Titans topple Brady, upset Pats
Legendary quarterback pulled in the fourth quarter as New England loses 34-10
NASHVILLE — Tom Brady added another big chunk of National Football League history to his resume. The Tennessee Titans made sure the Patriots quarterback didn’t finish his 300th game.
The Titans sacked Brady three times and hit him repeatedly as they beat New England 34-10 Sunday, snapping a seven-game skid against the Patriots in Mike Vrabel’s first game as head coach against the team he helped win three Super Bowls.
It was the most sacks allowed in a game this season by the Patriots (7-3), and coach Bill Belichick pulled Brady for Brian Hoyer midway through the fourth quarter.
Only Brett Favre (326) has played in more games, both regular season and post-season, as a quarterback than Brady. Brady, a three-time NFL MVP, also needed only three touchdown passes to tie Peyton Manning (579) for the NFL record for most TD passes all time for both the regular season and playoffs. He left having thrown for 254 yards and no TD passes.
Marcus Mariota capped each of the first two drives with TD passes, and Derrick Henry ran for a pair of TDs. Ryan Succop also added two field goals as the Titans (5-4) scored a season high in points after jumping to a 17-3 lead in the first quarter.
SAINTS 51, BENGALS 14
CINCINNATI — Drew Brees threw three touchdown passes in the first half, moving ahead of Brett Favre for second place on the career list, and New Orleans rolled to its eighth straight victory.
Brees led the Saints to touchdowns on all five first-half possessions with a nearly perfect performance — only two incompletions. His 17-yard TD to Michael Thomas with two seconds left in the half gave him 509 career touchdown passes, one more than Favre.
Up next: Peyton Manning’s record 539.
CHIEFS 26, CARDS 14
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Patrick Mahomes threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, outplaying Arizona counterpart Josh Rosen in a matchup of two of the NFL’s bright young quarterbacks.
Mahomes threw both TD passes to Tyreek Hill, the second giving the Chiefs’ first-year starter 31 for the season. That broke the franchise record set by Len Dawson in 1964 — with plenty of games to go.
Not to mention the playoffs, with the Chiefs (9-1) barrelling toward the No. 1 seed.
Rosen had 195 yards passing with a touchdown and two picks, taking several brutal hits in the fourth quarter. David Johnson ran for 98 yards, with TDs on the ground and through the air, while Larry Fitzgerald passed Terrell Owens for No. 2 on the NFL’s career receiving yardage list late in the game.
BROWNS 28, FALCONS 16
CLEVELAND — Rookie Baker Mayfield threw a season-high three touchdown passes and rookie Nick Chubb streaked 92 yards for a TD as Cleveland ended a four-game losing streak.
The Browns (3-6-1) played their most complete game this season under interim coach Gregg Williams, their defensive co-ordinator who improved to 1-1 since replacing the fired Hue Jackson.
Mayfield outplayed Falcons star quarterback Matt Ryan with a performance that further justifies Cleveland’s decision to take the QB with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Mayfield completed his first 13 passes and finished 17-of-20 for 216 yards.
BEARS 34, LIONS 22
CHICAGO — Mitchell Trubisky threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns, and the NFC Northleading Bears snapped a 10-game losing streak against division opponents.
The Bears (6-3) had dropped nine of 10 against Detroit (3-6) and were seeking their first victory over a division opponent since Oct. 31, 2016, against Minnesota.
Chicago jumped to a 26-7 halftime lead with Trubisky and Allen Robinson leading the way. And the Bears surpassed their win total from last year with their third straight victory.
Trubisky completed 23-of-30 passes against a short-handed secondary, with standout cornerback Darius Slay sidelined by a knee injury.
REDSKINS 16, BUCS 3
TAMPA, FLA. — Alex Smith threw for 178 yards and one touchdown, and Dustin Hopkins kicked three field goals for the Redskins (6-3), who forced four turnovers and rebounded from a lopsided loss to Atlanta despite playing with a makeshift offensive line because of mounting injuries.
Smith, who was 19-of-27 with no interceptions, threw six yards to Josh Doctson for the game’s only touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Hopkins kicked field goals of 43, 43 and 26 yards, the last set up by Greg Stroman’s fourth-quarter interception and
24-yard return to the Bucs 14.
COLTS 29, JAGUARS 26
INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck threw three touchdown passes in the first half and the Colts’ defence forced a late turnover. Indy (4-5) has won three straight.
Tight end Eric Ebron had a career-high three touchdowns, including one on a two-yard run, all in the first half.
BILLS 41, JETS 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Matt Barkley sparked Buffalo’s bumbling offence with two touchdown passes, including one to offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. LeSean McCoy broke out of a season-long slump with 113 yards rushing and a pair of TD runs.
Barkley made his first start in nearly two years, and looked the best of any of the four quarterbacks the Bills (3-7) have trotted out this season. The 28-year-old journeyman was 15-of-25 for 232 yards.