Steelers run past struggling Ravens
Pittsburgh’s Bell breaks out with 144 yards, two TDs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally got their offense running. The wait continues for the Baltimore Ravens.
Le’Veon Bell rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and the Steelers beat the Ravens 26-9 on Sunday in a duel for first place in the AFC North in Baltimore.
Though held to a touchdown over the final 30 minutes, Pittsburgh (3-1) mounted enough of an attack before halftime to earn its first win in Baltimore since 2012.
Coming into the game, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was asked to identify the problem with a Pittsburgh offense that had produced only six touchdowns in 12 quarters.
“The quarterback needs to play better,” he said.
Roethlisberger went 18 for 30 for 216 yards and a touchdown. Bell did more than his share, carrying the ball 35 times to help the Steelers amass 381 yards in offense.
The Ravens (2-2) looked every bit like the 32nd-ranked offense in the NFL. Baltimore trailed 19-0 at halftime, generated only 154 yards through three quarters and stumbled through a second straight game with only one touchdown.
Joe Flacco completed 31 of 49 passes for 235 yards, was sacked four times and intercepted twice. Panthers 33, Patriots 30: Graham Gano hit a 48-yard field goal as time expired, and Carolina (3-1) stunned host New England (2-2).
It was the second home loss this season for the usually unbeatable Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The defeat marked just the second time since 2012 that Tom Brady has lost two home starts within a season.
Cam Newton threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. He finished 22 of 29 for 316 yards and an interception, picking apart a New England defense that was giving up an NFL-worst 461 yards and 31.7 points per game.
Brady was 32 of 45 for 307 yards and two scores. Rams 35, Cowboys 30: Todd Gurley scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 53-yard catch-and-run, Greg Zuerlein kicked a career-high seven field goals, and visiting Los Angeles (3-1) topped Dallas (2-2).
Gurley finished with 215 total yards — 121 rushing and 94 receiving — as the Rams overcame two first-half touchdowns from Ezekiel Elliott. Texans 57, Titans 14: Rookie Deshaun Watson passed for four touchdowns and ran for another as host Houston (2-2) scored the most points in franchise history in a win over Tennessee (2-2). Watson became the first rookie to throw four touchdowns and run for another one since Fran Tarkenton in 1961 and tied an NFL record for most TDs by a rookie quarterback.
Houston’s defense got things going when Andre Hal intercepted Marcus Mariota on the game’s third play. It was the first of four interceptions for Houston’s defense. Mariota, who became the first Titans quarterback with two rushing touchdowns in a game since Steve McNair in 2003, injured his hamstring and didn’t play after halftime.
Bills 23, Falcons 17: Stephen Hauschka kicked a tiebreaking, 56-yard field goal with less than 5 minutes remaining, and visiting Buffalo (3-1) made a last-minute defensive stand to beat Atlanta (3-1) after the Falcons lost wide receiver Julio Jones to a hip injury. Buffalo’s defense stopped the Falcons at the Bills 10 with less than a minute remaining when Matt Ryan couldn’t complete a fourth-down pass to Taylor Gabriel. Lions 14, Vikings 7: Anthony Zettel led a ferocious performance by Detroit’s defense with two sacks, four hurries and a fumble recovery, as the visiting Lions (3-1) forced three turnovers while holding Minnesota (2-2) scoreless in the second half. Saints 20, Dolphins 0: Drew Brees threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, and New Orleans (2-2) shut down Miami (1-2) at Wembley Stadium in London.
Michael Thomas had a touchdown reception in the third quarter, Alvin Kamara added one in the fourth, and Will Lutz made two of his three field-goal attempts. Jets 23, Jaguars 20 (OT): Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 41-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in overtime, lifting host New York (2-2) over Jacksonville (2-2).
Bilal Powell rushed for a career-high 163 yards, including a 75-yard TD for New York.