Oct 15, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) celebrates with cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) after his interception during the fourth 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.
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.
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.
