Seahawks’ Darnold bounces back from trio of shaky games, stands out in 2nd half against Falcons By ANDREW DESTIN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press SEATTLE
SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold and Seattle’s offense didn’t get off to the start it wanted on Sunday, though the Seahawks quarterback certainly rounded into form in the second half.
Darnold threw three touchdown passes, all in the second half, of a 37-9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. It was Darnold’s most touchdown passes in a game since Nov. 2, when the Seahawks (10-3) beat the Washington Commanders 38-14.
“We did a great job in the second half,” Darnold said, “of coming back and finishing the game strong.”
Seattle found itself deadlocked in a 6-6 tie at halftime because of the Seahawks’ inability to convert red zone chances into touchdowns. One of Jason Myers’ three field goals in the afternoon, a 22-yarder, came after Darnold tossed a pair of incompletions and a false start.
In the second half, Darnold more closely resembled the quarterback the Seahawks were used to before a three-game stretch in November in which he threw two touchdown passes against four interceptions.
Darnold passed for 182 of his 249 yards after halftime in addition to his three touchdown passes, the last of which required him to step up in the pocket before delivering a strike to the NFL’s leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, from 4 yards out. Darnold said he’s sought to become better at escaping up in the pocket, rather than up and out.
“I just felt like the other edge rushers were getting around a little bit, so I just tried to get up the middle and obviously made a play,” Darnold said. “And ‘Jax’ did a great job of getting open.”
So did plenty of other Seahawks receivers on Sunday. Five players had at least 20 yards receiving, including relative newcomer Rashid Shaheed, who had his most yards in a game (67) since the Seahawks acquired him from the New Orleans Saints ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
In Darnold’s opinion, the Seahawks’ offense, which ranks second in the NFL in points per game (29.3), is doing a fine job of moving up and down the field. That’s thanks in no small part to his play.
“I feel like we’re in a good spot,” Darnold. “We’ve just got to continue to harp on the details of everything. We know that in the locker room, and we’ll do a good job of that throughout the week.”
What’s working
All-pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon has been hampered by injuries in his third NFL season, and isn’t putting up eye-popping stats quite like he did in 2023. Witherspoon did have his first interception of the 2025 season on Sunday, though, as well as two of his five passes defended this year.
Fellow cornerback Riq Woolen commended Witherspoon for what was arguably his finest performance of the season.
“Having (Witherspoon) out there, you know he’s going to be there,” Woolen said. “He’s loud, but his play speaks for itself as well. Ball-knowers know, football players know and people around the league know that he’s a great player. When he’s out there, he’s a force multiplier.”
What needs help
Darnold has only been brought down 17 times through 13 games, but the Seahawks’ offensive line has shown some cracks as of late. He was sacked twice on Sunday after being brought down four times in a 26-0 win against the Minnesota Vikings.
Though Darnold emerged from the game relatively unscathed, keeping him upright will be paramount to the Seahawks’ prospects for the postseason in 2025.
Stock up
Not only did Shaheed have his most receiving yards in a game with the Seahawks on Sunday, but he also returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It took a few weeks, but trading for Shaheed is looking like a shrewd move with each passing week.
Stock down
Running back Kenneth Walker III was in a groove in November, rushing for at least 56 yards in four out of five games. The fourth-year tailback started December with a dud, though, galloping for just 29 yards on 10 carries. His 2.9 yards per carry were his fewest in a game since the season opener, when the 49ers’ defense limited Walker to 20 yards on 10 carries.
Injuries
TE Elijah Arroyo went down in the first half of Sunday’s game with a knee injury. Macdonald said this week is probably in jeopardy for Arroyo to play. C Jalen Sundell, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, should be back at practice this week, per Macdonald.
Key number
423 — Days in between Seahawks kickoff returns for touchdowns. Wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. – who is currently a free agent – returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown in a 36-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers last year.
Next steps
The Seahawks host two games next week. The Colts come to town on Dec. 14, and the Rams will arrive in Seattle for a key matchup with NFC West title implications on Dec. 18.
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Pete Carroll defends field goal decision after backlash from the Raiders' loss to Broncos By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Pete Carroll knows his decisions as Raiders coach are especially magnified when they affect the betting line, as happened in Sunday's 24-17 loss to Denver .
He sent Daniel Carlson onto the field to kick a 46-yard field goal with 5 seconds left, and when the ball sailed through the uprights, Las Vegas covered the 7 1/2-point spread at BetMGM Sportsbook. Other books had similar lines.
There was some swift and, in some cases, vicious reaction on social media.
In meeting with the more traditional media on Monday, Carroll said he can't be concerned about the criticism.
“I have to be rock solid on that,” Carroll said. “I can’t bend and twist and go with whatever the public sentiment is, or one person’s sentiment for that matter, regardless of who it is. I just can’t do that and do my job the right way to the best of my ability.”
The Raiders were trying desperately to come back from a two-possession deficit to the Broncos in the closing minutes, and it first appeared Carlson would never get a chance to kick the field goal.
Broncos safety Brandon Jones, however, drew a delay-of-game penalty for not allowing wide receiver Tyler Lockett to get up after a 26-yard gain. That penalty stopped the clock, and officials made the decision to go with 5 seconds remaining.
Carroll lobbied for even more time to be put on the clock.
“I was talking 10 (seconds) with the guy trying to get it back up, and I thought I’d had a chance to plead it and they might give me a shot,” Carroll said. "So that was just competing all the way as well. Fans couldn’t understand, but there was a real clear thought of what we were trying to get down there just to take it down to the very last click.
"It just didn’t work out.”
This is far from the first time Carroll has been down this road in which his decision was tied to how a point spread was affected.
While coaching New England in 1998, the Patriots benefited from a pass interference call in the end zone against Buffalo on a Hail Mary play. Tight end Ben Coates caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on the next play, and the miffed Bills left the field rather than line up to defend the extra point. Carroll then instructed Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri to take advantage of the open field for the 2-point conversion and a 25-21 victory.
“If I remember right — I don’t know how accurate this is — but there was a real uproar because the one point made a difference in the line,” Carroll said. “So I got hammered for that. I never really recovered with a bunch of people for that call, but at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do.”
What’s working
DE Maxx Crosby continues to produce, making a sack and two tackles for loss. He has five sacks and 15 TFLs over the past six games. Crosby already has broken his club single-season record with 25 tackles for loss, and there are four games left.
What needs help
Carroll already fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon , so it's uncertain how much more can be done. Poor tackling on a Broncos punt return that led to a touchdown and 14-7 lead was the turning point. There's a lot to like about the Raiders' special teams, but there have been way too many breakdowns this season that have been crucial in some of the losses.
Stock up
Backup QB Kenny Pickett completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown after replacing injured starter Geno Smith. It's obviously a small sample size, but Pickett looked more than capable of running the offense if needed. Doing as a starter, of course, is another matter.
Stock down
The Raiders couldn't get off the field defensively. Denver scored 17 points on three drives that went more than 80 yards, two 90 and longer. The time of possession on those series — 8:54, 9:13, 10:17. By the end, the Broncos had the ball for 39:03, which helped limit Las Vegas to just 48 plays. The Broncos had 40 snaps alone on the Raiders' side of the field.
Injuries
Carroll said he wouldn't know more about the status of QB Geno Smith (shoulder) “for a couple of days.” ... CB Kyu Blu Kelly (patella tendon) will be out for the foreseeable future. “We'll see how it goes and what has to take place to get him right,” Carroll said. “You notice, it was in open field. It was just a freak accident that shouldn't happen. You didn't see it buckle or anything. He just planted and sometimes that happens.”
Key number
5 — Number of consecutive games the Raiders have allowed at least four sacks and rushed for fewer than 75 yards, a first in the Super Bowl era.
Next steps
The Raiders visit defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Sunday.
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Eric Morris introduced as Oklahoma State coach, vows to revive program Gundy brought to prominence By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer The Associated Press STILLWATER, Okla.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — For years, Eric Morris admired what Mike Gundy built at Oklahoma State from afar.
As a former assistant coach at Big 12 rival Texas Tech, he learned about the high-scoring Cowboy offenses, high-level quarterback play and the long list of athletes who weren’t highly recruited but turned out to be great players.
Though this is a new and different era, Morris believes the things that made Gundy one of the winningest coaches in college football can carry over. The former North Texas coach looked to the future while respecting the past when he was introduced as Oklahoma State’s coach on Monday.
He also knew about the rowdy crowd at Boone Pickens Stadium. He looks forward to being on the right side of that homefield advantage.
“I have ringing memories of my ear and those paddles hitting ... people are screaming all kinds of things at you,” he said.
Though Oklahoma State finished with a 1-11 record, the Cowboys fans remained enthusiastic throughout the season. That continued with an overflow crowd of 1,100 at the Click Family Alumni Hall Room at the school’s alumni center.
His desire to revive the rivalry with Oklahoma that largely ended when the Sooners moved to the Southeastern Conference resonated with the crowd.
Morris likes the challenge of rebuilding a program. He took North Texas from 5-7 in his first season four years ago to the American Conference title game this season.
He also likes to develop quarterbacks. He has coached, developed or recruited Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, John Mateer, Cam Ward, Chandler Morris and Drew Mestemaker.
He credits his scrappy approach to being from small Littlefield, Texas, and being an undersized receiver at Texas Tech. He thinks those qualities will help make him a fit in Stillwater.
“You’re so much more proud of the things that I think that we do the hard way,” he said. “And so I believe in doing things the hard way in a tough and gritty way.”
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Shough's growth, steady defense and roster-wide effort had Saints coach Kellen Moore smiling By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rookie Tyler Shough took another important step in his growth as an NFL quarterback by showing he could improvise effectively under pressure and in the clutch.
New Orleans’ defense continued to show it could consistently put forth solid performances highlighted by multiple fourth-down stops and an interception.
Not only did it add up to a surprising victory on the road and in the rain at NFC South-leading Tampa Bay , but it provided coach Kellen Moore evidence that his players haven't quit on him during his difficult first season in charge.
“This was a big-time example of having awesome guys on our team,” Moore said Monday after reviewing video of New Orleans' 24-20 triumph. “You have every reason to get distracted when you have the record that we have, and for them to prepare and put themselves in a really good position to be successful on Sunday was awesome.”
The victory was just the third for the Saints (3-10), who still need three more victories to improve on their 5-12 mark in 2024.
“Resiliency is part of the NFL,” said Moore, who was the offensive coordinator for the 2024 champion Philadelphia Eagles last season. “It's an important aspect for our guys to be able to cope with it and navigate it individually and collectively as well.”
As for Shough, his passing numbers were a relatively modest 13 of 20 for 144 yards without a touchdown and one interception. But he also ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns — and his second score came on a play in which he escaped what looked like an imminent sack .
“His legs obviously came alive and became a huge impact on this game, which we needed in those conditions,” Moore said.
“We always look at the throwing aspect of it, but I think it's all the other little things,” Moore said, such as understanding the blocking assignments and recognizing potential matchup issues.
“You have to factor in all this mental part of it and then you have to go execute the play at a high level,” Moore said.
The Bucs outgained the Saints in total yards, but the Saints kept Bucs QB Baker Mayfield's passing game in check and got some pivotal stops. They also made plays on special teams, including Mason Tipton's 54-yard kickoff return, which helped set up a TD.
“When you look down the sideline and see the energy that we're playing with, I think that's what says a lot about this group of guys,” Tipton said. “It was a rainy day, tough conditions, but you just got to see the grit that everybody plays with.”
What’s working
Defensively, the Saints now rank sixth in the NFL against the pass. After limiting Mayfield to 14 completions on 30 attempts for 122 yards passing, New Orleans is giving up an average of 182.6 yards per game through the air.
What needs help
The Saints' defense was unusually porous against the run at Tampa Bay, giving up a season-high 179 yards on the ground. Some of that had to do with Mayfield's scrambling. He rushed for 42 yards.
Stock up
In addition to Shough, rookie running back Devin Neal contributed 84 yards and a touchdown from scrimmage, with 70 yards on the ground to go with a 14-yard catch.
“I love his energy. I love his juice,” Moore said of Neal.
“One of the most impressive aspects, being a young guy, is how prepared he is," Moore added. "Protections is usually the thing that keeps all these young guys off the field earlier in their careers as running backs — and that's the least of our problems with him.”
Meanwhile, defensive end Carl Granderson made two tackles behind the line of scrimmage — one of them on fourth and 1.
Stock down
While Taysom Hill remains a main cog on special teams, he struggled to contribute offensively for a second straight game. He rushed twice for minus-1 yard and was unable to catch either of just two passes thrown his way.
Injuries
Running back Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle), right tackle Taliese Fuaga (ankle), and safety Justin Reid (knee) will continue rehabbing injuries this week that kept them all out of the lineup in Tampa Bay.
Key number
28 — The number of consecutive games in which the Saints have scored just seven or fewer first-quarter points. They are 6-22 in those games, during which they have been held scoreless in the first quarter 15 times.
Next steps
The Saints host Carolina on Sunday for their final meeting this season with the Panthers, who entered this week tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South.
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Baltimore's Harbaugh still miffed by reversals: 'About as clear as mud right now' By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer The Associated Press BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (AP) — A day later, John Harbaugh still wasn't satisfied with the way the NFL determines if a catch has been made.
“It’s about as clear as mud right now," the Baltimore coach said.
The Ravens lost their biggest game of the season Monday, 27-22 to the Pittsburgh Steelers . Two replay reviews went against Baltimore in the fourth quarter. One of them turned an interception into a Pittsburgh catch, and the other changed a touchdown by the Ravens into an incompletion.
Harbaugh said Monday he and general manager Eric DeCosta had spoken to the league.
“It didn’t clear anything up. It didn’t make it any easier to understand in either one of the two calls,” Harbaugh said. “They’re very hard to understand how they get overturned, but they did, and that’s where it stands.”
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was ruled to have caught his own pass and been down by contact before losing control of the ball and having it intercepted by a Raven. Then Isaiah Likely lost a TD when the ball was knocked away from him after both his feet landed in the end zone, but before he completed an additional step.
Harbaugh said the league did acknowledge a mistake on a second-quarter penalty on Baltimore that occurred when the Steelers were attempting a field goal. Travis Jones was called for unnecessary roughness, giving Pittsburgh a first down. The Steelers scored a touchdown on the next play to go up 17-3.
“The Travis Jones call, they told me, and they told me I had permission to state this, that it was a wrong call,” Harbaugh said. “It should not have been called.”
Now Baltimore (6-7) is playing catch-up again. The Ravens staggered to a 1-5 start thanks in part to an injury to Lamar Jackson. Then they won five in a row, but the star quarterback didn't look totally healthy and the offense was out of sorts. Now they've lost two straight divisional games at home, and next week's prime-time visit to Cincinnati feels like a must-win.
Baltimore is just a game behind Pittsburgh (7-6) atop the AFC North, and the teams meet again in Week 18. But if the Ravens fall to the Bengals, they would need the Steelers to lose to Cleveland to have any shot at winning a tiebreaker with Pittsburgh.
What's working
Baltimore’s offense still settled for too many field goals, but Jackson and Derrick Henry looked a little more like themselves in the second half. The Ravens finished with 420 yards of offense, their highest total since Week 1.
What needs help
The Baltimore offensive line still has plenty of issues, but the defensive front was a concern in this game. The pass rush against the 42-year-old Rodgers wasn't nearly good enough. He wasn't sacked a single time and had enough time to revive a downfield passing game that had been dormant for Pittsburgh.
Kyle Van Noy has just two sacks this season for the Ravens after posting 12 1/2 last season.
Stock up
Likely hasn't had a particularly good season, but he was a factor in this game, scoring a third-quarter touchdown and nearly adding a game winner late in the fourth.
Stock down
Tyler Loop missed an extra point and wasn't great on kickoffs. Mark Andrews had only one catch in his first game after agreeing to a three-year extension .
Injury
Keaton Mitchell's 55-yard run in the third quarter gave Baltimore a much-needed jolt, but he left with a knee injury. With Justice Hill also out, the Ravens are running out of rushing options besides Henry, who had 94 yards on a season-high 25 carries.
Harbaugh did say Mitchell was day to day.
“We got good news," he said.
Key number
The Ravens lost at home for the fifth time this season, tying a franchise record set in 2015. Baltimore has one home game left, against New England in two weeks.
Up next
The Ravens take on the Bengals on Sunday, just 2 1/2 weeks after losing 32-14 to them at home.
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Ravens lose grasp on first place when Likely TD turns into a drop By DAVID GINSBURG Associated Press The Associated Press BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (AP) — Isaiah Likely clasped his hands around the football in the end zone and took a couple of steps forward. The referee signaled a touchdown, and the Baltimore Ravens and their fans began to celebrate the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter of a pivotal game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
An instant later, the touchdown call was overturned. A replay review showed Likely lost control of the ball before taking a third step with it, and the incomplete pass turned out to be a significant factor in Baltimore's 27-22 defeat Sunday.
In a season that hasn't remotely met expectations, the Ravens were dealt another devastating blow by a very close and controversial call.
At first glance, it appeared as if Likely held the ball long enough before Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr. knocked if from the tight end's grasp. That's certainly how Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson saw it.
“If you were on the field with us, I believe you’d have thought it was a touchdown, too,” Jackson said afterward. “But I can’t do the ref’s job. So, it is what it is.”
Heck, even Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers was getting ready to get on the field in comeback mode.
“I was thinking, we got to put a drive together," Rodgers said. “And then they moved the ball back, and they’re lining up for the next play.”
The definition of a catch is not common knowledge, but the refs were on top of it.
NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth said: “The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down. The third step is an act common to the game, and before he could get his third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”
The call came on a first down play from the Pittsburgh 13 with 2:43 remaining and the score 27-22. Jackson still had three more chances to get the ball in the end zone, but his fourth down pass from the 8 fell incomplete.
“We wanted it to be a touchdown, but unfortunately it wasn’t,” Jackson said. “So we just tried to do what we could to drive the ball down the field and put points on the board.”
Baltimore got the ball back one more time just after the two-minute warning, but the game ended with Jackson being sacked at the Pittsburgh 38. With the defeat, the Ravens (6-7) fell a game behind the rival Steelers for first place in the AFC North.
Things might have been different had Likely maintained his grip on the ball.
“You’ve got to live with the ref’s call,” Likely said.
That wasn't the only call that failed to go Baltimore's way. Earlier in the fourth quarter, Rodgers was seemingly intercepted on a batted ball that went high in the air and was grabbed by Rodgers and Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan. Officials called it an interception, then decided that Rodgers had possession when his knee hit the ground.
“The offense had initial control of the ball and ended up being down by contact,” Butterworth said.
Two close calls, both of which did not work out for Baltimore, contributed heavily to dropping the Ravens below .500 and a game out of first place.
“We still have four games left. We can still turn it around, I believe,” Jackson said.
But when asked his level of frustration at this point in a disappointing season, he quickly replied, “Through the roof!”
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Broncos beat Raiders 24-17 to extend winning streak to 10 games as Geno Smith injured By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press LAS VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (AP) — This wasn't a typical Broncos game. For the first time this season, they didn't trail, and the final minutes were not overly stressful.
What was typical? They won again.
Bo Nix passed for 212 yards and rushed for a touchdown, and Denver extended its winning streak to 10 games, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 24-17 on Sunday, a score that wasn't reflective of the Broncos' dominance.
“It did not feel like some of these other (games) recently,” coach Sean Payton said. “My headset was off earlier.”
The Raiders lost quarterback Geno Smith , who injured his right hand and shoulder in the third quarter and was replaced by Kenny Pickett. Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll said Smith's hand was cut and his shoulder “really locked up” but there didn't appear to be significant damage.
The Broncos (11-2) appear to be on the verge of ending Kansas City's nine-year reign in the AFC West, and they tied idle New England for the top seed in the conference. Denver owns the tiebreaker because of its 6-0 record against common opponents; the Patriots lost to the Raiders.
The Broncos ended their NFL record of rallying for nine consecutive victories — this time, they only had to pull away from an early 7-7 tie. Denver has its best record through 13 games since 2013.
The Broncos have their skeptics, however, given how many victories they've had to eke out, and beating up on the free-falling Raiders likely won't silence the doubters.
“Ten in a row's a long streak,” Nix said. “You want to be appreciative of this opportunity and appreciative of the wins no matter how they come. But at the same time, we're always looking to get better.”
The Raiders (2-11) have lost seven in a row and 11 of 12. Las Vegas also has lost 11 consecutive divisional games, the league's longest active skid.
Statistics pointed to a potential mismatch with the Broncos bringing in a top-five defense against a Raiders offense that's at or near the bottom of several statistical categories. Denver held the ball for 39:03 and gained 356 yards with 27 first downs. The Raiders had 229 yards and 16 first downs.
Nix was highly efficient, completing 31 of 38 passes.
Nik Bonitto had two sacks, giving him 12 1/2 for the season. He is the first Denver player with double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons since Von Miller did it five straight times from 2014-18.
Smith was 13 of 21 for 116 yards and a touchdown. Pickett completed 8 of 11 passes for 96 yards and a TD.
“I've seen a lot of Kenny in practice,” Carroll said. “He's active, he's quick, he's really athletic, he's a good thinker, he's clearly a competitive guy. I see nothing but positive stuff. I'm coaching the hell out of him because I want him to be ready if the opportunity pops.”
Maxx Crosby had two tackles for loss, giving him 25 for the season to break his team record of 23 set three years ago.
Each team had just one possession in the first quarter — and made them count.
The Broncos opened with a 14-play, 81-yard drive that took 8:54, with Nix running in from 8 yards to complete the series. Then the Raiders took the remaining time off the clock, with Smith hitting Brock Bowers for a 15-yard TD.
That was the first opening-series touchdown the Broncos have allowed this season. It also was the first opening Las Vegas drive to go the distance since the first game at New England.
Both offenses had their difficulties in the second quarter, with the only score coming on a 48-yard punt return for a touchdown by Denver's Marvin Mims Jr.
RJ Harvey's 3-yard scoring run late in the third period gave Denver what seemed like an almost insurmountable two-touchdown lead. Harvey has five TD runs this season and four through the air.
Bad beat for Broncos
Daniel Carlson's 46-yard field goal on the final play gave a particularly nasty beat to Broncos bettors. Denver was favored by 7 1/2 points at BetMGM Sportsbook.
Carlson would never have had a shot at the field goal if Broncos safety Brandon Jones hadn't drawn a delay-of-game penalty for not allowing wide receiver Tyler Lockett to get up after a 26-yard gain. That penalty stopped the clock with 5 seconds remaining.
“We're going to run the clock out,” Payton said. “That wasn't real smart.”
Injuries
Broncos: DT D.J. Jones (ankle) and TE Nate Adkins (knee) did not play.
Raiders: CB Kyu Blu Kelly (knee), who leads the team with three interceptions, was injured early in the second quarter. ... TE Ian Thomas (calf) was hurt in the fourth quarter. ... TE Michael Mayer (ankle) and WRs Alex Bachman (thumb) and Dont’e Thornton Jr. (concussion) did not play.
Up next
Broncos: Host Green Bay next Sunday.
Raiders: Visit Philadelphia next Sunday.
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The Joe Burrow boost in Cincinnati proves short-lived as Bengals drop to 4-9 By JONAH BRONTSTEIN Associated Press The Associated Press ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Joe Burrow boost to Cincinnati’s playoff aspirations lasted but a week.
In his second game after missing 10 weeks with a toe injury, Burrow threw interceptions on consecutive pass attempts in the fourth quarter, and the Bengals squandered a 10-point lead in a 39-34 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday that greatly diminished their postseason outlook.
Having revitalized their chances when Burrow returned to lead Cincinnati in a 32-14 victory at Baltimore on Thanksgiving, the Bengals (4-9) are now all but eliminated from contention for a wild-card playoff spot. As for the AFC North race, they trail the Pittsburgh Steelers by three games with four games left.
“I’m just happy to be out there,” a melancholy Burrow said after losing for the first time in nine starts dating last season.
“We want to win games and be in the playoffs and do everything that we say we are capable of doing,” Burrow said. “But when I came back, I knew it was going to be an uphill battle. We were 3-8 at that point. That’s certainly not a playoff-caliber position to be in.”
As well as Burrow played through 3 1/2 quarters in staking the Bengals to a 28-18 lead, the wheels fell off late.
After Josh Allen ran for a 40-yard touchdown to get Buffalo within three, Burrow threw interceptions on consecutive snaps from scrimmage. The first was returned 63 yards for a touchdown by Christian Benford, who leaped to pick off Burrow's lob attempt to Ja’Marr Chase.
“Could’ve thrown it higher, I guess,” Burrow said.
Next up, Burrow had his pass tipped by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and A.J. Epenesa picked it off, leading to another Bills touchdown.
Burrow's interceptions were his first this season, and he finished 26 of 35 passing for 284 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Tee Higgins.
“We were in a great spot and I thought (Benford) just made an outstanding play,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s very rare that you see a guy have that awareness the way we were attacking him there and make a play.”
Perhaps it was too much to ask of Burrow to salvage a season in which Cincinnati went 1-8 without him.
The Bengals' defense allowed 416 yards, including 248 in the second half. Cincinnati dropped to 3-3 this season when scoring 30 points.
“We knew it was an explosive offense,” Taylor said. “They are capable of scoring 40 points. That’s what they do to people. They got us there in the fourth quarter.”
Higgins returned after missing a game with a concussion, and he was twice evaluated for concussions on Sunday.
“I’m a solider,” Higgins said, noting he passed both concussion tests. “Soldiers take hits. It happens. It’s football."
The Bengals are guaranteed to finish with their fewest wins since going 4-11-1 in 2020, Burrow's rookie year.
“Obviously we are not where we want to be as a team or organization, 4-9 is not good. But we’ve got four games to go and show high-level execution, high-level playmaking,” Burrow said. “I’m going to relish the opportunity to go out and play with these guys and continue to try and put on a show for everybody watching.”
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Shedeur Sanders' first 300-yard game not enough as key mistakes prevent Browns from beating Titans By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CLEVELAND
CLEVELAND (AP) — It took only three starts for Shedeur Sanders to get his first 300-yard passing game in the NFL. However, it didn't end up giving the Cleveland Browns a victory.
Sanders passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score, but an interception in the third quarter and a pair of miscues on 2-point conversions loomed large as the Tennessee Titans held on for a 31-29 victory Sunday.
“He fought throughout the game, which we knew he would," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "With any young player, there’s going to ups and downs, and I thought there were some really, really, really good moments. He’ll keep learning from some of the plays that he wants back, but some really good moments.”
Sanders, who fell to the fifth round in the draft, completed 23 of 42 passes. The 364 passing yards are the second-most by a rookie QB picked 144th overall or later since 1966. Jacksonville's Gardner Minshew, the 178th pick in 2019, passed for 374 yards against Carolina.
The NFL said Sanders joined Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the only rookie QBs with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a rushing score in a game.
He also joined Cam Newton (2011 with Carolina), Tom Ramey (1987 with New England) and Vinny Testaverde (1987 with Tampa Bay) as the only quarterbacks to throw for at least 350 yards and two touchdowns passes along with a rushing TD in at least one of his first three career starts.
It was the 10th 300-yard game by a Browns rookie QB, and the first since Baker Mayfield had 376 yards in the 2018 regular-season finale at Baltimore.
The Browns had four pass plays of at least 30 yards, their most since last year's Monday night game at Denver in Week 13. In three starts, Sanders has eight of the Browns' 10 pass plays of at least 30 yards.
Sanders’ father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, was in attendance. Coach Prime was at his son’s first NFL start on Nov. 23 at Las Vegas, but missed last week’s home game against San Francisco.
Sanders' best pass of the day was a 60-yard touchdown to Jerry Jeudy with 2:47 remaining in the second quarter to put the Browns up 17-14. Sanders threw a well-timed ball on a post route to Jeudy, who hauled it in at the Titans 41 and outraced Darrell Baker and Amani Hooker to the end zone.
It also showed that Sanders and Jeudy are developing more of a rapport after the two had a sideline spat last week against San Francisco that was shown on television.
“Obviously me and Jerry had that dispute or whatever last week. But I have faith in him, he has faith in me, and everybody put everything aside,” Sanders said. “It was truly exciting being able to connect with him, because I know the season hasn’t gone the way he wanted to this year."
Sanders was 9 of 14 for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He struggled in the third quarter, going 3 of 10 for 47 yards and an interception before nearly rallying Cleveland in the fourth with a rushing touchdown and a 7-yard TD pass to Harold Fannin Jr. after falling behind 31-17.
Besides the interception, which came on a scramble and was just heaved into the middle of the field before it was picked off, Sanders fumbled the exchange from center Luke Wypler on the first 2-point attempt. Wypler came in at center during the third quarter after starter Ethan Pocic suffered what could be a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.
Sanders, though, was not on the field for the second and potential tying 2-point conversion. Running back Quinshon Judkins lined up to take the direct snap and appeared as if he was going to pitch it to wide receiver Gage Larvadain on an end around.
The pitch never happened, and Judkins' pass was batted away, allowing the Titans to hold on for only their second win of the season.
“I would wish I would always have the ball in my hand, but that’s not what football is,” Sanders said. "I know we practiced something, and we executed it in practice, and we just didn’t seem to this day. So, I would never go against, you know, kind of like what the call was or anything.”
Cam Ward, the top pick in April's draft, saw Sanders on the field postgame after the two trained together leading up to the draft.
Other Titans also were impressed with Sanders' performance, which happened on a snowy day on Cleveland's lakefront with conditions not suitable for passing.
“He’s a competitor, man. He’s been a competitor his whole life," defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said. "I told him that’s his team now, and you’re going to be a star in this league.”
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No longer an MVP contender, Baker Mayfield says 'we should be frustrated' after Bucs' latest loss By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — As the final seconds ticked off the clock, a frustrated Baker Mayfield lingered on the bench for a moment before standing and making his way to the Tampa Bay locker room.
Sunday's 24-20 loss to lowly division rival New Orleans dropped the Buccaneers (7-6) into a tie with Carolina for first place in the NFC South. The veteran quarterback, who refused to cite steady rain as a factor in a subpar offensive performance, didn't try to mask his disappointment.
The Bucs don't have a lot of time to dwell on what's gone wrong during a stretch in which they've lost five of seven following a 5-1 start. The four-time defending division champions host Atlanta on Thursday night before facing the Panthers twice over the last three weeks of the season.
“We should be frustrated about this loss,” said Mayfield, who's no longer a contender for MVP after Tampa Bay's recent swoon. “We should take it out on Thursday night.”
Mayfield threw a first-half touchdown pass to Bucky Irving, but his third-quarter interception — Tampa Bay's only turnover — led to Tyler Shough's 34-yard TD run. The Saints' defense also frustrated Tampa Bay by stopping the Bucs on fourth-and-short five times.
“Got to be able to get a yard in those short-yardage situations. That's just flat-out,” said Mayfield, who finished 14 of 30 for 122 yards.
“We couldn't make a fourth-down play," coach Todd Bowles concurred. “That's disheartening.”
Adding to the Bucs' woes was a key drop by rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was terrific during Tampa Bay's fast start and leads the team in receptions (54), receiving yards (806) and touchdowns (six) with injuries sidelining Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan for much of the season.
Egbuka was targeted nine times Sunday, finishing with two catches for 15 yards. A potential game-tying TD pass glanced off his hands in the end zone late in the fourth quarter, with the Bucs later settling for a field goal that trimmed New Orleans' lead to 24-20 with just under five minutes remaining.
“Didn't execute. When you don't do that, it's hard to win, no matter who you're playing. ... I can't help but feel like I let (the team) down today,” Egbuka said. “I'm on this team for one reason, and it's to catch the ball, and I didn't.”
Mayfield didn't point fingers.
“Mek is a professional. Obviously, he's going to beat himself up about that. Afterwards I went up to him and told him: ‘The ball is going to find you again ... when we get it back, so we’re gonna need you,'” Mayfield said. “It's just the nature of the game. Telling people to catch the ball doesn't do anything. They're not trying to drop it.”
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