Hurts returns from injury, leads Eagles to No. 1 seed in NFC
Jalen Hurts returned from a sprained right shoulder and threw for 229 yards under a conservative game plan in his first game in three weeks and the Philadelphia Eagles finally clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 22-16 win over the New York Giants on Sunday night.
Lamar winless no more, leads Ravens to 20-13 win over Titans
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrates after the Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans in an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lamar Jackson finally has his first postseason victory — and on the road, no less. Combine that with Baltimore smothering 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry, and the Ravens look playoff tough. After the turnover, the Ravens came onto the field and started waving good-bye to the Titans — drawing a taunting penalty they didn't mind at all. “We won the division, hosted a home playoff game,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. The Ravens held Tennessee to minus-7 yards in the second quarter, the third fewest in any quarter of a playoff game since the 2000 season.
Henry passes 2K, Titans beat Texans 41-38 on late field goal
Tennessee Titans kicker Sam Sloman (2) kicks a 37-yard game-winning field goal against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Houston. But it was a lucky bounce that gave the Tennessee Titans a win over Houston Texans and their first AFC South title since 2008. Henry ran for a career-high 250 yards to surpass 2,000 yards rushing and rookie Sam Sloman’s 37-yard field goal bounced off the upright and through for the 41-38 victory. Henry had touchdown runs of 52 and 6 yards in his third straight 200-yard rushing game against the Texans. The Titans then capped a long drive with a 5-yard TD run by Tannehill with less than two minutes remaining.
Soaring Ravens can’t afford letdown against lowly Jaguars
The Ravens would love to savor the memory of Lamar Jackson coming off the bench to throw a pivotal fourth-down touchdown pass before setting up Justin Tucker for a 55-yard winning field goal. So if the Ravens experience a letdown Sunday against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars (1-12), then Jackson's heroics in that epic 47-42 win over the Browns could turn out to be meaningless. “These are professional players, and they understand that to make the last win matter, you have to win the next one," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I don’t know if it’s hitting their stride or just really executing on a real high level, both in the run game and in the pass game," coach Doug Marrone said of Baltimore. Rookie Jake Luton started three games while Minshew was out with a thumb injury and Mike Glennon started the following three games.
Smith, Pitts are the real stars of SEC's Alabama, Florida
Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts are the real stars of the leagues most potent offenses. Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts are the real stars of the league’s most potent offenses. “He’s great at the point of attack.”Added Smith: “Pitts, he just makes unbelievable plays.”Pitts was in the middle of a cautious and costly decision last week. Pitts is a lock for the Mackey Award given annually to college football’s top tight end. But anyone who has watched even a little bit of Alabama and Florida this season knows who the real stars are.
Hometown hurdle? Henry has been quiet in games at Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some of Derrick Henry’s biggest plays and most productive games have come against the Jaguars. The Jaguars have an impressive streak going against the NFL’s leading rusher this season and last. They haven’t allowed Henry to reach 100 yards rushing in any of his four trips home. We know this guy’s going to get the football and he’s coming downhill,” Jaguars safety Jarrod Wilson said. Only three previous undrafted rookies have surpassed 1,000 yards rushing: Indianapolis’ Dominic Rhodes (1,104 in 2001), Denver’s Phillip Lindsay (1,037 in 2018) and Tampa Bay’s LeGarrette Blount (1,007 in 2010).
Mayfield throws 4 TDs in 1st half, Browns beat Titans 41-35
The Browns had their best-scoring half ever, leading 38-7 at halftime, topping the 35 points scored in the second half at Cincinnati in 2004. The Titans made it interesting late, outscoring the Browns 28-3 in the second half. Mayfield became the first Browns quarterback to throw four TDs in the first half since Hall of Famer Otto Graham in 1951. That’s the guy that the Cleveland Browns know who he is. Tennessee opened the second half scoring back-to-back touchdowns within the first six minutes.
The Latest: Pats' Newton hits rushing TDs milestone for QBs
Hurts’ only pass during that drive was a 34-yarder to Jalen Reagor, the Eagles’ second completion to a non-tight end in the game. ___5:15 p.m.Green Bay’s Davante Adams has caught a touchdown pass in seven consecutive games. Until Ryan’s TD pass, the only points against New Orleans in the past three games were scored on seven field goals. Mayfield may top those numbers before halftime with Cleveland routing the Tennessee Titans 31-7 still in the second quarter. ___1:50 p.m.New Orleans quarterback Taysom Hill has thrown the first touchdown pass of his NFL career.
Steelers dominate early, hold off Titans for 27-24 win
Benny Snell Jr. added a 1-yard TD run, and Ray-Ray McCloud set up a touchdown with a 57-yard punt return. Pittsburgh scored at least 26 points for a sixth straight game to tie a stretch in 2015 for the longest in franchise history. Pittsburgh dominated early with a 161-1 edge in total offense before the Titans' second offensive possession. Roethlisberger and the Steelers scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 23 games, going 75 yards over 16 plays. UP NEXTSteelers: Visit Baltimore in a game rescheduled because of the Titans' outbreak with the Ravens coming off their bye.
Henry, Titans rally past Texans 42-36 in OT, remain unbeaten
Henry took a direct snap and ran 5 yards for a touchdown 3:30 into overtime and the Titans remained undefeated, rallying to beat the Houston Texans 42-36 on Sunday. “Obviously, we all witnessed somebody taking a game over,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said of Henry. Watson's final TD pass put Houston (1-5) up 36-29 with 1:50 left, but his pass to Randall Cobb on the 2-point conversion attempt failed. Brown on a 7-yard TD pass with 4 seconds left. Watson answered two plays later with a 53-yard TD pass to Will Fuller for a 30-29 lead with 8:37 left.
Tannehill scores 4 TDs as depleted Titans beat Bills 42-16
Malcolm Butler intercepted two passes, the second he returned 68 yards, and both set up short touchdowns for Tennessee. Kareem Orr’s recovery of a fumbled kickoff set up Tannehill’s fourth TD for 21 points off Buffalo's three turnovers. “Kudos to them, and we have a lot to learn from.”Josh Allen came in second in the NFL in yards passing. Allen's pass went off Andre Roberts' hands right to Butler, and he returned the interception 29 yards to the Bills 16. Tennessee led 21-10 at halftime after Tannehill ran in from 10 yards seconds before the half.
Undefeated Bills, Titans set to face off if testing allows
The NFL's ranks of undefeated teams should thin by one Tuesday night, Oct. 13, 2020, when the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans finally meet in a rescheduled game. (AP Photo/David Berding, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The NFL's ranks of undefeated teams should thin by one Tuesday night when the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans finally meet in a rescheduled game. The NFL first postponed, then rescheduled their Oct. 4 game with Pittsburgh to Oct. 25, and their game with the Bills pushed back two days. “As a team that’s off to a good start, we feel like we’ve got a good thing rolling here and we want to play,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said. The Bills will be the first team to play the Titans since the NFL closed Tennessee's facility Sept. 29.
Lions WR Golladay makes 2020 debut; Bucs' Godwin also active
Jeudy is active for the Bucs game as Denver quarterback Jeff Driskel makes his first start while Drew Lock recovers from a shoulder injury. Cardinals: QB Brett Hundley, WR Christian Kirk, RB Eno Benjamin, OL Mason Cole, OL Josh Miles, DL Leki Fotu. ___CHICAGO AT ATLANTABears: CB Duke Shelley, OG Arlington Hambright, NT Daniel McCullers, WR RIley Ridley, OLB Trevis GipsonFalcons: WR Julio Jones, CB A.J. Browns: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CB Greedy Williams, LB Jacob Phillips, Olivier Vernon, Evan Brown and WR Rashard Higgins. Brown, CB Chris Jackson OLB Derick Roberson, C Aaron Brewer, TE Geoff Swaim, DT Matt DickersonVikings: WR Tajaé Sharpe, WR K.J.
Abram, Simmons among 2nd-year players poised for breakouts
Instead, the rookie safety injured his shoulder in the season opener and didnt play again last season. Now Abram is one of several second-year players poised for a breakout season in 2020. While Abrams season was cut short because of an injury, Tennessee first-round defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons started late because of one. Simmons recovered in time to play nine games of the regular season and three playoff games. He showed flashes as a rookie with 59 catches for 680 yards and five TDs despite substandard quarterback play from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges.