NFL Week 2: The Chargers silence Seahawks, Dallas play some D and Jaguars are horrible
IT was a tough week off the field for the NFL, and a tough week on it too for high profile week two losers the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints.
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AFTER a tough week off the field, the NFL got back to playing — and the focus turned to big-name players who were injured all over the league.
Robert Griffin III, Jamaal Charles, DeSean Jackson, A.J. Green and Knowshon Moreno all left their games on a busy Sunday for team trainers and medical staffs.
EAGLES FLY WHILE COLTS STUMBLE
Nick Foles threw a game-leveling touchdown pass with 3:25 minutes to go, and then set up Cody Parkey for the winning 36-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Philadelphia to a 30-27 win at Indianapolis.
The Eagles, now with a 2-0 record, have won six straight road openers. Indianapolis on the other hand has lost consecutive regular-season games for the first time since Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano arrived in 2012.
The Colts led most of the night, including 27-20 late in the game. But Luck’s late interception led to Foles’ tying 6-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin. And after another three-and-out by the Colts, Foles drove the Eagles into position for the winning field goal.
TEXANS HUMILIATE RAIDERS IN ROUT (Texans 30, Raiders 14)
J.J. Watt caught a 1-yard touchdown pass, Arian Foster ran for 138 yards and a score and the Houston Texans won their second straight game to open the season, beating the Oakland Raiders 30-14 Sunday.
Instead of controlling the game from his usual defensive end position, Watt made his biggest impact on the opening drive when he lined up as a tight end and caught a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to get Houston (2-0) started.
After losing their final 14 games in a two-win season in 2013, the Texans have opened 2014 with back-to-back wins under new coach Bill O’Brien.
The home opener for the Raiders (0-2) hardly could have gone worse as they fell behind 27-0 after three quarters and were booed.
PACKERS RALLY BACK FROM 18-POINT DEFICIT (Packers 31, Jets 24)
Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, Jordy Nelson had a career-high 209 yards receiving and the Green Bay Packers rallied from an 18-point deficit for a 31-24 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
New York appeared to tie it with 5 minutes left on a 37-yard touchdown catch by Jeremy Kerley on fourth down -- but it was negated because the Jets (1-1) called a timeout from the sideline just before the snap. The Packers (1-1) held on from there to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2006.
Randall Cobb caught two short scoring strikes and a two-point conversation that gave the Packers a 24-21 lead in the third quarter.
Green Bay (1-1) went up 31-24 late in the third quarter when Nelson worked a double move on Dee Milliner for an 80-yard touchdown catch.
BRONCOS, MANNING WIN CLOSE BATTLE (Broncos 24, Chiefs 17)
Terrance Knighton batted away Alex Smith’s fourth-and-goal pass to Dwayne Bowe with 15 seconds left, preserving the Denver Broncos’ 24-17 win over the scrappy Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
The Broncos (2-0) thought they had sealed the win twice earlier on the drive.
Aqib Talib’s pick-6 was negated by Quanterus Smith’s hold. Then, Nate Irving’s fumble recovery following DeMarcus Ware’s sack and strip was ruled an incomplete pass after a replay.
The Chiefs (0-2) converted 11 of 16 third-down opportunities overall.
They just couldn’t capitalize in the biggest moments as the Broncos defense mustered two goal-line stands for the second straight week.
Peyton Manning was 21 of 26 for 242 yards and three TDs.
RAMS RALLY TO KNOCK OFF BUCS (St Louis 19, Tampa Bay 17)
Greg Zuerlein’s fourth field goal of the day, a 38-yarder with 38 seconds remaining, gave third-string quarterback Austin Davis and the St. Louis Rams a 19-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Davis completed 22 of 29 passes for 235 yards with no interceptions in his first NFL start. Zac Stacy had a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Zuerlein also delivered field goals of 36, 35 and 46 yards to help the Rams (1-1) rebound from a lopsided opening loss to Minnesota.
Bobby Rainey rushed 144 yards and quarterback Josh McCown had two short TD runs for the Bucs (0-2). Tampa moved into St. Louis territory in the closing second. The game ended when rookie Mike Evans was slow getting up after a 29-yard reception to the St. Louis 32.
GATES LEADS CHARGERS TO SHOCK SEAHAWKS (Chargers 30, Seahawks 21)
Antonio Gates had three touchdown catches and the San Diego Chargers controlled the tempo to keep Seattle’s offence off the field and upset the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks 30-21 Sunday.
Gates’ 21-yard catch late in the third quarter was epic, as the star tight end split two defenders and extended for Philip Rivers’ pass, reaching out with his left hand to gather it in. Flat on his back, he held up the ball to show the ref he’d made the catch that gave San Diego a 27-14 lead.
Rivers was 28 of 37 for 284 yards.
San Diego (1-1) had blown an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost its opener Monday night at Arizona. Seattle (1-1) had nine days to prepare after a 20-point opening victory against Green Bay.
COUSINS, WASHINGTON BLISTER JAGUARS (Washington 41, Jacksonville 10)
Robert Griffin III and DeSean Jackson both left with injuries in the first quarter, and Kirk Cousins stepped in and completed 22 of 33 passes for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns Sunday in the Washington Redskins’ 41-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Griffin hurt his left ankle and was carted to the locker room with his leg in a splint. Jackson injured his left shoulder.
Cousins subbed for Griffin and completed his first 12 passes. Ryan Kerrigan had four of the Redskins’ 10 sacks, and Washington’s defence didn’t allow Jacksonville past midfield until the final two minutes of the first half.
Washington outgained Jacksonville 449-148.
The Redskins improved to 1-1. The Jaguars are 0-2 for the third consecutive season.
BRIAN HOYER LEADS BROWNS TO VICTORY (Browns 26, Saints 24)
Billy Cundiff kicked a 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds left. Cundiff’s kick helped the Browns (1-1) snap a nine-game losing streak in home openers and gave rookie coach Mike Pettine his first NFL win.
Brian Hoyer drove the Browns 85 yards in 14 plays in the final 2:46 to set up Cundiff’s winner. Hoyer completed several big passes, none more crucial than his 28-yarder to Andrew Hawkins with 13 seconds to go.
The Saints (0-2) rallied from a 13-point deficit to take the lead on Mark Ingram’s 1-yard TD run with 12:12 left. Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and moved into fourth place on the NFL’s career passing list.
Down 24-23, Cleveland took over at its 4. Missing suspended receiver Josh Gordon and without injured Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron and running back Ben Tate, Hoyer calmly took the Browns down the field.
BENGALS DEFENCE TOO MUCH FOR FALCONS (Bengals 24, Falcons 10)
One Bengals player after another hobbled off and headed to the locker room. They still had more than enough to stay unbeaten with a win over Atlanta (1-1).
Running back Giovani Bernard picked up the depleted offence by running for 90 yards. Cincinnati’s defence held down Matt Ryan and the Bengals won their home opener and improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2006.
But Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green aggravated an injured toe on his right foot, and didn’t catch a pass for the first time in his four-year career. Tight end Alex Smith injured his left biceps, right guard Kevin Zeitler hurt his right calf, and Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict left in the second half with a pinched nerve in his neck. Burfict suffered a concussion in a season-opening win at Baltimore and missed practice during the week.
BILLS TROUNCE DOLPHINS TO MOVE TO 2-0 (Bills 29, Dolphins 10)
C.J. Spiller scored on a 102-yard kick-off return, and rookie receiver Sammy Watkins had a 12-yard touchdown catch.
The Dolphins (1-1) also lost a key off-season addition when running back Knowshon Moreno did not return after hurting his left elbow 11 minutes in.
Spiller and Watkins, the Clemson connection, both scored in the third quarter, putting Buffalo (2-0) ahead 23-10.
The Bills rode the momentum of a charged-up crowd in a home opener that celebrated the franchise’s past and future. The Bills paid tribute to late owner Ralph Wilson, who died in March. On Tuesday, Wilson’s estate reached a “definitive agreement” to sell the team to Terry and Kim Pegula for an NFL-record $1.4 billion.
PATRIOTS GIVE VIKINGS A CANING (Patriots 30, Vikings 7)
Tom Brady and the Patriots took advantage of Adrian Peterson’s absence and Matt Cassel’s four interceptions.
Chandler Jones returned a field goal he blocked for a touchdown right before half-time.
Brady went 15 for 22 for 149 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, and Cassel’s first start against his close friend and former mentor was a dud. Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis, Logan Ryan and Dominique Easley all picked him off, setting up 17 points for the Patriots, prompting “Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!” chants from the crowd for the rookie Bridgewater.
Peterson was shelved for the game after a charge of child abuse was levied against him Friday in Texas.
PANTHERS SCORE BIG WIN OVER LIONS (Panthers 24, Lions 7)
Cam Newton made a successful return to the field, throwing for 281 yards and a touchdown. Newton, who missed the season opener with a rib injury, was 22 of 34 and overcame five sacks. Carolina started 2-0 for the first time since 2008.
Trailing 7-6 in the third quarter, the Panthers took advantage of back-to-back Detroit turnovers and scored on three straight possessions.
Carolina’s defence, playing without Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy, had three takeaways and held the Lions (1-1) scoreless in the first half one week after Matthew Stafford and company put up 35 points against the Giants. Hardy, convicted on two counts of domestic violence on July 15, was a surprise inactive.
Stafford was sacked four times.
DEMARCO MURRAY, COWBOYS RUN OVER TITANS (Cowboys 26, Titans 10)
DeMarco Murray ran for 167 yards and a touchdown and Dan Bailey kicked four field goals. The loss spoiled Tennessee first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt’s home debut.
Dallas (1-1) scored the first 16 points of the game in the first half.
Even the beleaguered Dallas defence got into the act, coming up with two sacks and two interceptions.
Tony Romo easily shook off his three interceptions in the season-opening loss to San Francisco. With Murray running so well, Romo was 19 of 29 for 176 yards and a TD.
The Titans (1-1) struggled in all areas after winning their opener at Kansas City.
CARDINALS FORCE FOUR TURNOVERS AGAINST GIANTS (Cardinals 25, Giants 14)
Ted Ginn Jr. ran 71 yards on a punt return for a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown.
Playing in a regular-season game for the first time since 2010, Drew Stanton replaced the scratched Carson Palmer and led the Cardinals (2-0) on three long scoring drives. Arizona won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Jonathan Dwyer scored on a 1-yard run and Chandler Catanzaro kicked four field goals, including one a minute after Ginn’s electrifying return on which the speedster bounced off a tackle and was gone.
The Cardinals got the ball back right away after Quintin Demps fumbled on the ensuing kick-off return.
Eli Manning threw two touchdowns for the Giants (0-2), who turned over the ball four times.
CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO’S STADIUM DEBUT (Bears 28, 49ers 20)
Jay Cutler kept his poise on the road while Colin Kaepernick struggled in prime time as the Chicago Bears pulled off an upset win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Cutler passed for three fourth-quarter touchdowns after much of Chicago’s starting defence went down, and the Bears still managed to win and spoil the 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium debut.
“We just kept plugging, we knew we had some good stuff,” Cutler said. “We just had to figure them out.”
Cutler threw three TD passes to Brandon Marshall, two in the wild fourth quarter, as Chicago erased a 13-point deficit and quieted the sellout crowd.
Cutler threw for two scores in a 27-second span early in the final period, aided by the gutsy play of backup cornerback Kyle Fuller, who made two late interceptions for the depleted Chicago secondary, and the first set up the go-ahead score.
“Just coming in here, working hard, it was a team win,” said Fuller, the Bears’ first-round pick in this year’s draft.
“We are thankful for that and will keep on building.”
Kaepernick was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for “inappropriate language” after Fuller’s first big play. That gave the Bears first-and-goal, and Cutler threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett as the Bears went ahead 21-20.
Kaepernick threw three interceptions in all, lost a fumble and his cool, a far cry from his breakout start on the Monday night stage nearly two years ago in a rout of the Bears.
Originally published as NFL Week 2: The Chargers silence Seahawks, Dallas play some D and Jaguars are horrible
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