Saints hand Rams first setback
NEW ORLEANS >> Michael Thomas caught a late 72yard touchdown reception and then celebrated with a cellphone in a throwback to another famous New Orleans play, and the streaking Saints handed the Los Angeles Rams their first loss of the season with a 45-35 win on Sunday.
Drew Brees passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns in New Orleans’ seventh straight win, and Thomas finished with a club-record 211 yards receiving. But what happened after their last connection of the day really stole the show in a wild shootout between two of the NFL’s best offenses. STEELERS 23, RAVENS 16 BALTIMORE >> Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes, ran for a score and put up an unexpected left-footed punt to help the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens.
BEARS 41, BILLS 9 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. >> Jordan Howard scored two touchdowns and the Chicago Bears’ defense had two others in a win over the Bills in what proved to be another comedy of errors for Buffalo and its anemic offense. PANTHERS 42, BUCS 28 CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Cam Newton completed 19 of 25 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey racked up 157 yards from scrimmage and scored twice and the Carolina Panthers built an early lead and held on to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their 10th straight home win. CHIEFS 37, BROWNS 21 CLEVELAND >> Patrick Mahomes passed for 375 yards, threw three touchdown passes — two to Travis Kelce — and continued the best start by an NFL quarterback in 68 years as Kansas City’s impossible-to-handle offense kept rolling with a win over the Cleveland Browns, who played their first game since coach Hue Jackson’s firing.
VIKINGS 24, LIONS 9 MINNEAPOLIS >> Danielle Hunter had 3 1/2 of Minnesota’s franchise-record 10 sacks and a fourth-quarter fumble return for a touchdown, making for a miserable afternoon for Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions in a victory by the Vikings.
FALCONS 38, REDSKINS 14 LANDOVER, MD. >> Julio Jones ended his 12-game touchdown drought, Matt Ryan threw for 350 yards and four scores and the Atlanta Falcons flexed their offensive muscles with a blowout of the Washington Redskins that extended their winning streak to three games.
CHARGERS 25, SEAHAWKS 17 SEATTLE >> Philip Rivers made his 200th consecutive start and kept the Los Angeles Chargers surging at the midpoint of the season, surviving a late rally by Seattle’s Russell Wilson. Rivers threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns, Melvin Gordon added 113 yards rushing and the Chargers won their fifth straight.
TEXANS 19, BRONCOS 17 DENVER >> Brandon McManus missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired, leaving Demaryius Thomas a winner in his homecoming as the Houston Texans escaped Denver with a win over the Broncos.