Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels threw five touchdown passes Sunday as the Commanders halted Philadelphia’s 10-game NFL winning streak with a 36-33 victory in which the Eagles also lost quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion. The Commanders piled up 22 points in the fourth quarter, rookie signal-caller Daniels finding Jamison Crowder with a nine-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left to secure what had seemed an unlikely win.
The Eagles, who hadn’t lost since September, were without Hurts for most of the game after he hit his head on the turf after a tackle in the first quarter and was ruled out with a concussion. Kenny Pickett replaced him and threw for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but at 12-3 the Eagles dropped out of a tie for best record in the NFC and failed to clinch the NFC East division title.
The Detroit Lions remained atop the NFC with a franchise-record 13th victory, cruising past the Bears 34-17 in Chicago. Stung by a loss to Buffalo that snapped their 11-game winning streak, the Lions jumped to a 20-point lead on the way to setting a single-season franchise record for points scored with 493 so far. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, including an 82-yard TD pass to Jameson Williams, who had a career-high 143 receiving yards on five catches. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 109 yards and a touchdown, and the Lions used a trick play in which Goff pretended to stumble to spring tight end Sam LaPorta for a 21-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the second half.
The Los Angeles Rams remained in control of the NFC West division with a 19-9 victory over the New York Jets. Trailing 9-6 at halftime, the Rams tied it at 9-9 on Joshua Karty’s 38-yard field goal early in the fourth. The Rams then forced a turnover with a strip sack of Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford capped a three-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Higbee, who was making his season debut after tearing two knee ligaments in last year’s playoffs. Karty capped the scoring with a 45-yard field goal, and the Rams, who started the season 1-4, improved to 9-6 atop the NFC West.
In Atlanta, rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his first career start in place of struggling Kirk Cousins and threw for 202 yards in a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants. Atlanta’s defense was key, as safety Jessie Bates and outside linebacker Matthew Judon returned interceptions of Giants quarterback Drew Lock for touchdowns.
The Cincinnati Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive with a 24-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for three touchdowns, and receiver Ja’Marr Chase caught six passes for 97 yards. That gave him 1,510 for the season, breaking his own franchise record for a single campaign.
© 2024 AFP
