Suggs, Ravens get defensive in 23-16 win over Texans

By DAVID GINSBURG
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Take the ball away from the other guys, hold onto it yourself and make sure nothing happens to Justin Tucker.

That, apparently, is the formula the Baltimore Ravens intend to use to reach the playoffs.

Terrell Suggs led an aggressive defense that kept Houston out of the end zone for the final 51 minutes, and the Ravens forced two turnovers in the final 5 minutes to secure a 23-16 victory on Monday night.

"If the game's on the line, you've got to be comfortable when your defense is out there," Suggs said. "It feels good."

After Suggs stripped the ball from quarterback Tom Savage and Baltimore recovered, Tucker kicked his third field goal with 2:53 remaining for a seven-point cushion.

Anthony Levine then intercepted a Savage pass to clinch it.

The Ravens picked off two passes to increase their NFL-leading total to 18, and their three takeaways upped their league-best total to 26.

Asked to assess Savage's performance, Houston coach Bill O'Brien said: "Can't turn it over. I thought he did some good things, but he turned it over too many times."

Baltimore, in turn, did not commit a turnover.

Suggs had two sacks, Alex Collins ran for 60 yards and a touchdown, and punter Sam Koch threw perhaps Baltimore's most significant pass of the game.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh called for a fake punt, converted a fourth down with a rarely used pitchout and had quarterback Joe Flacco line up at wide receiver on a play in which Collins took a direct snap.

"You always have them in the game plan," Flacco said. "It's just the flow of the game."

All of this added spice to a stagnant offense that protected the ball and did just enough to win.

Flacco went 20 for 32 for 141 yards.

The Ravens (6-5) have won consecutive games for the first time since they opened the season 2-0. They are now above .500 for the first time since Oct. 8 and tied with Buffalo for the final AFC wild-card spot.

Houston (4-7) has lost four of five.

Savage, who has started the last four games in place of injured DeShaun Watson, completed 22 of 37 passes for 252 yards. But he gave the ball away three times, and that was the difference.

"You're not going to win any games when you turn it over and you don't get any turnovers," O'Brien said.

Aided by three penalties against Baltimore, the Texans traveled the length of the field and went up 7-0 on a 4-yard touchdown run by Lamar Miller.

That would be Houston's last sniff of the end zone.

"It's hard to run the ball on these guys," O'Brien said. "You try to stay balanced and we couldn't really run it."

Early in the second quarter, after a third-down incompletion, the Ravens appeared poised to punt for the fourth time in four series. But Koch lofted a pass to Chris Moore , a play that went for 22 yards to the Houston 19. That set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Javorius Allen, who reached the end zone with a healthy push from several of his teammates.

An interception by Tony Jefferson was followed by a fourth-and-1 gamble in which Collins took a quick pitch and ran for 29 yards to the Houston 8. Collins covered the final 8 yards on the following play for a 14-7 lead.

The teams traded field goals in the final two minutes before halftime.

GET THE BALL

Suggs joked about how former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis loved pouncing on loose balls.

"Every time I'm ready to get the ball, I can hear Ray Lewis say, 'Sizzle, get the ball. I want the ball,'" Suggs said. "Ray Lewis, he probably made a tackle tonight. He's always gotten credit."

PRIMED TO WIN

Baltimore has won 10 straight games in prime time and is 12-1 under the lights since Harbaugh took over in 2008.

INJURIES

Texans: LB Brennan Scarlett (foot) and OT Chris Clark (ankle) left in the second quarter. LB Ben Heeney (hamstring) left in the third quarter.

Ravens: LB C.J. Mosley was placed in the concussion protocol in the third quarter and quickly cleared.

UP NEXT

Texans: At Tennessee on Sunday.

Ravens: Host Detroit on Sunday.

Raiders beat Broncos 21-14 in fight-filled game

By JOSH DUBOW
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — With one starting receiver ejected, a second hurt and Oakland's once 21-point lead down to seven, Derek Carr dropped back to pass with a chance to seal a victory with a third-down conversion.

Carr lofted the ball into a void in the defense and Cordarrelle Patterson ran under it and rumbled 54 yards for a first down that gave the Raiders a 21-14 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, a day that will be remembered most for a brawl between Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib that led to three ejections.

"Any time your coaches believe in what your offense can do, you get excited as a player," Carr said. "That's not everybody's first call for cover zero. Most people say, let's throw it short, let them tackle it, that kind of deal. Coach trusted us to do it and it gives you a lot of confidence."

The story coming into the game was about the upheaval for the two teams after Denver (3-8) fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and made another quarterback change, and Oakland (5-6) fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr .

But the fight between Crabtree and Talib ended up overshadowing the recent disarray. The Raiders recorded their long-awaited first interception of the season in their first game under defensive play-caller John Pagano and the Broncos lost seven games in a row for the first time in 50 years .

The fight was a continuation of a dispute that started last season when Talib ripped Crabtree's chain off during the season finale. Crabtree missed the first game between the teams this year but wasted little time seeking revenge.

On the second play of Oakland's second drive, Crabtree aggressively blocked Talib on a running play and drove him to the ground on the Broncos sideline. Talib ripped Crabtree's chain off his neck while they were tangled up, and a brawl ensued .

Several Broncos players surrounded Crabtree as he tussled with Talib before his Raiders teammates could come to his assistance. Guard Gabe Jackson pushed an official while trying to join in and got ejected for his actions, along with Crabtree and Talib.

"I guess his initiative was to come out there and fight today," said Denver cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who said Crabtree "sucker punched" him on the previous play. "I guess it wasn't to play football."

The Raiders then dominated on the field after ending the longest season-opening interception drought in NFL history.

With the Broncos at the 1, Paxton Lynch looked for tight end Virgil Green in the end zone. The ball was tipped by NaVorro Bowman, bounced off Green, deflected off Raiders safety Reggie Nelson before landing in Bowman's arms as he was lying on the turf for Oakland's first interception.

"That wasn't my man," Bowman said. "I saw he was open, just dove and broke it up and landed on my back and the ball was there. That was one of those crazy plays. As Coach says, everybody run to the ball and great things happen."

Oakland drove 80 yards and scored on Carr's 9-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper .

Marshawn Lynch added a 1-yard run to make it 14-0 and Carr threw his second TD to Jalen Richard in the third quarter to add to the lead.

PAXTON'S PROBLEMS

Lynch's first start of the season was a rough one. He completed 9 of 14 passes for 41 yards and an interception against a defense that entered the game on pace to allow the second-highest completion percentage and passer rating in NFL history. Lynch also was sacked four times . He left the game in the third quarter after injuring his ankle on a rollout.

"I thought I played pretty well," Lynch said. "There were some plays I had an opportunity to make and I made. There were also some plays that I just missed. But this was the first time that I had played with these guys in a while."

The Broncos got their first scores under new coordinator Bill Musgrave when Trevor Siemian threw TD passes to Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler in the fourth quarter. Coach Vance Joseph wouldn't commit to a quarterback for next week.

COSTLY REVERSAL

The Broncos appeared to strike first when Lynch found Devontae Booker on a pass from the 20-yard line that was initially ruled a touchdown. But after a replay review, Booker was ruled down at the 1. Two plays later, Bowman came up with the interception and the Raiders drove down for the opening touchdown.

INJURIES

Cooper left with a concussion in the first half after being hurt on an illegal hit by Denver safety Darian Stewart. Cooper was down on the turf for several minutes before leaving. Stewart was penalized on the play.

Broncos DE Derek Wolfe left in the first quarter with a neck injury and DL Domata Peko left with a left knee injury.

UP NEXT

Broncos: Visit Miami on Sunday.

Raiders: Host Giants on Sunday.

Jared Goff, stingy defense lead LA Rams past Saints, 26-20

By GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams methodically drove downfield on their opening possession, and Sammy Watkins caught a precise slant from Jared Goff for a touchdown.

Drew Brees then got the ball for New Orleans' first drive, and the Rams sacked him on back-to-back plays.

From that auspicious start to the recovery of the Saints' final onside kick, the Rams emerged from a dismal decade of losing football on Sunday with their most impressive win of the season.

And Goff's squad seems capable of accomplishing a whole lot more.

Goff passed for 354 yards and hit rookie Josh Reynolds for another touchdown , and the Rams snapped the Saints' eight-game winning streak with a 26-20 victory in a meeting of NFC division leaders.

The Rams (8-3) also ended a streak of their own: This franchise's 10-year run of losing regular seasons is finally over.

For the first time since 2006, the Rams will finish at least at .500 after doubling their win total from their relocation season in 2016.

"That's the best feeling ever, just being on a winning team," said Watkins, who had four catches for 82 yards. "It makes it easy to go out there every week and work hard."

The victory was an enormous statement about the Rams' ability to play with the NFC's best, but their fifth win in six games has put them in position for much bigger accomplishments.

After bouncing back soundly from a loss at Minnesota, this revitalized franchise is steaming toward its first playoff berth since 2004 and its first winning season since 2003.

"There were some games this year where we realized we could play with anybody," Goff said. "This was, for sure, one of them."

Alvin Kamara made a brilliant 74-yard touchdown run and a late TD reception for the Saints (8-3), who finally lost for the first time since Sept. 17.

Veteran coordinator Wade Phillips' defense turned in a gritty effort against the high-scoring Saints, holding Brees to 246 yards passing — just 96 in the first three quarters.

"We never found a good rhythm of run-pass," Brees said. "It just felt like everything was really tough sledding. The minute we'd get something going, there would be a penalty that would set us back, and then we'd be off the field."

One week after rallying from 15 points down late in the fourth quarter to beat Washington in overtime, the Saints fell behind on the opening drive and never caught up.

New Orleans struggled to stop Goff's passing game with its top two cornerbacks sidelined by injuries, and the Rams steadily moved the ball to win a meeting between two of the NFL's top three highest-scoring teams.

"You could point to a number of things, but really, in so many areas, I thought we were sloppy," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.

"We hurt ourselves. ... We've got a big game coming up next week (against NFC South co-leader Carolina), and we'll get ready to play it, but we can't gloss over this, though. We've got to look at this closely."

The Rams made two lengthy drives ending in fourth-quarter field goals, and Watkins recovered the onside kick after the Saints finally trimmed Los Angeles' lead to one score on Kamara's TD catch with 1:45 to play.

DYNAMITE D

Aside from Kamara's remarkable capacity for big plays, the Rams largely limited the NFL's most prolific offense. Even with Brees getting rid of the ball quickly, Los Angeles held the Saints to 346 yards — 69 below their average, and just 189 in the first three quarters.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was his usual nightmare, getting his fifth sack in six games along with two tackles for loss.

"I thought our defense did a great job today making them earn tough yards," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "We've got some pretty good players on defense."

CARVING IT UP

Goff went 28 of 43, patiently picking at the Saints' defense in his fourth 300-yard game of the season despite the absence of top receiver Robert Woods. Rookie Cooper Kupp set career highs with eight catches for 116 yards, and Reynolds made his first career TD catch in the second quarter.

GREG THE LEG

NFL scoring leader Greg Zuerlein kicked four field goals for the Rams, giving him 127 points in 11 games this season. He also missed a 63-yard attempt into the wind at the halftime gun, but McVay didn't regret trying it: "More times than not, he's going to hit that kick."

INJURIES

Saints: Starting cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore (ankle) and Ken Crawley (abdomen) sat out as expected. ... LT Terron Armstead injured his hamstring during the third quarter.

Rams: Linebacker Connor Barwin was ruled out shortly after halftime with an arm injury. ... Woods (shoulder) missed his first game of the season.

UP NEXT

Saints: Return home to host the Panthers on Sunday in a showdown for first place in the division.

Rams: A trip to Arizona on Sunday to face the Cardinals, who got blown out by the Rams in London earlier this season.

Steelers, Brown hold off Packers 31-28

By WILL GRAVES
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers had the ball, 17 seconds and about 30 yards to go to avoid overtime against relentlessly resilient Green Bay.

Oh, and the Steelers had Antonio Brown. The Packers did not. And 17 seconds, 30ish yards provided entirely by Pittsburgh's do-everything wide receiver and one 53-yard field goal from Chris Boswell later, the Steelers were dancing on the logo at midfield following a 31-28 escape on Sunday night.

Pittsburgh (9-2) won its sixth straight behind Brown, who finished with 10 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Yet the biggest grab was a 23-yard toe-tap along the sideline on the first snap of his team's last-gasp drive that put the Steelers near the fringe of Boswell's range.

At first, it looked as if Brown was out of bounds. Two officials conferred for more than 15 seconds before ruling Brown somehow managed to get both feet down. The call stood on replay.

A more conventional 14-yard reception on the next snap pushed the Steelers closer. Boswell's career-long blast slipped inside the left upright to keep Pittsburgh tied with New England atop the AFC and keep Brown's teammates searching for superlatives.

"It's one thing to do it in practice on a Thursday," guard David Decastro said. "To do it in that situation to get into field goal range? I just, I guess how can you not be surprised?"

Brown wasn't.

"I knew right away I had it," Brown said. "I got my hand on the ball. I knew it was a catch."

One the Steelers needed to avoid perhaps another mystifying loss. Even though the Packers were missing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Ty Montgomery and linebacker Clay Matthews, they pushed Pittsburgh to the limit.

Brett Hundley completed 17 of 26 for 245 yards and three touchdowns for the Packers (5-6) in his best start since taking over when Rodgers went on injured reserve with a broken collarbone last month. Jamaal William ran for 66 yards, including a 4-yard leap into the end zone with 2:02 that tied it at 28.

"I just want to give this team an opportunity to win," Hundley said. "And I feel like we were really close."

Hundley actually had a chance to pull off a Rodgers-like winning drive. But Green Bay went three-and-out after getting the ball with 1:20 to go. The Packers punted it back to Pittsburgh with 17 seconds left. Just enough time, it turns out, for Brown to do his thing and for Boswell to do his.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and special teams coordinator Danny Smith didn't approach Boswell before Boswell headed onto the field to kick into the tricky closed end of Heinz Field. That's not what they do.

"I don't tell them numbers, they don't ask me numbers," Boswell said. "If we need it, we need it and I kick it. That's about it."

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 351 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Le'Veon Bell ran for 95 yards and added another 88 yards receiving but also had a fumble that stalled a drive early in the fourth quarter. The Steelers outgained Green Bay 462-307 and had the ball for nearly 34 minutes.

Yet the Packers counterpunched repeatedly behind Hundley, who threw touchdown passes of 39, 54 and 55 yards then later guided Green Bay on a 12-play, 77-yard drive that was nearly enough to send the game to overtime.

Nearly.

"It was a close game and it came down to the wire and it hurts when you don't finish it off," Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams said. "I think this team can rally together and finish strong."

"THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM"

The usually taciturn (at least when cameras are rolling) Tomlin raised eyebrows during a pregame interview in which he stressed he believes his team can win the Super Bowl and allowed there's a part of him thinking about New England's visit to Heinz Field on Dec. 17.

"We've got a good football team," Tomlin said. "I've got a great deal of confidence in them. Everybody in America knows it's a big game. We couldn't deny it if we wanted to."

ODD CHOICE

The Packers were up 21-14 and had the ball in Pittsburgh territory in the third quarter when head coach Mike McCarthy sent Mason Crosby out to attempt a 57-yard field goal, a risky move at best let alone in perhaps the hardest stadium in the league to kick.

Crosby's low knuckler was never close and the Steelers took advantage of the short field to even the score at 21 on the first of Brown's two touchdown grabs.

"We needed points," McCarthy said. "You look at the flow of the game ... that's the right decision."

FILLING IN

With Steelers rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster out with a hamstring problem, Martavis Bryant and had his most productive game since returning from a year-long drug suspension that cost him the entire 2016 season. Bryant finished with 99 total yards and his first touchdown since Week 2.

UP NEXT:

Packers: Host Tampa Bay next Sunday. Green Bay is 0-3 at home since Rogers was injured.

Steelers: At Cincinnati on Monday, Dec. 4. Pittsburgh beat the Bengals 29-14 on Oct. 22.

Wilson throws for 2 TDs, runs for another as Seahawks win

By JANIE McCAULEY
Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Russell Wilson realized as they tirelessly worked out together in the offseason just what a special connection he has with Jimmy Graham.

Seattle's quarterback saw it again during training camp, and now their mutual trust is leading to spectacular and timely successes on the field during a push for the playoffs.

They are clicking in a way Pete Carroll can only admire: eight touchdowns over seven games.

Lots of synchronicity.

Wilson found Graham for one of his two touchdown throws to give him 150 career TDs passing, and also ran for a short score as the Seahawks overcame a sloppy start to beat the San Francisco 49ers 24-13 on Sunday.

"Jimmy Graham's playing phenomenal football," Wilson said. "He's one of the best tight ends to ever play the game. I think that he really stands out and he can do some special things.

Wilson connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nick Vannett in the third quarter for the second-year tight end's first career TD and a 1-yarder early in the fourth to Graham, whose 16 TD receptions passed Jerramy Stevens for most by a Seattle tight end.

"The chemistry between he and Russ has reached the level that makes them really on top of their games," Carroll said. "We'll keep going."

Jimmy Garoppolo made his 49ers debut with 1:07 remaining after starting quarterback C.J. Beathard went down with a left leg injury on a hit by Michael Bennett as he threw a pass. Garoppolo — acquired from New England at the trade deadline last month and intended to stay on the shelf a little longer given the lost season — immediately scrambled to gain 4 yards and found Louis Murphy for a 10-yard touchdown as time expired.

"There's never an easy situation to go into," Garoppolo said. "Being the backup, I've experienced both ends of it. But you always have to be ready."

Wilson completed 20 of 34 passes for 228 yards and moved past Joe Flacco to become the winningest quarterback in his first six seasons with 63 victories. He got going in the second half on a gray — even Seattle-like — Bay Area day that featured a light rain in the early going and more when the clock wound down.

The Seahawks (7-4) won their ninth straight in the series in a streak that began with the NFC title game in January 2014 at Seattle. These are hardly the anticipated matchups they used to be in what had been one of the NFL's best rivalries.

Seattle was 2 of 8 on third-down chances before Wilson found Doug Baldwin for a 23-yard gain midway through the third period. That was followed by Tanner McEvoy's 24-yard reception.

Things didn't start well for Seattle.

Wilson threw an interception on the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage, then struggling kicker Blair Walsh hooked a 48-yard field-goal try wide left. Ahkello Witherspoon broke up a pass intended for Tyler Lockett in the end zone late as Seattle failed to score in the opening quarter, yet San Francisco (1-10) couldn't capitalize until getting on the board with Robbie Gould's 38-yard field goal moments before halftime. Trent Taylor's 29-yard reception put the Niners in good position.

Gould converted a 42-yarder in the third quarter to make it a one-point game. The Seahawks then took control.

About a minute into the second quarter, replay confirmed an interception by Bobby Wagner after he hadn't practiced all week. He ran it into the end zone but got called back after the review. Wilson scurried into the end zone two plays later for the first points of the game.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan stuck with Beathard following the team's bye week, allowing Garoppolo time to get comfortable in a new system. San Francisco managed just 16 yards of total offense in the opening quarter.

Carlos Hyde was held to 9 yards on eight rushes in the first half, then ended up with 47 yards rushing on 16 carries, including a 14-yard run early in the third.

Beathard was 22 of 38 for 201 yards Sunday before the injury.

WALSH'S MISSES

Before a 34-yard field goal late, Walsh had failed on two straight field goals after missing from 52 yards late in the final seconds in Monday's 34-31 loss to Atlanta. He also missed three against Washington in another three-point Seahawks defeat Nov. 5. He is 18 for 24 on the year.

INJURIES

Seahawks tight end Luke Willson was lost in the first half and evaluated for a concussion and will be in the protocol, while linebacker Josh Forrest sprained a foot "fairly significantly" in the first half according to Carroll.

Running back Raheem Mostert was lost to a knee injury for San Francisco, already without right tackle Trent Brown because of a shoulder injury sustained Wednesday. Wideout Marquise Goodwin injured a foot in the third quarter.

Veteran 49ers left tackle Joe Staley went down early in the fourth period with what looked like a scary knee injury, but he later returned.

UP NEXT

Seahawks: Host Philadelphia on Sunday.

49ers: At Chicago on Sunday.

Titans rally to beat Colts 20-16, snap losing streak at Indy

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry took it personally when Tennessee started slowly Sunday.

The two running backs made sure they finished with a flurry.

Henry delivered the body blows with five strong runs midway through the fourth quarter and Murray finally punched it in from 1 yard with 5:59 left, giving the Titans a 20-16 win and their first victory in 10 tries at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Derrick came in and made some good runs," Marcus Mariota said. "When you have a front like we do and you can lean on those guys, it's huge. Their abilities and the way they can dominate the line of scrimmage is huge."

This was far from a dominant performance, though.

The Titans (7-4) finished with 276 total yards, and the first half was a debacle.

Mariota was picked off twice, the league's No. 12 rushing offense produced 9 yards on 11 carries, and all Tennessee could muster was two field goals.

During a 30-minute stretch, from late in the first quarter till late in the third, the Titans managed just one first down. And for the second straight game against the Colts (3-8), Tennessee trailed by 10 in the third quarter.

But the defense came up with eight sacks, the key fumble recovery late in the third quarter and kept it close enough to let the Murray-Henry combination to make a difference late.

All those shots eventually wore down Indy's defense — as it did six weeks earlier in Nashville when the Titans snapped an 11-game losing streak in the series.

This time, Tennessee got its first season sweep since 2002 and its first win since the Colts' stadium opened in 2008 . And now they have their best 11-game record since going 10-1 in 2008, a share of the AFC South lead with Jacksonville, and the current tiebreaker courtesy of a 37-16 road win over the Jaguars in Week 2.

"They did an outstanding job of stuffing us," coach Mike Mularkey said, referring to the Colts' run defense. "We came in at halftime and made some adjustments. The guys took it personally that we didn't run the ball very well and it helped win the game for us."

The Colts have lost three straight at home and five of six overall in frustratingly familiar fashion.

They took a 13-6 lead on Frank Gore's 14-yard run late in the first half and extended the lead to 16-6 on Adam Vinatieri's 42-yard field goal with 6:05 left in the third.

Then things slipped away.

Rookie running back Marlon Mack lost the ball on a pitch and Kevin Byard recovered the ball at the Colts' 4-yard line. After an offside penalty moved the ball to the 2, Mariota connected with Delanie Walker in the corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to 16-13 with 1:50 left.

Indy only picked up only one more first down.

"These are 60-minute ballgames. They are not 30 minutes; they are not 45 minutes. They are 60-minute games," coach Chuck Pagano said. "Plenty of opportunities to put that team away, we didn't take advantage of those opportunities."

Instead Murray and Henry handled the ball on 13 of the Titans' last 15 plays, including the TD run, before Mariota dropped to his knee three straight times to close it out.

KEY NUMBERS

Titans: Tennessee ran 28 times for 92 yards. ... Mariota was 17 of 25 for 184 yards with one TD. ... The Titans came up one sack short of matching the franchise record, which had been achieved twice previously, most recently in 1971 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Colts: Frank Gore ran 17 times for 62 yards and one touchdown, the 77th of his career to tie Tony Dorsett for No. 22 on the league's career list. ... Tight end Jack Doyle had seven catches for 94 yards. ... The Colts have blown double-digit second-half leads four times this season. ... Indy has allowed 47 sacks this season, three more than it gave up all of last season.

INJURIES

Titans: Receiver Rishard Mathews missed the game with a hamstring injury. Walker, left tackle Taylor Lewan and linebacker Jayon Brown all left briefly but returned. Safety Da'Norris Searcy hurt his ankle in the second half and did not return. Mularkey said he believes it's not serious.

Colts: Cornerback Rashaan Melvin left after injuring his hand on the first Mariota interception and did not return after having an X-ray. Starting center Ryan Kelly was held out in the second half because of a concussion.

THEY SAID IT

Titans: "If you want to win the division, you have to win the division games, especially on the road," Mularkey said.

Colts: "I just took my eye off the ball," Mack said of the fumble. "I should have just locked in and squeezed it in tight."

UP NEXT

Titans: Continue their AFC march by hosting Houston next Sunday.

Colts: Can even the season series at Jacksonville next Sunday.

Kuechly, Clay lead Panthers to 35-27 comeback win over Jets

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers' offense were far from their usual playmaking selves.

Thanks to the opportunistic defense and special teams — and some big-time mistakes by the New York Jets — they didn't need to be.

Luke Kuechly returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown and Kaelin Clay had a 60-yard punt return for a score, capping a stunning swing in the fourth quarter that lifted the Panthers to a 35-27 comeback win on Sunday.

"I always hear, 'That was an ugly win,' but I've never heard such a thing as a pretty loss," Newton said. "Either way it goes, we would prefer to get a win today. A great team win. It wasn't a blockbuster outing offensively for us, statistics-wise. But at the end of the day, we found ways to win the football game."

It was the fourth straight victory for the Panthers (8-3), who are now tied with the Saints in the NFC South after New Orleans lost 26-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. The teams meet next Sunday at New Orleans.

"To have the guys pick it up and do things that they needed to on defense and on special teams," coach Ron Rivera said, "it was a big boost to the offense."

This one turned in a span of 2 minutes, 11 seconds on mistakes by the Jets — and the Panthers taking advantage.

First, Kuechly scooped up a fumble by Josh McCown , who was sacked by Wes Horton and had the ball slip out of his hand as he was about to throw, and rumbled to the end zone for a touchdown.

"Luke was luckily in position to scoop the ball up and take it to the house," Horton said.

Newton then hurdled linebacker Jordan Jenkins for the 2-point conversion to give the Panthers a 26-20 lead with 12:05 left.

After New York's next drive stalled, the Jets were forced to punt. Clay fielded Lachlan Edwards' kick and spun out of a tackle attempt and sped into the end zone . Newton's pass on the 2-point conversion fell short, but Carolina was suddenly up 32-20 with 9:54 remaining.

"We didn't panic," Clay said. "The game is never over. We just kept playing and we made plays."

The Jets (4-7) weren't done yet, though.

McCown drove the Jets down the field, connecting with Jermaine Kearse on a 3-yard touchdown pass to cut New York's deficit to five at 32-27 with 5:32 left.

The Panthers were able to add to their lead, getting a 45-yard field goal from Graham Gano with 21 seconds remaining. The drive was extended when Mike Pennel was called for roughing the passer on third-and-12, and helped seal the Jets' fifth loss in their past six games and severely damaging their playoff hopes.

"This one stings," McCown said. "To be up in the fourth quarter and not finish it, we've got to find a way to execute that and be better."

Newton was mostly contained by the Jets' defense, finishing 11 of 28 for 168 yards along with 28 yards rushing — including a 1-yard TD — on nine carries.

"I'm not going to be Debbie Downer spoiling a great win today," Newton said, "but it's great to see this team be resilient and find a way to win a football game in a very hostile environment."

OLSEN TWINGE

Tight end Greg Olsen left with a foot injury in the second half and didn't return. Olsen had missed the previous eight games with a broken foot, but returned Sunday. He had one catch for 10 yards before leaving.

"I felt fine," Olsen said. "It just got a little sore. It flared up. I went back out and played a little bit, but we just thought it would be best to live to play another day."

Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis also left in the second half with a thigh injury, but Rivera said he was also just sore.

JET CONNECTION

McCown was 19 of 36 for 307 yards with three touchdowns, including two to Robby Anderson. The second, a 54-yarder, gave New York a 17-12 lead in the third quarter when McCown rolled out of trouble and then pointed to Anderson to keep running down the field . McCown then threw a perfectly placed ball to the wide-open Anderson for a TD.

Anderson's first TD catch was a 33-yarder that the receiver was able to grab despite fighting off both Mike Adams and James Bradberry.

Anderson has a TD reception in five straight games, and lobbied for Pro Bowl votes to the TV cameras late in the game.

"I was just excited," Anderson said. "I wasn't trying to come off in a bad way."

BYE-BYE

Both teams were coming off bye-week breaks, and the Panthers improved to 3-4 under Rivera in such games, while the Jets dropped to 1-2 under Bowles.

NOT AGAIN

Austin Seferian-Jenkins appeared to have his fourth touchdown catch of the season — until it got wiped away by video review.

The Jets tight end stretched out in the back of the end zone for a 1-yard TD reception, but the call on the field was overturned when officials determined that the tight end didn't maintain control of the ball.

"I dropped it," Seferian-Jenkins said, "by what the refs said."

It was reminiscent of his reversed TD against New England in Week 6, when it was ruled he fumbled out of bounds in the end zone.

NOT SUPER

Newton gave the Panthers a 9-3 lead when he ran left on a bootleg and walked into the end zone past linebacker Bruce Carter. Rookie safety Jamal Adams appeared to take exception to Newton's celebratory "Superman" pose and pushed the Panthers quarterback, and an official intervened before anything escalated. Gano was wide right on the extra point.

UP NEXT

Panthers: at New Orleans next Sunday.

Jets: home vs. Kansas City next Sunday.

Bills pick off Smith in closing minutes, beat Chiefs 16-10

By DAVE SKRETTA
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyrod Taylor did exactly what he spent the first half of the season doing, back when the Buffalo Bills were off to a hot start and his job was never in question.

He threw for 183 yards and a touchdown. He kept plays alive with his feet. He made sure to avoid interceptions.

Taylor's steady performance against Kansas City on Sunday dovetailed nicely with a stellar game by the Buffalo defense, capped off by Tre'Davious White's interception with about a minute remaining that clinched a much-needed 16-10 victory over Alex Smith and the Chiefs.

"I just thought overall today we played good team offense," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "We ran the ball well at times. Tyrod used his feet well at times. We had some critical third-down conversions on drives, so there were some good things going on there. It wasn't just one guy."

Zay Jones had the touchdown reception and Stephen Hauschka kicked three field goals for the Bills (6-5), whose defense held Kansas City (6-5) to 236 yards of total offense.

"I think the three-game losing streak that we had has brought us closer and closer together than we already were," White said, "the character of the guys we have in the locker room."

Smith threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, but even the Chiefs' lone score came on a catch-and-run by Albert Wilson. They were unable to complete much downfield, and with a ground game going nowhere, were ushered along to their fifth loss in six games.

The boos rang out when White stepped in front of Smith's pass with 1:11 left and the Chiefs at the Buffalo 35. White nearly returned it for a touchdown before Smith finally tracked him down.

"A little shock there, no doubt," Smith said. "Felt like we were going to bounce back, come back and get back into rhythm on offense. From the get-go, we didn't do that."

It was an especially gratifying win for McDermott, who spent 10-plus seasons working for Chiefs counterpart Andy Reid in Philadelphia. And it was even more so considering the heat McDermott had been under after his questionable quarterback change last week.

Taylor wasn't spectacular against Kansas City. But he was better than Nathan Peterman was against the Chargers, when he threw five picks in his first 14 attempts.

"This just shows the resiliency that this team has, and the type of character we have," Jones said. "All of our goals are still insight. We see the big picture. Sometimes you lose games but that doesn't define you. I'm really proud of this team for getting a win on the road."

The Chiefs' offense was dismal in the first half against a defense that had surrendered more than 210 yards rushing per game the past three outings. Kansas City went three-and-out on its first five possessions and, taking away 14 yards of quarterback scrambling, gained 43 yards by the break.

The Bills fared marginally better.

Taylor threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jones late in the first quarter. But that was the only offense the Bills could muster as the Chiefs began to bottle up LeSean McCoy and put pressure on their elusive quarterback.

Kansas City finally snapped a streak of eight-plus quarters without a touchdown when Wilson hauled in a swing pass and went 19 yards midway through the third quarter. But the Bills answered quickly with a 49-yard field goal by Hauschka, giving them a 16-10 lead entering the fourth.

That was enough for the Bills' defense.

"They did a little different thing with us, but it wasn't anything we haven't seen or been successful against," Reid said. "It was just rough. We have to get through this and change it around."

RECORD KICKER

Hauschka missed a 52-yard field-goal try late in the first half, ending his NFL-record streak of 13 straight from at least 50 yards. The streak dated to 2014 when he was with Seattle. He bounced back to hit from 56 yards, giving him a Bills-record seven 50-plus makes this season.

RECORD KICKER, PART 2

Harrison Butker connected from 45 yards late in the first half, giving him a franchise-record 23 straight field-goal conversions. Butker hasn't missed since his first attempt with Kansas City.

INJURY REPORT

Bills WR Kelvin Benjamin did not make the trip after hurting his knee in last week's loss to the Chargers. They were also missing LT Cordy Glenn (ankle) and RB Mike Tolbert (hamstring).

REVIS RESTS

Seven-time Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis was inactive four days after signing with Kansas City. The Chiefs hope he'll be ready to start opposite Marcus Peters next week against the Jets.

UP NEXT

Bills: At home vs. Patriots next Sunday to start a three-game homestand.

Chiefs: A visit to the Jets next Sunday starts a stretch of three games in 13 days.

Brady throws for 4 TDs, Patriots beat Dolphins 35-17

By KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Rob Gronkowski was upset that he didn't get to sample any of the biscuits Tom Brady made for Thanksgiving.

They worked it out on Sunday.

Brady tossed four TD passes — including two to Gronkowski — and the New England Patriots pushed through injuries and a mistake-filled game for a 35-17 victory over the sliding Miami Dolphins.

"Anything (Gronkowski) wants I try to get for him," Brady said. "So anything to keep him happy."

New England (9-2) posted its seventh consecutive victory and third straight win over Miami. The Dolphins (4-7) have lost five straight for their longest slide since 2011.

It was Brady's 28th career game with four or more touchdown passes — ranking third all-time. His 26 touchdowns passes are the most ever in a season after turning 40 years old.

Rex Burkhead also scored two TDs and Dion Lewis had 15 carries for 112 yards for New England, marking his first career 100-yard game. The Patriots went 5 for 5 in the red zone.

"We know our biggest games are ahead of us," Brady said. "All the good teams are gonna start playing really well. We've gotta be one of those teams."

Miami got within 28-17 in the fourth quarter, but came up empty on a fourth-down pass play with 8:48 left. On the ensuing series, the Patriots scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Brandin Cooks.

The Dolphins played without quarterback Jay Cutler, who practiced Friday, but remained in the concussion protocol.

Matt Moore struggled to find a rhythm in his second start of the season. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, but also had two interceptions. He was sacked seven times.

Despite the losing streak, Moore said the locker room is staying together.

"The overall pulse is OK. I mean, the world's not ending," he said. "But it's not what we want, for sure."

Miami also lost more key players to injury.

Running back Damien Williams was carted off the field in the third quarter with a shoulder injury following an 11-yard run. Return man Senorise Perry was placed in the concussion protocol after what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet collision with New England's Trevor Reilly on a second-half kickoff return.

The Patriots got tricky to set up their first score, using a fourth-down run by Nate Ebner on a fake punt to keep their opening drive alive. Burkhead finished it with a 2-yard touchdown run.

Following a quick three-and-out by Miami, New England made it 14-0 via a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski.

Miami rebounded late in the second quarter, taking advantage of a rare self-inflicted mistake by New England.

Patriots center Ted Karras sent a second-down shotgun snap flying past Brady , who was not ready for the ball. It was scooped up by Dolphins safety Reshad Jones and returned for a touchdown.

Karras was filling in for David Andrews, who sat out for the second straight week with an illness.

But New England bounced right back. A pair of defensive holding penalties, a 27-yard pass from Brady to Cooks and a 22-yard run by Burkhead helped the Patriots drive to the Dolphins 1. Two plays later, Brady hit Burkhead for a 1-yard score to push the lead to 21-7.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Miami cornerback Bobby McCain was ejected for throwing a punch at New England receiver Danny Amendola.

McCain and Amendola got into it at the bottom of the pile early in the second half. McCain, who intercepted Brady in the second quarter, was called for unnecessary roughness and thrown out for throwing the punch. He had a few words for the referee as he left the field, and then was walked off toward the Dolphins locker room.

The penalty put the Patriots at the Miami 12. Two plays later, Brady found Gronkowski for a 15-yard TD and a 28-10 lead.

MOVING ON UP

It was the 16th multi-touchdown game by Gronkowski, setting a franchise record. Randy Moss held the old record with 15.

INJURIES

Dolphins: DE Terrence Fede was helped off the field after being injured in the scrum during Jones' fumble recovery touchdown run.

Patriots: Ebner left with a knee injury after his fake punt run in the first quarter. ... Reilly left with a head injury after the collision with Perry. ... DL Trey Flowers (ribs) and LB Marquis Flowers left in the third quarter after a collision. ... OL LaAdrian Waddle left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. ... LB Kyle Van Noy (leg) was able to walk off the field on his own after he was shaken up in the fourth.

UP NEXT

Dolphins: Return home to host the Broncos next Sunday.

Patriots: Play first of three straight road games at Buffalo next Sunday.

Carson Wentz tosses 3 touchdowns, Eagles beat Bears 31-3

By ROB MAADDI
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Another strong performance by Carson Wentz. Another dominant effort by the defense. Another lopsided win for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wentz tossed three touchdown passes and the NFL-leading Eagles beat the Chicago Bears 31-3 Sunday for their ninth straight win.

The Eagles (10-1) reduced their magic number to clinch the NFC East to one with their fourth consecutive win by at least 23 points and third in a row by exactly 28. Philadelphia would secure its first division title since 2013 if the Cowboys (5-6) lose or tie Washington on Thursday night.

"We're playing with a lot of momentum, a lot of energy, a lot of swagger," Wentz said.

Wentz had 227 yards passing, LeGarrette Blount ran for 97 yards and Zach Ertz caught 10 passes for 103 yards and one TD.

The defense shut down rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and the inept Bears (3-8), holding them to zero first downs in the first half and 140 total yards in the game.

"That's the best defense I've ever played," Chicago offensive lineman Kyle Long said.

The Bears won the turnover battle (3-2), but couldn't do anything with excellent field position. They started consecutive drives at midfield and Philadelphia's 42 but Cairo Santos missed a 54-yard field goal.

"We didn't play well enough to compete," Bears coach John Fox said. "We needed to play really, really well in all three phases to beat that team."

Wentz threw a 17-yard TD pass to Ertz to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead on their second drive. Jay Ajayi ran 2 yards on fourth-and-1 to keep the drive going and Wentz connected with Alshon Jeffery for 14 yards on third-and-8 one play before the TD.

Wentz had a 15-yard TD pass to Nelson Agholor, who flipped over defenders into the end zone to make it 14-0 in the second quarter. Wentz spun away from a blitzer and ran 16 yards on third-and-9 to extend the drive. Then a holding penalty on Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara negated an incomplete pass on third-and-12, and the Eagles scored on the next play.

Another holding penalty on Amukamara gave the Eagles a first down late in the second quarter. Wentz then lofted an 8-yard TD pass to Jeffery to extend the lead to 24-0.

Ajayi ran 30 yards and fumbled at the Bears 5, but Agholor recovered in the end zone for a touchdown and a 31-3 lead.

"We're very balanced," Ajayi said. "We can do a lot of different things, so it keeps them on their toes."

RUN STUFFERS

The Bears entered with the fifth-ranked rushing offense and finished with 6 yards on 14 attempts. They had negative yards before Trubisky scrambled for 12 yards late in the fourth.

"It's really a pride issue when it comes to the run game," Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Obviously, you have to be able to tackle as well. Our interior line is well-documented in what they can do. Our backers flow and hit, and when they do try to pack us all in and get to the edge, our corners show up with attitude. Knowing your scheme is a big deal, but a lot of the run game comes down to attitude."

STATS

Ertz is the first player to have 100 yards receiving for the Eagles this season. ... Jeffery had five receptions for 52 yards and one TD against his former team. ... Wentz is five TD passes away from setting a single-season team record. Sonny Jurgensen had 32 TD passes in 1961. ... Eagles are the only NFL team that hasn't allowed a TD in the first quarter this season. ... Bears were the first team not to get a first down in the first half of a game since the Chiefs against the Raiders in Week 15, 2012. ... Eagles have three receivers — Ertz, Jeffery and Agholor — with six or more TD receptions.

PERFECT STRIKE

After his TD catch, Jeffery went bowling and his teammates lined up as the pins. Jeffery did a fake roll and all the players went down in the end zone for a strike.

INJURIES

Bears: OL Josh Sitton entered concussion protocol. ... S Adrian Amos injured a hamstring.

Eagles: LB Joe Walker suffered a stinger in the second quarter.

UP NEXT

Bears: Host the San Francisco 49ers (1-9) next Sunday.

Eagles: Visit the Seattle Seahawks (6-4) next Sunday night.

Mixon runs for 114, Bengals beat winless Browns 30-16

By JOE KAY
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Mixon got frustrated as the subpar games piled up. At times, the rookie running back who picked up 100 yards so easily at Oklahoma couldn't even get to the line of scrimmage.

Against the Browns, he got his long-awaited breakout game.

Mixon ran for a career-high 114 yards in Cincinnati's best offensive showing since the last time it faced Cleveland, a 30-16 victory that left the Browns winless heading into December for the second year in a row.

Next, the Bengals (5-6) put it all on the line in a Monday night game against the AFC North-leading Steelers. At least they'll have a running game that was by far the worst in the league — and worst in franchise history — until it finally gained some traction Sunday.

"I look forward to going to practice next week with heads held high," said Mixon, whose 11-yard touchdown run put it away. "The locker room's going to be great, and this is a big one ahead of us."

Afterward, Mixon and Browns rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer traded jerseys at midfield. While Mixon finally had his first big moment in the NFL, Kizer is still waiting for something to celebrate.

There was yelling in the Cleveland locker room after the Browns dropped to 0-11 . Last year, they waited until their 15th game to get their only victory, avoiding the second 0-16 mark in NFL history. They're going down to the wire again, and they're starting to running out of chances.

Kizer was 18 of 31 for 268 yards without an interception. He could have had a 29-yard touchdown pass, but Corey Coleman dropped the ball in the end zone — typical of Cleveland's weekly self-destruction.

"Once we get over that hill, we'll win a lot of games," Kizer predicted.

Kizer's 3-yard run on a fourth-down keeper cut the Bengals' lead to 23-16 with 6:57 left. Mixon's touchdown run completed a 75-yard drive that finished off the Browns.

"We have to get to a point where we're handing the ball off and running the ball on folks," coach Marvin Lewis said.

Cincinnati's Randy Bullock and Cleveland's Zane Gonzalez each kicked three field goals. Andy Dalton finished 18 of 28 for 214 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

In Cleveland, they're already wondering whether Hue Jackson will be around for another season — he is 1-26 since leaving Cincinnati after a successful stint as offensive coordinator. Lewis also has uncertainty ahead as he finishes the final year on his contract after failing to make the playoffs last season.

LOPSIDED SERIES

The Bengals have won seven straight against their intrastate rival and 21 of the last 27. The Bengals have scored 23 or more points in each game during the winning streak, including 30 six times.

PREMATURE

Adam "Pacman" Jones returned a punt 55 yards for an apparent touchdown that was negated by an illegal block. When he reached the end zone, Jones — who had a son born a few hours earlier — got on his back as though in labor . A teammate took the ball and held it aloft as though it was a newborn.

PIVOTAL PENALTY

Browns safety Jabrill Peppers got a 15-yard penalty for a high hit on receiver Josh Malone along the sideline, extending the Bengals' clinching touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

"I'd love to have that play back," Peppers said. "I'll just try to go lower next time. I got there quicker than I thought. It's definitely a learning experience."

LOUD LOCKER ROOM

Reporters sitting in an interview room outside the Browns locker room could hear yelling inside after the game. Jackson said it's not indicative of anything more than a moment's frustration.

"You heard the emotion and passion with this group," Jackson said.

CROSSING THE LINE

Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict drew a personal foul for hitting a defenseless receiver on Cleveland's opening drive. Browns wide receiver Bryce Treggs was flagged for taunting on Cleveland's next drive. There were a couple of skirmishes after plays as well.

INJURIES

Browns: Kizer missed one series in the second quarter while being evaluated for a concussion. Punter Britton Colquitt also was sidelined temporarily while being evaluated. Gonzalez punted once in his place, for only 16 yards.

Bengals: Linebacker Nick Vigil twisted his right ankle late in the first half, returned briefly in the second half and left the game.

UP NEXT

Browns play at the Los Angeles Chargers. They beat the Chargers 20-17 in the second-to-last game for their only win last season.

Bengals lost to the Steelers in Pittsburgh 29-14 on Oct. 22, when Mixon was held to 48 yards rushing.

Dawson's 57-yard FG gives Arizona win over Jacksonville

By BOB BAUM
Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — It was one special afternoon for Phil Dawson and Blaine Gabbert.

Dawson kicked a 57-yard field goal with 1 second left and the Arizona Cardinals beat Jacksonville 27-24 on Sunday, snapping the Jaguars' four-game winning streak and dropping them into a first-place tie with Tennessee in the AFC South.

It was the longest field goal of the 42-year-old kicker's career and came in a maddeningly inconsistent season with six misses.

"I make it a habit not to evaluate a season in its entirety until it's over," Dawson said. "But today was sweet for our team."

It also lifted Gabbert to a win against the franchise that had given up on the quarterback.

"It's great, I love it," guard Alex Boone said of Gabbert's victory. "It's like revenge all over. It's so awesome. That (Jacksonville) is a good team out there. They are playing well and getting this win is what we needed."

The Jaguars traded up six places to draft Gabbert 10th overall in 2011, but they got rid of him after three seasons, sending him to San Francisco for a sixth-round draft pick. Gabbert signed with Arizona in the offseason as the No. 3 quarterback, and then got a chance to play when Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton got hurt.

Gabbert was 22 of 38 for 241 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while improving to 10-31 as an NFL starter.

Dawson also was good from 34, 42 and 48 yards as the Cardinals (5-6) beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season.

Jacksonville (7-4) trailed most of the game, but took a 17-16 lead when ex-Cardinal Calais Campbell returned Gabbert's fumble 10 yards for a touchdown with 12:10 to play.

"I just knew we had the game locked up," Campbell said, "but at the end of the day, they made a few big-time plays. ... I felt like I didn't play my best game today."

Gabbert responded with a 52-yard TD pass to Jaron Brown. He then found Larry Fitzgerald for the 2-point conversion, giving Arizona a 24-17 lead.

Corey Grant's 68-yard return of the ensuing kickoff led to Blake Bortles' second rushing touchdown of the day, a 17-yarder that tied it at 24 with 7:26 left.

Jacksonville's Barry Church and Arizona's Tyrann Mathieu each had an interception in the final 3:38, but neither team could turn it into a score.

The Cardinals got the ball back on a punt with 16 seconds to play at their 39.

Gabbert threw two sideline completions, the second one to D.J. Foster with 6 seconds to go — Foster made a lunging tippy-toe catch that had to be reviewed — to get close enough for the winning field goal.

Coach Doug Marrone blamed himself for giving Arizona that final chance.

"If I had to do it all over again, I just would have ran the clock out and went to overtime," he said. "That is my fault."

Bortles also had a 1-yard TD run in the third quarter. He was 19 of 33 for 160 yards and an interception.

The Cardinals took the lead with a short drive on their first possession. Gabbert completed 4 of 5 for 43 yards to set up Dawson's 34-yarder.

Dawson kicked another field goal in the second quarter and Kerwynn Williams' 21-yard punt return set up Gabbert's 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, making it 13-0 Arizona.

Jacksonville finally got on the board on Josh Lambo's 43-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the half.

RUSHING WOES

Jacksonville entered as the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL at 160 yards per game, but managed a season-low 91 against the Cardinals.

Leonard Fournette carried 12 times for 25 yards. Bortles was the team's leading rusher with 62 yards on six carries.

SEALS-JONES

Seals-Jones no doubt has enjoyed having Gabbert as his quarterback. Promoted from the practice squad on Sept. 25, the undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M didn't have an NFL catch until a week ago, when he caught three, two for touchdowns, from Gabbert in a loss at Houston.

Seals-Jones was back at it Sunday, catching four passes for 72 yards.

INJURIES

Already without starting offensive linemen Patrick Omameh and Jermey Parnell, the Jaguars lost linebacker Telvin Smith to a concussion in the first half. Arizona inside linebacker Deone Bucannon left in the first half with an ankle injury and Williams departed with a rib injury.

JERSEY TRADE

Campbell got his wish, trading jerseys with his old friend Fitzgerald when the game ended.

UP NEXT

Jaguars: Play Indianapolis next Sunday in first of three straight home games.

Cardinals: Host NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.