NFL roundup: Chiefs, Commanders prevail on last-second field goals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Harrison Butker kept making a lonely walk to midfield after each quarter Sunday to check on the direction of the wind, which tends to swirl inside Arrowhead Stadium. He did it one last time during the 2-minute warning, when his Chiefs were trailing the Bengals by two and trying to give him a winning field-goal attempt.

When Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense did exactly that, helped along by a pass interference call on Cincinnati safety Daijahn Anthony on fourth down in the final minute, Butker once again headed onto the field as Chiefs fans began to roar.

Rarely does he miss. And they didn’t expect him to this time.

With preternatural calm, Butker drilled the 51-yarder as time expired, giving Kansas City the 26-25 victory.

“I try to block it out,” Butker said of the crowd noise. “It’s hard not to feed off it, but I try to block it out. What I don’t like is when you’re trotting onto the field and everyone is clapping, and I’m like, ‘The game’s not over yet. I still have to make this kick.’”

Patrick Mahomes threw for 151 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but it was his incomplete pass intended for Rashee Rice on fourth-and-16 from the Kansas City 35 that turned out to be decisive. Anthony arrived a split-second early and moved Rice from behind with his body, and flags flew with 38 seconds remaining to keep the Chiefs alive.

The penalty came just after Kansas City had a long gain on fourth down wiped out by a penalty of its own.

The pass interference call moved the Chiefs to the Cincinnati 36, and they ran a couple more plays to bleed the clock for the big-legged Butker, who turned around and started walking off the field even before his kick went through the uprights.

“You know, it’s one of those plays where we might benefit from that at some point this season. That’s what I told the guys,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of the pass interference call. “They’re calling it like they see it. I thought they called a very fair game, and they saw that as a penalty. So they called a penalty.”

Joe Burrow threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns, both to Andrei Iosivas, as the Bengals (0-2) came up empty against one of their biggest nemeses for the third straight time. That includes a loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game.

Chamarri Conner returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown for the Chiefs, and big offensive tackle Wanya Morris — who had the penalty that nearly cost them in the final minute — had a touchdown reception on a day full of bizarre plays.

It was the second win for Kansas City decided on the final play after its 27-20 victory over Baltimore on opening night.

“That’s two great football games we’ve played the last two weeks, teams we played in the AFC championship game,” Mahomes said. “We’re going to clean up the mistakes, especially on the offense. It starts with me. And we’ll be a better team for it.”

The Chiefs struggled in their first game with Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, who had nine catches for 111 yards and a score. And with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins absent with an ailing hamstring, Burrow leaned heavily on his own tight ends — Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki and rookie Erick All Jr. — to move an offense that never got going last weekend against New England.

Sample and Gesicki accounted for most of the yardage on an opening drive that produced a field goal. A few minutes later, after Mahomes was picked by Akeem Davis-Gaither, All’s catch helped set up Iosivas’ touchdown reception.

Mahomes eventually atoned for the interception when he found Rice over the outstretched fingers of Cam Taylor-Britt for a tying 44-yard touchdown pass. But otherwise, Andy Reid’s potent offense was stuck in neutral and trailed 16-10 at the half.

All that and the hijinks were just beginning.

The Chiefs pulled ahead early in the second half, when Mahomes popped a pass to his 310-pound tackle-eligible Morris for a touchdown. The Bengals answered on fourth-and-goal when Burrow connected with Iosivas for a second time, only to see Burrow get stripped a few minutes later and Conner return the fumble 37 yards for another touchdown.

Evan McPherson’s fourth field goal gave the Bengals a 25-23 lead with 5:12 to go, and their defense gave them the ball back. But the Chiefs forced a punt with 2:59 remaining, giving Mahomes and Co. the opportunity to decide the game.

COMMANDERS 21, GIANTS 18

LANDOVER, Md. — Jayden Daniels picked up his first win as an NFL quarterback, leading Washington past New York thanks to a franchise-record seven field goals from new kicker Austin Seibert.

Daniels engineered the go-ahead, 65-yard drive in the final minutes to get the ball into the red zone, setting up Seibert’s 30-yard field goal that won it as the clock expired. Seibert’s 7-for-7 performance came days after he replaced Cade York, who missed each of his two attempts in the season opener.

The Commanders (1-1) came back to win an ugly game after the Giants lost kicker Graham Gano to injury on the opening kickoff. Not having Gano forced New York (0-2) to go for it on several fourth-down situations after punter Jamie Gillan missed an extra point attempt early.

Daniels was 23 of 29 for 226 yards and rushed for 44 in his second professional start, beating former LSU teammate and fellow top-10 pick Malik Nabers in their first matchup in the league. Nabers was the Giants’ best player with 10 catches for 127 yards and his first career TD reception.

SAINTS 44, COWBOYS 19

ARLINGTON, Texas — Alvin Kamara scored four touchdowns, including a 57-yarder on a screen pass, and New Orleans ended Dallas’ 16-game home winning streak in the regular season with a victory over the Cowboys.

Derek Carr threw for 243 yards and two TDs to go along with a 1-yard sneak for a score, and the Saints (2-0) got touchdowns on their first six drives a week after setting a franchise record by starting the season with points on nine consecutive possessions in a 47-10 rout of Carolina.

It was actually the second straight loss at AT&T Stadium for the Cowboys (1-1) after their 48-32 wild-card shocker against Green Bay last January.

CHARGERS 26, PANTHERS 3

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes to Quentin Johnston, J.K Dobbins ran for 131 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown, and Los Angeles drubbed Carolina.

The Chargers (2-0) methodically wore down the Panthers, piling up 219 yards on the ground while holding Carolina to just 159 total yards and seven first downs.

Second-year quarterback Bryce Young had another miserable game, finishing 18 of 26 passing for 84 yards with one interception and was booed repeatedly by the home crowd while falling to 2-16 as a starter.

The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 this season.

RAIDERS 26, RAVENS 23

BALTIMORE — Gardner Minshew led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, Daniel Carlson kicked a go-ahead 38-yard field goal with 27 seconds left and Las Vegas rallied to beat Baltimore.

Baltimore appeared headed toward its first win of the season after Derrick Henry plowed into the end zone for a 23-13 lead with 12 minutes left. But the Raiders (1-1) stormed back behind Minshew.

After Carlson kicked a 25-yarder to cut Las Vegas’ deficit, Minshew connected with Davante Adams on a 1-yard TD pass to tie it with 3:54 to go.

The Raiders quickly got the ball back and Minshew moved Las Vegas downfield before Carlson kicked his fourth field goal of the game.

BUCCANEERS 20, LIONS 16

DETROIT — Baker Mayfield had an 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, and Tampa Bay beat Detroit in a playoff rematch.

Tampa Bay (2-0) fell behind only once in the closely contested game, and it stopped Detroit (1-1) when it had two chances to drive for a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.

The Lions turned it over on downs at the Bucs 6 with 53 seconds left and again at their 26 with 2 seconds left.

Lions coach Dan Campbell lamented a mistake he made in the first half, causing confusion for his offense and special teams that had both units on the field. That drew a flag that ran off the clock and took away an opportunity to kick a short field goal and pull within four points.

PACKERS 16, COLTS 10

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Malik Willis threw his first career touchdown pass, Josh Jacobs had 151 of Green Bay’s 261 yards rushing and the Packers withstood the absence of injured quarterback Jordan Love to beat Indianapolis.

Indianapolis (0-2) cut the Packers’ lead to 16-10 on Anthony Richardson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce with 1:47 left, but Green Bay’s Evan Williams recovered the ensuing onside kick. The Colts got the ball back at their own 5-yard line with 43 seconds left, but Williams intercepted a Hail Mary attempt from the Indianapolis 41 to end the game.

Richardson was 17 of 34 for 204 yards, but threw three interceptions. He ran for 37 yards on four carries.

Love didn’t play after injuring his left medial collateral ligament during the final series of a 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6 in Brazil. It was the first game Love missed since taking over as Green Bay’s starting quarterback last year.

BROWNS 18, JAGUARS 13

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Deshaun Watson ran for a touchdown, Dustin Hopkins kicked three field goals and stingy Cleveland did just enough to hold off Jacksonville.

The Browns (1-1) dominated much of the rainy day, sacking Trevor Lawrence four times and holding Jacksonville in check for nearly three quarters.

The Jaguars (0-2) woke up late, with Lawrence finding rookie Brian Thomas Jr. for 66 yards to set up a touchdown and then adding a field goal to make it a one-score game.

Cleveland had a chance to put it away, but three penalties left the Browns facing a third-and-36 from midfield. Corey Bojorquez dropped a punt inside the 2-yard line, and Alex Wright sacked Lawrence in the end zone on the ensuing play.

The Jags got a chance in the final minute and mustered a threat with 8 seconds left. But Lawrence’s pass to the end zone fell to the ground.

VIKINGS 23, 49ERS 17

MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team, including a 97-yard strike in the second quarter to Justin Jefferson, and an attacking defense again fueled Minnesota in a victory over San Francisco.

Darnold went 17 for 26 with one interception to win his second straight start for the Vikings (2-0), who used the last of three field goals by rookie Will Reichard to give themselves a bigger cushion midway through the fourth quarter.

Blake Cashman had 13 tackles, six passes defensed and a sack and Patrick Jones II had two of the six sacks of Brock Purdy, who threw two interceptions and found himself playing from behind all game. Purdy went 28 for 36 for 319 yards.

Overcoming two red zone turnovers that the 49ers (1-1) turned into touchdowns and a quadriceps injury that forced Jefferson out of the game in the third quarter, Darnold and the Vikings put on a show in his home debut after backing up Purdy last season for the NFC champions.

SEAHAWKS 23, PATRIOTS 20, OT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jason Myers hit a 31-yard field goal in overtime to lift Seattle to a win over New England.

The game-winner capped a three-for-three day for Myers, who ensured the game went into OT with a 38-yard field goal with less than a minute left in regulation. Myers also hit from 44 yards in the second quarter.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith led Seattle on an eight-play, 71-yard drive to the New England 13 to set up the winning score. Smith was 33 of 44 for 327 yards on the day, with a 56-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf in the first half.

Metcalf finished with 10 catches for 129 yards.

The Seahawks (2-0) also got a 100-yard receiving game from Jaxon Smith-Njigba (12 catches for 117 yards).