PRESCOTT, COWBOYS ROLL PAST PANTHERS
Dallas runs record to 3-1 with win over previously unbeaten Carolina
Dak Prescott threw for four touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys used a big third quarter to pull away in a 36-28 victory against the visiting Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.
Ezekiel Elliott gained 143 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown as the Cowboys (3-1) won their third game in a row.
The outcome halted the best start to a season since 2015 for Carolina (3-1), which had extra time to prepare following its last game Sept. 23. Prescott finished 14-of-22 for 188 yards.
Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold, who ran for touchdowns from one yard and 11 yards, went 26 of 39 for 301 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions. He was intercepted on consecutive third-quarter possessions as the Cowboys took control.
Darnold's second touchdown throw to DJ Moore with 4:31 left gave the Panthers a chance, but they never got the ball back.
The Cowboys went ahead on their first possession of the second half when Prescott and Amari Cooper connected for a 35-yard touchdown play.
Just three-and-a-half minutes later, Prescott's six-yard pass to Dalton Schultz helped the Cowboys stretch the margin to 26-14, though a two-point conversion pass failed.
It was 33-14 after Prescott threw a 23-yard strike to Cedrick Wilson. Greg Zuerlein's field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter expanded the lead.
Carolina didn't respond until Darnold's six-yard scoring pass to Moore with 8:58 remaining.
The Panthers, playing their first full game this season without running back Christian Mccaffrey (hamstring injury), had 113 rushing yards. Dallas gained 245 on the ground. Elliott opened the scoring on a one-yard run. The Panthers pulled even when Darnold faked a pitch and ran one yard for a first-quarter touchdown.
Prescott threw to Blake Jarwin for an 18-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, but the Cowboys could not convert a two-point conversion, making it 13-7.
Darnold's next touchdown run — combined with Zane Gonzalez's extra-point kick — gave Carolina its first lead at 14-13 with 7:02 left in the second quarter.
PACKERS 27, STEELERS 17
Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb connected on two touchdown passes while the Green Bay Packers' defence contained the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers after the game's first possession to earn a 27-17 win.
Rodgers was 20 of 36 for 248 yards as the Packers (3-1) won their third straight game and maintained their one-game lead in the NFC North. Rodgers' second scoring strike was the 420th of his career, tying Dan Marino for sixth in NFL history.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh (1-3) dropped its third straight game and sank further into the AFC North cellar despite two milestones from Ben Roethlisberger. He completed 26 of 40 for 232 yards and the 400th touchdown pass of his career, making him the eighth man in league history to accomplish the feat. He also passed Marino for sixth place in NFL history in passing yards.
But after Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson for a 45-yard score less than five minutes into the game, the Steelers mostly sputtered. After a 52-yard field goal by Chris Boswell with 5:46 left in the first half, their only score for the game's remainder was Najee Harris' 1-yard plunge with 4:04 left in the game.
By that time, Green Bay was in control.
Rodgers had a hand in consecutive second-quarter touchdowns, running four yards for the tying score less than two minutes into the period and then hitting Cobb with a 23-yard touchdown. That happened four plays after Roethlisberger was strip-sacked with Kenny Clark recovering at the Pittsburgh 23.
Mason Crosby converted a 26yard field goal with eight seconds left in the half to make it 17-10 Packers at intermission. The kick came a play after an offside penalty on the Steelers wiped out Minkah Fitzpatrick's return of a blocked field goal for a go-ahead touchdown.
Crosby hit a 29-yard field goal at the 9:35 mark of the third quarter for a 20-10 advantage, and Cobb caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers with 4:46 remaining.
WASHINGTON 34, ATLANTA 30
Taylor Heinicke's 30-yard touchdown pass to J.D. Mckissic with 33 seconds remaining lifted the visiting Washington Football Team to a 34-30 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
Washington took over on its own 24 with 1:47 remaining. Heinicke got near midfield with a 24-yard pass to Deandre Carter and found Adam Humphries for a 19-yard gain to the Atlanta 33.
On third-and-7, Heinicke rolled left and threw a short pass to the right to Mckissic, who ran 30 yards down the sideline and successfully dove for the pylon.
Matt Ryan's final-play 37-yard Hail Mary attempt was knocked down in the end zone.
Heinicke completed 23 of 33 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Terry Mclaurin caught six passes for 123 yards and two scores for Washington (2-2).
Ryan was 25-of-42 passing for 283 yards and four touchdowns.