in five games. Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards and two TDs.
Cardinals 31, Jets 6
Kyler Murray passed for 266 yards and set a team record with 17 consecutive completions as Arizona rolled past New York in Glendale, Ariz. Murray finished 22-of-24 with a passing touchdown and two rushing scores for the Cardinals (6-4), who have won four straight games and remain in first place in the NFC West. Arizona, which limited the Jets to 207 total yards, has not allowed a touchdown over its past three home games.
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 35 passes for 151 yards without a touchdown or an interception for slumping New York (3-7), which lost for the sixth time in its past seven games.
Eagles 34, Cowboys 6
Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and ran for two more as Philadelphia (7-2) routed Dallas in Arlington, Texas, for its fifth straight win and first place in the NFC East. Hurts passed for 202 yards and rushed for 56. Saquon Barkley had 78 yards from scrimmage and collected his first win over the Cowboys after going 0-10 while with the New York Giants. A.J. Brown caught five passes for 109 yards.
Playing without injured quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), Dallas (3-6) lost its fourth consecutive game. Cooper Rush struggled in his first start since 2022 with only 45 yards on 13-of-23 passing before being replaced in the fourth quarter by Trey Lance, who completed 4 of 6 throws for 21 yards. Dallas turned it over five times and finished with just 146 yards of offense.
–Field Level Media