Rivers 4th to make 200 starts in a row as NFL quarterback
The San Diego Chargers won their fifth game in a row, putting a capper on Philip Rivers’ 200th consecutive start in thrilling fashion.
Rivers threw two touchdowns, Melvin Gordon ran for 113 yards, yet those two were standing on the sideline watching after a pass interference call against Michael Davis on the final play of regulation gave Seattle an untimed down and a chance to force overtime.
And just like they did in London when the Chargers denied Tennessee’s 2-point conversion attempt to preserve a 20-19 win, the defense came through again.
“It shouldn’t have come down to that but it did,” Rivers said. “We found a way to win. These kinds of wins are huge.”
Rivers became the fourth quarterback in league history to start 200 consecutive games, joining Brett Favre, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. Favre started an NFL-record 297 consecutive times in the regular season.
Browns
The coach changed. Everything else with Cleveland stayed the same. Unable to slow Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s thrill- aminute offense, the Browns were soundly beaten — and beaten up — in a 37-21 loss in Cleveland’s first game under interim coach Gregg Williams. “We have to keep going — next man up,” defensive end Myles Garrett said. “We have to do the best with what we have.” The loss ended another tumultuous few days for the Browns, whose promising 2-2-1 start has dissolved into more disarray.
Buccaneers
Ryan Fitzpatrick played well enough to retain starting the quarterback job in Tampa Bay for another week. Now if “Fitzmagic” can figure out how to keep the Buccaneers from digging themselves such a big hole early in games. Fitzpatrick replaced the struggling Jameis Winston and threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Buccaneers to overcome a 28-point first half deficit as they lost, 42-28, to Carolina. Fitzpatrick threw two interceptions. “Ryan did some good things today,” said coach Dirk Koetter, who confirmed Fitzpatrick will start against the Redskins next Sunday. “We’ve got to play better across the board.”
Texans
For the first time in his life, Demaryius Thomas celebrated former Denver teammate Brandon McManus missing a field goal. Thomas won his hasty homecoming Sunday when his ex-teammate’s windless 51-yard attempt drifted wide right, allowing Houston to escape Denver with 19-17 win. “We wanted him to walk out there as a captain and we wanted him to walk off the field as a winner,” J.J. Watt said of Thomas, whom the Texans acquired five days earlier from the Broncos. Only, Thomas lost the coin flip and didn’t exactly walk off the field a winner — he sprinted. “I think that’s the fastest I ran all day,” Thomas said. “I ran inside. We got that W.” DeShaun Watson targeted Thomas three times and Thomas caught all three for 61 yards, including back-to-back grabs for 31 and 18 yards on Houston’s opening touchdown drive.
Broncos
Center Matt Paradis had a serious right ankle injury after quarterback Case Keenum rolled up on him just before halftime. Paradis had never missed a snap in his four-year career.
Seahawks
Seattle played a lengthy tribute video honoring owner Paul Allen who died Oct. 15 due to complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They also had a moment of silence for Allen and had the “12 Flag” that’s raised before every game lowered to half-staff.