Monday 29 October 2018 01:26, UK
Cam Newton overpowered the league's No 1-ranked defense as the Carolina Panthers cruised to a comfortable 36-21 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Newton completed 21 of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, as well as running for 52 yards and another score. Second-year running back Christian McCaffrey had two scores of his own as the Panthers (5-2) won their ninth straight game at home.
Trailing 7-0 early, the Panthers scored on four-straight possessions to break the game open and take a 24-7 half-time lead.
Newton threw an 11-yard TD pass to fit-again tight end Greg Olsen, McCaffrey ran for an 11-yard score and caught a six-yard pass that ricocheted off the hands of safety Eric Weddle and into his arms in the endzone.
In the second half, the Ravens came back to within 13 points of the Panthers off the back of Joe Flacco's touchdown pass to Javorius Allen, but Newton calmly drove the Panthers 85 yards in nine plays and scored from 12 yards out to put the game away early in the fourth quarter.
With the game lost, coming on in relief of Flacco, rookie Lamar Jackson threw his first touchdown pass in the NFL, a 26-yard scoring strike to Hayden Hurst.
The Panthers rolled up 386 yards against a Ravens (4-4) defense that had come into the game allowing a league-low 280.6 yards and 14.4 points per game. Carolina showed that they have a strong defense themselves, forcing three turnovers.
FIRST QUARTER
Ravens 7-0 Panthers: Alex Collins 14-yard touchdown run (Justin Tucker extra point good)
Ravens 7-7 Panthers: Christian McCaffrey 11-yard touchdown run (Graham Gano extra point good)
SECOND QUARTER
Ravens 7-14 Panthers: Cam Newton 11-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen (Gano extra point good)
Ravens 7-21 Panthers: Newton six-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey (Gano extra point good)
Ravens 7-24 Panthers: Gano 54-yard field goal
THIRD QUARTER
Ravens 7-27 Panthers: Gano 44-yard field goal
Ravens 14-27 Panthers: Joe Flacco nine-yard touchdown pass to Javorius Allen (Tucker extra point good)
FOURTH QUARTER
Ravens 14-33 Panthers: Newton 12-yard touchdown run (Failed two-point conversion)
Ravens 14-36 Panthers: Gano 30-yard field goal
Ravens 21-36 Panthers: Lamar Jackson 26-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst (Tucker extra point good)
Broncos 20-30 Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns as the Chiefs (7-1) beat the Broncos (3-5). Sammy Watkins had 107 yards receiving and two of the scores, while Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt added the others.
Buccaneers 34-37 Bengals
Jameis Winston was benched after matching his career-high of four interceptions. Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied the Buccaneers (3-4) to a 34-34 tie with a pair of touchdown passes, but the Bengals (5-3) pulled off the win with a field goal in the dying seconds.
Redskins 38-13 Giants
The NFC East-leading Redskins (5-2) rode their defense to a third-straight win, beating their divisional rival Giants (1-7).
Adrian Peterson caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith and ran for a season-high 149 yards, with the last 64 of those coming on a touchdown run late in the fourth quarter,
Browns 18-33 Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Antonio Brown, and James Conner scored twice as the Steelers (4-2-1) overcame a slow start and their own mistakes to beat the Browns (2-5-1), who have lost 25 consecutive road games - one shy of the NFL record.
Seahawks 28-14 Lions
Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter to put the Seahawks (4-3) in front, a lead they never relinquished as they beat the Lions (3-4)
Jets 10-24 Colts
Mitchell Trubisky threw two touchdowns for the Bears (4-3), while Sam Darnold struggled for the Jets (3-5), who managed just 207 yards and lost their second-straight game.
