NFL roundup: Dolphins score most points since 1966; Cardinals shock Cowboys
The Miami Dolphins scored the most points in a game by an NFL team since 1966, overwhelming the Denver Broncos 70-20 on Sunday behind rookie speedster De’Von Achane’s 203 yards rushing and Tua Tagovailoa’s no-look shovel-pass TD.
The Dolphins set a franchise record for scoring and finished two points shy of the NFL’s regular-season record – set in 1966 when Washington scored 72 points against the Giants. They are the fourth team in NFL history to score at least 70 points in a regular-season or playoff game. Many of their starters, including Tagovailoa and star receiver Tyreek Hill, did not play in the fourth quarter.
Achane caught a 10-yard TD pass from Tagovailoa – the quarterback’s fourth TD – in the fourth, and Jason Sanders converted the extra point that made it 56-13 and broke Miami’s franchise scoring record of 55 set against St Louis in November 1977.
Hill caught a 54-yard touchdown pass on Miami’s opening drive en route to 157 yards receiving on nine catches.
Miami scored touchdowns on eight of nine drives before Mike White replaced Tagovailoa in the fourth. Raheem Mostert had his second straight multiple-touchdown game with three rushing TDs and a TD catch.
Dallas Cowboys 16-28 Arizona Cardinals
Joshua Dobbs threw for a touchdown, James Conner and Rondale Moore ran for scores and the Arizona Cardinals stunned the mistake-prone Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals never trailed. They went ahead 21-10 on the final play of the first half when Matt Prater made a 62-yard field goal. Arizona blew halftime leads in both of their first two games but held on this time, giving Jonathan Gannon his first victory as a head coach. The Cowboys were called for 13 penalties that set them back 107 yards as they fell to 2-1.
New Orleans Saints 17–18 Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love rallied Green Bay from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit in his first career home start as the Packers sealed a dramatic comeback victory. The Saints were leading 17-0 before losing quarterback Derek Carr to a shoulder injury in the third quarter. The Packers scored 18 unanswered points in the last 11 minutes of the game. They took their first lead on Love’s pass to Romeo Doubs with 2:56 left. New Orleans’ Blake Grupe missed a 46-yard field goal with just over a minute left.
Buffalo Bills 37-3 Washington Commanders
Josh Allen threw and ran for a touchdown, Buffalo’s defense forced five turnovers and the Bills won their second in a row after a rough season opener, routing Washington to hand the Commanders their first loss of the year.
Allen was 20 of 32 with 218 yards passing, including a 35-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis. He added a 10-yard scamper into the end zone among his 46 yards rushing. The Bills (2-1) tormented Sam Howell, sacking him nine times and piling up four interceptions, the last being a pick-6 that sent Commanders fans to the exits.
Chicago Bears 10-41 Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Jerick McKinnon, and the Kansas City Chiefs routed the Chicago Bears. Travis Kelce also had a TD catch for the Chiefs, much to the delight of Taylor Swift, who watched the game from an Arrowhead Stadium suite after getting an invitation from the All-Pro tight end.
The Bears lost their 13th consecutive game dating to last season. Justin Fields was just 11 of 22 for 99 yards with a TD and an interception.
New England Patriots 15–10 New York Jets
Mac Jones threw a touchdown pass, Matt Judon had a late safety and the New England Patriots extended their winning streak over the New York Jets to 15 games with an ugly victory. Bill Belichick’s team avoided their first 0-3 start since the coach’s first season in New England in 2000 while continuing the team’s mastery over their AFC East rivals. Zach Wilson made his second start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, but he unable to do much other than one solid drive in the fourth quarter that got the Jets back into the game.
Indianapolis Colts 22–19 Baltimore Ravens
Matt Gay capped a terrific day of kicking with a 53-yard field goal in overtime, giving the Indianapolis Colts victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Gay made four kicks from beyond 50 yards, including a 53-yarder that tied it in the final minute of regulation. His chance in overtime didn’t come until after both teams had been stopped on fourth down near midfield. Gardner Minshew, playing in place of injured rookie Anthony Richardson, threw for 227 yards and a touchdown for the Colts. Lamar Jackson ran for 101 yards and two TDs for the Ravens.
Los Angeles Chargers 28–24 Minnesota Vikings
Justin Herbert passed for 405 yards and three touchdowns for Los Angeles and the Chargers kept Kirk Cousins and Minnesota out of the end zone twice in the last three minutes to preserve a wild victory over the winless Vikings. Kenneth Murray Jr made the game-sealing interception in the end zone with seven seconds left, snagging a ball that deflected off the chest of diving tight end TJ Hockenson. On Minnesota’s previous possession, Michael Davis knocked down Cousins’ fourthdown throw to Justin Jefferson at the goalline. The Chargers are 1-2. The Vikings are 0-3. Herbert went 40 of 47, and Keenan Allen had career highs of 205 yards and 18 catches. He also threw a touchdown.
Carolina Panthers 27-37 Seattle Seahawks
Kenneth Walker III rushed for 97 yards and two second-half touchdowns, Jason Myers kicked four field goals, and the Seattle Seahawks pulled away in the second half. Walker was a star on a day things didn’t come easily for Seattle’s offense early on. But Walker produced big plays both on the ground and in the pass game. Walker’s 36-yard reception midway through the third quarter set up his one-yard touchdown run. He later added a seven-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith threw for 291 yards and one TD. Andy Dalton started at QB for Carolina and threw for 361 yards and two TDs in the losing effort.
Tennessee Titans 3-27 Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett sacked quarterback Ryan Tannehill 3.5 times and fronted a Cleveland defense that limited Tennessee to 94 yards as the Browns rolled to victory. Six days after the Browns lost star running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Pittsburgh, Garrett and Cleveland’s defense stepped up with a dominant performance that overwhelmed the Titans. The Browns’ offense was solid, too, with Deshaun Watson having his best day since signing with Cleveland. He completed 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee had their fewest yards on offense since relocating from Houston in 1997.
Atlanta Falcons 6–20 Detroit Lions
Jared Goff threw a tiebreaking 45yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta early in the second quarter, sending the Detroit Lions to victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The Lions earned a much-needed win after a hype-fueling victory at Kansas City was followed with a deflating loss at home to Seattle. The Falcons failed to protect Desmond Ridder, who was sacked seven times by a team that previously had only one sack in two games. Detroit scored first, taking advantage of favorable field position by forcing a punt with sacks on two straight snaps.
Houston Texans 37–17 Jacksonville Jaguars
Fullback Andrew Beck fumbled a kickoff and then broke five tackles during an 85-yard return for a touchdown – one of several special teams gaffes by Jacksonville – and the Houston Texans stunned the Jaguars to give coach DeMeco Ryans his first victory. Rookie CJ Stroud threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder to Tank Dell that sealed it, and the Texans won their fifth in a row in Jacksonville. Houston now have won 16 of the past 19, including 10 of 11, in the series.