NFL CAPSULES
The Falcons suffered their second straight fourth-quarter collapse after leading by two touchdowns, this time to backup quarterback Nick Foles and the Chicago Bears, who rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 30-26win on Sunday that could spell the end for Atlanta coach Dan Quinn.
Foles replaced Mitchell Trubisky and threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter for the Bears, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
The Falcons (0-3) became the first team in NFL history lose back-to-back games inwhich it led by 15 ormore points in the final period, according to STATS.
A week ago, Atlanta became a national laughingstock after failing to pounce on an onside kick, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to finish off their comeback from a 39-24 deficit to win 40-39 on a field goal as time expired.
Under Quinn, the Falcons also blew a
28-3 lead in the Super Bowl after the
2016 season and lost in overtime to the New England Patriots.
This time, it was Foles who guided the improbable comeback after relieving the erratic Trubisky in the third quarter. The former Super Bowl MVP had two apparent touchdown passes overturned by official reviews — and still managed to pull out the victory.
After the Falcons went three-and-out on their third straight possession, Foles heaved onewith a rusher in his face and connected with Anthony Miller for a 28yard touchdown with 1:53 remaining. Foles finished 16 of 29 for 188 yards. BILLS 35, RAMS 32 — Josh Allen completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds remaining, and Buffalo survived to beat Los Angeles after squandering a 25-point lead.
The Rams (2-1) were poised to match the third-largest comeback in NFL regular season history after Jared Goff led the team to touchdowns on four straight drives, capped by Darrell Henderson’s 1-yard run with 4:30 remaining.
Allen responded by marching the Bills (3-0) on an 11-play, 75-yard drive, which was extended by a pass interference penalty against Darious Williams on fourth-and-7 from the Rams 12. Williams interfered with intended receiver Gabriel Davis at the 3.
One play later, Allen rolled to his left and lobbed a pass over a Rams defender. Kroftmade a leaping catch and secured the ball before tumbling to the ground, his second TD of the game.
Allen finished with four touchdown passes and scored on a 1-yard run. The third-year starter, however, contributed to the Rams’ comeback bid, with an interception and a lost fumble leading to Los Angeles touchdown drives.
BENGALS 23, EAGLES 23 — Joe Burrow tossed a pair of touchdown passes to
Tee Higgins in regulation and Carson Wentz dove into the end zone for the tying score in the final minute as Cincinnati and Philadelphia played to a tie. Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott lined up for a 59-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in overtime, but a false start on Matt Pryor forced the Eagles to punt it away and play for the tie.
Both teams are 0-2-1.
Facing an 0-3 start for the first time since 1999, Wentz drove the Eagles 75 yards in the final three minutes. He barreled 9 yards on third-and-6 to the Bengals 19 and then ran in from 7 with a head-first dive into the end zone. Elliott’s extra point tied it with 21 seconds left.
Neither team could do anything in overtime.
Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick, calmly picked apart the secondary in the second half, completing 31 of 44 for 312 yards. He’s still seeking his first win since leading LSU to the national championship in January. Wentz struggled again, tossing two more interceptions.
TITANS 31, VIKINGS 30 — Stephen Gostkowski made his career-high sixth field goal of game, a 55-yarderwith 1:48 left that lifted undefeated Tennessee past Minnesota.
Derrick Henry rushed for 119 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns for the Titans, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008 after trailing for most of the game. Ryan Tannehill passed for 321 yards, guiding the Titans on a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter or overtime for the sixth time in 16 games since becoming the starter.
The Titans are 12-4 behind Tannehill, including the playoffs, and they’re 15-0 when Henry hits the 100-yard mark. Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 181 yards and a score for the Vikings, who
Nick Mullens threw for 343 yards and a touchdown to lead San Francisco to its second win at MetLife Stadium in as many weeks, this time over the error-prone and winless New York Giants.
Jerick McKinnon, Brandon Aiyuk and
Jeff Wilson scored on runs on a nearly flawless day for the Niners (2-1), who stayed inWest Virginia to prep for the game. Robbie Gould added three field goals for San Francisco, which last week beat the Jets 31-13 and denied Giants coach Joe Judge a chance for his first win this week.
The Niners had quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas (knees) and running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman hurt against the Jets. They complained about the stadium’s new turf after the game, saying it was “sticky” and led to injuries.
The Niners’ play on Sunday made it a non-issue as Mullens hit 25 for 36 passes and finishedwith a rating of 108.9. San Francisco outgained New York 420-231, held the ball for 39:44 and forced three turnovers without giving the ball up. STEELERS 28, TEXANS 21 — James Conner ran for 109 yards and the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as Pittsburgh rallied past Houston.
The Steelers improved to 3-0 for the first time in a decade by putting the clamps on the Texans (0-3) in the second half. Houston managed just 51 yards and two first downs after halftime as an early 11-point lead vanished.
Houston startedwith the same mark in 2018 and rallied to win the AFC South. The game turned early in the fourth quarter when DeShaun Watson threw into double coverage deep in Pittsburgh territory with the Texans leading 21-20. Nickelback Mike Hilton picked it off. Pittsburgh put together a 12-play, 79-yard drive, with Conner covering the last 12 to give the Steelers the lead with 6:24 to go.
Pittsburgh’s defense then forced its third three-and-out of the second half and Conner did most of the rest as the Steelers chewed up the last 4:47 to ice it. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns in his franchiserecord 221st appearance.
PATRIOTS 36, RAIDERS 20 — Bill Belichick became the third coach in
NFL history to reach 275 regular-season victories and Rex Burkhead scored three touchdowns to lead New England past Las Vegas.
Belichick joined George Halas (318) and Don Shula (328) as the only coaches to reach the milestone.
SonyMichel finishedwith nine carries for 117 yards. Burkhead had two rushing scores and an 11-yard TD reception. CamNewtonwas 17 of 28 passing for
162 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Shilique Calhoun had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a score.
The Patriots have won the last sixmeetings with the Raiders and improved to 47-9 in regular-season games following a loss. Raiders coach Jon Gruden dropped to 0-3 against Belichick.
Derek Carr finished 24 of 32 for 261 yards and a two TDs for Las Vegas. But he had two fumbles which led to a New England field goal and a late touchdown when he lost the ball in the end zone and it was recovered by Calhoun.
BROWNS 34, WASHINGTON 20 — Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes, Nick Chubb ran for two more and Cleveland beat the Washington Football Team to move over .500 for the first time since 2014.
Washington lost rookie defensive end Chase Young to a groin injury.
With their second straight win under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are 2-1 for the first time since 2011. It’s also the first time they’ve had a winning record since Week 14 in 2014. Young, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, left in the second quarter with his injury.
Chicago Bears’ receiver Allen Robinson, an Orchard Lake St. Mary’s graduate, catches a touchdown pass during Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. Robinson finished with 10receptions for 123yards and the touchdown.