AROUND THE NFL
49ers: Coach Kyle Shanahan was watching as QB Jimmy Garoppolo scrambled toward the 49ers sideline and, rather than safely duck out of bounds, step back to his right and take a wicked shot from Steven Nelson. Garoppolo’s left knee buckled just before the Chiefs cornerback delivered a shoulder-to-shoulder blow, and he went down hard. Garoppolo was on the turf for a couple of minutes before he was helped to his feet and carted off with what could be a season-ending injury. “We fear an ACL,” Shanahan said afterward. “We’ll find out more tomorrow.” C.J. Beathard took over for Garoppolo with just over five minutes left and is in line to start next week when the 49ers play the Chargers.
Falcons: Calvin Ridley set a Falcons rookie record with three touchdown receptions in a bittersweet afternoon. After barely factoring in the Falcons’ first two games, he was targeted a team-high eight times, caught a team-best seven passes and registered a game-high 146 yards, but all in a 43-37 loss to the Saints. “I’d really rather have the win, but it means a lot,” Ridley said. “It feels pretty good.”
Colts: Adam Vinatieri kicked field goals of 35, 31 and 28 yards to match Morten Andersen for the most in NFL history with 565. Vinatieri, 45, added an extra point to finish with 10 points in the game, putting him
33 shy of matching Andersen (2,544) for the most scored in NFL history. Andersen needed 709 attempts to set the field goal mark; Vinatieri just 670 in 23 seasons to tie.
Packers: Clay Matthews does not understand why he was flagged — yet again — for roughing the passer, this time while sacking the Redskins’ Alex Smith. He thinks it’s an indication that the NFL is “getting soft.” Even Smith wasn’t quite sure about the call after Matthews broke free into the backfield, grabbed Smith with both arms and took down the QB in a seemingly straightforward manner. “Nine years, I’ve been doing it one way in the NFL, successfully, and now it just seems as if that way doesn’t work anymore,” Matthews said. “And that’s frustrating . ... Unfortunately, this league is going in a direction that a lot of people don't like.”
Other notable injuries: 49ers CB Richard Sherman (calf ), FS Adrian Colbert (ankle), CB Tarvarius Moore (wrist); Saints CB Patrick Robinson (left ankle); Falcons S Ricardo Allen (left calf ); Titans PR Adoree’ Jackson (concussion); Bengals NT Ryan Glasgow (right leg); Raiders T Donald Penn (concussion), S Karl Joseph (lower leg); Bears CB Prince Amukamara (hamstring); Colts RT Joe Haeg (ankle); Eagles S Rodney McLeod (right knee).