Titans sack Brady, upset Patriots
Tom Brady added another big chunk of NFL 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 sevengame 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. The 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 post-season. He left having thrown for 254 yards and no TD passes.
The loss snaps a six-game winning streak going into New England’s bye. The Patriots, who routed the Titans 35-14 in January, also lost to Tennessee for the first time since Dec. 16, 2002.
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 the Saints rolled to their 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, CARDINALS 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’ firstyear 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.
PACKERS 31, DOLPHINS 12
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Jones ran for career highs of 145 yards and two scores, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams connected for two touchdown passes.
The Packers (4-4-1) pulled away in the second half, sandwiching scoring drives around cornerback Bashaud Breeland’s interception deep in Miami territory. Green Bay went ahead 28-12 on Adams’ 25-yard touchdown catch with 7:24 left in the third quarter.
Maybe this is the game that will get the Packers going in the tight NFC North race following a choppy first half of the season.
CHARGERS 20, RAIDERS 6
OAKLAND, Calif. — Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes, Melvin Gordon gained 165 yards and the Chargers won their sixth straight game.
Rivers bounced back from a first quarter with no completions to throw an 11-yard TD pass to Keenan Allen in the second quarter to give the Chargers (7-2) the lead for good. He hit a 66-yarder to Gordon on the opening drive of the second half.
Los Angeles coasted from there against the Raiders (1-8), who have lost five straight games by at least 14 points under coach Jon Gruden. They and have been outscored 75-9 in the past nine quarters in what has quickly become a lost season.
RAMS 36, SEAHAWKS 31
LOS ANGELES — Brandin Cooks rushed for a nine-yard touchdown on the first snap after Dante Fowler forced and recovered a fumble by Russell Wilson, and the Rams bounced back from their first loss of the season.
Jared Goff passed for 318 yards and two touchdowns,
and Todd Gurley rushed for 120 yards and a score as the Rams (9-1) swept the season series with their division rivals.
Los Angeles moved into commanding position for its second consecutive NFC West title, but only after plenty of late drama in a rivalry that’s never lacking in excitement.
Wilson threw three touchdown passes, rushed for 92 yards and nearly rallied the Seahawks (4-5) all the way back after his fumble.
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 North-leading 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, BUCCANEERS 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.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 403 yards for Tampa Bay (3-6), but was intercepted twice and lost a fumble on a sack inside the Washington 10.
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.
Blake Bortles threw for 319 yards and two TDS, but the Jaguars (3-6) came up short when Kenny Moore III stripped the ball from Rashad Greene Sr. and Malik Hooker recovered for the Colts with 1:24 to go.
Initially, Greene was ruled down by contact, but it was overturned on a replay review from the booth.
BILLS 41, JETS 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Matt Barkley stunningly 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 while helping Buffalo snap a four-game losing streak as the Bills put up 451 yards of total offence.