PALMER’S TOSS TO FITZGERALD BEATS 49ERS IN OVERTIME
Carson Palmer threw 19 yards to Larry Fitzgerald with 32 seconds left in overtime for the game’s only touchdown and the Cardinals escaped with an 18-15 victory over the winless 49ers on Sunday.
The scoring had been limited to nine field goals on an ugly afternoon in the desert before Palmer directed a seven-play, 75-yard drive with 1:52 to play.
Fitzgerald, who had three catches for 13 yards before the winning grab, rose to catch the ball under tight coverage by Rashard Robinson.
Robbie Gould kicked his fifth field goal, a 23-yarder with 2:24 left in overtime to put the 49ers ahead 15-12.
Phil Dawson kicked four field goals for the Cardinals, whose two wins both have come in overtime.
The 49ers, losing to the Cardinals for the fifth time in a row, won the coin toss to start the overtime. They used up 7:36 of the extra session, which was shortened from 15 to 10 minutes this season.
Palmer went 5-of-7 on the winning drive. Under duress all day behind an injury-riddled offensive line, he completed 33-of-51 for 357 yards and was intercepted in the end zone on a tipped pass on the game’s opening series. Palmer was sacked seven times by the 49ers.
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Anthony Zettel led a ferocious performance by Detroit’s defense with two sacks, four hurries and a fumble recovery, as the Lions forced three turnovers while holding the Vikings scoreless in the second half on the way to a 14-7 victory. Dalvin Cook limped off the field and the Vikings fear their top running back tore his anterior cruciate ligament, which would end his rookie year. … It took Drew Brees and the Saints six days and a first half before they finally found their footing in soggy London. Brees threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns and the Saints scored all but three of their points in the second half as they defeated the Dolphins 20-0 on a rainy day at Wembley Stadium. … J.D. McKissic took the second carry of his career 30 yards for a touchdown and Bobby Wagner scooped up Marcus Smith’s forced fumble and rumbled 21 yards for a score in a 13second span late in the third quarter, and the Seahawks beat the Colts 46-18. … Le’Veon Bell rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and the Steelers beat the Ravens 26-9 in a duel for first place in the AFC North. Though held to a touchdown over the final 30 minutes, Pittsburgh mounted enough of an attack before halftime to earn its first win in Baltimore since 2012. … Andy Dalton threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half and Cincinnati’s offense found the perfect opponent to work out some early season struggles and the Bengals rolled to a 31-7 win over the Browns. Dalton missed on one throw in the first half, going 17-of18 for 215 yards as the Bengals built a 21-0 lead. … Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 41-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Jets to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars. After Catanzaro split the uprights, he and his teammates celebrated wildly in the middle of the field — but then had to wait because there was a penalty flag on the field. The officials then ruled there was no penalty on the play — giving the Jets the victory. … Jameis Winston threw for 332 and three touchdowns without an interception, and Nick Folk kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to give the Buccaneers a 25-23 victory over the Giants. Folk redeemed himself after missing two field goals and an extra point earlier in the day, booting the winner after Winston answered Eli Manning’s second TD pass of the day with an impressive drive that began at his 25. … Carson Wentz passed for 242 yards, LeGarrette Blount rushed for 136 and the Eagles extended their solid start to the season with a 26-24 victory over the Chargers. Rookie Jake Elliott kicked four field goals for the Eagles, who had thousands of roaring fans in the Chargers’ temporary stadium while they hung on to win on the road for the second time in 10 tries.