Chicago Bears

Cleveland claimed a somewhat nervy 41-35 triumph in Nashville on Sunday, equalling the start they made in 1994, when the Browns began 9-3 under Bill Belichick and went on to win a playoff game, the franchise's last postseason triumph.

There was no such glory for the Jets, however, who are now 0-12 after giving up a slender lead against the Las Vegas Raiders in the most dramatic fashion, losing 31-28.

In Chicago, the Bears also slipped to a late defeat, going down 34-30 to the Detroit Lions.

MAYFIELD MAKES HISTORY AS BROWNS ENSURE WINNING SEASON

Baker Mayfield's excellent form continued as he threw for four touchdowns in a brilliant first-half display from the Browns in their win over the Titans – a victory which ultimately became rather nervy.

Aiming to match their best start since 1994 and ensure a winning season in the process – their first winning record since 2007 – the Browns made a rapid start in Nashville.

Cleveland, thrashed 43-13 by Tennessee win in Week 1 last season, scored five touchdowns in the opening two periods, with Mayfield picking out Jarvis Landry, Kendall Lamm, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins, and Nick Chubb rushing in late.

It put the Browns into a 38-7 lead by the interval, and made Mayfield the first Browns quarterback since Otto Graham, who led Cleveland to three NFL championships, in 1951 to throw four touchdowns in the first half of a game.

Tennessee, coming off the back of a 45-26 win over the Indianapolis Colts, fought back in the second half, and what looked to be a mere consolation touchdown from Jeremy McNichols teed up a grandstand finish when Ryan Tannehill picked out Cameron Batson for a late score following Mayfield's fumble.

However, a failed onside attempt finally handed Browns the win and put them in a great position to clinch a postseason berth.

LATE HAIL MARY LEAVES JETS IN DESPAIR

New York had a first win of the season in their grasp, but Derek Carr produced a moment of magic to leave them 0-12 for 2020.

The Jets – the 18th team in league history to open the season at 0-11 – were leading 28-24 with a matter of seconds left on the clock.

Yet Carr then salvaged a win for Las Vegas, picking out Henry Ruggs III with a raking, 46-yard pass.

A reprieve for the Jets, perhaps, is that they look all set to have the first pick in the NFL Draft, which is likely to be Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence, with Sam Darnold having struggled this year.

SIX DEFEATS ON THE BOUNCE FOR THE BEARS

Like New York, there was also late sorrow for Chicago at home to Detroit in an NFC North contest.

The Bears were hit by a late blunder from Mitch Trubisky, who was strip-sacked on the third down, deep in Chicago's half, following the two-minute warning.

Chicago led 30-27 at that stage, but Adrian Peterson's five-yard run won it for the Lions, who recently dismissed their head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn.

It brought up a sixth straight defeat for the Bears, with the futures of head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace up in the air.

"I don't get into any speculation on any of that," Nagy told reporters after the defeat. "What my job is to do is to make sure that each and every week I'm giving it everything I can as a coach and as a leader with these guys."

Chicago sit third in the NFC North, a place behind the Minnesota Vikings, who clinched a 27-24 overtime victory over the one-win Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Week 13 scores:

Cleveland Browns 41-35 Tennessee Titans
Las Vegas Raiders 31-28 New York Jets
Minnesota Vikings 27-24 Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins 19-7 Cincinnati Bengals
Indianapolis Colts 26-20 Houston Texans
Detroit Lions 34-30 Chicago Bears
New Orleans Saints 21-16 Atlanta Falcons

A disappointing Thursday Night Football loss to the Bears, who triumphed 20-19, was compounded a day later by the bad news on Vea.

The third-year pro, who was drafted at number 12 overall in 2018, was carted off the field late in the game after taking down Bears running back David Montgomery, his ankle getting caught in the turf at Soldier Field after inadvertent contact with team-mate Devin White.

Vea was shining in the early weeks of the year - he had two sacks and was excelling against the run for a Bucs defense that is fourth in yards allowed and eighth in points per game to support an offense led by Tom Brady.

"It's a big, big loss," Arians said of the loss of Vea, who started every game last season and all five so far this year.

"When you lose players like [tight end] O.J. [Howard] and Vita, you can plug the next man in, but they are not the same. I hate it for him because he was having such a great year.

"I don't know if there was a better nose tackle out there. He was getting sacks. He was getting pressure up the middle.

"He got hurt on a great hustle play on the side going back and forth and it was really friendly fire that got his leg. He was playing really, really well."

The 3-2 Bucs are back in action with a huge home test against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6.

There was also a negative development for the Dallas Cowboys, with coach Mike McCarthy confirming the team's seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith would undergo neck surgery, ending his season.

Elsewhere, the Miami Dolphins put left tackle Austin Jackson on injured reserve due to a foot injury he suffered against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Bengals went down 23-20 to the Steelers after missing kicks at the end of regulation and in the additional period that would have secured a winning start.

Instead, Chris Boswell kicked the game-winning field goal for the Steelers in the final seconds of overtime.

Burrow had put the Bengals in position to succeed despite his dismal start, looking nothing like the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year who led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.

The quarterback had four turnovers before half-time – a career high for an entire game – including a pick-six for Minkah Fitzpatrick from his very first pass.

Burrow finished with four interceptions, a lost fumble and seven sacks, but he also threw two touchdown passes, including one for Ja'Marr Chase that appeared to set up a stunning Bengals win.

However, Fitzpatrick blocked Evan McPherson's PAT, and McPherson missed his target again in overtime.

Boswell similarly squandered a chance to win the game, hitting the left post, but he made amends just as it looked as though the NFL would see two ties in the same week for the first time since Week 2 in 1973, with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts also tied 20-20.

Browns deny Baker's Panthers

The Bengals were the only team not to win in the AFC North – a division that had it all on Sunday. While Lamar Jackson guided the Baltimore Ravens to victory over the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns celebrated their first Week 1 win since 2004 as former QB Baker Mayfield saw his Carolina Panthers beaten 24-23 by a late field goal.

The Miami Dolphins' 20-7 win over AFC East rivals the Patriots was far more straightforward, with Tua Tagovailoa becoming the first QB to remain unbeaten against Bill Belichick in the regular season having started at least four games against New England.

49ers flounder at sodden Soldier Field

Miserable conditions in Chicago hampered the San Francisco 49ers as they suffered a shock 19-10 loss to the Bears, with Trey Lance's miserable 13-of-28 passing including an awful fourth-quarter interception for a quarterback rating of just 50.3.

Elsewhere in the NFC, Jalen Hurts also did not throw a single touchdown pass in the Philadelphia Eagles' 38-35 victory over the Detroit Lions – he contributed one of four rushing scores – but the QB connected with A.J. Brown for 155 yards on 10 catches. Marquee offseason trade signing Brown had 128 receiving yards before half-time, the most in the first half of a team debut by any non-rookie since at least 1991.

The Pats were comfortable 21-11 winners against the Miami Dolphins in their first game since Tom Brady's departure, with Newton contributing two rushing touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Bears hit back at Detroit, who had linebacker Jamie Collins ejected for making contact with an official with his helmet in a bizarre incident.

PATS UP AND RUNNING POST-BRADY

The Pats kicked off a new Brady-less era at Gillette Stadium with a routine opening-day victory thanks in no small part to the performance of Newton.

The 2015 MVP scored the 59th and 60th rushing TDs of his career, going 75 yards on 15 carries while also throwing 15 of 19 for 155 yards.

Sony Michel also rushed home from a yard out in the fourth quarter after Jordan Howard had given the Dolphins some temporary hope.

TRUBISKY DRAGS CHICAGO BACK FROM THE DEAD

Chicago scored 21 unanswered points on three touchdown passes from Mitch Trubisky to claim an improbable 27-23 win at Detroit.

The hosts carried a three-score lead into the final quarter yet somehow failed to see out victory

Trubisky picked out wide receiver Anthony Miller for a diving 27-yard touchdown catch with a little under two minutes remaining complete the fightback.

Detroit lost Collins in the second quarter, the linebacker ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after lowering his head and made contact with an official as he appeared to signal another incident.

RODGERS DISMANTLES MINNESOTA

Aaron Rodgers looked back to his old self, helping himself to a couple of touchdown passes in the second quarter of the Green Bay Packers' 43-34 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

He did not look back from that point on, finishing with four touchdown passes, Davante Adams profiting from two of those, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling also got in on the act.

There was also a scintillating quarterback display from Russell Wilson in the Seattle Seahawks' 38-25 victory against Atlanta Falcons.

Wilson threw for 322 yards and four TDs for the Seahawks, who saw Greg Olsen and Carlos Hyde register debut scores.

JACKSON RESUMES MVP FORM
 
Lamar Jackson was nine-of-10 for 180 yards on throws of 10 yards or more downfield, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Willie Snead, as the Baltimore Ravens beat Cleveland Browns 36-6. 

He completed 20 of 25 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns in total in a formidable performance, helping the Ravens win a season opener by more than 30 points for a third straight season.

It was a tighter contest in the clash between the Carolina Panthers and the Las Vegas Raiders, meanwhile, with the latter clinching a slender 34-30 road win.

Josh Jacobs rushed for three touchdowns, one of those a six-yard scoring run with 4:08 left, to inspire the Raiders to victory in their debut as Las Vegas' NFL team

JACKSONVILLE SHOCK COLTS

The Jaguars got off to a 1-0 start by overcoming divisional rivals Indianapolis Colts 27-20 at EverBank Field.

The Colts, in their first game with veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, were second best against a Jaguars side containing a number of rookies.

Andrew Wingard intercepted with less than five minutes of a tight contest remaining to set up Josh Lambo's second field goal in a surprise result.

Elsewhere, the Washington Football Team - inspired by Peyton Barber - rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-17 from a 17-0 deficit.

Barber ran for two touchdowns in Ron Rivera's debut game, profiting from some poor defensive play from their opponents.

Week 1 scores:

Atlanta Falcons 25-38 Seattle Seahawks
Baltimore Ravens 38-6 Cleveland Browns
Buffalo Bills 27-17 New York Jets
Carolina Panthers 30-34 Las Vegas Raiders
Detroit Lions 23-27 Chicago Bears
Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 Indianapolis Colts
Minnesota Vikings 34-43 Green Bay Packers
New England Patriots 21-11 Miami Dolphins
Washington Football Team 27-17 Philadelphia Eagles

Murray has not played since sustaining a left ankle sprain in the Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers but is closing in on a return to full fitness and availability.

The Cardinals take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday holding a 9-2 record and top spot in the NFC West.

Arizona's winning record has enabled them to maintain a cautious approach for Murray's return, with his absence entering its sixth week.

"There's obviously some cat-and-mouse in this sport, but I mean, with a player like him, the position we're in, we were going to be overly cautious this entire time," Kingsbury told reporters on Friday.

"We still are and so we want to make sure when we get him back, he's playing at a high level, and he can't re-injure it to a point that we lose him for a substantial amount of time."

Kingsbury is also cognisant of the last season's tailspin after starting the season 5-2 before finishing 3-6 with injuries taking their toll and missing the postseason.

"I just think we want to finish the right way this season and we didn't last year," Kingsbury added. "So, we're just trying to be smart about it."

Meanwhile, Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields will miss the game despite making progress in his return from broken ribs.

"Justin's making good progress, [he's] just not there yet medically for the clearance," Bears head coach Matt Nagy told reporters.

Fields, who practised on a limited basis three times this week, will be absent for a second consecutive game with Andy Dalton to start again as QB for the 4-7 Bears.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are "leaning towards" accepting a trade from one of the many teams looking to bring in a top quarterback prospect, believing their priorities to lie elsewhere.

The Bears have the top pick heading into the draft after a disappointing 3-14 season in 2022.

General manager Ryan Poles has already given his support to Justin Fields as Chicago's starting quarterback heading into the 2023 season, recently saying that a QB prospect would have to amaze him for the Bears to draft one with their top pick.

"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said last month. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."

Fields was one of the few positives in a Bears campaign that concluded with a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak.

The number 11 pick in the 2021 draft claimed 1,143 rushing yards overall, averaging a league-leading 7.14 yards per rush and had an NFL-best four rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards.

In terms of his throwing, though, among the 32 quarterbacks with a minimum of 250 pass attempts, Fields ranked 25th in passer rating (85.2), 31st in completion percentage (60.4) and 32nd in yards per game (149.5).

Of teams in the top 10 picks of the draft, at least five could be looking to select a quarterback first, including the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.

Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are three quarterbacks all projected to be drafted in the top 10 in late April.

Fields eclipsed the previous high mark of 173 yards set by Atlanta’s Michael Vick in 2002. Former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick still has the most rushing yards by a quarterback in any NFL game when he ran for 181 in a playoff victory over Green Bay in January 2013.

The 2021 first-round pick also set a franchise record for the longest run by a quarterback when he eluded a rush and scrambled for a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter of Chicago’s 35-32 loss.

Fields' continued development as a passer was also on display, as he threw for a career-high three touchdowns and finished with a quarterback rating over 100 for a second straight game.

"I think I’m just growing and getting better each and every week," he said afterward. "My main goal is just to continue to do that, continue to trend up. Each and every day I practice, just keep getting better and better. That’s really all you can do."

After recording a 71.8 passer rating with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9-to-13 through his first 14 NFL starts, the 23-year-old has posted a 99.7 rating with eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions over his last five outings.

"Obviously, start of the season [he’s] feeling his way, and now the last three games he’s really taken off," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. "We are excited about that as a group and we are excited about that for the Chicago Bears and the franchise."

Sunday’s effort gave Fields 602 rushing yards in 2022, making him the fifth quarterback since 1960 with 600 or more rushing yards through nine games in a season. The former Ohio State star joined a list that includes Vick, former Bear Bobby Douglass and two active players, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray.

"He’s as fast as any skill position runner," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel remarked. "He is really, really fast and he can cut and break tackles.

"There are a lot of running quarterbacks. This one in particular I think is very elite and adept at that."

A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Herbert has quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic backs in the league, tied with the Dallas Cowboys' Tony Pollard for the top yards-per-carry mark in the league (6.0).

When Bears starter David Montgomery missed time earlier this season, Herbert showed what he can do as the main man, tallying 157 yards and two touchdowns from 20 carries to star in his team's win over the Houston Texans in Week 3.

Herbert's injury came late in the fourth quarter against the Lions as he fielded the final kick return, landing awkwardly on his hip and immediately leaving the game.

After his departure, Montgomery handled 100 per cent of the running back snaps, meaning unless the Bears decide they trust another runner, Montgomery could be in for a workhorse role in Week 11 on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.

Chicago made the move two years after signing Super Bowl-winning TE Burton to a four-year contract.

Burton agreed to a $32million contract with the Bears in March 2018 and he responded with career highs of 54 receptions, 569 yards and six touchdowns in his first season in Chicago.

The 28-year-old was limited to eight games last season after being placed on injured reserve in November due to a groin injury and had 14 catches for 84 yards and one score.

Chicago signed former All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham last month and Burton's role became greatly diminished.

Burton spent his first four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and threw a touchdown to quarterback Nick Foles in their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots in 2018.

The Bears traded two-time All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday for a 2023 second-round pick along with a fifth-round selection in next year's draft. Chicago acquired linebacker A.J. Klein in the deal.

Smith becomes the second high-profile defensive player traded by the Bears in less than a week after sending pass-rusher Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last Wednesday.

Smith leaves behind the rebuilding Bears to join a 5-3 Ravens team that is in first place in the AFC North.

Selected eighth overall in the 2018 draft, Smith requested a trade prior to the start of the season after being unable to work out a new contract before ultimately agreeing to play out his rookie deal.

The 25-year-old has been one of the league’s top linebackers and was looking to be paid like one.

He leads the league with 83 total tackles this season while also registering 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Since his rookie season, his 606 total tackles trail only Bobby Wagner for the most in the NFL and his 47 tackles for loss are tied for 14th.

In his final game with the Bears on Sunday, Chicago's defense was shredded in a 49-29 loss at Dallas, surrendering a season-high 442 yards with the Cowboys averaging 7.8 yards per play.

The loss dropped the Bears to 3-5, and the team has essentially conceded this season as general manager Ryan Poles goes into the offseason looking to build around Justin Fields, who put together a second straight encouraging performance in Week 8.

Chicago received a 2023 fourth-round draft pick for Quinn, who set a Bears franchise record for sacks in a single season last year with 18.5.

The deal, which was reported on Tuesday, could be worth up to $12.5million. 

Considered one of the best free agents still on the market, Reiff started 12 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 before an ankle injury ended his season. 

Since being drafted 23rd overall by the Detroit Lions in 2012, the 33-year-old Reiff has appeared in 147 games with 139 starts. This will be his third NFC North team after spending his first five seasons with the Lions and the next four with the Minnesota Vikings, with whom he signed as a free agent prior to the 2017 season. 

Reiff is expected to win the starting left tackle job for a Bears team that struggled mightily to protect Justin Fields in his 2021 rookie season. 

The Chicago offensive line allowed a league-worst 58 sacks last season with Fields being sacked on 11.8 per cent of his dropbacks – the worst rate in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 250 pass attempts. 

One of the better all-round rosters in the NFL once again suffered frustration in 2020.

A second consecutive 8-8 season was enough to creep into the expanded playoffs, but a tame 21-9 Wild Card defeat to the New Orleans Saints soon followed.

Mitchell Trubisky started the season at QB, and later regained his place after being benched in place of trade arrival Nick Foles, who also underwhelmed.

Ultimately, despite a late flurry from Trubisky, neither QB could propel the Bears into contention in the NFC North, which was dominated by the Green Bay Packers. A meaningful postseason run never looked likely because of those limitations under center.

Head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace know their jobs likely hang in the balance based on how they fare in 2021, with their ability to find a solution at the game's most important position crucial to the Bears’ prospects of success next season.

Here we have looked at some of the best Stats Perform data from their 2020 season to determine whether taking that next step is possible.

Offense

Despite being a playoff team, only six teams had a worse yards per game total than the Bears on offense (331.4), while 23.3 points per game was better than just nine franchises.

The Bears’ rushing offense was 25th in the NFL (102.9 yards per game), while 228.4 net passing yards per game was good for the 22nd best mark and 5.62 yards per passing play had them ranked 26th.

Continuing the trend of bottom-half offensive statistics, Chicago averaged 27.4 yards in their big passing plays of 20+ yards – the worst in the NFL - and only seven teams produced fewer than their 42 in that category.

Any struggles in the passing game cannot really be put on the two quarterbacks’ supporting cast. Bears receivers only dropped 12 of 414 catchable passes this season, an impressive rate second only to the Arizona Cardinals (nine from 296) in the league.

Fifth-round draft pick Darnell Mooney looked a steal as he registered 61 catches in 631 yards in support of Allen Robinson, who passed 100 catches (102) for the first time in his NFL career.

But generally this was an offense lacking dynamism despite the past success of Nagy offenses.

Aside from their passing problems, more could have been expected from the rushing game and a once dominant offensive line.

Running back David Montgomery had the fourth-most rushing attempts in the NFL (247) but just the 14th-most rushes of 10+ yards (24) and the 46th highest yards per carry (4.33) average.

Montgomery had a steady but unspectacular 1.8 yards after first contact, 34th in the league among rushers who had at least 50 attempts.

He also had 11 broken tackles, breaking a tackle on 4.4 per cent of plays (the 15th highest percentage in the league), though he did add 54 catches through the air. 

As a team, the 40 rushes of 10+ yards was only 25th in the league, so not much was working on this side of the ball.

Defense

The Bears still had a strong defense, though the unit fell short of the peak play it has produced in years gone by.

They ranked 11th in yardage (344.9), 14th in points allowed (23.1) and 12th in scoring efficiency, allowing 68 scoring drives out of 179.

Opponents tallied 5.41 yards per play (11th), while 18 takeaways put them in a tie for 15th, so they were in the top half of the league in all key metrics.

A sack total of 35, though, was 17th in the NFL.

Khalil Mack posted below 10 sacks (9.0) and 15 QB hits (13) for a second straight year, having not done so in either category in four years between 2015 and 2018.

But that is a reflection of the Bears front seven looking like it needs an infusion of youth, rather than an alarming drop off from Mack. Robert Quinn (2.0 sacks, 6 QB hits) had a quiet year rushing the passer opposite Mack.

The secondary, led by Kyle Fuller, Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson, allowed 10 big play TDs (tied for 14th) and 59 total big plays (16th).

Offseason

Trubisky is out of contract and a return has not been ruled out, while Foles has two years left. But if either of those players are starting at QB then it is hard to see the Bears challenging.

Potential trade options Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz have already found new teams. With the Bears picking in the bottom half of the draft and the cupboard relatively bare in terms of remaining free agent options, Pace is going to have to pull something special out of the bag at QB.

Beyond that critical position, number one wide receiver Robinson is set to hit free agency and is among the NFL's most interesting names to watch after racking up 200 catches and 2,397 receiving yards over the past two years.

The Bears have the franchise tag at their disposal, so could get extra time to work out a long-term deal or consider a tag-and-trade if Robinson expresses a desire to depart.

Chicago enter the offseason approximately $2million over the estimated cap ($185m), putting them around the middle of the league.

They will likely have some room for manoeuvre without being able to embark on a significant free agency splurge.

Having not picked in the first round since 2018, several areas of the roster are in need of attention in addition to the drama at QB. Despite the stellar play of Mack, trading for him has not produced the desired results.

With those issues to overcome at a time when Aaron Rodgers' play is putting divisional rivals Green Bay up there with the NFC's best, the Bears find themselves in an undesirable position.

Despite stuttering of late, Pittsburgh will now win the AFC North after a come-from-behind victory during Sunday's six-game early schedule.

Wins for the Baltimore Ravens and the Chicago Bears leave both franchises at the front of the queue to reach the postseason, and while the Cleveland Browns remain in the hunt, too, they blew a big opportunity as they went down to the New York Jets.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' playoff hopes had long since ended, but the franchise can now plan for their long-term future after a 14th straight loss means they will have the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

There was a record-breaking outing for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, while the evergreen Frank Gore reached a major milestone.

RECORD-BREAKING KELCE STARS FOR CHIEFS

So now it is official: Kansas City are number one in the AFC, the defending champions securing a bye with a 14th victory in the regular season.

It was far from straightforward, however, as they scrapped to a 17-14 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons, who saw Younghoe Koo miss a late field-goal attempt that would have forced overtime. 

Atlanta had led 14-10 until the Chiefs claimed the lead just prior to the two-minute warning, Patrick Mahomes hitting Demarcus Robinson for a 25-yard touchdown. The score was enough to make sure of Kansas City's 10th comeback win of the campaign.

Kelce also caught a touchdown pass as he made NFL history, surpassing George Kittle's single-season receiving yardage record for a tight end. It was his 11th TD reception on the year, matching the franchise record for the position, set by Tony Gonzalez back in 1999. 

BIG BEN CHIMES IN DURING COMEBACK

It seemed the Steelers were in danger of a fourth successive loss when they trailed the Colts 24-7 in the third quarter, only to sensationally respond with 21 unanswered points. 

An offense that had failed to reach 20 points in their four previous outings suddenly came to life, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throwing touchdown passes to Diontae Johnson, Eric Ebron and JuJu Smith-Schuster to complete a remarkable comeback. 

As for the Browns, they are still yet to officially end their long playoff drought after a shock loss on the road.  

Running back Gore became just the third player to reach 16,000 rushing yards in NFL history - a feat only previously achieved by Emmitt Smith (18,355) and Walter Payton (16,726) -  as the Jets held firm in a dramatic finish, a Baker Mayfield fumble on a fourth-down scramble ending a potential game-tying drive for Cleveland. 

RAVENS SOAR, BEARS ROAR

The Ravens appear to be rolling into the postseason after stretching their winning streak to four games - another against Cincinnati next week and they will seal a wildcard berth. 

Lamar Jackson threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-13 victory against the fading New York Giants. The NFL's reigning MVP also ran for 80 yards, helping Baltimore reach 100 yards rushing on the ground for the 38th consecutive game. 

The Bears are also now in control of their own destiny. After the Arizona Cardinals lost on Saturday, Chicago thrashed the Jaguars 41-17 to improve to 8-7.

All they need do to make the playoffs is defeat divisional rivals Green Bay in Week 17. Jacksonville, meanwhile, can start planning for that first-round choice next April.

Week 16 scores

New York Jets 23-16 Cleveland Browns
Baltimore Ravens 27-13 New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals 37-31 Houston Texans
Chicago Bears 41-17 Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs 17-14 Atlanta Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers 28-24 Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City trailed 14-0 in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium and were behind 14-3 at half-time, however, a lead is rarely safe against the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes and, when they went 17-14 ahead with fewer than four minutes left in the third quarter, the outcome seemed inevitable.

But reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert continues to polish his increasingly impressive resume and he outdueled Mahomes in a bewitching fourth quarter that could prove pivotal in their division and the AFC playoff race.

Herbert connected on the first of two touchdown passes to Mike Williams and, after Mecole Hardman found the endzone for the Chiefs, led a field goal drive to tie the game at 24-24.

Mahomes still had over two minutes to work with to potentially win it for Kansas City but threw a critical interception and the Chargers' gamble to eschew a game-winning field goal paid off as Herbert hit Williams for another touchdown and, despite a missed extra point, Los Angeles held on as a late Hail Mary from the Chiefs came up short.

That missed extra point was the second of the day for the Chargers, the first coming after Keenan Allen caught a four-yard pass from Herbert, who then found Austin Ekeler for a 16-yard score.

Harrison Butker's 34-yard field goal was all the Chiefs could muster in the first half but Jody Fortson caught a high two-yard pass from Mahomes to narrow the gap and Clyde-Edwards Helaire scampered into the endzone to give Kansas City the lead on a 10-yard reception.

Herbert and Williams responded quickly but the Chiefs were in front again after Hardman scooted in on a six-yard pop pass. Tristan Vizciano's field goal levelled matters and, after Mahomes was picked off for the second time – Alohi Gilman snatching an ill-advised throw –  the Chargers were rewarded for their aggressive approach.

A fourth down was converted via a pass interference penalty and Herbert then hit Williams on a four-yard back-shoulder throw. Vizciano's errant extra point gave Kansas City a chance but 32 seconds and a timeout was not enough for Mahomes as the Chiefs dropped to 1-2, their first losing record since Week 11 of the 2015 season.

Tucker's record kick gives Ravens remarkable win

The Baltimore Ravens, winners over the Chiefs last week, avoided a stunning loss in the most improbable fashion thanks to the leg of Justin Tucker.

Baltimore trailed the winless Detroit Lions 17-16 with 64 seconds left and faced a fourth down and 19 with 26 seconds left.

However, Lamar Jackson hit Sammy Watkins for 36 yards to keep their hopes alive and Justin Tucker's 66-yard field goal bounced off the top of the crossbar and over, his kick from an NFL-record distance sparing the Ravens in an incredible finish.

Bills roll, Steelers slump

There was no such drama in Buffalo, where the Bills routed the Washington Football Team 43-21 behind quarterback Josh Allen's 358-yard, five-touchdown performance.

The team the Bills lost to in Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffered a second straight defeat as they were beaten 24-10 by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Justin Fields was sacked nine times in his Chicago Bears debut, which saw them lose 26-6 to the Cleveland Browns, while Jamal Agnew tied the record for the NFL's longest play with a 109-yard return of Matt Prater's missed field goal but the Jacksonville Jaguars still lost 31-19 to the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.

Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs improved to 13-1 thanks to a hard-fought win over the New Orleans Saints, who welcomed back Drew Brees.

Meanwhile, Murray and Jalen Hurts put on a show as the Cardinals overcame the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cleveland Browns took another step towards a playoff spot and the New York Jets' wait for a first win came to an end.

CHIEFS TOO GOOD FOR SAINTS AS BREES RETURNS

Mahomes and Brees both threw three touchdown passes as the Chiefs recorded a 32-29 victory.

A ninth straight win helped the Chiefs improve to 13-1, and they are on track to secure the top seed in the AFC.

Mahomes completed 26 of 47 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, while he was sacked four times.

The Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to win six straight games by six points or fewer, as per Stats Perform.

Brees, returning from injury, made the worst start of his career by going 0-for-six. He finished 15 of 34 for 234 yards, three TDs and an interception.

The Saints (10-4) are ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5) in the NFC South.

CARDINALS OVERCOME EAGLES IN THRILLER

Murray helped the Cardinals (8-6) remain on track for the playoffs with a 33-26 victory over the Eagles (4-9-1).

The Cardinals QB was 27 of 36 for 406 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while also rushing for 29 yards and a TD.

Making his second start, Hurts almost inspired the Eagles to another win, also throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another.

Murray and DeAndre Hopkins connected on a 20-yard pass with just over seven minutes remaining for what proved to be the game-winning score.

According to NFL Research, Murray is the fourth quarterback in the Super Bowl era aged 23 or younger to throw for 400-plys yards and have a 125-plus passer rating in a game. The previous three (Dan Marino, Jared Goff and Mahomes) reached the Super Bowl in that season.

BROWNS BOOST PLAYOFF CHANCES, JETS WIN

The Browns made it 10 wins in a season for the first time since 2007, brushing past the New York Giants 20-6.

Baker Mayfield starred, completing 27 of 32 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns.

The Jets' wait for a first win of the season came to an end with an upset 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

However, the success hurt the Jets' chances of landing Trevor Lawrence in the draft, with the Jacksonville Jaguars (also 1-13) now in position to get the Clemson Tigers quarterback

Week 15 scores:

Green Bay Packers 24-16 Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-27 Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens 40-14 Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys 41-33 San Francisco 49ers
Indianapolis Colts 27-20 Houston Texans
Miami Dolphins 22-12 New England Patriots
Chicago Bears 33-27 Minnesota Vikings
Tennessee Titans 46-25 Detroit Lions
Seattle Seahawks 20-15 Washington Football Team
Arizona Cardinals 33-26 Philadelphia Eagles
New York Jets 23-20 Los Angeles Rams
Kansas City Chiefs 32-29 New Orleans Saints
Cleveland Browns 20-6 New York Giants

ESPN claimed Cohen has reached an agreement on a deal worth $17.25million in new money, with $9.53m fully guaranteed.

Dual-threat back Cohen is in his fourth year in the NFL after being picked in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

He has rushed for 1,068 yards and five touchdowns in his career, but has proved even more dangerous as a receiver, amassing 1,540 yards and nine touchdowns from 205 receptions.

Cohen is also a factor as a returner and in 2018 he was named a First-Team All-Pro as a return specialist.

In total he has amassed over 4,000 all-purpose yards having also thrown two touchdown passes.

The Bears, who rallied for a come-from-behind victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 1, will now turn their attention to signing top wide receiver Allen Robinson to a new deal.

Robinson is in the final year of his contract and earlier this week deleted references to the Bears on his social media accounts amid reports he was frustrated at the way negotiations were going.

However, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport reported talks have since resumed.

Commanders running back Robinson finished with one TD from 17 carries for 60 yards in his career-first start and second game back since being shot in the knee and glute in an attempted carjacking on August 28.

The Bears almost snatched victory with their final drive when QB Justin Fields' fourth-down pass for Darnell Mooney was completed but juggled just short of the goalline. In the previous play, Dante Pettis had dropped a Fields' throw under pressure from Darrick Forrest, although no pass interference was called.

Robinson provided the highlight in a game where no touchdowns were scored in the first half, with Joey Slye's field goal late in the second quarter snapping the scoreless deadlock.

The Bears, who fell to their third straight defeat and a 2-4 record, had taken the lead in the third quarter when Fields found Pettis in the corner. Fields completed 14 of 27 attempts for 190 yards, with one TD pass and one interception, and had 88 running yards on 12 carries.

After Slye added a 28-yard chip-shot field goal, Chicago were undone when rookie Velus Jones Jr fumbled a punt, handing the Commanders position which Robinson capitalized on in two drives.

Slye missed the chance to move the lead to eight points when he missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt inside the final two minutes, but the Bears could not capitalise.

Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz came into the game carrying a bicep injury, managing only 12 of 22 passes for 99 yards with no TDs.

Kirk Cousins finally ended his wait for a win on Monday Night Football as the Vikings (4-5) claimed a third straight victory and extended the losing streak for the Bears (5-5).

The Vikings quarterback completed 25 of 36 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, registering his first win in 10 career Monday Night Football starts.

While Dalvin Cook finished with 96 rushing yards, Adam Thielen caught two touchdown passes for the Vikings, who are third in the NFC North behind the Green Bay Packers (7-2) and Bears.

Justin Jefferson had 135 receiving yards for Minnesota, while Bears QB Nick Foles was 15 of 26 for 106 yards with an interception, but he was taken off on a cart late due to a suspected back injury.

After early turnovers, Thielen produced some magic for the game's opening touchdown.

Thielen took a wonderful one-handed catch from Cousins' 17-yard pass to put the Vikings ahead.

He joined Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Cris Carter as the only Vikings since the 1970 merger with eight-plus receiving TDs in the first nine games of a season, as per NFL Research.

The Vikings led 7-6 at half-time, but the Bears made the perfect start to the second half.

Cordarrelle Patterson incredibly returned the kick-off 104 yards for a touchdown.

It was his eighth career kick-off return TD, tying the all-time NFL record, alongside Leon Washington and Josh Cribbs.

A pair of Dan Bailey field goals brought the Vikings level in the third quarter before Cousins and Thielen combined in the fourth to put Minnesota ahead 19-13.

But with the Bears' offense struggling, that would be enough for Minnesota, with Chicago dealt another late blow with Foles' injury.

Kirk Cousins threw a pair of touchdown passes for Minnesota but finished with just 87 yards passing, the lowest total in his 118 career NFL starts. 

Ugly as it was at times, that proved to be enough for the Vikings (7-7) as the Bears, who lost for the eighth time in nine games, could not find a way into the end zone until the closing seconds. 

Though Chicago out-gained Minnesota 370 to 193, the Bears (4-10) fumbled the ball away three times and came up empty on four of their five red-zone opportunities. 

Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields was more efficient than Cousins, completing 26 of 39 passes for 285 yards, but he repeatedly proved unable to complete the big pass when Chicago needed it. 

The Bears made it past the Vikings' 25-yard line on three consecutive second-half drives but saw each of them end with a failed fourth-down conversion. They finally tacked on a Fields-to-Jesper Horsted touchdown on the final play of the game, but by then it was too late. 

That otherwise-meaningless touchdown also emphasised the tightrope the Vikings have walked all year, as it was their 11th consecutive game decided by eight points or fewer, one shy of the NFL record.

The victory kept the Vikings in the NFC wild-card picture but they face an uphill climb, with games against the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers the next two weeks before a home rematch with the Bears to close the regular season. 

Having lost in New Orleans last time out, quarterback Brady steered the Bucs past the plucky Carolina Panthers in their home opener. 

There were victories for the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers too, while the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans also moved to 2-0. 

However, Sunday's early games were beset by injuries, most notably to Saquon Barkley. The San Francisco 49ers also suffered key losses, though still came out on top against the New York Jets. 

BRADY UP AND RUNNING 

Tampa Bay looked set to be sailing away with the game against the Panthers when they led 21-0 at half-time, Brady helping open up the lead with a 23-yard touchdown throw to Mike Evans. 

Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette scored on the ground to open up a commanding advantage, yet a pair of touchdowns for Christian McCaffrey - who was later sidelined with an ankle issue - put the game back in the balance. 

Both teams traded field goals to leave the score at 24-17, but the Bucs clinched the result when Fournette galloped in from 46 yards out inside the final two minutes. 

PACKERS AND BEARS STILL UNBEATEN 

Aaron Jones was the star of the show as the Packers thrashed the Detroit Lions, the running back rushing for 168 yards and two touchdowns, as well as posting four catches for 68 yards and a score. 

The Bears are also unbeaten in the NFC North - holding off the New York Giants in the closing seconds to seal a 17-13 triumph - but the Minnesota Vikings were beaten again, going down 28-11 to the Indianapolis Colts 

To add further woe for the Giants, star running back Barkley left the game in the first half with a right knee injury. It was later reported by a number of sources that he had suffered a torn ACL. 

COWBOYS LEAVE IT LATE

It appeared Dallas were set to suffer a second straight defeat as they trailed against Atlanta for the majority of a high-scoring contest. 

Calvin Ridley caught two of quarterback Matt Ryan's four touchdown throws as the Falcons impressed on offense, helping them hold a 39-24 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. 

Yet Mike McCarthy avoided losing his home opener as Cowboys head coach thanks to a remarkable rally. Quarterback Dak Prescott's third rushing touchdown cut the deficit to two and, after a successful onside kick secured possession again, Greg Zuerlein kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. 

For the Falcons, the 20-point blown lead is the largest they have let slip away since Super Bowl LI, when they were 25 points up on the New England Patriots. 

INJURIES A PAIN

Barkley was not the only leading name to be forced out of action.

The already depleted 49ers defeated the Jets 31-13, but the win may have come at a cost. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Raheem Mostert were both hurt during the game, while defensive duo Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas suffered knee injuries.

The Denver Broncos also had to make an enforced change at quarterback, Drew Lock sidelined with a shoulder issue. Jeff Driskel replaced him during the loss to Pittsburgh.

Week 2 scores:

Chicago Bears 17-13 New York Giants 
Dallas Cowboys 40-39 Atlanta Falcons 
Green Bay Packers 42-21 Detroit Lions 
Tennessee Titans 33-30 Jacksonville Jaguars 
Indianapolis Colts 28-11 Minnesota Vikings 
Buffalo Bills 31-28 Miami Dolphins 
San Francisco 49ers 31-13 New York Jets 
Los Angeles Rams 37-19 Philadelphia Eagles 
Pittsburgh Steelers 26-21 Denver Broncos 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-17 Carolina Panthers