Raiders fire DC Guenther after defense’s dismal outing vs. Colts
LAS VEGAS — When Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor made a 62-yard touchdown sprint past Raiders defensive backs Johnathan Abram and Erik Harris to put an exclamation point on the Colts’ blowout win, broadcaster Brent Musburger’s voice strained during his call.
“He won’t catch him,” the Raiders’ veteran play-by-play man said with audible frustration.
The Raiders never caught up to the Colts at all Sunday, with Indianapolis rolling to a 44-27 victory after another poor effort from a Las Vegas defense that continues to let down a team that was firmly in the playoff picture after a 6-3 start. Mired in its second 1-3 slide this season with defensive mistakes piling up, Las Vegas (7-6) is slowly erasing itself from that picture.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden took drastic action to address those defensive woes about 2 1/2 hours after the game ended, firing defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and replacing him with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.
“To be a championship team and a playoff team, you have to be a good football team in all three phases,” Gruden said immediately after the game. “Defensively, we had no answer. You can’t give up that many yards rushing, and not get to the quarterback, and lose the turnover margin, and expect to win in this league.”
Indianapolis torched Las Vegas’ defense for 456 yards (212 rushing, 244 passing) with an average of 7.7 yards per play. The Raiders allowed 200 or more yards rushing in consecutive games for just seventh time in franchise history, with last week’s defensive embarrassment coming against the winless New York Jets.
CHIEFS 33, MIAMI 27
MIAMI GARDENS — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 30-yard sack, four turnovers and a 10-point deficit Sunday to clinch their fifth consecutive AFC West title by beating Miami 33-27 on Sunday.
Mahomes was picked off three times, his first multi-interception game in more than two years, but threw for 393 yards and two scores to help the Chiefs (12-1) earn their eighth consecutive victory.
Tyreek Hill ran through the Dolphins’ secondary and behind it, scoring on a 32-yard run and a 44yard reception when Mahomes hit him in stride at the goal line.
Travis Kelce had eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, Mecole Hardman scored untouched on a 67-yard punt return, and Kansas City’s defense was stout against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ injury-riddled offense.
PACKERS 31, LIONS 24
DETROIT — Aaron Rodgers ran for a tiebreaking score in the third quarter and threw three touchdown passes and the Packers clinched the NFC North title.
The Packers (10-3) knocked Matthew Stafford out of the game with a rib injury in the fourth quarter and went on to win their third straight game and second straight division championship. The Packers clinched the division with the win and Minnesota’s loss to Tampa Bay earlier in the day.
The Packers’ win combined with the Saints’ loss in Philadelphia gives Green Bay the top seed in the NFC.
EAGLES 24, SAINTS 21
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts ran for 106 yards and threw for 167 and one touchdown, Miles Sanders had 115 yards rushing and a pair of scores. The Eagles (48-1) snapped a four-game losing streak and stayed within reach in the woeful NFC East.
The Saints (10-3) had won
nine in a row and were 8-0 over the past two seasons without Drew Brees before running into the inspired Eagles. The loss dropped the Saints to the No. 2 seed in the NFC behind Green Bay, but they already have secured a playoff berth.
SEAHAWKS 40, JETS 3
SEATTLE — Russell Wilson threw four more touchdowns passes to give him a career-high with 36 for the season before finally resting in the fourth quarter.
Seattle (9-4) rebounded exactly as it hoped after last week’s surprisingly poor offensive performance in its loss to the New York Giants, and stayed even with the Los Angeles Rams on top of the NFC West.
Wilson threw touchdowns to Freddie Swain and DK Metcalf in the first half, and added TD tosses to Will Dissly and David Moore in the third quarter.
BUCCANEERS 26, VIKINGS 14
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Brady tossed TD passes of 48 yards to Scotty Miller and 2 yards to Rob Gronkowski to rebound from losing two straight home games entering Tampa Bay’s bye. Ronald Jones had a 1-yard TD run and Ryan Succop kicked field goals of 18 and 48 yards.
The Bucs (8-5) sacked Kirk Cousins six times, the last producing a fumble that ended any chance of a rally in the closing minutes. Cousins finished 24 of 37 passing for 225 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Dalvin Cook rushed for 102 yards on 22 carries, but Minnesota chances were undermined by another poor performance by kicker Dan Bailey, who missed an extra point and three field goals.
CARDINALS 26, GIANTS 7
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Haason Reddick had a franchise-record five sacks and three forced fumbles as the Cardinals spoiled the return of Giants QB Daniel Jones and moved back into an NFC playoff spot.
Kyler Murray added a touchdown pass as Arizona (7-6) snapped a three-game skid and ended a four-game winning streak that had moved the Giants (5-8) to the top of the NFC East.
Mike Nugent came off the practice squad and added his first four field goals in more than a year, and Kenyan Drake scored on a 1-yard dive as Arizona won for only the second time in six games.
TITANS 31, JAGUARS 10
JACKSONVILLE, Tenn. — Derrick Henry ran for 215 yards and two touchdowns, his best performance in five trips to his hometown area, and the Titans handed the Jaguars a 12th consecutive loss. It was Henry’s fourth game with at least 200 yards and two scores, setting an NFL record he previously shared with Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Henry also topped the century mark for the ninth consecutive road game, leaving him one shy of the NFL mark set by Sanders over the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
COWBOYS 30, BENGALS 7
CINCINNATI — Andy Dalton was good enough in his return to Cincinnati, tossing two touchdown passes. Cincinnati greatly contributed to the cause of its longtime quarterback, who was playing in Paul Brown Stadium for the first time since he was cast aside by the team before the season.
The Bengals fumbled the ball away on their first three drives, one fumble returned for a touchdown, and leading to 17 first-half points by the Cowboys (4-9). That was all they needed.
BRONCOS 32, PANTHERS 27
CHRLOTTE, N.C. — Drew Lock threw for 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, and Diontae Spencer returned a punt 83 yards for his first career score.
Lock connected on touchdown throws of 49 and 37 yards to rookie KJ Hamler and also threw scoring strikes to Nick Vannett and Tim Patrick to help the Broncos snap a two-game slide. Hamler, the team’s second-round draft pick, twice beat veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas for touchdowns.
BEARS 36, TEXANS 7
CHICAGO — Mitchell Trubisky threw three touchdown passes to outplay Deshaun Watson in their first meeting since they entered the NFL, and the Bears snapped a six-game losing streak.
David Montgomery ran for an 80-yard touchdown on Chicago’s first play from scrimmage, helping the Bears stopped their worst skid since the 2002 team dropped eight in a row to match a franchise record. The Bears (6-7) sacked Watson seven times.