Cincy’s ‘D’ no match for Brees
Drew Brees (22-for-25, 265 yards, 150.4 passer rating) had his way with an awful Bengals defense in the Saints’ 51-14 victory Sunday in Cincinnati.
The Bengals became the first team in the Super Bowl era to give up 500 yards in three consecutive games; New Orleans finished with 509 yards. In the last four games, the Bengals have allowed 481, 551, 576 and 509 yards. They’re on pace to give up the most yards in history.
Also, the Bengals matched the most lopsided defeat in franchise history and gave up the secondmost points in club history. (They allowed 52 against the Panthers in 2002.) In the first half alone, the Saints piled up 311 yards and had 21 first downs on 40 plays.
Brees threw three touchdown passes, all in the first half, to give him 509 in his career, moving past Brett Favre (508) into second place on the all-time list. He trails only Peyton Manning (539).
Browns 28, Falcons 16
Baker Mayfield had his best day as a pro, going 17-for-20 for 216 yards with touchdown passes to Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson and Rashard Higgins. Mayfield is the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record a passer rating (151.3) of at least 150 on 20 or more passes in a single game.
Chubb had 20 carries for 176 yards, including a franchiserecord 92-yard touchdown. That run broke the previous team mark held by Bobby Mitchell, who had a 90-yard touchdown run against Washington on Nov. 15, 1959. It was also the second-longest run by a rookie in league history, behind Bobby Gage’s 97-yard run for Pittsburgh in 1949.
For the Falcons, receiver Julio Jones (seven catches, 107 yards) became the fastest player to reach 10,000 career yards. He reached the plateau in his 104th game, 11 games quicker than the Lions’ Calvin Johnson.
Titans 34, Patriots 10
In his 300th career game, the Patriots’ Tom Brady (21-for41, 254 yards, 70.6 rating) was sacked three times and hit six more times.
Only Brett Favre (326) has played in more games, both regular season and postseason, as a quarterback than Brady.
Patriots receiver Julian Edelman left the game with an ankle injury and did not return.
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (16-for-24, 228 yards, 125.0 rating) threw touchdown passes to Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith on the first two drives.
Chiefs 26, Cardinals 14
Patrick Mahomes (21-for-28, 249 yards, 125.4 rating) threw two touchdown passes to Tyreek Hill to give him 31 on the season, moving him past Len Dawson (30) for the franchise’s singleseason record.
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald had six catches for 50 yards, giving him 15,952 career receiving yards, surpassing Hall of Famer Terrell Owens (15,934) for the second-most in NFL history. Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (22,895) has more.
The Chiefs play the Rams next Monday night in Mexico City, and the over/under is 64, the highest total since 1986, according to ESPN.
Cowboys 27, Eagles 20
The Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott had 151 yards rushing and the go-ahead one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, sending the Super Bowl champion Eagles to their third straight loss at home.
Dak Prescott had 270 yards passing, threw for a touchdown and ran for a score. Elliott also had a touchdown catch.