ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Hold on to your seats, the Buffalo Bills are showing they’re for real.
Rian Lindell hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired to cap a stunning comeback for a 34-31 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday. The win snapped Buffalo’s 15-game losing streak against the Patriots that dated to 2003, and sparked a wild celebration in which stadium officials guarded the goal posts to ensure fans didn’t bring them down.
The Bills (3-0) won courtesy of yet another Ryan Fitzpatrick-led rally, overcoming a 21-0 second-quarter deficit. It was reminiscent to what the Bills did in a 38-35 win over Oakland a week earlier, when they scored touchdowns on their final five possession to overcome a 21-3 deficit.
This time, they did it against their long-time AFC East nemesis.
It was that kind of euphoric win for a team attempting to turn around a dreadful past in which it has gone 11 seasons without making the playoffs. And it’s a victory that suddenly has the Bills (3-0) alone in first place atop the division after the New York Jets (2-1) lost at Oakland.
Tom Brady went 30-of-45 for 386 yards and four scores for New England (2-1). Despite setting a league record for most yards passing over a three-game stretch, Brady matched a career worst with four interceptions.
Giants 29, Eagles 16
PHILADELPHIA — With Michael Vick knocked out of another game, Eli Manning and the New York Giants wouldn’t let the Philadelphia Eagles finish off their comeback.
Manning threw four touchdown passes, including two to Victor Cruz, and the Giants beat the Eagles 29-16 Sunday.
Vick started despite suffering a concussion in last week’s 35-31 loss at Atlanta. He left with a broken right hand in the fourth quarter.
Saints 40, Texans 33
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees passed for 370 yards and three touchdowns, and twice led New Orleans back from fourth-quarter deficits.
Mark Ingram’s first career touchdown on a 13-yard run gave the Saints (2-1) the lead for good with under 3 minutes left. Brees was intercepted twice, but redeemed himself with all of his TD passes in the second half, including a 27-yarder to tight end Jimmy Graham and a 16-yarder to Lance Moore. Houston is 2-1. Lions 26, Vikings 23, OT
Lions 26, Vikings 23
MINNEAPOLIS — Matthew Stafford threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Lions from a 20-0 halftime deficit, and Jason Hanson kicked a 32-yard field goal in overtime.
Calvin Johnson had seven catches for 108 yards and two TDs for the Lions - 3-0 for the first time since 1980. They won in the Metrodome for the first time since 1997.
Panthers 16, Jaguars 10
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cam Newton didn’t pass for a ton of yards, he simply found Greg Olsen over the middle for a 16-yard touchdown with 4:20 left to lift Carolina (1-2).
Titans 17, Broncos 14
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Hasselbeck threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham with 4:24 left to complete Tennessee’s rally.
49ers 13, Bengals 8
CINCINNATI — Kendall Hunter ran 7 yards for the game’s only touchdown with 3:59 to go, rallying San Francisco in front of Cincinnati’s smallest crowd for a home opener in 30 years.
Browns 17, Dolphins 16
CLEVELAND — Colt McCoy threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi with 43 seconds left to cap an 80-yard drive and rally Cleveland (2-1) over winless Miami.
The loss surely will bring more heat on embattled Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.
Raiders 34, Jets 24
OAKLAND, Calif. — Darren McFadden ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns and the Oakland Raiders bullied the two-time defending AFC runners-up on the ground to win their home opener over the New York Jets.
Seahawks 13, Cardinals 10
SEATTLE — Tarvaris Jackson scrambled for an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, bulling through two Arizona defenders at the goal line, and the Seattle Seahawks picked up their first win.
Chargers 20, Chiefs 17
SAN DIEGO — Eric Weddle intercepted Matt Cassel at midfield with 55 seconds left to preserve San Diego’s victory over the winless Kansas City Chiefs.
Packers 27, Bears 17
CHICAGO — Aaron Rodgers threw for 297 yards and three touchdown passes to Jermichael Finley, and the Green Bay Packers shut down Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears.
Bucs 16, Falcons 13
TAMPA, Fla. — Josh Freeman scored the first rushing touchdown of his career and Tampa Bay’s defense forced three turnovers and sacked Matt Ryan four times in its best performance of the season, helping the young Buccaneers end three years of frustration against Atlanta.
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