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The Chicago Bears celebrate after a game clinching interception
The Chicago Bears celebrate after a game clinching interception. Photograph: Curtis Compton/AP
The Chicago Bears celebrate after a game clinching interception. Photograph: Curtis Compton/AP

NFL round-up: Falcons blow huge fourth-quarter lead for second week in row

This article is more than 3 years old
  • Atlanta capitulate again, this time against Chicago Bears
  • Los Angeles Rams nearly pull off comeback against Bills
  • Browns claim winning record for first time since 2014

Chicago’s Nick Foles threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to hand the Atlanta Falcons another humiliating defeat, rallying the Bears from a 16-point deficit for a 30-26 victory on Sunday.

The Bears, improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2013, became the second straight team to overcome a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Falcons (0-3). This one could spell the end for sixth-year coach Dan Quinn, who desperately needed a good start after two straight losing seasons.

A week ago, Atlanta became a laughing stock after failing to pounce on an onside kick, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to finish off their comeback from a 39-24 deficit to win 40-39 on a field goal as time expired.

Under Quinn, the Falcons also blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl after the 2016 season and lost to the New England Patriots. This time, it was Foles who guided the improbable comeback after taking over for Mitchell Trubisky in the third quarter. The former Super Bowl MVP had two apparent touchdown passes overturned by official reviews and still managed to pull out the victory.

Dallas Cowboys 31-38 Seattle Seahawks

DK Metcalf made up for a huge first-half blunder by catching a 29-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson with 1:47 remaining, and the Seattle Seahawks held off the Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson threw five touchdown passes, setting a record for most scoring passes in the first three games of a season with 14. Patrick Mahomes threw for 13 TDs in his MVP season of 2018. Wilson became the first QB to have at least four TD passes in each of the first three games.

It was Metcalf who found redemption in the closing minutes. Metcalf appeared to have a walk-in touchdown after hauling in a deep pass from Wilson late in the first quarter. But he was careless with the ball in the final few steps before the goal line, and Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs came up from behind and knocked the ball free. It went out of the end zone for a touchback. Instead of a touchdown and 16-3 lead for Seattle, it was a 62-yard reception and a forgettable moment.

Los Angeles Rams 32–35 Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen completed a three-yard touchdown pass to tight Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds remaining, and the Buffalo Bills survived to beat the Los Angeles Rams 35-32 after squandering a 25-point lead.

The Rams were poised to match the third-largest comeback in NFL regular season history after Jared Goff led the team to touchdowns on four straight drives, capped by Darrell Henderson’s one-yard run with 4:30 remaining.

Allen responded by marching the Bills on an 11-play, 75-yard drive, which was extended by a pass interference penalty against Darious Williams on fourth-and-seven from the Rams 12. One play later, Allen rolled to his left and lobbed a pass over a Rams defender. Kroft made a leaping catch and secured the ball before tumbling to the ground, his second TD of the game.

Houston Texans 21–28 Pittsburgh Steelers

James Conner ran for 109 yards and the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed perfect by rallying past the Houston Texans.

The Steelers improved to 3-0 for the first time in a decade by putting the clamps on the Texans in the second half. Houston managed just 51 yards and two first downs after halftime as an early 11-point lead vanished. The Texans dropped to 0-3.

Houston started with the same mark in 2018 and rallied to win the AFC South. The going might be tougher this season if the defense can’t find a way to keep opposing running games in check. The NFL’s 31st-ranked run defense wore down in the second half as the Steelers methodically pulled away.

San Francisco 49ers 36-9 New York Giants

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t need quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and a slew of missing starters on the dreaded MetLife Stadium turf. They controlled the ball on offense, took it away from the winless New York Giants on defense and had another easy day on the East Coast.

Nick Mullens threw for 343 yards and a touchdown to lead the 49ers to their second win at MetLife in as many weeks with a 36-9 victory over the error-prone and winless Giants.

Jerick McKinnon, Brandon Aiyuk and Jeff Wilson scored on runs on a near flawless day for the Niners (2-1), who stayed in West Virginia to prep for the game. Robbie
The Niners had Garoppolo (ankle), defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas (knees) and running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman hurt against the Jets. They complained about the new turf after the game, saying it was “sticky” and led to injuries.

Las Vegas Raiders 20-36 New England Patriots

Rex Burkhead scored three touchdowns and Bill Belichick became the third coach in NFL history to reach 275 regular-season victories in the New England Patriots’ 36-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Sony Michel finished with nine carries for 117 yards. Burkhead had two rushing scores and an 11-yard TD reception. Cam Newton was 17 of 28 passing for 162 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Shilique Calhoun had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a score.

Washington 20–34 Cleveland Browns

Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes, Nick Chubb ran for two more and the Cleveland Browns moved over .500 for the first time since 2014 with a 34-20 win Sunday over the Washington Football Team, who lost rookie defensive end Chase Young to a groin injury.

With their second straight win under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are 2-1 for the first time since 2011. It’s also the first time they’ve had a winning record since Week 14 in 2014, when they were 7-6 before dropping their last three and costing Mike Pettine his job.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28–10 Denver Broncos

Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and Shaq Barrett celebrated his homecoming with a pair of sacks, one for a safety, in Tampa Bay’s 28-10 victory over the winless Denver Broncos.

With his first road win for the Bucs (2-1), Brady evened his career record against the Broncos at 9-9 with just his fifth win in a dozen trips to Denver. Before Sunday, the Broncos were the only team in the NFL with a winning record against the six-time Super Bowl champion.

Cincinnati Bengals 23-23 Philadelphia Eagles

Burrow tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Tee Higgins in regulation and Wentz dove into the end zone for the tying score in the final minute as the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles played to a 23-23 tie.

Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott lined up for a 59-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in overtime, but a false start on Matt Pryor forced the Eagles to punt it away and play for the tie. Both teams are 0-2-1.

Carolina Panthers 21-16 Los Angeles Chargers

Carolina’s defense forced three Los Angeles turnovers, Joey Slye kicked five field goals and the Panthers beat the Chargers 21-16, giving coach Matt Rhule his first NFL victory.

The Panthers had not recorded a sack and allowed 65 points in their first two games but looked like a different unit. They sacked Justin Herbert twice and converted three turnovers into 12 points.

Teddy Bridgewater was 22 of 28 for 235 yards and a touchdown in his first win with Carolina. The seven-year veteran helped the Panthers snap a 10-game losing streak dating to last season. Herbert became the third quarterback since the merger to throw for 300 yards in his first two starts. The rookie was 35 of 49 for 330 yards and a touchdown, but also had a fumble and an interception.

New York Jets 7–36 Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts recorded their second safety in as many weeks and Philip Rivers added his 400th career TD pass as the Colts routed the New York Jets 36-7. It’s the first time since October 1970 the Colts returned two INTs for scores in one game. The last time it happened also came against the Jets.

Rivers, meanwhile, played like his old self, getting rid of the ball quickly and crisply while avoiding mistakes on a milestone day. The 38-year-old quarterback was 17 of 21 with 217 yards and played his first turnover-free game since joining Indy. He became the sixth player in league history to throw 400 career TD passes and the sixth to top 60,000 yards.

Detroit Lions 26-23 Arizona Cardinals

Matt Prater made a 39-yard field goal as time expired, Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions snapped an 11-game losing streak dating to last season by beating the Arizona Cardinals.

The Lions looked like they would take the lead with about two minutes left when Stafford completed a spectacular deep pass to Marvin Hall at the 1-yard line, but the play was called back when offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai was flagged for holding.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Stafford calmly led the Lions downfield, Prater connected on his fourth field goal of the afternoon and the Lions finally got to celebrate a victory. It was Prater’s 15th game-winning kick with less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Tennessee Titans 31-30 Minnesota Vikings

Stephen Gostkowski made his career-high sixth field goal of game, a 55-yarder with 1:48 left that lifted undefeated Tennessee to a 31-30 victory over the Minnesota Vikings after Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill carried the Titans on another comeback. Henry rushed for 119 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns for the Titans, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008 after trailing for most of the game. Tannehill passed for 321 yards, guiding the Titans on a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter or overtime for the sixth time in 16 games since becoming the starter.

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