HOUSTON (AP) — Trevor Lawrence threw for 364 yards and a touchdown, and the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars escaped with a 24-21 victory over the division rival Houston Texans on Sunday when Matt Ammendola’s 58-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar with 34 seconds left.
The Jaguars (8-3) avenged their 37-17 home loss to Houston (6-5) in Week 3 and created some separation at the top of the division.
C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft, thew for 306 yards and two touchdowns as Houston’s three-game winning streak was snapped. He has 3,268 yards passing this season to move past Justin Herbert (3,224) for most in NFL history by a rookie in his first 11 games.
With Jacksonville clinging to a 24-21 lead, the Texans got a stop but couldn’t move the ball. They settled for the long field goal attempt on fourth-and-12 instead of giving Stroud and their offense one more shot.
Lawrence threw a 1-yard TD pass to Calvin Ridley and connected with Ridley for the 2-point conversion to put the Texans ahead 21-14 midway through the third quarter.
STEELERS 16, BENGALS 10
CINCINNATI (AP) — Kenny Pickett threw for a season-high 278 yards and Pittsburgh new life on offense days after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada, beating Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati.
The Steelers (7-4) totaled 421 yards, snapping a streak of 58 games without gaining 400 yards. Pat Freiermuth had a career-high 120 yards receiving as the Steelers, led by interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner, outgained their opponent for the first time this season.
Chris Boswell kicked two fourth-quarter field goals to keep the Bengals at bay. Cincinnati (5-6) got a field goal from Evan McPherson just before the two-minute warning, but the Steelers recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
Bengals backup Jake Browning threw a touchdown pass in his first start but had trouble keeping the chains moving. He finished 19 for 26 for 227 yards and threw an interception in the red zone.
FALCONS 24, SAINTS 15
ATLANTA (AP) — Desmond Ridder overcame two interceptions by throwing a touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson in the fourth quarter, and Atlanta beat New Orleans to move into a tie for first place in the woeful NFC South.
The Saints (5-6) were limited by injury problems at wide receiver after losing Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (thigh). New Orleans still outgained the Falcons 444-397 as Derek Carr passed for 304 yards but had to settle for five field goals by Blake Grupe.
The Falcons (5-6) snapped a three-game skid as Robinson ran for 91 yards with a touchdown.
Jessie Bates had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter, and he forced a fumble in the third quarter with a hit on Taysom Hill. Albert Higgins recovered the ball at the Atlanta 5.
Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards with one touchdown and the two picks.
COLTS 27, BUCCANEERS 20
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Taylor ran for two scores, quarterback Gardner Minshew also had a rushing TD and Indianapolis beat Tampa Bay.
The Colts (6-5) won their third straight and climbed above .500 for the first time since the end of September with their second home victory of the season.
The two-time defending NFC South champion Bucs (4-7) have lost four straight road games and six of seven overall.
Indy gashed the Tampa Bay run defense for 155 yards and 5.7 yards per carry. Taylor had 15 carries for 91 yards and his first multiple-score game of the season. Zack Moss ran eight times for 55 yards.
The Colts took control early and never allowed the Bucs to completely recover after Baker Mayfield injured his right ankle on the game’s opening series. Mayfield was intercepted by Ronnie Harrison Jr. on the Bucs’ next possession, setting up Taylor’s first TD run.
Mayfield was 20 of 30 for 199 yards with two TDs, one pick and a game-sealing lost fumble.
GIANTS 10, PATRIOTS 7
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Xavier McKinney’s interception set up Randy Bullock’s go-ahead 42-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, and New York beat New England to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
The Giants (4-8) had three interceptions of New England’s woeful pair of quarterbacks. The Patriots (2-9) still had a chance to win in the final minute, but coach Bill Belichick played for a tie and Chad Ryland was wide left on a 35-yard field goal attempt with 3 seconds left.
Tommy DeVito threw a touchdown pass and didn’t have a turnover for New York (4-8).
Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushed for 98 yards on 21 carries, scored on a 7-yard run for New England at the start of the second half after Bailey Zappe took over at QB for Mac Jones, as he has several times this season.
Zappe finished 9 of 14 for 54 yards and an interception. Jones was 12 of 21 for 89 yards and two picks.
TITANS 17, PANTHERS 10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for two touchdowns and 76 yards as Tennessee beat Carolina to snap a three-game skid.
The Titans (4-7) improved to 4-0 at home this season after playing at Nissan Stadium just once over the past seven weeks.
Arden Key had a sack and forced fumble recovered by two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who also had one of four sacks by Tennessee. Denico Autry had two, the second of which came two plays before the Titans forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs with 1:55 left.
Tennessee never trailed. Rookie quarterback Will Levis threw for 185 yards and was sacked only once.
Carolina (1-10) started a three-game road swing by losing its fourth straight. No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young threw for 194 yards as the Panthers controlled the ball for much of the second half, but only came away with one touchdown.
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