Falcons hold on to beat Lions thanks to rule

Steelers, Raiders upset for 1st losses; Patriots, Packers narrowly avoid disappointments

DETROIT — Matthew Stafford’s pass to Golden Tate was ruled to be just short of the goal line in the final seconds, overturning the call on the field and allowing the Atlanta Falcons to hold on for a 30-26 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Stafford threw a slant to Tate and a video review determined he was down just inside the 1 with 8 seconds left. By rule, 10 seconds had to run off the clock, and that ended the game because the Lions didn’t have any timeouts.

Former NFL officiating chief Dean Blandino, now a Fox analyst, explained the call in a tweet:

“To recap in DET: ruling on the field was a TD which stops the clock. After review, Tate was short which would have kept the clock running ... This carries a 10-sec runoff. Had the call on the field been correct initially, the clock would have run out. That’s the spirit of the rule.”

EAGLES 27, GIANTS 24

PHILADELPHIA — Jake Elliott kicked a 61-yard field goal as the clock expired.

Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 77-yard score to Sterling Shepard, but Philadelphia (21) rallied twice.

Carson Wentz tossed a 19yard pass to Alshon Jeffery to set up Elliott’s kick. The rookie was a fifth-round pick by the Bengals and joined the Eagles after Caleb Sturgis was injured in Week 1. He was carried off the field by two teammates.

Elliott hit a 46-yard field goal to tie it with 51 seconds left after Aldrick Rosas kicked a 41-yarder to put the Giants ahead.

PATRIOTS 36, TEXANS 33

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady connected with Brandin Cooks for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left, his fifth TD throw of the game.

Brady finished 25 of 35 for 378 yards as New England (2-1) won its fifth straight regular-season meeting with Houston (1-2) and seventh of eight overall.

Cooks caught five passes for 131 yards and pair of scores. It was the fifth multitouchdown game and eighth 100-yard game of his career.

Texans rookie Deshaun Watson was strong in his second career start. The Patriots were thin on the edge without linebacker Dont’a Hightower for the second straight week, and Watson took advantage, completing 22 of 33 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns.

BEARS 23, STEELERS 17, OT

CHICAGO — Jordan Howard scored on a 19-yard run in overtime to lead the Bears.

Howard’s winning score came two plays after rookie Tarik Cohen broke off an electric run for what appeared to be a 73-yard winning touchdown. But he was ruled out at the Pittsburgh 37. Howard took over from there, and the Bears (1-2) came away with a surprising victory.

Howard had 138 of Chicago’s 220 yards rushing, making up for a lackluster performance by quarterback Mike Glennon.

PACKERS 27, BENGALS 24

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Mason Crosby kicked a 27-yard field goal with 6:26 left in overtime set up by Aaron Rodgers’ 72-yard pass to Geronimo Allison. Crosby’s kick completed the Packers’ comeback from a 21-7 halftime deficit.

On third-and-10 from his 21, Rodgers took advantage of yet another free play after defensive end Michael Johnson was whistled for offside. Officials let the play continue and the two-time NFL MVP found Allison on about a 40yard pass before the receiver beat a couple defenders for more yards.

Crosby took care of the rest for the Packers (2-1).

TITANS 33, SEAHAWKS 27

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marcus Mariota threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, and the Titans scored 21 straight points in rallying to beat the Seahawks.

Pro Bowl running back DeMarco Murray rushed for 115 yards, including a 75-yard TD run. Ryan Succop also kicked four field goals as Tennessee (2-1) scored at least 30 points for a second straight week.

The Seahawks (1-2) finally scored a bunch of touchdowns with Russell Wilson throwing for 373 yards and four TDs. His second TD, a 10-yarder to Chris Carson , put Seattle up 14-9 in the third quarter.

REDSKINS 27, RAIDERS 10

LANDOVER, Md. — Kirk Cousins threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns, Chris Thompson had 188 all-purpose yards and a score and Washington sacked Derek Carr four times and held Oakland to 128 yards in a dominating victory.

Cousins was a spectacular 25 of 30, including TD passes to Thompson, Vernon Davis and a 52-yarder to Josh Doctson. Thompson had 150 yards receiving and 38 yards rushing, joining Jamaal Charles as the only running backs to put up 150 yards receiving against the Raiders (2-1) since they moved to Oakland in 1995.

BILLS 26, BRONCOS 16

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdowns and the Bills intercepted Trevor Siemian twice in the final 19 minutes.

Taylor went 20 of 26 for 213 yards with a 2-yard touchdown to Andre Holmes and a 6-yarder to Charles Clay. Taylor got lucky on the touchdown pass to Holmes , as the ball deflected off the hands of Zay Jones just inside the goal line and bounced directly to Holmes in the back of the end zone.

JETS 20, DOLPHINS 6

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Josh McCown threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson, Bilal Powell ran for a score, and the Jets’ defense dominated Jay Cutler and the Dolphins.

While a lot of the focus heading into the season was on whether the revamped Jets roster would be good enough to win any games, New York made Miami look like the team in the middle of a rebuild.

JAGUARS 44, RAVENS 7

LONDON — Marcedes Lewis caught three of Blake Bortles’ four touchdown passes as the Jaguars won in their fifth game in Britain’s capital.

Allen Hurns and Leonard Fournette also scored touchdowns for the Jaguars (2-1), who have won each of their last three games played at the venue. This one, by far, was the easiest. The Ravens (2-1) managed just 186 yards of total offense, including minus-1 yard in the first quarter. They managed 15 yards in the first half, and picked up only 12 first downs.

VIKINGS 34, BUCCANEERS 17

MINNEAPOLIS — Case Keenum gave Minnesota a brilliant performance in relief of Sam Bradford, passing for three touchdowns and a career-high 369 yards without a turnover.

Stefon Diggs had 173 yards receiving and caught two of Keenum’s throws for scores, one short and one long .

Dalvin Cook produced 169 total yards plus his first NFL touchdown , which capped a 75-yard drive by the Vikings (2-1) to start the game.

COLTS 31, BROWNS 28

INDIANAPOLIS — Jacoby Brissett ran for two touchdowns, threw for another and the Colts held off Cleveland’s late charge.

Brissett, acquired in a trade with New England earlier this month, looked much more comfortable in his second start, going 17 of 24 with 259 yards and running five times for 14 yards. Indy (1-2) avoided its first 0-3 start in six years.

SAINTS 34, PANTHERS 13

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Drew Brees shredded the league’s top-ranked defense, throwing for three touchdowns and 220 yards. Brees led six scoring drives and threw TD passes to Michael Thomas, Brandon Coleman and ex-Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. as the Saints avoided an 0-3 start.