MINNEAPOLIS – Harrison Smith led Minnesota’s defense in a thorough dismantling of Green Bay, as the Vikings knocked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of the game on Sunday with a broken collarbone during a 23-10 victory that drastically altered the course of the NFC North.
Smith had 1½ sacks on safety blitzes, a diving interception and two pass breakups, helping the Vikings (4-2) limit the injury-depleted Packers to a season-low 227 yards.
Anthony Barr, who later left with a concussion, delivered the game-changing hit on Green Bay’s second drive when he took Rodgers hard to the turf as the two-time NFL MVP followed through on a pass.
Rodgers fell on his throwing shoulder, and the Packers (4-2) announced he could miss the remainder of the season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Tom Brady set the NFL record for regular-season victories by a quarterback, getting his 187th.
The Patriots (4-2) were playing their first game in 10 days after beating Tampa Bay 19-14 on Oct. 5, and appeared a bit rusty early as they fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter against the surprising Jets (3-3).
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Le’Veon Bell ran for 179 yards and a touchdown, Antonio Brown made an acrobatic touchdown catch in the fourth quarter and the Steelers (4-2) handed the NFL’s only unbeaten team its first loss.
The Chiefs (5-1) still had a chance after Brown’s 51-yard reception made it 19-10, moving quickly downfield and getting a 33-yard field goal from Harrison Butker.
OAKLAND, Calif. – Nick Novak kicked a 32-yard field goal on the final play and the Chargers took advantage of a key missed extra point by Giorgio Tavecchio.
The Chargers (2-4) had been done in by poor kicks this season, losing twice on misses by former kicker Younghoe Koo. Novak missed a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter, but it was a missed extra point by Tavecchio – after a high snap by Jon Condo early in the fourth quarter – that was the difference in a fourth straight loss by the Raiders (2-4).
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Adrian Peterson rushed for two touchdowns and 134 yards in an impressive Arizona debut and the Cardinals held off a furious second-half Tampa Bay rally.
The Buccaneers (2-3) lost quarterback Jameis Winston to a right shoulder injury in the second quarter, with the Cardinals (3-3) leading 21-0. But backup Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns to bring Tampa Bay back from a 31-0, early third-quarter deficit.
BALTIMORE – Connor Barth kicked a 40-yard field goal with 2:08 left in overtime, and the Bears used a 167-yard rushing effort by Jordan Howard to beat the Ravens (3-3).
The Bears (2-4) blew a 14-point lead in the second half before coming through in overtime behind Howard, whose 53-yard run put Chicago at the Baltimore 40. After rookie Mitchell Trubisky completed an 18-yard pass to Kendall Wright, Barth delivered the winner.
ATLANTA – Jay Cutler threw a pair of touchdown passes, Cody Parkey kicked a pair of field goals and the Dolphins (3-2) rallied from a 17-0 halftime deficit.
Matt Ryan had another crucial interception with the Falcons (3-2) in position to at least attempt a tying field goal. Cordrea Tankersley got a hand on a pass intended for Austin Hooper and Reshad Jones swooped in to make the clinching interception with 39 seconds remaining.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Pharoh Cooper returned the opening kickoff 103 yards, one of two special teams touchdowns that helped the Rams.
The Rams (4-2) also blocked a punt for a score and a 10-point lead in the first half. The Jaguars (3-3) botched a decent chance to tie the game early in the fourth period when Blake Bortles fumbled on one play and then threw an interception on the next.
NEW ORLEANS – Running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara combined for 237 yards from scrimmage, the Saints’ resurgent defense forced five turnovers and scored a franchise-record three times.
New Orleans (3-2), which has a winning record for the first time since its last playoff season in 2013, built a five-touchdown lead, only to gut out a remarkable bid by Detroit (3-3) to pull off the greatest comeback in NFL history.
LANDOVER, Md. – Washington’s Kirk Cousins threw for two touchdowns, ran for a score, and also had an interception as part of an inconsistent performance against his past – and possibly – future mentor Kyle Shanahan’s winless 49ers (0-6).
The Redskins (3-2) blew a 17-point lead before barely holding on.
HOUSTON – Deshaun Watson threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first rookie in NFL history with at least three TD passes in three straight games. Watson has thrown 15 touchdown passes this season, the most in NFL history by a rookie in a team’s first six games. It equals the number of TD throws Brock Osweiler had for the Texans (3-3) in 15 games last season. The Browns (0-6) lost their 16th in a row on the road.
