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NFL

LA Rams Face Panthers, New Coach

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Field Level Media Report) – The coaching change with the Carolina Panthers has been a much-scrutinized topic this week. Perhaps to some degree that has overshadowed the struggles of the defending Super Bowl champions. The Los Angeles Rams are 2-3 and looking shaky, particularly on offense.

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They’ll try to get that turned around against the visiting Panthers (1-4) today in Inglewood.

Matt Rhule is out as Carolina’s coach, unable to make it through his third season. Steve Wilks, with a background as a defensive coach, takes over as interim head coach.

“I want to be a part of trying to turn this thing around,” Wilks said. “My history with this organization before is when we won three straight NFC South championships, so I know what it takes.”

This is the second time in four seasons that the Panthers have an interim coach. Ron Rivera was fired before completing the 2019 season, with Perry Fewell taking over for the rest of that season, though that move came in early December.

There’s more time to salvage this season, though it looks like the Panthers will have to do it with a backup quarterback. Nearly lost in all the news coming out of Charlotte is that quarterback Baker Mayfield is likely to be out with an ankle injury. He didn’t take any practice reps Wednesday.

So, this means P.J. Walker will be ready to make his first start of the season for the Panthers. He ended up in a fill-in role last year.

“This situation coming up now, we’ll see what happens on Sunday,” Walker said. “Every day I prepare as if I’m playing, so I never really got away from being prepared for games.”

The Panthers have won just one of four home games this season, most recently tumbling 37-15 to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Rams have scored one touchdown in each of their past two games in falling to the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. Despite those shortcomings, receiver Cooper Kupp has maintained strong production with a league-leading 49 receptions to go with 105.4 receiving yards per game. He has scored four touchdowns.

But in general, finding the right formula remains a quest for the Rams.

“We’ve got a decision to be able to make about how we respond and I do trust that this response is in alignment up to this point with exactly what we’re hunting up to have a good performance against the Panthers,” coach Sean McVay said.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is conducting the offense, so the Rams should be well-equipped to turn it around. The problem has been an injury-riddled offensive line that has stripped the unit of much continuity. Matt Skura was signed this week and could be the fourth center used this season.

That has shown up with Stafford being sacked 21 times. Those turned into a pair of fumbles in the Dallas game, pushing the Rams’ turnover total to 12 for second-most in the NFL.

“It’s really hard to beat the other team if you don’t stop beating yourself,” McVay said.

Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner said: “We’ve got to understand that we’re close. We just have to eliminate some of the plays that have hurt us.”

Meanwhile, LA running back Cam Akers will not play for the Rams because of personal reasons, signaling his future with the team suddenly is clouded. The third-year back out of Florida State did not practice Thursday and on Friday.

Panthers starting cornerback Jaycee Horn (ribs) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.

Carolina is 12-9 all-time against the Rams’ franchise.

–Field Level Media

NFL

NFL Sports Desk: Round-Up

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Buffalo QB Josh Allen threw the decisive 14-yard touchdown pass to TE Dawson Knox with 1:04 remaining and Taron Johnson sealed the contest with an interception 13 seconds later as the Bills notched a 24-20 victory over host Kansas City Chiefs Sunday.

Allen passed for 329 yards and three touchdowns for the Bills, who have the best record in the AFC. Stefon Diggs had 10 receptions for 148 yards and one touchdown, Gabe Davis had a scoring catch and Kaiir Elam also had an interception for Buffalo.

Patrick Mahomes passed for 338 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Chiefs (4-2). JuJu Smith-Schuster caught five passes for 113 yards and one touchdown, and Travis Kelce had eight catches for 108 yards. Kelce caught a pass for the 132nd consecutive regular-season game, breaking a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the longest streak in Chiefs’ history. Harrison Butker kicked a franchise-record 62-yard field goal for the Chiefs.

Butker booted a 44-yard goal to give the Chiefs a 20-17 lead with 9:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Allen later guided the Bills on a 12-play, 76-yard drive and hit Knox for the go-ahead points. An 18-yard completion to Diggs and a 16-yard keeper by Allen were among the key plays on the excursion.

Eagles 26, Cowboys 17

Unbeaten host Philadelphia capped an electric sports weekend by ending NFC East rival Dallas’ four-game winning streak.

The Eagles (6-0) soared to a 20-0 lead late in the first half and held on. Dallas (4-2) slipped to third place in the division behind the New York Giants (5-1). Across the street, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves on Friday and Saturday to advance to the National League Championship Series.

Jalen Hurts passed for 155 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles matched the 1981 team for the second-best start in franchise history. Hurts’ 7-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith with 7:02 remaining capped the scoring and helped to thwart a Cowboys comeback bid. Momentum shifted in the third quarter, as the Cowboys got within 20-10 on Ezekiel Elliott’s 14-yard run. Cooper Rush’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Jake Ferguson trimmed the Dallas deficit to 20-17 with 14:39 left in the game.

Falcons 28, 49ers 14

Marcus Mariota led a time-consuming offense with near-perfect accuracy, throwing two passing touchdowns and adding a rushing score to lead Atlanta over visiting San Francisco.

After a 13-for-13 start, Mariota finished 13-for-14 for 129 yards and the two scores. He also contributed 50 yards and a touchdown on six carries, helping the Falcons outrush the visitors 168-50 en route to a third win in their last four outings.

Jimmy Garoppolo threw two first-half touchdown passes to Brandon Aiyuk, but also mixed in a pair of interceptions on a 29-for-41, 296-yard day. George Kittle and Aiyuk each finished with eight catches for 83 yards for the 49ers.

Patriots 38, Browns 15

Bailey Zappe completed 24 of 34 passes for a career-high 309 yards and two touchdowns and visiting New England held on to a late lead to defeat Cleveland.

Rhamondre Stevenson finished with 76 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and four receivers eclipsed the 60-yard mark for the Patriots. Rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton had a receiving touchdown and a 19-yard rushing score.

The Browns pulled within 24-15 thanks to a 51-yard field goal from Cade York and Amari Cooper’s 15-yard touchdown reception from Jacoby Brissett. The Browns then attempted an onside kick and recovered, but the call was overturned upon review. Brissett threw for 266 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions on 21-of-45 passing.

Jets 27, Packers 10

Rookie running back Breece Hall ran for 116 yards and a touchdown as New York toppled host Green Bay.

The Jets moved ahead with 8:11 remaining in the third quarter on a sweep to wide receiver Braxton Berrios for a 20-yard touchdown. Less than three minutes later, Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons blocked Pat O’Donnell’s punt. It was recovered by safety Will Parks, who ran 20 yards for a touchdown and a 17-3 lead.

Aaron Rodgers found Allen Lazard for a 25-yard touchdown for the Packers, but Hall broke off a 34-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Jets won their third straight game.

Colts 34, Jaguars 27

Matt Ryan set a franchise record for completions with 42, including a game-winning 32-yard touchdown pass to rookie Alec Pierce with 17 seconds left as host Indianapolis rallied for a win over Jacksonville.

Ryan, who attempted 58 passes and threw for 389 yards with three scores, hit Pierce for his first NFL touchdown and prevented the Colts from needing to attempt a long field goal for the win.

Jacksonville took a 27-26 lead with 2:44 remaining when Trevor Lawrence found Christian Kirk for a 4-yard scoring strike. Lawrence enjoyed an efficient if not huge statistical day, hitting 20 of 22 attempts for 163 yards and adding a pair of short touchdown runs.

Vikings 24, Dolphins 16

Kirk Cousins completed 20 of 30 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, Dalvin Cook capped his homecoming with a late 53-yard touchdown run and Minnesota extended its winning streak to four games by winning at Miami.

The Vikings dominated on defense most of the game, recording six sacks, led by two each for Za’Darius Smith and Pat Jones.

For the third consecutive game, the Dolphins were forced to switch quarterbacks. Teddy Bridgewater, just out of concussion protocol, followed Skylar Thompson (thumb) and completed 23 of 34 passes for 329 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted twice and sacked five times.

Bengals 30, Saints 26

Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes as visiting Cincinnati came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat New Orleans.

Burrow completed 28 of 37 passes for 300 yards and connected with Ja’Marr Chase for two touchdowns in the second half as the Bengals took the lead for the first time with 1:57 remaining.

Former Bengal Andy Dalton, making his third consecutive start in place of the injured Jameis Winston, passed for 162 yards and a touchdown for the Saints.

Giants 24, Ravens 20

Julian Love’s interception set up Saquon Barkley’s go-ahead, 1-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining to lift New York over Baltimore at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Giants rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 12:54 after Lamar Jackson’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews gave the Ravens a 20-10 lead. Daniel Jones went 19-for-27 passing for 173 yards with two touchdowns, while Barkley rushed for 83 yards and a score on 22 carries.

Jackson went 17-for-32 passing for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception, in addition to rushing for 77 yards on seven carries. He also fumbled on the Ravens’ final possession, sealing the loss. Kenyan Drake rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Steelers 20, Buccaneers 18

Mitchell Trubisky tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Chase Claypool early in the fourth quarter to lift host Pittsburgh to a victory over Tampa Bay.

In for an injured Kenny Pickett, Trubisky completed 9 of 12 passes for 144 yards and Claypool had seven receptions for 96 yards. The two connected on a scoring strike with 9:55 left in the fourth quarter to help the Steelers snap a four-game losing skid.

Tom Brady hooked up with Leonard Fournette on an 11-yard touchdown to bring Tampa Bay within two with 4:38 to play. Brady, however, was unable to connect with Chris Godwin on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

Rams 24, Panthers 10

Wide receiver Ben Skowronek scored on a 17-yard run in the final seconds of the third quarter to help lift Los Angeles past visiting Carolina.

Darrell Henderson Jr. scored on a 2-yard run midway through the fourth quarter as the Rams picked up 232 of their 360 total yards after halftime. The Panthers were brutal on offense in their first game under interim coach Steve Wilks after Monday’s firing of Matt Rhule. Their only touchdown came on an interception return.

Matthew Stafford threw for 253 yards on 26-for-33 passing with a touchdown and an interception for the Rams. Donte Jackson returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown that provided the Panthers with a 10-7 lead with 1:58 to play in the first half.

Seahawks 19, Cardinals 9

Rookie Kenneth Walker III, making his first career start, rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and Seattle kept Arizona’s offense out of the end zone to coast to victory.

Jason Myers kicked four field goals — from 39, 27, 34 and 32 yards — for the Seahawks, who pulled into a first-place tie with the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West while leaving the Cardinals alone in last.

With Seattle leading 12-3, the game’s first touchdown came via Arizona’s special teams with 54 seconds left in the third quarter. Michael Dickson stood just inside his own goal line ready to punt when the Cardinals’ Ezekiel Turner rushed untouched up the middle. Dickson, realizing he had no chance to get a kick away, tried to run but Turner forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Chris Banjo in the end zone. Matt Ammendola missed the extra point, leaving Seattle with a 12-9 lead.

–Field Level Media

Belichick Returns to Roots

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Everybody starts somewhere. For New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, that start came in Cleveland.

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Belichick returns to the city where he landed his first head coaching job over 30 years ago when New England (2-3) visits the Browns on Sunday in search of back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Before he was a six-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Coach of the Year, Belichick was a 38-year-old simply trying to break into the head coaching ranks with a rebuilding Cleveland team. He led the Browns to a 36-44 regular-season record in his five seasons at the helm (1991-95) before eventually becoming head coach of the Patriots in 2000.

The rest is history.

Belichick won’t be the only one coming face-to-face with his roots on Sunday, though, as Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett will also be feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Brissett was drafted by New England in the third round of the 2016 draft, spending the first season of his career with the Patriots. He appeared in just three games (two starts) but still managed to leave New England with a ring from Super Bowl LI.

“Jacoby looks like Jacoby. Big kid, strong arm,” Belichick said. “He does a nice job of running the offense and scoring whatever it is, 26 points a game. That’s part of the quarterback’s job — move the ball, score points.”

While it’s always fun to sit around and reminisce about the good old days, both teams are very much focused on the present.

The Browns (2-3) are suddenly in dire need of a win after dropping three of their past four games. They lost 30-28 to the Los Angeles Chargers last week in heartbreaking fashion, as Cade York’s 54-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 11 seconds left to play.

Cleveland will be looking to turn things around, and chances are it’ll be heavily relying on the services of running back Nick Chubb who leads the NFL in both rushing yards (593) and touchdowns (seven). He’s racked up at least 110 yards on the ground in each of the last three games and is poised to keep that streak going on Sunday, although he knows it might not be easy against the Patriots’ defense.

“They’re very disciplined. The guys up front stay in their gaps,” Chubb said. “They don’t mess up at all. … It’ll be a great challenge.”

Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe has quickly provided a much-needed spark for New England.

Zappe nearly ousted the Green Bay Packers when he took over for an injured Brian Hoyer in Week 4. He then drew his first career NFL start last week and completed 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 29-0 drubbing of the Detroit Lions.

However, starting quarterback Mac Jones could make his return against the Browns after he was limited in practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury.

Wide receivers Jakobi Meyers (knee) and Nelson Agholor (hamstring) were also limited, as was center David Andrews (back), running back Damien Harris (hamstring), and cornerbacks Jalen Mills (hamstring) and Jonathan Jones (ankle).

Cleveland will be without defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who missed Wednesday’s practice due to knee, ankle and elbow injuries. Fellow defensive end Myles Garrett was a limited participant with shoulder, bicep and hand injuries sustained in a car accident on Sept. 26. The star sacker has missed the past two games.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sports Desk: Browns Banged Up

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback Denzel Ward have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the visiting New England Patriots. Clowney is dealing with ankle, knee and elbow issues. Coach Kevin Stefanski said the three-time Pro Bowler didn’t feel ready to compete in this weekend’s game.

Ward, a two-time Pro Bowler, didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday after sustaining a concussion while making a tackle in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was replaced in the lineup by A.J. Green.

The Browns also ruled out backup offensive tackle Joe Haeg with a concussion, Stefanski said.

Ward, 25, has 21 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery for a touchdown in five games this season.

He has 207 tackles, 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries in 57 career games (56 starts) since being selected by the Browns with the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Clowney, 29, has 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble in three games this season.

Clowney has 302 tackles, 42.5 sacks and 13 forced fumbles in 100 career games (91 starts) with the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Browns. Clowney was selected by the Texans with the top overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sports Desk: Robinson Starting

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. is expected to start tonight’s game against the Chicago Bears, NFL Network reported, in another step of his return after he was shot multiple times two months ago in an attempted robbery. A third-round draft pick out of Alabama, Robinson made his NFL debut on Sunday when he rushed for a team-high 22 yards on nine carries in a 21-17 defeat to the Tennessee Titans.

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“I really can’t really explain the feeling,” Robinson said after Sunday’s game. “It’s just being back out on the field. I mean, the ups and downs, but everything finally came into the light. I’m just so blessed to be back out there with all the fans, the team, everybody involved.”

Robinson, 23, was released from the hospital on Aug. 29 after undergoing surgery for two gunshot wounds, one in the glute and the other near his right knee, during the attempted robbery in Washington, D.C., the previous day. Doctors said at the time he sustained no structural damage.

Robinson was running agility drills 18 days after the incident.

While his production on offense was modest on Sunday for the 1-4 Commanders, everything else about his debut was monumental.

“That was the test that I needed. I was like, ‘OK, I’m glad that’s over,'” Robinson said through a team official after he took a hit near his right knee. “The fact that I can walk off the field healthy and come back … and get ready to do it all over again is pretty good.”

Robinson rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown in the preseason. He added two catches for 15 yards.

As a senior at Alabama in 2021, Robinson rushed for 1,343 yards with 14 touchdowns for the national title runner-up.

–Field Level Media

Patriots’ Harris to Miss Games

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report / Field Level Media) – New England Patriots starting running back Damien Harris is expected to miss multiple games with a hamstring injury. Harris is still undergoing tests to determine the severity, per the report.

Harris sustained the injury early New England’s 29-0 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He played just six snaps, rushing the ball four times for 11 yards.

Harris has 257 yards rushing and three touchdowns in five starts this season. He has rushed for 1,889 yards and 20 TDs in 32 career games (30 starts), all with the Patriots, who selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft.

Second-year RB Rhamondre Stevenson likely would start in Harris’ absence. He has 372 yards rushing and a TD, having played 59 percent of the snap counts in five combined games this season.

Rookie Pierre Strong Jr. is also on the active roster.

The Patriots (2-3) visit the Cleveland Browns (2-3) on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sports Desk – Weekend Round-Up

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – DeMarcus Lawrence returned a fumble for a touchdown as the Dallas Cowboys’ defense led the way in a 22-10 victory against the host Los Angeles Rams. Running backs Tony Pollard, who gained 86 yards on eight carries, and Ezekiel Elliott, who added 78 yards on 22 attempts, did their parts. That ground attack supported quarterback Cooper Rush, who was 10 of 16 for 102 yards in the air.

Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was 28 of 42 for 308 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also lost two fumbles. The Rams went ahead 10-9 in the second quarter by taking advantage of a rare defensive breakdown by Dallas. Receiver Cooper Kupp turned Stafford’s pass into a 75-yard touchdown play.

Brett Maher made field goals of 33, 40 and 36 yards for the Cowboys. Dallas scored the game’s first nine points off Rams miscues. Lawrence had the fumble return after Stafford was sacked. The next Los Angeles possession ended in a blocked punt, with the Cowboys converting that into the first Maher field goal.

Ravens 19, Bengals 17

Justin Tucker kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to lift Baltimore to a victory over visiting Cincinnati.

Tucker’s fourth field goal of the contest elevated the Ravens into sole possession of first place in the AFC North. It also ended Baltimore’s five-game home losing streak dating back to last season. Joe Burrow scored on a quarterback sneak with 1:58 remaining to push the Bengals ahead and also passed for 217 yards and a touchdown.

Lamar Jackson passed for 174 yards, one touchdown and one interception and added 58 rushing yards for Baltimore. Mark Andrews caught eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens.

Giants 27, Packers 22

LONDON – NY Giants RB Saquon Barkley rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 6:08 to play in the fourth quarter as visiting New York rallied to a victory over Green Bay in London.

The Giants, who trailed 20-10 at the half, went in front 27-20 after Barkley took a direct snap and went over to the right end. Barkley set up the score by turning a short swing pass into a 41-yard gain to Packers 19-yard line. Green Bay then drove to the Giants 6-yard line, but Aaron Rodgers’ fourth-down pass attempt was batted at the line with just over a minute remaining.

Barkley finished with 70 yards on 13 carries. Daniel Jones, limited all week in practice with a sprained ankle, completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards. Rodgers completed 25 of 39 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.

Bills 38, Steelers 3

Quarterback Josh Allen threw for a career-best 424 yards as Buffalo routed Pittsburgh.

Allen completed 20 of 31 passes. Buffalo had immediate control over Pittsburgh as it held a 28-point lead in the first half and didn’t punt until the fourth quarter. Allen’s day included a 98-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Davis, which tied a franchise record for the longest completion.

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 34 of 52 passes for 327 yards. Chris Boswell provided the Steelers’ only points with a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Chargers 30, Browns 28

LA Chargers RB Austin Ekeler rushed for 173 yards and scored two total touchdowns as visiting Los Angeles held on to beat Cleveland.

Cleveland kicker Cade York missed a 54-yard field goal with 11 seconds left as Los Angeles sealed the victory despite turning the ball over on downs near midfield with just over a minute remaining.

Justin Herbert completed 22 of 34 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown, and Mike Williams caught 10 passes for 134 yards for the Chargers, who climbed out of an early 14-0 deficit. Browns running back Nick Chubb finished with 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Texans 13, Jaguars 6

Rookie running back Dameon Pierce had a 1-yard touchdown run to seal Houston’s victory over Jacksonville and finish off a 99-yard rushing performance.

Houston’s other points came on 50- and 51-yard field goals from kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn.

Jacksonville fell victim to a number of self-inflicted mistakes and did not find the end zone. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a pair of interceptions and Jacksonville missed three fourth-down conversion attempts.

Vikings 29, Bears 22

Kirk Cousins set a franchise record with 17 straight completions to start the game and scored the winning touchdown — a goal-line sneak with 2:27 left — to lead Minnesota over Chicago in Minneapolis.

Cousins finished 32 of 41 for 296 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson caught a career-high 12 passes for 154 yards. Cameron Dantzler secured the win for Minnesota by recovering a fumble from Chicago’s Ihmir Smith-Marsette with 1:01 left to play.

Justin Fields completed 15 of 21 passes for 208 yards with a touchdown for Chicago.

Patriots 29, Lions 0

New England’s third-string QB Bailey Zappe threw a touchdown pass in his first career NFL start and Kyle Dugger returned a fumble for a touchdown as New England cruised past Detroit at Foxboro.

Zappe completed 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards and also threw an interception as New England snapped a two-game losing streak. Jakobi Meyers finished with seven catches for 111 yards, while Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for a career-high 161 yards on 25 carries. Nick Folk added five field goals.

The Lions mustered 312 yards of total offense. Jared Goff finished with 229 yards and one interception on 19-for-35 passing, and Jamaal Williams carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards. Josh Reynolds hauled in six catches for 92 yards.

Saints 39, Seahawks 32

Taysom Hill ran for 112 yards and three touchdowns, while also throwing a touchdown pass as host New Orleans defeated Seattle.

Alvin Kamara had 103 rushing yards and 91 receiving yards for New Orleans, while Andy Dalton, making his second start in place of the injured Jameis Winston, passed for 187 yards and a touchdown as the Saints ended a three-game losing streak.

Geno Smith passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns, with Tyler Lockett catching two of them en route to five total receptions for 104 yards for the Seahawks.

Jets 40, Dolphins 17

NY Jets RB Breece Hall gained 197 yards from scrimmage and fellow rookie Sauce Gardner grabbed an interception and caused a safety as New York pounded Miami in East Rutherford, N.J.

Hall carried 18 times for 97 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 100 yards. The young Jets also got 210 passing yards from second-year quarterback Zach Wilson, who is 2-0 this year after starting the season on the injured reserve.

With Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol, the Dolphins started Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, but he left after just one play and entered concussion protocol after he was hit by Gardner. Third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, a rookie seventh-round pick who had never taken a snap before Sunday, took over and completed 19 of 33 passes for 166 yards and one interception.

Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15

Veteran TB Bucs running back Leonard Fournette reeled in a touchdown pass from Tom Brady and rushed for another 1-yard score to fuel host Tampa Bay to a victory over Atlanta while ending a two-game losing streak.

Brady completed 35 of 52 passes for 351 yards to improve to 11-0 all-time in the regular season against Atlanta.

Atlanta’s Marcus Mariota completed 14 of 25 passes for 147 yards. The Falcons committed penalties on successive third-down plays to extend Tampa Bay’s late drive to run out the clock. A.J. Terrell was whistled for holding while Grady Jarrett was flagged for roughing the passer while completing a sack on Brady.

Titans 21, Commanders 17

David Long picked off a Carson Wentz pass at the goal line with six seconds left to seal Tennessee’s win over Washington in Landover, Md.

Long’s interception came after Wentz had driven the Commanders from their own 11-yard line over the final five minutes. It was the third straight win for Tennessee and fourth consecutive loss for Washington. The Commanders were 1-for-11 on third-down conversions.

Derrick Henry carried 28 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns to power the Titans’ offense. Wentz threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns for the Commanders.

49ers 37, Panthers 15

SF QB Jimmy Garoppolo threw for two touchdowns and Emmanuel Moseley returned an interception for a touchdown as San Francisco won against Carolina in Charlotte, N.C.

Jeff Wilson Jr. ran for 120 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries to help San Francisco win for the second time in less than a week. Tevin Coleman also scored on a late-game 5-yard run. Garoppolo completed 18 of 30 passes for 253 yards without an interception. The 49ers were 7-for-12 on third-down conversions.

Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield was 20 of 36 for 215 yards. Carolina, which has won just one of four home games this season, was 3-for-15 on third-down conversions. The Panthers’ lone touchdown of the afternoon came on Christian McCaffrey’s 19-yard run on the first possession of the second half. He finished with a team-high 54 rushing yards to go with 50 receiving yards on 21 touches.

Eagles 20, Cardinals 17

Cameron Dicker kicked a field goal with 1:45 to play in his NFL debut as unbeaten Philadelphia continued its best start since 2004 with a victory over Arizona in Glendale, Ariz.

Dicker was signed to the practice squad Tuesday with Jake Elliott sidelined by an ankle injury. The Cardinals put their kicker, Matt Ammendola, in a position to tie with 22 seconds left, but his 43-yard attempt went wide right.

Jalen Hurts passed for 239 yards and rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles. For the Cardinals — who haven’t won at home since Oct. 24, 2021 — Kyler Murray passed for 250 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

–Field Level Media

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Giants Defeat Packers 27-22 in London

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LONDON – (Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Saquon Barkley rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 6:08 to play in the fourth quarter as the visiting New York Giants rallied to a 27-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in London.

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The Giants (4-1), who trailed 20-10 at the half, went in front 27-20 after Barkley took a direct snap and went over right end. Barkley set up the score, turning a short swing pass into a 41-yard gain to Packers’ 19-yard line.

Green Bay (3-2) drove to the Giants’ 6-yard line, but Aaron Rodgers‘ fourth-down pass attempt was batted at the line with just over a minute remaining. The Giants took a safety with 11 seconds left after punter Jamie Gillan ran out of the end zone. Rodgers was sacked and fumbled on the Packers’ final play before he could get off an attempted Hail Mary pass.

The Giants tied the game at 20-20 with 10:08 to play following a 15-play, 91-yard drive, capped by Gary Brightwell’s 2-yard touchdown run. Graham Gano’s 37-yard field goal on the opening possession of the third quarter brought New York within 20-13.

Barkley, who entered Sunday’s game with an NFL-best 463 yards rushing, finished with 70 yards on 13 carries. NY quarterback Daniel Jones, limited all week in practice with a sprained ankle, completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards. He added 37 yards on the ground on 10 attempts.

Rodgers completed 18 of 24 passes for 147 yards in the first half with two touchdowns, but finished 25 of 39 for 222 yards.

Rodgers capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis, putting the Packers up 17-3 midway through the second quarter. It was the first reception of the season for the 38-year-old Lewis and first touchdown catch since Nov. 29, 2020.

The Giants pulled within 17-10 when tight end Daniel Bellinger scored on a double reverse from 2 yards out with 1:15 left in the half. Barkley keyed the drive with a 40-yard run from a direct snap — the longest run allowed by the Packers this season.

Mason Crosby’s 48-yard field goal on the final play of the half put Green Bay up by 10.

Green Bay went in front 10-0 with a five-play, 60-yard drive late in the first quarter, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard.

–Field Level Media

Niners Defense Stops Rams

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report  with Field Level Media) – Deebo Samuel caught six passes for 115 yards, including a long catch-and-run touchdown, and Talanoa Hufanga scored on an interception return to help the San Francisco 49ers notch a 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.

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Jimmy Garoppolo completed 16 of 27 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown and Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed for 74 yards and one score as San Francisco (2-2) won its seventh consecutive regular-season game over the Rams (2-2). Of course, Los Angeles won the biggest recent meeting, beating the 49ers in last season’s NFC Championship Game en route to winning the Super Bowl.

Matthew Stafford connected on 32 of 48 passes for 254 yards with one interception and one lost fumble for the Rams. Cooper Kupp caught a career-best 14 passes for 122 yards, Tyler Higbee made 10 catches for 73 yards and Matt Gay kicked three field goals for Los Angeles.

Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam each had two of San Francisco’s seven sacks. Bosa leads the NFL with six. Ebukam forced Stafford to fumble on one of his sacks.

Hufanga made his big play when Stafford was trying to rally the Rams from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit. Hufanga, who anticipated that Stafford would throw a quick pass to Kupp, jumped the route, made the interception and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown to give San Francisco a 24-9 advantage with 6:27 to play.

The 49ers outgained Los Angeles 327 yards to 257. The Rams didn’t have a single 20-yard offensive play.

The Rams controlled the ball for the first 8:12 of the contest, but their drive stalled and they settled for Gay’s 39-yard field goal.

San Francisco then struck as Wilson exploded for a 32-yard touchdown run with 2:46 left in the opening quarter.

Gay booted a 29-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the half before Samuel produced his dynamic 57-yard scoring reception. He caught the ball at his own 49-yard line and later easily eluded Jalen Ramsey’s tackle attempt at the Rams’ 22 en route to giving the 49ers a 14-6 advantage.

Los Angeles had a 16-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter but couldn’t finish it off. The excursion took 7:43 and ended with Gay’s 26-yard field goal.

Robbie Gould kicked a 25-yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter to restore San Francisco’s eight-point lead.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sports Desk: Week 4 Round-Up

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TAMPA BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes and Clyde Edwards-Helaire found the end zone twice to fuel the visiting Kansas City Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Mahomes completed 23 of 37 passes for 249 yards to exact a small measure of revenge for Kansas City’s 31-9 loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

Mahomes also reached the 20,000-yard passing mark in his 67th career game, besting the previous NFL record of then-Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (71 games).

Travis Kelce reeled in nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (3-1), while fellow tight ends Noah Gray and Jody Fortson also found the end zone. Edwards-Helaire, who had a rushing and receiving touchdown, had 19 carries for 92 yards. Kansas City enjoyed a decisive 189-3 edge in yards on the ground.

Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and tossed three touchdown passes, including two to Mike Evans (eight catches, 103 yards). Leonard Fournette added a receiving score for the Buccaneers (2-2), who surrendered 28 points in the first half after allowing 27 over the first three games of the season.

Packers 27, Patriots 24 (OT)

Mason Crosby converted a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, lifting host Green Bay past New England.

Green Bay (3-1) forced overtime when Aaron Rodgers tossed his 500th career touchdown pass, a 13-yarder to Romeo Doubs with 6:14 left in regulation. Rodgers completed 21 of 35 passes for 251 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Aaron Jones rushed 16 times for 110 yards for the Packers and Allen Lazard caught six passes for 116 yards.

Brian Hoyer started at quarterback for New England (1-3), replacing the injured Mac Jones. But after leading the Patriots to a Nick Folk field goal on their opening drive, Hoyer sustained a head injury after being sacked by Rashan Gary. Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe was forced into action and completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and his first NFL touchdown, a 25-yard strike to DeVante Parker at the 4:52 mark of the third quarter.

Vikings 28, Saints 25

Greg Joseph kicked five field goals, including a game-winning 47-yarder with 24 seconds left, as Minnesota held off New Orleans in London.

Wil Lutz, whose 60-yard field goal had tied the score for the Saints moments earlier, tried a 61-yarder on the final play of the game, but the ball hit the left upright and the crossbar before falling short in the end zone.

Kirk Cousins completed 25 of 38 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (3-1). Andy Dalton, starting in place of injured Jameis Winston, completed 20 of 28 for 236 yards and a touchdown for the Saints (1-3), who lost their third straight.

Bills 23, Ravens 20

Tyler Bass kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to complete Buffalo’s comeback win over host Baltimore.

The Ravens led 20-3 late in the first half before the Bills rallied to tie the game. Josh Allen threw for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception and led the Bills (3-1) in rushing with 70 yards and a score on 11 carries.

Lamar Jackson had a game-high 73 rushing yards and threw for 144 yards with a touchdown and two picks. J.K. Dobbins scored two touchdowns as the Ravens (2-2) blew another lead against an AFC East opponent after the Miami Dolphins stormed back in Week 2.

Falcons 23, Browns 20

Tyler Allgeier rushed for 84 yards on 10 carries and Younghoe Koo kicked three field goals to lead Atlanta over Cleveland. With the game tied at 20-20, Koo made a 45-yard field goal with 2:28 remaining to give the Falcons the lead and eventual win.

Dee Alford, a Georgia native who played in the Canadian Football League a season ago, picked off a Jacoby Brissett pass at the Atlanta 26-yard-line to end the game. Brissett went 21-of-35 passing for 234 yards in defeat for Cleveland (2-2).

A strong ground game led the Falcons (2-2), with 202 yards on 35 carries, with reserve running backs Allgeier and Caleb Huntley receiving 10 carries apiece.

Cowboys 25, Commanders 10

Cooper Rush threw for two touchdowns, Brett Maher connected on four field goals and Dallas’ defense stifled visiting Washington.

Rush completed 15 of 27 passes for 223 yards and became the first quarterback in Cowboys (3-1) history to win his first four starts. He played error-free football on a day where neither team gained 300 total yards.

Carson Wentz completed 25 of 42 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Washington (1-3), which lost its third straight game after a Week 1 win over Jacksonville.

Seahawks 48, Lions 45

Geno Smith completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a score as Seattle (2-2) never trailed in defeating host Detroit (1-3).

Rashaad Penny rushed for 151 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns, including a 41-yarder with 2:14 remaining to give Seattle a 48-38 lead. Penny also scored from 36 yards on a third-and-16 play in the third quarter as the Seahawks amassed 235 yards on the ground.

For Detroit, Jared Goff was 26 of 39 for 378 yards and four touchdowns, though he threw an interception on the first play from scrimmage in the second half that was returned by rookie Tariq Woolen 40 yards for a touchdown.

Titans 24, Colts 17

Derrick Henry rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown to help Tennessee defeat host Indianapolis in an AFC South battle.

Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of 21 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans (2-2). Robert Woods and Chigoziem Okonkwo had scoring receptions and Kristian Fulton made a key fumble recovery.

Matt Ryan was 27-of-37 passing for 356 yards, two touchdowns to Mo Alie-Cox and one interception for the Colts (1-2-1). Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor gained just 42 yards on 20 carries and lost the fumble in the fourth quarter that Fulton recovered.

Giants 20, Bears 12

Daniel Jones rushed for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for 146 yards to help New York (3-1) post a victory over Chicago in East Rutherford, N.J.

Jones injured his left ankle late in the third quarter but was forced to return in the fourth after backup Tyrod Taylor was diagnosed with a concussion. Jones rushed for 68 yards and completed 8 of 13 passes for 71 yards.

Michael Badgley kicked four field goals to account for all the points for the Bears (2-2). He was signed Saturday to fill in for Cairo Santos (personal reasons). Justin Fields completed 11 of 22 passes for 174 yards for the Bears.

Eagles 29, Jaguars 21

Philadelphia took advantage of five turnovers by Trevor Lawrence and remained unbeaten with a victory against visiting Jacksonville.

Miles Sanders ran for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Eagles (4-0). Jalen Hurts passed for 204 yards and rushed for a touchdown.

Before the mistakes piled up, the Jaguars (2-2) had a 14-0 lead in coach Doug Pederson’s first game against his old team. But Lawrence lost four fumbles — two of them recovered by Haason Reddick — and threw an interception. He passed for 174 yards and threw two touchdown passes, both to Jamal Agnew.

Raiders 32, Broncos 23

Josh Jacobs rushed for a career-high 144 yards and two touchdowns and Derek Carr was 21-for-34 for 188 yards through the air as host Las Vegas topped Denver.

Amik Robertson returned a fumble for another score and Davante Adams had nine catches for 101 yards for Las Vegas (1-3). Russell Wilson was 17-for-25 passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy had TD catches for the Broncos (2-2).

Denver running back Javonte Williams ran for 28 yards before leaving with a right knee injury He is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Monday. Wilson led the Broncos on the ground with 29 yards and the one score on four carries.

Jets 24, Steelers 20

Breece Hall rushed for a go-ahead 2-yard touchdown with 16 seconds remaining as New York edged host Pittsburgh.

The Jets (2-2) drove 65 yards in just 3:18 to punch in the game-winning score. Hall finished with 66 yards on 17 carries, while quarterback Zach Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 252 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a TD reception in his season debut.

Before Wilson connected with Corey Davis for a 5-yard scoring strike, the Steelers (1-3) had scored 20 straight points to take a 20-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett spearheaded Pittsburgh’s comeback after replacing Mitchell Trubisky following halftime. Pickett threw for 120 yards on 10-of-13 passing with three interceptions and rushed for his first two career touchdowns.

Chargers 34, Texans 24

Justin Herbert passed for 340 yards and two touchdowns to help visiting Los Angeles hold on to beat Houston.

Mike Williams caught seven passes for 120 yards, and Austin Ekeler rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers (2-2), who led 27-7 at the half. The Chargers posted 293 total yards in the first half but punted on their first three possessions of the second half and then fumbled away a kickoff that led to another score.

Dameon Pierce rushed for 131 yards on 14 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run, for the Texans (0-3-1).

Cardinals 26, Panthers 16

Kyler Murray threw for two touchdowns and ran for another — all in the second half — as Arizona overcame Carolina Panthers at Charlotte, N.C.

The Cardinals (2-2) scored 10 points in less than a minute early in the fourth quarter and tacked on another touchdown a few minutes later. Murray completed 23 of 32 passes for 207 yards with an interception.

Linebacker Frankie Luvu had Carolina’s highlight with a second-quarter interception return for a touchdown. Baker Mayfield completed 22 of 36 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions for the Panthers (1-3), who had a six-game winning streak against Arizona (including playoffs) come to a halt.

–Field Level Media

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