NFL Week 9: Tyler Bass’ 61-yard field goal gives Allen and Bills a thrilling win over Tagovailoa, Dolphins
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tyler Bass kicked a career-best 61-yard field goal with 5 seconds left, Josh Allen threw three second-half touchdown passes in a back-and-forth duel with Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, and the Buffalo Bills continued their domination of the Dolphins with a 30-27 victory on Sunday.
The teams traded leads four times in a thrilling second half that included seven consecutive scoring drives — four by AFC East-leading Buffalo (7-2) and three by division rival Miami (2-6).
TYLER BASS 61-YARD FIELD GOAL WITH 5 SECONDS LEFT. pic.twitter.com/PZWTOebKnJ
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Buffalo’s final drive stalled at the Miami 43 following a spike and two incompletions, and coach Sean McDermott put his faith in the inconsistent Bass, who missed an extra point earlier in the game. Bass not only split the uprights, but had enough length to reach the first row of fans in the end zone. It was the longest field goal in franchise history.
The Bills are 7-2 for the first time since 2020 and moved four games ahead of the New York Jets in the AFC East, which they have won the past four seasons. Buffalo swept its season series against Miami and has beaten Miami six straight times and 13 of 14, including playoffs. The Dolphins have also lost nine straight trips to Buffalo, a skid that dates to Dec. 24, 2016.
The Dolphins took a big hit to their playoff chances. They’ve lost three straight and two since Tagovailoa returned from a concussion that sidelined him for four games.
"I'm so proud of him. I love that man."
– Josh Allen on Tyler Bass after a TIGHT @BuffaloBills win over the Dolphins | @Melanie_Collins pic.twitter.com/wLPC4PWCrw
— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) November 3, 2024
This defeat wasn’t for lack of effort by Tagovailoa, who was 25 of 28 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Allen finished 25 of 39 for 235 yards and one interception alongside his three TDs.
Falcons 27, Cowboys 21
ATLANTA — Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes and Atlanta maintained their hold on first place in the NFC South with a victory over struggling Dallas, who took their third straight setback and lost quarterback Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury.
Cousins completed 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards, including 13 in a row at one point for the Falcons (6-3). He had scoring plays of 9 yards to Drake London, 36 yards to Darnell Mooney and 11 yards to Ray-Ray McCloud, the third three-TD game of the quarterback’s debut season with Atlanta.
Tyler Allgeier capped the Falcons’ fifth win in six games by powering into the end zone from 6 yards with just over 11 minutes remaining.
The Cowboys (3-5) tried to rally behind Cooper Rush after Prescott was ruled out, having completed 18 of 24 for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Commanders 27, Giants 22
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Sensational rookie Jayden Daniels threw two touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin, and Washington beat bumbling New York for their best start to a season in almost 30 years.
Daniels hit McLaurin on scoring passes of 1 and 18 yards in the first half, and Austin Ekeler, filling in for the injured Brian Robinson, scored on a 1-yard run as the Commanders completed a season sweep of the NFC East rival Giants (2-7). Washington is 7-2 for the first time since 1996.
Austin Seibert, who kicked seven field goals in the Commanders’ 21-18 win in September, added two more, and linebacker Dante Fowler had a big strip-sack early to set up the opening touchdown. The Giants have lost four straight and fell to 0-5 at home.
Daniel Jones threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Manhertz and powered his way through two tackles on a 2-yard fourth-quarter TD run for New York. He added a late 35-yard TD pass to rookie Theo Johnson, but the Giants missed both 2-point conversions. Jude McAtamney kicked a 31-yard field goal in the Irishman’s NFL debut.
Panthers 23, Saints 22
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chuba Hubbard scored on a 16-yard run with 2:18 left and Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak, beating New Orleans.
Bryce Young completed 16 of 26 passes for 171 yards a touchdown to improve to 1-3 against the Saints in his career. Coach Dave Canales would not say after the game if Young would start next Sunday against the New York Giants in Munich.
Hubbard ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
The Panthers (2-7) got big games from a pair of rookies as tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders caught four passes for 87 yards and wide receiver Xavier Legette had his fourth touchdown of the season to avenge an embarrassing 47-10 Week 1 loss to their division foes.
Titans 20, Patriots 17, OT
NASHVILLE — Nick Folk kicked a 25-yard field goal with 2:32 left in overtime and Tennessee beat New England, giving coach Brian Callahan his first victory at home this season.
The Titans (2-6) snapped both a three-game skid overall and at Nissan Stadium.
The Patriots (2-7) got rookie Drake Maye back after the third overall pick out of North Carolina cleared the concussion protocol Saturday. He started after being knocked out of last week’s win over the Jets and used his legs, running for a career-best and team-high 95 yards.
New England had a final chance after Maye forced overtime with a 5-yard TD pass to Rhamondre Stevenson. But Amani Hooker’s second interception of the game clinched the victory for the Titans with 2:07 left.
Rams 26, Seahawks 20, OT
SEATTLE — Demarcus Robinson made a one-handed, 39-yard touchdown reception in overtime, and the Los Angeles Rams stunned the Seattle Seahawks 26-20 on Sunday.
With the Rams needing only a field goal after stuffing the Seahawks on fourth down on the first possession of OT, Matthew Stafford went for the win by throwing a deep ball to Robinson, who was well covered by cornerback Riq Woolen. With his one free hand, Robinson grabbed the ball in the end zone and secured it as he fell to the turf.
Stafford threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams (4-4), who have won three straight after losing four of their previous five. Robinson finished with six catches for 94 yards and both scores.
Geno Smith threw for 363 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions for the Seahawks (4-5), who have lost four straight at home and five of six overall to fall into last place in the bunched-up NFC West. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had seven catches for a career-best 180 yards and two scores.
The Rams rallied from a 13-3 deficit and took a 20-13 lead on Kamren Kinchens’ 103-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter, only to let the Seahawks tie it when Smith connected with Smith-Njigba for a 14-yard touchdown with 51 seconds left.
Stafford tried to drive the Rams into position for a winning field goal, but the drive stalled just short of midfield.
Eagles 28, Jaguars 23
PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley made a dazzling backward hurdle during a stellar performance and Nakobe Dean had a game-saving interception to help the Philadelphia Eagles to their fourth straight win, 28-23 over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.
Barkley had 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 40 yards and a TD.
The Eagles (6-2) held on after coach Nick Sirianni wasted chances to put easy points on the board. The Eagles went 0 for 2 on fourth down and were 0 for 3 on 2-point conversions, forcing them to let Jake Elliott try a 57-yard field goal with 2:16 left.
Elliott missed, giving the Jaguars (2-7) the ball at their own 47-yard line.
Eagles defensive back Avonte Maddox was flagged 18 yards for pass interference that helped move the ball to the Eagles 13.
But Jacksonville’s second-half rally ended when Trevor Lawrence’s terrible pass was picked off in the end zone by Dean for the linebacker’s first career interception.
The Eagles have found their groove out of the bye, riding a winning streak behind Jalen Hurts and Barkley that has thrust them into the thick of the NFC East race.
Hurts was 18 of 24 for 230 yards. He threw for two scores and ran for another.
DeVonta Smith nearly matched Barkley with a play straight out of a video game on a one-handed 25-yard TD grab — reminiscent of New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson’s catch last week — late in the fourth that stretched the Eagles’ lead to 28-16.
But all those lost points haunted the Eagles.
Lawrence — 16 of 31 for 169 yards and two interceptions — ran for two touchdowns for the Jaguars, including a 4-yard scramble with 4:04 left that made it 28-23.
The Eagles can credit Barkley for this win.
Barkley, already proving a pivotal free agent pickup for the Eagles, starred in another dominant effort with arguably the most acrobatic play of the NFL season.
The play that left mouths agape: Hurts dumped a pass to Barkley in the second quarter and he faked out one defender and used a filthy spin move that left another Jaguars defender flailing on the ground before he pulled off a split-leg, backward leap over Jacksonville cornerback Jarrian Jones for the 14-yard gain.
The reverse hurdle stunned the Jaguars and set up an Eagles field goal for 10-0 lead. But Barkley also had a costly mistake.
Lawrence ignited Jacksonville’s second-half rally when he scored on a 1-yard run and threw a 2-point conversion pass late in the third to make it 22-8. Barkley then fumbled on the next possession, the loose ball scooped by Travon Walker and returned 35 yards for a TD. The Jaguars cut it to 22-16 after another 2-point conversion.
The Eagles, wearing their fan-favorite, throwback Kelly green uniforms, let Barkley handle the bulk of the offense in the first half.
Barkley sure didn’t settle for the routine plays for much of the game. Before he hurdled for a first down, Barkley hauled in an over-the-shoulder 20-yard touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone to make it 7-0 — significant for the lead, yes, but also the Eagles scored their first points in the first quarter all season.
After an Eagles touchdown was wiped out on offensive pass interference, Barkley got the ball on the next play and hustled 19 yards for the score and a 16-0 halftime lead.
Lions 24, Packers 14
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Kerby Joseph scored on a 27-yard interception return and the Detroit Lions converted two fourth downs into touchdowns as they continued one of the best starts in franchise history by beating the Green Bay Packers 24-14 on Sunday.
The NFC North-leading Lions are 7-1 for the first time since 1956. They withstood the second-quarter ejection of safety Brian Banks and won at Lambeau Field for a third straight year, thriving on a rainy and windy day.
Detroit took the lead for good on the first play of the second quarter when Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 3-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal. Jahmyr Gibbs capped the opening drive of the second half by rushing for a 15-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1 to extend the Lions’ lead to 24-3.
Goff had another efficient day, finishing 18 of 22 for 145 yards.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love went 23 of 39 for 273 yards with an interception, one week he left in the third quarter of a 30-27 victory at Jacksonville with a groin strain. Jayden Reed had five catches for 113 yards and Josh Jacobs rushed for 95 yards.
The Packers (6-3) outgained the Lions 411 yards to 261. Green Bay drove inside Detroit’s 35-yard line on three possessions without scoring. The Packers’ four trips to the red zone resulted in one touchdown and two field goals.
This game turned late in the second quarter, with Detroit’s starting safeties playing featured roles.
Green Bay trailed 7-3 when Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Bo Melton during a pass incompletion near Green Bay’s sideline. Branch also drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for gesturing to the Lambeau Field crowd, giving the Packers a first down at the Detroit 32 rather than facing third-and-20 from their own 38.
But the Packers failed to capitalize on the situation. Their drive ended with Brandon McManus sending a 46-yard field-goal attempt wide left. Detroit marched down the field on its next series and extended its lead to 10-3 on Jake Bates’ 27-yard field goal.
Green Bay got the ball back with less than a minute left in the half. Facing second-and-2 from Green Bay’s 38, Love rolled right under pressure and threw a ball directly to Joseph, who caught it with arms outstretched and raced down the Lions sideline to the end zone.
Joseph’s pick-6 was his sixth interception of the season, tying Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney for the NFL lead. He’s picked off a pass in five of Detroit’s last six games and became the first safety to intercept at least 14 passes through his first three seasons since Hall of Famer Ed Reed did it from 2002-04.
Joseph has four interceptions against the Packers.
Green Bay opened the game with a 14-play drive that lasted nearly eight minutes but settled for McManus’ 30-yard field goal.
Then the Lions scored the next 24 points to take control.
McManus kicked a 38-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter. Emanuel Wilson scored on a 2-yard run and Love threw a 2-point conversion pass to Christian Watson to make it 24-14 with 3:49 left, but Detroit recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
Cardinals 29, Bears 9
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Emari Demercado ran 53 yards for a touchdown just before halftime, James Conner added 107 yards on the ground and the surging Arizona Cardinals put together a dominant 29-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
The Cardinals (5-4) have won three in a row for the first time in three seasons.
It’s another tough loss for the Bears (4-4), who have dropped two straight. They lost to the Commanders 18-15 last week on a Hail Mary and were burned once again as the clock was winding down against the Cardinals, though this lapse came in the final seconds of the first half.
Chicago rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked six times, completing 22 of 41 passes for 216 yards. The Bears had just 241 yards total.
Arizona took a 21-9 halftime lead after Demercado got loose for a game-changing 53-yard touchdown run with four seconds remaining. The Cardinals started the drive with 26 seconds remaining following Chicago’s field goal.
Kyler Murray completed a few short passes before Demercado darted through the middle of the defense and then sprinted down the right sideline for the touchdown, turning a tight game into a much more comfortable advantage.
It was one of two backbreaking mistakes for Chicago’s defense late in the second quarter. The Cardinals were leading just 7-6 with 3:40 remaining in the half and looked as if they were going to have to settle for a field goal, but Chicago’s Gervon Dexter Sr. was flagged for trying to use a defender as leverage to leap into the air and block the kick.
That gave Arizona a fresh set of downs and the Cardinals cashed in with Trey Benson’s 1-yard touchdown run just three plays later.
The Cardinals controlled the second half, extending the lead to 27-9 on Chad Ryland’s two field goals, one from 55 yards. Arizona linebacker Zaven Collins had two of the team’s six sacks.
Murray completed 13 of 20 passes for 154 yards.
Arizona took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when tight end Trey McBride took a handoff for a 2-yard touchdown run. Chicago’s Cairo Santos made three field goals in the first half, two from 53 yards.
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was not in the starting lineup following his mental lapse last week, though he did eventually play much of the game.
Stevenson apologized after having his back turned and motioning to the crowd with 2 seconds left when the Commanders snapped the ball on a Hail Mary that gave them an 18-15 win last Sunday.
Vikings 21, Colts 13
MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold overcame four sacks and three turnovers by throwing three second-half touchdown passes, and the Minnesota defense made Indianapolis quarterback Joe Flacco’s return to the starting role a rough one as the Vikings beat the Colts 21-13 on Sunday night.
Justin Jefferson had 137 receiving yards, Jordan Addison made a one-handed diving grab in the back corner of the end zone to get Minnesota on the board after a sloppy and scoreless first half, and Jalen Nailor had the tiebreaking touchdown reception to help the Vikings (6-2) stop a two-game skid.
Kenny Moore II had a 38-yard fumble return in the second quarter, the only touchdown for the Colts (4-5) in their first game all season that wasn’t decided by six points or fewer.
Flacco replaced Anthony Richardson, with the 2023 fourth overall NFL draft pick struggling badly and becoming the self-created subject of a week of hot takes after taking himself out for a play last week because he was tired.
The AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award winner with Cleveland last season after he came off his couch past midseason to help the Browns make the playoffs, Flacco went 16 for 27 for 179 yards and one interception.
He moved the Colts to the Minnesota 40 midway through the fourth quarter facing a 14-10 deficit, but Harrison Smith, who recovered an opening-drive fumble by Jonathan Taylor, broke up consecutive passes to force a turnover on downs.
Darnold, who finished 28 for 34 for 290 yards, hit Josh Oliver for the game-sealing score with 2:05 left.