Jets win! But it might have cost them the No. 1 pick TITANS 46, LIONS 25 BROWNS 20, GIANTS 6
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Sam Darnold passed for 207 yards and the New York Jets finally earned the first victory of their miserable season Sunday, holding on for a 23-20 win that erased the possibility of the third winless 16-game season in NFL history.
Frank Gore rushed for an early touchdown and made a decisive thirddown reception with 2:05 left for the Jets (1-13), who also ended the longest losing streak in franchise history with a strong start and a gritty finish at Sofi Stadium.
Embattled coach Adam Gase got his first win of the year only after New York blew most of a 17-point lead in the second half. The Jets’ defense stopped the Rams on downs at midfield with 3:54 to play before Darnold hit Gore with a short pass over the middle to convert a third down that allowed the Jets to run out the clock.
New York might have ruined its chances at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft because Jacksonville (1-13) is likely to win a tiebreaker based on strength of schedule. But possibly missing the chance to draft Trevor Lawrence meant nothing to the celebrating Jets, who were thrilled to avoid the ignominy of a winless year.
Darnold, the Jets’ embattled third-year quarterback, looked right at home in his first pro game in his native Southern California. The former USC star went 22 of 31 with a TD pass and no interceptions.
New York had a 13-3 lead at halftime after holding the Rams to 97 yards, and the Jets led 20-3 midway through the third quarter. Los Angeles chipped the deficit down to three points.
Of the nine teams in NFL history to start 0-13, the Jets were the fourth to win in Week 15.
■ NEXT: Browns at Jets, 10 a.m. Sunday. Rams at Seahawks, 1:25 Sunday.
Ryan Tannehill ran for two touchdowns and threw three more, and Derrick Henry ran for 147 yards and a score to move Tennessee closer to clinching its third playoff berth in four seasons as it routed Detroit. The Titans (10-4) did their part with their second straight victory and fourth in five games to stay atop the AFC South. With Indianapolis beating Houston 27-20, the Titans still hold the tiebreaker in the division over the Colts with two games remaining. The Lions (59) lost their second straight after winning their first game under interim coach Darrell Bevell even with quarterback Matthew Stafford shaking off a rib injury to start. Stafford threw for 252 yards and a TD before being pulled for Chase Daniel after Tennessee went up 39-18 with 9:00 left.
■ NEXT: Titans at Packers, 5:20 p.m. Sunday. Vikings at Saints, 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Baker Mayfield led two 95-yard touchdown drives and the Cleveland Browns moved closer to ending their 17-year playoff drought. Mayfield was sharp all night, helping the Browns (10-4) bounce back from a 47-42 loss to Baltimore last Monday night. The Cleveland quarterback has been terrific lately, and it was more of the same in this one as he finished 27 of 32 for 297 yards with scoring passes to Jarvis Landry and Austin Hooper. The win got the Browns closer to clinching their first playoff spot since 2002, the NFL’S longest drought. They also matched their highest win total (10-6 in 2007) since their 1999 expansion rebirth. Cleveland also dealt a serious blow to the the playoff hopes of the Giants (5-9), who were without injured quarterback Daniel Jones.
■ NEXT: Browns at Jets, 10 a.m. Sunday. Giants at Ravens, 10 a.m. Sunday.