Rodgers sparks comeback as Steelers outlast Buccaneers in OT

Aaron Rodgers threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Pittsburgh Steelers from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to a 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Rodgers shrugged off a slow start to lead four fourth-quarter scoring drives, then finished off a 12-play, 70-yard march with a seven-yard TD throw to Germie Bernard to give the Steelers (4-2) the lead for good with 3:15 remaining in OT.

Rookie Jalon Daniels drove the Bucs (1-5) to midfield on the ensuing possession, but Tampa Bay could only get as close as the Steelers’ 48 before Jalen Ramsey sacked the undrafted free agent on fourth down for an 11-yard loss to end the game.

Rodgers finished 33 of 49 passing. He was sacked five times in the first three quarters and also tossed a first-quarter interception that led to the first of four field goals by Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin.

Browns 13, Ravens 10

Deshaun Watson connected with Jerry Jeudy for 33 yards to set up Andre Szmyt’s 37-yard field goal on the final snap, and Cleveland rallied past Baltimore.

The Browns (4-2) gave first-year coach Todd Monken – a former Ravens offensive coordinator – an improbable victory over his former employer by relying on their defence and getting just enough playmaking from Watson in the end.

Watson completed 16 of 26 passes for 164 yards. Szmyt’s game-winner atoned for a miss from 48 yards a few minutes earlier.

The Ravens (4-2) blocked Szmyt’s first attempt to win it but were called for offside. Szmyt’s try from five yards closer was down the middle to pull the surprising Browns (4-2) into a tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North.

Despite missing quarterback Lamar Jackson – out for a second straight game with an ankle injury – the Ravens appeared in firm control against an inept Browns offence, but Cleveland defensive back Tyson Campbell provided the spark the Browns needed when he pounced on Derrick Henry’s fumble midway through the fourth quarter at the Baltimore 35.

Texans 34, Jaguars 31

Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired, C.J. Stroud threw three touchdown passes and Houston beat Jacksonville on the slick grass of London’s Wembley Stadium.

Cam Little’s 60-yard field goal had tied the game at 31-31 with just under two minutes left after Travis Hunter intercepted Stroud’s pass in the end zone.

Hunter also hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass at the other end – becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era, including the playoffs, to both score a touchdown and intercept a pass in the same game.

Marvin Harrison Jr. made his debut for the Texans (2-4), making three catches as Houston earned back-to-back wins to gain ground on the AFC South-leading Jaguars (4-2).

Tight end Foster Moreau caught two touchdown passes from Stroud, who also connected with Jaylin Noel for a 13-yard score in the third quarter for a 24-14 lead.

Bears 31, Falcons 23

Caleb Williams completed his first 12 passes in his return from a hamstring injury, D’Andre Swift ran for two touchdowns and Chicago beat Atlanta.

The Bears led 31-7 before holding off Atlanta’s comeback attempt in the final quarter.

Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon, who was activated from the physically unable to perform list before the game in his return from a calf injury, had three sacks and two forced fumbles. Gordon’s big day was capped by a sack of Michael Penix Jr. and forced fumble with 2:54 remaining and the Bears protecting a 31-23 lead. The fumble was recovered by Devin Bush at the Atlanta 28.

The Bears ran out the clock inside the Atlanta five.

Saints 34, Giants 27

Tyler Shough threw touchdown passes to Bryce Lance, Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave and ran for a score, Isaiah Stalbird forced a fumble on a kick return and New Orleans scored 34 consecutive points, holding on to defeat New York and end its three-game losing streak.

The Saints (2-4) trailed 10-0 with 90 seconds left in the first half. After Daniel Carlson got them on the board with a 58-yard field goal, Stalbird’s big hit that dislodged the ball and Oscar Delp’s recovery of Charlie Jones’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff changed the momentum.

Lance’s first NFL TD catch six games into his rookie season and Carlson’s extra point tied it with one second remaining before halftime. Kamara evading a tackle by Jason Pinnock – who started in place of injured safety Tyler Nubin – and getting into the end zone put New Orleans ahead less than three minutes into the third quarter.

Fans streamed to the exits after Jameis Winston threw his second interception of the afternoon early in the fourth, and the stands were half-empty by the time J.J. McCarthy led multiple scoring drives and fell just short of an improbable comeback. McCarthy’s throw to the end zone on fourth-and-one in the final minute fell incomplete, sending the Saints to France on a winning note.

Patriots 26, Jets 19

Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, New England overcame losing three offensive linemen and Charles Woods came up with Geno Smith’s first interception of the season in the fourth quarter to help the Patriots hold on for a win over New York.

Maye completed 18 of 32 passes for 235 yards in his third consecutive game with at least three TD passes.

Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas and Hunter Henry had touchdown catches for the Patriots (4-2), who have won three in a row. Douglas had a team-high seven catches for 86 yards.

A.J. Brown had three catches for 27 yards for the Patriots in his return from injured reserve, but his timing was off and had three drops on his 10 total targets.

New England won its fourth straight against the Jets and 19th in its last 21 meetings despite right tackle Morgan Moses (ankle), left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (hamstring) and right guard Ben Brown (knee) leaving with injuries.

Panthers 25, Eagles 14

Bryce Young threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns to Tommy Tremble, and Chuba Hubbard ran for 120 yards and a score to lead Carolina past injury-riddled Philadelphia.

The Panthers (3-2) had little trouble in the second half picking apart the Eagles (2-4), who were missing quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley.

Hurts is on injured reserve and will miss at least four games with a blood clot in his calf. Barkley missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury and Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby, his two backups, were also sidelined by injuries.

The quarterback showdown between Young and Eagles backup Tanner McKee seemed like a mismatch entering the day. McKee, in his fourth season, made his third career start and first one without the Eagles having already clinched a playoff berth.

Titans 26, Colts 20

Tennessee used a 58-yard punt return to set up its first touchdown, returned a blocked punt for another score and got a 49-yard field goal from Joey Slye with 2:03 left to earn its first win of the season over Indianapolis.

Tennessee (1-5) ended a six-game losing streak in the series with a relentless defensive effort and two game-changing special teams plays that helped it overcome a 13-0 halftime deficit.

Cam Ward was 11 of 22 for 102 yards, with one TD and one interception as Tennessee scored its most points all season. Tony Pollard rushed 19 times for 76 yards and rookie Carnell Tate had six catches for 70 yards and his first TD reception. The defence finished with six sacks and three takeaways.

Indy (2-4) dominated the first half with a 232-64 edge in total yards, but only produced three scoring drives, settling twice for field goals. The Colts have lost two in a row.

Cardinals 18, Rams 16

Chad Ryland kicked his sixth field goal, a 43-yarder as time expired, and Arizona rallied for a stunning victory over Los Angeles.

Punter Ethan Evans kicked a go-ahead extra point after Colby Parkinson caught a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford with 47 seconds to play for the vaunted Rams (2-4), who struggled all day before mounting a desperate final scoring drive.

But the Cardinals immediately moved 36 yards into field goal range on Jalen Brooks’s long reception and an unnecessary roughness penalty on Josh Wallace. Three snaps later, Ryland buried his final kick to seal a shocking upset for Arizona (2-4), a double-digit underdog.

Jacoby Brissett passed for 218 yards to balance a superb defensive game by the Cardinals against the preseason Super Bowl favourites. New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur won his first meeting with former boss Sean McVay and earned Arizona’s second win this season at SoFi Stadium, where it also beat the Chargers in Week 1.

Matthew Stafford passed for 222 yards and two scores for the Rams (2-4), who are in complete disarray after three losses in their last four games, including this setback at home to a team McVay had beaten 16 times in 19 meetings. Los Angeles still rallied, and Evans even came through with his first career placekick after new Rams kicker Blake Grupe injured his knee making a tackle in the first quarter – but Ryland and the Cardinals cashed in their final chance.

Kansas City 22, Chargers 6

Kenneth Walker ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, Patrick Mahomes finished with 272 yards passing and Kansas City remained one of the NFL’s final three unbeatens with a victory over the injury-plagued Chargers.

Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 73 yards and Travis Kelce hauled in five passes for 53, helping Kansas City (5-0) survive without injured wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton while keeping the struggling Chargers (0-6) winless.

Kansas City remain with San Francisco and Minnesota – both 5-0 and on their bye – as the league’s only unbeaten teams.

The game was hardly pretty on either side: Kansas City had to overcome a slew of short-yardage shortcomings and Harrison Butker missed a PAT and a field-goal try, while Los Angeles turned the ball over twice in another dismal offensive performance.

Justin Herbert finished with 204 yards passing with an interception and the Chargers ended up with 259 yards of total offence.

Walker, who leads the NFL in rushing, showed exactly why as Kansas City was adding to its early 3-0 lead. He squirted through a hole at the line of scrimmage, ran away from the last defender and scored from 33 yards out to extend Kansas City’s advantage.

Walker added a two-yard TD plunge later in the half, bouncing away from a defensive tackle and finding a crease into the end zone.

Bills 33, Raiders 30

Josh Allen passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns, using his improvisational brilliance to tie the Bills’ career TD passing record, and held off Las Vegas.

The Raiders (3-3), who have lost three in a row, had rallied to tie it at 23-all. James Cook rushed for a three-yard touchdown with 4:43 left to put the Bills (5-1) ahead for good. Tyler Bass added a 38-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining for what turned out to be a crucial two-possession lead.

Allen equaled Hall of Famer Jim Kelly’s franchise record of 258 TD passes in the third quarter, escaping almost a sure sack by shot-putting a 12-yard pass to Keon Coleman.

“Just doing what I got to do to help this team win a football game,” Allen said.

But Allen’s five-game streak of games with a rushing touchdown ended, one short of the Super Bowl-era record set four years ago by Chicago’s Justin Fields.

Cook, making extra certain to secure the ball after fumbling twice Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams and losing one in overtime, was mistake-free in rushing for 95 yards. He also caught three passes for 58 yards, including a 26-yarder against a Raiders defence that went the other way to leave him alone to set up his go-ahead score.

The Bills had their first game without a turnover after committing nine over the previous three weeks.

Kirk Cousins threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns to Tre Tucker for the Raiders. The latter was a gorgeous 44-yarder with 1:32 left that brought Las Vegas within three points. Tucker finished with five catches for 97 yards.