Devonta Freeman scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons remained unbeaten, romping to a 48-21 victory over the hapless Houston Texans on Sunday.
Freeman, who took over as the starting running back after rookie Tevin Coleman sustained a rib injury in week 2, has scored six touchdowns in the last two games. The Falcons improved to 4-0 for only the fourth time in club history.
Freeman had touchdown runs of 16, 23 and six yards. He set up another score with a 44-yard reception.
Photo: AFP
Nothing went right for the Texans (1-3). Quarterback Ryan Mallett was yanked after the Falcons built a 42-0 lead. Running back Arian Foster made his season debut after tearing his groin early in training camp, but he could not find room to run. He even had the ball knocked out of his hands by one of his own teammates, leading to a Falcons touchdown.
SAINTS 26, COWBOYS 20, OT
Drew Brees hit C.J. Spiller with a short pass that the running back turned into an 80-yard touchdown — the 400th of the Saints quarterback’s career — on the second play of overtime, as New Orleans won for the first time this season.
Brees, who missed New Orleans’ previous game because of a bruised rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder, completed 32 of 39 throws for 279 yards in his return. Mark Ingram gained 126 yards from scrimmage, and Khiry Robinson had a one-yard touchdown run for New Orleans (1-3).
Joseph Randle scored the lone touchdown for Dallas (2-2) on a one-yard run in the first half. The winning score enlivened a Superdome crowd stunned by Saints kicker Zach Hocker’s 30-yard miss in the final seconds of regulation.
BENGALS 36, CHIEFS 21
Andy Dalton added to his streak of impressive games and big plays, throwing a 55-yard touchdown pass on the run, as Cincinnati remained unbeaten.
The Bengals (4-0) matched its third-best start in franchise history, two wins shy of a club record.
Dalton completed 17 of 24 throws for 321 yards with the long touchdown pass to Brandon Tate during a scramble.
Alex Smith was sacked five times, with the Chiefs (1-3) settling for Cairo Santos’ club-record seven field goals, and the defense could not keep up with one of the NFL’s top passers.
In other games, it was:
‧ Panthers 37, Buccaneers 23
‧ Packers 17, 49ers 3
‧ Broncos 23, Vikings 20
‧ Rams 24, Cardinals 22
‧ Chargers 30, Browns 27
‧ Jets 27, Dolphins 14
‧ Redskins 23, Eagles 20
‧ Bears 22, Raiders 20
‧ Giants 24, Bills 10
‧ Colts 16, Jaguars 13
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