Falcons rally to remain undefeated
Vikings keep pace in North
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| Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph (82) catches a 15-yard touchdown pass between the Titans' Jordan Babineaux (left) and Michael Griffin during the second half Sunday in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 30-7(AP Photo/Genevieve Ross) (Genevieve Ross) |
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Percy Harvin pounded his way through Tennessee’s defense for one touchdown rushing and another receiving in helping the Vikings keep up their commanding start to the season with a 30-7 victory over the Titans on Sunday in Minneapolis.
Harvin caught eight passes for 108 yards for the Vikings (4-1), who have given up a combined 33 points in winning three straight games. Christian Ponder threw his first two interceptions after 143 attempts without one this year, but still finished 25-for-35 for 258 yards and two scores against the reeling Titans (1-4).
Adrian Peterson charged his way for 88 yards on 17 carries for the Vikings, a stark contrast to the 24 yards Chris Johnson managed on 15 tries, often stutter-stepping at the line, trying fruitlessly to find room.
Once again, the Titans couldn’t keep handing their franchise runner the ball because they fell too far behind. Matt Hasselbeck, starting in place of the injured Jake Locker, went 26-for-43 for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Most of those gains came near the end of the game with the outcome no longer in doubt.
Falcons 24, Redskins 17: Michael Turner ran 13 yards for the go-ahead score with 2:46 to play, and Atlanta knocked Robert Griffin III out of the game in Landover, Md.
The Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history. Matt Ryan completed 34 of 52 passes for 345 yards, as Atlanta handed Washington (2-3) its eighth consecutive home loss.
Griffin left the game in the third quarter after being hit in the head on a sack by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Coach Mike Shanahan said Griffin has a “mild concussion.”
Kirk Cousins took over and threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss to give the Redskins a fourth-quarter lead, but the fourth-round pick also threw two interceptions in the final 2 minutes.
Seahawks 16, Panthers 12: Russell Wilson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate with 35 seconds left in the third quarter, and visiting Seattle came up with four sacks against Cam Newton.
Wilson shook off two third-quarter interceptions – including one that was returned for a touchdown. He threw for 221 yards, while Marshawn Lynch ran for 85 yards for the Seahawks (3-2).
Newton threw for 141 yards on 12-for-29 passing, while the Panthers (1-4) managed 190 total yards.
Dolphins 17, Bengals 13: Reshad Jones intercepted Andy Dalton’s overthrown pass at midfield with 1:22 left in Cincinnati, preserving a win that ended 2 weeks of miserable, last-minute finishes for Miami.
The Dolphins (2-3), who had dropped their last two games in overtime, held on against the Bengals (3-2), who never got anything going consistently on offense and wasted a chance for a tighter finish.
Dalton was 26-for-43 for 234 yards with three sacks and two interceptions.
49ers 45, Bills 3: Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and San Francisco amassed a franchise-record 621 yards at home.
Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis each eclipsed 100 yards receiving to back Smith, who threw TD passes of 43, 28 and 10 yards and surpassed 300 yards passing for only the third time in his career.
Saints 31, Chargers 24: Drew Brees threw for 370 yards and broke a half-century-old NFL record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game, and New Orleans won for the first time this season.
Brees’ 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson eclipsed the mark of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-60. Brees’ also had three scoring strikes to Marques Colston, giving him a franchise-record 52 touchdown catches with the Saints (1-4).
Philip Rivers passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers (3-2), but had an interception and fumble in the final quarter.
