NFL- leading Eagles down Bears
PHILADELPHIA — Carson Wentz tossed three touchdown passes and the NFL- leading Philadelphia Eagles beat the Chicago Bears 31- 3 Sunday for their ninth straight win.
The Eagles ( 10- 1) reduced their magic number to clinch the NFC East to one with their fourth consecutive win by at least 23 points and third in a row by exactly 28. Philadelphia would secure its first division title since 2013 if the Cowboys ( 5- 6) lose or tie Washington on Thursday night.
Wentz had 227 yards passing, LeGarrette Blount ran for 97 yards and Zach Ertz caught 10 passes for 103 yards and one TD.
The defence dominated rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and the inept Bears ( 3- 8), holding them to zero first downs in the first half and 140 total yards in the game.
The Bears won the turnover battle ( 3- 2), but couldn’t do anything with excellent field position.
BENGALS 30, BROWNS 16
Rookie Joe Mixon ran for a career- high 114 yards in the Bengals’ best offensive showing since the last time they faced Cleveland.
The result sent the Browns into December still winless for the second year in a row.
The Bengals ( 5- 6) won back- toback games for the second time this season. They hadn’t scored so many points since they won 31- 7 at Cleveland on Oct. 1.
Mixon also had an 11- yard touchdown that put it away in the fourth quarter. The Bengals came into the game with the worst rushing offence in the NFL, making it to 100 yards only once before.
At 0- 11, the Browns are starting to run out of chances for that breakthrough win. Last year, they waited until their 15th game to get their only victory and avoid the second 0- 16 season in NFL history.
PATRIOTS 35, DOLPHINS 17
Tom Brady tossed four touchdown passes — including two to Rob Gronkowski — and the Patriots pushed through injuries and a mistake- filled game.
New England ( 9- 2) posted its seventh consecutive victory and third straight win over Miami. The Dolphins ( 4- 7) have lost five straight for their longest slide since 2011.
It was Brady’s 28th career game with four or more touchdown passes, ranking third alltime. His 26 touchdowns passes are the most in a season after turning 40 years old.
Rex Burkhead also scored two TDs and Dion Lewis had 15 carries for 112 yards for New England, marking his first career 100- yard game.
The Dolphins played without quarterback Jay Cutler, who practiced Friday, but remained in the concussion protocol. Matt Moore struggled to find a rhythm in his second start of the season.
Nate Ebner left with a knee injury after his fake punt run in the first quarter. Trevor Reilly left with a head injury after a collision. DL Trey Flowers ( ribs) and LB Marquis Flowers left in the third quarter after a collision., and OL LaAdrian Waddle left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. LB Kyle Van Noy ( leg) was able to walk off the field on his own after being shaken up in the fourth.
FALCONS 34, BUCS 20
Julio Jones hauled in 12 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns in one of the best games of his career.
Rekindling memories of the Super Bowl, the Falcons ( 7- 4) nearly squandered a big lead to a team playing its third game without injured quarterback Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers ( 4- 7) rebounded from a 27- 6 deficit behind backup Ryan Fitzpatrick and drove deep into Atlanta territory after forcing a fumble at the other end of the field.
But Keanu Neal battled down Fitzpatrick’s pass on fourth- and- 1 at the Atlanta 18 with just over seven minutes remaining, and the Falcons drove for a clinching touchdown on Tevin Coleman’s 14- yard run with just under two minutes to go.
Jones, who had only one touchdown catch through the first 10 games, doubled that total in the first half. He hauled in a 51- yard scoring pass from fellow receiver Mohamed Sanu and went 25 yards for a TD on a throw from Matt Ryan, finishing off the play with a spectacular dive for the pylon.
Jones now has three games in his brilliant career with at least 250 yards receiving. He had a career- high 300 yards vs. Carolina last season and 259 at Green Bay in 2014. No other player in NFL history has more than one game with 250 yards receiving.
BILLS 16, CHIEFS 10
Tyrod Taylor threw for 183 yards and a touchdown in his return to the starting lineup, Tre’Davious White intercepted Alex Smith with just over a minute remaining to clinch it.
Zay Jones had the touchdown reception and Stephen Hauschka kicked three field goals for the Bills ( 6- 5), but the story was their defence — or the Chiefs’ complete lack of offence.
Kansas City ( 6- 5) managed only 236 yards while losing for the fifth time in six games.
It was an especially gratifying win for Bills coach Sean McDermott, who spent 10- plus seasons working for Chiefs counterpart Andy Reid in Philadelphia. And it was even more so considering the heat McDermott had been under after his questionable quarterback change last week.
Hauschka missed a 52- yard field- goal try late in the first half, ending his NFL- record streak of 13 straight from at least 50 yards. The streak dated to 2014 when he was with Seattle. He bounced back to hit from 56 yards, giving him a Bills- record seven 50- plus makes this season.
PANTHERS 35, JETS 27
Luke Kuechly returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown and Kaelin Clay had a 60- yard punt return for a score, capping a stunning swing in the fourth quarter that lifted the Panthers.
It was the fourth straight victory for the Panthers ( 8- 3), who were trying to keep pace with the firstplace Saints in the NFC South. The teams meet next Sunday at New Orleans.
This one turned in a span of 2 minutes, 11 seconds on mistakes by the Jets ( 4- 7) — and the Panthers taking advantage.
First, Kuechly scooped up a fumble by Josh McCown, who was sacked by Wes Horton and had the ball knocked out of his hand as he was about to throw, and rumbled to the end zone for a touchdown.
Cam Newton then hurdled over linebacker Jordan Jenkins for the 2- point conversion to give the Panthers a 26- 20 lead with 12: 05 left.
Then Clay fielded Lachlan Edwards’ kick and spun out of a tackle attempt and sped into the end zone.
TITANS 20, COLTS 16
The Titans got their first win in 10 tries at Lucas Oil Stadium when DeMarco Murray scored on a 1- yard touchdown run with 5: 59 left.
The Titans ( 7- 4) pulled off their first series sweep since 2002. And they did it by rallying from a 10- point third- quarter deficit again — just as they had six weeks earlier against the Colts.
Indy ( 3- 8) has lost three straight home games and five of its last six overall. It is one loss away from having the first losing year in coach Chuck Pagano’s six seasons.
Tennessee won despite making only one first down during a 30- minute stretch and playing in chilly conditions after Colts officials opened the roof and the window in the north end zone.
The Associated Press