NFL Wrap: Marshawn Lynch destroys Giants, Jets upset Steelers, Kaepernick stars in OT win
SEATTLE Seahawk Marshawn Lynch ran riot against the Giants defence in a big win at home. Check out the action in the rest of the week’s games.
American Sports
Don't miss out on the headlines from American Sports. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SEATTLE Seahawk Marshawn Lynch ran riot against the Giants defence in a big win at home. Check out the action in the rest of the week’s games.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 38 — NEW YORK GIANTS 17
Marshawn Lynch rushed for a season-high 140 yards and career-best four touchdowns.
Russell Wilson threw two interceptions, the Seahawks committed three total turnovers, and Eli Manning picked apart Seattle’s secondary for the first half. It all didn’t matter because of Lynch leading Seattle’s unstoppable run game.
The 350 total yards rushing by Seattle (6-3) were a franchise record and the most by any NFL team since Cleveland had 351 vs. Kansas City in 2009.
Lynch carried 21 times, but there was plenty of running to go around. Wilson added 107 yards on 14 carries and a 1-yard TD run with 5:19 left. Most of Wilson’s runs were designed as New York (3-6) failed to keep contain.
SEATTLE’S BIRD MASCOT LANDS ON FAN’S HEAD
GREEN BAY PACKERS 55 - CHICAGO BEARS 14
Aaron Rodgers threw six touchdown passes to equal the Green Bay game record and match the NFL record for a half.
Rodgers was 18 of 27 for 315 yards, throwing scoring passes of 73 and 40 yards to Jordy Nelson. The Packers led by four touchdowns early in the second quarter, and Rodgers watched most of the second half from the sideline.
The 190th meeting of the NFL’s oldest rivalry quickly turned into a blowout. The 55 points tied a Packers record at Lambeau Field.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler had another night to forget in Green Bay. He threw two interceptions, giving him 12 in four games in Titletown.
The Bears have lost five of their last six. They’ve given up at least 51 points in two consecutive games.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 45 - CAROLINA PANTHERS 21
Mark Sanchez shook off the rust and had one of the best games of his career in his first start in two years.
Sanchez threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns, the defense dominated and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Carolina Panthers 45-21 Monday night.
Sanchez started his first game since Dec. 30, 2012 for Nick Foles, who broke his collarbone last week. He looked better than he did when he was the franchise quarterback for the New York Jets.
Darren Sproles had two touchdowns — a 65-yard punt return and 8-yard run. Bradley Fletcher returned an interception 34 yards for a TD and Jordan Matthews had 138 yards receiving and two TDs.
The Eagles (7-2) stayed on top in the NFC East. They’re trying to repeat as division champions without Foles.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 27 – NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 24
Colin Kaepernick completed a 51-yard pass on the fourth down to sustain a tying drive, Ahmad Brooks sacked and stripped Drew Brees in overtime, and Phil Dawson kicked a 35-yard field goal to cap San Francisco’s stirring 27-24 victory over New Orleans on Sunday.
The victory snapped a two-game skid for the Niners (5-4) and marked the first home loss for the Saints (4-5) in more than a season.
The Saints had won their past 11 at home overall, and the past 20 at home including the playoffs, when coached by Sean Payton, who was suspended in 2012.
Brooks’ decisive blow on a sack of Brees had to feel like poetic justice to the Niners linebacker. His unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a vicious sack and strip in the Superdome a year ago allowed the Saints to pull out a late comeback victory in these teams’ previous meeting.
Brees was intercepted twice, but also passed for three scores, the last to Jimmy Graham to give the Saints a 24-21 lead with 1:52 left in regulation.
Graham also caught a desperation pass in the end zone at the end of regulation, but was called for offensive interference.
DENVER BRONCOS 41 – OAKLAND RAIDERS 17
Peyton Manning threw five touchdown passes in less than 17 minutes as the Broncos handed the Raiders their 15th straight loss.
Manning threw a pair of early interceptions that put Denver (7-2) in a hole against the NFL’s only winless team. That all changed with a short pass that C.J. Anderson turned into a spectacular 51-yard catch and run. The touchdowns didn’t stop until Manning’s day was done after three quarters.
Manning added two TD passes to Julius Thomas and two more to Emmanuel Sanders as the Broncos rebounded from last week’s loss at New England by beating up on the Raiders (0-9).
Manning went 31 for 44 for 340 yards. He extended his record with at least two touchdown passes in 15 straight games and his streak of 48 games with at least one TD pass is third longest, breaking a tie with Johnny Unitas.
There was almost nothing positive from the Raiders in their first blowout loss since interim coach Tony Sparano replaced the fired Dennis Allen after four games.
ARIZONA CARDINALS 31 – ST LOUIS RAMS 14
The Cardinals put together another dominant fourth quarter, but a the victory was dampened by an injury to quarterback Carson Palmer.
Palmer went down in the final period, then backup Drew Stanton and the Arizona defence rallied the Cardinals with three touchdowns over a span of 3 minutes, 48 seconds.
Rookie John Brown’s diving grab of Stanton’s 48-yard touchdown pass put the Cardinals (8-1) up 17-14 with 7:40 to play. The pass came on the first series after Palmer hurt his left knee while trying to avoid the rush.
Palmer was able to walk off the field but a short time later was taken to the locker room on a cart.
Patrick Peterson got his first two interceptions of the season, returning the second 30 yards for a touchdown to make it 24-14. Moments later, Austin Davis fumbled and Antonio Cromartie returned it 14 yards for a score as Arizona outscored the Rams 21-0 in the fourth quarter.
St. Louis (3-6) was shut-out in the second half.
At 8-1, the Cardinals have the best record in the NFL and their best after nine games since going 11-1 as the Chicago Cardinals in 1948.
NEW YORK JETS 20 – PITTSBURGH STEELERS 13
Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes as the Jets forced four turnovers while shutting down Ben Roethlisberger to end an eight-game losing streak.
Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes in each of his last two games, and was playing in front of a MetLife Stadium crowd that appeared nearly half-filled with Terrible Towel-waving Steelers fans. But the Jets (2-8) wouldn’t allow Roethlisberger to get into much of a rhythm.
Roethlisberger finished 30 of 43 for 343 yards and connected with Martavis Bryant for an 80-yard TD with 1:16 left. The Steelers (6-4) attempted an onside kick, but Eric Decker recovered to seal it for the Jets – who avoided setting a franchise mark for consecutive losses.
Jaiquawn Jarrett had two interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery for the Jets, who hadn’t won since beating Oakland in Week 1.
Vick, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to run for 6,000 career yards, threw touchdown passes to T.J. Graham and Jace Amaro. Vick was 10 of 18 for 132 yards and ran eight times for 39 yards.
DETROIT LIONS 20 – MIAMI DOLPHINS 16
Matthew Stafford led Detroit to another thrilling victory in the final minutes, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Theo Riddick with 29 seconds remaining.
Calvin Johnson had seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from an ankle injury, and the Lions (7-2) won their fourth straight game. Their past three victories have been by a combined six points, all with fourth-quarter comebacks.
The Dolphins (5-4) managed one touchdown – after they blocked a Detroit field goal attempt and Dion Jordan returned it deep into Lions territory. Miami’s Ryan Tannehill threw for 201 yards, but it was Stafford who made the final big play, snapping a side-arm pass to a sliding Riddick in the back left corner of the end zone.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 17 – BUFFALO BILLS 13
Anthony Sherman recovered a fumble to set up Alex Smith’s 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Jamaal Charles also scored on a 39-yard run as the Chiefs (6-3) scored twice in span of 4:31 to overcome a 13-3 deficit. The Chiefs’ defence then made a stand at its 15 by forcing Kyle Orton to throw four consecutive incompletions and turn the ball over on downs.
Kansas City improved to 6-1 since opening the season with two losses. Charles finished with 98 yards rushing, while Smith went 17 of 29 for 177 yards.
Smith scored two plays after Sherman punched the ball out of the hands of Bills punt returner Leodis McKelvin and then pounced on the loose ball at Buffalo’s 26. That wasn’t the only Bills miscue in a game Buffalo settled for two field goals on four trips inside the Chiefs 20.
Marcell Dareus had three of Buffalo’s six sacks.
DALLAS COWBOYS 31 – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 17
Tony Romo returned after missing last week because of a back injury to help the Cowboys end a two-game losing streak by throwing three touchdown passes.
Originally hurt two weeks ago, Romo started for Dallas (7-3) and completed 20 of 27 passes for 246 yards against the Jaguars (1-9) at Wembley Stadium. This was the last of three regular-season NFL games this year in the British capital.
Romo threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jason Witten in the first quarter and then hit Dez Bryant for a pair of TDs in the second, the first from 35 yards and the second from 68. Romo finished with a season-high passer rating of 138.8.
DeMarco Murray ended up with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries and 31 yards receiving for Dallas. He had his record streak of eight straight 100-yard games to start a season snapped by the Cardinals last week.
Bryant gained all of his 158 yards in the second quarter, and did it by breaking several tackles on each touchdown catch.
BALTIMORE RAVENS 21 – TENNESSEE TITANS 7
Justin Forsett ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns to back a strong performance by the Baltimore defence.
The Ravens (6-4) bottled up rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who went 16 for 27 for 179 yards and an interception in his first road start. He was sacked five times and rarely got the chance to comfortably plant both feet in the pocket.
Tennessee didn’t get its initial first down of the second half until 4:37 was left in the game. Soon after that, newcomer Danny Gorrer intercepted a pass to clinch the victory.
The Titans (2-7) have lost seven of eight. It was 7-7 at half-time, but Tennessee had three three-and-outs in the third quarter while the Ravens took control.
ATLANTA FALCONS 27 – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 17
Matt Ryan threw for 219 yards and one touchdown, helping the Falcons stop a five-game losing streak that left the Bucs with a five-game skid of their own.
The Falcons (3-6) won for the first time since embarrassing their NFC South rivals 56-14 on Sept. 18, a game in which the Bucs (1-8) lost quarterback Josh McCown to a thumb injury.
McCown returned to Tampa Bay’s starting line-up for the first time since loss, throwing for 301 yards and two TDs. His 1-yard pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins put the Bucs ahead 17-16 early in the fourth quarter. But Ryan drove the Falcons down the field, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White and a 2-point conversion to Harry Douglas.
Steven Jackson scored on a 1-yard run and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons.
CLEVELAND BROWNS 24 - CINCINNATI BENGALS 3
The Cleveland Browns took full advantage of Andy Dalton’s miserable night on Thursday, dominating the Cincinnati Bengals 24-3 in an AFC North showdown that was shockingly one-sided from the outset.
Cleveland (6-3) improved its best start since 1994 and moved into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the NFL’s toughest division.
The defense had three interceptions to go along with a fumble recovery and now has 12 takeaways in four games. The team also rushed for 170 yards on 52 carries (3.3 average) and had three running backs - Ben Tate and rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West - score a touchdown in the same game for the first time since 1994.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer also rose to the occasion for the Browns and outperformed counterpart Andy Dalton in windy conditions. Hoyer completed 15-of-23 passes for 198 yards with no interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 92.3.
The Browns also ended one of their most enduring streaks of futility. They won a division game on the road for the first time since 2008, ending a streak of 17 consecutive losses. And they did it with a showing that suggested they’re finally for real.
Not the Bengals (5-3-1), who once again came apart in the national spotlight. Cincinnati is 18-41 in prime-time games.
Originally published as NFL Wrap: Marshawn Lynch destroys Giants, Jets upset Steelers, Kaepernick stars in OT win
Swift-Kelce photo could ‘break the internet’
A new photo of Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce is quickly going viral and for a very sweet reason.
‘Ted Lasso in reverse’: Anonymous Aussies pulling NFL strings
It’s the biggest show in world sport and Australians have been playing key on-field roles in the NFL for years. Yet as SHANNON GILL finds out, there’s a bunch of Aussies playing crucial roles off the field as well.