Dolphins bury Broncos 70-20 for most points in NFL game since 1966
Published 12:32 am Monday, September 25, 2023
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins scored the most points in a game by an NFL team since 1966, overwhelming the Denver Broncos 70-20 on Sunday behind rookie De’Von Achane’s 203 yards rushing and Tua Tagovailoa’s four touchdown passes, including a no-look shovel-pass.
The Dolphins set a franchise record for scoring and finished two points shy of the NFL’s regular-season record — set in 1966 by Washington against the Giants. They are the fourth team in NFL history to score at least 70 points in a regular-season or playoff game.
Miami scored touchdowns on eight of nine drives before Mike White replaced Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter. Raheem Mostert had his second straight multiple-touchdown game with three rushing TDs and a TD catch.
Achane caught a 10-yard TD pass from Tagovailoa in the fourth, and Jason Sanders converted the extra point that made it 56-13 and broke Miami’s franchise scoring record of 55 set against St. Louis on Nov. 24, 1977.
Tyreek Hill caught a 54-yard touchdown pass on Miami’s opening drive. He finished with 157 yards on nine catches.
Russell Wilson started a season 0-3 for the first time in his career as Denver simply could not keep pace. Wilson was 23 of 38 for 306 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
CARDINALS 28, COWBOYS 16
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Joshua Dobbs threw for a touchdown, James Conner and Rondale Moore ran for scores and Arizona stunned mistake-prone Dallas.
The Cardinals (1-2) never trailed and went ahead 21-10 on the final play of the first half when Matt Prater made a 62-yard field goal. Arizona scored on all five of its possessions before the break.
Jonathan Gannon got his first win as Arizona’s coach as the franchise snapped a six-game home skid that lasted nearly a year.
Dobbs completed 17 of 21 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. Conner ran for 98 yards.
The Cowboys (2-1) — who were called for 13 penalties that set them back 107 yards — had three solid drives bog down inside the Arizona 10, including one that ended on a fourth-down stop when Dak Prescott threw an incomplete pass.
Prescott completed 25 of 40 passes for 249 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The pick — by Kyzir White in the end zone with three minutes left — sealed the game for Arizona.
PACKERS 18, SAINTS 17
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love rallied Green Bay from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit in his first career home start, a comeback that began after New Orleans lost quarterback Derek Carr to a shoulder injury.
The Packers (2-1) scored 18 points in the final 11 minutes to win their 11th consecutive home opener, the NFL’s longest active streak. They took the lead on Love’s 8-yard pass to Romeo Doubs in the right corner of the end zone with 2:56 left.
Carr’s backup, Jameis Winston, drove the Saints (2-1) into scoring position, but rookie Blake Grupe’s 46-yard field-goal attempt with just over a minute left sailed wide right.
New Orleans led 17-0 when Carr left in the third quarter after one of Rashan Gary’s career-high three sacks.
Love went 22 of 44 for 259 yards with one touchdown pass, a TD run and an interception. It was his fourth career start but first at home as he takes over for four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay became the third team in the past 30 years to win after being shut out 17-0 or worse through three quarters.
CHIEFS 41, BEARS 10
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Travis Kelce hauled in one of them to the delight of Taylor Swift, and Kansas City beat Chicago.
Jerick McKinnon had a pair of touchdown catches and Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added touchdown runs, helping the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (2-1) deal the Bears (0-3) their 13th consecutive loss dating to last season.
Kelce finished with seven catches for 69 yards and the 3-yard score, which made it 41-0 early in the second half. The All-Pro tight end celebrated by revving the engine of an imaginary motorcycle while his guest, Swift, joyfully pounded the glass of her Arrowhead Stadium suite.
Embattled Bears quarterback Justin Fields was 11 of 22 for 99 yards with an interception and a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes. He also led the Bears with 47 yards rushing, a good chunk of that coming on a 17-yard scramble, as the league’s 27th-ranked offense finished with just 203 yards.
The Chiefs began their assault with the first of Mahomes’ two TD passes to McKinnon, and then Edwards-Helaire scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. When the Bears punted a third consecutive time, Mahomes hit McKinnon again to extend the lead, and Kansas City proceeded to score on its next four possessions.
COLTS 22, RAVENS 19, OT
BALTIMORE (AP) — Matt Gay capped a terrific day of kicking with a 53-yard field goal in overtime and Indianapolis beat Baltimore.
Gay made a record four kicks from beyond 50 yards, including a 53-yarder that tied it in the final minute of regulation. His chance in overtime didn’t come until after both teams had been stopped on fourth down near midfield.
On the Ravens’ previous OT possession, they went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Indy 47. Lamar Jackson threw incomplete as Baltimore (2-1) called in vain for a penalty on linebacker E.J. Speed, who appeared to impede receiver Zay Flowers going over the middle.
There was no flag, and the Colts (2-1) were able to drive in position for Gay’s fifth field goal of the game.
Gardner Minshew, playing in place of injured rookie Anthony Richardson, threw for 227 yards and a touchdown for the Colts.
Jackson ran for 101 yards and two TDs for the Ravens but couldn’t take advantage of two opportunities in overtime when Baltimore started with great field position.
Baltimore’s Justin Tucker came up short on a 61-yard kick with 1 second left in regulation that could have won it.
CHARGERS 28, VIKINGS 24
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Justin Herbert passed for 405 yards and three touchdowns, and Los Angeles kept Kirk Cousins and Minnesota out of the end zone twice in the last three minutes.
Kenneth Murray Jr. made the game-sealing interception in the end zone with 7 seconds left, snagging a ball that deflected off the chest of diving tight end T.J. Hockenson. On Minnesota’s previous possession, Michael Davis knocked down Cousins’ fourth-down throw to Justin Jefferson at the goal line.
The Vikings (0-3) gave themselves that final chance by stopping the Chargers (1-2) on fourth-and-1 from the LA 24 inside the 2-minute warning.
Keenan Allen not only set career highs with 205 yards and 18 catches, but the 11th-year standout threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams on a trick play that gave the Chargers a 21-10 lead midway through the third quarter.
Herbert, who went 40 for 47 and set the franchise record with 213 consecutive attempts and counting without an interception, hit Donald Parham Jr. for two first-half touchdowns.
Cousins hit Jefferson for a 52-yard score that put Minnesota ahead 24-21 with 11:20 left. Herbert connected with Joshua Palmer for a 30-yard TD that put Los Angeles in front to stay.
STEELERS 23, RAIDERS 18
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kenny Pickett passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns in an encouraging performance for Pittsburgh, which held off Las Vegas.
In the first meeting between the franchises in Las Vegas, the Steelers earned their first road win against the Raiders since 1995.
Las Vegas trailed 23-7 going into the fourth quarter. It had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes, but coach Josh McDaniels settled for a short field goal instead of trying to convert a fourth-and-4 at the 8.
Pittsburgh (2-1) struggled offensively in its first two games, but it looked much better against Las Vegas (1-2). Pickett completed 16 of 28 passes, and George Pickens finished with four receptions for 75 yards.
T.J. Watt had another sensational game, recording two of Pittsburgh’s four sacks less than a week after returning a fumble for the winning touchdown on Monday night against the Cleveland Browns.
Chris Boswell made three field goals for the Steelers, including one from 57 yards.
The Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo was 28 for 44 for 324 yards and two touchdowns, both to Davante Adams, who finished with 13 receptions for 172 yards.
TEXANS 37, JAGUARS 17
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Fullback Andrew Beck muffed a kickoff, picked up the ball and then broke five tackles during an 85-yard return for a touchdown — one of several special teams gaffes by Jacksonville — and Houston gave coach DeMeco Ryans his first victory.
Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder to Tank Dell that sealed it, and the Texans won their fifth in a row at Jacksonville.
Houston (1-2) has won 16 of the past 19, including 10 of 11, in the series.
The Jaguars (1-2) were flat from the start. Their first five drives ended in a missed field goal, a punt, a blocked field goal, a punt and a fumble.
Trailing 17-0 at halftime, they scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter. But then they botched the kickoff about as badly as anyone could imagine.
Beck, a 255-pound blocker from nearby Tampa, became the first fullback to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Jacksonville’s Derrick Wimbush accomplished the feat in 2005.
Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence threw for 279 yards, with a touchdown to Christian Kirk and an interception. Travis Etienne totaled 138 yards, including 88 rushing.
SEAHAWKS 37, PANTHERS 27
SEATTLE (AP) — Kenneth Walker III rushed for 97 yards and two second-half touchdowns, Jason Myers kicked five field goals, and Seattle beat Carolina.
Walker’s 36-yard reception midway through the third quarter set up his 1-yard touchdown run after Seattle had settled for field goals every other time it reached Carolina’s side of the field.
Walker later restored a two-score lead for Seattle (2-1) when he sprinted untouched on a 7-yard touchdown run with 11:40 remaining.
Myers connected on field goals of 43, 35, 33, 37 and 39 yards.
Geno Smith threw his first interception of the season, but still had a solid day, throwing for 291 yards and a touchdown. DK Metcalf had six catches for 112 yards.
Veteran Andy Dalton started for Carolina in place of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, who has an ankle injury. Dalton did his part in keeping the Panthers (0-3) close, throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Adam Thielen had 11 catches for 145 yards.
BILLS 37, COMMANDERS 3
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Josh Allen threw for a touchdown and ran for another, and Buffalo’s defense forced five turnovers by overmatched Washington.
The Bills (2-1) won their second in a row after a rough season opener and handed the Commanders (2-1) their first loss.
Allen was 20 of 32 for 218 yards, including a 35-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis. He added a 10-yard scamper into the end zone among his 46 yards rushing. His interception in the third quarter on third-and-20 functioned more like a long punt than his four backbreaking giveaways that contributed to Buffalo’s Week 1 loss at the Jets.
The Bills tormented Sam Howell, sacking him nine times and piling up four interceptions — one each by Terrel Bernard, Micah Hyde and Tre’Davious White and A.J. Epenesa. The last was Epenesa’s pick-6, which sent Commanders fans to the exits.
Howell lost for the first time as a pro, with many of the offensive line woes that were masked by wins against Arizona and Denver finally costing the Commanders.
PATRIOTS 15, JETS 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Mac Jones threw a touchdown pass, Matt Judon had a late safety and New England extended its winning streak over New York to 15 games.
Bill Belichick’s bunch avoided its first 0-3 start since the coach’s first season in New England in 2000 while continuing the team’s mastery over its AFC East rival.
Zach Wilson made his second start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, but was unable to produce much on a rainy day other than one solid drive in the fourth quarter that got the Jets (1-2) back into the game.
Nick Bawden capped a 13-play, 87-yard drive by the Jets with a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle to make it 13-10 with 5:24 left. Wilson was 7 for 10 on the series.
After a defensive stop by New York, Judon brought down Wilson in the end zone to make it 15-10.
Jones finished 15 of 29 for 201 yards. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 80 yards on 16 carries.
LIONS 20, FALCONS 6
DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam LaPorta early in the second quarter and Detroit beat Atlanta.
The Lions (2-1) earned a much-needed win after following a hype-fueling victory at Kansas City with a deflating loss at home to Seattle.
The Falcons (2-1) failed to protect Desmond Ridder, who was sacked seven times by a team that had only one sack in two games.
Goff was 22 of 33 for 243 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also had a 3-yard run for a score that gave Detroit a 20-3 lead early in the fourth.
LaPorta, the No. 34 pick overall out of Iowa, scored his first touchdown. He had eight receptions for 84 yards. He has 18 catches, the most by an NFL tight end through three games.
Amon-Ra St. Brown had nine receptions for 102 yards and rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran 17 times for 80 yards.