Knee injury knocks out Bengals’ Burrow
After top draft pick Joe Burrow was carted off with a likely seasonending left knee injury, his college teammate Chase Young and 36yearold Alex Smith helped Washington beat the Cincinnati Bengals 209 to stay in the thick of the NFC East race.
Burrow, Cincinnati’s rookie quarterback, was injured early in the third quarter when he was hit high and low by two Washington linemen after throwing a pass. His left leg bent awkwardly, and he couldn’t put any weight on it, ending his day at 22of34 passing for 203 yards and a touchdown.
Burrow’s season appears over for the Bengals ( 271). He tweeted: “Thanks for all the love. Can’t get rid of me that easy. See ya next year.”
Just after Burrow left, Smith — who broke his right tibia and fibula on the same field just over two years ago — led a goahead, 55yard scoring drive that ended with a 3yard TD pass to Steven
Sims.
In his second start since that gruesome injury Nov. 18, 2018, Smith was 17for25 passing for 166 yards.
“Another step, another thing I never thought I’d be doing again,” Smith said. “Amazing to get a win.”
Antonio Gibson ran for 94 yards and a TD for Washington ( 37).
Saints 24, Falcons 9:
Taysom Hill rushed for two touchdowns and passed for 233 yards in his first NFL start at quarterback, and host New Orleans ( 82) got its seventh straight victory.
Hill completed 18 of 23 passes ( 78.3%) without an interception and finished with a teamhigh 51 yards rushing.
Matt Ryan was sacked eight times and finished 19 of 37 passing for 232 yards and two interceptions for Atlanta ( 37).
Steelers 27, Jaguars 3:
Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted two passes each and Pittsburgh steamrolled to a 100 record with a win over host Jacksonville ( 19).
Rookie quarterback Jake Luton looked lost most of the day against the Steelers, who allowed 206 yards and finished with two sacks. Chargers 34, Jets 28: Keenan Allen set a franchise record with 16 receptions, Justin Herbert threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns and host Los Angeles ( 37) held on for a victory over New York ( 010) to snap a threegame losing streak.
The prolific-catch day helped Allen tie Antonio Brown as the fastest to reach 600 receptions. Both reached the mark in their 96th career game. It is also Allen’s sixth game with 13 or more receptions, the most by a player in NFL history.
Allen had 145 yards receiving.
Cowboys 31, Vikings 28:
Andy Dalton returned from a twogame absence to throw three touchdown passes, hitting Dalton Schultz for a 2yard score with 1: 37 left to lift visiting Dallas ( 37) over Minnesota ( 46).
Dalton went 22for32 for 203 yards and one interception after fillins Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert started the previous two games.
After missing games to a concussion and the coronavirus, Dalton directed an 11play, 66yard drive down the stretch that was extended with a 4thand6 completion to Amari Cooper at the 19.
Broncos 20, Dolphins 13:
Justin Simmons intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pass in the end zone with 63 seconds left, sealing a win for Denver ( 46) over visiting Miami ( 64).
The Broncos not only prevented Tua Tagovailoa from becoming the second rookie in the past 40 years to win his first four starts but they sacked him a halfdozen times and knocked him from the game in the fourth quarter.
Texans 27, Patriots 20:
Deshaun Watson threw for 344 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, and J. J. Watt defended a careerhigh four passes as Houston ( 37) beat visiting New England ( 46).
It is the first time since 2009 that the Patriots will have at least six losses in a regular season.
Browns 22, Eagles 17:
Kareem Hunt hurdled Philadelphia’s Jalen Mills on a touchdown run, and Olivier Vernon stepped up with star Myles Garrett out with COVID19 by getting three sacks and a safety for host Cleveland ( 73) against the Eagles ( 361).
The Browns also got a 50yard interception return for a TD by linebacker Sione Takitaki.
Panthers 20, Lions 0:
P. J. Walker threw for 258 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL start, the muchmaligned Carolina defense earned its first shutout since 2015 and the host Panthers ( 47) snapped a fivegame losing streak.
Matthew Stafford, who played despite a thumb injury that prevented him from taking a snap under center all week in practice, finished 18 of 33 for 178 for Detroit ( 46).