DETROIT — Josh Allen ran for two scores in the first quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the second half, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 48-42 victory Sunday that snapped the Detroit Lions ‘ franchise-record 11-game winning streak.
The AFC East-champion Bills (11-3) have won eight of nine, taking advantage of Allen’s ability to make plays with his right arm and legs.
Allen was 23 of 34 for a season-high 362 yards with touchdown passes to Khalil Shakir and Ray Davis. The dual-threat quarterback ran 11 times for 68 yards and two scores a week after being the first NFL player to throw and run for three touchdowns in a regular-season game.
He extended a league record by throwing for multiple touchdowns and rushing for more than one score in six straight games.
Jared Goff matched a career high by throwing five touchdown passes for the NFC North-leading Lions (12-2), whose loss gives Minnesota a chance to pull into a tie for the division lead with a win against Chicago on Monday night at home.
EAGLES 27, STEELERS 13
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts threw touchdown passes to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to mute scrutiny of the Eagles’ offence, and Philadelphia won its franchise-record 10th straight game, 27-13 over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkey’s chase of the NFL season rushing record was slowed when he ran for just 65 yards on 19 carries. Barkley, who still leads the NFL with 1,688 yards, took a low hit from Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and missed most of the second quarter.
Hurts also had a rushing touchdown on a tush push for the Eagles (12-2), who were denied a shot a clinching the NFC East when Washington beat New Orleans earlier in the day. AFC North-leading Pittsburgh (10-4) lost for the second time in nine games but clinched a playoff spot thanks to losses by Miami and Indianapolis.
CHIEFS 21, BROWNS 7
CLEVELAND — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes before leaving in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, Xavier Worthy ran for a score and the Kansas City Chiefs finally didn’t have to sweat out the final minutes with a 21-7 victory over the mistake-prone Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Mahomes connected for TDs in the first half with Juju Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray as the Chiefs (13-1) built a 21-0 lead and then slogged their way through an ugly second half.
The defending Super Bowl champions have 10 wins by seven points or less, with six coming on the game’s final play.
Mahomes didn’t finish the game, leaving in the fourth quarter when he hurt his left ankle while being tackled. Carson Wentz replaced him for the final 5:23. Mahomes finished 19 of 38 for 159 yards.
The Browns (3-11) tried to put up a fight, but had six turnovers. Other than a 62-yard TD run from Jerome Ford, Cleveland had few offensive highlights and too many self-inflicted miscues.
RAVENS 35, GIANTS 14
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Lamar Jackson tied his career high by throwing five touchdown passes in a near-perfect performance that led the Baltimore Ravens to a 35-14 victory over New York on Sunday, sending the Giants and embattled co-owner John Mara to a franchise-record-tying ninth straight loss.
Jackson hit Rashod Bateman on scoring passes of 49 and 20 yards after finding tight Mark Andrews on a 13-yarder for the opening score. He also connected with Devontez Walker for a 21-yard TD and running back Justice Hill on a 27-yard catch-and-run that capped a 97-yard drive.
Coming off a bye week, the Ravens (9-5) moved closer to a playoff berth. The Giants (2-12) are winless in eight games at MetLife Stadium, putting more pressure on head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
PACKERS 30, SEAHAWKS 13
SEATTLE — Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes to Romeo Doubs and the Green Bay Packers ended Seattle’s four-game winning streak with a 30-13 victory Sunday night over the Seahawks, who lost quarterback Geno Smith to a knee injury.
Josh Jacobs ran for 94 yards and a touchdown for the Packers (10-4), who have won eight of 10. Jacobs finished with 136 yards from scrimmage and Brandon McManus kicked three field goals.
After Doubs made an impressive grab in the back of the end zone late in the fourth quarter for his second TD, Packers fans at Lumen Field chanted, “Go Pack Go!”
Smith was hit low by Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in the third quarter and threw his helmet to the ground after he limped off the field. He was replaced by Sam Howell, who had just one previous snap for the Seahawks (8-6).
Smith completed 15 of 19 passes for 149 yards, and Howell went 5 of 14 for 24 yards and a pick.
The Packers’ two losses over their last 10 have come to NFC North-leading Detroit, including a 34-31 defeat on Dec. 5, meaning the division title is likely out of reach. Green Bay has yet to clinch a playoff spot.
BUCCANEERS 40, CHARGERS 17
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Baker Mayfield threw for 288 yards and four touchdown passes, Mike Evans had a season-high 159 receiving yards and two scores and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the second half en route to a 40-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The NFC South-leading Buccaneers (8-6) trailed 17-10 late in the second quarter before scoring on five straight drives.
Evans had a 57-yard TD catch with 10:23 remaining in the third quarter to give Tampa Bay a 20-17 lead. The veteran wide receiver — who had nine receptions — then hauled in a 35-yard pass late in the quarter to extend the lead to 30-17.
Mayfield completed 22 of 27 passes and has a career-high 32 touchdowns on the season. It is the first time in his seven-year career he has eclipsed 30.
BRONCOS 31, COLTS 13
DENVER — Linebacker Nik Bonitto foiled a trick play by stepping in front of quarterback Anthony Richardson and hijacking Adonai Mitchell’s lateral pass, then racing 50 yards for a touchdown Sunday that sealed the Denver Broncos’ 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
With five takeaways, the Broncos (9-5) strengthened their grip on an AFC wild-card berth that would end a playoff drought dating to 2016. They began defense of their Super Bowl 50 title that season with a 4-0 start, which was the last time they sat four games above .500.
The Colts (6-8) blew both an early 10-0 lead and a big opportunity to tighten the AFC wild-card race.
A big reason was the tide-turning blunder by running back Jonathan Taylor, who dropped the ball milliseconds before crossing the goal line on what would have been a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Instead of lining up for the extra point to give the Colts a 20-7 lead, the touchback left the reeling Colts clinging to a six-point edge they would soon relinquish — and in such a big way.
TEXANS 20, DOLPHINS 12
HOUSTON — Nico Collins had two touchdown receptions and Houston’s defence forced four turnovers, highlighted by two fourth-quarter interceptions by Derek Stingley, to help the Texans to a 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
It’s the second straight victory for the Texans (9-5), who can clinch the AFC South title for a second straight season with a loss by the Colts later Sunday.
Collins had a 6-yard TD reception in the second quarter and his second 6-yard scoring grab made it 20-6 in the third. That score was set up by a 35-yard run by Dare Ogunbowale on a fake punt.
BENGALS 37, TITANS 27
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Joe Burrow threw for 271 yards with three touchdowns for the franchise record with 36 this season and the Cincinnati Bengals improved their faint playoff hopes by thumping the Tennessee Titans 37-27 in a sloppy game Sunday.
The Bengals (6-8) notched the 400th regular-season win in franchise history. They still need to win out to extend their streak of winning seasons to four straight no matter where they wind up in the AFC playoff chase.
They came in without starting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and lost end Sam Hubbard to an injured knee after he caught a 2-yard TD pass.
JETS 32, JAGUARS 25
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Davante Adams caught nine passes from Aaron Rodgers for 198 yards and two touchdowns — all in the second half — and the New York Jets rallied to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 32-25 to end a four-game skid Sunday.
Adams hauled in a 71-yard TD pass with 3:24 remaining and a 41-yarder that set up Breece Hall’s one-yard plunge with 1:05 to play. In between, he made a circus catch along the sideline for a first down.
It was vintage Adams, who became the 12th player in NFL history with 100 receiving touchdowns. And vintage Rodgers, who threw for 289 yards and three scores as the Jets (4-10) topped 30 points for the first time this season. The 41-year-old quarterback also led New York with 45 yards rushing.
Adams’ 100th TD grab came on a one-yard fade route in the third quarter. No. 101 was even more impressive. He streaked down the middle of the field, running past linebacker Devin Lloyd and seeing no safety help from Darnell Savage until it was too late.
COWBOYS 30, PANTHERS 14
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cooper Rush threw for 214 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes, Dallas forced four Bryce Young turnovers and sacked the second-year quarterback six times as the Cowboys defeated the Carolina Panthers 30-14 on Sunday for their third win in the past four games.
CeeDee Lamb had nine catches for 116 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown reception and Rico Dowdle ran for a career high 149 yards on 25 carries to become the first undrafted running back to surpass 100 yards rushing in three straight games since Houston’s Arian Foster.
Young, who had shown improvement in recent weeks, finished 19 of 28 for 219 yards with a career-long 83-yard touchdown toss to rookie Jalen Coker and also ran for a score. But the second-year quarterback fumbled twice and threw two interceptions to fall to 4-21 as an NFL starter.
COMMANDERS 20, SAINTS 19
NEW ORLEANS — Jayden Daniels threw two first-half touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin, and the Washington Commanders narrowly held off a rally by Spencer Rattler and the Saints, winning 20-19 on Sunday when New Orleans failed on a 2-point conversion with no time left.
Daniels, returning to play in Louisiana a year after winning the Heisman Trophy with LSU, completed 25 of 31 passes for 226 yards. He also ran for 66 yards, highlighted by a first-down scramble on third-and-14 to set up a third-quarter field goal by the recently signed Greg Joseph that put the Commanders (9-5) ahead 17-0.
But Rattler relieved starting quarterback Jake Haener and nearly carried the Saints (5-9) to victory. After Joseph missed a 54-yard field goal with 1:55 to go, Rattler led a 56-yard drive and threw a 1-yard TD pass to Foster Moreau as time expired.
Interim coach Darren Rizzi went for the win, but Rattler could not complete his pass to tightly covered tight end Juwan Johnson — and the Saints fell to 0-4 without quarterback Derek Carr, who was concussed and injured his left, non-throwing hand a week earlier.
CARDINALS 30, PATRIOTS 17
GLENDALE, Ariz. — James Conner ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns, offensive lineman Jonah Williams recovered a fumble for the first score of his NFL career and the Arizona Cardinals used a stellar defensive performance to beat the New England Patriots 30-17 on Sunday.
The win kept the Cardinals (7-7) on the fringe of the playoff hunt and snapped a three-game losing streak.
New England (3-11) has lost four straight.
The 312-pound Williams scored when he fell on a ball that was fumbled into the end zone, giving the Cardinals a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The right tackle was added to the injury report early Sunday because of an illness, but played anyway.
Chad Ryland added field goals from 49, 35 and 40 yards. Kyler Murray completed 23 of 30 passes for 224 yards, while Trey McBride caught nine passes for 87 yards.
