Angry at the officials for giving host Cincinnati another play to kick a field goal. Angry at themselves for getting in such a big hole in front of such a small crowd.
Angry enough to pull off their best comeback in 13 years.
Ryan Fitzpatrick matched his career high with four touchdown passes, and the Bills rallied for their second straight win, 49-31 over the bumbling on Sunday.
“We could’ve easily folded our tent,” said cornerback Drayton Florence, who returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown during the comeback. “It looked like they folded their tents.”
Buffalo (2-8) took advantage of Cincinnati’s depleted secondary for its biggest comeback since it overcame a 26-0 deficit and beat the , 37-35, on Sept. 21, 1997. The turning point came at the end of the first half, when the clock ran out but the officials ruled Cincinnati had called timeout with one second left.
The Bengals (2-8) used that restored second to kick a field goal for a 17-point cushion. But Fitzpatrick and Buffalo took advantage of a defense down to four healthy defensive backs by game’s end. Steve Johnson caught three of Fitzpatrick’s touchdown passes, including an 11-yarder that put Buffalo ahead, 35-31, early in the fourth quarter.
“We are terrible,” receiver said. “And I don’t blame the fans for booing us. I don’t blame people for not wanting to come and see the performance we’ve put up” in the last seven games.
Win in Overtime
Graham Gano kicked a 48-yard field goal in overtime as the Redskins kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 19-16 victory over the , who self-destructed so thoroughly on their home field that the fans booed repeatedly and Vince Young left without speaking with reporters after being knocked out of the game with an injured thumb. Young was 12 of 16 for 165 yards but left after his hand slammed into a helmet while completing a pass. Coach Jeff Fisher said Young, who threw his jersey and his shoulder pads into the stands as he left the field, had a torn flexor tendon in his right thumb that may need season-ending surgery. Either way, Fisher said the rookie Rusty Smith was now Tennessee’s starter. Young wrote on three hours later that he was fine and “sorry to my teammates.” He then tweeted, “Just want to play.”
Wins for A.F.C. Leaders
After spotting the visiting a 3-0 lead, threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth as the rolled at home, 35-3. The Steelers (7-3) made Oakland (5-5) one-dimensional by limiting Darren McFadden to 14 yards on 10 carries. Richard Seymour, long one of the league’s top defensive players, displayed Oakland’s frustration by punching Roethlisberger in the face as Roethlisberger celebrated a touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Seymour was ejected.
¶Dwayne Bowe caught two touchdown passes to help the remain unbeaten at home with a 31-13 victory over the fading Cardinals. Bowe set a team record with at least one score in six straight games; he has 563 yards receiving and 10 touchdown catches during the span. Kansas City (6-4) took sole possession of first place in the A.F.C. West. The Cardinals (3-7) lost their fifth straight.
Win Again
The Cowboys beat the visiting , 35-19, after Jon Kitna put the game away by throwing two short touchdown passes to Miles Austin and surprising everyone with a 29-yard touchdown run, the longest of his 14-year career. The win was the second straight, and the first at home this season, for Dallas (3-7) since Jason Garrett replaced Wade Phillips as coach. The Lions (2-8) lost their 26th straight on the road.
¶Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes — three to Greg Jennings — as the beat the host , 31-3. threw his 17th interception and looked ready for retirement, with six seemingly meaningless games left for Minnesota (3-7) in the epilogue of his 20-year career. “This has got me at a loss for words,” he said. The Packers (7-3) kept pace in the N.F.C. North race with the Bears (7-3).
In Other Games
Maurice Jones-Drew followed a 75-yard reception with a 1-yard touchdown dive, and the host Jaguars overcame six turnovers to beat the banged-up , 24-20. Jones-Drew broke four tackles on a screen pass from David Garrard and weaved his way toward the end zone, with the rookie Joe Haden making a touchdown-saving tackle that ended up taking precious seconds off the clock. Jones-Drew scored two plays later, with 1 minute 16 seconds left.
¶Matt Ryan threw two scoring passes and directed an offense so dominant that three St. Louis defenders left with cramps in the Falcons’ 34-17 win over the host .
¶Marques Colston and Robert Meachem each caught two touchdown passes from in the ’ 34-19 win over the visiting . New Orleans (7-3) remained one game behind Atlanta in the N.F.C. South.
¶Baltimore’s defense returned consecutive interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter and Joe Flacco threw for 301 yards as the visiting beat the , 37-13. The Ravens (7-3) finally rattled Carolina’s fill-in quarterback, Brian St. Pierre, to break it open. St. Pierre was given the starting job by Carolina (1-9) after Matt Moore (shoulder) and Jimmy Clausen (concussion) were hurt.
¶Josh Freeman threw two touchdown passes and the Buccaneers beat the stagnant , 21-0, for their first win at Candlestick Park since 1980. Tampa Bay is 7-3; San Francisco dropped to 3-7.
