Mahomes, Chiefs shake off Jets
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs shook off a subpar performance during which they blew a 17-point lead, but held on to beat the Jets, 23-20, Sunday night in East Rutherford, N.J.
Mahomes was intercepted twice and struggled after a quick start with pop superstar Taylor Swift watching Travis Kelce and Kansas City for the second straight game from a suite.
After the Chiefs (3-1) regained the lead on Harrison Butker’s 26yard field goal with 10:51 remaining in the game, Zach Wilson made his first big mistake when he lost a snap. Tershawn Wharton recovered the loose ball at the New York 47. Michael Carter II intercepted Mahomes on third-and20 from the Jets 40 — but it was negated by a holding call on Sauce Gardner. Replays showed it was a questionable call and an irate Jets coach Robert Saleh stormed down the sideline to shout at an official.
Mahomes, who had a 24-yard run on third-and-22 to extend the drive, ran for 11 yards on another third down to the 2, sealing the win. Moments later, a still-angry Saleh was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — and the clock hit zero on the Jets (1-3).
Mahomes, who became the fastest to 200 NFL touchdown passes, was 18 of 30 for 203 yards and a touchdown. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 115 yards and a TD.
Wilson (28 of 39, 245 yards, 2 TDs) had his best game since taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers, who watched from a suite with owner Woody Johnson. Ravens 28, Browns 3 — Lamar Jackson ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more as visiting Baltimore (3-1) jumped ahead early and cruised past Cleveland (2-2) and its top-ranked defense. Jackson scored untouched on runs of 10 yards and 2 yards and threaded a 7-yard scoring pass to Mark Andrews with 11 seconds left before halftime as the Ravens opened a 21-3 lead. Baltimore’s electrifying QB added an 18-yard TD pass to Andrews in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the blowout. The Browns didn’t have quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) and had to start rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Texans 30, Steelers 6 — Rookie C.J. Stroud had another big game, throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns to lead Houston (2-2) to a rare home win over Pittsburgh (2-2). It was the Texans’ first win at home since Dec. 26, 2021. Stroud threw a TD pass to get things going in a first half where the Texans built a 16-0 lead. Sunday was his second 300-yard passing game and he has thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions in his first four games. The Steelers’ Kenny Pickett threw for 114 yards with an interception and struggled to move the offense before leaving with a knee injury. Titans 27, Bengals 3 — Ryan Tannehill threw for 240 yards and a touchdown and host Tennessee (2-2) rebounded from the franchise’s worst offensive performance in 49 years by routing Cincinnati (1-3). The Titans managed only 94 yards in losing a week earlier to Cleveland. They scored 27 unanswered points and led 24-3 at halftime, giving coach Mike Vrabel his first win in four tries against the Bengals. Derrick Henry (122 yards on 22 carries) ran 29 yards for a touchdown, and he also found rookie Josh Whyle for a 2-yard TD on a jump pass from the wildcat just before halftime. Tennessee sacked Joe Burrow three times, including a strip-sack. Broncos 31, Bears 28 — Russell Wilson threw for three touchdowns, Wil Lutz kicked a tiebreaking 51-yard field goal with just under two minutes remaining, and Denver (1-3) bounced back from a 50-point loss to Miami by rallying past host Chicago (0-4). Lutz’s kick capped a comeback from a 28-7 deficit. Kareem Jackson then intercepted Justin Fields (careerhigh 335 yards, 4 TDs) with the Bears near midfield. Wilson threw for 223 yards on 21-of-28 passing. Rams 29, Colts 23 — Matthew Stafford overcame a hip injury to throw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Puka Nacua in overtime and give visiting Los Angeles (2-2) the victory against Indianapolis (2-2). The Rams rebounded after blowing a 23-point lead. Stafford (27 of 40, 319 yards, TD, INT) was injured while being driven into the ground in the third quarter. Following an interception on the next play, he wore a heating wrap around his waist and when he returned to the game was limping noticeably. Nacua had nine receptions for 163 yards. Colts rookie Anthony Richardson threw for two touchdowns and ran in another, but never got the ball in OT. Vikings 21, Panthers 13 — Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson and D.J. Wonnum returned Bryce Young’s fumble 51 yards for a momentumchanging touchdown, and visiting Minnesota (1-3) held on to beat Carolina (0-4). Cousins overcame two interceptions, including one that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown by Sam Franklin. The INT return came just three plays after Franklin was flagged for pass interference, setting the Vikings up with first and goal. Jefferson beat a secondary playing without three starters for 85 yards on six catches. Alexander Mattison ran for 95 yards and Harrison Smith had three sacks for Minnesota. Jaguars 23, Falcons 7 — Calvin Ridley held on to a touchdown pass, after a couple of key drops the previous week, to help Jacksonville (2-2) beat Atlanta (2-2) at London’s Wembley Stadium. Besides defeating his old team, Ridley is also catching up after being suspended for the entire 2022 season for violations of the league’s gambling policy. Josh Allen had three sacks and Darious Williams returned an interception for a 61yard score to help the Jaguars celebrate playing for the 10th time in London by snapping a three-game slide there. Trevor Lawrence finishing 23 of 30 for 207 yards and the TD pass to Ridley.
Buccaneers 26, Saints 9 — Baker Mayfield threw three touchdown passes, Derek Carr’s surprise return from a shoulder injury did little to help an anemic offense, and visiting Tampa Bay (3-1) prevailed against New Orleans (2-2). Mayfield completed 25 of 32 for 246 yards including TDs to Cade Otten, Trey Palmer, and Deven Thompkins. Starting one week after spraining his throwing shoulder at Green Bay, Carr struggled to move New Orleans’ offense, which had accounted for just four touchdowns in the first three weeks and did not add to that total. Carr finished 23 of 37 for 127 yards and was sacked three times.
Chargers 24, Raiders 17 — Khalil Mack set a franchise single-game record with six sacks, Justin Herbert accounted for three touchdowns, and Los Angeles (2-2) held on to beat visiting Las Vegas (1-3). The Chargers scored on four of their first five drives to build a 24-7 halftime lead. Las Vegas was driving for the tying touchdown when Asante Samuel Jr. picked off Aidan O’Connell’s pass at the Chargers’ 2 with 2:33 remaining. With Jimmy Garoppolo in concussion protocol, O’Connell completed 24 of 38 passes for 238 yards and the pick.