Las Vegas Raiders @ Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts bounced back from their disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a dominant home victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, 40-6. After punting on their first drive, the Colts scored six touchdowns on their next six offensive possessions.
Following a quick Colts three-and-out, the Raiders immediately picked up 29 yards when quarterback Geno Smith hit running back Ashton Jeanty down the sideline to get the ball near midfield. Smith then dinked-and-dunked his way onto Indy’s side of the field before using back-to-back runs to get into the red zone. Unfortunately for the Silver and Black, the drive was derailed by a sack, so they took a field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Even though a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown was canceled out by a holding penalty on the Colts, Indy still had an answer for the Raiders. Quarterback Daniel Jones completed seven passes for 85 yards, including an 11-yarder to tight end Tyler Warren for a touchdown to put the Colts on top 7-3. That was the first career TD reception for Warren.
This matchup, like several over the last few weeks, featured a game-changing special teams play. The Colts blocked a punt on Vegas’ 36 yard line. That live ball was picked up by Indy at the eight yard line. A few downs later, running back Jonathan Taylor powered his way into the end zone from three yards out for a 14-3 advantage.
Geno Smith once again had a costly turnover. Despite getting into the red zone on a 33-yard pass to wide receiver Tre Tucker, a Geno Smith pass was batted in the air at the line of scrimmage and picked off. That was Smith’s league-leading eighth interception of the season.
The Colts managed to strike while the iron was still hot. They put together an 88-yard drive in a little over three-and-a-half minutes to reach the end zone on a four-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Jones to go into the break ahead 20-3. Jones was 20 for 29 in the game with 212 passing yards and two TDs.
Indianapolis kept piling it on in the second half. After forcing a punt, they had an 11-play, 68-yard drive that was capped off with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Jonathan Taylor for a 26-3 advantage following a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Geno Smith underwhelmed yet again. He was held to just 228 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. His second INT set up a two-yard TD run that extended Indy’s lead to 32-3.
It was another great day at the office for Jonathan Taylor, who had 86 total yards and three rushing touchdowns. His third rushing TD gave Indianapolis a 37-point advantage.
New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints scored 20 unanswered points after going down 14-6 for their first win of the season, 26-14. New Orleans’ defense forced five takeaways in this game, while the offense didn’t commit a single turnover.
Following a three-and-out on the game’s first possession, Big Blue made its way into the end zone. Quarterback Jaxson Dart hit tight end Theo Johnson for a one-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Dart was five for five on that series with 44 passing yards, six rushing yards, and a TD.
The Saints had a promising drive of their own that made it all the way down to New York’s ten yard line. However, that possession stalled in the red zone, leading to a New Orleans field goal to bring the score to 7-3.
Theo Johnson had an excellent game, with six catches for 33 yards and two touchdowns. His second TD, a 15-yarder, increased the Giants’ lead to 14-3.
On their next series, Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler threw three straight completions totaling 32 yards before gaining ten yards on the ground. Though the drive tapered out on New York’s side of the field, they got close enough to attempt a 53-yard field goal, making it 14-6.
From there, the Saints narrowed the gap even further. Spencer Rattler hit wide receiver Rashid Shaheed in stride for an 87-yard walk-in touchdown to cut the lead to 14-13. That was the Saints’ longest passing TD in nine years.
The G-Men made a critical error just before the break when wide receiver Darius Slayton was stripped of the football. That loose fumble was recovered by New Orleans and returned 27 yards into Giants territory. The Saints capitalized on that mistake, kicking a 29-yard field goal as time expired for a 16-14 halftime lead.
Jaxson Dart’s first career turnover at the NFL level came at an inopportune time. He fumbled the football while scrambling. That live ball was picked up by New Orleans defensive lineman Cameron Jordan near midfield. After picking up 44 yards and getting to the red zone, the Saints kicked another field goal for a 19-14 advantage.
Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo also had an incredibly pricey turnover. He lost a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter that was picked up and returned 86 yards for a touchdown to give the Saints a 26-14 lead in the final frame.
Jaxson Dart looked much worse this week than he did last week. Though he threw two touchdowns, he also turned the ball over three times and was held to just 202 passing yards on 26 completions.
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets
The Dallas Cowboys made minced meat out of the pathetic New York Jets on their way to a 37-22 win. New York had no answer for Dallas’ rushing attack, which was good for 180 yards on the ground.
Gang Green carved up the Cowboys’ defense on their first offensive possession. Following a 16-yard completion to wide receiver Garrett Wilson and a 22-yard rush by running back Breece Hall, New York found itself in the red zone. However, the drive stalled on Dallas’ seven yard line, so the Jets settled for a field goal to go ahead 3-0.
The ‘Boys clapped back with a score of their own. Quarterback Dak Prescott completed a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Ryan Flournoy, which set up a 35-yard field goal to tie this one 3-3.
Dak Prescott put on a passing clinic on Dallas’ first two drives, completing seven of 11 pass attempts for 106 yards. He also connected with tight end Jake Ferguson, who had a 26-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass to give Dallas its first lead of the game, 10-3.
New York’s turnover issues reared their ugly head again in this game. Gang Green lost a fumble in the red zone to kill a drive that could’ve tied the game 10-10. That was the Jets’ league-leading seventh fumble of the season. Last year, they only lost eight fumbles.
Dallas made New York pay for its mistake. They gained 91 yards in 1:21 seconds to score a five-yard touchdown, giving them a 17-3 lead with less than a minute before halftime. That was running back Javonte Williams’ fifth rushing touchdown of the campaign, a new single-season high for the former Denver Bronco.
The Cowboys wouldn’t be satisfied with a two-touchdown lead. Javonte Williams broke off a 66-yard run with less than 30 seconds left in the first half to get down to the Jets’ one yard line. On the very next play, Dak Prescott linked up with Jake Ferguson for his second TD catch of the game and a 23-3 halftime lead.
Dak Prescott continued to impress. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 237 yards and four TDs. His third touchdown, a 43-yard strike to wideout George Pickens, gave Dallas a 30-3 lead. He also set a record for most games by a Cowboys QB with three or more passing touchdowns (41).
Jets quarterback Justin Fields didn’t do enough to keep New York in this game. He threw for 283 yards and ran for 26 rushing yards. He also threw two passing touchdowns, the first of which cut the lead to 30-14 after a successful two-point conversion.
Javonte Williams continued to stuff the statsheet with 135 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. His four-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter put the Cowboys ahead 37-14.
With that defeat, the Jets are one of just two winless teams remaining in the NFL after the Saints’ victory this week over the New York Giants.
Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Denver Broncos knocked off the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles 21-17 after rallying from a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter. This was Denver’s first victory over a team with a winning record since Week Three of last season.
On their second drive of the game, the Broncos methodically moved the ball 32 yards in 5:19 to kick a field goal and go up 3-0 on the defending Super Bowl Champions. A Bo Nix strip-sack fumble was taken off the board after replay review determined Denver’s quarterback was throwing the ball while being hit.
Philly answered back with their own scoring drive thanks to a 17-yard scamper by running back Saquon Barkley. However, quarterback Jalen Hurts took a sack in the red zone, which forced them to go for a field goal to tie the game at 3-3.
Following a Denver punt, Jalen Hurts hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith for a 52-yard completion, the Eagles’ longest pass of the season, to get into Broncos territory. Denver was later penalized for a defensive pass interference, which allowed Hurts to hook up with tight end Dallas Goedert for a two-yard touchdown pass to put Philly on top 10-3.
The Eagles had no problem feeding wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, who had previously expressed frustration with their roles in Philly’s offense earlier in the week. They combined for 13 catches and 157 receiving yards.
Philadelphia came out of the break with its guns blazing. Following a 21-yard reception by DeVonta Smith, Jalen Hurts hit a wide-open Saquon Barkley for a 47-yard touchdown reception to go ahead 17-3 with just 1:37 gone in the third quarter. That was Barkley’s longest catch as a member of the Eagles.
There was a huge break in the scoring until the fourth quarter. With the ball on their own 36, the Broncos gained 60 yards to get down to Philadelphia’s four yard line. Two plays later, running back J.K. Dobbins punched in a two-yard rushing TD to cut the deficit to 17-10 with 13:11 to go in the game.
After another Philly punt, the Broncos took the lead. Denver quarterback Bo Nix hit wideout Courtland Sutton for a 34-yard pickup. On the next play, tight end Evan Engram recorded an 11-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. Bo Nix then completed a pass to wide receiver Troy Franklin for a two-point conversion and an 18-17 lead with 7:36 remaining in the fourth.
Philadelphia punted yet again, allowing Dever to take possession of the football with roughly five minutes left in the game. Once they got the ball, they chewed away at the clock and kicked a field goal to go ahead 21-17 with 1:11 left in the game.
Facing a 4th and 7 with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Broncos committed a defensive pass interference penalty to keep Philly’s drive alive. Following a 24-yard completion, the Eagles got to Denver’s 29 yard line with three seconds remaining and a chance to heave the ball into the end zone. However, Jalen Hurts’ Hail Mary attempt went unanswered as the Broncos held on for the victory.
Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins 27-24. Carolina scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to down the Miami Dolphins.
The ‘Phins were able to quickly get the ball into Panthers territory, thanks in part to a 34-yard reception by tight end Darren Waller. Though the drive died out in the red zone, Miami kicked a field goal for a 3-0 advantage after the game’s first drive.
Bryce Young once again struggled to hold onto the football. He fumbled the ball away after being tackled on the Dolphins’ side of the field, ending a drive that made it to the 30. That was Young’s second lost fumble of the campaign.
Miami was able to capitalize on Carolina’s mistake. They orchestrated a 14-play, 58-yard drive that ended with a ten-yard touchdown catch-and-run by running back De’Von Achane to extend the Dolphins’ lead to 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Bryce Young again showed he can’t take care of the football with two turnovers in this contest. His second-quarter interception led to the Dolphins’ third consecutive scoring drive to start the game. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa found tight end Darren Waller for a four-yard TD pass to go ahead 17-0.
Looking down the barrel of a 17-point deficit, the Panthers’ offense finally woke up. Rookie wide receiver Tet McMillan recorded two catches for 33 yards, which allowed Carolina to score a touchdown on a diving seven-yard reception by wideout Xavier Legette, cutting Miami’s lead to ten points. McMillan finished the game with six catches for 73 yards.
After Miami’s first punt of the game, the Cats scored once more. Backup running back Rico Dowdle recorded a 25-yard rush, which led to a field goal as time expired to cut the deficit to 17-10 at halftime. Dowdle had 234 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in relief of injured starter Chuba Hubbard.
The Panthers continued to claw and fight their way back into this game. On their first offensive play of the second half, Rico Dowdle picked up 53 yards on the ground. The drive died out at Miami’s 31, but it allowed Carolina to kick a 49-yard field goal to narrow the gap to 17-13.
From there, the offense died down. Carolina and Miami combined for seven straight punts to bring this game to the fourth quarter.
Midway through the fourth, the Panthers got on the board again. Rico Dowdle ran for 43 yards to get Carolina into enemy territory. They eventually got down to Miami’s one yard line, where they were faced with a 3rd and goal. From a yard out, Rico Dowdle scored his second rushing TD of the season to give the Panthers their first lead of the afternoon, 20-17, with 6:10 to go in the game.
The Dolphins responded with ease. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa found wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for a 46-yard touchdown pass to reclaim the lead, 24-20. Tua finished the game with 256 passing yards and three TDs.
Carolina retook the lead with 1:59 left in the game. On an eight-play, 83-yard drive, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw an underneath route to rookie tight end Mitchell Evans for a four-yard touchdown that gave the Panthers a 27-24 lead.
Miami’s offense took the field with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter. However, Tua Tagovailoa took a sack, which led to a punt and Carolina getting the ball back with 1:03. Unfortunately for the ‘Phins, they were flagged for a defensive pass interference on third down, which handed the Panthers the win.
Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens
The Houston Texans demolished the banged-up Baltimore Ravens 44-10. Even though they came into this week with the 29th-ranked scoring offense, Houston scored on its first eight offensive possessions.
The Texans got off to a fast start with a 25-yard reception by wide receiver Nico Collins on the third play of the game. Once they made it into the red zone, quarterback C.J. Stroud found wideout Xavier Hutchinson for a five-yard TD to take a 7-0 lead. That was Hutchinson’s first career touchdown reception.
The ravens responded well. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who started in place of an injured Lamar Jackson, found wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who took a short pass 29 yards. That resulted in a 27-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 after the drive died out on Houston’s nine yard line.
Texans tight end Dalton Schultz made two catches for 21 total yards on Houston’s next possession. Despite getting near the red zone, C.J. Stroud took a poorly timed sack on a 3rd and 5, leading to a field goal to make the score 10-3.
C.J. Stroud made plays with his arm and his legs. After a Ravens punt, Stroud scrambled for a 30-yard pickup to get back into the red zone. A little while later, Stroud linked up with Nico Collins for a ten-yard TD catch, to increase the lead to 17-3.
Dalton Schultz looked unstoppable today with five catches for 60 yards. His 21-yard catch-and-run towards the end of the first half set up a Xavier Hutchinson touchdown catch, giving Houston a 24-3 halftime lead. After not scoring a TD in his first 36 games, Hutchinson had two touchdowns today.
Cooper Rush did not look all that good in his first start with the Ravens. He was held to 179 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions. His INT on the first drive of the third quarter eventually led to a 27-yard TD run from Texans running back Nick Chubb to increase their lead to 28 points.
C.J. Stroud was phenomenal in this one. He completed 23 of 27 passes for 244 passing yards, four TDs, and 30 yards on the ground. This was Stroud’s second career game with four or more passing touchdowns.
The Ravens finally scored their first touchdown late in the third quarter on a one-yard run by running back Derrick Henry. With that score, Henry moved into a tie with Hall of Famer Walter Payton for the fifth-most rushing TDs in NFL history (110).
*Author’s note: all information and statistics are tracked in real time and are provided by the game’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*
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2025-10-05 20:38:00
