Calvin Austin scored two touchdowns, including a tie-breaking 73-yard punt return in the third quarter, to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 26-18 victory over the New York Giants on Monday.
Austin also hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson that gave the Steelers a 23-9 lead with 13:16 left to play. Pittsburgh (6-2) also received 114 rushing yards from Najee Harris and four field goals from Chris Boswell to win its third straight game and retain first place in the AFC North.
Wilson, meanwhile, delivered another solid performance in his second start since missing the season's first six games with a calf injury. The veteran quarterback completed 20 of 28 passes for 278 yards and no interceptions.
Tyrone Tracy rushed for a career-high 145 yards on 20 carries and had a 45-yard touchdown run for the Giants, who had a chance to tie the game late after getting to the Pittsburgh 35-yard line in the final minute.
Daniel Jones overthrew a pass for Devin Singletary, however, as the Steelers' Beanie Bishop came up with an interception that sealed the victory and handed New York (2-6) a third straight loss.
Greg Joseph kicked four field goals for the Giants, including three in the first half to match Boswell as the teams went into half-time tied at 9-9.
Austin broke the deadlock, however, with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. The wide receiver fielded a punt at his own 27-yard line, broke free down the left sideline and out-sprinted all pursuers to record the Steelers' first punt return touchdown since 2019.
Wilson's touchdown strike to Austin early in the fourth put Pittsburgh up by two scores, but Tracy broke off his lone touchdown run on the following possession to bring New York within 23-15 with 11:07 left. The Giants failed on the two-point conversion try, though, as Jones' short pass intended for Malik Nabers was broken up.
Jones finished 24 of 38 for 264 yards with the late interception. Darius Slayton led New York receivers with 108 yards on four catches, while Nabers had seven catches totaling 71 yards.
Colts benching quarterback Richardson for Flacco
Anthony Richardson took himself out of the Indianapolis Colts' last game.
For the next game, the Colts decided to remove Richardson from the starting lineup altogether.
The Colts are benching Richardson for their game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and will start Joe Flacco at quarterback.
The decision, which was reported by multiple media outlets on Tuesday, came a day after Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen said he was "evaluating" whether Richardson would remain the starter.
It also came two days after Richardson admitted pulling himself out of Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans because he was "tired."
The Colts selected Richardson fourth overall in the 2023 draft, but he has mostly struggled during his time in Indianapolis.
Sunday's performance against the Texans may have been his worst, however, as he completed just 10 of 32 passes for 175 yards and was sacked five times.
His paltry 44.4 completion percentage on the season is the worst among qualifying quarterbacks, as is his 57.2 passer rating.
In six games this season, he has 958 passing yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He's rushed for 242 yards but also has an NFL-worst six fumbles.
The Colts are 2-3 in games Richardson has started and finished, and 2-1 in games Flacco has finished.
The 39-year-old Flacco started in Weeks 5 and 6 with Richardson sidelined due to an oblique injury, and he has completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 716 yards with seven touchdowns to just one interception for a 102.2 passer rating.
Texans wide receiver Diggs to miss rest of season with torn ACL
Stefon Diggs' first season with the Houston Texans is over after just eight games.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday that Diggs tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
Diggs was injured in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on a non-contact play, as he tried to make a cut before pulling up and grabbing his right knee.
An MRI revealed the severity of the injury.
Diggs arrived in Houston as part of a blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Bills this past offseason.
Acquired for a 2025 second-round pick, Diggs reworked his contract with the Texans and will become a free agent after this season.
In his first season with Houston, the 30-year-old Diggs had a team-high 47 receptions for 496 yards with three receiving touchdowns.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Diggs amassed 1,000 receiving yards each of the last six seasons, and led the NFL with a career-high 1,535 yards in 2020.
Diggs is the second receiver to sustain a serious injury this season for the AFC South-leading Texans with Nico Collins currently on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Collins, who must sit out at least one more game, leads Houston with 567 receiving yards despite being sidelined since Week 5.
NFL: Browns, Commanders deliver stunning wins
Jameis Winston threw three second-half touchdown passes in his first start in over two years, including a 38-yard strike to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds left that lifted the Cleveland Browns to a stunning 29-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Playing its first game since starting quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles tendon last week, Cleveland (2-6) halted a five-game skid and ended the Ravens' five-game winning streak behind a superb effort from Winston. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and no interceptions in his first start since Week 3 of the 2022 season while then with the New Orleans Saints.
Tillman had another touchdown catch in the third quarter and compiled a career-high 99 yards on seven receptions. David Njoku hauled in Winston's first touchdown pass of the day and finished with five catches for 61 yards.
Baltimore (5-3) had taken a 24-23 lead on Derrick Henry's 2-yard touchdown run with 2:36 remaining to cap a six-play, 91-yard drive highlighted by two Lamar Jackson completions to Zay Flowers for 29 and 23 yards.
Flowers ended with 115 yards on seven catches, while Jackson threw for 289 yards on 23-of-38 passing with touchdowns to Nelson Agholor and Mark Andrews. Henry led all players with 73 rushing yards on 11 attempts.
Daniels' Hail Mary touchdown pass lifts Commanders over Bears, Williams
Jayden Daniels won his head-to-head meeting with Caleb Williams in spectacular fashion, as the Washington Commanders' rookie quarterback threw a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown as time expired to give the NFC East leaders a shocking 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears.
Daniels, taken one spot behind Williams with the No. 2 pick in this year's draft, evaded pressure before heaving the ball from his own 35-yard line into a crowd of players near the goal line. The pass was tipped by the Commanders' Zach Ertz and landed right into the arms of Brown to give Washington (6-2) its fifth win in six games.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner shook off a rib injury that had him questionable coming into the game to throw for 326 yards on 21-of-38 passing. Terry McLaurin recorded 125 yards on five catches for Washington, while Ertz had seven receptions for 77 yards.
Williams led Chicago (4-3) on a 10-play, 62-yard drive late that Rochon Johnson capped with a 1-yard touchdown run that briefly put the Bears ahead with 25 seconds left. The 2022 Heisman recipient then found Cole Kmet in the end zone for the ensuing 2-point try and a 15-12 lead.
Williams struggled for much of the day, however, completing just 10 of 24 passes for 131 yards as the Bears fell behind 12-0 until late in the third quarter, when D'Andre Swift's 56-yard touchdown run got Chicago on the board.
Swift finished with a season-high 129 yards on 18 carries.
Patriots score late touchdown to extend Jets' woes
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft also helped his team to a win Sunday, though Drake Maye exited the New England Patriots' 25-22 comeback victory over the still-reeling New York Jets with a concussion early in the second quarter.
Jacoby Brissett replaced Maye, who departed following a helmet-to-helmet hit by New York linebacker Jamien Sherwood, and engineered a 12-play, 70-yard drive capped by Rhamondre Stevenson's 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 22 seconds left.
Stevenson then caught Brissett's short pass for the ensuing two-point conversion to put the Patriots up by a field goal, and New England (2-6) held on the rest of the way to end a six-game losing streak.
New York (2-6) has now lost five in a row and dropped to 0-3 since firing head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 and replacing him with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
Brissett went 15 of 24 for 132 yards and no interceptions in place of Maye, who recorded his first career touchdown run before leaving when his 17-yard scramble gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Stevenson also had a touchdown run in the third quarter and registered 48 yards on 20 rush attempts.
Aaron Rodgers threw first-half touchdown passes to Tyler Conklin and Xavier Gipson to send the Jets into half-time with a 13-7 lead. New England rallied to go up 17-16 on Joey Slye's field goal midway through the fourth quarter, but New York went back in front on Braelon Allen's 2-yard touchdown run that made the score 22-17 with 2:57 left.
Rodgers completed 17 of 28 passes for 233 yards, while Garrett Wilson led the Jets' receivers with 113 yards on five catches.
Packers edge Jaguars late despite injury to Love
The Green Bay Packers also overcame an injury to their quarterback to pull out a last-second win, a 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Brandon McManus' 24-yard field goal as time expired.
Malik Willis led the deciding late drive after taking over for Jordan Love, who injured his groin on Green Bay's first possession and eventually left the contest early in the second half.
Willis threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft early in the fourth quarter to give the Packers a 27-17 lead, but Jacksonville (2-6) countered with Cam Little's 47-yard field goal before tying the game on Trevor Lawrence's 14-yard touchdown delivery to Evan Engram with 1:48 remaining.
Two plays later, Willis connected with Jayden Reed for a 51-yard gain to set up McManus' third field goal of the day, which lifted Green Bay (6-2) to a fourth consecutive win.
Willis completed 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards in place of Love, who was 14 of 22 for 196 yards and one interception before departing.
The Packers also got a big lift from running back Josh Jacobs, who amassed 127 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Lawrence also threw a touchdown pass to Brian Thomas in the third quarter and finished with 308 yards and one interception while completing 21 of 32 throws. The quarterback also had a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Cardinals rally late to shock Dolphins, spoil Tagovailoa's return
In another game that came down to the final play, the Arizona Cardinals seized a 28-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Chad Ryland's 34-yard field goal with no time remaining.
Sparked by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's return from a concussion that sidelined him four games, Miami (2-5) held a 27-18 fourth-quarter lead before the Cardinals scored 10 unanswered points in the final nine minutes.
Arizona (4-4) closed the gap on James Conner's 2-yard touchdown run with 8:48 left that ended an eight-play, 70-yard drive. Kyler Murray then marched the Cardinals 73 yards on 13 plays on their next possession to put his team in range for Ryland's winning kick.
Murray completed 26 of 36 attempts for 307 yards with touchdown passes to Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., who put up 111 yards on six catches. Trey McBride added 124 yards on nine grabs in Arizona's second straight win.
Tagovailoa finished with 234 yards on 28-of-38 passing and connected with De'Von Achane for a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter in his first appearance since Week 2.
Achane had 50 receiving yards on six catches along with 97 rushing yards for Miami, which lost for the fifth time in six games despite two short rushing touchdowns from Raheem Mostert.
49ers bounce back, continue Cowboys' struggles with big second half
Brock Purdy had both a passing and rushing touchdown during a dominant third quarter that propelled the San Francisco 49ers to a 30-24 win over the slumping Dallas Cowboys.
Down 10-6 at half-time, San Francisco (4-4) scored touchdowns on each of their third-quarter drives to take a 27-10 lead before holding on and rebounding from last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last season's Super Bowl participants.
Isaac Guerendo put the 49ers ahead with a 4-yard touchdown run, a score set up by Purdy's 43-yard completion to George Kittle. Deommodore Lenoir then intercepted Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott on the following possession, with the turnover leading to Purdy's 2-yard touchdown pass to Kittle that staked San Francisco to a 20-10 advantage midway through the period.
The 49ers moved 75 yards on nine plays on their next series to extend the margin on Purdy's 2-yard touchdown run.
Purdy ended 18 for 26 for 260 yards. Kittle compiled 128 yards on six receptions, while Guerendo added 85 rushing yards on 14 attempts.
Dallas (3-4) made the final score more competitive with two Prescott touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter in its first outing since a 47-9 home loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 6.
Lamb had a monster night in defeat with 146 yards on 13 catches. Prescott threw for 243 yards on 25-of-38 passing but was intercepted twice.
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