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Patriots’ Stevenson Out

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was diagnosed with a high right-ankle sprain and likely will miss “a few weeks,” ESPN reported Tuesday.

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He sprained his ankle in the first quarter Sunday in the 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and did not play the rest of the game.

Ezekiel Elliott is expected to start at running back when the Patriots (2-10) meet the Steelers (7-5) in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Stevenson leads the Patriots in rushing yards (619) and receptions (38) and has four rushing touchdowns.

Elliott, who twice led the league in rushing as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, has run for 429 yards and two touchdowns in his first season with the Patriots.

New England selected Stevenson in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

In three seasons, the 25-year-old has gained 2,265 yards on 499 carries with 14 scores. He also has caught 121 passes for 782 yards and a touchdown.

–Field Level Media

NFL MNF: Bengals Upset Jaguars

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JACKSONVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bengals PK Evan McPherson kicked a 48-yard field goal with 1:45 left in overtime to lift the visiting Cincinnati Bengals to a 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night.

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The Jaguars (8-4) lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a right ankle injury after left tackle Walker Little stepped on Lawrence late in the fourth quarter. The QB tossed his helmet aside in frustration and left the game for backup C.J. Beathard. Lawrence could not put any weight on his ankle as he left the field.

Lawrence completed 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game.

Beathard fumbled on his first play, but it was recovered by Jaguars receiver Parker Washington. Beathard then directed a drive that ended when Brandon McManus connected for a 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in regulation to make it 31-31 and force overtime.

Beathard completed a 43-yard pass to Calvin Ridley down to the Cincinnati 2 in overtime, but Anton Harrison was called for holding to bring the play back. Two plays later, Jacksonville punted.

Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning, making his second career start due to Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury, then led the Bengals (6-6) on a drive that ended with McPherson’s game-winning field goal.

Browning had a career game, completing 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a score.

Cincinnati receiver Ja’Marr Chase had 11 catches for 149 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown.

McPherson kicked a 54-yard field goal with 2:28 left in regulation to give the Bengals a 31-28 lead.

The Jaguars went down the field with little resistance on their first drive of the game, which was highlighted by a 26-yard pass to Christian Kirk. However, Kirk sustained a groin injury on the play. He left the game and did not return.

Travis Etienne ended up capping the drive with a 4-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.

Things were tied at 14-all at the break after a pair of rushing touchdowns by the Bengals’ Joe Mixon — from 6 and 2 yards out — sandwiched Lawrence’s 22-yard scoring strike to Evan Engram.

The Bengals captured the momentum early in the third quarter when Browning tossed a perfect pass down the left sideline to Chase, who gave Cincinnati a 21-14 lead with his 76-yard TD.

Lawrence threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to put the hosts ahead 28-21 with 3:10 left in the third quarter. Browning plunged into the end zone from the Jacksonville 1 early in the fourth to set up the tight finish.

NFL: Colts Win with Minshew Mania

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Colts Win; Patriots Shut-Out – NFL Week 13 Results

NASHVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Indy’s fill-in QB Gardner Minshew hit Michael Pittman with a four-yard touchdown pass with 2:31 left in overtime as the Colts outlasted the Tennessee Titans 31-28 on Sunday in Tennessee.

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Minshew, who was 26 of 42 for 312 yards with two scores, found Alec Pierce for a 55-yard gain to the Titans 4 on Indianapolis’ only possession of the extra period. Two plays later, Pittman caught his 11th pass of the day to keep the Colts (7-5) in playoff position in the AFC.

Tennessee rookie quarterback Will Levis completed 16 of 33 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown, while Derrick Henry rushed 21 times for 102 yards and two scores before leaving with a possible concussion in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee forced overtime when Levis found DeAndre Hopkins for a 3-yard touchdown with 5:26 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 25. But Nick Folk missed the extra point wide left, preventing the Titans (4-8) from winning in regulation.

Folk gave Tennessee a 28-25 edge with 4:19 remaining in overtime when he drilled a 46-yard field goal, capping a drive that lasted nearly six minutes.

49ers 42, Eagles 19

Brock Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns and San Francisco overcame a shaky first quarter to pound host Philadelphia in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game.

Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 116 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) for the 49ers (9-3), who put together consecutive touchdown drives of 85, 90, 75, 77, 75 and 48 yards in a dominating performance.

Jalen Hurts completed 26 of 45 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for a score for the Eagles (10-2). DeVonta Smith (nine receptions, 96 yards) caught a touchdown pass and A.J. Brown had eight catches for 114 yards for Philadelphia, which had its five-game winning streak halted.

Texans, 22, Broncos 17

Jimmie Ward picked off Russell Wilson in the end zone with nine seconds remaining and host Houston escaped with a victory over Denver, though the Texans did lose a key part of their offense.

Nico Collins posted nine receptions for a career-high 191 yards and a touchdown for Houston (7-5). But receiver Tank Dell suffered what is reported to be a season-ending broken leg while blocking on a Dameon Pierce touchdown run.

Wilson was intercepted three times as Denver (6-6) had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Chargers 6, Patriots 0

Khalil Mack had a pair of sacks to headline a sparkling defensive performance by Los Angeles, which blanked New England in Foxborough, Mass.

The Chargers (5-7) totaled five sacks, two of which extinguished a potential fourth-quarter rally by New England. With the Patriots facing third-and-3 late in the fourth, Eric Kendricks got to quarterback Bailey Zappe for a 2-yard loss. New England opted to go for it on the ensuing fourth-and-5, but its offensive line faltered once again, letting Derwin James Jr. sack Zappe for a loss of 8.

Neither quarterback could find their footing due to rainy, cold conditions. Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert completed 22 of 37 passes for 212 yards, while Zappe finished with 141 yards on 13-for-25 passing. Cameron Dicker kicked a pair of 38-yard field goals in the second quarter to provide the Chargers with all the offense they would need to snap a three-game skid.

Lions 33, Saints 28

Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes and visiting Detroit held off New Orleans.

Goff completed 16 of 25 passes for 213 yards and Sam LaPorta caught nine passes for 140 yards and a touchdown for the Lions (9-3), who jumped out to a 21-0 lead midway through the first quarter and led the rest of the way.

Derek Carr passed for 226 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Saints (5-7), who lost their third straight game. Carr left the game early in the fourth quarter with shoulder and back injuries in addition to entering concussion protocol. Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston shared the remaining quarterback snaps.

Falcons 13, Jets 8

Desmond Ridder completed 12 of 27 passes for 121 yards and the game’s only touchdown to lead Atlanta past hapless New York in rainy East Rutherford, N.J.

The Falcons (6-6) moved to .500 with their second straight victory and continued to hold onto first place in the NFC South.

The Jets (4-8), meanwhile, benched a quarterback for the second time in three weeks as they lost their fifth game in a row. Tim Boyle went 14-of-25 passing for 148 yards and one interception before being replaced early in the fourth quarter by journeyman backup Trevor Siemian.

Cardinals 24, Steelers 10

James Conner rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to lead Arizona to a win over host Pittsburgh.

Kyler Murray went 13-of-23 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown to flank Conner for the Cardinals (3-10). Steelers starting quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter and did not return. Mitch Trubisky replaced him and went 11-of-17 passing for 117 yards and a touchdown in defeat for Pittsburgh (7-5).

The contest was marred by two severe weather delays, which caused the game to end at about 5:20 p.m. ET.

Dolphins 45, Commanders 14

Tyreek Hill caught five passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns and Miami pulled away for an easy win over Washington in Landover, Md.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 18 of 24 passes for 280 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Miami (9-3), which won its third straight game. De’Von Achane scored two rushing touchdowns and Raheem Mostert added one.

Sam Howell completed 12 of 23 passes for 127 yards and an interception for Washington (4-9). Howell rushed for two touchdowns as the Commanders lost their fourth game in a row.

Buccaneers 21, Panthers 18

Mike Evans racked up 162 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches to help quarterback Baker Mayfield earn a victory against one of his former teams as Tampa Bay beat visiting Carolina.

The Panthers (1-11), playing their first game under interim coach Chris Tabor after the firing of Frank Reich, held the lead for all of 10 seconds in the third quarter. That’s when Evans struck for a long touchdown, and the Buccaneers (5-7) led the rest of the way.

Mayfield was 14-for-29 for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Running back Rachaad White gained 84 rushing yards on 20 carries for Tampa Bay. Evans has now gone over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 NFL seasons.

Rams 36, Browns 19

Matthew Stafford passed for 279 yards and three touchdowns and Lucas Havrisik kicked two field goals as Los Angeles defeated Cleveland in Inglewood, Calif., to extend its winning streak to three games.

Puka Nacua had 139 yards of total offense and a receiving touchdown for the Rams (6-6). Kyren Williams rushed for 88 yards and a score for Los Angeles, which remained in the thick of the NFC wild-card hunt.

AFC playoff hopeful Cleveland (7-5) lost for the second straight week, but Joe Flacco played effectively in his first start at quarterback for the team with 254 yards passing and two scores.

Packers 27, Chiefs 19

Jordan Love completed 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns as host Green Bay defeated Kansas City for the Packers third straight win.

Christian Watson caught seven passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay (6-6). Ben Sims also had a receiving touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes completed 21 of 33 passes for 210 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Kansas City (8-4). Noah Gray had a receiving touchdown and Isiah Pacheco had a rushing touchdown.

–Field Level Media

NFL Monday Night Football Preview

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Cincinnati Bengals (5-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)
It’s reunion week for Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor, who brings his Bengals into Jacksonville having lost three straight and falling into the cellar of the AFC North. Jacksonville is coached by Doug Pederson, and Taylor’s younger brother, Press, serves as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator of a unit that has star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In addition to the losing streak, the Bengals lost QB Joe Burrow to a season-ending hand injury. Jake Browning gets the call for Cincinnati with the Jaguars playing their first Monday night game since Dec. 5, 2011. Jacksonville has won seven of its past eight games and sits atop the AFC South. The Jags have the NFL’s fourth-ranked run defense (87.4 yards allowed per game), while Lawrence leads the offense and is coming off a 364-yard passing performance in their 24-21 win at Houston.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 13 Previews

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NFL – Week 13 Previews

Indianapolis Colts (6-5) at Tennessee Titans (4-7)
The Colts presently occupy the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. That’s a big credit to the running game, including Zack Moss, who’ll start with Jonathan Taylor (thumb) on the shelf again. Moss has rushed for a team-high 672 yards and five touchdowns on 141 carries — all career highs. His best game came in a 23-16 win against Tennessee on Oct. 8, gashing the Titans for 165 yards and two scores on 23 attempts. The Titans are mathematically alive for a wild-card spot but probably need to win out. The Titans were able to snap a three-game skid last week, edging Carolina 17-10 as Derrick Henry ran for two touchdowns. He’s averaging 107.8 rushing yards in home games this season.

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Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) at New England Patriots (2-9)
The Patriots have won the past six meetings with the Chargers, but that might be the only streak New England wants to discuss these days. Mac Jones is being benched in favor of Bailey Zappe (2-0 career as a starter), with the Patriots seeking a spark offensively. New England is putting up 13.5 points per game and has a turnover margin of minus-8. The Chargers’ situation isn’t nearly as dire, but Los Angeles is starting to see its playoff hopes fade. Since back-to-back wins over the Bears and Jets, the Chargers have dropped three straight games, including last Sunday’s 20-10 setback against the Baltimore Ravens.

Detroit Lions (8-3) at New Orleans Saints (5-6)
Quarterback Jared Goff spent part of Wednesday running through ball security drills, and he wasn’t alone. The Lions lost three fumbles with one takeaway in a 29-22 home loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving Day, four days after struggling to a 31-26 victory over Chicago, when Goff was picked off three times. The Saints are tied for fourth in the NFL with 20 takeaways. But New Orleans is trying to move past a 24-15 loss at Atlanta last week and has its own issues in the red zone. The Saints were stifled by the Falcons last week, reaching the red zone five times without scoring a touchdown. While the Saints netted five field goals, two of the possessions inside the 20 ended in turnovers, including a game-changing pick-6 thrown by Derek Carr.

Atlanta Falcons (5-6) at New York Jets (4-7)
All the Jets want for Christmas is their No. 1 QB, but Aaron Rodgers might be weeks — or months — away from taking his next snap. It’s up to Tim Boyle to move the Jets toward the playoffs to keep Rodgers’ return this season in play. Boyle hit RB Breece Hall for a career-high seven catches last week. Atlanta’s record may not look much better than that of the Jets, but the Falcons are leading the NFC South after beating the New Orleans Saints 24-15 last Sunday. Atlanta is 3-0 against division competition and 2-6 against all other teams. Desmond Ridder took back starting quarterback duties last week after a two-week benching and completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards, a touchdown and two picks — including one near the Saints’ goal line.

Arizona Cardinals (2-10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4)
Arizona arrives in full rebuilding mode, armed with the second-worst record in the NFL, and brings James Conner for a reunion with his old team after he missed more than a month with injuries. He has rushed for 526 yards on 104 attempts in eight games. The Cardinals were ripped by their own coach for their effort following last week’s 37-14 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. They’ll need extra effort to contain Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt, who is tied for the league lead in sacks with 13.5. The Steelers are leaning heavily on Watt and their defense to contend for a wild-card spot in the AFC and are currently second in the North division, 1 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Ravens.

Miami Dolphins (8-3) at Washington Commanders (4-8)
What in the world is Ron Rivera planning to do with the Miami Dolphins’ offensive machine after being blasted for an average of 38 points in the past two games? Dallas whipped Washington 45-10 last week, resulting in Rivera firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. The Dolphins average 30.8 points per game and the Commanders only hope might be matching Miami’s scoring output. Washington can move the ball. Sam Howell leads the NFL in completions (323) and passing yards (3,339) through the first 12 weeks of the season. The issue for the Commanders has been protecting Howell in the pocket. He’s on pace to shatter the NFL single-season record for times sacked.

Denver Broncos (6-5) at Houston Texans (6-5)
Don’t look now, but the Broncos are tied for the NFL’s longest winning streak at five games as they go head-to-head with potential wild-card competition in Houston. QB Russell Wilson’s next TD pass would push him past Dan Marino for second-most in his first 12 seasons (Marino had 328). The Texans are thrilled with the development of their own franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud. He’s second in the NFL in passing yards and is the only rookie with four consecutive 300-yard games.

Carolina Panthers (1-10) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)
For the second December in a row, the Buccaneers play the Panthers with an interim head coach at the helm in Carolina. Chris Tabor jumped into the head-coaching role Monday when Frank Reich was fired. The Buccaneers aren’t exactly in a groove, but they’re still squarely in the hunt for the division title behind a reclamation project well known to the Panthers, Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers get two swings at the Panthers in the next five weeks, the second one being the Jan. 7 finale. Mayfield began last season with Carolina and lasted seven games, with the team posting a 1-6 record, before he was released.

Cleveland Browns (7-4) at Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
If you had Joe Flacco starting for the Browns on your bingo card, we need visual evidence. That’s the potential reality for Cleveland with Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) iffy, setting up a matchup of 38-year-old Flacco and 35-year-old Matthew Stafford in L.A. The Browns (7-4) hold the No. 6 seed in the AFC, one game clear of the seventh-seeded Indianapolis Colts. In last Sunday’s 37-14 win against the Arizona Cardinals, Stafford passed for 229 yards and a season-best four touchdowns — two each to Kyren Williams and tight end Tyler Higbee. Williams has been the team’s top playmaker as a rookie despite missing four games with an ankle injury.

San Francisco 49ers (8-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
The Eagles can clinch a playoff berth this weekend, a significant statement considering they are the sole team in position to secure a postseason spot with five weeks remaining in the regular season. In a return to the scene of last season’s NFC Championship Game, the 49ers are back to purring with Brock Purdy at quarterback, logging three consecutive wins to erase a three-game losing streak. Their last visit was marred by an elbow injury to Purdy as the Eagles cruised to the 31-7 win that elevated them into the Super Bowl. Come Sunday, Purdy is healthy and teammate Christian McCaffrey is flourishing, while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is once again enjoying a solid season. Philadelphia owns the best record in the NFL after posting four straight comeback wins and recording five consecutive overall wins. San Francisco leads the NFC West after winning its past three games. Purdy was injured eight minutes into the playoff loss last season. He leads the NFL with a 70.2 completion percentage and benefits from McCaffrey, who leads the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns (16).

Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) at Green Bay Packers (5-6)
Kansas City has put plenty of pressure on opposing teams this season. The Chiefs, who lead the AFC West by two games over the Broncos, won Jordan Love’s debut NFL start in November 2021, 13-7. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Running back Isiah Pacheco scored twice on the ground, and Rashee Rice and Justin Watson notched one touchdown reception apiece. TE Travis Kelce has at least six catches in eight of his past nine games. The trip to northern Wisconsin will carry special meaning for Kansas City coach Andy Reid. He started his NFL coaching career in Green Bay, where he worked from 1992-98 as a tight ends coach, an assistant offensive line coach and eventually a quarterbacks coach. Brett Favre and the Packers won the Super Bowl during the 1996 season with Reid on the staff.

 

NFL: Cowboys Lasso Seahawks, 41-35

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes, the last a 12-yarder to tight end Jake Ferguson with 4:37 remaining, as the Dallas Cowboys outlasted the Seattle Seahawks 41-35 Thursday night in Texas.

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CeeDee Lamb made 12 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, Tony Pollard rushed for 68 yards and a score and Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for the Cowboys (9-3), who won for the sixth time in their past seven games and beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season.

Dallas’ defense stiffened late, forcing Seattle to turn over the ball on downs on its final three possessions.

Geno Smith threw three touchdown passes to DK Metcalf for the Seahawks (6-6), who lost their third game in a row.

The Cowboys won their 14th consecutive home game dating back to September 2022.

The go-ahead drive came after Seattle was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Cowboys’ 46-yard line with 7:04 remaining.

Prescott, who was 29 of 41 for 299 yards, completed three passes to Lamb on the drive and scampered 8 yards to Seattle’s 7. Following a penalty, one of 19 for 257 yards combined for both teams in the game, Prescott found Ferguson to give Dallas a 38-35 lead.

Aubrey added a 32-yard field goal with 1:43 to go to cap the scoring.

After trailing by 10 early in the game, the Seahawks took a 21-20 halftime lead on a 1-yard TD pass with four seconds left in the second quarter.

Smith scored on a 5-yard run on the opening possession of the second half to put Seattle up 28-20.

Dallas pulled within a point on a 6-yard run by Pollard.

The Cowboys had a chance to take the lead as DaRon Bland intercepted a pass at Seattle’s 38-yard line. But Dallas eschewed a potential go-ahead field goal on fourth-and-2 from the 30 and Prescott’s pass for Lamb fell incomplete.

Smith (23 of 41, 334 yards, one interception) floated a 3-yard TD pass to Metcalf in the back of the end zone with 14:17 remaining to extend Seattle’s lead to 35-27.

Aubrey’s third field goal, from 38 yards, made it 35-30 with 11:23 left.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Who is Calling the Shots?

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien perceives the QB call for the Patriots is coming from the top of the organization. In New England, that would imply owner Robert Kraft and not head coach Bill Belichick.

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Asked about Mac Jones’ hold on the starting quarterback job entering Week 13, O’Brien said he doesn’t have a deciding vote.

“I don’t make those calls. There’s a chain of command. The chain of command is Robert Kraft at the top, Bill Belichick and the assistant coaches are down here,” O’Brien said Tuesday.

O’Brien said the Patriots (2-9) aren’t zeroing in on individual roles but rather focusing on collective preparation for the Los Angeles Chargers. New England has lost four consecutive games and went 1-7 in October and November.

After throwing two interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, Jones was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe.

O’Brien said he is responsible for the lack of production from the Patriots’ offense, not Jones.

“Things haven’t gone great for him this year,” O’Brien said of Jones. “I don’t think that he’s the No. 1 guy to blame. If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I’m the one who designs it, and it’s not going very well.”

Jones has been benched in four games this season. He has 10 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and two wins.

Asked Monday on his weekly WEEI-radio if he expected to be the starter this week, Jones said, “You always ask me, right? I think the biggest thing for me is — that’s a result. I’m going to focus on the process this week. Focus on competing and getting better. That’s all I’ve ever done at every sport. I know that if I do that, we’ll be in good hands. That’s something I need to focus on as always. I do have confidence in myself, and I have confidence in the guys around me.”

–Field Level Media

Bears Beat Vikings Without TD

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MINNESOTA – Chicago PK Cairo Santos made four field goals, including the game-winning kick with 10 seconds remaining, to lift the Bears to a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night in Minneapolis.

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Santos’ 30-yard field goal capped off a contest that was defined by aggressive defenses and turnover-prone offenses. Chicago (4-8) earned its first win against an NFC North opponent under coach Matt Eberflus, who entered the game 0-9 against division rivals.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed 27 of 37 passes for 217 yards. He rushed 12 times for 59 yards but lost two fumbles in the second half.

Joshua Dobbs threw a career-high four interceptions for Minnesota (6-6). He completed 22 of 32 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears trailed 10-9 when they took over on their own 22-yard line with no timeouts and 2:29 remaining. Fields pushed the ball bear midfield but faced third-and-10 after back-to-back incompletions.

On the next play, Fields found DJ Moore open downfield for a 36-yard gain. That gave the Bears a fresh set of downs on the Minnesota 13-yard line.

Soon after, Fields took a knee on three plays in a row to set up a short field-goal opportunity.

The ending spoiled a near comeback by Minnesota, which grabbed a 10-9 lead with 5:54 remaining. Dobbs fired a 17-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson for the only touchdown of the night by either team.

Chicago had taken a 9-3 advantage with 14:15 remaining on Santos’ third field goal. He connected from 55 yards for his longest kick of the night.

Then came Chicago defense’s fourth interception. Kyler Gordon picked off a deflected pass from Dobbs to give the Bears the ball back at the Minnesota 38-yard line.

The Vikings joined the takeaway party several plays later. Danielle Hunter popped the ball loose from Fields, and Sheldon Day pounced on it to give Minnesota the ball back on its 23-yard line.

The Bears’ defense flustered Dobbs and the Vikings for most of the first half. Minnesota finished the first quarter with minus-7 total yards, and Dobbs threw a pair of first-half interceptions to Chicago defenders Jaylon Johnson and Jaquan Brisker.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Eagles Improve

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philly QB Jalen Hurts rushed for a 12-yard touchdown in overtime to lift the Philadelphia Eagles to a thrilling 37-34 win against the visiting Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

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Hurts’ final score capped off an incredible performance in which he passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more for Philadelphia (10-1). Jake Elliott drilled a 59-yard field goal to tie the game with 20 seconds in regulation, and DeVonta Smith finished with seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Allen threw two touchdowns and rushed for two scores for Buffalo (6-6). Gabe Davis had six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, but he miscommunicated with Allen on a potential game-winning score in overtime that gave the Eagles a chance to come back.

After Tyler Bass hit a 40-yard field goal to put the Bills ahead 34-31 with 5:52 to go in overtime, Hurts led the game-winning drive with his feet and his arm. He scrambled for 27 yards, including the 12-yard touchdown, and he found Smith for gains of 17 yards and 11 yards as the Buffalo defense struggled to keep pace.

Ravens 20, Chargers 10

Lamar Jackson became the fastest quarterback to reach 5,000 rushing yards and Baltimore forced four turnovers while recording a victory over Los Angeles at Inglewood, Calif.

Zay Flowers caught a touchdown pass and also ran for one for Baltimore (9-3), which won for the sixth time in the past seven games. The Ravens possess the top record in the AFC heading into next week’s bye. Justin Herbert completed 29 of 44 passes for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Chargers (4-7), who lost their third straight. Keenan Allen caught 14 passes for 106 yards.

Jackson was 18-of-32 passing for 177 yards with a touchdown, and rushed for 39 yards on 11 carries. He has 5,011 career rushing yards in 82 games. The previous fastest quarterback to 5,000 was Michael Vick (104 games). Jackson’s rushing yards are fourth most by a quarterback, trailing Vick (6,109), Cam Newton (5,628) and Russell Wilson (5,232).

Broncos 29, Browns 12

Russell Wilson threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to lift host Denver to a victory over Cleveland.

Wilson threw for just 134 yards but added 34 more on the ground. Samaje Perine rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos (6-5), who recorded their first five-game winning streak since the 2015 season. Denver rushed for two touchdowns in the first 18:49 of Sunday’s game after finding the end zone on the ground just once in its previous 10 games.

Cleveland rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 134 yards and added his first career passing touchdown before exiting late in the third quarter with a concussion after a high hit from Denver linebacker Baron Browning. P.J. Walker came in and completed 6 of 13 passes for 56 yards for the Browns (7-4), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

Chiefs 31, Raiders 17

Patrick Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns and Isiah Pacheco ran for a pair of scores as visiting Kansas City topped Las Vegas.

The Chiefs (8-3) covered at least 71 yards on each of its touchdown drives while sending the Raiders (5-7) to their second straight defeat. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell was 23-for-33 for 248 yards and a TD, and Josh Jacobs rushed 20 times for 110 yards and a score. Meyers (six catches, 79 yards, one TD) and Davante Adams (five catches, 73 yards) were the Raiders’ top receivers.

Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter on the heels of Monday night’s loss to Philadelphia, Kansas City responded with 21 straight points to regain the advantage. Daniel Carlson kicked a 34-yard field goal with 2:09 left in the third quarter to pull the Raiders to within 21-17, but the Chiefs answered with a 39-yard scoring pass from Mahomes to Rashee Rice on their next possession.

Rams 37, Cardinals 14

Matthew Stafford threw a season-high four touchdown passes and Los Angeles won consecutive games for the first time this season with a lopsided victory over Arizona in Glendale, Ariz.

Tyler Higbee caught two TD passes and Kyren Williams added two receiving TDs of his own after missing the Rams’ past four games with an ankle injury. Williams added 143 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a 56-yard run in the third quarter. Stafford was 25-of-33 passing for 229 yards and one interception.

Kyler Murray was 27-of-45 passing for 256 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals (2-10), who have lost eight of nine.

Jaguars 24, Texans 21

Josh Allen came up with 1.5 sacks to headline a strong defensive stand late in the fourth quarter, helping Jacksonville edge host Houston.

The Jaguars (8-3) led 24-14 after Brandon McManus made a 53-yard field goal with 11:20 remaining in the game. But the Texans (6-5) rallied, pulling within three when C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:15 left.

After forcing a punt, Houston took over at its own 11-yard line. Allen dropped Stroud for a loss of 15 yards, but three plays later, the Texans found themselves at the Jaguars’ 37. That’s when Allen teamed up with Travon Walker for another sack. Houston would end up getting to 39, but Matt Ammendola didn’t have enough leg on a 58-yard field goal attempt with 29 seconds to go.

Colts 27, Buccaneers 20

Jonathan Taylor rushed for two touchdowns and Gardner Minshew added another rushing score as host Indianapolis held off Tampa Bay.

Taylor, who finished with 91 yards on 15 carries, pounded it in from the 1 with 7:30 left in the game to answer Baker Mayfield’s 23-yard scoring strike to Mike Evans. That gave the Colts (6-5) a 27-17 lead. The Buccaneers (4-7) responded with Chase McLaughlin’s 24-yard field goal at the 4:10 mark, then got the ball back at its 35-yard line with a chance to tie. But Mayfield was strip-sacked with 1:29 remaining, sealing the outcome.

Minshew completed 24 of 41 passes for 251 yards with an interception as Indianapolis stayed in contention for an AFC wild card. Michael Pittman was his favorite target with 10 receptions for 107 yards. Mayfield hit on 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards with two touchdowns to Mike Evans and one pick. Rachaad White rushed 15 times for 100 yards.

Titans 17, Panthers 10

Derrick Henry scored two rushing touchdowns and Tennessee clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to defeat visiting Carolina in Nashville, Tenn.

The Titans (4-7), who played their previous three games on the road, snapped a three-game losing skid, while the Panthers are now an NFL-worst 1-10. Henry finished with 76 rushing yards on 18 carries, while rookie Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18 of 28 passes for 185 yards.

Panthers rookie Bryce Young was 18-of-31 passing for 194 yards, with 23 rushing yards and a costly lost fumble.

Falcons 24, Saints 15

Bijan Robinson rushed for a touchdown and caught another as host Atlanta defeated New Orleans to move into a tie for first place in the NFC South.

Robinson had 91 of his team’s 228 rushing yards and added 32 receiving yards from Desmond Ridder, who returned from a two-game benching to start for the Falcons (5-6). Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards and was intercepted twice by Tyrann Mathieu.

Derek Carr passed for 304 yards for the Saints (5-6), who never reached the end zone despite five trips inside the Atlanta 20-yard line. Carr threw a first-quarter interception that Jessie Bates III returned 92 yards for a touchdown.

Steelers 16, Bengals 10

Tight end Pat Freiermuth had a career day, catching nine passes for 120 yards, and Najee Harris ran for 99 yards and a touchdown to lead visiting Pittsburgh to a key win over Cincinnati.

Playing with a new offensive coordinator and play-caller following the firing of Matt Canada, the Steelers (7-4) didn’t need to produce much to beat a Bengals offense missing Joe Burrow. Kenny Pickett completed 24 of 33 passes for 278 yards with Eddie Faulkner serving as the offensive coordinator and Mike Sullivan as the play-caller.

Jake Browning, in his first NFL start for Cincinnati (5-6), completed 19 of 26 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception in place of Burrow. The Bengals were held to 25 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Giants 10, Patriots 7

Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped New York win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a squeaker over visiting New England in East Rutherford, N.J.

DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued QB chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime. Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15. But rookie Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left.

–Field Level Media

Patriots are Losers Again

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped the New York Giants win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a 10-7 squeaker over the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday in New Jersey.

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DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued quarterback chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps during the week, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime.

Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15 of the game. But rookie kicker Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left, allowing the Giants to hang on.

Jones went 12-for-21 passing for 89 yards for the Patriots, who have lost seven of eight games. Zappe went 9-for-14 for 54 yards and one pick.

Xavier McKinney totaled 10 tackles and one of the three interceptions for New York. Jalin Hyatt had five catches for 109 yards.

Jones threw into triple coverage in the final seconds of the first quarter and rookie Deonte Banks made a running interception on the sideline.

Late in the half, the Patriots drove into New York territory. DeVante Parker caught a slightly deflected pass for 17 yards on third-and-15 to keep the drive moving.

But on third-and-4 from the Giants’ 23-yard line, Jones threw a pass straight to Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke, who returned it 55 yards to the New England 26.

Six plays later, DeVito threw left to Isaiah Hodgins, who stiff-armed his defender to the ground and beat another Patriot to the pylon for a 12-yard score, making it 7-0 1:53 before halftime.

The Patriots had one last three-and-out in the first half before Zappe took over in the second. He went 6-for-6 for 38 yards on his first drive, and Stevenson got New England on the board with his 7-yard touchdown with 8:02 left in the quarter.

Zappe wasn’t perfect for long. Early in the fourth quarter, his pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster was snagged by McKinney and returned to the Patriots’ 32. That set up Randy Bullock’s go-ahead, 42-yard field goal with 8:10 remaining.

The Patriots got one more chance and drove 33 yards in nine plays to set up Ryland’s game-tying attempt.

–Field Level Media