NFL roundup: Chiefs, Mahomes light up Cleveland

[November 05, 2018]  Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) makes a call during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Patrick Mahomes passed for 375 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, while running back Kareem Hunt scored three touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs maintained the best record in the AFC by drilling the host Cleveland Browns 37-21.

The 300-yard passing performance was the eighth straight for Mahomes, who has 29 touchdown passes.

Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 29 of 42 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Cleveland (2-6-1) suffered its fourth straight loss. It also marked Gregg Williams' debut as head coach after the Browns fired Hue Jackson.

The Chiefs (8-1) scored on six of their first seven possessions, did not punt until the fourth quarter and averaged 8.6 yards per play. Five receivers had 50 or more yards, led by tight end Travis Kelce with 99 yards on seven receptions, with two touchdowns.

Steelers 23, Ravens 16

James Conner continued to excel with 163 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown catch as visiting Pittsburgh downed rival Baltimore.

Conner, the AFC offensive player of the month for October, rushed for 107 yards and had 56 receiving yards against the top-ranked defense in the NFL. He became the first player in Steelers history with 10 touchdowns in the first eight games of a season.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 270 yards, including touchdowns to Conner and Antonio Brown, as Pittsburgh (5-2-1) won its fourth straight. Baltimore (4-5) has lost three straight.

Vikings 24, Lions 9

Danielle Hunter returned a Matthew Stafford fumble 32 yards for a touchdown and host Minnesota Vikings defense sacked Stafford 10 times in to top Detroit.

Kirk Cousins completed 18 of 22 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (5-3-1). Adam Thielen caught Cousins' touchdown pass but was limited to 22 yards on four receptions. He entered the game having tied an NFL record by reaching 100 yards receiving in each of the first eight games of the season.

Stafford completed 25 of 36 passes for 199 yards, Minnesota outgained Detroit 283-209 and the Lions (3-5) ran for only 66 yards.

Bears 41, Bills 9

Jordan Howard ran for two touchdowns and the Chicago defense scored twice for 28 points in the second quarter and the Bears blew out host Buffalo.

Cornerback Eddie Jackson returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown and defensive end Leonard Floyd scored on a 19-yard interception return less than four minutes later for the Bears (5-3), who have four defensive touchdowns this season.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) makes a call during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo (2-7) scored a touchdown for the first time in three games but was held to less than 14 points for the seventh time this season (and sixth game in a row). The Bills have now totaled 96 points through the first nine games, the fewest in franchise history.

Panthers 42, Buccaneers 28

Second-year players Curtis Samuel and Christian McCaffrey each scored two touchdowns as Carolina Panthers turned a record-setting first half into a 14-point victory against visiting Tampa Bay.

Samuel's 19-yard touchdown catch with 9:04 remaining halted Tampa Bay's momentum as the Panthers (6-2) won their third game in a row. McCaffrey ran for a pair of first-half touchdowns as the Panthers set a franchise record with 35 first-half points.

Tampa Bay quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick returned to the starting lineup, replacing erratic Jameis Winston, and threw for 243 yards and four touchdown passes but was intercepted twice as Tampa Bay fell to 3-5.

Falcons 38, Redskins 14

Matt Ryan passed for 350 yards and four scores, including Julio Jones' first touchdown reception of the season, and visiting Atlanta ended Washington's three-game winning streak in a blowout.

Jones had seven catches for 121 yards and caught a 35-yard touchdown pass with 3:45 left to play, setting off an Atlanta celebration. Running back Tevin Coleman had two touchdown catches and rookie wide receiver Calvin Ridley had another -- from 40 yards -- for the Falcons (4-4).

The Redskins (5-3) pulled to within 28-14 with 2:15 left in the third quarter when running back Kapri Bibbs scored from 3 yards out, but Atlanta added 10 fourth-quarter points.

Dolphins 13, Jets 6

Rookie Jerome Baker broke open a close game with a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as host Miami topped AFC East rival New York.

The Dolphins (5-4) snapped a two-game losing streak while the Jets (3-6) have lost three games in a row.

Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold was intercepted a career-high four times. Miami led 6-3 when Baker made his play, cutting in front of a receiver on the right sideline. It was Baker's first career interception, and it was preceded at the start of the play by a bad shotgun snap from center Spencer Long, who has a dislocated middle finger.

--Field Level Media

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