NFL
It was a tough afternoon for the defending Super Bowl champs and the reigning AFC Champions.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for four touchdowns while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were building a 27-7 lead in a 27-21 win over the Eagles. The 35-year-old Fitzpatrick completed 27 of 32 passes for 402 yards and has the suddenly explosive Bucs off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2010.
DeSean Jackson scored on a 75-yard reception on the first play of the game, and O.J. Howard also had a 75-yard TD grab before halftime.
Nick Foles threw for 338 yards for the Eagles, who pulled within six points on Nelson Agholor's two-yard reception with 2:46 remaining.
The Jaguars won a rematch of last January's AFC title game as Blake Bortles tossed three of his four touchdown passes in the first half of a 31-20 victory over the Patriots. Bortles connected with Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole and Austin Seferian-Jenkins for scores in the first 30 minutes. The Jacksonville quarterback was 29 of 45 for 377 yards in the best game of his career.
Elsewhere in Week 2 of the NFL schedule:
Patrick Mahomes was outstanding in his third NFL start as he tied a franchise record with six touchdown passes in the Chiefs' 42-37 victory over the Steelers. The 22-year-old Mahomes finished 23 of 28 for 326 yards as Kansas City won in Pittsburgh for the first time in 32 years. Ben Roethlisberger completed 39 of 60 passes for 452 yards and three touchdowns, but the Steelers gained just 33 yards rushing while playing their second game without holdout Le'VEon Bell.
The Vikings and Packers had to settle for a 29-all tie after Daniel Carlson missed two field goals in overtime, shortly after Mason Crosby failed to hit a 52-yard kick on the last play of regulation. Minnesota's Kirk Cousins threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns, including three in the fourth quarter. Green Bay star Aaron Rodgers played with a brace on his injured left knee and threw for 281 yards and a score.
Dak Prescott threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tavon Austin on the third play of the Cowboys' 20-13 win over the Giants. Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott outgained Saquon Barkley, 78-28, although the Giants rookie had a game-high 14 receptions for 80 yards. Elliott also scored a TD for Dallas, which sacked Eli Manning six times.
Matt Ryan ran for a pair of short TDs and was 23 of 28 passing for 272 yards and two scores in the Falcons' 31-24 victory against the Panthers. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was rocked early on by a cheap shot from Damontae Kazee, who was thrown out of the game for the helmet-to-helmet hit. Newton passed for 335 yards and three touchdowns but was held to 42 yards on the ground.
The Browns' winless skid is up to 19 games after Cleveland kicker Zane Gonzalez pushed the second of his two missed field goals wide right in the final seconds of a 21-18 loss at New Orleans. The second miss occurred right after Wil Lutz kicked a 44-yard field goal for the Saints with 21 seconds left. Receiver Michael Thomas had two fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Saints after the Browns carried a nine-point lead into the period.
Todd Gurley ran for three touchdowns and Jared Goff threw for 354 yards and a score in the Rams' 34-0 blowout over the Cardinals. Brandon Cooks had seven receptions for 159 yards in helping Los Angeles improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2001. The Cardinals didn't cross midfield until the final minute and managed only five first downs as they fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2005.
Brandon McManus kicked a 36-yard field goal just inside the right upright with six seconds left to push the Broncos to a 20-19 win against the Raiders. Denver trailed 19-7 late in the third quarter before McManus hit a 39-yarder and Case Keenum scored on a 1-yard keeper on fourth down with 5:58 left. Oakland took a 12-0 lead at halftime after holding the Broncos to just two first downs.
Ryan Tannehill passed for a couple of TDs and Kenyan Drake ran for a score while the Dolphins were building a 20-0 first-half lead in a 20-12 victory over the Jets. Tannehill finished 17 of 23 for 168 yards and also ran for 44 yards on eight carries. Rookie Sam Darnold was 25 of 41 for 334 yards and a touchdown with the two INTs in his second NFL start.
Mike Vrabel has his first NFL head coaching victory after Ryan Succop kicked a 31-yard field goal with 1:00 left to give the Titans a 20-17 victory over the Texans. Succop also kicked a tying 42-yarder in the fourth quarter as Tennessee pulled out the win with quarterback Marcus Mariota watching from the sideline. Titans All-Pro safety Kevin Byard set an NFL record when he tossed a 66-yard touchdown pass on a fake punt.
Melvin Gordon matched a career high by scoring three touchdowns in the Chargers' 31-20 victory at Buffalo. Gordon scored on a 20-yard run and added two touchdowns receiving before limping off the field after appearing to hurt his left leg early in the fourth quarter. Bills rookie Chad Allen finished 18 of 33 for 245 yards and two touchdown drives in his career start.
Andrew Luck shook off two interceptions by capping a methodical drive with his second touchdown of the game to help the Colts beat the Redskins 21-9. Ty Hilton put the game out of reach with a three-yard scoring reception midway through the fourth quarter. Alex Smith was 33 of 46 for 292 yards for Washington, which settled for three field goals.
The 49ers were 30-27 winners over the Lions as Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and Matt Breida ran for 138 yards. Garoppolo played turnover-free ball a week after throwing three interceptions in a 24-16 loss at Minnesota. Breida did much of the rest by gaining 159 yards from scrimmage and breaking the game open with a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
The Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears Monday at 8:15 p.m.
MLB
The Boston Red Sox have whittled their magic number down to two for winning the AL East.
Chris Sale tossed three shutout innings and Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth as the Red Sox topped the Mets, 4-3.
Sale allowed one hit in his second start since coming off the disabled list last week. He lowered his AL-best ERA to 1.92 and extended his scoreless streak to 32 innings, the longest in the major leagues this season.
But Boston finished without Mookie Betts, who aggravated a left side injury while making a throw in the outfield. Betts said after the game that he should be ready for Tuesday, when the Red Sox can clinch the division with a victory over the second-place Yankees in the Bronx.
The Mets head to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies Monday at 7:05 p.m.
The Yankees absorbed a 3-2 loss to Toronto after Dellin Betances blew a one-run lead in the eighth. Betances surrendered hits to four of his first five batters, including a tying single by Kendrys Morales and a go-ahead double by Randal Grichuk.
New York continues to lead Oakland by 1 ½ games for the first AL wild card.
The Yankees have the night off as they prepare to host Boston Tuesday at 1:05 p.m.
The Athletics dropped a 5-4 decision to Tampa Bay despite a grand slam by major league home run leader Khris Davis. The Athletics' slugger went deep in the bottom of the ninth, but it came after C.J. Cron and Willy Adames homered off A's starter Mike Fiers. The A's managed just four hits off eight Rays pitchers.
Checking out Sunday's other major league finals:
Justin Verlander struck out 11 in seven solid innings and the Astros extended their AL West edge to 4 ½ games over the A's by topping the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-4. Verlander allowed just three hits and blanked Arizona after David Peralta hit a solo homer in the sixth.
The AL Central-champion Indians rested several of their regulars and lost to the Tigers 6-4 as Jim Adduci homered and drove in a career-high four runs. Indians reliever Andrew Miller pitched a scoreless seventh but gave up a solo home run to Mikie Mahtook in the eighth.
Antonio Senzatela pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and also hit a two-run single as the Rockies followed a pair of shutout losses with a 3-2 win at San Francisco. Ian Desmond added two hits and DJ LeMahieu had a sacrifice fly as Colorado moved back into first place in the NL West, a half-game ahead of the Dodgers.
The Dodgers' 5-0 loss to the Cardinals puts Los Angeles and St. Louis back in a tie for the second NL wild card. Adam Wainwright held the Dodgers to two hits while fanning nine over six innings.
Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon hit two-run homers and 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto added an RBI single in the ninth inning of the Nationals' 6-4 victory over the Braves. Atlanta has dropped two in a row and still leads the NL East by 6½ games over second-place Philadelphia.
Peter O'Brien homered and drove in three runs as the Marlins beat the Phillies 6-4. Jose Urena limited the Phils to a run and three hits over five innings, including a solo blast by Cesar Hernandez.
The Cubs' NL Central lead remains 2½ games over second-place Milwaukee after Luis Castillo and the Reds' bullpen combined on a five-hitter in the Reds' 2-1 verdict over Chicago. Scott Schebler homered on Jose Quintana's first pitch of the game, Phillip Ervin also went deep and Joey Votto had three hits for last-place Cincinnati.
The Brewers wasted ninth-inning homers by Jesus Aguilar and Domingo Santana in a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh. The back-to-back homers came after Trevor Williams limited Milwaukee to two hits while fanning seven over six scoreless innings.
Kole Calhoun hit a two-run homer and Justin Upton homered in his third straight game as the Angels beat the Mariners, 4-3 to avoid a four-game sweep. Upton extended his home run streak with a three-run shot in the fifth inning to give Los Angeles a 3-1 lead.
Tyler Austin hit one of Minnesota's four home runs, made a spectacular catch while flipping into the dugout and helped the Twins to a 9-6 victory over the Royals. The Twins avoided a four-game sweep despite a shaky Kyle Gibson, who surrendered five runs and 11 hits over 6 2/3s.
Rookie Francisco Mejia hit a grand slam with two outs in the ninth to give the Padres a 7-3 win over the Rangers. The Rangers were two out from a 3-2 win and a three-game sweep until rookie Franmil Reyes hit a bloop single and Freddy Galvis doubled to drive in the tying run.
Jonathan Villar and Adam Jones homered and rookie Cedric Mullins had a career-high four hits to send the Orioles past the White Sox, 8-4. Baltimore took control with a five-run first inning against Lucas Giolito.
In other MLB news:
Yankees manager Aaron Boone says All-Star slugger Aaron Judge could return to New York's lineup this week during a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. Boone said Sunday that Judge is "getting real close" to returning from a broken right wrist. Judge has been cleared to play the outfield and run the bases, and he played two innings in right Friday night. He's still working his way back at the plate, though. Meanwhile, closer Aroldis Chapman is working back from left knee tendinitis.
The Cubs activated outfielder Jason Heyward from the 10-day disabled list, but he wasn't in the starting lineup Sunday against Cincinnati. Heyward had been on the DL since Aug. 31 due to right hamstring tightness.
NASCAR
Brad Keselowski has opened NASCAR's playoff chase by continuing his winning streak.
Keselowski raced to his third consecutive victory by handling a wreck-filled race at Las Vegas, roaring from the field in overtime to give team owner Roger Penske his 500th victory across all formats.
Four playoff drivers failed to finish and four others had various problems in the opener of the 10-race postseason. Co-leader Kevin Harvick wrecked with 120 laps to go when he blew his right front tire.
Kyle Larson was second, and defending Cup series champion Martin Truex Jr. third after a stop-and-start finish to a race that featured 12 cautions.
T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LSU has surged to No. 6 in The Associated Press college football poll after its second victory of September against a highly ranked team.
The Tigers began the season ranked 25th before wins over Miami and Auburn.
Wisconsin tumbled from sixth to 18th with Saturday's loss to BYU. The Cougars are one of three newcomers in the poll, along with Texas A&M and Boston College.
Top-ranked Alabama strengthened its hold on No. 1, receiving a season-high 58 first-place votes from the media panel. Clemson slipped out of the No. 2 spot for the first time this season and Georgia climbed ahead of the No. 3 Tigers.
Ohio State and Oklahoma are fourth and fifth respectively, followed by LSU, Stanford, Notre Dame, Auburn and Washington.
TENNIS
Croatia is going to the Davis Cup final.
After eight hours of tennis on Sunday, Borna Coric ended a sustained comeback bid from the United States by rallying from two sets to one down to beat Frances Tiafoe (TEE'-ah-foh), 6-7, 6-1, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 in the fifth and decisive match of a topsy-turvy semifinal.
Seeking its second title, Croatia will visit defending champion France in the Nov. 23-25 final.
PGA
Paul Broadhurst won The Ally Challenge for his PGA Tour Champions-leading third victory of the season, closing with a birdie to beat Brandt Jobe by two strokes.
Broadhurst rebounded from a bogey on the par-3 11th with birdies on the par-4 12th and par-5 13th. He later made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th.
The 53-year-old Englishman finished at 15-under 201.
LPGA
Angela Stanford ended her long wait for a first major title when her 3-under 68 was enough to win the Evian Championship by one shot Sunday after long-time leader Amy Olson made double-bogey on the 18th.
At age 40, and 15 years after she was runner-up at the U.S. Women's Open, Stanford's wild final few holes gave her a 12-under total of 272.
Stanford earned a $577,500 winner's check.
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