NFL roundup: Jags and Browns upset Ravens and Bucs as Dolphins dominate
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Nick Chubb scored on a three-yard touchdown run with 19 seconds left in overtime and Cleveland rallied on Sunday to stun Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-17 in Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s final start before Deshaun Watson returns from his suspension.
Chubb powered through a pile of bodies at the goal line as the Browns (4-7) sent Brissett off with a win. Watson, who was banned 11 games by the NFL for sexual misconduct allegations, will start next week in Houston.
Chubb’s short TD was set up when Brissett connected on a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who found himself wide open when Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III slipped and fell near midfield.
The Browns forced OT on tight end David Njoku’s remarkable, one-handed TD catch with 32 seconds left in regulation. Njoku extended his left arm to haul in Brissett’s 12-yard scoring strike in the back of the end zone. Brady threw two touchdown passes, but couldn’t get anything going in the 10-minute OT as the Bucs (5-6) were unable to keep their momentum going following a bye.
Baltimore Ravens 27–28 Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence connected with Marvin Jones for a 10-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining and hit Zay Jones for a gutsy two-point conversion, and the Jacksonville Jaguars held on to beat the Baltimore Ravens when Justin Tucker missed a 67-yard field goal try on the last play.
Tucker, who made four field goals in the game and connected from 70 yards in warmups, came up a few feet shy of the crossbar on his attempt to break by one yard his own record for the longest field goal in NFL history. Jacksonville players spilled onto the field at least one jumped into the stands to celebrate.
No one saw this ending coming. The teams combined to score 16 points in the final two-plus minutes, and it would have been 18 if Tucker had a little more leg.
After Lawrence led the Jaguars (4-7) to the go-ahead TD and conversion, Jacksonville squibbed the kickoff and gave the Ravens (7-4) the ball near midfield and not far from Tucker’s range. Lamar Jackson found Josh Oliver in the flat for a 12-yard gain that set up Tucker’s unsuccessful try.
Chicago Bears 10–31 New York Jets
Mike White threw three touchdown passes, including two to Garrett Wilson, in a terrific performance and the New York Jets rolled over the banged-up Chicago Bears.
White made his first start since last season in place of a benched Zach Wilson and sparked the Jets to a season-high 466 yards of offense in the rain. White was 22 of 28 for 315 yards and serenaded with chants of his name throughout by drenched fans at MetLife Stadium.
Houston Texans 15–30 Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 299 yards and the Miami Dolphins (8-3) raced to a 30-point lead before holding on for their fifth straight victory, this time over the one-win Houston Texans.
Tagovailoa had his fourth straight game without an interception, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill each had 85 yards receiving and the Dolphins’ defense had three takeaways in a game that was a 30-point blowout at halftime. Houston (1-9-1) managed just 32 yards through its first 25 plays with Kyle Allen starting at quarterback in place of benched Davis Mills. The Texans finished with 210 yards of total offense, most of which came in the second half.
Cincinnati Bengals 20–16 Tennessee Titans
Joe Burrow threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins with 13:42 left to put Cincinnati ahead to stay, and the Bengals held off the Tennessee Titans for their third straight victory and fifth in six games.
The defending AFC champion Bengals (7-4) won the rematch of their divisional playoff victory over Tennessee despite not having running back Joe Mixon because he hadn’t cleared the concussion protocol.
The Titans (7-4) equaled their most points allowed since a Week 2 loss at Buffalo as their two-game winning streak ended. Cincinnati smothered NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry yet again, holding him to a season-low 38 yards.
Denver Broncos 10–23 Carolina Panthers
Sam Darnold threw for a touchdown and recovered his own fumble for another score in his first game of the season, helping the Carolina Panthers beat the Denver Broncos.
Making his first start since Week 18 last year, Darnold completed 11 of 19 passes for 164 yards without a turnover. The Panthers limited Russell Wilson to 19 of 35 passing for 142 yards and sacked him three times, sending the Broncos (3-8) to their seventh loss in eight games.
Atlanta Falcons 13-19 Washington Commanders
Taylor Heinicke threw for two touchdown passes in a run-heavy game in the rain, Kendall Fuller intercepted Marcus Mariota in the end zone with 58 seconds left and the Washington Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons for their sixth win in seven games.
Playing to each team’s strength on offense regardless of the weather, the Commanders and Falcons were content to keep the ball on the ground and take some shots throwing it. Washington ran 37 times for 176 yards to Atlanta’s 29 for 167 using five different ball carriers.