Chiefs’ latest win could prove costly with Mahomes injured

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CLEVELAND — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes before leaving in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and Xavier Worthy ran for a score as Kansas City finally didn’t have to sweat out the final minutes with a victory over mistake-prone Cleveland.

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Mahomes connected for TDs in the first half with Juju Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray as the Chiefs (13-1) built a 21-0 lead and then slogged their way through an ugly second half.

The defending Super Bowl champions have 10 wins by seven points or less, with six coming on the game’s final play.

Mahomes didn’t finish the game, leaving in the fourth quarter when he hurt his left ankle while being tackled. Carson Wentz replaced him for the final 5:23. Mahomes finished 19 of 38 for 159 yards.

The Browns (3-11) tried to put up a fight, but had six turnovers. Other than a 62-yard TD run from Jerome Ford, Cleveland had few offensive highlights and too many self-inflicted miscues.

Jameis Winston threw three more interceptions — two in the end zone to give him eight in his last three games — and the Browns had two fumbles. The five turnovers made things much easier on Mahomes and the Chiefs, not that they needed a lot of help.

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COMMANDERS 20, SAINTS 19

Jayden Daniels threw two first-half touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin, and Washington narrowly held off a rally by Spencer Rattler and the Saints, winning when New Orleans failed on a 2-point conversion with no time left.

Daniels, returning to play in Louisiana a year after winning the Heisman Trophy with LSU, completed 25 of 31 passes for 226 yards. He also ran for 66 yards, highlighted by a first-down scramble on third-and-14 to set up a third-quarter field goal by the recently signed Greg Joseph that put the Commanders (9-5) ahead 17-0.

But Rattler relieved starting quarterback Jake Haener and nearly carried the Saints (5-9) to victory. After Joseph missed a 54-yard field goal with 1:55 to go, Rattler led a 56-yard drive and threw a 1-yard TD pass to Foster Moreau as time expired.

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BENGALS 37, TITANS 27

Joe Burrow threw for 271 yards with three touchdowns for the franchise record with 36 this season and Cincinnati improved their faint playoff hopes by thumping Tennessee in a sloppy game.

The Bengals (6-8) notched their 400th regular-season win in franchise history. They still need to win out to extend their streak of winning seasons to four straight no matter where they wind up in the AFC playoff chase.

They came in without starting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and lost end Sam Hubbard to an injured knee after he caught a 2-yard TD pass.

It didn’t matter as the Bengals turned six turnovers into 24 straight points capped by Geno Stone’s 39-yard pick-6 in the third. The Bengals missed out on more points with a 61-yard fumble return for a TD except Jordan Battle fumbled just before crossing the goal-line for a touchback in the third quarter.

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The Titans (3-11) benched Will Levis after his NFL-high fourth pick-6 this season and fourth turnover of the game. Mason Rudolph looked ready to lead a rally until he was picked off by Josh Newton.

Tennessee lost its third straight and dropped to 1-6 at home in coach Brian Callahan’s debut season and first game against his old boss, Bengals coach Zac Taylor.

COWBOYS 30, PANTHERS 14

Cooper Rush threw for 214 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes, Dallas forced four Bryce Young turnovers and sacked the second-year quarterback six times as the Cowboys defeated the Panthers for their third win in the past four games.

CeeDee Lamb had nine catches for 116 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown reception, and Rico Dowdle ran for a career high 149 yards on 25 carries to become the first undrafted running back to surpass 100 yards rushing in three straight games since Houston’s Arian Foster.

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Young, who had shown improvement in recent weeks, finished 19 of 28 for 219 yards with a career-long 83-yard touchdown toss to rookie Jalen Coker and also ran for a score. But the second-year quarterback fumbled twice and threw two interceptions to fall to 4-21 as an NFL starter.

The Panthers came in as the favourite for the first time in nearly two full years, but it was all Cowboys (6-8) for most of the game.

Lamb had eight receptions for 104 yards in the first half as Dallas took a 10-0 lead. The Cowboys appeared ready to add to it late in the second quarter, but Rush mishandled a snap and fumbled at the Carolina 17. On the next play from scrimmage, Young found Coker along the right sideline for an 83-yard touchdown pass, the longest of his career to pull the Panthers (3-11) within three with 31 seconds left.

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But that was as close as the Panthers would get.

JETS 32, JAGUARS 25

Davante Adams caught nine passes from Aaron Rodgers for 198 yards and two touchdowns — all in the second half — and New York rallied to beat Jacksonville to end a four-game skid.

Adams hauled in a 71-yard TD pass with 3:24 remaining and a 41-yarder that set up Breece Hall’s 1-yard plunge with 1:05 to play. In between, he made a circus catch along the sideline for a first down.

It was vintage Adams, who became the 12th player in NFL history with 100 receiving touchdowns. And vintage Rodgers, who threw for 289 yards and three scores as the Jets (4-10) topped 30 points for the first time this season. The 41-year-old quarterback also led New York with 45 yards rushing.

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Adams’ 100th TD grab came on a 1-yard fade route in the third quarter. No. 101 was even more impressive. He streaked down the middle of the field, running past linebacker Devin Lloyd and seeing no safety help from Darnell Savage until it was too late.

Adams was completely uncovered in the flat for the 41-yarder and then tackled at the 1. The Jets probably should have taken a knee from there, forced Jacksonville to use its remaining timeouts and kicked a short field goal to win it. But Hall’s plunge gave the Jaguars (3-11) a chance late.

Mac Jones drove Jacksonville into Jets territory before throwing his second interception of the day. Sauce Gardner’s first pick of the season essentially ended the game.

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RAVENS 35, GIANTS 14

Lamar Jackson tied his career high by throwing five touchdown passes in a near-perfect performance that led Baltimore to a victory over New York, sending the Giants and embattled co-owner John Mara to a franchise record-tying ninth straight loss.

Jackson hit Rashod Bateman on scoring passes of 49 and 20 yards after finding tight end Mark Andrews on a 13-yarder for the opening score. He also connected with Devontez Walker for a 21-yard TD and running back Justice Hill on a 27-yard catch-and-run that capped a 97-yard drive.

Coming off a bye week, the Ravens (9-5) moved closer to a playoff berth. The Giants (2-12) are winless in eight games at MetLife Stadium, putting more pressure on coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.

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Jackson finished 21 of 25 for 290 yards and had a quarterback rating of 154.6, just short of the NFL maximum of 158.3. It was the 27-year-old’s sixth game with five TD passes in his seven seasons and his second this year, having done it against Tampa Bay on Oct. 21. He has thrown for 34 TDs this season.

TEXANS 20, DOLPHINS 12

Nico Collins had two touchdown receptions and Houston’s defence forced four turnovers, highlighted by two fourth-quarter interceptions by Derek Stingley, to help lead the Texans to a win over Miami.

It’s the second straight victory for the Texans (9-5), who clinched the AFC South title for a second straight season thanks to a loss by the Colts.

Collins had a 6-yard TD reception in the second quarter and his second 6-yard scoring grab made it 20-6 in the third. That score was set up by a 35-yard run by Dare Ogunbowale on a fake punt.

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Tua Tagovailoa threw a 7-yard TD pass to Jonnu Smith with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but a missed extra-point kick failed to cut into the lead any further.

The Dolphins were driving again with about 10 1/2 minutes left when Stingley hopped in front of Tyreek Hill to grab an interception at the Houston 20.

The Texans had two drives after that, but had to punt both times to give the Dolphins a last chance. Stingley came through again, intercepting another pass intended for Hill to recure the win.

CARDINALS 30, PATRIOTS 17

James Conner ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns, offensive lineman Jonah Williams recovered a fumble for the first score of his NFL career and Arizona used a stellar defensive performance to beat New England.

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The win kept the Cardinals (7-7) on the fringe of the playoff hunt and snapped a three-game losing streak.

New England (3-11) has lost four straight.

The 312-pound Williams scored when he fell on a ball that was fumbled into the end zone, giving the Cardinals a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The right tackle was added to the injury report early Sunday because of an illness, but played anyway.

Chad Ryland added field goals from 49, 35 and 40 yards. Kyler Murray completed 23 of 30 passes for 224 yards, while Trey McBride caught nine passes for 87 yards.

BUCCANEERS 40, CHARGERS 17

Baker Mayfield threw for 288 yards and four touchdown passes, Mike Evans had a season-high 159 receiving yards and two scores and Tampa Bay dominated the second half en route to a victory over Los Angeles.

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The NFC South-leading Buccaneers (8-6) trailed 17-10 late in the second quarter before scoring on five straight drives.

Evans had a 57-yard TD catch with 10:23 remaining in the third quarter to give Tampa Bay a 20-17 lead. The veteran wide receiver, who had nine receptions, then hauled in a 35-yard pass late in the quarter to extend the lead to 30-17.

Mayfield completed 22 of 27 passes and has a career-high 32 touchdowns on the season. It is the first time in his seven-year career he has eclipsed 30.

BRONCOS 31, COLTS 13

Linebacker Nik Bonitto foiled a trick play by stepping in front of quarterback Anthony Richardson and hijacking Adonai Mitchell’s lateral pass, then raced 50 yards for a touchdown Sunday that sealed Denver’s win over Indianapolis.

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With five takeaways, the Broncos (9-5) strengthened their grip on an AFC wild-card berth that would end a playoff drought dating to 2016. They began defence of their Super Bowl 50 title that season with a 4-0 start, which was the last time they sat four games above .500.

The Colts (6-8) blew both an early 10-0 lead and a big opportunity to tighten the AFC wild-card race.

A big reason was the tide-turning blunder by running back Jonathan Taylor, who dropped the ball milliseconds before crossing the goal-line on what would have been a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Instead of lining up for the extra point to give the Colts a 20-7 lead, the touchback left the reeling Colts clinging to a six-point edge they would soon relinquish — and in such a big way.

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Denver had just taken its first lead of the game on Bo Nix’s 15-yard touchdown toss to tight end Nate Adkins that made it 17-13 when Bonitto scored his second touchdown in two games.

EAGLES 27, STEELERS 13

Jalen Hurts threw touchdown passes to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to mute scrutiny of the Eagles’ offence, and Philadelphia won its franchise-record 10th straight game over Pittsburgh,

Eagles running back Saquon Barkey’s chase of the NFL season rushing record was slowed when he ran for just 65 yards on 19 carries. Barkley, who still leads the NFL with 1,688 yards, took a low hit from Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and missed most of the second quarter.

Hurts also had a rushing touchdown on a tush push for the Eagles (12-2), who were denied a shot at clinching the NFC East when Washington beat New Orleans earlier in the day. AFC North-leading Pittsburgh (10-4) lost for the second time in nine games but clinched a playoff spot thanks to losses by Miami and Indianapolis.

The Steelers lost star linebacker T.J Watt to an apparent foot injury after he chased down Hurts in the fourth quarter. Watt, who leads the Steelers with 11 1/2 sacks, was checked out in the medical tent and did not return.

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