USA TODAY International Edition
Titans deal Ravens more misery
BALTIMORE – The day started with a heated midfield pregame argument between Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler and Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel after Harbaugh took issue with the visitors huddling on the Ravens’ logo.
And in the end, after a dogfight of a game that needed overtime to settle, the Titans had the last laugh.
Rallying in the final minutes of regulation and carrying over that momentum into overtime, Tennessee escaped M& T Bank Stadium with a 30- 24 win on a 29- yard Derrick Henry TD run Sunday.
The Titans trailed for the entire second half until taking a 24- 21 lead on an A. J. Brown touchdown and two- point conversion with 2: 18 remaining. Baltimore responded with a tying field goal drive and won the toss to receive the ball first in OT.
Tennessee forced a three- and- out and then marched downfield. Then Henry would not be denied, breaking tackles and pulling away from defenders for the game- winning play.
For the Ravens, who were trying to avenge January’s divisional- round playoff loss to the Titans, the disappointments continue. This game was another measuring stick game for the Ravens, and again they were found lacking. Baltimore was missing two of its top defensive linemen ( Calais Campbell and nose tackle Brandon Williams), and the Ravens were on their fifth offensive line combination because of injuries.
But the Ravens gave themselves a chance to win this game. Baltimore did well on the ground despite the patchwork line; however the passing game remains inconsistent. Outside of a 31- yard touchdown pass to a wide- open Mark Andrews, Lamar Jackson didn’t take many shots downfield.
With the game on the line in overtime, the offense went three- and- out and the defense was steamrolled.
Baltimore’s track record against presumed playoff teams this season is worrisome after falling to the Chiefs, Steelers and Titans, with a lone bright spot coming in a win over the Colts.
– Mike Jones WASHINGTON 20, BENGALS 9: Top draft pick Joe Burrow was carted off with a left knee injury before Alex Smith rallied Washington. Burrow, Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback, was injured early in the third quarter when he was hit high and low by two Washington linemen after throwing a pass. His left leg bent awkwardly, and he couldn’t put any weight on it, ending his day at 22of- 34 passing for 203 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals ( 2- 7- 1). His season appears over, too. Burrow tweeted: “Thanks for all the love. Can’t get rid of me that easy. See ya next year.”
Washington ( 3- 7) moved a half- game back of Philadelphia for first place in the NFL’s weakest division. Just after Burrow left, the 36- year- old Smith – who broke his right tibia and fibula on the same field just over two years ago – led a go- ahead, 55- yard scoring drive that ended with a 3- yard TD pass to Steven Sims. In his second start since that gruesome injury Nov. 18, 2018, Smith was 17 of 25 for 166 yards and had a pass intercepted after it was tipped late in the first half.
– The Associated Press STEELERS 27, JAGUARS 3: Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted two passes each and Pittsburgh steamrolled its way to a 10- 0 record at Jacksonville ( 1- 9). Rookie quarterback Jake Luton looked lost for most of the day against the Steelers, who allowed 206 yards and finished with two sacks. Ben Roethlisberger and Co. gladly shared the spotlight with one of the league’s most disruptive defenses, completing 32 of 46 passes for 267 yards and two TDs, one each to Chris Claypool and Eric Ebron. – AP
SAINTS 24, FALCONS 9: Taysom Hill rushed for two TDs and passed for 233 yards in his first NFL start at quarterback, and New Orleans ( 8- 2) got its seventh consecutive victory. With quarterback Drew Brees sidelined for at least three games with multiple rib fractures, coach Sean Payton gave Hill the nod over offseason free agent acquisition Jameis Winston. Hill, who started his career as a utility player with the Saints in 2017, looked comfortable running the scheme Payton designed. He completed 18 of 23 passes ( 78.3%) without an interception and used his all- around athleticism to run intermittently on scrambles or designed read- option plays, finishing with a team- high 51 yards rushing. Atlanta dropped to 3- 7. – AP
BROWNS 22, EAGLES 17: Kareem Hunt hurdled Philadelphia’s Jalen Mills on a 5- yard touchdown run and Olivier Vernon stepped up with star Myles Garrett out with COVID- 19 by getting three sacks and a safety for Cleveland ( 7- 3). Cleveland also got a 50- yard interception return TD in the first half by second- year linebacker Sione Takitaki. The Eagles fell to 3- 6- 1. – AP
TEXANS 27, PATRIOTS 20: Deshaun Watson threw for 344 yards and accounted for three TDs, and JJ Watt defended a career- high four passes. Watson’s two touchdown passes and scoring run all came in the first half as the Texans ( 3- 7) built a 21- 10 halftime lead at home. It is the first time since 2009 that the Patriots ( 4- 6) will have at least six losses in a regular season. – AP
BRONCOS 20, DOLPHINS 13: Justin Simmons intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pass in the end zone with 63 seconds left to secure the win for host Denver. The Broncos ( 4- 6) not only prevented Tua Tagovailoa from becoming the second rookie in the past 40 years to win his first four starts, but they sacked him a half- dozen times and knocked him from the game in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins ( 6- 4) didn’t announce an injury to Tagovailoa before game’s end, but the lefty walked gingerly to the sideline after his final sack, by Bradley Chubb. On the play, Tagovailoa’s left leg bent awkwardly and guard Solomon Kindley stepped on Tagovailoa’s right foot. – AP
COWBOYS 31, VIKINGS 28: Andy Dalton returned from a two- game absence to throw three TD passes, hitting Dalton Schultz for a 2- yard score with 1: 37 left to stop a four- game losing streak for visiting Dallas ( 3- 7). Dalton went 22 for 32 for 203 yards and one interception after fill- ins Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert started the previous two games. Minnesota is 4- 6. – AP
PANTHERS 20, LIONS 0: P. J. Walker threw for 258 yards and a TD in his first NFL start, the much- maligned Carolina defense earned its first shutout since 2015 and the Panthers ( 4- 7) snapped a five- game losing streak. Walker, a former XFL player, was made the starter less than two hours before kickoff when Teddy Bridgewater was officially ruled out with a knee injury. The Lions ( 4- 6) were blanked for the first time since Oct. 18, 2009. – AP
CHARGERS 34, JETS 28: Keenan Allen set a Chargers franchise record with 16 receptions and Justin Herbert threw for 366 yards and three TDs. San Diego improved to 3- 7; New York ( 0- 10) is off to the worst start in franchise history. – AP