Big return for Morris

One undefeated NFL team ( the Packers) fell while two previously winless teams ( the Falcons and Giants) earned their first victory. The Titans and Steelers maintained unblemished records. And teams making their cases for playoff runs had another chance to shine. Perhaps no squad made a bigger statement than the Buccaneers, who toppled Aaron Rodgers and a Packers team coming off a bye. Meanwhile, Tom Brady’s old team might be headed in the opposite direction. Here are a winner and a loser; for a complete rundown, check out nfl. usatoday. com:

Winner

Raheem Morris: Nine years after he last served as a head coach in the NFL, Morris won in his first try as the Falcons’ interim coach after the organization fired Dan Quinn. Morris did it in convincing fashion, as Atlanta beat the Vikings 40- 23 and in the process shed some of the criticisms that had plagued this team. The Falcons raced out to a big lead and held it. They flashed speed and aggressiveness on defense and forced turnovers. Their offense was effective on third downs ( 9 of 17), fourth downs ( 3 of 3) and in the red zone ( 2 of 3). As Morris tries to make his way back to head coaching full time, this was a great first step.

Loser

Adam Gase: It’s time to end the Gase experiment in New York. The Jets put up another embarrassing performance in a 24- 0 loss to the Dolphins. The Jets are the only winless team left, and the shutout came against a squad that hadn’t blanked any team in six seasons. The Jets generated 263 yards of total offense. Titans running back Derrick Henry accounted for 264 yards Sunday. New York converted 2 of 17 third- down tries. The Jets have lost their six games by an average of 18 points. According to the CBS broadcast, 31 of Gase’s 40 losses as a head coach have been by double digits. This is a roster that has some massive holes, to be sure, but undisciplined play, needless penalties and abysmal execution are the trademarks of this team.