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    Pro Sports
    Thursday, April 25, 2024

    NFL Roundup

    Seahawks tight end Zach Miller makes a 16-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Lions at Detroit. Lions linebacker Ashlee Palmer, left, defends on the play. The Lions won 28-24.

    Falcons 30, Eagles 17

    Either the Atlanta Falcons are really this good or the Philadelphia Eagles are really this bad.

    Matt Ryan threw touchdown passes on Atlanta's first three possessions against the Eagles and new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and the Falcons remained the NFL's only unbeaten team with a convincing win Sunday.

    The Falcons improved to 7-0 for the first time while the Eagles (3-4) lost after a bye for the first time in 14 games under coach Andy Reid since 1999.

    Ryan finished 22 of 29 for 262 yards and three TDs for his first win against his hometown team in three tries.

    Michael Vick didn't turn the ball over for once, but he played so-so and failed to beat his former team in his second start against the Falcons since returning to the NFL in 2009.

    The Falcons scored on their first six possessions before punting for the first time with 5:35 left.

    This was a validation win for Atlanta. The Falcons entered with no victories over a team with a winning record and their opponents were a combined 13-24 going into this weekend. Perhaps that's why they were a surprising 3-point underdog despite Philadelphia's recent struggles.

    Reid's Eagles have lost three in a row since starting 3-1. Reid fired Juan Castillo and replaced him with Bowles two days after Philadelphia blew its second straight fourth-quarter lead in an overtime loss to Detroit.

    Clearly, it didn't work.

    Castillo's defense allowed 18.5 points per game, excluding two TD returns against the offense. Bowles' D allowed 21 points in the first 24 minutes and couldn't make a stop until the fourth quarter.

    A sellout crowd anticipating a pending storm expected to hit the East Coast soon started filtering out in the third quarter. Those who stuck around booed the Eagles off the field, though one guy chanted "E-A-G-L-E-S" in the final minute.

    The anti-Reid fans may be seeing him in his final months with the team. Owner Jeffrey Lurie already stated before the season that another 8-8 finish would be "unacceptable."

    The Falcons methodically drove 80 yards on 16 plays on the opening possession, converting five third downs. A holding call on defensive end Jason Babin kept the drive going after Ryan threw an incomplete pass on third-and-10. Ryan then threw a 15-yard TD pass to Drew Davis for a 7-0 lead.

    Lions 28, Seahawks 24

    Matthew Stafford threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Titus Young with 20 seconds left.

    Zach Miller made a spectacular, 16-yard catch on a toss from Russell Wilson with 5:27 left to put the Seahawks ahead.

    Seattle (4-4) couldn't stop the Lions (3-4) on their last possession.

    Stafford led a 16-play drive that started at Detroit 20 with 5:27 remaining. The possession began with a 15-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and was kept alive with third-down conversion passes to Johnson in Lions territory and to Joique Bell to set up the winning score from just outside the goal line.

    Steelers 27, Redskins 12

    The Steelers turned Robert Griffin III into just another rookie quarterback, swarming Washington's precocious star in a dominant win.

    Griffin completed just 16 of 34 passes for 177 yards and a score while managing 8 yards rushing.

    Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had no such issues, throwing for 222 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers (4-3) won consecutive games for the first time this season.

    Jonathan Dwyer added 107 yards rushing in his second NFL start. Pittsburgh jumped on Washington (3-5) early, scoring on its first four possessions and never letting Griffin get loose.

    Heath Miller caught four passes for 46 yards and his sixth touchdown of the season for the Steelers.

    Browns 7, Chargers 6

    Rookie Trent Richardson rushed for 122 yards and scored a touchdown in the Browns' soggy, wind-whipped win.

    Richardson, pulled last week at Indianapolis when he was ineffective because of a rib injury, carried 24 times as the Browns (2-6) won their second straight game at home - and first for new owner Jimmy Haslam. Richardson scored on a 26-yard run in the first quarter and the Browns were able to hang on despite not generating much offense in blustery, rainy conditions.

    The Chargers (3-4) dropped their third straight. San Diego had a final chance, but quarterback Philip Rivers' pass was batted away by Browns cornerback Buster Skrine with 1:24 left.

    Rivers finished 18 of 34 for 154 yards

    Colts 19, Titans 13

    Andrew Luck threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Vick Ballard at 4:49 of overtime.

    The Colts (4-3) have beaten Tennessee in seven of eight overall and seven of the past 10 in Nashville.

    The Colts did it with Luck leading a pair of 80-yard touchdown drives. The top pick overall in April's draft set up Delone Carter's 1-yard TD run that tied it up at 13 with 3:24 left in the fourth quarter.

    In overtime, Ballard capped the drive, taking a screen pass and going up the left side where he jumped toward the goal line for the TD.

    The Titans fell to 3-5.

    Bears 23, Panthers 22

    Robbie Gould kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired to rally the Bears.

    The Bears trailed 19-7 in the fourth quarter when the game turned in a big way.

    Chicago (6-1) took over on the Carolina 38 after Brad Nortman shanked a 6-yard punt, and Jay Cutler connected with Kellen Davis on a 12-yard scoring pass with just under seven minutes left.

    Then, on Carolina's next play, Steve Smith slipped on a pass pattern and Tim Jennings returned his second interception of the game 25 yards for the go-ahead score.

    Cam Newton drove the Panthers to the Chicago 27, and Justin Medlock's 45-yard field goal hit the right upright and went through to put Carolina (1-6) ahead 22-20 with 2:27 remaining. Medlock had five field goals.

    Packers 24, Jaguars 15

    Aaron Rodgers went back to an old favorite, connecting with Donald Driver on a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

    Rodgers threw two touchdowns, passing Bart Starr for second place on Green Bay's all-time list, and Dezman Moses gave the Packers their first touchdown on a blocked punt in almost 22 years. But Green Bay (5-3) had a surprisingly tough time with the NFL's worst team, which lost its fourth straight.

    Playing without top receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, Green Bay's offense struggled to find its groove all afternoon. Jacksonville (1-6), meanwhile, looked unfazed by the absence of Maurice Jones-Drew. Backup Rashad Jennings finished with 115 yards of offense, and Cecil Shorts had a career-best 116 yards on eight catches.

    Raiders 26, Chiefs 16

    Carson Palmer threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, and Oakland stuffed struggling Kansas City for its sixth straight win at Arrowhead Stadium.

    Sebastian Janikowski was perfect on four field-goal attempts, and the Raiders (3-4) nearly became the third straight team to keep the Kansas City offense out of the end zone.

    The Chiefs (1-6) scored their only touchdown with 2:27 left in the game.

    Darren McFadden ran for 114 yards, and Denarius Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey had touchdown catches for Oakland, which has won two straight after losing four of its first five.

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