Dolphins stay winless
Mason Rudolph overcame an early interception to pass for 251 yards and two touchdowns, James Conner ran for 145 yards and another touchdown and the host Steelers scored 27 unanswered points to rally from an early deficit on their way to a 27-14 victory Monday against the winless Dolphins.
After the Steelers (3-4) fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, Rudolph got the comeback started with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson in the second.
The Steelers still trailed 14-10 at halftime, but they dominated the second half. Rudolph threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster to give them a 17-14 lead in the third quarter, and Conner added a nineyard touchdown run in the fourth.
Ryan Fitzpatrick got off to a fast start for the Dolphins (0-7), throwing short touchdown passes to Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns in the first quarter, but it was all downhill from there. He was intercepted twice, lost one of his two fumbles and was sacked four times.
Neck injury idles Broncos QB Flacco
Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco, who ripped the team’s coaches for their play-calling in a last-minute loss Sunday to the Colts, won’t play next week because of a herniated disk in his neck. Coach Vic Fangio said he wasn’t sure whether surgery might be necessary.
Fangio said backup Brandon Allen will start Sunday against the Browns. He said he’ll decide this week between two rookies — second-round draft pick Drew Lock and undrafted Brett Rypien — as Allen’s backup.
Chargers fire O-coordinator Whisenhunt
The Chargers fired offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt after 3½ seasons. After eight weeks, they rank 17th in the league in total offense and 23rd in points per game.
It was Whisenhunt’s second tenure as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. He also served in 2013 before an unsuccessful twoyear tenure as the Titans’ coach. He returned to the Chargers in 2016.
Panthers sticking with Allen at QB
Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Kyle Allen will remain the team’s starting quarterback Sunday against the Titans while Cam Newton continues to rehab from a mid-foot sprain suffered in Week 2 against the Buccaneers.
Allen led the Panthers to four consecutive victories before throwing his first three career interceptions in an embarrassing 51-13 loss Sunday to the 49ers.
Jets LB Mosley out 5 to 6 more weeks
Jets coach Adam Gase said linebacker C.J. Mosley, who has missed five of the team’s six games since injuring his groin in the season opener against the Bills, will miss five to six more weeks.
New York teams make rare deal
Multiple outlets reported the Jets traded defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Giants for a third-round draft pick in 2020 and a fifth-rounder in 2021. It is the first trade between the teams since 1983.