NFL roundup: Saints pummel Cowboys as Darnold upsets 49ers

Alvin Kamara scored four touchdowns, including a 57-yarder on a screen pass, and the New Orleans Saints ended Dallas’ 16-game regular-season home win streak with a 44-19 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday.

Derek Carr threw for 243 yards and two TDs, along with a one-yard sneak for a score, and the Saints (2-0) scored touchdowns on their first six drives a week after setting a franchise record by opening the season with points on nine straight possessions in a 47-10 win over Carolina.

It was actually the second straight loss at AT&T Stadium for the Cowboys (1-1), following their surprising 48-32 wild-card loss to Green Bay last January.

Carr completed 11 of 16 passes, but lost his perfect passer rating early in the fourth quarter when he was intercepted by Donovan Wilson, giving the Saints a 41-19 lead.

San Francisco 49ers 17-23 Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team, including a 97-yard strike in the second quarter to Justin Jefferson, and an offensive defense fueled the Minnesota Vikings again. Darnold won his second straight start. The Vikings got three field goals from rookie Will Reichard and six sacks and two interceptions from Brock Purdy to overcome two turnovers and a quadriceps injury that forced Jefferson out of the game in the third quarter.

Los Angeles Chargers 26-3 Carolina Panthers

Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes to Quentin Johnston, JK Dobbins ran for 131 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown, and the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Carolina Panthers. The undefeated Chargers methodically demolished the Panthers, piling up 219 yards on the ground while holding Carolina to just 159 total yards and seven first downs. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Young had another miserable outing, completing 18 of 26 passes for 84 yards with one interception and was repeatedly booed by the home crowd as he fell to 2-16 as the starter. The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 this season.

Indianapolis Colts 10-16 Green Bay Packers

Malik Willis threw his first career touchdown pass, Josh Jacobs had 151 of Green Bay’s 261 rushing yards and the Packers held on to the absence of injured quarterback Jordan Love to beat the Indianapolis Colts. Green Bay’s Evan Williams recovered an onside kick and intercepted a Hail Mary pass to secure the victory. The Packers intercepted three passes by Anthony Richardson. Love did not play after injuring his left medial collateral ligament on the final series of a season-opener loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-16 Detroit Lions

Baker Mayfield had an 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Detroit Lions in a playoff rematch.

Tampa Bay (2-0) trailed only once in the thrilling game, stopping Detroit (1-1) when the Lions had two chances to score go-ahead touchdowns in the final minutes. The Lions gave it away on downs at the Bucs’ six with 53 seconds left and again at their 26 with two seconds left.

Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson had three sacks in the first quarter and finished with a personal-best five sacks.

Cleveland Browns 18-13 Jacksonville Jaguars

Deshaun Watson ran for a touchdown, Dustin Hopkins kicked three field goals and the stingy Cleveland Browns did just enough to hold off the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns dominated much of the rainy day, tackling Trevor Lawrence four times and holding Jacksonville in check for nearly three quarters. The Jaguars woke up late. Lawrence found rookie Brian Thomas Jr. for 66 yards to set up a touchdown, then added a field goal to make it a one-score game. Lawrence was a nonfactor for much of the afternoon.

New York Jets 24-17 Tennessee Titans

Braelon Allen ran for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:31 left to give the New York Jets a definitive lead as they defeated the Tennessee Titans. Aaron Rodgers threw for 176 yards and two TDs and got to kneel for his first win as the Jets starter. One of those TDs was by Allen, marking a mark among the oldest and youngest players in the NFL. The Jets ruined the home opener for Titans first-year coach Brian Callahan. Quarterback Will Levis committed two turnovers. The Titans had a chance at the end but couldn’t reach the end zone.

New York Giants 18-21 Washington Commanders

Austin Seibert kicked seven field goals to help the Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants. Jayden Daniels earned his first win as an NFL quarterback. Daniels was the driving force behind the 65-yard go-ahead drive in the final minutes. Daniel Jones threw two touchdowns and Devin Singletary ran for one in a losing fumble for the Giants. New York lost kicker Graham Gano to an injury on the opening kickoff. That prevented the team from attempting field goals and forced several fourth-down fumbles.