The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Matt Ryan shredded Carolina’s defense, passing for a team-record 503 yards and four touchdowns, Julio Jones had 12 receptions for a Falcons-record 300 yards, and Atlanta beat the struggling Panthers 48-33 on Sunday.
One week after being held to one catch in a win at New Orleans, Jones had a 75-yard scoring catch late in the game as Atlanta solidified its early hold on the NFC South lead.
The totals by Ryan and Jones are the most ever allowed by Carolina.
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton left the game in the fourth quarter and was evaluated for concussion symptoms after taking a hit from Deion Jones on a successful 2-point run. There appeared to be helmet-to-helmet contact but there was no penalty on the hit.
The Panthers scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including scoring passes from Newton’s replacement, Derek Anderson, to tight end Greg Olsen and Corey Brown.
Robert Alford’s 30-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:14 remaining clinched the win. Alford picked off another pass from Anderson to end Carolina’s final possession.
The Falcons (3-1) began the day leading the NFL in scoring and total offense. They were rarely stopped by Carolina, even when pinned back close to their own goal line. They scored touchdowns after beginning drives on their 2- and 1-yard lines.
Carolina (1-3) has lost two straight. Newton was sacked only once after being sacked eight times in last week’s loss to Minnesota, but the Panthers’ running game struggled as Jonathan Stewart was held out with a hamstring injury.
Bills 16, Patriots 0
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Buffalo took advantage of sloppy, Tom Brady-less New England to hand the Patriots their first home shutout at Gillette Stadium, winning 16-0 Sunday.
It was the first loss of the season for New England (3-1). The Patriots, who moved into Gillette Stadium in 2002, were last blanked at home 6-0 by the New York Jets in 1993 at Foxboro Stadium.
Tyrod Taylor connected with LeSean McCoy for a 7-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, Dan Carpenter added three field goals for Buffalo (2-2).
After struggling to maintain drives and finding a run-pass balance, Taylor was spot-on Sunday. He finished 27 for 39 for 246 yards, and directed a unit that was 7 for 15 on third downs.
Brissett made his second consecutive start in place of Jimmy Garoppolo (sore right shoulder).
Raiders 28, Ravens 27
BALTIMORE — Derek Carr threw four touchdown passes, the last to Michael Crabtree with 2:12 left, and the Raiders beat the previously undefeated Baltimore Ravens 28-27 on Sunday.
After the Ravens rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to go ahead with 3 ½ minutes remaining, Carr directed a 66-yard drive that ended with a 23-yard strike to Crabtree in the back of the end zone for (3-1) Oakland.
Carr went 25 for 35 for 199 yards. Three of his TD passes were to Crabtree, who finished with seven catches for 88 yards.
The Ravens (3-1) trailed 14-3 in the second quarter and 21-12 with 11:11 to go before coming back.
Texans 27, Titans 20
HOUSTON — Will Fuller had a tiebreaking 67-yard punt return for a touchdown and the Houston Texans earned a 27-20 win over the Tennessee Titans.
Fuller also had 81 yards receiving and a touchdown for Houston (3-1).
Tennessee (1-3) was driving with less than two minutes remaining, but Marcus Mariota’s pass to former Texan Andre Johnson on fourth down was broken up to secure the victory.
The Texans squandered an early 14-point lead and their offense was struggling in the second half when Fuller took the first return of his career for a touchdown.
Redskins 31, Browns 20
LANDOVER, Md. — Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, including two to tight end Jordan Reed, and the Washington Redskins cashed in on several trips to the red zone to beat the Cleveland Browns 31-20 on Sunday.
The Redskins (2-2) scored four red zone touchdowns against the Browns (0-4) after going 3 for 14 in their first three games of the season.
Bears 17, Lions 14
CHICAGO — Brian Hoyer threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns, and the Chicago Bears earned their first win of the season with a 17-14 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Bears (1-3) got a win after starting 0-3 for the second time in as many seasons under coach John Fox.
They also stopped a six-game home losing streak as well as a six-game slide against Detroit (1-3), though things got tight near the end.
Chicago was leading 17-6 when Andre Roberts returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown. Golden Tate then caught a 2-point conversion pass from Matthew Stafford to cut it to 17-14 with 1:52 left, but the Bears recovered the onside kick.
Jaguars 30, Colts 27
LONDON — The Jacksonville Jaguars pulled out a gutsy 30-27 victory Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts despite conceding three fourth-quarter touchdowns to Andrew Luck and Frank Gore.
Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles finished 19 of 33 for 207 yards and three sacks, Luck went 27 of 42 for 234 yards, two TDs, six sacks and a costly first-quarter pick for the Colts (1-3).
Luck’s fourth-and-1 pass at the Jacksonville 49 with 1:36 remaining fell from the hands of tight end Dwayne Allen to preserve the victory for Jaguars (1-3) coach Gus Bradley.
Cowboys 24, 49ers 17
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Ezekiel Elliott ran for 138 yards and a touchdown and Dak Prescott threw for two scores to help the Dallas Cowboys overcome an early 14-point deficit to beat the San Francisco 49ers 24-17 on Sunday.
The Cowboys (3-1)Prescott threw for 245 yards and had a 20-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Williams and a 4-yarder to Brice Butler to tie the game at the half.
Elliott then took over with 96 yards rushing in the second half, including a 1-yard run that gave Dallas the lead for good late in the third quarter.
Blaine Gabbert finished 16 for 23 for 196 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Niners (1-3).
He had a chance to lead a late tying drive but he threw a 3-yard pass to Torrey Smith on fourth-and-6 from the Dallas 35 to end hopes at a comeback.
Saints 35, Chargers 34
SAN DIEGO — Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes in the final 4 minutes, 50 seconds to rally the New Orleans Saints to a stunning 35-34 victory on Sunday against Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, who blew a 13-point lead by committing two crucial turnovers.
Brees overcome two interceptions to win in his return to San Diego, where he played his first five NFL seasons before being allowed to leave as a free agent.
It was also the first win this season for the Saints (1-3).
With the Chargers trying to protect a 34-21 lead, Melvin Gordon fumbled and Darryl Tapp recovered at the San Diego 13, setting up Brees’ 5-yard TD pass to Michael Thomas on fourth-and-2 to pull to 34-28 with 4:50 to go.
Travis Benjamin then fumbled after a reception and Nate Stupar recovered at the San Diego 31. Seven plays later, fullback John Kuhn scored his third TD of the game, on a 1-yard run. The PAT made it 35-34.
Rivers, who was Brees’ understudy for his first two NFL seasons, was intercepted by B.W. Webb with 1:10 to go.
It was the third time this season the Chargers (1-3) blew a late lead.
Rams 17, Cardinals 13
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tavon Austin returned a punt 47 yards to set up Case Keenum’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Brian Quick with 2:41 to play, and the Los Angeles Rams improved to 3-1 for the first time in a decade with a 17-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Arizona’s Carson Palmer threw for 288 yards and a touchdown but left the game to be evaluated for a concussion after his head slammed to the turf on a sack by Aaron Donald with 5:40 to play.
The play forced a Cardinals punt and Austin raced past would-be tacklers to the Arizona 34.
The Rams (3-1) went ahead when Quick caught a pass under tight defense for the score.
Arizona backup Drew Stanton was intercepted twice in the final minutes, including on a Hail Mary on the game’s final play.
Arizona outgained the Rams 420-288 but committed five turnovers to the Rams’ one.
The Cardinals, expected to be Super Bowl contenders before the season began, fell to 1-3 and lost their second game at home.
this season.
