Baltimore, MD (My Sportsbook) - The
Baltimore Ravens continued their offensive assault with 479 yards of total offense, including a career-high 342 passing yards from Joe Flacco, while the defense had its best day of 2009 to date in a 34-3 win over the
Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. Both sides of the ball had a hand in the Ravens' (3-0) first touchdown, setting the tone for a day in which every unit made a contribution. A pass by Brady Quinn on Cleveland's first drive was intercepted by Baltimore cornerback Domonique Foxworth - the first of four turnovers for the Browns (0-3) on the day - and converted six plays later into a lead the Ravens would never relinquish when Willis McGahee's seven-yard touchdown run put them ahead, 7-0.
Final Score: Detroit 19, Washington 14
Detroit, MI (My Sportsbook) - Detroit's 19-game losing streak is history as the Lions got their first win in over 21 months with a 19-14 triumph over the Washington Redskins at Ford Field. The last time Detroit won a game was a 25-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on December 23, 2007. The team then dropped their next game at Green Bay and suffered through a humiliating 0-16 season last year, the first-ever winless campaign since the NFL went to a 16-game format. The 19-game losing streak was tied for the second-worst in NFL history, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 26-game winless spell in 1976-77 and tied with the Oakland Raiders 19-game skid from 1961-62. Matthew Stafford, the first pick of the 2009 draft and the future of the franchise, had the best game of his young career as he went 21-for-36 with 241 yards and a score for the Lions (1-2), who had dropped their past nine games at home. Bryant Johnson had four catches for 73 yards and a score while Maurice Morris added a rushing touchdown in the win. Kevin Smith had 16 carries for 101 yards before leaving late in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury. Jason Campbell went 27-for-41 with 340 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for the Redskins (1-2), who had won their past three games against the Lions. Santana Moss had 10 catches for 178 yards and a score.
Final Score: Jacksonville 31, Houston 24
Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 119 yards on 23 carries and tied a career high with three touchdowns, as the Jacksonville Jaguars held off the Houston Texans, 31-24, in an offensive shootout at Reliant Stadium. Jones-Drew also caught four passes for 28 yards for the Jaguars (1-2), who avoided going 0-3 for the third time in club history. David Garrard went 18-of-30 for 214 yards and rushed for a TD. Mike Sims- Walker caught six passes for 81 yards. Matt Schaub connected on 26-of-35 passes for 300 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for the Texans (1-2), who were coming off a thrilling 34-31 win over the Titans in Week 2. Kevin Walter hauled in seven passes for 96 yards and a score while Owen Daniels and Jacoby Jones each had a TD catch. Steve Slaton rushed for 76 yards on 12 carries in defeat.
Final Score: Minnesota 27, San Francisco 24
Minneapolis, MN (My Sportsbook) - Brett Favre completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis with two seconds left, as the Minnesota Vikings stunned the San Francisco 49ers, 27-24, at the Metrodome. Trailing by four, the Vikings began the game-winning drive with a minute and a half to go at their own 20. Minnesota advanced downfield, but with only 12 seconds left, the team was faced with a 3rd-and-3 at the San Francisco 32. But Favre dropped back, waiting for the play to unfold, then gunned a pass to the back of the end zone. Lewis jumped and extended his arms to make the catch, got his left foot inbounds, then dragged his right toe in the end zone. A booth review upheld the touchdown call, as the Vikings (3-0) took the victory. Favre finished with 301 yards and two scores, with one interception, on 24-of-46 completions for Minnesota, which hadn't opened the season with three wins since 2003. Sidney Rice also had a touchdown grab, while Adrian Peterson ran 19 times for 85 yards and Percy Harvin returned a kick 101 yards for a score. Shaun Hill threw for 195 yards and two scores -- both to Vernon Davis -- for the Niners (2-1), who had defeated Arizona and Seattle in the first two weeks of the season. Hill also had an interception, completing 15-of-25 passes. Davis finished with seven catches for 96 yards for San Francisco, while Nate Clements returned a blocked kick for a touchdown. The Niners lost running back Frank Gore to an ankle injury after his first run of the game.
Final Score: New England 26, Atlanta 10
Foxboro, MA (My Sportsbook) - Fred Taylor rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries as New England upended Atlanta, 26-10, at Gillette Stadium. Tom Brady threw for 277 yards and a score on 25-of-42 completions for the Patriots (2-1), who got four field goals from kicker Stephen Gostkowski in the victory. Randy Moss contributed 116 receiving yards on 10 catches and Chris Baker added a TD reception for New England, which erased a bitter defeat last Sunday against the New York Jets. In his first game back in the region since the Falcons took him with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft, former Boston College signal-caller Matt Ryan threw for 199 yards on 17-of-28 passing for the Falcons (2-1), who had begun the season with victories over Miami and Carolina. Michael Turner rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown and Michael Jenkins logged 78 yards on five catches in the setback.
Final Score: NY Jets 24, Tennessee 17
East Rutherford, NJ (My Sportsbook) - Mark Sanchez is still in the honeymoon stage in New York, throwing for two touchdowns and adding a rushing score to lead the Jets in a 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans in a rainy afternoon at the Meadowlands. Sanchez became the franchise's first quarterback to win the initial three starts of his career, as he completed 17-of-30 throws for 171 yards with an interception for the Jets (3-0), who are off to their best start since 2004. Jerricho Cotchery had eight receptions for 108 yards and a TD in the win. Both running games were bottled up throughout. New York's combination of Leon Washington and Thomas Jones amassed a total of 66 yards on 26 carries, while the Titans' Chris Johnson, who was coming off a career-high 197-yard rushing effort last week, gained 97 yards on 22 carries. Kerry Collins did not complete a pass in the fourth quarter (10 attempts), finishing with 170 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions on 15-of-37 attempts for Tennessee (0-3), which lost its first two games by a combined six points. LenDale White had a rushing score in defeat, while Ryan Mouton coughed up two costly fumbles on special teams.
Final Score: Philadelphia 34, Kansas City 14
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Kevin Kolb threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Philadelphia Eagles in a 34-14 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs and overshadowing Michael Vick's return to the football field. Kolb, who also rushed for a touchdown and started for the second straight week in the absence of the injured Donovan McNabb, completed 24-of-34 passes and didn't throw an interception for Philadelphia (2-1), which had Vick on the field for the first time. Vick didn't play an enormous role, appearing in only a handful of plays mostly out of the Wildcat formation. After serving a two-week suspension to start the regular season, Vick ran for seven yards on one attempt and did not complete either of his two pass attempts. It was his first regular season action since December 31, 2006, when he was with the Falcons; that game was also played in Philadelphia. Eagles running back Brian Westbrook was also out due to an ankle injury, and rookie LeSean McCoy stepped in nicely, running for 84 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. DeSean Jackson had a huge game, catching six balls for a career-high 149 yards and a 64-yard score, while Brent Celek added eight receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown in the resounding victory. The Chiefs (0-3) didn't have much to celebrate, as Matt Cassel passed for only 90 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-18 attempts. The Chiefs gained only 196 total yards in the game, as Larry Johnson ran for 38 yards on 19 carries and Jamaal Charles had 36 rushing yards and 34 receiving yards.
Final Score: Green Bay 36, St. Louis 17
St. Louis, MO (My Sportsbook) - Aaron Rodgers passed for 269 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another score, as the Green Bay Packers crushed the St. Louis Rams, 36-17, at Edward Jones Dome. Rodgers finished 13-of-23 passing and also rushed eight times for 38 yards, while Ryan Grant added 99 yards on the ground on 26 handles for Green Bay (2-1), which rebounded from a 31-24 loss to Cincinnati last Sunday. John Kuhn had a 10-yard touchdown grab and rushed for a score, while Greg Jennings pulled in two passes for 103 yards in the win. Donald Driver also had a big game receiving for the Packers, catching four balls for 95 yards and a score. Mason Crosby connected on three field goals for Green Bay. Steven Jackson had 27 carries for 117 yards and Daniel Fells had a pair of TD catches for the Rams (0-3), who have started 0-3 for the third straight season and have dropped 13 in a row with their last win coming on October 19, 2008 versus Dallas. Marc Bulger finished 3-of-4 passing for 23 yards and a fumble before leaving late in the first quarter with a bruised right shoulder. Kyle Boller took over and threw for 164 yards on 16-of-31 attempts, including two touchdown passes.
Final Score: NY Giants 24, Tampa Bay 0
Tampa, FL (My Sportsbook) - Eli Manning threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-24 efficiency, and the New York Giants used great defense to make short work of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-0, in Week 3 action at Raymond James Stadium. Ahmad Bradshaw tallied 104 yards on 14 carries and Brandon Jacobs added 92 yards and a score on 26 rushes for the Giants (3-0), who travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs next Sunday. Steve Smith racked up 63 yards and a TD on seven grabs and Sinorice Moss also had a TD reception. The Giants outgained the Buccaneers, 397-86. Tampa Bay had just 28 yards rushing. The Bucs also failed to record a first down in the opening two quarters, and totaled just 19 yards over that span. Tampa Bay had just five first downs the entire game. Byron Leftwich was a pedestrian 7-of-16 for 22 yards and an interception, and Josh Johnson was 4- for-10 for 36 yards in relief for the Bucs (0-3), who will have to wait to give rookie head coach Raheem Morris his first victory. Johnson also led all rushers with a 15-yard carry. Sammie Stroughter led all Tampa Bay receivers with 23 yards on two grabs.
Final Score: New Orleans 27, Buffalo 7
Orchard Park, NY (My Sportsbook) - Pierre Thomas rushed for 126 yards and a pair of late scores on 14 carries as New Orleans shut down Buffalo, 27-7, at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Drew Brees finished 16-of-29 for 172 yards for the Saints (3-0), who also opened the 2006 campaign with three straight wins. Reggie Bush added 64 rushing yards on 13 touches while Marques Colston caught four balls for 67 yards. Trent Edwards threw for 156 yards and one interception on 20-of-35 passing for the Bills (1-2), who were coming off a 33-20 victory over Tampa Bay. Buffalo's lone score of the contest came on a fake field-goal try in the second quarter. Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens failed to record a catch despite being thrown to on five occasions, breaking a 185-game streak with at least one reception.
Final Score: Chicago 25, Seattle 19
Seattle, WA (My Sportsbook) - Devin Hester showed the speed that has made him the Bears' go-to receiver, taking a quick slant for the go-ahead, 36-yard touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game in a 25-19 triumph in Seattle. Jay Cutler tossed three touchdowns and threw for 247 yards on 21-of-27 attempts, while also throwing an interception and losing a fumble. Hester ended with 76 yards on five grabs, while Earl Bennett added 80 yards on four receptions for Chicago (2-1), which has won two straight following a season-opening loss to Green Bay. Matt Forte compiled 106 total yards, 66 coming on 21 carries in the win. Seneca Wallace was serviceable in the absence of Matt Hasselbeck, who is dealing with a fractured rib suffered last week. Wallace threw for 261 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 26-of-44 passes for the Seahawks (1-2), losers of two straight. Julius Jones logged 136 yards from scrimmage with a receiving touchdown, while Nate Burleson caught nine balls for 109 yards. Olindo Mare nailed four field goals but also missed a pair in the setback.
Final Score: Cincinnati 23, Pittsburgh 20
Cincinnati, OH (My Sportsbook) - Andre Caldwell's four-yard touchdown catch with 14 seconds left in the game helped the Cincinnati Bengals take a tough 23-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North battle. Carson Palmer went 20-for-37 with 183 yards and a score while Cedric Benson had 16 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals (2-1), who have won their past two games after a heartbreaking loss to Denver in Week 1. Chad Ochocinco had five catches for 54 yards while Caldwell added six catches for 52 yards for Cincinnati, which had lost eight straight home games against the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger went 22-for-31 with 276 yards passing, one touchdown and one interception while adding a rushing touchdown for the Steelers (1-2), who have dropped their past two games. Roethlisberger was 10-0 in his career in the state of Ohio coming into the game. Willie Parker had 25 carries for 93 yards and two catches for 36 yards and a score. Mike Wallace added seven catches for 102 yards in the loss.
Final Score: Denver 23, Oakland 3
Oakland, CA (My Sportsbook) - Correll Buckhalter gained 108 yards on 14 carries and Kyle Orton threw for 157 yards and a touchdown to lead the Denver Broncos in a 23-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Orton finished 13-for-23 passing for the Broncos (3-0), who host the Cowboys next week. Knowshon Moreno added 90 yards and a score on 21 touches, while Brandon Marshall had a TD catch and now has 3,027 receiving yards for his career. JaMarcus Russell was a less-than-stellar 12-of-21 for 61 yards with two interceptions for the Raiders (1-2), who play at Houston next week. Darren McFadden tallied 45 yards on 12 carries and Louis Murphy led all Oakland receivers with 25 yards on two grabs.
Final Score: San Diego 23, Miami 13
San Diego, CA (My Sportsbook) - Nate Kaeding kicked three field goals and Eric Weddle returned an interception for a touchdown, helping the San Diego Chargers take a 23-13 win over the Miami Dolphins. Philip Rivers threw for 303 yards on 18-of-33 completions and ran for the other score for the Chargers (2-1), who rebounded from a loss to Baltimore last week. Vincent Jackson caught five passes for 120 yards in the win. Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman left the game in the third quarter with a groin injury he had sustained earlier. He was listed as questionable for Sunday's contest and attempted to play before departing. Meanwhile, Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington also left in the third quarter after sustaining a right shoulder injury. He was 8-for-12 for 54 yards before exiting, while substitute Chad Henne completed 10-of-19 passes for 92 yards with the interception Weddle returned for a score. Ricky Williams ran for 55 yards and the only touchdown for the Dolphins (0-3), while Ronnie Brown had 75 yards on 18 carries.
Final Score: Indianapolis 31, Arizona 10
Glendale, AZ (My Sportsbook) - Peyton Manning threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Indianapolis Colts in a sound 31-10 defeat of the Arizona Cardinals in a matchup of two high-powered offenses at University of Phoenix Stadium. Manning completed 24-of-35 passes to six different receivers, four of whom caught touchdowns. Reggie Wayne topped the list with seven grabs for 126 yards, while tight end Dallas Clark hauled in seven passes for 62 yards. Joseph Addai rushed for 63 yards and caught a three-yard TD pass for Indianapolis (3-0), which has 12 consecutive regular-season wins -- the longest current streak in the league. The Colts offense racked up 505 total yards. Not to be outdone, the defense was key in disrupting the flow of Kurt Warner and a dangerous Cardinals attack, intercepting Warner twice, forcing two fumbles -- one from Warner -- and producing constant pressure that led to four sacks. Warner finished with 332 passing yards and a 10-yard touchdown to Anquan Boldin on 30-of-52 attempts. Boldin caught six balls for 83 yards and Steve Breaston posted seven receptions for 94 yards for Arizona (1-2), which bounced back from a season-opening loss to the 49ers by beating Jacksonville in Week 2. Larry Fitzgerald checked in with 76 yards on seven grabs, while Arizona's rushing attack was nearly nonexistent with only 24 yards.