NFL Sidelines

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks opened their Super Bowl title defense by blasting Green Bay in the NFL season opener on Sept. 4. The Hawks didn’t look too good this afternoon.

Philip Rivers completed 28 of 37 passes for 284 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Chargers outscored the Seahawks 30-21. Rivers hit Antonio Gates for a pair of eight-yard touchdowns while the Chargers were scoring 17 straight points in the second quarter to take a 20-7 lead. Gates finished with three scoring grabs.

Russell Wilson had two touchdown passes for the Seahawks, who took their only lead on Percy Harvin’s 51-yard run late in the opening period. Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch had just six carries for 36 yards.

Both teams are 1-1.

DENVER (AP) — Peyton Manning added three more touchdown passes to his career total, hitting Julius Thomas, Jacob Tamme (TAM’-ee) and Demaryius (deh-MAR’-ee-uhs) Thomas for scores in Denver’s 24-17 win over division rival Kansas City.

The Chiefs led 10-7 until Manning threw two scoring strikes during a 6:10 span late in the third quarter. He was 21 of 26 for 242 yards and no interceptions for the 2-0 Broncos.

Knile Davis ran for 79 yards and two TDs for the 0-2 Chiefs, who actually outgained the Broncos 380 yards to 325.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers didn’t wait until the fourth quarter to rally the Green Bay Packers.

The Jets built a 21-3 lead before Rodgers threw for three touchdowns in the Packers’ 31-24 win over New York as Green Bay rebounded from a season-opening loss at Seattle. The game was tied at 24 until Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for an 80-yard touchdown with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Rogers completed 25 of his 42 passes for 346 yards and no interceptions.

Jets quarterback Geno Smith ran for a touchdown and threw for another to give the Jets a 14-0 lead just over 6 ½ minutes into the game. But Smith also had two interceptions as New York dropped to 0-2.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Billy Cundiff kicked a 29-yard field goal with three seconds left, giving Cleveland a 26-24 win over New Orleans, dropping the Saints to 0-2.

Cundiff’s kick helped the Browns snap a nine-game losing streak in home openers and gave rookie coach Mike Pettine (PEHT’-ihn) his first NFL win. Cleveland had not won at home since 2004.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer drove the Browns 85 yards in 14 plays in the final 2:46 to set up Cundiff’s game-winner. Hoyer completed several big passes, none more crucial than his 28-yarder to Andrew Hawkins with 13 seconds to go.

The Saints rallied from a 13-point deficit to take the lead on Mark Ingram’s 1-yard TD run with 12:12 left.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and moved up to fourth on NFL’s career passing list, moving past John Elway. Graham caught 10 passes for 118 yards.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Running back Giovani Bernard picked up a Bengals offense missing receiver A.J. Green by rushing for 90 yards and turning short passes into big plays in a 24-10 win over Atlanta.

The Bengals won their home opener and improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2006 despite losing several key players to injury, most notably Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green.

The Pro Bowl receiver aggravated an injured toe on his right foot, which kept him out of practice last week. He left during the opening series and didn’t catch a pass for the first time in his four-year career.

Cincinnati had more than enough left to handle the Falcons (1-1), who gave up nearly 500 yards for the second straight game. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was 24 of 44 for 231 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots took advantage of Adrian Peterson’s absence and Matt Cassel’s four interceptions in a 30-7 win over Minnesota. Chandler Jones returned a field goal he blocked for a touchdown right before halftime.

Brady went 15 for 22 for 142 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, and Cassel’s first start against his close friend and former mentor was a dud. Cassel finished 19 for 36 for 202 yards.

Devin McCourty, Darrelle (deh-REHL’) Revis, Logan Ryan and Dominique Easley all picked him off, setting up 17 points for the Patriots and prompting chants from the crowd for the rookie Teddy Bridgewater.

Peterson was shelved for the game after a charge of child abuse was levied against him Friday in Texas.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cam Newton made a successful return to the field, throwing for 281 yards and a touchdown in Carolina’s 24-7 victory over Detroit.

Newton missed the season opener with a rib injury but came back to complete 22 of 34 passes. He overcame four sacks to help Carolina start 2-0 for the first time since 2008.

Trailing 7-6 in the third quarter, the Panthers took advantage of back-to-back Detroit turnovers and scored on three straight possessions.

Carolina’s defense had three takeaways and held the Lions scoreless in the first half one week after Matthew Stafford and company put up 35 points against the Giants. Defense end Greg Hardy, convicted on two counts of domestic violence on July 15, was a surprise inactive.

Stafford threw for 291 yards with one touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked four times.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Ted Ginn (GIHN) Jr. returned a punt 71 yards for a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown to vault Arizona Cardinals past the error-prone New York Giants 25-14.

Drew Stanton led the 2-0 Cardinals on three long scoring drives in helping them win for the ninth time in 11 games. He was subbing for injured starting quarterback Carson Palmer and playing in a regular season game for the first time since 2010.

Jonathan Dwyer scored on a 1-yard run and Chandler Catanzaro kicked four field goals, including one a minute after Ginn’s electrifying return on which the speedster bounced off a tackle and was gone.

The Cardinals got the ball back right away after Quintin Demps fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return.

Eli Manning threw two touchdowns for the 0-2 Giants, who turned over the ball four times.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — C.J. Spiller scored on a 102-yard kickoff return, and rookie receiver Sammy Watkins had a 12-yard touchdown catch in leading Buffalo Bills to a 29-10 win over Miami. Spiller and Watkins both scored in the third quarter, putting Buffalo ahead 23-10.

Buffalo is 2-0 start for the first time since 2011, and sixth time since 2000. The Bills rode the momentum of a charged-up crowd in a home opener that celebrated the franchise’s past and future.

The Bills paid tribute to late owner Ralph Wilson, who died in March. On Tuesday, Wilson’s estate reached a “definitive agreement” to sell the team to Terry and Kim Pegula for an NFL-record $1.4 billion.

The Dolphins lost a key offseason addition when running back Knowshon (NOH’-shawn) Moreno did not return after hurting his left elbow 11 minutes in. Miami is now 1-1.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Kirk Cousins completed 22 of 33 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns subbing for the injured Robert Griffin III in Washington’s 41-10 romp over Jacksonville.

Griffin went down with an ankle injury early in the game after landing awkwardly on it while on the run trying to complete a pass. He was carted to the locker room with a spint on his leg.

The Redskins also lost receiver DeSean (deh-SHAWN) Jackson shortly after that with an injured left shoulder.

Cousins completed his first 12 passes subbing for Griffin.

Ryan Kerrigan had four of the Redskins’ 10 sacks, and Washington’s defense didn’t allow Jacksonville past midfield until the final two minutes of the first half.

Washington outgained Jacksonville 449-148.

The Redskins improved to 1-1. The Jaguars are 0-2 for the third consecutive season.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — DeMarco Murray ran for 167 yards and a touchdown and Dan Bailey kicked four field goals to help Dallas rout Tennessee 26-10.

The loss spoiled Tennessee first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt’s home debut.

Dallas scored the first 16 points of the game in the first half. The Cowboys defense had two sacks and two interceptions that led to 10 points.

Tony Romo easily shook off his three interceptions in the season-opening loss to San Francisco. With Murray running so well, Romo was 19 of 29 for 176 yards and a TD.

The Titans (1-1) struggled in all areas after winning their opener at Kansas City and missed on their first 2-0 start since 2008.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Houston is off to a 2-0 start under new coach Bill O’Brien after ending last season on a 14-game losing streak.

J.J. Watt grabbed a one-yard touchdown pass on Houston’s opening drive before the Texans completed a 30-14 rout of the Raiders in Oakland. Arian Foster ran for 138 yards and a TD to help the Texans race out to a 27-0 lead.

Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for a pair of TD’s while going 14 of 19 for 139 yards.

Raiders rookie Derek Carr was picked off twice and completed 27 of his 42 passes for 263 yards and no touchdowns.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis has its first win of the season.

The Rams pulled out a 19-17 win over Tampa Bay on Greg Zuerlein’s (SWUR’-lynz) 38-yard field goal with 38 seconds left. The winning kick came less than five minutes after Patrick Murray drilled a 36-yard field goal to put the Buccaneers ahead 17-16, putting Lovie Smith in line for his first victory with the Bucs.

Zac Stacy ran for a two-yard TD, Zuerlein finished with four field goals and Austin Davis was 22 of 29 for 235 yards and no interceptions.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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