Peterson’s advice is just what young QB needed

Veteran running back Adrian Peterson approached Dwayne Haskins before Sunday’s game at Buffalo and gave the Washington QB one bit of advice before the rookie’s first NFL start: “Take ownership of this.”

Haskins did as well as could be expected against the Bills. On a wind-swept, chilly afternoon, he had an efficient and respectable starting debut against the NFL’s third-ranked offense.

In the end, it proved to be the same old result for Washington, which failed to score a touchdown for the third straight week in a 24-9 loss and dropped to 1-8.

“He’s a great leader,” Haskins said of Peterson, referring to the pregame pep talk. “Even though we lost, I feel like we took a good step as far as me taking command of the offense.” MINSHEW STRUGGLES IN LONDON >> Minshew Mania was a passing fad in London. It could be all but over by the time the Jaguars get back to Jacksonville.

Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew’s last chance to stake his claim on the Jaguars starting job before Nick Foles returns from his broken collarbone was a bust.

Rattled by defenders who weren’t always there, the mustachioed star-in-waiting led his team to a mere field goal in a 26-3 throttling at the hands of Houston.

He threw for 309 yards, most of them in garbage time. The other numbers were more telling: 27 for 47. Two interceptions. Two lost fumbles. A bevy of off-target throws. Passer rating of 59.6. BRISSETT HURT >> Indianapolis QB Jacoby Brissett hurt his left knee in Indianapolis’ loss to Pittsburgh. Brissett went down in the second quarter after one of his offensive linemen fell on him as he stood in the pocket. Coach Frank Reich described the injury as a sprain. MILESTONES >> Indianapolis’ Brian Hoyer became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a TD pass with seven or more teams. He has accomplished the feat with New England, Arizona, Cleveland, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco and Indy. Hoyer joins Vinny Testaverde, Chris Chandler and Gus Frerotte (seven teams each) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (eight teams) . ... Pittsburgh’s JuJu Smith-Schuster had three receptions, including his 200th career catch. At 22 years and 346 days old, Smith-Schuster is the first player to record 200 catches before his 23rd birthday. The previous youngest player to reach the mark was Brandin Cooks, who did it at 23 years and 77 days old.