ATLANTA (AP) — Case Keenum threw a pair of touchdown passes, and the Minnesota Vikings extended their winning streak to eight straight games, keeping the Atlanta Falcons out of the end zone in a 14-9 victory on Sunday.
Minnesota (10-2) turned in a stellar defensive effort against a Falcons team that led the league in scoring a year ago and seemed to be finding its stride during a three-game winning streak, averaging nearly 32 points. While Minnesota remained far ahead in the NFC North, the Falcons’ fell further behind in the NFC South and could be damaged in the wild-card race.
The Falcons (7-5) were held without a touchdown for the first time since Dec. 13, 2015, when they were blanked 38-0 by Carolina. Matt Ryan’s streak of 30 straight games with a touchdown pass also ended, going down as the eighth longest in NFL history.
PATRIOTS 23, BILLS 3
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Rex Burkhead scored twice and the Patriots won their eighth straight in an AFC East showdown overshadowed by injuries and cheap shots.
Tom Brady went 21 of 30 for 258 yards and an interception, while improving to 27-3 over Buffalo and breaking Brett Favre’s NFL record for most wins by a quarterback against any one opponent. Favre had 26 wins over Detroit.
Brady needed to simply stand aside and let the Patriots’ rejuvenated rushing attack wear down the Bills in a game New England (10-2) never trailed. Dion Lewis had 92 yards rushing and Burkhead had 78.
The Bills are 6-6.
SAINTS 31, PANTHERS 21
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rookie sensation Alvin Kamara scored two tackle-shedding touchdowns, and New Orleans took advantage of a pair of Carolina special teams gaffes asthe Saints reclaimed sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
Mark Ingram rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown for the Saints (9-3), who own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Carolina (8-4) with four games to go.
RAIDERS 24, GIANTS 17
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland’s Marshawn Lynch had a 51-yard touchdown run and got his first 100-yard rushing game since coming out of retirement, in New York’s first game without Eli Manning starting in 13 years.
Oakland (6-6) overcame the absences of starting receivers Michael Crabtree (suspension) and Amari Cooper (injury) to win consecutive games for the first time since the opening two games of the season. The Raiders moved into a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West with Kansas City and the Chargers.
Geno Smith lost two fumbles before throwing a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to Evan Engram for the Giants (2-10), while Manning spent the day on the sideline watching.
JETS 38, CHIEFS 31
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Josh McCown scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 2:15 left, and the Jets bounced back from a brutal start for a wild and wacky win over the spiraling Chiefs.
Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 21-yard field goal to put the Jets (5-7) ahead with 3:55 left. But Kansas City’s Bennie Logan was called for a personal foul for hitting long snapper Thomas Hennessy on the play. That gave the Jets the ball at the 1 with a new set of downs.
The loss by the Chiefs (6-6) ruined the return of cornerback Darrelle Revis, who made his debut with Kansas City after signing a two-year deal last week. Revis, who played eight years over two stints with the Jets, started for the Chiefs, but spent the second half on the sideline.
PACKERS 26, BUCCANEERS 20, OT
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Jones’ 20-yard touchdown run on his only carry, with 5:59 left in overtime, won it.
With the passing game struggling, Green Bay (6-6) wore down the Buccaneers on the ground. Brett Hundley had runs of 18 and 7 yards on the drive to start overtime.
Jameis Winston threw two touchdown passes to Cameron Brate in the quarterback’s shaky return from a shoulder injury. But the defense couldn’t hold up in overtime for the last-place Buccaneers (4-8).
TITANS 24, TEXANS 13
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — LeShaun Sims intercepted a pass intended for DeAndre Hopkins in the end zone with 1:02 left, and the stayed atop the AFC South.
The Titans (8-4) won their second straight and sixth of their past seven. They improved to 4-1 in the AFC South to stay ahead of Jacksonville, a winner over Indianapolis.
Injuries have taken a toll on the Texans (4-8). Savage even made up for three consecutive false starts by Jeff Allen, who slid over to left tackle, after having fourth-and-4. Savage found Stephen Anderson with a 22-yarder.
RAVENS 44, LIONS 20
BALTIMORE (AP) — Joe Flacco threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, and the Ravens survived a strong comeback bid by Matthew Stafford and the Lions.
After relying heavily on their opportunistic defense for much of the season, the Ravens (7-5) finally received an ample contribution from the league’s 31st-ranked offense. Flacco helped Baltimore take a 20-0 halftime lead and directed three scoring drives in the fourth quarter to keep the Ravens in front.
Stafford completed a team-record 20 straight passes in the second half, twice getting the Lions within a touchdown. But Detroit (6-6) lost a second straight following a three-game winning streak.
JAGUARS 30, COLTS 10
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Blake Bortles threw two touchdown passes, Leonard Fournette scored for the first time in six weeks and the Jaguars swept the series for the second time since they joined the AFC South in 2002.
The Jaguars (8-4) bounced back from a last-second loss at Arizona, reached eight wins for the first time since 2010, and remained in the thick of the playoff picture.
Jacksonville’s top-ranked defense kept the Colts (3-9) at bay most of the game. The only blemish was a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jacoby Brissett to T.Y. Hilton on a fourth-and-2 play in the third quarter.
DOLPHINS 35, BRONCOS 9
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Xavien Howard’s 30-yard interception return for a touchdown highlighted a dominating defensive effort by the Dolphins, and they snapped a five-game losing streak.
The Broncos (3-9) lost their eighth in a row.
Miami (5-7) scored two safeties in a game for the first time in franchise history and held Denver to 1 for 13 on third-down conversions. Trevor Siemian, the Broncos’ third starting quarterback in as many weeks, went 20 for 42 for 219 yards with three interceptions.
49ERS 15, BEARS 14
CHICAGO (AP) — Robbie Gould kicked a 24-yard field goal in the closing seconds and Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 293 yards in his first San Francisco start.
Garoppolo was solid in his first start since the 49ers (2-10) acquired him from New England before the trade deadline in October. The suburban Chicago product completed 26 of 37 passes with an interception. And the 49ers picked up the win after losing their first five road games.
Chicago (3-9) dropped its fifth straight, and coach John Fox fell to 12-32 in three seasons with the Bears.
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