NFL SIDELINES
Cowboys fall from list of undefeated teams
UNDATED (AP) β The Dallas Cowboys are no longer an unbeaten team. The visiting Atlanta Falcons fell behind early but came roaring back to beat the Tony Romo-less Cowboys 39-28. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones connected for two touchdowns and Devonta Freeman ran for 141 yards and three scores as the Falcons upped their record to 3-0. Freeman’s third score early in the fourth quarter capped a rally from a trio of 14-point deficits for the Falcons, who didn’t win their third game until Week 10 last year, and Week 13 in 2013. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak in the regular season for the Cowboys.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
β Seattle picked up its first victory by dominating the second half of a 26-0 rout of Chicago. The Seahawks led just 6-0 until Tyler Lockett returned the second-half kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown. Russell Wilson connected with Jimmy Graham on a 30-yard TD and Steven Hauschka added four field goals for the Seahawks. Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen was just 9 of 17 for 63 yards in his first start in place of the injured Jay Cutler.
β Tyrod Taylor looked pretty good in his first NFL road start, throwing for 277 yards and three scores to lead Buffalo’s 41-14 rout of Miami. The Bills totaled 429 yards, intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times in the first half, and led 27-0 before Miami scored late in the third quarter. Tannehill was 26 of 49 for 297 yards and one touchdown for the 1-2 Dolphins.
β The Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers are 3-0 for the first time since reaching the Super Bowl in the 2003 season. Newton threw for 315 yards and a pair of touchdowns to tight end Greg Olsen and also ran for a score as the Panthers beat the Saints 27-22. Luke McCown, starting in place of the injured Drew Brees (breez), completed 31 of 38 passes for 310 yards for the Saints but it wasn’t enough as they fell to 0-3. It was the first game Brees has missed because of injury since joining the Saints in 2006.
β Cincinnati remains among the undefeated as Andy Dalton threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green with 2:10 left in a 28-24 win over the Ravens in Baltimore. The Ravens are 0-3 for the first time in franchise history. The 3-0 Bengals blew a 14-0 lead and twice trailed in the fourth quarter before Dalton brought them back by repeatedly picking apart the Baltimore pass defense. For the game Dalton went 20 for 32 for 383 yards and three touchdowns.
β The Jets have fallen from the ranks of unbeaten teams as they were shot down by the Eagles 24-17. Darren Sproles sparked the Eagles with an 89-yard punt return for a score and added a 1-yard touchdown run. The defense caused four New York turnovers as Philadelphia got its first win of the season. New Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who also rushed for 108 yards on 25 carries while starting in place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The 1-2 Eagles improved to 10-0 all-time against the 2-1 Jets.
β Tom Brady has etched his name further into the NFL record book by becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw 400 touchdown passes. He accomplished the feat by connecting for a pair of scores in the Patriots 51-17 victory over Jacksonville. In all, Brady completed 33 of 42 passes for 358 yards. Brady joins Peyton Manning, who started the day with 533 TD throws, Brett Favre (farv) and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to reach the milestone.
β Adrian Peterson plowed through San Diego’s defense for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 20 rushes in three quarters of play as the Vikings beat the Chargers 31-14. The win gives the Vikings a mark of 2-1. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers left the game midway through the fourth quarter when the team was down 24 points. He had been sacked four times for a loss of 28 yards.
β Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes 56 seconds apart in the fourth quarter as he rallied the Colts to their first win this season, beating the Titans 35-33. Luck improved to 7-0 against Tennessee. The 1-2 Colts trailed 27-14 before Luck got going. The Titans have lost 13 of 14 against their AFC South foe.
β Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH’-lihs-bur-gur) was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second half but Pittsburgh’s defense came through to give the Steelers a 12-6 victory over the Rams in St. Louis. Will Allen’s interception with 1:56 left set up a field goal by Josh Scobey to put Pittsburgh ahead by six points. Roethlisberger left the game after a leg got caught underneath him on a diving, sliding sack by Mark Barron. He was replaced by Michael Vick.
β Ryan Mallett threw for threw for 228 yards and a touchdown and Alfred Blue had 139 yards rushing with a score to lead the Houston Texans to a 19-9 win over Tampa Bay. Top overall pick Jameis (JAYM’-ihs) Winston threw for 261 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Tampa Bay.
β The Raiders found Cleveland a lovely place to visit with a 27-20 win to snap an 11-game road losing streak. Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes and Latavius Murray rushed for 139 yards in the win. The Browns staged a late comeback but it wasn’t enough and the offense was booed off the field.
The game this evening has the Lions playing host to the Broncos. Denver improved to 2-0 last week by scoring 14 points in a nine-second span during the final minute of its 31-24 win over the Chiefs. The Lions are winless in two games.
