Chiefs get season sweep of Broncos
Chiefs 30, Broncos 23: Patrick Mahomes threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns, Sammy Watkins had 107 yards receiving and two of the scores, and the host Chiefs (7-1) beat Denver (3-5) to wrap up a sweep of the Broncos and keep their stranglehold on the AFC West going into the second half of the season.
Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt added touchdown catches for the Chiefs, who have won 19 of their past 21 games against division rivals. That includes all three games this season.
Case Keenum had 262 yards passing and two scores for the Broncos, while Phillip Lindsay had a big day in his first career start. The undrafted rookie had 95 yards rushing and a score while catching three passes and providing a spark out of the backfield. Eagles 24, Jaguars 18: Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes to different players as the Philadelphia Eagles (4-4) defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5) at Wembley Stadium in London.
Tight end Dallas Goedert caught one of the touchdown passes in the first half, and running back Wendell Smallwood and tight end Zach Ertz scored theirs in the second half for the Eagles, making their first appearance in England.
Blake Bortles, restored as the starter despite being pulled in a loss to the Houston Texans a week earlier, completed 24 of 41 passes for 286 yards for the slumping Jaguars, who lost their fourth consecutive game. Bears 24, Jets 10: Mitchell Trubisky threw for two touchdowns, and the short-handed Chicago Bears (4-3) beat the visiting New York Jets (3-5).
The Bears got the win they needed after dropping two in a row to fall out of the NFC North lead, even though star pass rusher Khalil Mack (right ankle) and No. 1 receiver Allen Robinson (groin) missed the game. With Sam Darnold struggling against Chicago’s defense, the Jets managed just 207 yards and lost their second straight game.
Trubisky was shaky but did enough to help the Bears come out on top.
Seahawks 28, Lions 14: Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter to put the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) ahead and they went on to beat the host Detroit Lions (3-4).
The Seahawks looked sharp on both sides of the ball coming off their bye and won for the fourth time in five games after opening the season with two losses.
Steelers 33, Browns 18: Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Antonio Brown, James Conner scored twice, and the host Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2-1) beat the Cleveland Browns (2-5-1) to bring some solace to a city grieving from tragedy. The Steelers overcame a slow start and their own mistakes to win their 15th straight at Heinz Field over the Browns, who have lost 25 consecutive road games – one shy of the NFL record.
The win brought temporary comfort to Pittsburgh’s fans a day after a gunman stormed into the Tree of Life Synagogue and killed 11 people. A moment of silence was observed before the game and several signs with the Steelers’ helmet logo –
inlaid with a Star of David – were displayed by fans.
Panthers 36, Ravens 21: Cam Newton torched the league’s No. 1-ranked defense, completing 21 of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and running for 52 yards and another score as the host Carolina (5-2) Panthers defeated the Baltimore Ravens (4-4). Christian McCaffrey had two touchdowns and electrifying rookie wide receiver D.J. Moore turned in his best game as a pro with 129 yards from scrimmage as the Panthers won their ninth straight game at home.
Trailing 7-0 early, the Panthers scored on four straight possessions in the final 16 minutes of the first half to break the game open and take a 24-7 halftime lead.
Redskins 20, Giants 13: Safety D.J. Swearinger intercepted two passes, Matt Ioannidis had 2½ sacks, and the NFC East-leading Washington Redskins (5-2) rode their defense to a third straight win, a 20-13 decision over the offensively inept New York Giants (1-7) in East Rutherford, N.J..
Adrian Peterson caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith and ran for a season-high 149 yards.
Bengals 37, Buccaneers 34: Jessie Bates returned Jameis Winston’s fourth interception for a touchdown, and Randy Bullock kicked a 44-yard field goal on the final play that sent the host Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) to a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) , who now have a question at quarterback.
Winston was benched after matching his career high with four interceptions. Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied the Buccaneers to a 34-34 tie with a pair of touchdown passes, including his 18-yard toss with 1:05 left.
Rams 29, Packers 27: Greg Zuerlein hit a 34-yard field goal with 2:05 left and Ramik Wilson forced and recovered Ty Montgomery’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, allowing the host Los Angeles Rams (8-0) to remain unbeaten without a late defensive stand in a victory over the Green Bay Packers (3-3-1).
Jared Goff passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns while the Rams were sternly tested by the Packers and Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 286 yards.
Colts 42, Raiders 28: Andrew Luck threw his third touchdown pass of the game to break a tie with 5:28 to go and the Indianapolis Colts (3-5) won in consecutive weeks for the first time in three years, beating the host Oakland Raiders (1-6).
Luck connected with all three of his tight ends with the 10-yard pass to Jack Doyle putting the Colts up 35-28. Luck connected earlier in the game on passes to Mo Alie-Cox and Eric Ebron and finished with 239 yards against an overmatched defense for the Raiders.
Saints 30, Vikings 20: Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (6-1) paid Minnesota back for their last-second loss in the playoffs last season, using two key turnovers, including a 45-yard interception return by P.J. Williams, to fuel a victory over the host Vikings (4-3-1). Alvin Kamara had two touchdowns and Will Lutz made three field goals for the Saints, who needed only 120 passing yards by Brees to beat the Vikings this time with far less tension down the final stretch.