Houston Texans

Mahomes and the Chiefs had to go to overtime to defeat the one-win Houston Texans 30-24 and clinch the AFC West for the seventh successive season on Sunday.

The 2018 MVP completed 36 of his 41 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns, as well as running for another score, though his impressive performance through the air was undermined somewhat by Kansas City committing 10 penalties for 102 yards and the Chiefs twice turning the ball over on fumbles.

Jalen Hurts, the quarterback of the 13-1 Philadelphia Eagles who look destined for the one seed in the NFC, is the bookmakers' favourite for the MVP.

The Chiefs are 11-3 and on course to finish as the AFC's second seed, but Reid believes Mahomes is still worthy of a second MVP despite the Eagles' superior record.

"You saw Pat and what he did. I mean, he took care of business today," Reid said in his press conference when asked about the team cleaning up penalties.

"He went back to work and worked on it. I mean, you're talking about a guy that, if he's not the MVP in the league, I'm not sure what’s wrong with them.

"But he cleaned it up and comes out, and we have almost 500 yards of offense, minus 100 of penalties.

"That’s a pretty spectacular day there. But that's what he did. Great example of how you go back to the drawing board and make sure that you clean everything up."

Mahomes leads the NFL with 4,496 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns, while his 40 passing plays of 25 yards or more are the most in the league and nine more than that of Hurts.

According to multiple reports, Dalton will join the Bears on a contract worth $10million, with the chance to earn another $3m in incentives.

Chicago had reportedly made a "very aggressive pursuit" of Russell Wilson, who has been the subject of trade talk, but saw their efforts rebuffed by the Seattle Seahawks.

Dalton presents something of an uninspiring alternative. The three-time Pro Bowler was backup to Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys last year but ended up starting nine games after Prescott's season-ending ankle injury.

He completed 64.9 per cent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions and enters a quarterback room featuring former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, with 2017 second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky allowed to hit the open market after failing to live up to expectations.

Trubisky and Foles alternated at starting quarterback last season, each providing unconvincing performances but doing enough between them to help the Bears sneak into the playoffs, where they suffered a dour Wild Card Round loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Beyond Wilson, the other elite quarterback whose name has been continually mentioned in relation to a trade is Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans.

And the Texans landed some insurance in case the disgruntled star gets his trade wish granted, signing journeyman Tyrod Taylor to a one-year deal.

The Miami Dolphins added a backup to Tua Tagovailoa, bringing in Jacoby Brissett on a one-year deal that sees him reunite with head coach Brian Flores, who was on the New England Patriots' staff when Brissett was there in 2016.

Three-time All-Pro Hopkins is one of the NFL's finest wide receivers having amassed 8,602 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns in the seven seasons since Houston selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft.

However, in a stunning trade last month, he was moved to the Cardinals along with a fourth-round draft pick this year in exchange for running back David Johnson and two selections in the second and fourth rounds over the next two years.

O'Brien explained that Hopkins, who is under contract for the next three years, wanted an improved deal that the Texans were unwilling to offer.

"I would say the deal with Arizona was a deal that we felt was in the best interest of our team," O'Brien said on a conference call with Texans season-ticket holders.

"DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player here. He made so many plays for us. We love DeAndre Hopkins. But he had three years left on his deal and he wanted a raise. And we weren't going to be able to go in that direction.

"We felt like we had a great offer from Arizona that involved picks. That involved an excellent three-down running back who is hungry and humble and just can't wait to get started. David Johnson is going to be a great addition to our football team.

"There's a lot of things that go into trades. Lot of thoughts that go in. How much are you going to take on contractually? How much does it take to buy that second-round pick, that number 40 pick?

"What type of player are you bringing in? What type of player are you losing and what is in the best interest of the team?"

It is not the first time O'Brien, who also acts as the general manager in Houston, has been involved in a blockbuster trade.

Three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks last year while the Texans have no first-round picks in the next two drafts due to the package O'Brien sent to the Miami Dolphins to land left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills.

"Capital T capital E capital A capital M - everything that we do is made with the team in mind," O'Brien added.

"We don't think about one player; we think about the future."

With a nine-yard strike to Mike Evans in the closing seconds of the first quarter, Brady became the first NFL quarterback to throw 600 touchdown passes.

The 44-year-old – 20-of-36 passing for 211 yards – would finish the game with 602 for his career, all four of his TD tosses going for fewer than 10 yards and three of them landing in Evans' hands. 

Blaine Gabbert took over at quarterback for Brady midway through the fourth quarter with the game well in hand as the Buccaneers improved to 6-1. 

Brady's opposite number, Bears rookie QB Justin Fields, had a brutal day as he was sacked four times and threw three interceptions as Chicago failed to find the end zone. 

Stafford, Rams survive Lions scare

The matchup between Super Bowl contenders the Los Angeles Rams and the winless Detroit Lions finished with the expected result, but the Rams' 28-19 win was much closer than anticipated. 

The Rams (6-1) trailed 19-17 entering the fourth quarter and needed a five-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp early in the period to take the lead and a 47-yard Matt Gay field goal with just over a minute to play to seal the win. 

Stafford completed 28 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three TDs against the team he played for in the first 12 years of his career, while former Rams QB Jared Goff threw a pair of costly interceptions for the Lions (0-7).

Kupp became the first player in the Super Bowl era to have 800-plus receiving yards and nine-plus receiving touchdowns in his team's first seven games of a season.

While the Lions remained the only winless team in the league after Week 7, the Arizona Cardinals (7-0) maintained their status as the lone team with a perfect record, routing the Houston Texans 31-5 behind three TD passes by Kyler Murray. 

Tampa Bay lost heavily to the New Orleans Saints last time out but were much improved against the Carolina Panthers, aided by a record-breaking touchdown from one of their running backs. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars threatened an upset in Green Bay only to come up short, but the Detroit Lions found just enough time to squeeze out Washington 30-27 thanks to Matt Prater's last-gasp field goal. 

Elsewhere, there was a further twist in the NFC East and the Cleveland Browns battled their way to a narrow 10-7 win over the Houston Texans in a game delayed due to bad weather. 

BUCS BACK WITH A BANG

Brady endured an outing to forget against the Saints as the Bucs were beaten 38-3, tied for the franchise's largest home loss. 

However, the six-time Super Bowl champion responded to the setback by throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns, as well as sneaking in for a score himself in a 46-23 triumph. 

The game was tied at 17-17 at the half but the Panthers gave up a 98-yard touchdown run to Ronald Jones in the third quarter, the longest rushing score ever for Tampa Bay. Derrick Henry, Tony Dorsett and Ahman Green are the only other players to manage the same feat in the NFL. 

Jones finished with 192 yards on the ground, tied fifth on the all-time list for the most in a game by a Buccaneer. 

RODGERS LEADS THE WAY

The Packers improved to 7-2 on the season, though it was anything but straightforward for them in a 24-20 triumph over the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Aaron Rodgers threw for two touchdowns, including a six-yard strike to Davante Adams that put Green Bay ahead in the fourth quarter. They still had to repel a late drive by the plucky Jaguars, who have now lost eight straight. 

Quarterback Rodgers' other TD pass was far more spectacular. He teamed up for a 78-yard play with receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling - his longest completion since 2014. 

EAGLES FLAWED IN NEW YORK

Astonishingly, the Eagles remain in first place in the NFC East despite slipping to 3-5-1. They boasted a 10-2 against the Giants in New York since 2008 going into the game but slipped to a 27-17 loss that leaves the division wide open. 

Daniel Jones helped the home team record a second successive victory that moves them to 3-7.

The Giants had been 14-3 ahead at the midway stage and while Philadelphia fought back, a pair of Graham Gano field goals in the fourth quarter sealed the result. 

Week 10 scores:

Cleveland Browns 10-7 Houston Texans
Detroit Lions 30-27 Washington Football Team
Green Bay Packers 24-20 Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Giants 27-17 Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 46-23 Carolina Panthers

So much drama, so many late twists, and it's almost time to do it all over again as Week 2 looms on the horizon.

Sunday sees Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looking to follow up their opening win against the Dallas Cowboys when they head to New Orleans, the Los Angeles Rams will aim to get on the board when they host the Atlanta Falcons, while Russell Wilson's first home game for the Denver Broncos sees them welcome the Houston Texans.

With all that and more, Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview the weekend's action in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) @ New Orleans Saints (1-0)

The Saints have won their last seven regular-season games against the Buccaneers, matching the longest previous winning streak by either team in this rivalry, a run of seven consecutive wins by New Orleans from 2011 to 2014. Tampa Bay did beat the Saints in a Divisional Playoff game following the 2020 season.

Tampa Bay had one interception (by Antoine Winfield Junior) in their season-opening win at Dallas. The Bucs were 11-0 last season in games in which they intercepted at least one pass. The Green Bay Packers (also 11-0) were the only other NFL team to go unbeaten last season in games in which they recorded one or more interceptions.

New Orleans won their season opener in Atlanta, 27-26, after trailing 26-10 in the fourth quarter. It was the first time in franchise history that the Saints won a game in which they trailed by 16 or more points in the fourth quarter, and only the third time they won a game in which they were behind by 16 or more points in the second half.

Tom Brady and the Bucs lost their last game against the Saints, 9-0 (Week 15 last season). That is one of only three times that Brady's team has been shut out in his 317 regular-season and 47 postseason starts in the NFL. The other shutouts were in 2003 (Patriots at Buffalo, 31-0 in Week 1) and 2014 (Patriots at Miami, 21-0 in Week 14).

Atlanta Falcons (0-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (0-1)

Including their original stint in California and time in St. Louis, the Rams are 28-8-2 (.778) at home against their former NFC West rival, Atlanta Falcons. That is the best home record of any franchise against a single opponent (minimum of 30 games) in NFL history.

Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's season opener. At 31 years old, Patterson is the second-oldest player in team history to have 100+ rushing yards and a touchdown run in a game, behind only Warrick Dunn, who had two such games.

The Rams started the season with a 31-10 loss to the Bills, the largest home loss in a season opener ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. The team has not started a season at 0-2 since 2011 when they were in St. Louis and have not lost their first two games as the Los Angeles Rams since 1987.

Cooper Kupp tied a career high with 13 catches in the opener against Buffalo. Including playoffs, Kupp has at least five receptions in each of the Rams' last 22 games. Only Antonio Brown has a longer such streak of team games with five or more catches in the Super Bowl era (37).

Houston Texans (0-0-1) @ Denver Broncos (0-1)

The Texans opened their season with a 20-20 tie against the Indianapolis Colts, despite being outgained by 218 yards in the game. Prior to Houston on Sunday, the last team to tie a game while having 200+ yards less than their opponent was the Packers against the Broncos in 1987.

In his first game with the Texans, O.J. Howard scored touchdowns on each of his two receptions. Howard joins Jaelen Strong as the only players to ever have two TD catches in their team debut for Houston.

Denver committed 12 penalties in their 17-16 loss to the Seahawks on Monday. It was the most penalties the Broncos have ever committed in a season opener, surpassing the 11 penalties they had to kick off the 1970 season against the Bills.

Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards against the Seahawks in his Denver debut. It was the most passing yards by a Broncos QB on their debut with the team and Wilson's 12th career game with 340+ passing yards (his teams are 5-7 in those games).

Elsewhere...

The New England Patriots travel to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, and have not started a season with consecutive double-digit losses since losing three straight games by such a margin to begin the 1969 campaign.

Baltimore's Lamar Jackson threw for three touchdowns against the New York Jets after throwing three or more TDs just twice all of last season. Before they host the Dolphins, it is notable that, in his career, the Ravens are 13-1 when Jackson has three or more pass TDs, the second-best team record among active players behind Josh Allen at 14-1 (minimum 10 such games).

Starting with their 2013 NFC Championship game success over the 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are 15-2 in their last 17 games against San Francisco, which includes season sweeps in 2020 and 2021. The 15 wins since January 2014 are tied with the Patriots (vs. Jets) for the most by an NFL team against a single opponent in that span (including playoffs).

The Arizona Cardinals will need to watch Davante Adams, who had 10 catches for 141 yards on 17 targets in his Las Vegas Raiders debut. That is the most targets for any player in their first career game with the Raiders in the past 30 seasons. The only other with player with 15+ targets in their Raiders debut over that span is Randy Moss in 2005 (15).

Chubb has been out of action since injuring his Medial collateral ligament in their Week 4 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

But he is now in line to feature as the Browns look to move to 6-3 in their quest to make their first playoff appearance since the 2002 season.

Despite appearing in just four games, Chubb leads the NFL in yards after first contact per attempt with an average of 3.4.

He is also first in the NFL in rush yards over expected per attempt, gaining an average of 2.04 yards more than anticipated on each run, according to NextGen Stats.

Chubb will look to take advantage of a Texans defense allowing 159.5 rushing yards per game, the most in the NFL.

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

Watson was handed an 11-game suspension and a $5million fine following sexual assault and misconduct allegations.

That means the QB is yet to debut for the Browns after his March trade from the Houston Texans, which was followed by a lucrative new contract in Cleveland.

But the Browns are already putting together plans to integrate Watson into their lineup, with the 27-year-old "back in the building" and "in great shape", according to general manager Andrew Berry.

"He's done everything and more that's been asked of him," Berry added.

While Watson has been sidelined, Jacoby Brissett has deputised as the starting QB for the 3-5 Browns.

"Jacoby has been everything that we hoped when we signed him," Berry said on Wednesday, but he confirmed when asked Watson would be in line to start as soon as he was available.

That would mean a Browns debut against his former team the Texans on December 4, by which point the team will hope they are not cut adrift in the AFC North.

The Browns are third now, already two games behind leaders the Baltimore Ravens, but Berry says they are not looking for Watson to perform a one-man rescue act.

"We spent a lot of time with Deshaun in the spring in camp and banked a lot of good reps during the time," he said.

"Our approach isn't really with any quarterback but certainly with the time that Deshaun has had off to expect him to shoulder everything.

"That's not necessarily how the team is designed or put together. I don't know that would be a fair ask for any quarterback.

"In a couple of weeks, we'll be in that world where we're getting him ready to play, and we'll handle it appropriately."

Watson last played in 2020, but Berry added: "I don't think that transition will be quite as challenging as maybe some are anticipating."

The 26-year-old faced 24 civil lawsuits over sexual assault and misconduct allegations. He was not charged by two grand juries and settled 20 of 24 lawsuits in June, with a further three settlements reported ahead of a hearing verdict early this month.

Watson was initially given a six-game suspension and no further fine after a disciplinary hearing conducted by former US district judge Sue L. Robinson.

The NFL formally appealed against that ruling in order to seek further punishment, and they have now agreed an extended suspension and fine with the NFLPA.

Watson will additionally be required to commit to an evaluation with behavioural experts while also following a mandatory treatment program.

The ban means that Watson's first game back is scheduled to be on December 4, against his former team the Houston Texans.

Watson denied any wrongdoing after the accusations were made. He then last week apologised to "all of the women that I have impacted."

The Texans traded the three-time Pro Bowler to Cleveland in March, and the Browns promptly signed Watson to a five-year, $230m extension that is entirely guaranteed.

The lawsuit is the 26th known filed against Watson, who is currently serving an 11-game NFL-imposed suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy by committing sexual assault on massage therapists.

Former Houston Texans QB Watson has settled 23 of the lawsuits over the past few months, with one outstanding and one dropped.

The latest lawsuit filed on Thursday evening stated Watson "continually pressured [the plaintiff] into massaging his private area" before he "removed his towel" and "offered to let her 'get on top'." The lawsuit added that the plaintiff refused to have sex with Watson but was pressured into performing oral sex.

The plaintiff has suffered from severe depression and anxiety since the alleged incident, according to the lawsuit.

"My client's experience with Deshaun Watson follows a series of disturbingly similar encounters reported by more than 20 women who have filed suit against the NFL superstar," the woman's lawyer, Anissah Nguyen told ESPN.

"Like so many others, my client spent nearly two years struggling to cope with the shame and trauma from all that he has stolen from her and the daily pain that has become her reality.

"Knowing her story will bring on the hard conversations, criticism and even victim-blaming, the strength and bravery of these other women gave my client the courage to stand up and speak out.

"She seeks justice not only for herself and her own healing, but for the more than 20 women who refused to be shamed into silence, and the victims who have yet to come forward."

The lawsuit comes in the same week that Watson was permitted to re-enter the Browns training facility, having been banned since August 30.

Watson, who had been banned for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy for allegedly committing sexual assault, completed 12 of his 22 attempts for 131 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception.

The Browns' defense picked up Watson with two defensive touchdowns and a punt-return score to improve their record to 5-7, sitting third in the AFC North.

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback had left the Texans for the Browns in the offseason on a five-year deal worth $230million guaranteed, one of the richest and most guaranteed contracts in NFL history.

That trade came after Watson had not played in the 2021 season as accusations emerged from more than two dozen women of sexual assault and other sexual misconduct during massage sessions, leading to the NFL-imposed 11-game ban and record $5m fine in August.

Watson's first NFL regular-season game in 700 days was met with displeasure, with his former fans booing and jeering him throughout.

"They're supposed to boo," Watson told reporters after the game. "I'm a Cleveland Brown now, and we're on the road, so they're supposed to boo."

Watson again refused to answer any non-football questions after the game, having been asked if he had any remorse for his actions that led to his suspension.

"That's something that, legal and clinical, we've answered before," Watson said. "They don't want me to address anything like that.

"Of course, it was a tough situation. The suspension was tough. But at the same time, my main focus is just trying to be 1-0 as a football player today.

"I was just excited to be back on the field today. I did everything that I was asked and was required to do. I did all that. I was able to play and be on the field today."

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski conceded Watson was rusty after not played for a season-and-a-half.

"Obviously you're missing a bunch of time so you've got to get back in it," Stefanski said. "You've got to get this first one out of the way. But I know what the kid is capable of."

The Browns face the 8-4 Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday.

Watson was suspended for 11 games in August for violating the league's personal conduct policy by committing sexual assault, per the NFL, on massage therapists.

The quarterback, who was traded to the Browns in the offseason, was last week permitted to return to sit in on team meetings and work out at their training facility, but Wednesday marked the first time since August 30 he practiced with the team.

Brissett has started all nine games this season for the Browns, who are 3-6, although it has been slated that Watson will slot straight back in when available in Week 13 against his former franchise, the Houston Texans.

In the meantime, Stefanski insisted that striking the balance in reps between preparing Brissett for the upcoming games, including Sunday's clash with the Buffalo Bills, was a consideration as they re-integrate Watson.

"Deshaun can come back to practice. That's the next step," Stefanski told reporters. "We'll get him out there in practice but Jacoby is starting.

"He's going to put everything in this game, like he does each week, his preparation is not changing. My preparation with him is not changing. It's just a matter of finding the right amount. That's something we need to work through."

Brissett was confident he would be prepared and ready to face the Bills, even if he splits practice reps with Watson.

"That's not my job to balance it. That's the coach's job to balance how he splits things up," Brissett said. "I just have to go out there and prepare how I always prepare, do my job and then control what I can control.

"We've talked about a lot of things going into practice about how things will be split up. I feel confident that I'll be more than fine going into the game."

Brissett has a 63.8 per cent completion rate for 2,074 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

Lake-effect snowfall is forecast for the western New York region over coming days ahead of the Bills-Browns game at Bills Stadium on Sunday.

Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns and 211 yards in the Bucs' 38-3 thrashing of the Chicago Bears last week, though Tampa Bay's recent record against the Saints is poor.

The Los Angeles Rams are also 6-1, and are looking to extend their strong start when they take on the Houston Texans, who are out to avoid a franchise first.

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, meanwhile, have been linking up to superb effect for the Cincinnati Bengals, who are at the New York Jets on Sunday. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1) @ New Orleans Saints (4-2)

Tampa Bay may have picked up from where they left off last season, but their recent run against New Orleans has not been at all profitable.

New Orleans have won five straight games against NFC South rivals Tampa Bay, which is the longest active losing streak for the Buccaneers against any single opponent.

However, the Bucs did set franchise records for points in a first quarter with 21, and points in a first half with 35, in their 38-3 win over the Bears. The 21 first-quarter and 35 first-half points are also the most scored by any NFL team this season.

Mike Evans caught three touchdowns against the Bears with all of them coming in the first half. He joined Marvin Harrison, Marvin Jones Jr, Jerry Rice, and Sterling Sharpe as the only players since the merger to have multiple games with three first-half touchdown catches.

The Saints beat the Seattle Seahawks in their last outing, and had 35 passing attempts in that win. Both teams have combined to win 76.9 per cent of their games this season, the highest combined winning percentage that the teams have ever had when facing each other.

Los Angeles Rams (6-1) @ Houston Texans (1-6)

This will be only the fifth all-time meeting between the Texans and the Rams, and just the second game since the latter moved back to Los Angeles.

The Rams have outscored the Texans by an aggregate of 71-20 over the last two meetings, and, at 6-1, Los Angeles are enjoying their equal second-best start to a season this century, behind the 7-0 run in 2018.

They are also looking to win each of their first four road games of a season for the fourth time since 2000, having also done this in 2001, 2017 and 2018.

Matthew Stafford has thrown for 2,172 yards this season, the most by any Rams player in the team's first seven games of the season since Kurt Warner threw for 2,445 yards in the first seven games of 2000.

Houston, meanwhile, have lost six straight, with each of the last two losses coming by over 25 points. The Texans have not lost three straight games by at least 25 points in franchise history – the only team to do so in a single season in the last 25 years were the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) @ New York Jets (1-5)

The Bengals have won each of the last three meetings between these teams, matching their longest-ever win streak over the Jets (1973-81). Cincinnati's 23-22 win in New York in 2016 snapped a nine-game losing streak when visiting the Jets.

Cincinnati only managed four wins in 2020, but they surpassed that figure with a brilliant 41-17 victory in Baltimore last week, with quarterback Burrow and wide receiver Chase turning in stellar performances.

Burrow passed for a career-high 416 yards and tied a previous career high with three touchdown passes. It was his seventh consecutive game with multiple TD passes, tying a franchise record set twice before by Carson Palmer (2004-05 and 2010).

Chase, meanwhile, had 201 receiving yards, the most all-time by a Bengals rookie and the most by any rookie since Mike Evans had 209 in 2014. Chase's 754 receiving yards in 2021 ranks are the most by any player through seven career games in NFL history.

The Jets' 54-13 loss to the Patriots last week was their largest defeat since a 45-3 loss in Week 13 of the 2010 season, which also happened in New England. The 54 points are the fourth-most that New York have allowed in a single game and the most since 1980.

Elsewhere...

The Detroit Lions are still winless, going 0-7 so far, but could snap the losing streak against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions have won three straight against Philadelphia, with each of the last two games being decided by three points or fewer. 

Strugglers the Miami Dolphins travel to Buffalo. With two receiving yards on Sunday, Stefon Diggs will reach 2,000 as a Bill in just his 23rd game with the team. That would be tied for the second fewest games needed by any player with any single team in the Super Bowl era (Odell Beckham Jr. – 21 with the Giants, Vincent Jackson – 23 with Tampa Bay, Brandon Marshall – 23 with Chicago).

Fresh from their win over the Jets, the Patriots will aim to maintain the momentum against the Los Angeles Chargers, against whom they have five straight wins and are 16-3 in the last 19 meetings.

An AFC North clash sees the Browns (4-3) host the 3-3 Steelers. Pittsburgh have not won in Cleveland since 2017, as the teams tied in 2018 before the Browns won in 2019 and 2020.

Arizona converted a field goal with only seconds remaining in overtime as the Cardinals completed a thrilling 37-34 comeback win over the previously unbeaten Seahawks on Sunday.

Brady surpassed New Orleans Saints counterpart Drew Brees for a league record, while Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers also won.

CARDINALS SOAR AS SEAHAWKS FALL

In one of the games of the season, the Cardinals triumphed thanks to Zane Gonzalez's field goal with 15 seconds remaining in Arizona.

The Seahawks – led by MVP candidate Russell Wilson – appeared on track to improve to 6-0, having led 27-17 at half-time and 34-24 heading into the final three minutes of regulation.

But the Cardinals rallied – Kyler Murray's eight-yard pass to Christian Kirk reducing the deficit to three points before Gonzalez converted a 44-yard field goal to force OT.

Gonzalez had the chance to settle the contest with a field goal early in OT but missed, however, the Cardinals kicker redeemed himself at the death.

Murray finished 34-of-48 for 360 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while Wilson was 33-of-50 for 388 yards, three TDs and as many interceptions.

In a remarkable showdown, Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf produced a sensational chase-down, delivering a touchdown-saving tackle on Budda Baker's 90-yard interception return in the second quarter.

RECORD-SETTING BRADY INSPIRES BUCS

Bucs quarterback Brady moved top of the NFL's all-time list for touchdown passes after leading Tampa Bay to a 45-20 rout of the Raiders.

Brady replaced Brees for the most TD passes in league history with his throw to Tyler Johnson in the fourth quarter.

A six-time Super Bowl champion, Brady eclipsed Brees' record with his 559th career touchdown pass, one ahead of his Saints counterpart.

Brady completed 33 of 45 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions or sacks against the Raiders (3-3) as NFC South leaders the Buccaneers improved to 5-2 for the season.

Rob Gronkowski, Scotty Miller – who finished with 109 yards – Chris Godwin and Johnson all connected with Brady for TDs, while Raiders QB Derek Carr was 24-of-36 for 284 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and three sacks.

CHIEFS TAKE DOWN BRONCOS, 49ERS THRASH NEWTON'S PATS

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were too good for the Broncos, winning 43-16 on the road.

Played in snow, the Chiefs (6-1) led 24-9 at half-time and never looked back as they claimed their 10th consecutive victory over AFC West rivals the Broncos (2-4).

Mahomes extended his NFL-leading streak to 17 successive games with a touchdown throw, finishing 15-of-23 for 200 yards and a touchdown, while Le'Veon Bell impressed on debut after rushing for 39 yards on six carries.

It was a forgettable outing for Cam Newton and the New England Patriots, who were easily beaten 33-6 by the 49ers in Foxborough.

Newton – who was nine-of-15 for 98 yards – threw three interceptions and was replaced in the fourth quarter as the Patriots slumped to their third consecutive loss.

Former Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo enjoyed his return to New England, where the 49ers star was 20-of-25 for 277 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

"It was a cool week," Garoppolo said. "Just a lot of emotions, a lot of memories. Especially coming back here, seeing the same stadium, hearing the same songs they used to play, a lot of memories came back... But it was a fun night.

"Couldn't imagine it going any better than this."

Meanwhile, Justin Herbert threw three touchdowns as the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 39-29.

Week 7 scores:

Philadelphia Eagles 22-21 New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 Tennessee Titans
Washington Football Team 25-3 Dallas Cowboys
Buffalo Bills 18-10 New York Jets
New Orleans Saints 27-24 Carolina Panthers
Green Bay Packers 35-20 Houston Texans
Cleveland Browns 37-34 Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions 23-22 Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45-20 Las Vegas Raiders
San Francisco 49ers 33-6 New England Patriots
Kansas City Chiefs 43-16 Denver Broncos
Los Angeles Chargers 39-29 Jacksonville Jaguars
Arizona Cardinals 37-34 Seattle Seahawks (OT)

The Texans ended a disappointing campaign 4-13, and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has also departed after eight years with the franchise, which finished third in the AFC South for a second consecutive season.

The Texans ended their season with a 28-25 loss to the Tennessee Titans, leading a late fightback against their rivals after finding themselves 21-0 down at the halfway point.

Caserio, who has been in the GM post for just a year, released a statement explaining the decision to relieve both Culley and Kelly of their duties, with the Texans ending the season ranked last in the NFL for total offense, and Culley having reportedly resisted attempts to make changes to his offensive staff. 

"Earlier today, I met with David Culley and Tim Kelly to inform them we will be moving in a different direction with the head coach and offensive coordinator positions," the statement read. "I came to this difficult but necessary decision after reviewing our football operations.

"While a change after one season is unusual, we had philosophical differences over the long-term direction and vision for our program moving forward. 

"We appreciate coach Culley for helping us navigate through a difficult season, but it is my responsibility to make decisions that I feel are best for our organisation.

"The search for the next coach of the Houston Texans will begin immediately."

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

A day after the Tennessee Titans' stunning defeat of the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, another upset appeared on the cards as the Texans raced into a 24-0 lead at Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas City committed a series of mistakes in a disjointed start that seemingly put the Texans in command, however, the Chiefs found their rhythm on offense in the second quarter and never looked back. 

Last season's MVP Patrick Mahomes threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, while tight end Travis Kelce and running back Damien Williams each scored three apiece in a remarkable offensive performance from Kansas City that ensured they will host the Titans next Sunday.

The prospect of them doing so seemed an unlikely one when Deshaun Watson hit a wide-open Kenny Stills for a 54-yard touchdown and Lonnie Johnson returned a blocked punt for a score to put the Texans up 14-0.

Another special teams error gave the Chiefs a mountain to climb as Tyreek Hill fumbled a punt and the Texans immediately took advantage, Watson connecting with tight end Darren Fells.

However, the Texans' decision to settle for a field goal on fourth down at Kansas City's 13-yard line turned the tide. 

Mahomes found Williams for a 17-yard touchdown reception to get the Chiefs on the board and, after the Texans failed with a fake punt and were assessed a 28-yard pass interference penalty, he escaped pressure and fired a sidearm throw into Kelce for a five-yard touchdown.

That pair combined again to reduce the deficit to three points after Houston returner DeAndre Carter fumbled on the kick-off, and the Texans' huge lead was wiped out in just over 10 minutes of game clock when Mahomes delivered to Kelce again with a five-yard throw on the run.

Mahomes led a seven-play, 85-yard drive finished off by Williams to start the third quarter. The same man was celebrating again at the end of the next Chiefs' possession, Kansas City aided by three defensive penalties.

A five-yard touchdown run from Watson gave the Texans some hope, but that was extinguished by a four-play, 72-yard drive that Mahomes capped with a touchdown pass to Blake Bell as the Chiefs moved within a win of Super Bowl LIV.

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

Watson was suspended for 11 games in August after the NFL ruled he had violated the league's personal conduct policy amid accusations of sexual assault and misconduct.

The quarterback, who was traded to the Browns in the offseason, practiced with the team for the first time two weeks ago, and is primed to make his bow against his former franchise the Houston Texans on Sunday.

With the 4-7 Browns keeping their slim playoff hopes alive with Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chubb hopes the quarterback can help them to a positive end to the season.

"We're all excited," Chubb said. "We've waited a long time for him to come back.

"He's special – he's a playmaker. He puts the ball exactly where he needs it go. Guys like that. The guys are excited."

Cornerback Denzel Ward echoed Chubb's thoughts regarding Watson, adding: "He's a great player. You can't go wrong with great players."

Having sat out the entirety of his final campaign with the Texans, Watson has not played a regular-season game since January 3, 2021, but linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah hopes he can hit the ground running.

"There's an excitement, for sure," he said. "We know what he can do with what we've seen so far. So we're looking forward to seeing him [play]."