Josh Allen regained his early-season groove by throwing three touchdown passes and scoring one rushing, and the Buffalo Bills beat the Seattle Seahawks 44-34. Buffalo's defense played a major role in rattling Seattle's Russell Wilson, who was sacked five times, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.
Buffalo improved to 7-2, matching its best record through nine games since 1993, when the Bills made their last Super Bowl appearance. Allen finished 31 of 38 and equaled a career best set earlier this season with 415 yards passing. The Seahawks fell to 6-2. Seattle was undone by turnovers and a defense that surrendered 420 yards.
In other NFL action:
Daniel Jones completed his longest pass of the season, didn't turn the ball over for the first time and the New York Giants held on to beat Washington 23-20 for their second victory this season. Jones was 23 of 34 for 212 yards, including a 50-yard connection with Austin Mack and a touchdown pass to Evan Engram to build a 17-point halftime lead. The Giants attempted to run to run things out in the second half and survived a couple of touchdown drives led by Alex Smith, who replaced injured Washington quarterback Kyle Allen. Smith threw two interceptions in the final minutes.
Drew Brees threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns, regaining the NFL career TD pass lead and lifting the New Orleans Saints into first place in the NFC South with a 38-3 rout of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The three-time defending division champion won their fifth straight game, intercepting Brady three times and completing a season sweep of the Bucs.
Ben Roethlisberger threw all three of his touchdown passes after shrugging off a knee injury, rallying Pittsburgh to a 24-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and keeping the Steelers as the NFL's only unbeaten team. Pittsburgh is 8-0 for the first time in the storied franchise's history despite an upset bid from the Cowboys. Garrett Gilbert was the fourth different starting quarterback in five games for Dallas. His first career start ended up being a lift for an offense on a team that still lost its fourth straight game without Dak Prescott.
Lamar Jackson cranked up the tempo in the second half and the Baltimore Ravens took advantage by scoring two touchdowns in a 24-10 over the Indianapolis Colts. The victory broke the NFL record for consecutive games with 20 or more points. The Ravens have done it in 31 straight to break a tie with Denver. Baltimore also has won a league-high 10 consecutive road games including the franchise's first in Indianapolis. Gus Edwards gave Baltimore the lead with a third-quarter touchdown run and Jackson gave Baltimore the record with a 9-yard scoring run early in the fourth. The Ravens also ended a streak of 20 consecutive losses when trailing at halftime.
Miami rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns in his second NFL start and the Dolphins rallied in the fourth quarter for a 34-31 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The 22-year-old Tagovailoa was on the winning end of an action-packed duel with Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, who finished with 283 yards passing and three touchdowns. Miami has now won four straight games.
The Las Vegas Raiders were the beneficiaries of another brutal finish for the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert's pass to Donald Parham Jr. for a 4-yard touchdown on the final play of the game was overturned after a replay review, and Las Vegas held on to beat LA 31-26. Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes for Las Vegas. Herbert was 26 of 42 for 326 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers, who have lost six games, all by seven points or less. Herbert's apparent touchdown pass to Parham was overturned when it was determined the tight end did not maintain possession throughout the catch.
Carolina coach Matt Rhule promised that Christian McCaffrey would get a full load against Kansas City if he was healthy. Rhule sure wasn't kidding. Starting with an opening 75-yard drive on which McCaffrey carried four times and caught a pair of passes, including the touchdown, the Panthers leaned heavily on their All-Pro running back. He wound up with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, 10 catches for 82 yards that other score, and showed no lingering effects from an ankle injury that had sidelined him the past six weeks in a 33-31 loss to the Super Bowl champions on Sunday.
Matt Ryan took advantage of Denver's thin secondary to throw three touchdown passes and the Atlanta Falcons turned back Denver's bid for a second consecutive comeback to beat the Broncos 34-27. Ryan completed 25 of 35 passes for 284 yards with one interception. The Falcons are 3-6 overall and 3-1 under interim coach Raheem Morris. Atlanta led Denver 20-3 at halftime. Drew Lock, trying to lead another fourth-quarter comeback following last week's dramatic win over the Los Angeles Chargers, threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score in the final period. The Broncos fell to 3-5.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill each went over 100 yards receiving, and the Kansas City Chiefs held on to beat Carolina 33-31 on Sunday when Panthers kicker Joey Slye missed a 67-yard field-goal attempt wide right on the final play. Christian McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown while catching 10 passes for 82 yards and another score in his return from an ankle injury. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 310 yards and two TDs with Curtis Samuel catching nine balls for 105 yards and the other score.
Dalvin Cook kept his brilliant season rolling by rushing for a career-high 206 yards and two scores on 22 carries, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 34-20 victory over the Detroit Lions. Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns, two to tight end Irv Smith Jr., in his second straight turnover-free performance. The Vikings picked up their first home win this season. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford left in the fourth quarter for concussion evaluation after taking a knee to the head during a sack. He was picked off on consecutive possessions in the third quarter. The team said he was cleared of the head injury.
Deshaun Watson had touchdown passes of 57 and 77 yards with the second one appearing to come after the play clock expired and the Houston Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-25 for their sixth straight win in the series. Jacksonville barely avoided making NFL history. The Jaguars would have become the first to allow at least 30 points in seven consecutive games in a season. Instead they will share the record with Denver and Minnesota. Jacksonville had a chance to tie it late. But rookie Jake Luton's 2-point conversion pass to DJ Chark landed at his feet.
Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes, and the banged-up Tennessee Titans never trailed in snapping a two-game skid by beating the Chicago Bears 24-17. The Titans avoided their longest skid since Tannehill took over as starting quarterback and stayed atop the AFC South going into Thursday night's division showdown against Indianapolis. They got a big help from an undermanned and struggling defense missing three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jadeveon Clowney with an injured knee days after the Titans released linebacker Vic Beasley Jr. and starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph. Nick Foles threw a pair of late TD passes for Chicago.
In NFL news:
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has signed a multiyear contract extension that will keep him tied with the team well past his 70th birthday, according a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on the condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the extension. ESPN first reported the agreement. Carroll is in his 15th NFL season as head coach and 11th in Seattle, where he's led the Seahawks to eight playoff appearances including the Super Bowl championship in the 2013 season. His previous contract ran through the end of the 2021 season after being extended in 2018. Carroll's new deal is expected to go through the 2025 season. The 69-year-old has a career regular-season record of 139-91-1 and is 150-91-1 including playoffs. He ranks 22nd on the NFL list in wins in both categories, and is three shy of matching Steve Owen, who has 153 wins, including playoffs.
A fourth-quarter touchdown run by Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson at Indianapolis set an NFL record for consecutive games with 20 or more points. The Ravens have now done it 31 times. The Denver Broncos did it 30 times with Peyton Manning from 2012-14.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford left for good in the fourth quarter Sunday against Minnesota to undergo concussion protocol after being struck in the head during a sack, a mishap that capped a very difficult week for the leader of Detroit's offense. Officials sent Stafford to the sideline after he was slow to get up from being hit by Eric Wilson and Armon Watts. Stafford was eventually walked to the locker room by two team doctors, then was removed from concussion protocol after the game.
Washington quarterback Kyle Allen left the game Sunday after hurting his left ankle in a loss to the Giants.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list Sunday after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. The team is on a bye this week and scheduled to host Houston next weekend. As long as he doesn't test positive, Mayfield could be allowed to return to practice as early as Wednesday.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this year. That extends the Crimson Tide's record of consecutive seasons with at least one week on top of the rankings to 13. Notre Dame moved up two spots to No. 2 after upsetting Clemson in a dramatic double-overtime game. It's Notre Dame's best ranking since it was No. 1 at the end of the 2012 regular season. Clemson gave up the top spot for the first time this season and fell to No. 4, behind Ohio State. Texas A&M moved up two spots to No. 5, the Aggies' best ranking since they finished fifth to end the 2012 season. Florida jumped two spots to No. 6 after beating Georgia to snap a three-game losing streak against its SEC East rival. The Bulldogs fell eight spots to a season-low 13th. No. 8 BYU, No. 9 Miami and No. 10 Indiana round out the top 10. The Hoosiers moved up three spots after beating Michigan to receive their best ranking since they were No. 10 in 1969.
MLB
The Washington Nationals are making their pitch to President-elect Joe Biden. The Nats have invited Biden to toss out the ceremonial first ball next season on opening day. Washington is scheduled to host the Mets at Nationals Park on April 1. Biden last threw out a first ball as vice president, in 2009 when the Baltimore Orioles hosted the New York Yankees on opening day at Camden Yards. William Howard Taft began the tradition of presidents throwing out the first pitch in Washington in 1910. Since then, every sitting president except Donald Trump has thrown out a first pitch when Washington had a major league franchise.
SOCCER
Valentín Castellanos had a goal and an assist, Maximiliano Moralez had two assists, and New York City FC beat the Chicago Fire 4-3 on the final day of the MLS regular season. NYCFC will play Orlando City in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Chicago, which is winless in its last six games, was eliminated from playoff contention. Castellanos ran onto a misplayed ball by Chicago’s Miguel Ángel Navarro and tapped in a roller from near the spot for the tiebreaking goal in the 77th minute.
Tom Barlow and Brian White scored about two minutes apart, and the New York Red Bulls beat Toronto FC 2-1. Barlow put away a header from point-blank range to open the scoring in the 24th minute. Sean Davis lobbed an arcing ball to Kyle Duncan, who played a header across the area to White for a tap-in goal in the 26th. New York, which has just one loss in its last seven games, will be the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 seed and play the third-seeded Columbus Crew in the conference semifinals.
NASCAR
NASCAR's most popular driver is now a Cup champion. Chase Elliott took the torch from teammate Jimmie Johnson by winning his first Cup title, driving from the back of the field to victory lane at Phoenix Raceway. The win for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet was the first since Johnson won his seventh and final crown in 2016. Elliott's car failed pre-race inspection and the penalty cost him the pole when he was sent to the rear. But he raced his way through traffic in the first stage and then took control of the championship. It was seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson's final race as a full-time NASCAR driver.
PGA
Carlos Ortiz won the Houston Open for his first PGA Tour victory and he earned every bit of it. Ortiz had to hold off Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama over the final hour at Memorial Park. Ortiz made birdie on the par-5 16th to take the lead, and he finished in style with a 20-foot birdie putt and a two-shot win. Ortiz becomes the first Mexican in 42 years to win on the PGA Tour. The victory sends him to the Masters next April. Johnson was playing for the first time since the U.S. Open after testing positive for the coronavirus.
TENNIS
Daniil Medvedev has won the Paris Masters for the first time. He beat Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in Sunday's final for his eighth career title and third at a Masters event. The third-seeded Russian secured just his second win against the fourth-seeded Zverev in seven matches. His previous victory against the imposing Russian was also in a Masters final last year in Shanghai. It was Medvedev's first final and title of the year, while Zverev was playing in his third straight final after winning back-to-back tournaments in Cologne, Germany.
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