ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tom Brady and Mike Evans connected on a punctuating touchdown, Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Cowboys 19-3 Sunday night while Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott departed with a hand injury.
By The Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas Tom Brady and Mike Evans connected on a punctuating touchdown, Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Cowboys 19-3 Sunday night while Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott departed with a hand injury.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game that Prescott needs surgery on his throwing hand and will miss multiple weeks, a season-altering blow to a team that won the NFC East last year.
A rough night for Prescott got worse after his right hand struck a defender when throwing a pass in the fourth quarter. He was checked on the sideline before jogging to the locker room.
Brady was in control throughout the first start for a 45-year-old quarterback in NFL history. The seven-time Super Bowl champ got a big assist from the defense in Todd Bowles’ debut as Tampa Bay’s coach following three seasons as defensive coordinator.
Dallas drove 54 yards to a field goal on the first possession, but didn’t score again while finishing with its second-fewest points in an opener.
Julio Jones had a 48-yard catch in the two-time All-Pro’s Tampa Bay debut to set up one of four first-half field goals from Ryan Succop, who had five attempts before the break without a punt from the Bucs.
Brady, who improved to 7-0 against the Cowboys, was 18 of 17 for 212 yards with an interception. Prescott finished 14 of 29 for 134 yards with an interception.
STEELERS 23, BENGALS 20, OT
CINCINNATI Chris Boswell kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and Pittsburgh overcame T.J. Watt’s injury late in the fourth quarter to beat Cincinnati in a sloppy season opener for both teams.
Watt had one of four interceptions off Joe Burrow, who rebounded from a lousy start and rallied Cincinnati from a 17-6 halftime deficit. His 6-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase tied it at 20 with 2 seconds left in regulation, but the game went to overtime after Minkah Fitzpatrick blocked Evan McPherson’s point-after try.
McPherson and Boswell missed potential winning field goals in overtime before Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky completed passes of 9, 26 and 10 yards in the final 56 seconds.
Watt, the Defensive Player of the Year, left the field and headed to the locker room shortly before the game went to overtime with a pectoral injury. Before that, he was his usual disruptive self, with a sack and a pick.
Burrow’s four interceptions were a career worst, and he was sacked seven times in front of what was supposed to be an improved offensive line. He was 33 for 53 for 338 yards and two touchdowns.
SAINTS 27, FALCONS 26
ATLANTA Wil Lutz kicked a 51-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining to cap a stunning fourth-quarter comeback by New Orleans, which overcame a 16-point deficit to beat Atlanta in coach Dennis Allen’s debut.
After struggling offensively through most of the season opener, Jamies Winston guided the Saints to three straight scoring drives. The first two ended with touchdown passes of 3 and 9 yards to Michael Thomas. The Saints converted one 2-point try, but failed on the other.
New Orleans got the ball back one more time, taking over at its own 20 with 48 seconds remaining and no timeouts. Winston connected on a 40-yard pass to Jarvis Landry and a 17-yarder to Juwan Johnson to set up Lutz’s winning field goal.
A personal foul on the Saints gave the Falcons a chance to pull out the victory, but Younghoe Koo’s 63-yard field goal attempt was blocked as the clock ran out.
Atlanta’s Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for a career-high 120 yards, including a 5-yard scoring burst, and Marcus Mariota made threw for 215 yards and added 72 on the ground, highlight by a 2-yard touchdown run.
BROWNS 26, PANTHERS 24
CHARLOTTE, N.C. Rookie Cade York kicked a go-ahead 58-yard field goal with 8 seconds left, Kareem Hunt scored two touchdowns and Cleveland spoiled Baker Mayfield’s bid for vengeance by beating Carolina.
Nick Chubb ran for 141 yards and Hunt had 70 total yards from scrimmage as the Browns won their season opener for the first time since 2004.
Mayfield overcame a slow start by leading the Panthers back from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit by running for a 7-yard touchdown and finding Robbie Anderson for a 75-yard touchdown strike.
