(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Sunday’s National Football League games:
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Bears 17, Panthers 3
Rookie safety Eddie Jackson became the first player in NFL history to score two defensive touchdowns of at least 75 yards in the same game, and Chicago defeated visiting Carolina.
Jackson scored on a 75-yard fumble return and a 76-yard interception return during the first half. Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky played it safe on the other side of the ball as he completed four of seven passes for 107 yards.
Chicago (3-4) won its second game in a row and improved to 2-1 since naming Trubisky as the starter.
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (21 of 34, 211 yards) was intercepted twice in the loss. Turnovers crippled Carolina (4-3).
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Saints 26, Packers 17
Drew Brees continued his mastery of Green Bay in leading the New Orleans to victory at Lambeau Field.
Brees completed a barrage of short passes that added up to 331 yards on 27-of-38 accuracy. In seven career games against the Packers, he has topped 300 passing yards all seven times. The Saints (4-2) stayed afloat despite Brees’ two early interceptions to earn their fourth consecutive victory.
Making his first start for the injured Aaron Rodgers, Packers quarterback Brett Hundley was just 12 of 25 for 87 yards. His lone interception came with the Packers (4-3) down nine in the final minutes.
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Cowboys 40, 49ers 10
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 72-yd touchdown pass, leading Dallas over winless San Francisco.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 16 of 25 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns for the Cowboys (3-3), who ended a two-game losing streak and moved to within two games of the first-place Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) in the NFC East. Prescott also ran for a touchdown.
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Steelers 29, Bengals 14
Le’Veon Bell carried 35 times for 134 yards against the NFL’s second-ranked defense to Pittsburgh (5-2) to a win over the Cincinnati (2-4).
It was his third 100-yard game of the season and he went over the century mark late in the third quarter.
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Seahawks 24, Giants 7
Quarterback Russell Wilson threw three second-half touchdown passes to give Seattle (4-2) the victory over New York (1-6).
The Seahawks put together a sloppy, penalty-filled first half, which included eight penalties 63 yards and two second-quarter dropped passes by tight end Jimmy Graham, one of which would have been a touchdown on a fourth-down play.
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Chargers 21, Broncos 0
Los Angeles blanked Denver to win their third straight game.
Travis Benjamin had a 42-yard scoring reception and returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown to lead the Chargers (3-4). Philip Rivers added another touchdown pass to running back Austin Ekeler.
Denver (3-3) has dropped three of its past four games. .
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Patriots 23, Falcons 7
Just as they occurred in the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, New England manhandled Atlanta, cruising to a fog-shrouded victory.
The Falcons held a 28-3 lead over New England back in February before the Patriots scored the last 31 points to steal the game. On Sunday night, New England made it 54 straight points against Atlanta before Julio Jones caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan with 4:09 left in the game.
Tom Brady threw two touchdowns passes, one a short flip forward that Brandin Cooks ran in 11 yards for a TD, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals for New England. James White, who scored the overtime touchdown in the Super Bowl, caught a 2-yard touchdown pass.
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Vikings 24, Ravens 16
On a day that belonged to the kickers, Minnesota’s offense did just enough to spur the Vikings (5-2) to their third consecutive win.
Kai Forbath kicked six field goals for the Vikings while Baltimore (3-4) got a three from Justin Tucker. It was the fourth loss in five games for the Ravens.
The Vikings sacked Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco five times.
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Rams 33, Cardinals 0
Jared Goff threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, Todd Gurley II had his fourth game of 100 or more rushing yards and the defense provided two interceptions that led to points as Los Angeles crushed Arizona at Twickenham Stadium in London.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer broke his left arm and will e out at least eight weeks.
Greg Zuerlein added four field goals for the Rams, improved to 5-2 with the victory in the NFC West matchup. They are in first place in the division. Arizona is 3-4.
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Dolphins 31, Jets 28
Backup quarterback Matt Moore, a two-touchdown deficit, rallied Miami to victory.
Dolphins defensive back Bobby McCain intercepted a Josh McCown pass at the New York 27 with 47 seconds left in the fourth quarter. That set up Dolphins kicker Cody Parkey, who broke a 28-28 tie with a 37-yard field goal with 26 seconds left.
Moore was playing in place of Jay Cutler, who left the game due to a chest injury.
The Dolphins (4-2) avenged their loss to the Jets (3-4) four weeks ago. In so doing, the Dolphins won their third consecutive game.
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Bills 30, Buccaneers 27
LeSean McCoy rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns and Tyrod Taylor passed for 268 yards and a touchdown as Buffalo (4-2) came from behind to defeat Tampa Bay (2-4).
Stephen Hauschka made three field goals, including the game-winner from 30 yards with 14 seconds remaining. Earlier in the game, Hauschka tied an NFL record by making his 12th consecutive field goal of at least 50 yards
The Bills scored 10 points in the final three minutes.
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Titans 12, Browns 9 (overtime)
Ryan Succop kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:55 left in overtime to give Tennessee (4-3) the victory over winless Cleveland (0-7).
A 54-yard field goal by Browns rookie kicker Zane Gonzalez with 47 seconds left in regulation tied the score 9-9 to force overtime.
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Jaguars 27, Colts 0
Blake Bortles completed 18 of 26 passes for 330 yards and a touchdown as Jacksonville (4-3) downed Indianapolis (2-5).
Indianapolis was shut out for the first time since a 41-0 playoff loss in 2002 at the New York Jets.
Bortles had a terrific first half, completing 14 of 20 passes for 282 yards and one touchdown. His first-half success included completions of 45, 50, 52, 24 and 28 yards.
(Editing by Gene Cherry)
