NFL roundup — Week 7
NFL roundup
Trending
Bucs 43, Panthers 13
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bucky Irving ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and Tampa Bay forced four turnovers as the Buccaneers hammered Carolina in Baker Mayfield's return.
Mayfield, who missed the previous three games with a dislocated right thumb, attempted just 11 passes and threw for 64 yards while wearing a protective glove on his right hand. That was more than enough for him to improve to 7-1 against the Panthers, including 6-1 since joining the Bucs (2-5).
Vikings 16, Colts 10
MINNEAPOLIS -- Harrison Smith capped another dominant performance by Minnesota's defense with the game-sealing interception, and the Vikings overcame another sluggish start to stay unbeaten with a victory over spiraling Indianapolis.
Linebacker Blake Cashman led the onslaught of pressure on Daniel Jones all afternoon with 12 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed and three quarterback hits for the Vikings (6-0), who won yet again despite minimal production from Kyler Murray and the offense.
Falcons 29, 49ers 20
ATLANTA -- Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes, Atlanta scored 13 points off four turnovers and the Falcons handed San Francisco its first loss.
San Francisco (6-1) was already thin at wide receiver before its offense faced additional limitations when running back Christian McCaffrey missed much of the first half with a thigh injury. The 49ers had only six turnovers in their first six games.
Rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels intercepted Brock Purdy's pass intended for Jordan Watkins with 2:34 remaining. It was Purdy's second interception. Daniels then recovered a fumble by George Kittle with less than a minute remaining.
Penix threw scoring passes to tight ends Nick Muse and Kyle Pitts before giving Atlanta (3-4) a 26-14 lead with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Drake London in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins 28, Jets 25
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Malik Willis threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, leading Miami to its first win of the season with a victory over New York Jets.
Up 21-7 at halftime, the Dolphins (1-5) were coming off their bye-week break and avoided their first 0-6 start since 2019 by scoring on their first two drives and controlling most of the game before holding on to give coach Jeff Hafley his first win.
Browns 27, Titans 24
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Deshaun Watson led his fifth game-winning drive in the fourth quarter this season, connecting with Harold Fannin Jr. on a 36-yard catch-and run that set up Andre Szmyt's 32-yard field goal as time expired, and Cleveland beat Tennessee for its fifth win in six games.
Watson ran for a touchdown and threw for 308 yards. Quinshon Judkins ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns, and rookie KC Concepcion caught eight passes for 129 yards in his best game yet.
The AFC North-leading Browns (5-2) had two takeaways as they started a three-game road swing with a win.
Szmyt got the chance with his game-winning kick to make up for clanking a 43-yarder off the right upright within the first minute of the fourth quarter. The Titans responded with a drive capped by a 29-yard field goal by Joey Slye, which tied the game at 17-all with 8:41 remaining.
Giants 27, Texans 21, OT
HOUSTON -- Devin Singletary's 30-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted New York to a win over Houston.
Cam Skattebo had a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and his 42-yard scamper to set up Singletary's game-winning run. He had 17 carries for 124 yards after not having a carry last Sunday following a costly fumble two weeks ago.
J.J. McCarthy moved the ball effectively for the Giants (4-2-1) in his first start of the season after coach John Harbaugh benched Jameis Winston. He was 20 of 28 for 252 yards in the stadium in which he won the national title with Michigan in January 2024.
Broncos 30, Cardinals 16
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Bo Nix ran for a 62-yard touchdown, RJ Harvey turned a short screen pass into a 52-yard touchdown and Denver used a handful of big offensive plays to beat Arizona.
The Cardinals have lost 10 straight home games in a streak that's lasted 406 days.
Lions 20, Packers 17
DETROIT -- Jake Bates made a 22-yard field goal as time expired to give Detroit a win over Green Bay.
The Lions (4-2) have won two straight for the first time this season, putting them in third place in the NFC North behind Minnesota (6-0) and Chicago (5-2).
The Packers (4-3) had a three-game winning streak stopped and dropped to last place in the NFC North, likely lamenting a lot of penalties that went against them. The AFC North also has all four teams with winning records.
Detroit coach Dan Campbell, who is known for being aggressive, seemed to make a reckless decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his 24 with just under 5 minutes to play. Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped for no gain, but the curious choice didn't backfire.
One play after Jordan Love put a pass on Josh Jacobs' hands for an incompletion that landed in in the end zone, rookie Trey Smack missed a 35-yard field goal after D.J. Wonnum got a finger on the kick. Smack missed from 26 in the first half.
Rams 35, Raiders 21
LAS VEGAS -- Matthew Stafford threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns to become the Rams' career leader in passing TDs, and Los Angeles resembled the team previously favored to win the Super Bowl, beating Las Vegas.
The Rams (3-4) still have a ways to go to overcome their slow start and numerous injuries, but this victory improves their chances to be a factor in the playoff race. Since the NFL playoffs expanded from 12 to 14 teams in 2020, 10 of 41 clubs have made the playoffs after opening 3-4, with just 4 of 33 making it after going 2-5.
Seahawks 20, Chiefs 3
SEATTLE -- Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and the Seattle Seahawks handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season, 20-3 on Sunday night.
Sam Darnold threw for 257 yards and a score for the Seahawks (4-3), who snapped a two-game skid. Emanuel Wilson had 24 carries for 100 yards and a TD.
Patrick Mahomes struggled, throwing for 165 yards with an interception for the Chiefs (5-1). Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl MVP for the Seahawks last season before signing with the Chiefs in the offseason, was held to 36 yards on 14 carries.
Walker entered the night averaging a league-leading 133 yards per game, but the Seahawks shut him down, along with the rest of Kansas City's offense.
The Chiefs had 213 total yards, 50 on the ground.