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12/15/19 06:28:00
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12/15 18:27 CST Murray beats Mayfield in showdown of last 2 top draft picks
Murray beats Mayfield in showdown of last 2 top draft picks
By The Associated Press
The Latest on Week 15 in the NFL (all times EST):
7:25 p.m.
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray got the best of a much-anticipated showdown
with Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Murray can thank Kenyan Drake, who scored four touchdowns in Arizona's 38-24
win over the Browns.
Murray threw for 219 yards and a touchdown and Mayfield threw for 247 yards and
two touchdowns.
The two were college teammates at Oklahoma and won Heisman Trophies in
back-to-back seasons.
Murray got plenty of help from Drake, who scored a touchdown in each quarter.
He's the first Cardinals player since 1993 to score four rushing touchdowns in
a game.
___
6:55 p.m.
There's plenty of fans across the NFL who are cheering for the Dallas Cowboys
today.
The Cowboys have a commanding 34-7 lead over the Rams early in the fourth
quarter in Dallas.
A Dallas win would put three teams into the NFC playoffs, but not the Cowboys.
The Green Bay Packers (11-3) would get in.
So would the San Francisco 49ers (11-2) and the Seattle Seahawks (11-3).
The 49ers lead the Atlanta Falcons 13-10 early in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 30-24 earlier today.
A win by Dallas would give the Cowboys and Eagles 7-7 records and set up a
chance for the Cowboys to clinch the NFC East with a win next week in
Philadelphia.
---Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
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6:20 p.m.
Check that, Twitter. The Dallas Cowboys were OK on the coin toss, after all.
Quarterback Dak Prescott and referee Walt Anderson created a Twitter storm
during the first half of the Dallas-Los Angeles Rams game with a confusing
exchange during the coin toss.
The Cowboys won the toss, and Prescott initially made a reference to kicking
off before saying the Cowboys would defer.
Anderson said a couple of times the Cowboys wanted to kick, creating the
confusion that fed a Twitter uproar.
It only subsided after Dallas actually received the ball to start the second
half.
Before the second-half kickoff, Anderson went to Dallas coach Jason Garrett to
explain something, after which a staff member signaled the Cowboys were getting
the ball. Anderson also spoke with members of the Fox television crew.
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6:15 p.m.
The running game for the Los Angeles Rams isn't quite what it was in a playoff
win over the Dallas Cowboys last season. For that matter, nothing else much is
going right for the Rams either.
After rushing for a franchise playoff-record 273 yards in last season's
divisional win over the Cowboys, the Rams had 3 yards rushing at halftime while
trailing Dallas 28-3.
The Cowboys made it 31-3 early in the third quarter.
Todd Gurley has six carries for just 1 yard and two-time rushing champion
Ezekiel Elliott has 75 yards and two first-half touchdowns. Elliott is trying
to end a career-long streak of five games without a 100-yard game.
Gurley was one of two 100-yards rushers in the Rams' 30-22 victory last
January. C.J. Anderson led LA with 123 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Gurley scored once.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott made up for a potential gaffe on the coin toss
that could force to kick to start both halves. It was unclear if referee Walt
Anderson had settled on the Cowboys deferring or electing to kick after winning
the toss. Prescott threw for 160 yards and two TDs before halftime.
___
6:10 p.m.
Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook suffered a shoulder injury on the Vikings
first possession of the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers and is out
for the rest of the game.
Cook is having the best season of his three-year career.
He entered Sunday's game second in the NFL with 1,611 scrimmage yards along
with 13 rushing touchdowns, which were tied for the league lead.
Cook had 43 scrimmage yards (27 rushing, 16 receiving) before being injured.
The Vikings have a 22-10 lead in the third quarter.
--Joe Reedy reporting from Los Angeles.
___
6:05 p.m. A showdown between former Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1
picks could go down to the wire.
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals lead Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland
Browns 21-17 early in the third quarter.
Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, has thrown for 154 yards
and a touchdown. He also has 53 yards on five carries rushing.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018, has thrown for 89 yards on 13-of-16
passing and hit Ricky Seals-Jones on a 2-yard TD pass to open the third quarter.
NFL rushing leader Nick Chubb has 116 yards rushing and a TD.
___
5:55 p.m.
The Los Angeles Chargers' season was perfectly summed up with one play near the
end of the first half against Minnesota.
The Chargers were trailing 12-10 and were in field goal range at the Vikings
26. But on second-and-2 Philip Rivers fumbled when he was sacked by Danielle
Hunter.
Austin Ekeler recovered it at the 38 and tried to make a play but also fumbled.
Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo then scooped up the loose ball and went
56 yards for a touchdown to give Minnesota a 19-10 lead.
It was the Chargers third turnover of the first half.
Making matters worse, left tackle Russell Okung was injured trying to make a
tackle. -- Joe Reedy reporting from Los Angeles
___
5:45 p.m.
The Raiders showed a highlight video of their history at halftime in their
final scheduled game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas.
Dozens of former Raiders players including Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Fred
Biletnikoff were honored on the field with Charles Woodson addressing the crowd
at the Coliseum.
Woodson said the players came back to root on the team and to thank the Oakland
fans who have supported the team through the years.
Woodson also led the crowd in a resounding chant of "Rai-ders! Rai-ders!
Oakland leads Jacksonville 16-3 at halftime. --- Josh Dubow reporting from
Oakland.
___
5:20 p.m.
Some superlative performances in the NFL's Week 15 today.
Jameis Winston became the first player in NFL history to throw for 450 yards in
consecutive games when he threw for a career-best 458 yards in a 38-17 rout of
the Detroit Lions on Sunday. That came one week after he threw for 456 yards in
a 38-35 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Tampa Bay's Shaquil Barrett had a sack, giving him 16 this season to match the
franchise record set by Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp in 2000.
Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes and the Giants snapped a franchise
record-tying nine-game losing streak with a 36-20 win over Miami.
In Green Bay, Aaron Jones ran for two scores and Davante Adams caught another
as the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 21-13 in the 200th edition of the
NFL's oldest rivalry.
The Packers improved to 19-5 against their NFC North rival with Rodgers as the
starting quarterback. Green Bay clinches a playoff berth if the Rams lose at
Dallas.
---Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
___
4:32 p.m.
The New England Patriots have clinched a playoff berth for the 11th consecutive
season.
They did it with a 34-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tom Brady had a pedestrian passing performance with 15 completions in 29 throws
for 128 yards. But his two touchdown passes gives him 538 for his career, one
shy of Peyton Manning's all-time career record.
The Patriots joined Kansas City and Baltimore in the AFC playoff field so far.
The Chiefs beat the Broncos 23-3 in the snow at Arrowhead for their ninth
straight win over Denver.
In other early games:
The Texans' 24-21 win over Tennessee snapped the Titans' four-game winning
streak and put Houston back in the driver's seat in the AFC South.
The Seahawks edged the Panthers 30-24 to improve to 11-3.
The Eagles (7-7) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 37-27 win over
Washington.
The Packers held off the Bears 21-13.
The Giants beat the Dolphins 36-20.
And the Buccaneers beat the Lions 38-17.
__Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
___
3:35 p.m. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to hold off the Detroit Lions
without one of their top players.
Chris Godwin, who went over 1,300 yards receiving for the season Sunday, left
the game with a hamstring injury.
Godwin had five catches for 121 yards against the Lions before exiting. Tampa
Bay leads 24-17 early in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers led 24-3 early in
the second half. --- Noah Trister reporting in Detroit
___
3 p.m.
The Tennessee Titans now have intercepted Deshaun Watson twice costing the
Texans points.
Safety Kenny Vaccaro picked off Watson at the goal line to end Houston's first
drive of the game.
The Titans pulled within 14-7 after a 1-yard touchdown run by Ryan Tannehill in
the third quarter. Houston drove downfield and had first-and-goal at the
Tennessee 5.
On second-and-goal, Titans rookie defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons tipped
Watson's pass into the air. Titans linebacker Jayon Brown caught the ball in
the end zone for an interception and a touchback inside the final minute of the
third quarter.
The Texans and Titans are tied atop the AFC South, and this is the first of two
games between the teams in the final three weeks of the regular season.
--- Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee.
___
2:55 p.m.
Tom Brady has thrown his second touchdown pass against Cincinnati, the 538th of
his career.
Brady moves one ahead of Drew Brees on the career list and now trails Peyton
Manning by only one for the NFL record.
Brees' Saints host the Colts on Monday night.
-- Joe Kay in Cincinnati reporting.
___
2:50 p.m.
Deshaun Watson has joined Steve Young in some very exclusive company.
The two are the only quarterbacks with at least 25 touchdown passes and five
rushing touchdowns in multiple seasons in NFL history.
Watson threw two TD passes in the second quarter to Kenny Stills, giving him 26
for the season to match his career high.
--- Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee.
----
2:48 p.m.
Derek Carr took some time out of his pregame warmups to sign some autographs
for Raiders fans before the final scheduled game ever in Oakland.
Carr hopped a barrier between the field and stands and signed for several fans
in the front row more than an hour before the game.
The stands are mostly empty 90 minutes before game time but the scene at the
tailgates outside the Coliseum are celebratory as the Raiders fans wanted to
enjoy one last party in Oakland before the team moves to Las Vegas next season.
The Raiders are hosting the Jaguars on Sunday and then end the season with two
straight road games.
___
2:45 p.m.
Patrick Mahomes isn't bothered by his sore right hand or the snowstorm at
Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes completed all but four of his 19 first-half passes for 210 yards in
leading the Chiefs to a 15-3 halftime lead over the Broncos.
The Broncos' hopes of a comeback are complicated with rookie tight end Noah
Fant leaving late in the first half with a right shoulder injury after a long
catch.
Tyreek Hill has a touchdown catch and Harrison Butker is perfect on three
field-goal attempts for Kansas City.
Drew Lock is just 8 of 15 for 91 yards passing in his return home. The former
Missouri quarterback, who grew up in the suburb of Lee's Summit, is making his
second career road start for the Broncos.
Last week he became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for
300 yards and three touchdowns in his first road start. Lock is 2-0 since
taking over at quarterback for the Broncos.
___
2:10 p.m.
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are in a groove.
Seattle has scored touchdown on its first three possessions to build a 20-7
lead over Carolina.
Wilson has a perfect 158.3 QB rating thus far, completing 8 of 10 passes for
175 yards and two touchdowns.
Chris Carson has also scored on the ground as the Seahawks look to wrap up a
playoff spot.
The Seahawks are targeting cornerback Donte Jackson, who last week criticized
the coaching staff for putting him and the defense in bad positions against the
Atlanta Falcons.
___
1:55 p.m.
Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor has been ruled out for the rest of their game
against the Denver Broncos after hurting his chest late in the first quarter.
Okafor chased down and sacked Broncos quarterback Drew Lock to force fourth
down.
Okafor landed awkwardly with his right arm trapped under the quarterback,
though that didn't stop him from standing up and celebrating.
The Chiefs ruled him out shortly after Patrick Mahomes led their offense
downfield for a field goal and a 9-0 lead.
___
1:45 p.m.
Ryan Tannehill is having a rough start for the Tennessee Titans.
The quarterback leads the NFL with a 118.5 passer rating. Against the Houston
Texans, Tannehill has missed five of his first seven passes. But Tannehill has
82 yards thanks to a 60-yard completion to rookie A.J. Brown.
Tannehill also hit Corey Davis for 22 yards just before the end of the first
quarter.
Deshaun Watson was intercepted by Kenny Vaccaro at the goal line to end the
Texans' opening drive of the game. That's his third interception in two games.
--- Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee.
___
1:45 p.m.
Running back Christian McCaffrey now owns the Panthers' franchise record for
all-purpose yards in a season with 1,995.
That breaks the previous record held by Steve Smith in 2001.
McCaffrey broke the mark on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, his
league-leading 17th TD of the season.
___
1:45 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has become the first tight end in NFL
history to post four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving.
Kelce reached the milestone with an 11-yard catch on third-and-5 late in the
first quarter against the Denver Broncos at snowy Arrowhead Stadium.
The previous mark was held by Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen who had
thee consecutive 1,000-yard seasons between 2014 and 2016.
___
1:40 p.m. It's a quiet crowd at Detroit's Ford Field, and the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers are doing what they can to keep it that way.
Jameis Winston has thrown two touchdown passes already, and Tampa Bay leads the
Lions 14-0 late in the first quarter. The Buccaneers capped a five-play,
99-yard drive when Winston threw a 33-yard TD pass to Scotty Miller. Earlier,
he threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Breshad Perriman.
There are a fair number of empty seats in Detroit as the injury-plagued Lions
try to snap a six-game losing streak. The crowd hasn't been making much noise,
even when Tampa Bay has the ball. --- Noah Trister reporting from Detroit.
___
1:35 p.m.
In what might be his final start at MetLife Stadium Eli Manning received a
standing ovation when introduced before the Giants first offensive series.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP lost his starting job to rookie first-round draft
pick Daniel Jones after the second game of the season. The 38-year-old QB who
is in the final year of his contract got the job back last week with Jones out
with an ankle injury.
Jones is still out.
However, coach Pat Shurmur said Jones will return to his starting role when
healthy.
Manning was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2004. He was acquired in a draft
day trade with the Chargers. He become the starter nine games into his rookie
season.
___
1:25 p.m.
New England's Tom Brady has tied Drew Brees for second all-time in touchdown
passes.
James White turned his short throw into a 23-yard score against the Bengals,
the 537th TD pass of Brady's career.
Brady and Brees are two behind Peyton Manning's record of 539. The Saints host
the Colts on Monday night.
-- Joe Kay in Cincinnati reporting
___
1 p.m. Former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is taking in the
Washington Redskins' game against the Philadelphia Eagles -- in the owner's box.
Meyer was seen with owner Dan Snyder in his box before the game.
Meyer is currently a Fox analyst and is a candidate to coach in the NFL next
season. The Redskins are looking for a new coach.
---Stephen Whyno reporting from Landover, Maryland.
___
12:40 p.m.
The Broncos and Chiefs will be playing their divisional matchup in a snowstorm
at Arrowhead Stadium.
Flurries began to fall overnight, far earlier than meteorologists predicted,
and the intensifying snow caused major problems for people trying to get to the
stadium.
That includes some members of the Chiefs, such as running back LeSean McCoy and
wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who were a bit late for warmups.
An hour before kickoff, dozens of workers were trying to clear off the yard
lines, end zones and sidelines as the snow swirled inside the stadium. From
above, the scene unfolding below looked like a snow globe come to life.
The Broncos are seeking just their fourth win in 18 trips to Arrowhead in
December.
___
12:35 p.m.
The NFL draft doesn't happen until late April but Boomer Esiason already knows
who he wants the Bengals to take.
The former Cincinnati quarterback --- who was the last one to lead the
franchise to a Super Bowl and win a playoff game --- handed a Bengals helmet to
Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow during a segment on "The NFL Today" and said,
"I want to welcome you from one Bengal to the next."
Esiason did something similar on the CBS pregame show in 2002 after Carson
Palmer won the Heisman. Cincinnati selected Palmer in 2003 with the top overall
pick.
The Bengals (1-12) have a one-game lead over the New York Giants for the top
overall pick.
___
11 a.m.
Five teams are in position to clinch playoff berths in Week 15 of the NFL
schedule.
In the AFC, where Baltimore has won the North and Kansas City has taken the
West, both New England and Buffalo can get in from the East.
The Patriots do so with a win or tie at lowly Cincinnati. The Bills clinch if
they win at Pittsburgh in the Sunday night game. Neither team can secure the
division crown regardless of how they do Sunday.
Baltimore can grab home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs if the
Patriots lose and the Chiefs also fall at home to Denver. The Ravens get a
first-round bye if New England or Kansas City doesn't win.
In the NFC, where New Orleans owns the South title, Green Bay's place in the
postseason will come if it beats Chicago at Lambeau Field and the Rams lose or
tie at Dallas.
San Francisco moves on with a victory or tie against Atlanta or a Rams loss or
tie or losses by Green Bay and Minnesota, which is at the Chargers.
Finally, a Seattle victory and a Rams loss or tie, or a Vikings loss, or a
Packers loss and Vikings tie gets the Seahawks a spot.
___
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