(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Sunday’s National Football League games:
– – –
Chiefs 42, Texans 34
Alex Smith passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns and engineered a decisive touchdown drive midway through the fourth quarter in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 42-34 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday night at NRG Stadium.
Smith authored a critical response after Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson completed his second second-half touchdown pass to wide receiver Will Fuller, a 48-yard strike with 12:00 remaining that cut the deficit to 26-20.
Smith then led a six-play, 70-yard march that required just 3:03 to complete. His 10-yard pass to De’Anthony Thomas extended the lead to 32-20.
Receiver/return specialist Tyreek Hill ensured that the Chiefs (5-0) would remain as the lone unbeaten team in the NFL when he returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown with 7:22 left.
– – –
Packers 35, Cowboys 31
Aaron Rodgers tossed a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams with 11 seconds remaining to lift visiting Green Bay (4-1) to victory.
The nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive took only 1:02.
Quarterback Dak Prescott led the Cowboys (2-3) on a 17-play, 79-yard drive that included Ezekiel Elliot fourth-and-1 run.
Three plays later, Prescott picked his way through the Green Bay secondary to put the Cowboys ahead 31-28 with 1:13 remaining.
– – –
Jaguars 30, Steelers 9
Ben Roethlisberger turned in his worst home performance in more than 11 years as Jacksonville (3-2) intercepted five passes to defeat Pittsburgh (3-2).
The Jaguars returned two of Roethlisberger’s interceptions for touchdowns on back-to-back Steelers possessions in the third quarter.
The first, returned by linebacker Telvin Smith for 28 yards, gave the Jaguars a 13-9 lead. The second was scored by safety Barry Church on a 51-yard return.
– – –
Panthers 27, Lions 24
Cam Newton completed 26 of 33 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns to help Carolina (4-1) earn a road win over Detroit (3-2).
The Panthers seemed in firm control with a 27-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Lions mounted a furious comeback.
Detroit closed to within 27-17 with 5:48 remaining in the game on a four-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to tight end Darren Fells.
Following a Carolina three-and-out, the Lions pulled to within 27-24 with 3:22 remaining on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Fells.
– – –
Eagles 34, Cardinals 7
Quarterback Carson Wentz threw a career-high four touchdown passes as Philadelphia (4-1) rolled to its third straight win.
Wentz was 21 of 30 for 304 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He had never thrown more than two touchdowns in an NFL game.
Quarterback Carson Palmer was 27 of 43 for 263 yards and one touchdown for Arizona (2-3).
Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald became the third player in NFL history to catch a pass in 200 consecutive games.
– – –
Ravens 30, Raiders 17
Joe Flacco passed for 222 yards, Mike Wallace caught three passes for 133 yards and Baltimore ended a two-game losing streak at Oakland.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith scored on a 47-yard fumble return in the first quarter for the Ravens (3-2), who moved into a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North.
The Raiders (2-3) lost their third straight game and played without quarterback Derek Carr, who is still out with a broken bone in his back.
Replacement EJ Manuel completed 13 of 26 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown.
– – –
Colts 26, 49ers 23 (overtime)
Adam Vinatieri kicked four field goals, including a 51-yarder with 1:38 remaining in overtime to give Indianapolis (2-3) the win over visiting San Francisco (0-5).
Colts running back Marlon Mack, who ran 22 yards for a third-quarter touchdown, scampered 35 yards to the San Francisco 34-yard line to set up Vinatieri’s game-winning field goal.
– – –
Seahawks 16, Rams 10
Seattle slowed Los Angeles’ league-leading offense to pull even with the Rams in the NFC West. Both teams are 3-2.
The Rams had five turnovers and were 0-for-4 in the red zone as the Seahawks reeled off 16 unanswered points.
Brian Walsh’s 35-yard field goal capped the scoring with a minute left.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was 24 of 37 for 198 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
– – –
Dolphins 16, Titans 10
Jarvis Landry scored the go-ahead touchdown with 10:33 left in the fourth quarter as Miami (2-2) turned back Tennessee (2-3).
Dolphins safety Reshad Jones recovered two fumbles, scored one touchdown and added a sack that nearly went for a safety. The Dolphins’ defense had six sacks.
– – –
Jets 17, Browns 14
Quarterback Josh McCown threw two second-half touchdown passes and New York (3-2) beat winless Cleveland (0-5).
Kevin Hogan gave the Browns their first lead of the season on a 21-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end David Njoku in the third quarter.
The Jets regained the lead, 10-7, after an interception by cornerback Morris Claiborne, who returned the ball 28 yards to the Browns 13. Two plays later, McCown tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
– – –
Bengals 20, Bills 16
Andy Dalton passed for 328 yards and A.J. Green had 189 receiving yards and a touchdown, lifting Cincinnati past visiting Buffalo.
Tyrod Taylor was 22 of 36 for 166 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Buffalo (3-2).
Cincinnati (2-3) was the first team this season to score more than 17 points against the Bills. They sacked Taylor six times.
– – –
Chargers 27, Giants 22
Quarterback Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, two in the second half, to lead Los Angeles (1-4) past winless New York (0-5).
The Chargers’ winning score came after defensive end Melvin Ingram sacked and stripped Giants quarterback Eli Manning to give Los Angeles the ball on the 11-yard line. Three plays later, Rivers found running back Melvin Gordon for the 10-yard touchdown.
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. broke his left ankle in the game and will need surgery.
(Editing by Gene Cherry)
