Washington

The star running back became just the 13th player since 1960 to bag five or more scrimmage TDs in a game, and the first from the Colts to achieve the feat.

Taylor came into the game having scored a rushing touchdown in seven straight games, looking to become the first to reach eight since DeAngelo Williams in 2008.

What transpired was a momentous day for the 22-year-old, who was a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, and he pushed the Colts to 6-5 for the season, after their 1-4 start.

He scored from the Colts' opening drive and was unrelenting from that point on.

The Bills, top of the NFL team defense ranking heading into the game and boasting an average winning margin of 26.3 points this year, had little answer to Taylor's breath-taking display and slipped to 6-4. 

This was a rematch of a wildcard round in last year's playoffs, when the Colts were edged out, and Taylor ensured the outcome was markedly different.

He told CBS: "The offensive line and I, we prepared tremendously throughout this week. We knew it was going to be a tough challenge.

"We had to accept that challenge, that's what we had to do coming into this game and that was half of the battle."

Asked what the secret had been to his recent success, Taylor said: "I think it's been the communication between the offensive line and myself.

"It doesn't matter what defensive front they bring, what pressure, as long as we're all in communication and on the same page we can accomplish anything."

He saluted the Colts' defense, who snagged three interceptions, saying: "A lot of those guys were coming up to me, talking about the game I had today. They create and generate takeovers, and we have to capitalise on them."

The Colts' five previous wins this year had come against teams with a combined 13-34 record, with this victory suggesting they can mix it with higher pedigree sides.

Newton loses out to Heinicke

Cam Newton's first start of his second stint with the Carolina Panthers ended in defeat at home, a 27-21 loss to Taylor Heinicke and Ron Rivera's Washington Football Team.

He finished 21-of-27 for 189 yards, with touchdown passes for DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey. Newton also rushed for a touchdown, but against his old Panthers coach Rivera it was not Newton's night, and his contribution waned late on.

Heinicke finished 16-of-22 for 206 yds with three touchdown passes to help Washington improve to 4-6, earning another prized scalp after topping Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.

Vikings pick off Packers as Joseph wins it

Greg Joseph's last-gasp field goal gave the Minnesota Vikings a stunning 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.

His walk-off 29-yard glory kick settled a tumultuous game that had seen the Vikings lead 23-10, only to be overhauled and trail at one point in the fourth quarter.

It became a ding-dong battle from there and overtime looked to be on the cards after Aaron Rodgers sent a 75-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to tie it at 31-31 in the fading moments.

Yet Minnesota made ground and gave Joseph the chance to win it, meaning they improved to 5-5 and the NFC North leading Packers slipped slightly to 8-3.

Rodgers went 23-of-33 for 385 yards with four touchdown passes.

The Giants are bottom of the NFC East, but sit seventh in the conference standings overall after an impressive 7-5-1 campaign to date.

In what was anticipated to be a season of transition under Daboll, the Giants have continued to upset expectations, though they are winless in their last four to check their momentum.

Still, Mara is enjoying what he sees so far, though he is waiting to reserve judgement until the end of the year, as his team look to break a playoff drought that stretches back to the 2016 season.

"We'll see how it finishes out," he told NJ Advance Media. "But right now, I feel good about the team, the direction we are going.

"You are always disappointed if you don't make the playoffs, but we are trying to take it one week at a time at this point.

"I know that sounds like coach-speak, but that's really the only way you can look at it right now.

"I just know the vibe in the building is the best that it has been in a long time. People are all pulling in the same direction."

The Giants - who posted their lone draw of the season during their last four matches - will look to get back to winning ways when they face the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

With both teams tied in the standings, the winner will see a boost for their playoff hopes at the expense of their rivals.

Washington clinched the NFC East with a 20-14 win over Philadelphia as the Giants were eliminated from the playoff race, when a win by the Eagles would have seen Judge's team advance to the post-season.

Trailing 17-14 in the third quarter, Philadelphia passed on the chance to tie the game with a short field goal and took a fourth-down shot from the four yard line, which quarterback Jalen Hurts did not complete.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson then replaced starting QB Hurts in the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field and back-up Nate Sudfeld completed only five of 12 passes for 32 yards and an interception.

"There’s a number of sacrifices that have been made by all of the players and coaches in this league," Judge said.

"There’s a number of sacrifices that come along as well with the family members of the people connected to them.

"To disrespect the effort that everyone put forward to make this season a success for the National Football League, to disrespect the game by going out there and not competing for 60 minutes and doing everything you can to help those players to win...

"We will never do that as long as I am the head coach of the New York Giants."

Rodgers was honoured during Saturday's awards – on the eve of Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – as he added to his 2011 and 2014 MVPs.

The 37-year-old is now level with Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Packers great Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown with three Most Valuable Player honours – only Peyton Manning (five) has more in NFL history.

The Packers fell short in the NFC Conference Game, beaten by Super Bowl finalists the Buccaneers, but Rodgers still enjoyed a memorable campaign.

Packers star Rodgers amassed 48 touchdowns, five interceptions and a completion rate of 70.7 per cent this season.

His quarterback rating of 121.5 puts him second on the all-time list among qualifiers, behind only his 2011 campaign (122.5).

In total, Rodgers completed 372 of 526 attempts for 4,299 yards as the Packers topped the NFC North with a 13-3 record to clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Rodgers – a Super Bowl champion during the 2010 season – featured in his first NFC title decider at Lambeau Field, but the Packers fell to Brady's Buccaneers 31-26.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald won the Defensive Player of the Year for a third time.

Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt had been tipped to win the award, but Donald maintained his dominance, having also reigned supreme in 2017 and 2018.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski claimed the Coach of the Year award after leading the franchise to their first postseason victory in 25 years.

Not since the 1994 season had the Browns won a playoff matchup, until upstaging the Steelers before losing to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.

List of NFL Honors

Rookie of the Year: Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert
Defensive Player of the Year: Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert
Offensive Player of the Year: Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Washington DE Chase Young
Comeback Player of the Year: Washington QB Alex Smith
Coach of the Year: Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski
Most Valuable Player:Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

Running back Guice, selected in the second round of the 2018 draft, turned himself in on Friday.

According to the Loudon County Sherrif's Office in Virginia, Guice was charged with one felony count of strangulation, three counts of assault and battery, and one count of destruction of property.

"On Thursday we learned of a potential domestic violence-related incident involving RB Derrius Guice," Washington said in a statement.

"We immediately alerted the National Football League and have continued to work with them during this process. We then met with Derrius to inform him that he was excused from all team activity pending a review of this matter. This afternoon [Friday], we learned there were multiple charges filed against Derrius.

"Upon review of the nature of these charges and following internal discussions, we have decided to release Derrius immediately."

Guice has battled injury issues since coming into the league and missed his rookie season with a torn ACL suffered in the preseason.

He was limited to five games last season but averaged an impressive 5.8 yards per carry as he finished the year with 245 yards and two touchdowns.

Guice's release leaves Adrian Peterson as the likely starter in the Washington backfield, which also features rookie Antonio Gibson, Bryce Love, Peyton Barber and J.D. McKissic.

The 2019 first-round pick faced competition from veteran Alex Smith - who is coming back from a horrific leg injury - and the recently acquired Kyle Allen, who is well known to Rivera following their time with the Carolina Panthers. 

After a difficult season in 2019, Haskins has been given the full backing of his new coach.

"Dwayne's lived up to everything we talked about in January," Rivera said. "He deserves the opportunity. He's going to get the opportunity, and he's going to get my support."

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers have named Tyrod Taylor their starting quarterback for 2020.

The 31-year-old, who was the Buffalo Bills' starter from 2015 to 2017, has been preferred to rookie Justin Herbert for the spot.

"Right now Tyrod Taylor is our starter," Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. 

"Until someone steps up and shows that they can run this team, that's the way we're going into it."

The Chargers open their 2020 season at the Cincinnati Bengals on September 13, the same day that Washington take on Philadelphia.

Smith made a remarkable return to the field in October having suffered a life-threatening leg injury in 2018 that required 17 surgeries.

He became the starter in Week 10 after Kyle Allen was ruled out for the season and, after suffering defeat to the Detroit Lions in that encounter, has been the quarterback for four successive wins.

However, Smith has not practiced this week because of a calf strain sustained in the 23-15 win over the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday.

His absence means Haskins, who replaced Smith in the second half against San Francisco, will start for the first time since Week 4.

Rookie running back Antonio Gibson is also doubtful to face the Seahawks with turf toe. Gibson missed the defeat of the 49ers.

Washington lead the NFC East with a 6-7 record, though Ron Rivera's team have leaned predominantly on their defense during their recent winning streak.

Indeed, Washington did not score an offensive touchdown against the 49ers and are averaging only 4.9 yards per offensive play.

Filling in for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is out with a hip injury and likely not available until November, Heinicke threw two touchdown passes in a game for the first time in his short NFL career.

The quarterback has had prior spells in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers, but before this season he had tallied just eight games in the league.

Now Heinicke has a chance to play a string of games for Washington, and even though he threw an interception with 2:22 remaining in Thursday night's game, he came good after that, commandeering the drive that resulted in Dustin Hopkins making a match-winning field goal.

Heinicke finished the game with 34-for-46 passing for 336 yards and the two touchdowns, as Washington won their first game of the season.

Speaking on Thursday Night Football, Heinicke said: "Defense came up big and we had a chance to close them out there and throwing a pick is not what you want to do.

"A lot of guys came up to me and said we've got one more chance to do it and fortunately we did. Defense came up and we went down and scored."

Asked whether he considered he had done enough to stay on the team, Heinicke said: "I do, and I have confidence that I can do it. If those guys in the locker room and the facility believe in me, that's all that matters and I think they do, so let's try to keep this ball rolling."

An impressed Rivera was captivated by Heinicke looking to make amends for his error, and by the 28-year-old's overall performance..

"It was very gutty," said the Washington coach. "The thing that was real impressive about him was the way he bounced back after the turnover. Prior to that, he went down and, in what, three plays, he scored a touchdown and turned around, and we were trying to kill the clock, and he made a bad read, made a bad decision.

"But getting that opportunity, he stepped up again."

Heinicke lost his cool and threw down his helmet after the interception, before gathering his thoughts and moving on.

"He was p*****. He was upset at himself, he really was," said Rivera. "He slammed his helmet into the ground. It was just one of those things that you just felt if we can get the ball into his hands...

"He does have the ability to throw the ball, and make all the throws And we've seen that. And he's got a lot of confidence. And when he gets into a really nice rhythm, he can deliver a good ball.

"He's got a little swagger to him and his team-mates feed off of it, they really do."

Heinicke threw for 306 yards and a touchdown, as well as rushing for 46 yards and a further score, in a 31-23 playoff defeat for the NFC East champions to Tampa Bay.

Those stack up as impressive numbers for someone who was not even meant to be playing in the Wild Card game in the first place.

Alex Smith had steered Washington to the divisional title in Week 17, yet he failed to overcome a calf injury in time to start against the Buccaneers.

With their first-choice option ruled out, Washington turned to a 27-year-old they had only signed to their practice squad in early December, an undrafted quarterback who had spent time with four other teams in the league and who had previously thrown a grand total of 58 pass attempts in his NFL career.

The new addition did catch the eye when coming in to replace the underperforming Dwayne Haskins, Washington's first-round pick in 2019, in the fourth quarter of a Week 16 defeat to the Carolina Panthers. Still, this was different. This was the playoffs. This was a game against Tom Brady. This was in primetime.

While there was no fairytale result for the underdog in the end, Heinicke emerged as the headline story from the opening day of the postseason.

His performance made him just the third quarterback to have at least 300 passing yards and 40 rushing yards in a playoff debut, a feat previously achieved by Daunte Culpepper and Tim Tebow (who both won, by the way).

"I have nothing but respect for number four," Washington receiver Terry McLaurin said of his quarterback after the loss.

"The way he came in and handled his business on a moment's notice when we found out that Alex wasn't going to be able to go. He was just prepared for the moment. That's what this league is about, being prepared for your moment."

So, what's next for the new hero? Heinicke is set to become a free agent but made clear in the aftermath that he would like to be back with Washington. The franchise ended the Haskins experiment considerably early by releasing him last month and while Smith is still under contract, he will be 37 by the time the next regular season begins.

Head coach Ron Rivera - who described his quarterback's display as "gutsy" - would not be drawn over the team's plans for the future in the immediate aftermath.

"We'll see what happens. I was just very proud of what he did, coming out and competing the way he did and helping us get where we are today," Rivera, who had previously worked with Heinicke at the Carolina Panthers, told the media.

There may be alternative options elsewhere too, considering plenty will have seen what Heinicke produced against the Bucs. At the very least, he profiles as a solid back-up in a sport where they are coveted – teams are willing to pay to have a reliable understudy waiting in the wings.

"I'm proud of myself and I'm happy that coaches believed in me and gave me the opportunity. Hopefully I can do it again next year," Heinicke said.

"I want to be in the NFL, I want to keep playing ball. It's a dream of mine and [I will] keep working towards it."

Heinicke should get his wish to keep playing, whether that be in Washington again or somewhere else.

Dustin Hopkins successfully converted a 43-yard attempt for the win on the buzzer, although he had missed his initial 48-yard try, only to get a second chance due to Lawrence jumping early.

Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke, in only his third NFL start, completed 34 of 46 passes for 336 yards, compared to Giants QB Daniel Jones who had 22 from 32 for 249 yards.

Heinicke, who was playing for the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick, claimed his first career win as a starting QB, highlighted by a key fourth-quarter pass for a Ricky Seals-Jones touchdown.

The result earns Washington their first win of the season, while the Giants are 0-2 after their opening defeat to the Denver Broncos.

Jones had put the Giants ahead when he rushed into the end zone in the first quarter, breaking a Kamren Curl tackle.

Washington leveled it up with a Terry McLaurin touchdown from Heinicke's pinpoint throw, after Giants offensive lineman Nick Gates was carted off with a gruesome lower leg fracture. McLaurin had 11 catches and 107 yards for the game.

New York were denied another running Jones touchdown in the second quarter for a tight hold call against CJ Board, eliminating a 58-yard play, before dependable Giants kicker Graham Gano made it 10-7.

Washington grabbed a 14-10 lead at half-time when running back JD McKissic drove down the left for a late touchdown.

Gano reduced the deficit, before Darius Slayton's touchdown from a Jones pass for a 33-yard completion. Hopkins made it 20-17 at the final change with a 49-yard attempt.

The lead changed three times in the final quarter, with Jones pushing the ball downfield, enabling Gano to get within range for a 52-yard attempt, with Hopkins responding with nine minutes to go to make it 23-20.

Slayton fluffed a golden chance to open up a big Giants lead when he got open in the end zone but dropped a Jones pass.

Gano extended New York's lead to six points before Heinicke found McKissic down the sideline for a 56-yard play, the longest of the game. From the next play, Heinicke delivered to tightend Seals-Jones for a catch into the corner to put Washington up 27-26 with 4:33 to play.

Washington gave up a turnover before the Giants earned territory, settling for Gano to convert his 35th consecutive attempt to put them up 29-27 with two minutes to play.

Heinicke and Washington edged forward, with Hopkins' initial attempt with five seconds on the clock missing, before converting his reprieve for the win.

Hurts was exiting the field after Sunday's 20-16 win at the Washington Football Team when railing on the side of the tunnel collapsed with fans falling and spilling on to the ground.

The Eagles QB narrowly avoided being crushed by the fall and assisted fans to their feet and posed for pictures with them but insisted it cannot happen again.

"I tried to handle the situation with a lot of poise and show compassion for the people that fell down, really, but I know it could have been so much worse," Hurts said during a news conference.

"It kind of didn't hit me until after the fact, having some time to reflect on it and think about it. I just wanted to see what could be done to make sure it doesn't happen again. That's all I really care about."

Hurts has penned a letter to the Washington Football Team seeking clarification on what safeguards can be put in place to ensure it never happens again.

"What follow-up action is being considered in response to the near-tragic incident that took place at FedEx Field on January 2, 2022," Hurts wrote.

"Through the initial shock, my first reaction was to assist those involved. However, while I displayed a calm composure, I understand the severity of what happened and am extremely concerned for the well-being of the fans and media.

"As a result, I would like to know what safeguards the NFL and the Washington Football Team are implementing to prevent this from ever occurring in the future.

"The resources of the NFL and team organizations ensure our safety through playing this physical sport, but what happened Sunday put both fans and players unnecessarily at risk long after the final whistle. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter."

There have been reports of minor injuries from those involved in the fall but Washington released a statement following the incident on Sunday which said: "To our knowledge, everyone involved was offered onsite medical evaluation and left the stadium of their own accord."

Washington rallied from a 14-3 half-time deficit - including scoring the final 13 points of the contest - to end the Steelers' perfect run during the 2020 regular season.

In doing so, they became the first team with a losing record to win a road game against an opponent with an 11-0 or better record, according to Stats Perform. The result also moves them into a tie for first place in the NFC East, as they join the New York Giants at 5-7.

Quarterback Smith completed 31 of his 46 pass attempts for 296 yards and a touchdown, finding tight end Logan Thomas in the end zone in the fourth quarter to level the scores at 17-17. Dustin Hopkins then kicked a pair of field goals to seal the road triumph.

"I think we're so young that you have to be able to have wins like this to know that you can do it, you don't get that confidence without having done it," Smith said in a post-game interview with ESPN.

"So, for us, this is a big one we will take with us, knowing we can go on the road and play with anybody.

"I think it says a lot about us. We will enjoy this for a little bit, but we've got a short week travelling across the country [they play the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14] and another good test ahead of us.

"However, I do think this was a big step for us."

Smith is back playing again following a long road to recovery in the aftermath of a career-threatening injury to his right leg, which he suffered back in November 2018.

His return to action has been one of the feel-good stories in the NFL this season, with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt – who was involved in the incident that saw Smith hurt two years ago – tweeting out his admiration for the "incredible" 36-year-old.

"What Alex Smith has done is unbelievable," Watt posted.

"Comeback Player of the Year even before taking a snap. But playing winning football after everything he's been through is even more incredible."

There was an injury concern for Smith late in the first half of the Pittsburgh game, however, as there was blood around his left ankle after being caught by a cleat.

"I had to do a quick check, make sure it was my left leg, not my right," he told ESPN. "A little more concerning with my right.

"It was a new one for me - a bit of a gusher - but luckily it was right before the half so we could get in and take care of it. Nothing serious, it just hit the right spot and kept bleeding."

Smith was elevated to the starting job with Washington after Kyle Allen sustained a dislocated ankle against the Giants in Week 9.

After losing to the Detroit Lions the following week, Washington have since gone on a three-game winning run that has raised hopes of winning the division.

Guice, who was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft, was released on Friday after he was arrested on domestic abuse charges.

The 23-year-old, who missed his rookie season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, was charged with one felony count of strangulation, three counts of assault and battery, and one count of destruction of property.

In a news conference on Monday, Rivera confirmed it was his decision to release Guice.

"I made a decision that I believe was in the best interest of this organisation, our players and our fans going forward," he said.

"A very difficult decision. Anytime you have to release a very talented young football player, it's always a tough decision. This type of circumstance, this type of situation, we take those allegations very seriously.

"We had to make the decision going forward. Sometimes, it's one of those things where there are processes, there are situations, there are circumstances that you go through.

"Each situation, each circumstance is unique. Each one will be handled and dealt with differently to what we believe is best for the organisation going forward, and that's probably the most important thing.

"I talked with the players and basically told them I made a decision I thought was in the best interest of our organisation. If it was the right decision, we will benefit from it. If it's not, it will be on me.

"I will take full responsibility as we go forward to try and make sure we do things the right way. From that, I want to move forward."

Washington have undergone a significant change in the offseason, with the team ditching their previous "Redskins" nickname, and Rivera spoke of the challenges ahead when it comes to tweaking the culture of a franchise starved of success.

"It has been part of what I have to do. As we look at the entire situation and circumstances of trying to establish who we are as a football team, there are going to be some decisions that will have to be made that are tough and difficult," Rivera added.

"There are some things that we will continue to grow on and improve. It is hard, but the thing that I've got to do, and I tell the players, is that when we decide to do something we have to think about what we're going to do.

"We have to honestly think, 'Is what I'm about to do truly going to help us? Is it going to benefit us, and how is it going to benefit us?'.

"In these situations, making those decisions to do what I believe is right, I will continue to do. I will own those decisions."

Wright takes on a role that had been vacant since Bruce Allen was fired after the 2019 season. 

The 38-year-old, who had a seven-year NFL career as a running back, becomes just the fourth former player to be named president of a team, while is also the youngest in the league.

Wright will be responsible for leading Washington's business divisions, including operations, finance, sales and marketing. Like head coach Ron Rivera, he will report into owner Dan Snyder.

"This team, at this time, is an ideal opportunity for me," Wright said in a statement.

"The transformation of the Washington Football Team is happening across all aspects of the organisation – from football to operations to branding to culture – and will make us a truly modern and aspirational franchise."

After going undrafted in 2004, Wright spent time with four different teams – San Francisco, Atlanta, Cleveland and Arizona - before retiring to attend business school.

Following on from the appointment of Rivera, Snyder feels Washington are ushering in a "new era" for a franchise that has reached the postseason just once in the previous seven seasons.

"If I could custom design a leader for this important time in our history, it would be Jason. His experience as a former player, coupled with his business acumen, gives him a perspective that is unrivalled in the league," Snyder said.

"We will not rest until we are a championship caliber team, on and off the field. Jason has a proven track record in helping businesses transform culturally, operationally and financially. He is a proactive and assertive advocate for inclusion of all people and will set new standards for our organisation, and for the league.

"There could not be a better duo than Jason Wright and Coach Ron Rivera as we usher in a new era for Washington Football."

Defensive end Kerrigan has spent 10 seasons with the Washington Football Team after being picked in the first round of the 2011 draft.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Kerrigan holds the Washington franchise record for sacks with 95.5, which are the fifth-most in the NFL since 2011.

"I'll never be able to sum up what these past 10 years have meant to me in an Instagram post, but what I can say is that they have been some of the best of my life," Kerrigan wrote in a farewell message to Washington on Instagram. 

"I hope you had as much fun watching me as I did playing for you. Thank you, Washington, for everything."

In a subsequent post announcing his signing with Washington's NFC East rivals the Eagles, he wrote: "I know I probably wasn't your favourite player over the past decade, but @philadelphiaeagles fans I'm fired up to be playing for you guys now!"

He joins a Philadelphia defense that was seventh in the NFL in forcing negative passing plays in 2020 with 53 for minus 349 yards.

The Eagles are not short on talented pass rushers. Brandon Graham was fifth in the league among edge rushers last season with a pressure rate of 23.5 per cent, while Josh Sweat's adjusted sack rate of 4.4 per cent was marginally better than that of Kerrigan (4.3) in 2020.

Interior defensive lineman Fletcher Cox had 6.5 sacks and has at least 5.5 sacks in five of his past six seasons.

The Eagles will hope the addition of Kerrigan to an already talented defensive front will help them bounce back from a 4-11-1 season under new head coach Nick Sirianni.

The Cowboys fell to a 2-5 record after Sunday's 25-3 defeat at FedExField, where quarterback Andy Dalton was hurt following a dirty late hit by Jon Bostic.

Cowboys head coach McCarthy was unhappy with his team's performance as they slipped to third in the NFC East.

"We're not doing the basics. Let's quit candy coating it," he told reporters.

"I can't stand up here and keep talking about taking care of the football, taking the ball away and just the fundamentals.

"Whether we haven't had enough time together or whatever the case is, at the end of the day, the schedule is set and we need to continue to work because we need improvement each day, each week especially before we go to Philadelphia."

McCarthy, who coached the Green Bay Packers for 13 seasons before being fired in 2018, took charge of the Cowboys earlier this year.

The 56-year-old believes his players are still responding to him despite a slow start to the season.

"Definitely. I can only tell you what goes on every day as far as the preparation, the daily communication, interaction with the players throughout the program, McCarthy said.

"We knew there would be adjustments throughout as a football team, we've been hit with a number of challenges that we're just not pushing through right now.

"We need to continue to work and I believe we'll push through the other end."

With the Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) topping the NFC East, it is the first time in NFL history that each team in a division has had fewer than three wins through Week 7 (excluding strike seasons), as per NFL Research.

Mahomes found Travis Kelce with 28 seconds remaining as Super Bowl champions the Chiefs prevailed against the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts completed a memorable comeback against the Green Bay Packers 34-31 following overtime, while Justin Herbert celebrated a career day for the Los Angeles Chargers.

MAHOMES PUTS ON A SHOW

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Mahomes was faced with a 31-28 deficit inside the final two minutes after Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass to Jason Witten.

Chiefs star Mahomes stepped up to the plate, leading a seven-play, 75-yard drive in 75 seconds with a 22-yard throw to Kelce as Kansas City (9-1) reigned supreme at the death.

Mahomes finished 34 of 45 for 348 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while he rushed for 16 yards on four carries.

Carr – who joined Russell Wilson as the only players in NFL history with 25,000 passing yards and fewer than 70 interceptions in their first seven seasons – was 23-of-31 passing for 275 yards, three TDs and an interception.

COLTS EDGE RODGERS AND PACKERS

It was not pretty but the Colts got the better of the Packers in Week 11.

Rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship nailed a 39-yard field goal to lift the Colts – who scored 20 of the final 23 points – past the Packers in OT, having trailed 28-14 at half-time.

Rodgers led the Packers (7-3) down the field in less than 90 seconds to level the game and force overtime in Indianapolis, where AFC South leaders the Colts (7-3) stayed ahead of the Tennessee Titans.

The result marked Philip Rivers' 13th career start in which his team rallied from 14-plus points down to win, per Stats Perform. It is the second-most 14-plus point comeback wins by a QB in NFL history, only behind Peyton Manning (16).

Rivers was 24 of 36 passing for 288 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while Packers counterpart Rodgers finished 27 of 38 for 311 yards, three TDs and an interception.

HERBETS SETS ROOKIE MARK

Chargers quarterback Herbert enjoyed a memorable outing as his team held off the beleaguered Jets 34-28.

Herbert – who was 37 of 49 for 366 yards and three touchdowns – became the first rookie in NFL history to throw for 350-plus yards while completing at least 75 per cent of his passes in a game, according to Stats Perform.

He also recorded his fifth game of three-plus touchdown passes this season – the most by a rookie in a season in the Super Bowl era, per NFL Research, as the Chargers condemned the Jets to a 0-10 record.

Herbert connected with Keenan Allen, who set a single-game Chargers record with his 16th reception in the fourth quarter, becoming the first of four wide receivers in the Super Bowl era with two career 15-plus reception games.

TUA BENCHED AS DOLPHINS LOSE

Tua Tagovailoa was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of the team's 20-13 loss to the Denver Broncos.

The Dolphins trailed 20-10 when Tagovailoa was benched, though Miami head coach Brian Flores said the rookie quarterback remains starter.

Tagovailoa – promoted following Week 7 – went 11-of-20 passing for 83 yards and a touchdown

"Tua wasn't injured. We just felt like it was the best move at that point of the game – we had to get in two-minute mode and we felt like [Fitzpatrick] gave us the best chance to win the game and we had an opportunity at the end to tie it," Flores said.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys snapped a four-game skid by topping the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 to move back into the NFC East race.

Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton and tight end Dalton Schultz connected for a touchdown in the win, marking the first TD pass in NFL history in which the passer's last name is an exact match with the receiver's first name, according to NFL Research.

Week 11 scores:

Tennessee Titans 30-24 Baltimore Ravens (OT)
Carolina Panthers 20-0 Detroit Lions
Cleveland Browns 22-17 Philadelphia Eagles
Houston Texans 27-20 New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers 27-3 Jacksonville Jaguars
New Orleans Saints 24-9 Atlanta Falcons
Washington Football Team 20-9 Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos 20-13 Miami Dolphins
Los Angeles Chargers 34-28 New York Jets
Indianapolis Colts 34-31 Green Bay Packers (OT)
Dallas Cowboys 31-28 Minnesota Vikings
Kansas City Chiefs 35-31 Las Vegas Raiders

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

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, and died on Monday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, his family said in a statement.

Known for his passionate pre-game speeches and a smash-mouth brand of football that spawned the term 'Martyball', Schottenheimer went 200-126-1 in regular-season games from 1984 to 2006 while coaching the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and the then Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.

Current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said: "My heart goes out to the Schottenheimer family. Marty was a friend and someone I admired greatly.

"He was an outstanding mentor to me as a young football coach, and one of the most passionate coaches I've ever been around. He did things the right way. He was great for the league and really revived this franchise during his time here. I'm honoured I had a chance to get to know him and his family. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time."

Schottenheimer's coaching career began in Cleveland in 1984, and two seasons later he led the franchise to the first of back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game. Both times, however, they lost to the Denver Broncos, and both times in heartbreaking fashion.

Postseason shortcomings will forever be associated with Schottenheimer, who was just 5-13 in the playoffs.

After mutually agreeing to leave the Browns following the 1988 season, he coached the Chiefs from 1989-98 and led Kansas City to six consecutive playoff berths from 1990-95, but his teams only won postseason games in two of those seasons.

He then spent one season with the team now known as the Washington Football Team, going 8-8 in 2001, before coaching the Chargers from 2002-06, where he once again enjoyed some regular-season success without a single playoff win to show for it.

In 2006, his Chargers were 14-2 and had the AFC’s top seed but lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 24-21 in the divisional round. A month after that defeat he was fired.

In his 21 seasons as coach, his teams won 10 or more games 11 times – including five seasons with 12 or more victories – but he never made it to the Super Bowl.

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