NFL roundup: Saints pummel Eagles
Drew Brees threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints rolled up 546 yards in total offense and 28 first downs to rout the visiting Philadelphia Eagles 48-7 Sunday.
The Saints (9-1) took a three-game lead in the NFC South over the second-place Carolina Panthers while handing the Eagles the largest margin of defeat ever sustained by a defending Super Bowl champion.
The Saints have scored 144 points in their past three games – the most in franchise history for three consecutive games, a 48-point average – and least 30 points in seven of their last eight games. The injury-ravaged Eagles (4-6) have lost five of their past seven.
Steelers 20, Jaguars 16
Ben Roethlisberger stretched to score on a keeper from about a foot out with eight seconds left as Pittsburgh came back to beat host Jacksonville, extending the Steelers’ winning streak to six games and the Jaguars’ losing streak to six games.
Roethlisberger passed for 314 yards with three interceptions and touchdowns to Antonio Brown and Vance McDonald for the Steelers (7-2-1). An 11-yard strike to McDonald closing Pittsburgh within 16-13 with 2:28 left.
Broncos 23, Chargers 22
Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired, and Denver ended host Los Angeles’ six-game winning streak.
The Broncos handed the Chargers (7-3) their first loss since September 23. Case Keenum completed all five of his passes for 86 yards on the Broncos’ game-winning drive. Keenum finished with 205 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.
Texans 23, Redskins 21
Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 54-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter lifted Houston over host Washington for its seventh straight victory.
The Redskins (6-4) took over on their 35 with 52 seconds left after a Fairbairn miss from 45 yards out and drove to the Houston 45, but kicker Dustin Hopkins came up short on a 63-yard try with three seconds left.
Redskins quarterback Alex Smith left the game in the third quarter with what coach Jay Gruden said after the game was a broken tibia and fibula on his right leg. Gruden said Smith would need surgery.
Cowboys 22, Falcons 19
Brett Maher, who had missed an extra point, kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give Dallas the win over host Atlanta and keep the Cowboys’ playoff hopes alive.
Dallas (5-5) took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons (4-6) tied the game on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones with 1:52 remaining.
Bears 25, Vikings 20
Mitchell Trubisky completed 20 of 31 passes for 165 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, and Chicago held on to beat visiting Minnesota.
Anthony Miller hauled in a touchdown for Chicago (7-3), which won its fourth consecutive game to remain atop the NFC North.
Colts 38, Titans 10
Andrew Luck threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns to lead host Indianapolis to an easy win over Tennessee in a battle for second place in the AFC South.
T.Y. Hilton caught two of Luck’s touchdown passes and totaled 155 receiving yards to tie Marvin Harrison for the most 150-yard games (11) in Colts history.
Lions 20, Panthers 19
Matthew Stafford connected with Kenny Golladay on a go-ahead, 19-yard touchdown pass, and host Detroit hung on for a victory over Carolina.
The Panthers (6-4) pulled within one on Cam Newton’s 8-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore with 1:07 remaining. Carolina coach Ron Rivera decided to go for a two-point conversion, but Newton’s pass fell incomplete.
Ravens 24, Bengals 21
Host Baltimore overcame the absence of injured quarterback Joe Flacco by rushing for 265 yards against Cincinnati.
Justin Tucker kicked three field goals, and Flacco’s replacement – rookie first-rounder Lamar Jackson – and Gus Williams each topped 100 yards rushing as the Ravens improved to 5-5. The Bengals, who had just 48 rushing yards, fell to 5-5.
Giants 38, Buccaneers 35
Eli Manning recorded a near-perfect passer rating while Saquon Barkley rushed for 142 yards and scored three touchdowns as New York outlasted Tampa Bay in East Rutherford, N.J.
Manning completed 17 of 18 passes against the helpless Tampa Bay secondary for 231 yards and a pair of touchdowns, finishing with a 155.8 passer rating, only 2.5 points off a perfect score. Barkley ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass as New York (3-7) won its second straight game.
Raiders 23, Cardinals 21
Daniel Carlson kicked a 35-yard field goal, his third of the day, on the final play of the game, rallying Oakland (2-8) past Arizona (2-8) in Glendale, Ariz.