NFL roundup: Chiefs block FG to stay unbeaten, Moody lifts 49ers
Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal blocked Broncos kicker Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired, and Kansas City escaped with a 16-14 victory over the Broncos that extended the Super Bowl champs’ winning streak to 15 games. The Chiefs had taken the lead on Harrison Butker’s field goal with 5:57 remaining, but Bo Nix and the Broncos marched back down the field. They set up Lutz for the winner, but Chenal came up the middle amid a big push by the Kansas City defensive line to get his hand on the kick. The Chiefs became only the fifth team to follow a Super Bowl triumph 9-0. The Broncos dropped to 5-5.
San Francisco 23, Tampa Bay 20
Jake Moody redeemed himself after missing three earlier field goals by booting a 44-yarder as time expired to give the San Francisco 49ers a 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in running back Christian McCaffrey’s season debut. In his first game back after being sidelined three weeks with a sprained ankle, Moody also kicked field goals of 28 and 33 yards for the defending NFC champion 49ers, who have won consecutive games for the first time this season. But the usually reliable kicker also missed wide left from 49 and 50 yards before missing wide right on a 44-yard attempt that would have given San Francisco a six-point lead with 3:09 remaining.
Pittsburgh 28, Washington 27
Russell Wilson shook off his first interception in 11 months and hit trade-deadline pickup Mike Williams for a 32-yard touchdown with less than 2 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter to lift the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 28-27 comeback victory over Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Coming off a bye, the AFC North-leading Steelers won their fourth game in a row Sunday to improve to 7-2. They are 3-0 since Wilson took over from Justin Fields as the starting QB. Wilson was 14 for 28 for 195 yards, the three TDs and the one pick. Washington led 24-14 but couldn’t hold on. It fell to 7-3.
Carolina 20, N.Y. Giants 17
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime and the Carolina Panthers made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season, beating the New York Giants 20-17 in Germany. The Giants won the coin toss to start overtime, but rookie running back Tyrone Tracy fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and Josey Jewell recovered at the 23 for the Panthers. The Giants rallied from a 17-7 deficit in the fourth quarter and forced overtime on Graham Gano’s 42-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining.
New Orleans 20, Atlanta 17
Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in his second game for New Orleans, and the Saints began Darren Rizzi’s tenure as interim coach by snapping a seven-game skid with a 20-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The 54-year-old Rizzi was given his first NFL head coaching opportunity after the firing last Monday of third-year coach Dennis Allen. Tyrann Mathieu's fourth-quarter interception and Chase Young's sack of the Falcons' Kirk Cousins in the final minute helped New Orleans protect a slim lead. The Falcons had three failed field goals in the game.
Buffalo 30, Indianapolis 20
Taron Johnson returned Joe Flacco’s first pass 23 yards for a touchdown, and Josh Allen and James Cook each scored on TD runs to lead the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills past the Indianapolis Colts 30-20. The Bills extended their winning streak to five with their first victory at Indianapolis since 1998. Allen was 22 of 37 for 280 yards with two interceptions while running eight times for 50 yards. Cook had 19 carries for 80 yards. Flacco had four turnovers — three interceptions and a fumble. He also threw for two touchdowns in his second start in place of the benched Anthony Richardson.
Philadelphia 34, Dallas 6
Jalen Hurts threw two touchdown passes and ran for a pair of scores, and the Philadelphia Eagles rolled to a 34-6 victory over the bumbling Cowboys. It was the first game since Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott tore a hamstring. Hurts shook off two sacks from Micah Parsons in the star pass rusher’s return from injury. He connected with Dallas Goedert for one of the TDs after his tight end missed three games with a hamstring issue. The Eagles took over first place in the NFC East with their fifth consecutive victory. Dallas fell to 0-4 at home in a fourth straight loss overall. Cooper Rush didn’t look anything like the replacement who went 4-1 filling in for Prescott two years ago, going 13 of 23 for just 45 yards.
L.A. Chargers 27, Tennessee 17
Justin Herbert threw for a touchdown and ran for one as the Los Angeles Chargers won their third straight game, pulling away in the second half to beat the Tennessee Titans 27-17. The Chargers have won four of five. They are the fourth team since 1990 and the first since the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs to allow 20 or fewer points in each of their first nine games. LA is 6-3. The Titans came in with the NFL’s top-ranked defense overall and against the pass but forced Los Angeles to go three-and-out only twice in nine possessions. Tennessee fell to 2-7.
Arizona 31, N.Y. Jets 6
Kyler Murray threw for 266 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores and the Arizona Cardinals won their fourth straight game by racing to a big lead and easily handling the New York Jets 31-6. The Cardinals scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives and never trailed. Murray completed 22 of 24 passes — including a franchise-record 17 in a row during one stretch — spreading the ball around to James Conner, Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Murray also ran for 21 yards. New York has lost six of seven. Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 35 passes for 151 yards.