Detroit Lions 31-29 Minnesota Vikings
Jake Bates made a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to lift the Detroit Lions to a victory that handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss in a back-and-forth game befitting the NFL’s strongest division. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 116 yards and two of Detroit’s three touchdowns in the second quarter. Jared Goff led the Lions 48 yards in four plays to get in range for their rookie kicker and force the Vikings to burn their timeouts. Bates is 10 for 10 on field goals this season. Both teams are 5-1 and tied for the NFC North lead. Goff went 22 for 25 for 280 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers in his third straight game with a 140+ passer rating, joining Aaron Rodgers (2011), Kurt Warner (1999) and Roger Staubach (1971) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
Cincinnati Bengals 21-14 Cleveland Browns
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a potentially season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the first half of Cleveland’s loss to Cincinnati as Joe Burrow earned his first road victory against the Bengals’ AFC North rivals. Watson’s leg collapsed on a non-contact play as he dropped back to pass with 1:26 left before halftime. As he planted, Watson’s calf appeared to tremble before surrendering and falling to the turf. The embattled Watson, whose stint with Cleveland (1-6) was marked by off-field problems, injuries and poor play, covered his head with a towel as he was carted off the field. The Browns later said they believe Watson tore his Achilles tendon, which would end his season. Burrow threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter as the Bengals ended a six-game losing streak in Cleveland. Cincinnati (3-4) has won three of four since dropping three in a row to start the season.
Kansas City Chiefs 28-18 San Francisco 49ers
Patrick Mahomes overcame two interceptions and made some big plays with his feet, and the Kansas City Chiefs remained the only undefeated team in the league after beating the San Francisco 49ers 3-3 in a Super Bowl rematch. The effort and quality of play were not at the same level as eight months ago, when Mahomes and the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 25-22 in overtime for the title. The game came at a potentially high price for San Francisco, with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk being carted off after being hit on the right knee while making a catch late in the first half.
Houston Texans 22-24 Green Bay Packers
Brandon McManus kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired in his Green Bay debut to lift the Packers past the Houston Texans. Green Bay overcame three turnovers to win their third straight game and snap the Texans’ three-game win streak. Houston’s Joe Mixon rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Ka’imi Fairbairn was three for three on field goal attempts and put the Texans ahead with a 35-yarder with 1:44 left. Green Bay’s Jordan Love was 23 of 31 for 214 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Houston’s CJ Stroud was just 10 of 21 for a career-low 86 yards and was sacked four times. Both teams have 5-2 records.
Las Vegas Raiders 15-20 Los Angeles Rams
Kam Curl returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown and Kyren Williams rushed for 76 yards and two more scores in the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Cobie Durant had an interception and later returned the fumble for a Curl TD for the Rams (2-4), who forced four turnovers from Gardner Minshew. The Raiders’ backup quarterback was forced into action due to an early hand injury to Aidan O’Connell. Minshew passed for 154 yards for the Raiders (2-5), who have lost three straight games.
Tennessee Titans 10-34 Buffalo Bills
Amari Cooper scored the go-ahead touchdown in his debut with Buffalo and Josh Allen overcame a slow first half to throw two touchdown passes in his 100th career start to help the Bills rally from a 10-point deficit. Cooper’s 12-yard TD catch was his first reception for the Bills and came five days after he was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Ty Johnson also scored on a four-yard catch, and James Cook and Ray Davis rounded out the rout with touchdown runs. After being limited to 4 of 11 for 65 yards in the first half, Allen finished 21 of 33 for 323 yards.
Seattle Seahawks 34-14 Atlanta Falcons
Geno Smith passed for two touchdowns and Derick Hall returned a fumble 36 yards for a go-ahead score as the Seattle Seahawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the Atlanta Falcons. The 4-3 Seahawks ended Atlanta’s run of three straight wins, halting a Falcons offense that had averaged 37 points the previous two weeks. Smith completed 18 of 28 passes for 207 yards, his second-fewest output of the season, but more than enough to strangle the Falcons (4-3). He connected with Kenneth Walker on a 17-yard touchdown and a huge 31-yard scoring play against DK Metcalf just before halftime.
Philadelphia Eagles 28-3 New York Giants
Saquon Barkley rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown against his former team and Jalen Hurts was responsible for three scores, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to victory over the New York Giants (2-5). Barkley, who received a chorus of boos from the crowd at MetLife Stadium, scored on a three-yard run in the first quarter and rolled off long runs of 55, 38 and 41 yards. He signed a $37.75 million contract with the Eagles this offseason after spending his first six seasons with the Giants. Hurts completed 10 of 14 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two scores to send Philadelphia to their second straight victory. AJ Brown had five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles (4-2), who took advantage of the absence of All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas (season-ending foot surgery) to sack Daniel Jones seven times.
Carolina Panthers 7-40 Washington Commanders
Dante Fowler Jr. returned an interception for a touchdown and the Washington Commanders overcame the loss of quarterback Jayden Daniels to roll past the visiting Carolina Panthers. Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and second overall draft pick in the spring, left in the first quarter with a rib injury. Backup Marcus Mariota threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Brian Robinson rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown and Austin Seibert made field goals of 23, 49, 31 and 29 yards, keeping the Commanders (5-2) undefeated in three home games. Andy Dalton threw for 93 yards for the Panthers (1-6), who had 180 yards of total offense with 10 first downs as they lost their fourth straight game. Former starter Bryce Young played on Carolina’s final series, which had minus one yard.
Miami Dolphins 10-16 Indianapolis Colts
Tyler Goodson ran for one touchdown and Anthony Richardson led the Indianapolis Colts on two fourth-quarter scoring drives to earn a victory over the Miami Dolphins. Indy (4-3) has won four of their past five and three straight home games. Matt Gay’s 22-yard field goal with 8:41 to play gave Indy its first lead. A defensive stop at the Indianapolis 33-yard line in the final minute sealed the victory over the NFL’s lowest-scoring team. The Dolphins had a chance to tie the score at 13 on a 54-yard field goal with 5:14 to go, but Jason Sanders’ kick hit the left upright and bounced harmlessly into the end zone. Miami (2-4) has lost four of five.
New England Patriots 16-32 Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville receiver Parker Washington ran 96 yards for the longest punt return touchdown in Jaguars history. Washington turned toward the goal line and did a “Nestea dive” backward into the end zone. The touchdown and subsequent two-point conversion gave Jacksonville (2-5) a 22-10 lead, which they never relinquished against a Patriots team (1-5) that their head coach Jerod Mayo called “soft.”