NFL GAME RECAPS

NFL Recaps: Packers lose Rodgers, game to Vikings

The Sports Xchange

October 16, 2017 at 12:15 am.

Oct 15, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum (7) looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 15, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum (7) looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — In an unexpected battle of the backups, Minnesota quarterback Case Keenum out-dueled Green Bay’s Brett Hundley as the Vikings beat the Packers 23-10 on Sunday, forging a tie atop the NFC North standings.

Hundley, a third-year pro, was pressed into duty in the first quarter after Packers starter Aaron Rodgers was lost for the game, and possibly for the season, with a broken collarbone.

Keenum, making his fourth start in place of the injured Sam Bradford, was 24-of-38 passing for 239 yards, with a touchdown and an interception as the Vikings improved to 4-2.

Hundley, hounded by the Vikings defense for much of the day, finished 18 of 33 for 157 yards, with a touchdown and three interceptions. Hundley was sacked four times as the Packers fell to 4-2.

Kai Forbath had three field goals for Minnesota.

Steelers 19, Chiefs 13
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Le’Veon Bell rushed for 179 yards as Pittsburgh handed Kansas City its first loss.
Bell carried 32 times and scored on a three-yard run early in the second quarter. Antonio Brown caught a 51-yard TD in the fourth quarter and finished with eight catches for 155 yards.
Ben Roethlisberger completed 17-of-25 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown while Kansas City’s Alex Smith finished 19 of 34 for 246 yards.
Kansas City rookie Kareem Hunt was held to 21 yards.

Patriots 24, Jets 17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New England claimed sole possession of first place in the AFC East for the first time this season while ending New York’s three-game winning streak.

New England (4-2) won its 11th straight road game and has won six of its last seven against the Jets.

Rob Gronkowski, after sitting out the Patriots’ win in Tampa two Thursdays ago with a bruised left thigh, scored two touchdowns, his first multi-touchdown game since the 2015 season-opener against the Steelers, when he had three.

The Patriots took the lead for good on Gronkowski’s 33-yard touchdown catch from Tom Brady with 11:22 left in the third quarter.

Dolphins 20, Falcons 17

ATLANTA — Reshad Jones intercepted a Matt Ryan pass at the 6-yard line with 39 seconds left to preserve the win for Miami.

Atlanta, like in the Super Bowl last season, couldn’t hold a big halftime lead, letting a 17-0 halftime advantage slip away.

Cody Parkey kicked a decisive 39-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining after tying the game on a 49-yarder with eight minutes left that was set up by a bad snap on a Falcons punt.

Jay Cutler, who was 19 of 32 for 151 yards, threw two third-quarter touchdown passes for the Dolphins (3-2) and Jay Ajayi ran for 130 yards on 26 carries.

Giants 23, Broncos 10

DENVER — Janoris Jenkins returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown, and New York’s defense produced a key goal-line stand in the fourth quarter, leading the previously winless Giants past Denver.

Eli Manning threw for just 128 yards but tossed a touchdown pass to rookie Evan Engram. Aldrick Rosas kicked three field goals for the Giants, who came in as a heavy underdog after being battered by injuries in the last week.

The Giants’ defense stopped C.J. Anderson for no gain on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line midway through the fourth quarter and exerted tremendous pressure on Denver quarterback Trevor Siemian, who took four sacks, with three by Jason Pierre-Paul.

Texans 33, Browns 17

HOUSTON — Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes and Houston forced three turnovers to beat Cleveland.

Watson passed for 225 yards, his ledger marred only by a 56-yard interception return for a score by Browns cornerback Jason McCourty in the fourth quarter. With 15 touchdowns, Watson has the most by a rookie through six games since the merger.

The Texans (3-3) harassed Browns quarterback Kevin Hogan into a miserable debut as a starter. Hogan tossed three interceptions, with Texans veteran cornerback Johnathan Joseph recording a pair of picks. Joseph returned his first interception 82 yards for a touchdown.

Bears 27, Ravens 24 (OT)

BALTIMORE — Connor Barth hit a 39-yard field goal with 2:11 left in overtime to give Chicago the win.

Running back Jordan Howard had a 53-yard run on Chicago’s second possession in the extra period to set up the winning kick.

Chicago (2-4) snapped a 10-game losing streak on the road, and the Ravens (3-3) did not manage an offensive touchdown.

Michael Campanaro returned a punt 77 yards to pull the Ravens to within 24-22 with 1:37 left in the fourth quarter. Joe Flacco completed the 2-point conversion with a pass to tight end Nick Boyle that sent the game to overtime.

Redskins 26, 49ers 24

LANDOVER, Md. — Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Washington’s win.

After squandering all of a 17-0 lead, the Redskins scored nine fourth-quarter points on a field goal and a 7-yard run by Cousins with 3:34 remaining.

Trailing 26-17, the 49ers answered on a 45-yard touchdown pass from rookie C.J. Beathard to wide receiver Aldrick Robinson with 1:58 left, but Washington recovered the onside kick.

The 49ers had their fifth straight loss by three points or less.

Saints 52, Lions 38

NEW ORLEANS — Defensive end Cam Jordan tipped and then intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass in the end zone — the third defensive touchdown of the game for New Orleans — as the Saints withstood a furious 28-point Detroit rally in the second half to escape with a win.

The Saints (3-2) appeared to have iced the game with 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter when they grabbed a 45-10 lead on cornerback Marshon Lattimore’s 27-yard interception return of a Stafford pass for a touchdown.

But Detroit scored 28 consecutive points over the next 16 minutes to cut the deficit to 45-38 with 6:41 remaining. The Lions’ final score came on a 2-yard interception return by defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.

With 5:04 remaining, Jordan tipped a Stafford pass and easily cradled the ball for the interception and touchdown.

Chargers 17, Raiders 16
OAKLAND, Calif. — Nick Novak kicked the game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Los Angeles by Oakland.
Chargers running back Melvin Gordon carried 25 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. Gordon also caught nine passes for 67 yards and a score.
Quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 268 yards and one touchdown, completing 25 of 36 passes.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr returned to action after missing one game with a small broken bone in his back and completed 21 of 30 passes for 171 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Cardinals 38, Buccaneers 33
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Adrian Peterson rushed for a pair of touchdowns as Arizona held Tampa Bay.
Peterson ran 26 times for 134 yards in his Arizona debut and scored twice as Arizona sprinted to a 31-0 lead.
Carson Palmer was 18 of 22 for 283 yards with three touchdowns while Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 138 yards.
Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston did not return after injuring his right shoulder in the second quarter. Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Winston and completed 22 of 32 passes for 290 yards and three TDs.

Rams 27, Jaguars 17
JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Pharoh Cooper opened the game with a 103-yard kickoff return and Los Angeles used a strong special teams showing to beat Jacksonville.
The Rams also blocked a punt for a short touchdown, kicked a 56-yard field goal while Jacksonville missed two 54-yard field goals.
Jacksonville rookie Leonard Fournette gained 130 yards, including a 75-yard TD while Rams running back Todd Gurley totaled 116 yards.