SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jay Cutler passed for three fourth-quarter touchdowns after much of Chicago’s starting defense went down in the regular-season debut of Levi’s Stadium, leading the Bears to a 28-20 win.
Cutler threw three TD passes to Brandon Marshall, two in the wild fourth quarter, as Chicago (1-1) erased a 13-point deficit and quieted the sellout crowd. Cutler threw for two scores in a 27-second span early in the final period, aided by the gutsy play of a backup cornerback.
Rookie Kyle Fuller made two late interceptions for the depleted Chicago secondary, and the first set up the go-ahead score.
San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for “inappropriate language” following Fuller’s first big play. Cutler threw a 3-yard TD pass to Martellus Bennett as the Bears went ahead 21-20.
Kaepernick threw three interceptions in all and lost a fumble for the Niners (1-1).
Chargers 30, Seahawks 21
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Antonio Gates had three touchdown catches and the Chargers controlled the tempo to keep Seattle’s offense off the field.
Gates’ 21-yard catch late in the third quarter was epic, as the star tight end split two defenders and extended for Philip Rivers’ pass, reaching out with his left hand to gather it in. Flat on his back, he held up the ball to show the officials he made the catch that gave San Diego a 27-14.
Rivers was 28 of 37 for 284 yards.
San Diego (1-1) had blown an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and lost its opener Monday night at Arizona. Seattle (1-1) had nine days to prepare after a 20-point opening victory against Green Bay.
Browns 26, Saints 24
CLEVELAND (AP) — Billy Cundiff kicked a 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds left. Cundiff’s kick helped the Browns (1-1) snap a nine-game losing streak in home openers and gave rookie coach Mike Pettine his first NFL win.
Brian Hoyer drove the Browns 85 yards in 14 plays in the final 2:46 to set up Cundiff’s winner. Hoyer completed several big passes, none more crucial than his 28-yarder to Andrew Hawkins with 13 seconds to go.
The Saints (0-2) rallied from a 13-point deficit to take the lead on Mark Ingram’s 1-yard TD run with 12:12 left. Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and moved into fourth place on the NFL’s career passing list.
Down 24-23, Cleveland took over at its 4. Missing suspended receiver Josh Gordon and without injured Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron and running back Ben Tate, Hoyer calmly took the Browns down the field.
Packers 31, Jets 24
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, Jordy Nelson had a career-high 209 yards receiving and the Packers rallied from an 18-point deficit.
New York appeared to tie it with 5 minutes left on a 37-yard catch by Jeremy Kerley on fourth down — but it was negated because the Jets (1-1) called a timeout from the sideline just before the snap. The Packers (1-1) held on from there to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2006.
Randall Cobb caught two short scoring strikes and a 2-point conversation that gave the Packers a 24-21 lead in the third quarter.
Green Bay (1-1) went up 31-24 late in the third quarter when Nelson worked a double move on Dee Milliner for an 80-yard touchdown catch.
Bengals 24, Falcons 10
CINCINNATI (AP) — One Bengals player after another hobbled off and headed to the locker room. They still had more than enough to stay unbeaten with a win over Atlanta (1-1).
Running back Giovani Bernard picked up the depleted offense by running for 90 yards. Cincinnati’s defense held down Matt Ryan and the Bengals won their home opener and improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2006.
But Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green aggravated an injured toe on his right foot, and didn’t catch a pass for the first time in his four-year career. Tight end Alex Smith injured his left biceps, right guard Kevin Zeitler hurt his right calf, and Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict left in the second half with a pinched nerve in his neck. Burfict suffered a concussion in a season-opening win at Baltimore and missed practice during the week.
Bills 29, Dolphins 10
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.
The Dolphins (1-1) also lost a key offseason addition when running back Knowshon Moreno did not return after hurting his left elbow 11 minutes in.
Spiller and Watkins, the Clemson connection, both scored in the third quarter, putting Buffalo (2-0) ahead 23-10.
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.
Patriots 30, Vikings 7
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tom Brady and the Patriots took advantage of Adrian Peterson’s absence and Matt Cassel’s four interceptions.
Chandler Jones returned a field goal he blocked for a touchdown right before halftime.
Brady went 15 for 22 for 149 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, and Cassel’s first start against his close friend and former mentor was a dud. Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis, Logan Ryan and Dominique Easley all picked him off, setting up 17 points for the Patriots, prompting “Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!” chants from the crowd for the rookie Bridgewater.
Peterson was shelved for the game after a charge of child abuse was levied against him Friday in Texas.
Broncos 24, Chiefs 17
DENVER (AP) — Terrance Knighton batted away Alex Smith’s fourth-and-goal pass to Dwayne Bowe with 15 seconds left.
The Broncos (2-0) thought they had sealed the win twice earlier on the drive. Aqib Talib’s interception return for a TD was negated when Quanterus Smith jumped offside. Then Nate Irving’s fumble recovery following DeMarcus Ware’s sack and strip was ruled an incomplete pass after a replay.
The Chiefs (0-2) converted 11 of 16 third-down opportunities overall. They just couldn’t capitalize in the biggest moments as the Broncos mustered two goal-line stands for the second straight week.
Peyton Manning was 21 of 26 for 242 yards and three TDs.
Panthers 24, Lions 7
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cam Newton made a successful return to the field, throwing for 281 yards and a touchdown. Newton, who missed the season opener with a rib injury, was 22 of 34 and overcame five sacks. Carolina started 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, playing without Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy, had three takeaways and held the Lions (1-1) scoreless in the first half one week after Matthew Stafford and company put up 35 points against the Giants. Hardy, convicted on two counts of domestic violence on July 15, was a surprise inactive.
Stafford was sacked four times.
Cowboys 26, Titans 10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — DeMarco Murray ran for 167 yards and a touchdown and Dan Bailey kicked four field goals. The loss spoiled Tennessee first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt’s home debut.
Dallas (1-1) scored the first 16 points of the game in the first half.
Even the beleaguered Dallas defense got into the act, coming up with two sacks and two interceptions.
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.
Texans 30, Raiders 14
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — J.J. Watt caught a 1-yard touchdown pass, Arian Foster ran for 138 yards and a score and the Texans won their second straight game.
Instead of controlling the game from his usual defensive end position, Watt made his biggest impact on the opening drive when he lined up as a tight end. He caught a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to get Houston (2-0) started.
After losing their final 14 games in a two-win season in 2013, the Texans have opened strong under new coach Bill O’Brien.
The home opener for the Raiders (0-2) hardly could have gone worse as they fell behind 27-0 after three quarters.
Rams 19, Buccaneers 17
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Greg Zuerlein’s fourth field goal, a 38-yarder with 38 seconds remaining, gave third-string quarterback Austin Davis and the Rams a tight win.
Davis completed 22 of 29 passes for 235 yards with no interceptions in his first NFL start. Zac Stacy had a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Zuerlein also delivered field goals of 36, 35 and 46 yards to help the Rams (1—1) rebound from a lopsided opening loss to Minnesota.
Bobby Rainey rushed 144 yards and quarterback Josh McCown had two short TD runs for the Bucs (0-2). Tampa moved into St. Louis territory in the closing second. The game ended when rookie Mike Evans was slow getting up after a 29-yard reception to the St. Louis 32.
Cardinals 25, Giants 14
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Ted Ginn Jr. ran 71 yards on a punt return for a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown.
Playing in a regular-season game for the first time since 2010, Drew Stanton replaced the scratched Carson Palmer and led the Cardinals (2-0) on three long scoring drives. Arizona won for the ninth time in 11 games.
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 Giants (0-2), who turned over the ball four times.
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