LDN - Sports

NFL roundup: Vikings end Panthers' home win streak

[September 26, 2016] The Sports Xchange

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Minnesota Vikings held the Carolina Panthers scoreless for the final 50 minutes and quarterback Sam Bradford engineered three second-half scoring drives in a 22-10 comeback victory on Sunday.

The Vikings (3-0) turned in a sterling defensive effort, recording eight sacks and intercepting Panthers quarterback Cam Newton three times.

The game went off without incident despite protests in streets blocks from the stadium and unrest in recent days after the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. Police in riot gear surrounded the stadium as fans made their way into the game.

The outcome snapped Carolina's franchise-record 14-game home winning streak. The Panthers (1-2) have lost one more game than in all of the 2015 regular season.

Bradford completed 18 of 28 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown. Newton was 21-for-35 for 262 yards. He left the game briefly with a foot injury but was cleared to return.

Bills 33, Cardinals 18

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- LeSean McCoy rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns and Tyrod Taylor scrambled for 78 yards and a touchdown as Buffalo upset Arizona for its first win.

Playing without top wideout Sammy Watkins (foot) and left tackle Cordy Glenn (ankle), the Bills (1-2) rediscovered the rushing attack that led the NFL last season to secure their first victory. In their first game since promoting running backs coach Anthony Lynn to replace fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Bills gained 209 yards on the ground after totaling 151 in the season's first two games

David Johnson rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals (1-2), who played their first road game of the season. Carson Palmer completed 26 of 50 passes for 264 yards and was intercepted four times in the fourth quarter.

Redskins 29, Giants 27

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Kirk Cousins threw two long touchdown passes, Dustin Hopkins converted five field goals and Washington sealed a come-from-behind win over New York with two fourth-quarter interceptions of Eli Manning.

The Giants (2-1) built a 21-9 lead on touchdown runs by Vereen and Orleans Darkwa sandwiched around a 23-yard touchdown pass from Manning to receiver Sterling Shepard. The Redskins (1-2) chipped away at the lead in the second quarter.

Washington would go on to score 14 unanswered points on the two big-play passes from Cousins, the first a 44-yarder to DeSean Jackson to make it 21-16 at the half and then a 55-yarder to Jamison Crowder to give the Redskins the lead.

Broncos 29, Bengals 17

CINCINNATI -- Trevor Siemian passed for 312 yards and four touchdowns in his first career road start, lifting Denver over Cincinnati.

After playing well in his first two starts after taking over for future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Siemian passed another test on Sunday, going 23 for 35 against a formidable Bengals defense.

Siemian sealed the victory for the Broncos (3-0) with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on third-and-11 with 4:23 remaining in the game. The Bengals dropped to 1-2.

Packers 34, Lions 27

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes in the first half and Green Bay built a 28-point lead over Detroit before holding on in the fourth quarter.

The Packers (2-1) needed every bit of an early fourth-touchdown lead because Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford lit up a depleted defense. Stafford hit Marvin Jones or a 35-yard touchdown with 3:34 remaining to bring the Lions (1-2) within 34-27.

While Rodgers finished the day with only 205 passing yards, the first-half numbers were startling -- he was 12 of 18 for 174 yards and the four scores for a rating of 137.5. Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who had 11 catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns in his first games back after missing 2015 with a knee injury, had six catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Ravens 19, Jaguars 17

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Justin Tucker drilled a 54-yard field goal with 1:02 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift unbeaten Baltimore over winless Jacksonville.

Blake Bortles was intercepted by linebacker Zachary Orr on the Jaguars' final possession to cap a wild finish.

Tucker's field goal, his fourth of the game, completed a frenetic final few minutes that featured a muffed punt, three interceptions and a blocked field goal attempt. Leading 17-16 with 3:06 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars lined up kicker Jason Myers for a 52-yard attempt. Baltimore blocked the try to regain possession and capitalized on an opportunity to deal Jacksonville its second heartbreaking loss at home already this season.

Quarterback Joe Flacco, who earlier in the game set the franchise record with 21 straight completions, connected with Steve Smith, Kyle Juszczyk and Justin Forsett to move the Ravens (3-0) into position to win the game.

Dolphins 30, Browns 24 (OT)

MIAMI -- It turned out to be a lot tougher than they bargained for but after an 0-2 start to the season, Miami found a much-needed win to as it knocked off Cleveland Browns in overtime at newly renovated Hard Rock Stadium.

The game-winner came when running back Jay Ajayi scored from 11 yards out with 8:26 left in overtime. Ajayi's score was set up one play earlier when quarterback Ryan Tannehill found Jarvis Landry for a 32-yard pass play to the 11. The Dolphins had squandered a 24-13 fourth-quarter lead.

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It looked like the Browns would win in regulation when linebacker Corey Lemonier shot through and sacked Tannehill, stripped the ball and fell on it at the Miami 29 with just 22 seconds left. But new kicker Cody Parkey, signed the day before, missed wide left from 46 yards out -- his third miss of the day -- on the final play of regulation. Cleveland fell to 0-3.

Raiders 17, Titans 10

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Forcing three turnovers from Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota, Oakland shrugged off a poor performance from its high-powered offense and notched a win.

The Raiders (2-1) allowed 1,035 yards in their first two games -- a win at New Orleans and a loss to Atlanta -- but displayed improvement in this game. Tennessee (1-2) managed 395 total yards as Mariota, who led a game-winning touchdown drive last week in Detroit, struggled.

Mariota completed just 17 of 33 passes for 214 yards and two interceptions while also losing a fumble for a quarterback rating of only 46.8. Cornerback Sean Smith came up with a key pick early in the fourth quarter at the Oakland 48 to snuff out a promising drive.

Rams 37, Buccaneers 32

TAMPA, Fla. -- Los Angeles, held to a total of nine points in their first two games, exploded for five touchdowns and held on to defeat Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium.

The game's wild finish included the field and stadium being cleared by a lightning delay with 2:00 remaining. The game resumed after a delay of 69 minutes.

The Bucs got the ball back after the delay and drove to the Los Angeles 15-yard line, but the rally ended there. Quarterback Jameis Winston was tackled at the 5-yard line as time expired, past the line of scrimmage where he couldn't throw a pass, but too late to run to the end zone for a score.

Colts 26, Chargers 22

INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to T.Y. Hilton with 1:17 remaining, and Indianapolis rallied to defeat San Diego in Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts drove 83 yards in six plays for the winning touchdown, converting on fourth down two plays before the game-winning pass. Luck finished 24-for-37 for 331 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

After taking the lead, Indianapolis recovered a Hunter Henry fumble at the San Diego 42 and ran out the clock.

Chiefs 24, Jets 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo -- New York arrived at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday afternoon bearing gifts. Kansas City was only too happy to receive eight turnovers from the visitors that set up all of their points in a big victory.

Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw six interceptions, including three that were grabbed in the end zone, snuffing New York's best chances to score.

The Jets also lost a pair of fumbles in the first half, allowing the Chiefs to jump to a lead they never gave up. Offense, defense and special teams all scored touchdowns for Kansas City.

Eagles 34, Steelers 3

PHILADELPHIA -- Carson Wentz continued his amazing rookie season by throwing for two touchdowns as Philadelphia breezed to a victory over Pittsburgh at Lincoln Financial Field.

Wentz completed 23 of 31 passes for 301 yards, finished with a passer rating of 125.9 and has thrown for five touchdowns without a turnover this season. The second overall selection of the 2016 draft outplayed Steelers' All-Pro quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who completed 24 of 44 passes for 259 yards and an interception.

Antonio Brown reeled in 12 receptions for 140 yards, but DeAngelo Williams was limited to just 21 yards on eight carries.

Cowboys 31, Bears 17

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The battle of backup quarterbacks was not much of a contest. Dallas rookie Dak Prescott outplayed his Chicago counterpart, and the Cowboys pounded the Bears at AT&T Stadium.

Dallas improved to 2-1, remaining tied with the New York Giants and one game behind 3-0 Philadelphia in the NFC East.

Prescott had another impressive showing in his third career game and start in place of Tony Romo. The fourth-round pick from Mississippi State completed 19 of 24 passes for 248 yards for a touchdown and ran for another.

Patriots 27, Texans 0 (Thursday night game)

FOXBOROUGH, Ma. -- Rookie Jacoby Brissett, making his first NFL start, got plenty of help from visiting Houston in New England's rout of the Texans on Thursday night.

Brissett, playing for injured Jimmy Garoppolo, who was playing for the suspended Tom Brady, ran a bootleg 27 yards for a touchdown and managed the game well in his debut, as the Patriots improved to 3-0 during Brady's four-game Deflategate absence.

The Texans fumbled away two kickoffs, leading to two New England touchdowns, and were also guilty of an interception. LeGarrette Blount scored from a yard out and then broke a 41-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Stephen Gostkowski kicked two short field goals.

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