NFL roundup: Unbeaten Panthers knock off Packers

Send a link to a friend  Share

[November 09, 2015]  CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cam Newton threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Carolina Panthers flexed against one of the NFC's established powers, remaining unbeaten by holding off the Green Bay Packers 37-29 on Sunday.

The Panthers (8-0) continued the best start in franchise history, but only with a late goal-line stand after nearly squandering a 23-point fourth-quarter lead.

It was another game full of offensive snafus for the Packers (6-2), who have lost consecutive games for the first time since November 2013 to fall into a first-place NFC North tie with the Minnesota Vikings.

Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis intercepted Aaron Rodgers' fourth-and-goal pass from the 4-yard line on the first play after the two-minute warning to seal the outcome. Wide receiver Randall Cobb was wide open on the play, but Rodgers missed him under heavy duress. Rodgers had four touchdown passes and was sacked five times.

Newton's numbers were rather ordinary, as he completed 15 of 30 passes for 297 yards with one interception. Rodgers ended up 25 of 48 for 368 yards.

Vikings 21, Rams 18 (OT)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Blair Walsh connected on a 40-yard field goal with 9:20 left in overtime to lift Minnesota over St. Louis.


The win lifted the Vikings into a first-place tie atop the NFC North with the Packers, each with 6-2 records. Minnesota, 4-0 at home, hosts Green Bay in two weeks.

Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein connected on a 53-yard field goal to tie the score with 12 seconds left in regulation. It came less than two minutes after a try from 48 yards sailed wide right. But the St. Louis defense forced Minnesota into a three-and-out, using all three of its timeouts to get the ball back. Zuerlein made four field goals in the game, including a 61-yard kick early in the second quarter.

Steelers 38, Raiders 35

PITTSBURGH -- Chris Boswell kicked an 18-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give Pittsburgh a victory over Oakland as the Steelers overcame the loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Roethlisberger is expected to miss "a few weeks." The Steelers play the Browns next Sunday and have a bye the followeing weekend.

Roethlisberger threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter with a left foot injury.

Antonio Brown's 57-yard catch and run on a pass from backup quarterback Landry Jones got the Steelers (5-4) to the Raiders' 15 in the final minute and capped a day in which the wide receiver set franchise records with 17 receptions and 285 receiving yards.

Two plays later, Boswell kicked his third field goal of the day to end a seven-play, 79-yard drive engineered by Jones. That came after the Raiders (4-4) tied the game 35-35 with 1:15 remaining on quarterback Derek Carr's 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Patriots 27, Redskins 10

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Undefeated New England made it eight wins in a row, cruising to an easy victory over mistaken-prone Washington.

Tom Brady threw two more touchdown passes and running back LeGarrette Blount ran for 129 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots scored 14 quick points before the Redskins ran their second play and strolled to the win.
 


It could prove a costly victory for the Patriots. Left tackle Sebastian Vollmer (head) and running back Dion Lewis (knee) left with injuries. Vollmer's injury is the latest in a long line of health issues for the Patriots' offensive line.

Titans 34, Saints 28 (OT)

NEW ORLEANS -- Quarterback Marcus Mariota returned from a knee injury to throw four touchdown passes, including a 5-yard throwback in overtime to tight end Anthony Fasano, to spark Tennessee to a victory over New Orleans.

On the winning play from the Saints' 5, Mariota (28 of 39 for 371 yards) rolled to his right, pivoted and then threw back across the field to his left for Fasano, who was wide open in the back of the end zone. The victory snapped the Titans' six-game losing streak, which cost head coach Ken Whisenhunt his job earlier in the week, and he was replaced by interim coach Mike Mularkey.

The Saints were led by quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 28 of 39 passes for 389 yards and three TDs, but they fell to 4-5 after having won three straight.

Bills 33, Dolphins 17

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back LeSean McCoy had their best games with Buffalo in the victory over Miami.

Watkins returned after missing Buffalo's previous game with an ankle injury and caught eight passes for a career-high 163 yards and a 44-yard touchdown. McCoy rushed for 112 yards, his first 100-yard rushing game since joining the Bills in an offseason trade, and scored on a 48-yard run. But he left the game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.

Bills rookie running back Karlos Williams rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor returned after missing two games with an ankle injury and completed 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.

[to top of second column]

Jets 28, Jaguars 23

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Running back Chris Ivory scored a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and New York snapped a two-game losing streak by hanging on to beat Jacksonville.

Ryan Fitzpatrick was 21 of 34 for 272 yards and two touchdowns -- one apiece to wide receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall -- for the Jets, who improved to 5-3.

Blake Bortles was 24 of 39 for 381 yards and two touchdowns for the Jaguars (2-6).

Colts 27, Broncos 24

INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck and the Colts spoiled the Broncos' perfect season and quarterback Peyton Manning's potential record-setting day.

Adam Vinatieri's 55-yard field goal with 6:13 remaining gave Indianapolis a 27-24 lead. Reserve cornerback Darius Butler intercepted a Manning pass 13 seconds later, and Denver (7-1) never got the ball back.

Luck, who replaced Manning under center in Indianapolis after he was released by the team following the 2011 season, completed 21 of 36 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Indianapolis is 4-5, breaking a three-game losing streak, and alone in first place in the AFC South.

Manning finished 21 of 36 for 281 yards, two touchdowns and two costly interceptions. Manning needed 284 passing yards to pass Brett Favre's NFL career record and needed one victory for his 187th, which also would break the NFL record set by Favre.
 


Giants 32, Buccaneers 18

TAMPA, Fla. -- Quarterback Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes to help the Giants improve to 5-4.

The Bucs (3-5) had a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but a two-point conversion failed. The Giants added a field goal with 28 seconds remaining, then scored a defensive touchdown on the game's final play when the Bucs attempted a lateral and New York cornerback Trevin Wade picked up the loose ball and went 5 yards to seal the outcome.

Three times in the first half, Tampa Bay reached the New York 10-yard line but couldn't get a touchdown. The Giants led 17-9 at halftime.

49ers 17, Falcons 16

SAN FRANCISCO -- Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, making his first NFL start since Oct. 6, 2013 with the Dolphins, threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns to lead San Francisco 49ers to a 17-16 victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.

Gabbert replaced Colin Kaepernick in the starting lineup and completed 15 of 25 passes with two interceptions.

Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 30 of 45 passes for 303 yards and one touchdown for the Falcons (6-3), who lost their second straight game and fell for the third time in their past four games. Wide receiver Julio Jones caught 10 passes for 137 yards

The Falcons trailed 17-13 when they marched to San Francisco's 8, where they had first-and-goal. But on fourth-and-goal from the one, they opted for a field goal with 2:56 left.

Eagles 33, Cowboys 27 (OT)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Sam Bradford and Jordan Matthews connected on a 41-yard touchdown on the first possession of overtime, lifting Philadelphia past Dallas.

The Eagles not only avenged a Week 2 loss to Dallas, but they climbed back into the thick of the NFC East race at 4-4. Philadelphia trails the division-leading New York Giants (5-4) by a half-game.

Bradford completed 25 of 36 passes for 295 yards with the one touchdown and no interceptions. Matthews had nine catches for 133 yards. Eagles running back DeMarco Murray, in his first game back in Arlington to face his former team, had 161 total yards and a touchdown.

Fill-in Cowboys quarterback Matt Cassel threw for three touchdowns, two to Cole Beasley. Cassel finished 25-for-38 for 299 yards with one interceptions, while Beasley caught nine passes for 112 yards.

-----------------------------------------------

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Back to top