The Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas — Greg Zuerlein kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired, and the Dallas Cowboys overcame four fumbles and a 20-point deficit in the first quarter to beat the Atlanta Falcons 40-39 in coach Mike McCarthy’s home debut Sunday.
The Falcons were still up 15 in the fourth quarter before Dak Prescott became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 400 yards (450 total) and rush for three touchdowns in the same game, getting the Cowboys (1-1) within two.
C.J. Goodwin recovered the onside kick with 1:48 remaining, and rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb’s 24-yard catch got the Cowboys in field goal position so they could run down the clock.
Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes, two off lost fumbles from the Cowboys, on the way to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter. But the Falcons couldn’t avoid their first 0-2 start under coach Dan Quinn in a performance reminiscent of their blown 28-3 lead in a Super Bowl loss to New England in Houston.
Ryan had 273 yards passing after getting 450 in an opening loss to Seattle.
49ers 31, Jets 13
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Raheem Mostert ran for an 80-yard touchdown on San Francisco’s first play from scrimmage and Jimmy Garoppolo threw two TD passes — before both players sat out the second half with injuries — and the banged-up 49ers rolled past the inept New York Jets 31-13 on Sunday.
It was a costly victory for San Francisco, which was already short-handed before losing Garoppolo to an ankle injury and Mostert to an injured knee. Defensive end Nick Bosa and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas were both carted off the field two plays apart with left knee injuries in the first quarter. The 49ers later said Bosa had a torn ACL.
The 49ers (1-1) also came in without star tight end George Kittle (knee), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (foot), cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) and defensive end Dee Ford (neck).
It didn’t matter against the woeful Jets (0-2).
Packers 42, Lions 21
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Jones rushed for a career-high 168 yards and scored three touchdowns, including a 75-yard breakaway, as the Green Bay Packers rallied from an early 11-point deficit to beat the Detroit Lions 42-21 on Sunday.
Jones also had a team-high 68 yards receiving on four catches as the Packers won their home opener for an eighth consecutive year.
Aaron Rodgers was 18 of 30 for 240 yards with touchdown passes to Jones and Robert Tonyan.
One week after blowing a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 27-23 loss to the Chicago Bears, the Lions allowed an 11-point advantage to vanish by halftime.
Rams 37, Eagles 19
PHILADELPHIA — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Philadelphia Eagles 37-19 on Sunday.
Goff completed his first 13 passes, including a pair of TDs to Higbee, and the Rams jumped to a 21-3 lead minutes into the second quarter.
After the Eagles (0-2) pulled within one score, Goff’s 28-yard TD pass to Higbee in the fourth iced it for Los Angeles (2-0).
Goff finished 20 of 27 for 242 yards. Carson Wentz was 26 of 43 for 242 yards and two interceptions. The Rams gained 449 total yards, including 191 on the ground.
Titans 33, Jaguars 30
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 49-yard field goal with 1:36 left, and the Tennessee Titans remained undefeated after holding off the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-30 Sunday.
Gostkowski, who hit the left upright on an extra point, also made a 51-yarder at the end of the first half after an ugly performance in the opener. Jeffery Simmons batted a pass by Gardner Minshew, and Harold Landry III grabbed the ball out of the air with 47 seconds left to seal the victory.
This is the Titans’ first 2-0 start since 2008. Ryan Tannehill threw for 239 yards and four touchdowns. The Titans sacked Minshew twice and picked him off twice.
Minshew finished throwing for 339 yards and three TDs for the Jaguars (1-1).
Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady got his first win with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, throwing for 217 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a 31-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
With another recent acquisition, Leonard Fournette, rushing for 103 yards and two TDs, Brady rebounded from a less-than-stellar debut for his new team.
Brady completed 23 of 35 passes, and Mike Evans finished with seven receptions for 104 yards. Fournette averaged 8.6 yards per carry on 12 rushing attempts.
Teddy Bridgewater was 33 of 42 for 367 yards and two interceptions for the Panthers (0-2), who had four turnovers.
Colts 28, Vikings 11
INDIANANPOLIS — Jonathan Taylor looked right at home in his first NFL start.
He made Sunday’s hefty workload look pretty easy, too.
The 21-year-old running back rushed 26 times for 101 yards and scored a touchdown in his first NFL start, leading the Indianapolis Colts (1-1) past Minnesota 28-11.
Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins had a 0.0 passer rating late into the third quarter and finished 11 of 26 with 113 yards and three interceptions. He was also tackled in the end zone for a safety for the second straight week.
Steelers 26, Broncos 21
PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger threw for 311 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and the Pittsburgh Steelers fended off a spirited comeback by the Denver Broncos 26-21 on Sunday.
The Steelers (2-0) knocked out Denver starting quarterback Drew Lock in the first quarter with a right shoulder injury. They didn’t secure the win until safety Terrell Edmunds sacked Broncos backup Jeff Driskel on fourth-and-2 with less than two minutes to go.
Driskel completed 18 of 34 for 256 yards with two touchdowns and a pick, and absorbed a serious pounding at the hands of Pittsburgh’s defense.
Bears 17, Giants 13
CHICAGO — Mitchell Trubisky threw two touchdown passes and the Chicago Bears hung on to beat the New York Giants 17-13 on Sunday.
The Bears (2-0) grabbed a 17-0 halftime lead and withstood a big push a week after rallying from 17 down at Detroit for their first season-opening win in seven years.
The Giants (0-2) refused to go quietly even though they lost star running back Saquon Barkley to a right knee injury on the opening play of the second quarter.
Trubisky completed 18 of 28 passes for 190 yards and was intercepted twice. Daniel Jones threw for 241 yards and an interception for the Giants.
Bills 31, Dolphins 28
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Josh Allen threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns, both career highs, and the Buffalo Bills beat AFC East rival Miami for the fourth consecutive time Sunday, 31-28.
Allen reached a career high in yards passing for the second week in a row, and became the first Buffalo (2-0) quarterback to have back-to-back 300-yard games since Drew Bledsoe in 2002.
Ryan Fitzpatrick went 31 for 47 for 328 yards and two TDs for Miami (0-2).
Late games
In games Sunday afternoon, the Cardinals beat Washington 30-15, the Ravens beat the Texans 33-16 and the Chiefs beat the Chargers 23-20 in overtime.
