Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says football's decision-makers must introduce longer breaks between competitions, with players threatening to strike over the packed schedule. 

Debates over fixture congestion at the elite level have intensified in recent months, with FIFA's decision to organise an expanded Club World Cup a particularly thorny issue.

The inaugural 32-team tournament – which will be held in the United States at the end of the club season – will add another seven matches to some teams' fixture lists, while UEFA has also added two extra matches to the first phase of the Champions League.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri recently talked up the prospect of players taking strike action over a lack of rest time, but Nagelsmann does not envisage the number of games being reduced.

Speaking ahead of Friday's Nations League clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Germany boss called on organisers to look to American sports for inspiration when it comes to recovery times.

"I have often said that I won't complain about the calendar. A lot of matches are financing this sport," Nagelsmann said at his pre-match press conference.

"You have to have a healthy balance. I don't think there will be fewer games in the future. 

"There will be more matches and we should be talking about how to structure the breaks [between competitions]."

Pointing to the way the NBA and NFL manage player workloads, he added: "NBA players play 85 games or so but then have a long break. 

"The NFL has a long break. We don't have that in football. The players just don't get any break."

New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen has selected rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler to make his first regular-season NFL start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Allen confirmed Rattler as the starter on Wednesday with usual starter Derek Carr to miss at least one game because of a left oblique injury that occurred in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 26-13 loss in Kansas City on Monday night.

The decision means that Rattler, for the time being, moves ahead of second-year pro Jake Haener on the depth chart.

Haener replaced Carr after his injury in Kansas City and also played late in a pair of lopsided victories to start the season.

“We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game he was going to give us the best chance to win,” Allen said of Rattler. “He’s a rookie so we’re going to have some challenges that go along with that, but I think we’ll have a good plan for him.”

Rattler was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of last spring’s NFL draft out of South Carolina.

He will become the fifth rookie quarterback to start his season, joining Caleb Williams (Bears), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Bo Nix (Broncos) and Drake Maye, who is scheduled to also make his first career start Sunday for the Patriots against Houston.

Nico Collins, the NFL's leader in receiving yards this season, will miss at least the Houston Texans' next four games after the team placed him on injured reserve Wednesday.

Collins, who has amassed 567 receiving yards during Houston's 4-1 start, injured his hamstring on a 67-yard touchdown catch during the first quarter of the Texans' 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. 

The standout wide receiver will be eligible to return for the Texans' Week 10 clash against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 10.

After recording 80 catches, 1,297 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during a breakout 2023 campaign, Collins was on pace for an even better season in 2024. His 32 catches are tied for third in the NFL, while his seven receptions of 25 or more yards are tied with Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson for the most in the league.

Collins also tops the AFC South-leading Texans with three touchdown catches through five games.

“Nico has been the best receiver in the NFL this year," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said when updating Collins' injury on Monday.  "So, do you replace him? No, everybody just steps up and whatever role you’re asked to do, just step up and play your role the proper way."

The Texans still have proven options at wide receiver despite Collins likely out for the next month.

Stefon Diggs is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) with Buffalo in 2020, while Tank Dell produced 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches as a rookie in 2023 before having his season cut short after 11 games by a fractured fibula.

Diggs led the Texans with 82 yards on six catches last week in his first meeting with the Bills since being traded by Buffalo to Houston in the off-season.

"Nobody has to be Nico," Ryans said. "There is one Nico. He’s done a great job of that. Now, whoever is next, when your number is called, make the plays that you are supposed to make.”

The New Orleans Saints will be without starting quarterback Derek Carr for multiple games, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

Carr suffered an oblique injury in the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, leaving backup Jake Haener to finish the game.

It remains unclear whether Carr will be placed on injured reserve.

Haener, a fourth-round pick in 2023, could be the temporary starter in the coming weeks, but New Orleans could go with fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler.

Neither has started an NFL game.

Carr has been one of the healthiest quarterbacks in the NFL since he entered the league in 2014. He started all 17 games for the Saints last year despite an injury to his throwing shoulder.

In his second season in New Orleans, Carr had the Saints off to a dream 2-0 start, outscoring opponents 91-29. The Saints have lost three straight games since, however, and face the NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

In Weeks 7 through 9, the Saints play against the Denver Broncos, at the Los Angeles Chargers and at the Carolina Panthers.

Carr ranks eighth among qualifying quarterbacks with a 100.7 passer rating this season. He has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

Despite leaving Monday’s game with an injury, Carr reached a pair of milestones by going over 40,000 career passing yards and throwing his 250th touchdown.

Drake Maye's time has come.

Maye will start at quarterback for the New England Patriots this Sunday against the visiting Houston Texans, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.

The Patriots selected Maye with the third overall pick of this year's draft, and it was only a matter of time before they would name him a starter.

The struggles of Jacoby Brissett may have sped up the decision.

In leading New England to a 1-4 record, Brissett ranks 29th in passer rating (74.2), 30th in average passing yards (139.2), 30th in completion percentage (58.5) and 31st in yards per attempt (5.16) with only two passing touchdowns and one interception.

Maye's only regular-season action came in mop-up duty in the Patriots' 24-3 loss to the New York Jets in Week 3. The 22-year-old was 4 of 8 for 22 yards and also ran twice for 12 yards.

Maye will become the fourth quarterback from this year's rookie class to start in 2024, joining top overall pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders and the Denver Broncos' Bo Nix, who was selected 12th overall.

Those QBs are a combined 13-5 in their starts.

The New York Jets have seen enough of Robert Saleh as coach of the team.

The Jets decided to fire Saleh on Tuesday after the team opened the 2024 season 2-3.

Saleh, 45, took over as coach of the Jets in 2021, and went 20-36 in his three-plus seasons at the helm.

He will be replaced by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who will serve as the interim coach.

This is the first time Woody Johnson has fired a coach mid-season during his 25 years as the team's owner.

The decision to fire Saleh came two days after the Jets managed just 254 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

New York has scored two offensive touchdowns in its last two games and has been held to fewer than 275 yards in four of five games this season.

Aaron Rodgers has struggled early in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon, and it's been reported Saleh had a rocky relationship with the veteran quarterback.

Saleh took issue with Rodgers' cadence following a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4, and in New York's win over the New England Patriots in Week 3, Saleh attempted to give Rodgers a hug on the side-line, but the 40-year-old QB appeared to push him away.

The Jets, who have the NFL's longest active play-off drought at 13 seasons, next play Monday at home against the Bills, and they can move into a tie with Buffalo atop the AFC East with a win.

JuJu Smith-Schuster declared "the band is back together" after helping the Kansas City Chiefs stay perfect for the season with Monday's 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Smith-Schuster had seven catches for 130 yards as the Chiefs overcame the absence of injured receiver Rashee Rice to make their first 5-0 start since 2018 – the team's first campaign with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback.

Kareem Hunt also excelled, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown – his first score for the Chiefs since they released him six years ago, before bringing him back last month.

Smith-Schuster, meanwhile, returned to the team in August, having played a key role in their 2022 Super Bowl-winning season.

Speaking after the victory, the former second-round draft pick said: "It's pretty cool getting the guys back. I'd say it's like the band is back together."

The Chiefs are one of just two teams, alongside the Minnesota Vikings, to boast a 100% record for the season.

Quarterback Mahomes hailed the impact of both Smith-Schuster and Hunt after their latest win, comparing the former to his favourite target, tight end Travis Kelce.

"It's a credit to not only the guys and how hard they work, but coach [Andy] Reid and just knowing their skill sets and how to put them in great positions," Mahomes said. 

"Kareem just runs extremely hard. He gets every yard out there, catches the ball, does whatever it takes in order to go out there and win.

"[Smith-Schuster] fits in well in this offense and so he did a great job today. It was cool to get those guys going.

"Trav is kind of one of a kind, but he [Smith-Schuster] has a good feel for the entire concept of the play and so he knows how to get into the open spots.

"He did a good job today of beating man when they played man and finding windows to get big catches."

Patrick Mahomes threw for 331 yards, Kareem Hunt rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, and the Kansas City Chiefs remained unbeaten with Monday's 26-13 win over the scuffling New Orleans Saints.

The reigning two-time Super Bowl champions also got four field goals from Harrison Butker and a rushing touchdown from rookie Xavier Worthy to join the Minnesota Vikings as the only teams to start this season 5-0. It's the first time the Chiefs have won their first five games in a campaign since 2018, Mahomes' first season as the team's starting quarterback. 

New Orleans has now lost three straight following a 2-0 start and had starting quarterback Derek Carr exit in the fourth quarter with an oblique injury.

Carr threw touchdown passes to Rashid Shaheed and Foster Moreau before departing, but was held to 165 yards on 18-of-28 passing. The Saints managed just 220 total yards against a Kansas City defence that also intercepted Carr on the game's opening possession to stop a drive inside Chiefs' territory.

The Chiefs marched 78 yards in 10 plays following the turnover to take a 7-0 lead on Hunt's 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. They extended the margin to 10-0 on Butker's 26-yard field goal early in the second.

Shaheed hauled in Carr's deep pass for a 43-yard touchdown to get New Orleans on the board with 8:36 left before half-time, but two more Butker field goals sent Kansas City into the break owning a 16-7 advantage.

The Saints closed the gap again early in the fourth quarter, as Carr capped an 8-play, 65-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Moreau with 14:16 remaining. Kicker Blake Grupe missed the extra-point try, however, to keep the Chiefs' lead at 16-13.

Kansas City responded on the ensuing possession, though. A 50-yard completion from Mahomes to JuJu Smith-Schuster moved the Chiefs deep into New Orleans territory, and Worthy slithered into the end zone from three yards out on a hand-off three plays later to push Kansas City's lead to 23-13 with under 12 minutes to go.

Joe Burrow said the Cincinnati Bengals are some way away from championship contention after a botched field-goal attempt saw them suffer a dramatic overtime defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow threw for five touchdowns and 392 yards – comfortably his best game of the season – in Sunday's huge AFC North matchup, but it was not enough to lead the Bengals to victory.

They lost a thrilling encounter 41-38 in overtime, Evan McPherson missing a potential game-winning field goal before Justin Tucker did the honours for Baltimore at the other end.

The defeat dropped the Bengals to 1-4, while the Ravens have now won three straight games after opening the season with surprising back-to-back defeats.

Cincinnati's four losses this year have come by a combined margin of just 15 points, but Burrow does not feel their troubles can be explained merely by bad luck.

"We're not a championship-level team right now," Burrow said. "We're not. 

"I'd like to think that we'll come back and improve throughout the season to get to that point, but right now we are not and we have to get better.

"I know exactly how we are 1-4. We're not making plays at the end of the game to go and win it. I'm definitely not in disbelief. I know exactly what's happening."

Rookie punter Ryan Rehkow played a role in McPherson's decisive miss, his poor hold causing the kick to skew wide left. Head coach Zac Taylor, however, has backed his team to bounce back.

"People can write us off if they really want to," Taylor said. "I'm not dumb enough to do that."

The Ravens' game-winning field goal was teed up by a 51-yard dash by in-form running back Derrick Henry, who had 92 yards and a touchdown from 15 carries.

Henry also brought up a personal milestone by passing 10,000 career rushing yards in the second quarter, becoming the 32nd player in NFL history to accomplish the feat and the first since Marshawn Lynch (2017). The former Tennessee Titans star also became the 14th running back in league history to reach 100 career scrimmage touchdowns.

Asked what he saw on his huge overtime play, Henry replied: "Just green grass. Green grass and get it as close to the end zone as possible. 

"I didn't get in, I should've probably stiff-armed him, but the GOAT got the field goal to win the game, and we're going home with a victory. That's all that matters.

"This win is big because of what happened today. It puts us up two in the division, so we definitely needed this one. 

"It was just as important for us as it was for them. We're glad we got the victory. With everything that happened, to show the resiliency of this team. We're going to keep on fighting to the end."

The Minnesota Vikings moved to 5-0 for the first time in eight years with a 23-17 victory over the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday.

Minnesota built a 17-0 lead over New York (2-3) in the second quarter but needed an interception of Aaron Rodgers at the Vikings’ 26-yard line with 49 seconds left in the game to remain perfect on the season.

Andrew Van Ginkel put Minnesota up 10-0 late in the first quarter with a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown and Will Reichard kicked three field goals to lead the Vikings.

Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft, went 14 of 31 for 179 yards with an interception.

Rodgers completed 29 of 54 passes for 244 yards while throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions. He became the ninth player in NFL history to pass for 60,000 career yards.

Minnesota and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are the last two unbeaten teams in the league. Kansas City (4-0) hosts the New Orleans Saints (2-2) to close out Week 5 on Monday.

Rookie QB Daniels leads Commanders to fourth straight win

Jayden Daniels passed for 238 yards and a touchdown and added 82 yards on the ground as the Washington Commanders routed the Cleveland Browns for their fourth straight win.

Washington moved to 4-1 for the first time since 2008 behind three rushing touchdowns, including two by Brian Robinson Jr., while Cleveland fell to 1-4 with its third consecutive defeat.

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has completed 77.1 percent of his passes this season for 1,135 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 300 yards and four TDs.

Terry McLaurin had four receptions for a season-high 112 yards, and Washington’s defence limited the Browns to 212 total yards.

Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson again failed to reach 200 yards passing in a game this season, throwing for 125 with a touchdown, and is near the bottom of the NFL with a 60.2 completion percentage. Despite his struggles, coach Kevin Stefanski said the team is "not changing quarterbacks."

The Browns have yet to record over 300 total yards in 2024 after doing so 13 times in 17 games last season while going 11-6 and reaching the playoffs.

Texans beat Bills on Fairbairn's 59-yard field goal as time expires

Ka′imi Fairbairn booted a 59-yard field goal as the clock struck zero to lift the Houston Texans to a 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.

C.J. Stroud completed 28 of 38 passes for 331 yards with a touchdown and the Texans held on to improve to 4-1 after blowing a 20-3 lead in the third quarter.

They also overcame an injury to Nico Collins, who entered Week 5 with an NFL-leading 489 receiving yards. 

Collins exited early in the second quarter with a hamstring injury shortly after he scored a 67-yard touchdown, but Stefon Diggs stepped up in his first game against his former team, leading the Texans with six receptions for 82 yards.

Houston's defence frustrated Josh Allen nearly the entire game, and the Bills lost their second in a row after starting the season 3-0.

Allen threw three straight incomplete passes on Buffalo's final drive to give Houston a chance to win it, and he finished the game just 9 of 30 for 131 yards with a TD.

Prescott's late TD pass lifts Cowboys over Steelers

Dak Prescott found Jalen Tolbert just across the goal line for a four-yard touchdown pass on a fourth down with 20 seconds remaining to give the Dallas Cowboys a 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Prescott threw a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and drove the Cowboys 70 yards on the winning drive after the Steelers (3-2) went ahead on a six-yard TD pass from Justin Fields to Pat Freiermuth with 4:56 remaining.

The Cowboys (3-2) outgained the Steelers 448-227 in total yards with Prescott throwing for 352 yards and running back Rico Dowdle rushing for 90 yards and catching two passes for 27 yards with a TD.

Dowdle almost had a costly turnover, however. Two plays before the winning touchdown, he was stripped of the ball by Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts at the goal line but Prescott was able to jump on it and recover the fumble.

Tolbert, who got hurt the play before the winning score, led Dallas with seven receptions for 87 yards.

The game started nearly 90 minutes later than its scheduled start time because of a heavy thunderstorm producing lightning in the area. The game ended at 12:59 a.m.

Ravens pull out wild 41-38 overtime win over Bengals

Justin Tucker's 24-yard field goal in the final minute of overtime sent the Baltimore Ravens to a 41-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

After both teams scored touchdowns early behind Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, the game came down to the kickers.

Tucker sent the game to overtime with a 56-yard field goal with 1:35 remaining in regulation, and Bengals kicker Evan McPherson missed a 53-yarder after a fumbled snap on Cincinnati's first possession of overtime.

On the very next play, Derrick Henry rushed 51 yards down to the Cincinnati six-yard line to set up Tucker's winning kick as Baltimore won its third straight game after opening 0-2.

Henry finished with 92 yards running and scored his 100th career rushing touchdown, while Jackson passed for 348 yards and four TDs without an interception.

Burrow threw five touchdown passes, while racking up 392 passing yards, but the Bengals dropped to 1-4.

Love-Kraft connection help Packers rally past Rams

Jordan Love threw a pair of touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft in the third quarter to help the Green Bay Packers to a 24-19 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Packers opened the scoring on Josh Jacobs' first touchdown with Green Bay, but then fell behind 13-7 just before the two-minute warning in the first half on Jaylen McCollough's four-yard interception return for a touchdown - the first pick-6 of Love's career.

Love responded by leading scoring drives on Green Bay's next three possessions - including touchdown passes of 66 and seven yards to Kraft.

Love threw for 224 yards in his second start after missing two games due to a knee injury, as the Packers (3-2) won for the first time in a game he started this season.

Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney intercepted Matthew Stafford in the third quarter to become the first player since the 1970 merger to have an interception in his first five games with a team.

Stafford also threw a touchdown and finished with 260 yards, while Kyren Williams rushed for 102 yards and scored for the eighth straight game for the Rams (1-4).

Kirk Cousins passed for a career-high 509 yards and four touchdowns, the last of them a 45-yard scoring pass to KhaDarel Hodge in overtime that gave the Atlanta Falcons an improbable 36-30 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.

After a wild fourth quarter that featured a blocked field goal, a fumble and an interception, Cousins and the Falcons (3-2) got the ball back at their own 20 with 1:14 remaining in regulation and no timeouts, trailing 30-27.

Cousins completed five passes to push Atlanta to the Buccaneers 29, then hustled to the line to spike the ball with a single second on the clock. In all the confusion, the Falcons were called for delay of game as they lined up for a tying field goal, but it didn't cost them.

Younghoe Koo knocked it through from 52 yards to force overtime, one week after he made a 58-yarder with 2 seconds left to beat the New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons won the coin toss in overtime and made sure Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers (3-2) didn't get their hands on the ball again. Cousins connected with Drake London on a couple of passes before throwing one over the middle to Hodge, who split the secondary and raced untouched to the end zone to end the game.

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid told the media Thursday the team was waiting for swelling to go down on Rashee Rice's knee before performing additional tests.

Three hours later, the Chiefs had enough information to know he'll be side-lined for at least one month.

The Chiefs placed Rice on injured reserve later Thursday, meaning he will out for a minimum of four weeks.

Rice was injured in last Sunday's 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and it was reported he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

There has been no update on the extent of the injury, but a torn ACL would side-line him for the rest of the season.

The second-year receiver was injured on a bizarre play when he collided with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who inadvertently dove into Rice's knee as the two team-mates were attempting to tackle Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton on an interception return.

Rice was carted off to the locker room shortly after leaving the field and eventually ruled out of the game.

His injury is the latest blow to a Kansas City team that is already without leading rusher Isiah Pacheco, who is recovering from a fractured fibula he sustained in Week 2.

It also leaves Mahomes without his top target, as Rice led the NFL with 24 receptions through this season's first three weeks.

No other Kansas City player had double-digit receptions entering Week 4, though Travis Kelce finally took on a larger role in the offence.

The veteran tight end had seven receptions for 89 yards against the Chargers after catching eight passes for 69 yards in the first three games.

Despite losing two of their top play-makers, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are 4-0 heading into their Week 5 Monday night game against the New Orleans Saints.

Jared Goff was proud of making history, as he set an NFL single-game record by completing all 18 of his pass attempts to help the Detroit Lions to victory.

The Lions beat the previously unbeaten Seattle Seahawks 42-29 on Monday, with Goff eclipsing Hall of Famer Kurt Warner's 10-for-10 performance in 2005, the previous standard for most passes in a game without an incompletion.

The quarterback threw for 292 yards, including touchdown passes to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown on his perfect evening, while also hauling in the latter's 7-yard toss for a touchdown in the third quarter.

That made him the first quarterback with a receiving touchdown since Zach Wilson in 2022, while he also became the first QB in NFL history with 15 or more pass attempts with no incompletions in a game.

Goff was aware that he was closing in on a perfect game, even if he had doubts at one point.

"I knew I did it in the first half last week, so I was aware of it then, and I was kind of aware of it today in the middle of the third quarter," he said.

"I couldn't think of one [incompletion], but then I threw the one out of bounds that ended up being offensive pass interference, and I was like, 'Does that count?' I didn't know if that counted or not.

"But yeah, it was a good day."

On his touchdown reception, he added: "No, I think that's my first one, too. Ever.

"And I'm saying all the way back to 7 years old, I think that's my first one."

Lions coach Dan Campbell did not realise how impressive Goff's performance had been after the game, choosing to give the game ball to Williams and safety Kerby Joseph for their strong play.

"I just gave the game ball to somebody else," Campbell laughed. "So, I feel awful right now.

"I knew he played a heck of a game. I did not realize he was perfect. I did not know he was literally 18 for 18.

"I thought what really kick-started him was that he had to move a little in the pocket, got spun around and hung with Jamo [Williams] and hit him on the hook for the first down, that was big because he was rolling after that."

Jared Goff set an NFL single-game record by completing all 18 of his pass attempts, and caught a touchdown pass as well to lead the Detroit Lions to a 42-29 victory over the previously unbeaten Seattle Seahawks on Monday.

Goff threw for 292 yards with touchdown passes to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown on his perfect evening, which eclipsed a 10-for-10 performance from Hall of Famer Kurt Warner in 2005 that had been the NFL's standard for most passes in a game without an incompletion.

The veteran quarterback was flawless as a receiver as well, as he hauled in St. Brown's 8-yard toss for a touchdown during a back-and-forth third quarter in which both teams scored touchdowns on their two possessions.

Detroit (3-1) also got two rushing touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs, who finished with 78 rushing yards on 14 attempts in the Lions' second straight win.

Seattle (3-1) was dealt its first loss after starting 3-0 under first-year coach Mike Macdonald despite piling up 516 total yards. Macdonald's defence had trouble coming up with stops, however, as Detroit produced touchdowns on all five of its red-zone trips.

Kenneth Walker returned from a two-game absence to rush for 80 yards and three touchdowns for Seattle, while Geno Smith threw for 395 yards and a touchdown and DK Metcalf recorded 104 yards on seven receptions.

The Lions never trailed after building a 14-0 lead with back-to-back touchdown drives, the first a 12-play, 93-yard series capped by David Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

After recovering a fumble by Metcalf in Detroit territory which Carlton Davis returned 49 yards to the Seattle 14, Gibbs ended a 3-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

The Seahawks answered with a 10-play, 70-yard sequence culminating in Walker's 1-yard touchdown run with 10:08 to go in the first half, but Goff marched Detroit 70 yards in nine plays on the ensuing possession as the Lions took a 21-7 lead on Gibbs' 1-yard touchdown run with 5:11 left before half-time.

Seattle closed the gap on the opening drive of the third quarter, which Smith finished with a 9-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner after the Seahawks converted three times on third or fourth down.

Montgomery took Goff's short toss 40 yards on the following possession, however, to set up St. Brown's well-thrown touchdown pass to Goff on a trick play that fooled the Seattle defence.

Smith promptly moved the Seahawks 80 yards in eight plays on their next drive as Seattle pulled to within 28-20 on Walker's second 1-yard TD run of the night. Smith's pass on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, however.

Detroit quickly restored a two-score advantage, though, as Goff hit Williams near midfield on the next play from scrimmage and the speedy wide receiver outran the Seahawks' defenders for a 70-yard touchdown with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter.

The Seahawks continued to fight back, as Walker brooke lose for a 23-yard run on the following drive before concluding it with a 21-yard touchdown to bring Seattle within 35-27 with 12 seconds elapsed in the fourth quarter.

Detroit forced a punt on Seattle's next series, however, before Goff fired a 29-yard completion to Tim Patrick and a 30-yard pass to Sam LaPorta before extending the lead to 42-27 with an 8-yard touchdown strike to St. Brown with 5:23 to play.

Seattle was stopped on downs from the Detroit 3-yard line on its next possession, and Kerby Joseph later sealed the Lions' win by intercepting Smith with a minute left.  The pick came after the Seahawks got two points on a safety when Dre'Mont Jones sacked Goff in the end zone. 

Titans get first win, extend Dolphins' struggles

The Tennessee Titans rode strong performances from running back Tony Pollard and kicker Nick Folk, as well as a stout defensive effort, to their first win of the season with Monday's 31-12 victory over the punch-less Miami Dolphins.

Pollard rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries as Tennessee (1-3) prevailed in what turned out to be a battle of backup quarterbacks after the Titans' Will Levis left the contest in the first quarter with a right shoulder injury.

Mason Rudolph threw for just 85 yards in place of Levis but led seven scoring drives, five of which ended on field goals by Folk that helped give Tennessee's Brian Callahan his first win as an NFL head coach.

Miami (1-3) generated little offence under Tyler Huntley, the Dolphins' third starting quarterback in three weeks and second since top signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills that landed him on injured reserve.

The Dolphins were held to 184 total yards in their third consecutive loss, with Huntley managing just 96 on 14-of-22 passing. 

After neither team moved the ball effectively during a scoreless first quarter, Rudolph got the Titans in range for Folk's 53-yard field goal 44 seconds into the second for the game's first points.

The Dolphins were stopped on 4th-and-1 from the Tennessee 46 on the ensuing possession, with the favourable starting position leading to Folk's 52-yard kick with 8:20 left before half-time.

Huntley then led Miami on a 10-play, 44-yard drive capped by Jason Sanders' 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 6-3, but a 27-yard pass from Rudolph to Tyler Boyd late in the first half allowed Tennessee to extend its lead at the break on Folk's 47-yard field goal.

Sanders knocked home a 56-yard attempt midway through the third quarter before the Titans finally scored the game's first touchdown on the following series.

After Pollard ripped off a 41-yard run to put Tennessee inside the Miami 10, Tyjae Spears took a direct snap and powered into the end zone from seven yards out for a 16-6 advantage with six minutes left in the third quarter.

Folk's fourth field goal, a 51-yard boot, increased the margin entering the fourth before the Titans' defence came up with another big stand.

The Dolphins opted to go for it from 4th-and-1 at their own 39-yard line, but running back Devon Achane was stuffed for a loss and Tennessee turned the stop into Folk's 29-yard field goal and a 22-6 advantage.

Miami answered with its best drive of the night, an 11-play, 70-yard sequence capped by Huntley's 1-yard touchdown run with 3:36 left that trimmed their deficit to 22-12. The Dolphins failed to convert the resulting 2-point attempt.

Huntley was called for intentional grounding in the end zone on Miami's next possession, however, to give the Titans two more points on a safety.

Pollard concluded the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run with 24 seconds left, ending a 4-play drive where the Titans started at the Miami 20 after the Dolphins botched an onside kick attempt following the safety. 

Baker Mayfield said comments he made about Tom Brady were "taken out of context" after he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 33-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The quarterback was a guest on the Casa de Klub podcast with Corey Kluber and Tyler Casagrande last week and spoke about the difference between himself and seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady – who won one of his rings with the Buccs.

Mayfield suggested that his own style was a little more relaxed than New England Patriots legend Brady, who was back in Tampa as an analyst with Fox Sports and was pictured speaking with Mayfield.

"The building was a little bit different with Tom in there," Mayfield said on the podcast. 

"Obviously, playing-wise, Tom is different. He had everybody dialled in, high-strung environment, so I think everybody was pretty stressed out. 

"They wanted me to come in, be myself, bring the joy back to football, for guys who weren't having as much fun."

Speaking after leading four touchdown drives in the Buccs' victory over the Eagles, Mayfield sought to clarify his comments about Brady.

"I think a lot of that got taken out of context, and none of it was personal by any means," said Mayfield. 

"It's just what he demanded of the guys, and that's the aura of Tom Brady. And that's what he did to bring a championship here.

"Nothing personal, but yeah, talking before the game, he's obviously happy for me and he knows the guys, so he knows how much I enjoy throwing to Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] [because] he got to do the same. It's fun to be able to talk about the same experience with a guy like that."

When speaking about Mayfield's podcast comments, Brady said: "I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings. So, there was a mindset of a champion that I took to work every day. This wasn't daycare. If I was going to have fun, I'd go to Disneyland with my kids.

"There's a way to approach this game and it's with the right mindset to try to push each other outside our comfort zone, and great teammates do that. You come, I have someone like [Rob] Gronkowski, I have someone like Evans –  there's high expectations for us. We got to make sure we go out there and deliver."

Mayfield took Brady's "daycare" comment in good spirits, saying: " "Like I said, some things got taken out of context. He did it his own way and that's why he has seven rings. So, not much else needs to be said."

The Buccs are top of the NFC South standings with their victory over the Eagles leaving them 3-1 for the season.