Tennessee Titans

The Chiefs' star quarterback left the game midway through the fourth quarter after taking an inadvertent shot to the head from Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons while being dragged down by Denico Autry. 

Mahomes did not return to the game, as Chad Henne took the reins for Kansas City's final possession, but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Mahomes cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and it was his decision not to send him back into the lopsided game. 

The most prominent indicator that Mahomes does indeed "feel fine" as he told reporters post-game was that he spoke to the media at all. If he was still in the concussion protocol he would not have been compelled to do so. 

"Y'all saw the hit," Mahomes said. "I took my time getting up, but I felt fine. I did everything I needed to do to be here."

The overriding question now is what Mahomes and the Chiefs can do to get back on track moving forward.

Since Mahomes took over as Kansas City's starting quarterback for the 2018 season, the Chiefs have never lost more than four regular-season games. Sunday's ugly defeat dropped them to 3-4. 

While Mahomes was hardly the only man at fault, he turned in one of the worst games of his career, including an all-time low 62.3 passer rating. 

He also lost a fumble and threw his ninth interception of the season, tying him for the league lead. He threw just 11 interceptions across 29 games over the last two regular seasons combined. 

"Today, it was probably me," he told reporters. "Just pressing a little bit too early in the game. And then we got down, and we were in that mode where you’re no-huddle, which you don’t want to be in the NFL. You can execute it a little bit, but it’s hard to sustain drives."

The pressure of defending their AFC title appears to have been a strain on the Chiefs in general and Mahomes in particular. Sunday was the second game in his NFL career in which he did not lead a touchdown drive, the other being the 31-9 Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February. 

"I want to win," Mahomes said. "At the end of the day, I want to win. So I try to do whatever I can to win. But you have to believe in the guys around you. You have to know you can go the long way. You can take a short pass, and guys will make guys miss. You can hang in the pocket and make throws. "

"But at the end of the day, I just want to win. Whatever that takes, I’m going to try to do. I’ll look at this film, learn from it, and try to come out better Monday night this week."

Despite Mahomes proving to be the difference late, he was bottled up early by a sharp Titans defense, holding the Chiefs to just nine points in the first three quarters.

On the back of their strong defense, the Titans built a 14-9 lead at half-time as superstar running back Derrick Henry bulled his way into the endzone for two touchdowns.

Mahomes completed a first-half touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman, but a third-quarter field goal from the Titans had them trailing 17-9 heading into the fourth period.

With the game on the line, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie, Mahomes manufactured a 13-play, 93-yard drive, culminating in a 14-yard rushing touchdown from the Chiefs quarterback to convert on third-and-nine. He then also ran in the two-point conversion.

Mahomes completed passes to four different players in his one overtime drive, highlighted by a 27-yard jump-ball to Noah Gray to convert a third-and-inches and move into the redzone, before also converting a fourth-and-one to JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Ultimately they settled for a field goal, forcing Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis to at least mount his own field-goal drive to keep the game alive, but the Chiefs defense rose to the occasion for the game-winning stop.

Mahomes ended up completing 43 of his 68 pass attempts for 446 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while also leading the Chiefs in rushing with six carries for 63 yards and a score to tie the game at 17-17.

That was in stark contrast to what the Titans asked Willis to do, as he finished five-of-16 for 80 yards. Henry was the star for Tennessee, rushing 17 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns, giving him nine touchdowns from eight games this season.

Reigning Super Bowl champions the Chiefs needed overtime to see off the Los Angeles Chargers 23-20 in Week 2.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens powered past the Houston Texans 33-16 on the road.

Meanwhile, Kyler Murray dazzled for the high-flying Arizona Cardinals and Russell Wilson sparked the Seattle Seahawks.

MAHOMES' CHIEFS OUTLAST CHARGERS

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stayed perfect thanks to Harrison Butker's 58-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining in OT.

Butker drilled three field goals for the day as he tied a Chiefs record for distance, while becoming the second kicker in NFL history to make a pair of 58-yard kicks in the same game.

It completed a rally for the Chiefs, who overturned a 17-6 deficit in the third quarter to survive an impressive NFL debut by Chargers rookie Justin Herbert.

Herbert threw 311 yards to become the ninth player since the merger to top 300 in his first game. He was 22 of 33 for a touchdown and interception.

As for former MVP and last season's Super Bowl MVP Mahomes, the Chiefs quarterback finished 27 of 47 for 302 passing yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards.

RAVENS PRESERVE UNBEATEN RUN

The Ravens overcame a slow start to extend their regular-season winning streak to 14 games – the longest run since the Carolina Panthers reeled off 18 successive victories in 2014-15.

Reigning MVP Jackson threw for 204 yards and a touchdown, while he rushed for 54 yards in Houston, where the Ravens led 20-10 at half-time.

The Ravens rushed for 230 yards compared to the Texans' 51 as Mark Ingram II had 55 and a touchdown.

"We feel like we have the best backfield in the league. We just try to prove that, week in, week out," Ingram said.

MURRAY HAS CARDINALS SOARING

Murray continues to show why the Cardinals were so desperate to draft him with the number one pick last year after inspiring a 30-15 victory against the Washington Football Team.

Second-year quarterback Murray finished with 286 yards and a touchdown, while he ran for two TDs in a stunning display.

Murray – a dual-threat – put on a show as he ran with the ball and went for 14 and 21 yards to help the Cardinals improve to 2-0.

"As soon as I leave the pocket I survey the field," Murray said. "Seeing how the blocks were set up, they were set up pretty perfectly. Once I get a guy one on one, I like my chances."

Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Wilson fuelled the Seahawks to a 35-30 win over the New England Patriots.

Wilson was 21-of-28 for 288 yards and five touchdowns as the Seahawks made it two victories from two games.

It condemned Can Newton and the Patriots to their first loss of the season after Tom Brady's QB replacement in New England finished 30 of 44 for 397 yards, a touchdown, interception and a sack in Seattle.

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
Arizona Cardinals 30-15 Washington Football Team
Kansas City Chiefs 23-20 Los Angeles Chargers
Baltimore Ravens 33-16 Houston Texans
Seattle Seahawks 35-30 New England Patriots

Chiefs quarterback Mahomes went 23 of 35 for 294 passing yards and three touchdowns at Arrowhead Stadium, while also rushing for an incredible 27-yard score at the end of the first half.

The reigning NFL MVP became the first player in Chiefs franchise history to record multiple passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in a postseason game.

Tyreek Hill had two receiving touchdowns and Sammy Watkins found the end zone off a 60-yard reception from Mahomes to end the Titans' impressive playoff run, which included victories over the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.

Running back Derrick Henry started positively with a four-yard rushing touchdown for Tennessee, but Hill hit 21.27 miles per hour off an eight-yard reception to reduce the arrears.

After a string of penalties from the Chiefs defense, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill found Dennis Kelly with a one-yard touchdown pass at the end of a 15-play, 75-yard drive that lasted nine minutes and seven seconds to restore his team's 10-point advantage – the 321-pound offensive lineman becoming the heaviest player with a receiving TD in postseason history.

Hill crossed for a 20-yard receiving touchdown before Mahomes took matters into his own hands with a stunning solo score 11 seconds before half-time, sending the Chiefs into the interval with a 21-17 lead.

Kansas City's defense frustrated the Titans in the third quarter and Damien Williams made it seven touchdowns in four postseason games as a Chief when he finished over the ground from three yards at the start of the final period.

Mahomes' stunning pass to Watkins put the Chiefs 18 points clear and a 22-yard touchdown reception for Anthony Firkser after pulling off a fake punt proved to be solely a consolation for the Titans.

The Chiefs ran out 35-9 winners on Sunday, with quarterback Mahomes at his inspired best.

Elsewhere, the Buffalo Bills picked up a 24-21 victory against the New England Patriots – their first home win against the six-time league champions since 2011.

MAHOMES INSPIRES RAMPANT CHIEFS

There was no stopping the Chiefs in their home clash with the Jets, whose dismal start to the season never looked likely to end.

The Jets are 0-8 after a wonderful display from Kansas City, who were marshalled brilliantly by Mahomes as the star threw for 416 yards and five touchdowns.

AFC West leaders Kansas stemmed Sam Darnold from the off, and the visiting quarterback could only watch as Mahomes ran the show.

Darnold did not have his top receivers Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman to aim for due to injuries and was only 18 of 30 for 133 yards as the Jets fell to 0-8 for the first time since 1996.

Kansas' triumph also took head coach Andy Reid onto 229 wins – tying him with Hall of Famer Curly Lambeau for the fifth-most in NFL history.

Second in the AFC West are the Las Vegas Raiders, who overcame the Cleveland Browns – third in the AFC North – 16-6.

BILLS SNAP PATRIOTS STREAK, GRANT STUNS RAMS

The Bills ended a nine-year wait for a home victory over the Patriots as they claimed a 24-21 win in Buffalo.

Cam Newton's fumble on a late drive ultimately cost the Patriots, who are now 2-5 from their opening seven games. 

As well as marking Sean McDermott's first triumph over Patriots coach Bill Belichick, it is a win that moved the Bills (6-2) to 4-0 in the AFC East.

New England had not lost an away game at Buffalo since September 2011, while the Bills had not beaten the Patriots at all in seven games prior to the Week 8 clash. 

Meanwhile, Jakeem Grant scored a stunning touchdown to help the Miami Dolphins to a 28-17 success over the Los Angeles Rams.

Grant ran in a mesmerising 88-yard punt return – the first this season in the NFL – helping the Dolphins, who sit second in the AFC East, to a fourth victory of the season.

In an all-NFC North clash, the Minnesota Vikings clinched a 28-22 win over their rivals Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Dalvin Cook was the star with four touchdowns – three running and one receiving.

STEELERS STAY PERFECT

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only unbeaten team remaining after they maintained their winning start with a dramatic 28-24 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens.

Lamar Jackson looked set to win it for the hosts in the dying seconds in Baltimore, yet AFC North leaders Pittsburgh clung on thanks to some fantastic defense.

With the last throw of the game, Jackson attempted to pick out Willie Snead in the end zone, but his flat pass was knocked down by a combination of Justin Layne and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Defeat leaves the Ravens at 5-2 and second in the division, which is stacked up by the Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1), who shocked the Tennessee Titans.

Joe Burrow was key, with the quarterback completing 26 of his 37 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

Burrow also avoided any sacks, as the Bengals sealed a 31-20 victory – their second home win of 2020.

In Sunday's other game, the Indianapolis Colts halted the Detroit Lions' two-game winning streak with a 41-21 rout.

Week 8 scores:

Atlanta Falcons 25-17 Carolina Panthers
Buffalo Bills 24-21 New England Patriots
Cincinnati Bengals 31-20 Tennessee Titans
Las Vegas Raiders 16-6 Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts 41-21 Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings 28-22 Green Bay Packers
Kansas City Chiefs 35-9 New York Jets
Miami Dolphins 28-17 Los Angeles Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers 28-24 Baltimore Ravens

On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, it was his connection with an unheralded tight end that proved to critical for Mahomes and Kansas City.

The Chiefs fought back from a 17-9 deficit to see off the Titans 20-17 in overtime and move to 6-2.

Mahomes produced magic with his legs to help the Chiefs tie the game, a 20-yard rush on third-and-17 keeping alive a scoring drive he capped with a 14-yard touchdown run. He then added the two-point conversion on another scramble.

His 68 passes were just two shy of the all-time single-game record. Mahomes completed 43 passes, again two short of the league record, with the gap between his tally and that of Titans rookie Malik Willis (five) representing the largest between two starting quarterbacks in a game.

No completion was more important than Mahomes' 27-yard connection with tight end Noah Gray on third-and-1 from the Tennessee 49-yard line.

Under pressure from Demarcus Walker, Mahomes rolled to his right before deftly evading the defensive lineman and stepping up to fire downfield to Gray, who had uncovered from the coverage of Roger McCreary. Gray leapt to make a juggling catch over the head of McCreary, putting Kansas City on the edge of the red zone.

Though the Chiefs could not clinch the game with a touchdown, Harrison Butker converted a 28-yard field goal and the defense stopped Willis and the Titans in four plays on the subsequent series to wrap it up.

"It's funny," Mahomes said. "I think I said it in training camp: I feel like I don't target Noah enough because a lot of times plays are called either to him or he's one of the options I can give him a chance on. And it seems like I don't throw it to him.

"He's always open — and so as the season's going on and as our careers go on I want to give him more and more chances, because I think he can be a big part of this offense. 

"That whole tight end room has been great for us this season. But for [Gray] to make that catch in that moment? I mean, that was a tough catch that he made; that was a big one for us. That was probably the reason that we were able to get down there and win."

Asked about his third-down run that set the comeback in motion, Mahomes replied: "I definitely saw a lane to get it close enough that I thought we'd be able to go for it [on fourth down].

"When you're in that situation, you know that if you can get it to a fourth-and-5, fourth-and-4, coach Reid's probably going to give you a chance there.

"And then as I was running, I felt the – I think it was the safety — kind of overpursuing so I kind of shot my shot and went out there. I actually tried to get outside again which didn’t work out for me; I’m not fast enough.

"But it was a good play and like I said we just battled at the end of the day. It wasn't like we were designing it up we were just going out there and trying to make some stuff happen."

Mahomes is the NFL king of making stuff happen, and his primetime heroics in Week 9 moved the Chiefs level with the 6-2 Buffalo Bills at the top of the AFC. The Chiefs are in prime position to make another run at a Super Bowl title.

On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, it was his connection with an unheralded tight end that proved to critical for Mahomes and Kansas City.

The Chiefs fought back from a 17-9 deficit to see off the Titans 20-17 in overtime and move to 6-2.

Mahomes produced magic with his legs to help the Chiefs tie the game, a 20-yard rush on third-and-17 keeping alive a scoring drive he capped with a 14-yard touchdown run. He then added the two-point conversion on another scramble.

His 68 passes were just two shy of the all-time single-game record. Mahomes completed 43 passes, again two short of the league record, with the gap between his tally and that of Titans rookie Malik Willis (five) representing the largest between two starting quarterbacks in a game.

No completion was more important than Mahomes' 27-yard connection with tight end Noah Gray on third-and-1 from the Tennessee 49-yard line.

Under pressure from Demarcus Walker, Mahomes rolled to his right before deftly evading the defensive lineman and stepping up to fire downfield to Gray, who had uncovered from the coverage of Roger McCreary. Gray leapt to make a juggling catch over the head of McCreary, putting Kansas City on the edge of the red zone.

Though the Chiefs could not clinch the game with a touchdown, Harrison Butker converted a 28-yard field goal and the defense stopped Willis and the Titans in four plays on the subsequent series to wrap it up.

"It's funny," Mahomes said. "I think I said it in training camp: I feel like I don't target Noah enough because a lot of times plays are called either to him or he's one of the options I can give him a chance on. And it seems like I don't throw it to him.

"He's always open — and so as the season's going on and as our careers go on I want to give him more and more chances, because I think he can be a big part of this offense. 

"That whole tight end room has been great for us this season. But for [Gray] to make that catch in that moment? I mean, that was a tough catch that he made; that was a big one for us. That was probably the reason that we were able to get down there and win."

Asked about his third-down run that set the comeback in motion, Mahomes replied: "I definitely saw a lane to get it close enough that I thought we'd be able to go for it [on fourth down].

"When you're in that situation, you know that if you can get it to a fourth-and-5, fourth-and-4, coach Reid's probably going to give you a chance there.

"And then as I was running, I felt the – I think it was the safety — kind of overpursuing so I kind of shot my shot and went out there. I actually tried to get outside again which didn’t work out for me; I’m not fast enough.

"But it was a good play and like I said we just battled at the end of the day. It wasn't like we were designing it up we were just going out there and trying to make some stuff happen."

Mahomes is the NFL king of making stuff happen, and his primetime heroics in Week 9 moved the Chiefs level with the 6-2 Buffalo Bills at the top of the AFC. The Chiefs are in prime position to make another run at a Super Bowl title.

Henry had 28 carries for 87 yards, with one running touchdown and one throwing touchdown when the Titans deceived the Packers' defense in the third quarter to open up a 20-9 lead. He also had two receptions for 45 yards.

The Titans running back became the first player since 1983 with 20 or more carries, two or more completions, a rushing TD and a passing TD in a game.

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill was exceptional against the blitz and made 22 of 27 passes for 333 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Tennessee improved to 7-3, having won seven of their past eight games, with their only loss in that run coming in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Aaron Rodgers threw two TD passes, both to breakout rookie Christian Watson, on 24-of-39 passing for 227 yards for the 4-7 Packers, who had snapped a five-game skid with last week's 31-28 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Tannehill passed to Treylon Burks for a 37-yard gain, before linking up with Dontrell Hilliard for a TD on a methodical opening drive. Burks finished the game with seven receptions for 111 yards.

Rodgers caught the Titans defense off guard for Watson's TD to make it 7-6, while the Packers defense thwarted Henry on a fourth-and-one midway after an 18-play drive through the second quarter, but he would not be denied late in the half, opening up a 14-6 half-time lead.

Henry gained 42 yards on a marauding catch-and-run, before flipping a pass over the Packers defense for Austin Hooper to score. After Rodgers found Watson in the same corner again, Hooper added another TD from a 16-yard Tannehill dime early in the fourth.

The 26-year-old penned a two-year highly incentivised contract with the Raiders, with his base 2020 salary said to be guaranteed at $7.5million and another $5.9m in potential add-ons.

Mariota won the coveted Heisman Trophy in 2014 but largely struggled during five seasons with the Tennessee Titans and lost his starting berth to Ryan Tannehill last season.

Speaking about his move to the Raiders, Mariota says he wanted to join a team that can bring out the best of his abilities even if for the time being he is behind Carr in the pecking order.

"First and foremost, this is Derek's team, and I understand that," Honolulu native Mariota told Hawaii-based KHON-TV.

"I understand that going in. My priority going into free agency was to be a part of a team that I felt could bring out the best in me. 

"Whatever happens, whatever comes of that, I'm ready for. But I do know, to play starting quarterback in the NFL, to be at that spot, is not an easy job to do. 

"And I think, when it comes down to it, a strong, stable supportive quarterback room makes that job a whole lot easier, and that's what we have to do. 

"And I'm going to do my best to support Derek in every possible way that I can, and along with that, I'm just going to try to become the best player that I can be and see where that takes me."

The Raiders went 7-9 last season and were officially renamed the Las Vegas Raiders in January.

Carr, 28, started 16 games for the Raiders last season, throwing for a career-high 4,054 yards, and is under contract through the 2022 campaign.

Mariota was the second pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, but struggled during his five seasons with the Titans.

The 26-year-old started six times for the Titans last season before losing his spot to Ryan Tannehill.

Mariota played 63 games for Tennessee, throwing for 13,207 yards with 76 touchdowns and 44 interceptions, and NFL Network reports he has agreed to join the Raiders.

The Raiders went 7-9 last season and were officially renamed the Las Vegas Raiders in January.

Derek Carr, 28, started 16 games for the Raiders last season, throwing for a career-high 4,054 yards, and is under contract through the 2022 campaign.

Both the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants finally remembered what it feels like to be on the winning team, but the New England Patriots lost to the Denver Broncos to slip to 2-3 and be under ,500 in October for the first time since 2002.

There was drama as the Tennessee Titans downed the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts moved to 4-2 thanks to a 31-27 triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals.

HURT MAYFIELD STRUGGLES AS STEELERS CONTINUE BROWNS DOMINANCE

The Steelers made it 17 straight wins over the Browns in Pittsburgh with a comprehensive 38-7 mauling of their AFC North rivals, during which the influence of Cleveland quarterback Mayfield was quelled.

Cleveland headed into the fixture on the back of a first four-game winning streak since 2009, but Mayfield – contending with a rib injury that limited his practice time – and the Browns offense never got going.

Mayfield was just two-of-seven passing for five yards with a sack and two picks on third downs, and was sat down for Case Keenum deep into the third quarter. In total he was sacked four times and intercepted twice in a bruising outing.

James Conner was impressive for Pittsburgh, finishing with 101 yards on 20 carries and scoring the Steelers' first offensive touchdown in the second quarter, which made the score 17-0.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 14 of 22 passes for 162 yards and throwing for a touchdown, while Chase Claypool and Benny Snell also scored rushing touchdowns on a great outing for the now 5-0 Steelers.

The Baltimore Ravens are second behind Pittsburgh in their division after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 30-28, and they have now scored 20-plus points in 29 straight games – the second-longest streak in NFL history.

FALCONS, GIANTS UP AND RUNNING

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff after a 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers saw them slip to 0-5 for the season last week.

But under the leadership of interim coach Raheem Morris, the Falcons routed the Minnesota Vikings 40-23 at U.S. Bank Stadium for their first win of the season.

Julio Jones came back into the line-up and collected eight receptions for the return of 137 yards, while also celebrating his first two touchdowns of the season. Veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, whose future in the team was called into question after a poor start, made 30 of 40 passes for 371 yards.

Joe Judge's first win as New York Giants coach came in vastly different circumstances, scraping past the Washington Football Team 20-19.

Washington missed when they opted to go for a two-point conversion with 36 seconds remaining, rather than take the kick for an extra point that would have taken a game riddled with errors into overtime.

It meant only the New York Jets - in action later in the day - had yet to win in the NFL this season.

HENRY, TITANS RALLY PAST TEXANS

The Titans stayed perfect at 5-0 following a dramatic finish to their 42-36 triumph over the Houston Texans.

It did not look like being the Titans' day given they had two turnovers, saw Stephen Gostkowski have a field goal blocked and fail with another, while Houston QB Deshaun Watson threw for four touchdown passes and the Titans defense gave up 335 yards in passing.

The last of those touchdown passes from Watson had Houston up by seven points with one minute and 50 seconds remaining but they crucially failed with a two-point conversion.

Ryan Tannehill consequently drove the Titans 76 yards and found A.J. Brown with a six-yard touchdown pass with only four seconds left to force overtime.

The brilliant Derrick Henry, who finished with 212 yards rushing and 52 yards receiving, then took a direct snap for a five-yard touchdown to win it three minutes and 30 seconds into overtime.

The Chicago Bears improved to 5-1 after defeating the Carolina Panthers 23-16.

Week 6 scores:

Tennessee Titans 42-36 Houston Texans
Baltimore Ravens 30-28 Philadelphia Eagles
Atlanta Falcons 40-23 Minnesota Vikings
Pittsburgh Steelers 38-7 Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts 31-27 Cincinnati Bengals 
Detroit Lions 34-16 Jacksonville Jaguars
Chicago Bears 23-16 Carolina Panthers
New York Giants 20-19 Washington Football Team
Denver Broncos 18-12 New England Patriots

Beckham had to be taken off in the first quarter following an injury as the Browns star tried to make a tackle after quarterback Baker Mayfield – who turned in a remarkable performance – threw an interception with his first pass, though Cleveland prevailed 37-34.

Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers came out on top in an NFL contest between two 5-0 teams, seeing off the Tennessee Titans 27-24 on Sunday.

CONCERN FOR BECKHAM BUT MAYFIELD SHINES

Mayfield went on to star for the Browns, but his first pass was a dreadful one, as he picked out the Bengals' Darius Phillips rather than wide receiver Beckham – it was the second game in succession that Cleveland's quarterback has seen his opening pass intercepted.

In an attempt to recover, Beckham lunged into a tackle, but ultimately suffered an injury which NFL sources suggest could be serious. The Bengals pounced on the pick with a drive that ended with a touchdown run for quarterback Joe Burrow.

Yet Mayfield – who came in for criticism after a poor display against the Steelers last week – overcame his bad start to run the show for the Bengals.

Having gone 0 for 5, Mayfield subsequently completed the next 22 of 23 attempted passes. His final throw was met brilliantly by Donovan People-Jones in the end zone, securing the win for the Browns with 15 seconds remaining.

It was a fifth touchdown throw of a frantic game for Mayfield, who said afterwards: "What criticism? What are you talking about?"

Cincinnati rookie Burrow was the other star performer, landing 35 of 47 passes for a season-high 406 yards and three touchdowns, but his team's defense was no match for a fired-up Mayfield, who finished with 297 yards and five touchdowns.

STEELERS STAY PERFECT THANKS TO GOSTOWKSI MISS

Stephen Gostkowski missed a 45-yard field goal with 19 seconds left on the clock as the Steelers held firm to secure a three-point triumph over the Titans, ending their opponents' winning start while preserving their perfect record.

Led by the excellent Ben Roethlisberger, who went 32 of 49 passing for 268 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, the Steelers started well.

An opening-drive touchdown snapped a 23-game streak without one and the Steelers kept up the momentum in the second quarter with Benny Snell going over.

Corey Davis responded for the Titans, though Chris Boswell nosed Pittsburgh further ahead before Roethlisberger picked out Diontae Johnson for their third touchdown.

Boswell converted a 30-yard field goal to make it 27-7 at the start of the third quarter, and those points proved vital as the Titans mounted a comeback.

With Derrick Henry – who finished on 75 running yards – racing into the end zone late on, the chance to level things up fell to kicker Gostkowski, only for the veteran campaigner to slice wide.

Pittsburgh (6-0) top the AFC North, with the Browns (5-2) in third and Bengals (1-5) fourth. 

COWBOYS ANOTHER QUARTERBACK DOWN AFTER HEAVY WASHINGTON DEFEAT

The Dallas Cowboys failed to overcome the third-quarter loss of quarterback Andy Dalton as they went down 25-3 to the Washington Football Team.

Dalton exited after taking a shot to the head, with Washington linebacker Jon Bostic ejected for the hit.

Dallas' back-up quarterback, making his second start in place of the injured Dak Prescott, was ruled out with concussion, and head coach Mike McCarthy was infuriated with how his team reacted to Dalton's injury, with no players confronting Bostic.

"We speak all the time about playing for one another, protecting one another. It definitely was not the response you would expect," McCarthy told reporters. 

The Cowboys and Washington are now tied on 2-5 in an open NFC East, which is topped by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Meanwhile, Drew Brees completed 29 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers 27-24 to move top of the NFC South.

The Buffalo Bills claimed an 18-10 win over the struggling New York Jets, and the Green Bay Packers are now 5-1 after a convincing 35-20 victory against the Houston Texans, who have just one win to their name in 2020.

Also 1-6 are the Atlanta Falcons, who went down by one point to the Detroit Lions.

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
Atlanta Falcons 22-21 Detroit Lions

After being acquired in a trade from the Carolina Panthers less than two weeks ago, McCaffrey showed exactly why he is considered arguably the best running back of his generation.

Against the reigning champions, he became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to score a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in the same game.

His first score came through a trick play in the second quarter, as what appeared to be a regulation toss play to the right-hand side turned into a halfback pass as McCaffrey dialled up a 34-yard rainbow pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the end zone.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had his side leading 14-10 at half-time after a one-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown and a 16-yard toss to Cooper Kupp, but McCaffrey put the 49ers ahead with a nine-yard touchdown catch late in the third period.

It was followed by a quick Rams punt, before McCaffrey put the exclamation point on his day by punching in a one-yard touchdown to begin the fourth quarter.

The 49ers offense fired on all cylinders, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completing 21 of his 25 passes for two touchdowns and no turnovers, as Aiyuk and George Kittle also caught touchdown passes.

McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 94 yards on the ground, eight catches for 55 yards through the air, and completed his only pass attempt for 34 yards.

King Henry continues to own the Texans

Tennessee Titans workhorse Derrick Henry was unstoppable against the Houston Texans, carrying the ball 32 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns in a grinding 17-10 win.

Incredibly, it is the fourth consecutive matchup against the Texans where Henry has posted at least 200 yards and two touchdowns, and the sixth total time of his career against all teams. No other player in the history of the league has more than three career games of at least 200 yards and multiple touchdowns.

With his second touchdown, Henry – who had such a significant workload due to rookie quarterback Malik Willis making his debut start in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill – broke the Titans' career touchdown record with his 75th.

Discussion over Brady's future as he prepares to hit the open market had already been at fever pitch before he and team-mate Julian Edelman chatted with Vrabel as they attended a Syracuse basketball game.

Tennessee Titans head coach Vrabel led his team to the AFC Championship game in 2019, having won three Super Bowls alongside Brady during his playing days.

Those results last season - which included a playoff win over the Pats - combined with Vrabel and Brady's relationship, has seen Tennessee regularly cited as one of the most likely destinations for Brady this offseason.

The six-time Super Bowl champion would first have to make the seismic decision to halt his partnership with Pats coach with Bill Belichick, which has produced a remarkable dynasty.

And Vrabel insists his friendly conversation with Brady should not be read into in the context of NFL business.

"Well, it would be no different than a conversation you would have with your girlfriends on a weekend," he said to Good Morning Football.

"My relationship goes back to 2001 with Tom Brady - training camp in Rhode Island, at Parente's we'd go to practice and bunch of us would go out to the bar at Parente's after practice and that's where a lot of those friendships were made.

"Those friendships aren't just going to stop or not continue to grow and develop now that I'm a head coach and he's a quarterback with an expiring contract.

"Those are going to continue on well after we're done playing with his family, with my family and having the ability to meet Jules and all those players - there's a special bond that goes on in the locker room and that's not going to stop."

A fascinating offseason is in store for the Titans, with incumbent QB Ryan Tannehill and Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry both on expiring contracts and candidates for the franchise tag after enjoying spectacular campaigns.

"Derrick and Ryan, those two players were a large part of our success," added Vrabel. "They helped us get to where we were.

"It wasn't good enough [to win the Super Bowl] but we always recognise those players who have helped us get to where we are.

"Obviously, the business of football to me is that every day [general manager] Jon Robinson and I are trying to look for players that are younger and cheaper.

"The players in those seats are doing everything that they possibly can to make sure that doesn't happen."

After a shaky opening quarter in which Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions – as many as he had on the season entering Week 14 – the 2018 MVP propelled the Chiefs from behind at Hard Rock Stadium.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 28 of his 48 passes for 316 yards and had a rushing touchdown to make the final period interesting, but Super Bowl champions Kansas City held on for another narrow win.

Henry was crucial as the Tennessee Titans bounced back from their defeat to the Cleveland Browns last weekend, becoming the first player in NFL history to have four games with 200 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in an 31-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Minnesota Vikings lost 26-14 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to slip to 6-7, meaning the Arizona Cardinals – who beat the New York Giants 26-7, moved above them into an NFC Wild Card spot.

Their defeat also left the door open for the Green Bay Packers to guarantee they will top the NFC North by at least securing a tie at the Detroit Lions.

CHIEFS CLING ON

Miami's defense came out the blocks flying, with Mahomes throwing an interception, being sacked for a 30-yard loss by Jerome Baker and fumbling a snap on his opening two drives.

Mike Gesicki's seven-yard touchdown and a field goal after Mahomes was picked off for a second time – the first time he had multiple INTs in a single game since the Super Bowl – put the Dolphins up 10-0 in the second quarter.

The Kansas City signal-caller helped turn things around, though. Tyreek Hill rushed into the end zone and received a 44-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes after Travis Kelce's TD.

Mahomes may have thrown for 393 yards and two touchdowns but he ended the game with three interceptions for just the second time in his career, while Miami quarterback Tagovailoa finally threw his first pick in the league after 153 pass attempts.

HISTORY FOR HENRY

Henry had 215 yards and two TDs on 26 carries as the Titans comfortably overcame the Jaguars.

The running back has now registered triple figures rushing in nine consecutive road games, with only Hall of Famer Barry Sanders' having experienced a better streak (10 from 1996 to 1997).

Victory never looked in doubt for the Titans after A.J. Brown hauled in a 37-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill with one hand for the opening score in the first quarter.

Jacksonville struggled to get their offense going but James Robinson became only the fourth undrafted rookie in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

PLAYOFF PICTURE CHANGES

Dan Bailey's kicking let down the Vikings against the Buccaneers. He was 0-for-three on field goals and 0-of-one on extra points, the first scoreless player to do that since John Aveni for Washington in 1961.

Buccaneers star Tom Brady finished 15-of-23 passing for 196 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and no sacks.

The Vikings slipped behind the Cardinals after Arizona won at the Giants, for whom Daniel Jones lost 52 yards in sacks – he suffered six in total – and fumbled three times.

New York could finish the weekend behind Washington in the NFC East, while the Dallas Cowboys' 30-7 success at the Cincinnati Bengals launched them back into the playoff hunt.

Week 14 scores

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-14 Minnesota Vikings
Arizona Cardinals 26-7 New York Giants
Kansas City Chiefs 33-27 Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans 31-10 Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys 30-7 Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears 36-7 Houston Texans
Denver Broncos 32-27 Carolina Panthers

The New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Football Team and Los Angeles Chargers were among those not to take to the field.

It comes amid widespread protests in the Unites States following the shooting of Blake, who was repeatedly shot in the back by police on Sunday.

His father said he has been left paralysed from the waist down.

Washington were the first to cancel practice, their decision coming shortly after the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their first-round NBA Eastern Conference series against the Orlando Magic.

All of Wednesday and Thursday's NBA playoff games were postponed.

The Cardinals were among those to cancel their practice entirely, with head coach Kliff Kingsbury later addressing the media to explain the decision.

"What happened to Jacob Blake was horrendous and it has to stop," he said.

"I know it sounds hollow at times because you hear the same things over and over, but we wanted to make sure our players know that we support them and we're here for them.

"There's time where football takes a backburner and we felt like this was one of those moments as an organisation. 

"We wanted our players to know that we support them and want them to have a day to be with their families, be able to reflect on things, be around friends, be around each other and then use the day to help make that change the way to see.

"Whether it's on social media, using that platform that they have, or if it's going to register to vote or trying to get other people set up to register to vote, we just wanted them to know this is their day and I felt like it was important to our organisation."

Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake wrote on Twitter: "We have the day off today to educate and reflect on who we are as individuals and here we need to progress as people. 

"I'm honoured to be in an organisation of men and women who lead the charge for change in this country."

Jets running back Le'Veon Bell appeared to send a message to the NFL when he wrote: "We've been protecting the shield. It's time for the shield to protect us."

New Orleans Saints players did take to the field, with each player wearing a helmet with Blake's name written on it.

The Pittsburgh Steelers also practiced, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told reporters: "Everyone has the choice to choose to what level and what degree they want to use their platform.

"I think the biggest thing right now is to listen to my African-American team-mates and friends that aren't even in football just to get a better understanding to educate myself."

Carthon was hired on Tuesday after six years in the San Francisco 49ers' front office, earning his first general manager role at 41 years old.

He takes over as decision-maker for a Titans franchise that missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2018, and his first order of business will be assessing the quarterback situation.

Tannehill has guided the Titans to their past three postseason berths, but after going 7-3, 11-5 and 12-5 as a starter in those seasons, he battled injuries and struggled to 6-6 in his 12 games this campaign.

After missing out on the playoffs two weeks ago, Vrabel told reporters he still has faith in Tannehill.

"He is our starting quarterback," he said. "If he is healthy, he is our starting quarterback."

It may not be that simple, however, as Carthon said during his introductory press conference on Friday that he needs more time before deciding on the franchise's future at the sport's most important position.

"We're still evaluating the roster," he said. "Ryan has been great here. He's won a lot of football games. 

"I look forward to us winning football games, but I still need more time to evaluate and make those decisions."

He added: "This is a quarterback-driven league – people are hired and fired every day over that position. 

"I want to spend more time evaluating that position so I will have my own opinion. Then, Mike and I will confer and we'll figure it out."

Behind Tannehill, the Titans also have Malik Willis coming into his second season. The third-round draft pick made three starts in his rookie year, but did not reach 100 passing yards in any of his appearances.

Newton inspired Sunday's demolition of the hapless Chargers in Inglewood, California, where the Patriots kept their postseason hopes alive.

Reigning champions the Chiefs overcame the Denver Broncos to punch their ticket to the playoffs yet again as the New York Giants claimed a huge upset against the Seattle Seahawks.

NEWTON STANDS ALONE IN NFL AS PATS RUN RIOT

Patriots quarterback Newton was at the forefront of New England's ruthless demolition of the Chargers on the road.

Newton ran for two touchdowns to become the only NFL quarterback with double-digit rushing TDs in three different seasons, while he also set the league record for most multiple-touchdown games in a season by a QB with four in 2020.

The former MVP finished 12-of-19 passing for 69 yards and a touchdown, while he carried for 48 yards and a pair of TDs as the Patriots claimed back-to-back wins to improve to 6-6.

It was the 29th shutout in New England's history and 12th under head coach Bill Belichick, who moved past Tom Landry for third-most games coached with 455.

According to Stats Perform, New England's win was the largest road shut-out victory in NFL history by a team that entered the game with a losing record.

Los Angeles (3-9) were condemned to their worst loss in franchise history, eclipsing a 49-6 demolition against Kansas City in 1964.

CHIEFS FIRST AFC TEAM INTO PLAYOFFS

The Chiefs were far from their best but still trumped the Broncos 22-16 to secure a spot in the postseason for the sixth successive campaign – a franchise record.

Kansas City improved to 11-1 for the season after seeing off Denver for the 11th consecutive time, a streak dating back to 2015.

The Chiefs, who are yet to clinch a fifth straight AFC West title, saw star quarterback Patrick Mahomes finish 25 of 40 for 318 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.

Mahomes has thrown for at least 300 yards in five consecutive games, having achieved the feat last season and the campaign prior. Via Stats Perform, he is the only quarterback to have a five-plus game streak in three successive seasons.

Travis Kelce caught a touchdown as he posted his fifth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards – no other tight end in league history even has five total seasons of 1,000 receiving yards, per NFL Research.

Kelce is also the first TE in the Super Bowl era with 1,100-plus receiving yards in his team's first 12 games of a season. He set the previous record in 2018.

Denver's Drew Lock completed 15 of 28 passes for 151 yards, two touchdowns and as many interceptions on the road.

GIANTS CLIP SEAHAWKS' WINGS, RODGERS MAKES HISTORY

In what has been described as one of Seattle's worst losses of the Pete Carroll era, the Giants stunned the Seahawks 17-12.

The Giants were 4-7 entering the clash, while the NFC West-leading Seahawks were looking to extend their advantage.

But the Giants – using backup quarterback Colt McCoy – had other ideas against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, who were outscored 14-0 in the third quarter.

Wilson struggled on home turf in Seattle, where he was sacked five times and finished 27-of-43 passing for 263 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams are now level atop the NFC West with 8-4 records after the latter beat the Arizona Cardinals 38-28.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers became the fastest player to throw 400 career touchdown passes in the Green Bay Packers' 30-16 success against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Rodgers reached the milestone in his 193rd NFL appearance, eclipsing Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Brett Favre and Philip Rivers after finding team-mate Davante Adams in the third quarter.

After throwing three touchdown passes, Super Bowl champion Rodgers also became the first player in league history with 35-plus TD passes in five different seasons.

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
Los Angeles Rams 38-28 Arizona Cardinals
New York Giants 17-12 Seattle Seahawks
New England Patriots 45-0 Los Angeles Chargers
Green Bay Packers 30-16 Philadelphia Eagles
Kansas City Chiefs 22-16 Denver Broncos

Andy Reid's Chiefs are hoping to go one step further after being beaten in last year's AFC Championship Game and they will host a Titans team that has already upset the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens on the road.

In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers host the Packers in a contest between two offensive-minded head coaches in Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur, both of whom have had success without their quarterbacks lighting up the stats sheet.

We preview the AFC and NFC Championship Games using Stats Perform data.

SUNDAY (All times Eastern)

Titans (9-7) @ Chiefs (12-4). 3:05pm

- The Titans have won each of the last four meetings between the two, including the 2017 Wild Card Game at Arrowhead Stadium. In the previous three meetings, including one back in Week 10, Tennessee have erased a fourth-quarter deficit to win.

- Tennessee had 418 yards combined on the ground while totalling only 154 passing yards in the wins over New England and Baltimore. In the postseason, their defense has produced five takeaways and as many fourth-down stops.

- Red-hot Titans running back Derrick Henry has amassed 812 rushing yards in third quarters of games this season. The last player to rush for at least 800 yards across quarters was Terrell Davis in 1998 (824 yards, first quarters).

- Kansas City beat the Houston Texans the hard way in the Divisional Round, overturning a 24-point deficit - the largest in franchise history - to win 51-31.

- The Chiefs are looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years since they won Super Bowl IV.

Packers (13-3) @ 49ers (13-3). 6:40pm

- Only the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (nine) have met more frequently in the playoffs than the Packers and 49ers, who will face each other for the eighth time.

- Should Green Bay beat the 49ers and win Super Bowl LIV, they would equal the NFL record for the most postseason wins (37 - New England Patriots).

- San Francisco are bidding to win two home playoff games for the fifth time in their history. On the previous four occasions the Niners are have won two home playoff games (1981, 1984, 1989 and 1994), they have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

- Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed just 16 passes - his fewest in a postseason start - in the Divisional Round win over the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a season-low 131 passing yards in their win over the Minnesota Vikings last weekend.

- The home team will be concerned about the threat of Davante Adams, who has 17 catches for 175 receiving yards and three touchdowns against the Niners. He also set a franchise playoff record with 160 receiving yards in the win over Seattle.

Mike Vrabel's Titans sensationally dethroned the New England Patriots with a 20-13 playoff victory last weekend and must defy the odds again to topple the Ravens.

All three postseason encounters between the Titans and the Ravens have been won by the road team, a record Tennessee will fancy their chances of maintaining after stunning the Patriots.

The 49ers host a Vikings side on a high after ending the New Orleans Saints' season, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers have home advantage against the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks respectively.

We take a closer look at all the games using Stats Perform data.

SATURDAY (All times Eastern)

Vikings (10-6) at 49ers (13-3) 4:35pm

- The two sides will meet in the postseason for the sixth time and first time since the 1997 Divisional Round, with the 49ers holding a 4-1 advantage.

- Minnesota won a first road playoff game since 2004 with a 26-20 overtime victory over New Orleans last week. The Vikings had gone 2-12 in their previous 14 road playoff games dating back to 1988. 

- The 49ers have won at least one playoff game in 13 of their last 15 playoff appearances, most recently winning twice before losing to Seattle in the 2013 NFC Championship. 

Titans (9-7) at Ravens (14-2) 8:15pm

- The Ravens have twice won at the Titans in the postseason, 24-10 in the 2000 Divisional Round and 13-10 the same stage 12 years ago. The Titans won the other playoff game 20-17 in the Wild Card Round in 2003.

- Baltimore have had a takeaway in all 24 postseason games in franchise history, the fourth-longest streak in NFL playoff history (Dolphins: 31 from 1970-95, Redskins: 26 from 1983-present, Bears: 25 from 1933-90).

- Lamar Jackson set NFL records for carries (176) and rushing yards (1206) by a quarterback this season, while his 6.85 yards per carry was the highest in NFL history by a player in any position with at least 150 carries.

SUNDAY

Texans (10-6) at Chiefs (12-4) 3:05pm

- The only previous postseason game between the teams saw the Chiefs win 30-0 at Houston in a 2015 Wild Card Game, the largest margin of victory in franchise postseason history. 

- The Chiefs closed the regular season with a six-game winning streak; only the Ravens (12) won more games in a row ahead of the playoffs.

- Deshaun Watson completed 80 per cent of his passes (20-for-25), in the Wild Card defeat of the Buffalo Bills. That was the highest mark among starting quarterbacks last weekend, the top mark in Texans postseason history, and tied for second highest in any game in his career. 

Seahawks (11-5) at Packers (13-3) 6:40pm

- The Packers have won two of their three playoff clashes with Seattle, but the Seahawks came out on top in their most recent encounter 28-22 in the 2014 NFC Championship match.

- Seattle defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 17-9 last weekend, improving to 8-1 on the road this season. They have never won multiple road games in a single postseason and the last team to do so was the 2013 49ers. 

- Since 2010, only the Patriots (23) and Seahawks (16) have played more postseason games than the Packers (15).