Rams Rally, Patriots Stun Bills in Wild NFL Sunday
Sunday, Oct. 4 delivered a full slate of late twists across the NFL, with four games decided in the final two minutes.
The Los Angeles Rams rallied from 10 points down to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20. Both teams left at 2-2. Running back Kyren Williams scored twice in the final four minutes, including the go-ahead score from seven yards out, to cap touchdown drives of 98 and 79 yards led by quarterback Matthew Stafford The Guardian.
Philadelphia had a chance to stretch the lead. Coach Nick Sirianni passed on a short field goal that would have made it a three-score game and the Eagles failed to convert on fourth down. Los Angeles made them pay. Stafford stayed steady against pressure and Williams did the rest on the ground.
In Buffalo, the New England Patriots stunned the Bills 29-26 and handed Buffalo its first loss in its new stadium. New England improved to 2-2 while Buffalo fell to 3-1. Quarterback Drake Maye finished 22 of 37 for 269 yards and three touchdowns.
The winner was pure circus. Maye hit rookie Efton Chism III for a leaping, one-handed 23-yard touchdown late, then found Rhamondre Stevenson for the two-point conversion — an extra try from the 2-yard line worth two points instead of one — for a 29-26 lead with 1:50 to play. Rookie safety Craig Woodson sealed it by intercepting Josh Allen at the New England 19.
Dallas needed every second to beat Houston 34-30. CeeDee Lamb caught a 12-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left to lift the Cowboys to 2-2, while the Texans stayed winless. It finished an 11-play, 74-yard drive from Dak Prescott that included a fourth-down conversion, meaning Dallas kept the ball by gaining the needed yards on its last chance.
Lamb was nearly unguardable. He set a career high with 17 catches for 189 yards. Javonte Williams ran for a career-high three touchdowns, all in the second half. Houston had taken a four-point lead with under three minutes left on Woody Marks’ six-yard touchdown run.
Chicago controlled New York from the start in a 23-12 win over the Jets. The Bears moved to 3-1. The Jets fell to 1-3 with a third straight loss. Rookie Kyle Monangai rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns, Tyson Bagent passed for 268 yards and Cairo Santos kicked three field goals.
The Bears defense allowed just seven first downs and 157 total yards. Devin Bush, Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo each had a sack. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick also ended New York’s NFL-record interception drought at 20 games.
Baltimore beat Tennessee 24-18 to move to 3-1, while the Titans dropped to 0-4. Lamar Jackson threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-20 passing before leaving. He was sacked on Baltimore’s final play of the second quarter by Jermaine Johnson II, who landed on Jackson’s left ankle. Jackson was later seen with the ankle wrapped and did not play in the second half, which Tennessee held scoreless. The win snapped a four-game home losing streak for Baltimore against Tennessee.
The New York Giants moved to 3-1 with a 36-24 win over Arizona. Jameis Winston, making his second start for injured rookie Jaxson Dart, threw three touchdown passes to Malachi Fields, Malik Nabers and Theo Johnson with two interceptions. Deonte Banks closed it with a pick-six in the final seconds, an interception returned for a touchdown. Arizona fell to 1-3 with a third straight loss after an opening win in coach Mike LaFleur’s debut. Jacksonville also beat Cincinnati 22-17 behind 227 yards and a touchdown from Trevor Lawrence.
For fans, this means the early standings are crowded and fragile. No one in this group has pulled away, and health at quarterback already looms large in October.
