Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor, top, leaps over Titans safety Amani Hooker for one of his two touchdowns in Houston’s 22-13 win on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee. Wade Payne/Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tyrod Taylor ran for two touchdowns and threw for 107 yards and the Houston Texans snapped the NFL’s longest active skid by beating the Tennessee Titans 22-13 on a wet and rainy Sunday.
The Texans (2-8) came in having lost eight straight since winning their season opener and hadn’t scored a TD on the road since Sept. 19.
Desmond King had two of the Texans’ four interceptions – three in the fourth quarter to snuff out the Titans’ attempted rally. Houston turned those and a fumbled punt into 13 points. The Texans also had two sacks.
The Titans (8-3) snapped their six-game winning streak with their first loss since Oct. 3. That came to the then-winless New York Jets, and the Texans hadn’t won since the season opener. The Texans also left defensive lineman Jonathan Greenard with his seven sacks in seven games back in Houston with an injured foot.
Tennessee outgained Houston 420-190. But the Titans couldn’t overcome their mistakes on a day where their injury list grew even longer with wide receiver A.J. Brown knocked out of the game in the third quarter with an injured chest.
Tennessee already declared six out for this game, including three starters, and also put linebacker Bud Dupree on injured reserve. Starting cornerback Jackrabbit Jenkins was a game-time scratch with a chest injury.
49ERS 30, JAGUARS 30: Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes for the third consecutive week, and San Francisco (5-5) dominated the Jaguars (2-8) in Jacksonville, Florida, for its third win in four games.
Coming off their best game of the season – a 31-10 stunner against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night – the 49ers traveled cross-country on a short week and looked every bit like a playoff contender for the second time in six days.
DOLPHINS 24, JETS 17: Tua Tagovailoa threw a go-ahead 5-yard touchdown pass to Myles Gaskin early in the fourth quarter and Miami (4-7) hung on to beat New York (2-8) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for its third straight victory.
A week after an impressive win over Baltimore, the Dolphins overcame some penalties – and the Jets had some sloppy plays of their own – to get their first three-game winning streak since winning five in a row in the middle of last season.
BROWNS 13, LIONS 10: Nick Chubb caught a touchdown pass and ran for 130 yards as Cleveland (6-5) held on to avoid a season-wrecking upset and keep Detroit (0-9-1) winless with a sloppy 13-10 victory in Cleveland.
Chubb returned to Cleveland’s lineup after a one-game absence due to COVID-19. The star running back caught a 5-yard TD pass from Baker Mayfield and then helped the Browns run out the clock.
EAGLES 40, SAINTS 29: Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns, Darius Slay returned an interception for a score and Philadelphia (5-6) beat New Orleans (5-5) in Philadelphia.
The Eagles have won two in a row for the first time this season and rookie coach Nick Sirianni earned his first victory at home in five tries.
WASHINGTON 27, PANTHERS 21: Taylor Heinicke threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns against the league’s top-ranked pass defense, and Washington (4-6) spoiled Cam Newton’s return to Bank of America Stadium with a win over Carolina (5-6).
Terry McLaurin had five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown against a Panthers defense that came in having allowed 173.3 yards passing per game.
VIKINGS 34, PACKERS 31: Greg Joseph made a 29-yard field goal as time expired to give Minnesota (5-5) a victory over Green Bay (8-3) in Minneapolis, finishing a classic back-and-forth with Aaron Rodgers by making sure the three-time NFL MVP didn’t get to touch the ball last.
Kirk Cousins passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings (5-5), who watched yet another game come down to the final play after Rodgers threw three of his four touchdown passes in the second half.
RAVENS 16, BEARS 13: Subbing for star quarterback Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley led a winning drive capped by Devonta Freeman’s 3-yard run with 22 seconds remaining, and Baltimore (7-3) beat host Chicago (3-7).
Jackson was sidelined by illness for the AFC North-leading Ravens, who ruled him out 90 minutes before kickoff after he took some throws on the field. The 2019 MVP was a full participant in practice Friday after being held out the previous two days. Coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday the illness was not COVID-19.
BENGALS 32, RAIDERS 13: Joe Mixon rushed for 123 yards and scored two touchdowns and visiting Cincinnati (6-4) defeated Las Vegas (5-5).
The well-rested Bengals came out of their bye week and snapped a two-game skid to climb back into the AFC North race, while the Raiders lost their third straight since their bye week when they led the AFC West.
Joe Burrow was 20 of 29 for 148 yards and threw one touchdown for Cincinnati, while Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Ja’Marr Chase hauled in three passes, including one TD. Chase leads all rookies with eight touchdowns this season.
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson became the 13th player with three field goals of 50 yards or more in a game. McPherson finished with four field goals.
CHIEFS 19, COWBOYS 9: Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 63 yards and a touchdown in his return from injured reserve, Chris Jones and Kansas City (7-4) made life miserable for Dak Prescott, and the Chiefs beat Dallas (7-3) in Kansas City, Missouri.
Patrick Mahomes was 23 of 37 for 260 yards with an interception and a fumble for Kansas City, but he was bailed out by a defense that played its best game of the year. Charvarius Ward picked off Prescott in the end zone near the end of the first half, and Chris Jones had 3 1/2 sacks while forcing and recovering a fumble.
The result: The Chiefs improved to 4-0 against the NFC East with their fourth straight win overall.
CARDINALS 23, SEAHAWKS 13: Colt McCoy was outstanding filling in for Kyler Murray, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns, and Arizona (9-2) won at Seattle (3-7).
For the second straight season, McCoy was a backup thrust into a starting role in Seattle and walked away with a victory. Last year, McCoy was with the New York Giants. This season, it was with Murray missing a third straight game due to an ankle injury.
McCoy went 35 of 44 and thoroughly outplayed Seattle’s Russell Wilson in his first home start since undergoing finger surgery. McCoy threw touchdown passes of 1 and 2 yards to Zach Ertz in the first half, got a bit of luck in the third quarter when a potential interception was overturned on replay, and had his first 300-yard passing game since 2014.
Arizona had scoring drives of 92 and 82 yards in the first half that ate up 16 minutes. The Cardinals ran off another 7½ minutes early in the fourth quarter but Matt Prater missed his second field goal attempt, from 36 yards to give Seattle hope.
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