RAMS 34, SEAHAWKS 31 (OT)
ST. LOUIS -- The Seahawks needed a yard. The Rams defense knew that this time, unlike in the Super Bowl, they would give the ball to Marshawn Lynch.
Once again, Pete Carroll's choice didn't work out. Rams defensive linemen Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald stuffed Lynch for a 1-yard loss on fourth down to seal a 34-31 overtime victory over the two-time defending NFC champs victory Sunday.
"We were thinking run," Donald said. "It's short yardage and we know they've got Lynch back there and we knew they were going to give it to him."
Carroll said the play had been getting 2 or 3 yards "all day long." The Seahawks' bid to keep overtime going died at the Rams 43, about 10 yards shy of field goal range.
"I don't know how they got the penetration, but they did," he said.
The Rams assembled a defense that features five first-round picks up front for just such a moment. They sacked Russell Wilson six times, getting two each from Donald and Robert Quinn.
Greg Zuerlein kicked a 37-yard field goal on the opening drive of overtime.
The Rams watched a 24-13 lead disappear, as Seattle scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, capped by Cary Williams' strip-and-score of Nick Foles with 4:39 left.
With 53 seconds left, the Rams tied the game at 31 after Seahawks defensive back Dion Bailey -- the replacement for holdout Kam Chancellor -- stumbled on Lance Kendricks' 37-yard touchdown catch.
"It was a matchup I took," Foles said. "Lance gave a little move and ran right by him."
Bailey, who made his NFL debut, said "I was just too flat-footed, tried to open up and fell down. At that point I've got to tackle him and live to fight another day."
The Seahawks opened overtime with an onside kick that could have given them a shot at winning the game outright, as Bradley Marquez caught Steven Hauschka's popped-up attempt. After throwing a flag for an illegal fair catch, officials ruled the ball was kicked directly in the air, so Marquez was OK raising his hand.
Carroll said it wasn't supposed to have been of a pooch kick.
"We didn't execute the kick right, simple as that," Carroll said. "We were kicking the ball way down the field."
Foles hit Steadman Bailey for a 22-yard catch for the key gain to set up Zuerlein's kick.
The Seahawks had another special teams letdown when Tavon Austin returned a 57-yard punt by Jon Ryan 75 yards for a touchdown.
Foles was 18 for 27 for 297 yards and 1 TD with no interceptions in his St. Louis debut.
Wilson was 32 for 41 for 251 yards with a TD and an interception, and added 31 yards on 8 carries.
Rookie Tyler Lockett had a 57-yard punt return TD and Jimmy Graham caught a touchdown pass in the fourth for Seattle.
PACKERS 31, BEARS 23 Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, two to James Jones, and the visiting Packers beat Chicago to spoil John Fox's debut as Bears coach. The Packers got all they could handle from the rebuilding Bears, but took control down the stretch to beat them for the 10th time in 11 games, including the postseason. Rodgers improved to 13-3 lifetime against Chicago. The 2014 MVP completed 18 of 23 passes for 189 yards. Jones, who spent seven seasons in Green Bay before signing with Oakland last year, caught four passes for 51 yards.
BILLS 27, COLTS 14 Tyrod Taylor engineered three touchdown drives and Rex Ryan's attacking Buffalo defense put the clamps on Andrew Luck and the visiting Colts. In his first career start, Taylor went 14 of 19 for 195 yards, including a 51-yard opening touchdown pass to Percy Harvin. Boobie Dixon and rookie Karlos Williams scored touchdowns rushing to deliver Ryan a victory in his debut as Bills head coach. The Bills built a 24-0 lead by scoring on four consecutive possessions into the third quarter. Luck finished 26 of 49 for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns, and was intercepted twice.
DOLPHINS 17, REDSKINS 10 Jarvis Landry returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown with 10:22 left to give visiting Miami its first lead. Landry's score broke open a tight game in which the Redskins amassed more yards and dominated the time of possession, but could not pull away. Kirk Cousins went 21 for 31 for 196 yards and two interceptions for Washington. Robert Griffin III was inactive after only recently recovering from a concussion. Miami trailed 10-0 in the second quarter, cut it to 10-7 at halftime and pulled even when Andrew Franks kicked a field goal.
JETS 31, BROWNS 10 Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two touchdown passes and Chris Ivory ran for two scores in coach Todd Bowles' debut. The host Jets had five takeaways against the Browns, including an interception of Johnny Manziel, who came in late in the first quarter for the injured Josh McCown. Jets rookie linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin was taken to a hospital after being carted off the field with head and neck injuries. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker had touchdown catches for the Jets, who sent the Browns to their 11th consecutive opening-day loss.
PANTHERS 20, JAGUARS 9 Josh Norman returned an interception for a touchdown, and the visiting Panthers did just enough offensively. Norman provided the big play in the third quarter when he stepped in front of a pass intended for rookie running back T.J. Yeldon near the sideline and went untouched the other way for a 30-yard score. Norman pointed at Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles as he trotted toward the end zone and then waved bye-bye. Carolina managed just 263 yards in winning its second consecutive opener. Cam Newton, playing in his first game since signing a five-year, $104 million contract that included $60 million guaranteed, completed 18 of 31 passes for 175 yards and 1 touchdown.
CHARGERS 33, LIONS 28 Philip Rivers rallied San Diego to 30 consecutive points, including throwing a go-ahead, 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ladarius Green early in the fourth quarter, and the Chargers stunned the Detroit Lions in what could be their final home opener at Qualcomm Stadium. Rivers overcame two interceptions, including a 31-yard return for a touchdown by Glover Quin, to complete 35 of 42 passes for 404 yards and 2 scores. Keenan Allen had 15 catches -- tying the club record set by Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow in 1984 -- for 166 yards.
BENGALS 33, RAIDERS 13 Andy Dalton threw for 269 yards and2two touchdowns and Jeremy Hill ran for 2 scores to help the visiting Cincinnati Bengals spoil Coach Jack Del Rio's debut in Oakland. Dalton had it easy all day long as he faced little pressure and often had receivers running free in the Raiders secondary. He connected on two touchdown passes with tight end Tyler Eifert as the Bengals broke out to a 33-0 lead and coasted.
BRONCOS 19, RAVENS 13 Former Ravens safety Darian Stewart, who followed Gary Kubiak from Baltimore to Denver over the winter, snatched the ball from tight end Crockett Gillmore in the end zone with 28 seconds left to seal the victory for the Broncos. Joe Flacco drove the Ravens to the Denver 16 in the final minute. One play before Stewart's interception, cornerback Brady Roby got a hand in Steve Smith Sr.'s face and a would-be touchdown catch bounded away from the veteran receiver.
TITANS 42, BUCCANEERS 14 Marcus Mariota made it look easy, throwing four touchdown passes and outplaying No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston to lead the visiting Tennessee Titansover the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Mariota, the 2014 Heisman winner threw for 209 yards without an interception to join Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton as the only players to throw four or more TD passes in their first NFL game.
Sports on 09/14/2015