Nicolas Roy and Mason McTavish collide while going after a puck
Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev each found the net as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Sunday night.
Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for Vegas. Troy Terry scored the only goal for the Ducks, while James Reimer had 29 saves.
With this win, Vegas improved to 3-0-0 in its first three games for the fifth time since joining the NHL in 2017. The Knights also raised their all-time record against the Ducks to 24-7-1, including a strong 14-3-0 at home in Vegas.
Ducks: This was just the second game of the season for Anaheim, and they seemed to struggle after playing back-to-back nights following their 2-0 win in San Jose on Saturday. Vegas outshot the Ducks 32-23.
James Reimer makes a save in the 2nd half
Golden Knights: After allowing Terry to score in the first period, Samsonov settled in for his Vegas debut and stopped Trevor Zegras on a breakaway early in the second period.
While the Ducks were killing a penalty, they ended up with only three players on the ice after Isac Lundestrom lost his stick and had trouble controlling the puck. Vegas took advantage of this when Mark Stone passed to Hertl across the slot for a quick shot from close range. This goal turned out to be the game-winner and marked Hertl’s first of the season.
15 – Vegas scored 15 goals in its first three games of the season, the highest number for the team in the first three games of any season in franchise history.
Matt Prater kicks a 42-yard field goal in the 1st half
Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater will not play in his second consecutive game on Sunday against Green Bay. The Packers, on the other hand, are happy to have wide receiver Christian Watson and cornerback Jaire Alexander back.
The Cardinals announced that Prater is inactive due to a knee injury, which also kept him out of last week’s 24-23 win against San Francisco. Chad Ryland has been promoted from the practice squad again to fill in for Prater.
In the game against the 49ers, Prater made 3 out of 4 field goals, including a 35-yarder that helped secure the win with 1:37 left on the clock. His only miss was blocked and returned for a touchdown.
Romeo Doubs celebrates his reception with Christian Watson in the 2nd half
The Packers (3-2) confirmed that Alexander, who missed two games due to a groin issue, and Watson, who was out last week with an ankle injury, are both active for this game.
Inactive players for the Packers include defensive lineman Brenton Cox Jr., offensive tackles Andre Dillard and Travis Glover, tight end John FitzPatrick, and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who is missing his second game as he recovers from an ankle injury.
For the Cardinals, joining Prater on the inactive list are cornerback Darren Hall, linebackers Victor Dimukeje and Xavier Thomas, and tight end Travis Vokolek.
Joe Flacco Starts for Colts as Anthony Richardson Sidelined, Pittman and Downs Return to Boost Offense
The Indianapolis Colts are keeping second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson out for the second game in a row due to an injured right hip.
The Colts (2-3) announced that Richardson, the fourth overall pick from Florida in the 2023 draft, will not play against the Tennessee Titans (1-3) on Sunday. This means veteran Joe Flacco will start again.
Richardson missed last week’s game against Jacksonville. He was listed as questionable after practicing all week but had limited participation on both Wednesday and Thursday.
Joe Flacco Starts for Colts as Anthony Richardson Sidelined, Pittman and Downs Return to Boost Offense
Additionally, the Colts have ruled out Jonathan Taylor for the second week in a row due to an ankle injury that has kept the 2021 NFL rushing champ sidelined.
Indianapolis will welcome back Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, who missed last week due to a neck injury. Starting defensive end Kwity Paye (quadricep) and Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore II (hip) will also return after missing the previous game.
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet faced his biggest fear in football unexpectedly. In an instant, you could say.
Kmet scored two touchdowns and was called in for emergency long-snapping duties during Chicago’s 35-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The tight end successfully snapped the ball after each of Caleb Williams’ four touchdown passes and D’Andre Swift’s 1-yard run, helping the Bears (4-2) win their third straight game for the first time in almost four years.
“Definitely not a position I envisioned playing in the NFL — ever,” Kmet said, referring to his new role. “(It’s) my biggest worry going into the game.”
Long snapper Scott Daly left the game early due to a knee injury, so Kmet had to step in. Although he’s the designated emergency long snapper since he did it in high school, he only practices a couple of snaps each week.
“Thankfully didn’t have to do any punt scenarios,” he mentioned. Punting wasn’t a concern. The Bears punted after their first two drives but not again.
Bears players celebrate in the 3rd quarter
Keenan Allen also caught two touchdown passes and led a celebration after his 9-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. His second touchdown put Chicago ahead 28-10 early in the fourth.
“When he’s in a groove like that, and all the balls are catchable, it’s pretty easier to play receiver,” Allen said about Williams. “Week in, week out, he gets better. When we pick up the tempo, he’s a lot more comfortable. He’s able to see things faster, and defenses can’t do all the moving around.”
The Jaguars (1-5) started strong, but Gabe Davis dropped a pass in the end zone after getting called for a false start, forcing Jacksonville to settle for a field goal on their opening drive.
Davis later caught two second-half touchdown passes from Trevor Lawrence, with the second one making the score 35-16.
Kmet broke two tackles on a 31-yard touchdown catch that gave Chicago a 7-3 lead in the second quarter as the Bears used a no-huddle offense to energize their game.
Williams found Kmet in the end zone with 13 seconds left in the half to finish an 85-yard drive that included the rookie quarterback scrambling for 23 yards on one play and 19 on another.
Jason Kelce sits on the NFL ESPN Monday Night football set
Jason Kelce said he would be an honest food critic before taking a bite of a hog wing, which is a pork shank covered in dry rub and dipped in barbecue sauce, as Eagles fans crowded around the grill to see him.
Kelce made his way through a crowd of Eagles fans from one parking lot to another, drinking beers, stopping for selfies, and high-fiving excited kids. He then paused outside Danny McCormick’s RV.
Amid a variety of tasty food, Kelce focused on the hog wing.
“What’s the best way to eat this?” he asked, holding a shank that was almost as big as a Thanksgiving turkey leg.
One fan shouted, “You’ve got to tear that thing apart!”
Kelce, enjoying his time in retirement as a podcaster and pitchman, bit right into the meat.
“Wow! Did you create this?” he exclaimed. “I’ve never heard of it. But this is amazing.”
Jason Kelce for the NFL Honors show
Kelce was followed by a camera crew and a friend who was giving out beers from the company he co-owns with his brother, Travis Kelce, who plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
He led fans in singing the Eagles fight song, “Fly, Eagles, Fly,” and chants of “No one likes us, we don’t care,” which became popular during Philadelphia’s Super Bowl championship season in 2017.
Kelce, who will turn 37 next month, retired in March after playing 13 years with the Eagles. He was one of the top centers and personalities of his time and played a crucial role in the team’s only Super Bowl win.
McCormick, from Washington Township, New Jersey, has been an Eagles season-ticket holder since 1940.
Kelce left McCormick with something a bit more unusual than an autograph or picture—a pork shank bone he had just eaten.
“I’m going to keep this and put it in a frame in my motorhome,” he said.
Antonie Winfield reaches to pickup a fumble by Chris Olave in the 1st half
New Orleans Saints starting receiver Chris Olave was taken off the field to the locker room to be checked for a possible concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit. This happened while he was losing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Olave was being tackled from behind by Buccaneers defensive back Tykee Smith right after catching a pass from Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler when he received a hard hit to the head from cornerback Zyon McCollum.
Olave sat on the field looking dazed while Bucs safety Antoine Winfield picked up the loose ball and ran it back 58 yards for a touchdown, putting Tampa Bay ahead 14-0 in the first quarter.
No penalty was called on the play, which was reviewed because it involved a turnover. Referee Clete Blakeman looked at video showing the helmet-to-helmet hit but only reviewed whether Olave had caught the ball before the fumble.
Chris Olave fumbles the ball while hit by Zyon McCollum and Tykee Smith in the 1st half
Blakeman then announced that the fumble and the resulting Bucs score would stand, much to the displeasure of the Superdome crowd, which had also seen the replays and booed in frustration over the missed personal foul call that put the Saints’ top receiver in the concussion protocol and out of the game.
Olave, a first-round draft pick from Ohio State in 2022, came into the game with 22 catches for 275 yards and one touchdown in the first five weeks of the season.
He has been in the NFL’s concussion protocol twice before in the last three seasons.
Marvin Harrison Jr. catches a pass in the 2nd half
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. left the game on Sunday due to a concussion after his head collided with the thigh of Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie.
Harrison tried to stand up after an incomplete pass in the second quarter but seemed to stumble. He then went to the injury tent on the sidelines and later walked into the tunnel. Early in the second half, the Cardinals announced that he was out for the rest of the game.
“He ended up like hitting my leg,” McDuffie said after the Packers’ 34-13 win. “I went to go tackle him, and he kind of ducked and ended up hitting my quad. It was a weird play.”
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon answers questions after an NFL football game
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said after the game that he was unsure how serious Harrison’s injury was.
Harrison has made 17 catches for 279 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals, who picked him fourth overall in this year’s draft from Ohio State.
Other Cardinals who were injured during Sunday’s game included linebacker Kyzir White (knee), defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (stinger), safety Joey Blount (hamstring), left guard Evan Brown (ankle), and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (neck).
Lamar Jackson hands off the ball to Derrick Henry in the 1st half
Lamar Jackson completed nine passes to Zay Flowers in the first half but didn’t target him again after that. Mark Andrews bounced back from an interception caused by a ball slipping through his hands to catch his first touchdown pass of the season. Derrick Henry performed as expected.
The result was a strong offensive display as Jackson outperformed rookie Jayden Daniels, throwing for 323 yards and rushing for 40 more. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Washington Commanders 30-23 on Sunday, marking their fourth straight win.
“Just a pick your poison offense,” Jackson said.
Henry rushed for 132 yards and scored his eighth and ninth touchdowns of the season, while Flowers achieved a career-high with 132 receiving yards. Jackson also moved into second place on the all-time rushing list for quarterbacks. Baltimore (4-2) executed their passing and running game nearly perfectly.
“Guys are going to get their touches and get the ball, and good things will happen, and that’s what happened today,” Andrews said. He tied Todd Heap for the most touchdown catches since the team moved to Baltimore with his 41st career touchdown.
“We’re extremely versatile in what we’re doing, and we’re going to take this game, get better from it week by week and become the machine that we can be.”
Derrick Henry scores on a 7-yard run in the 2nd half
Daniels threw two touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin but didn’t receive much support from the running game. With Brian Robinson Jr. sidelined due to a knee injury, Washington (4-2) managed only 52 rushing yards.
“B-Rob is a great player, but it’s next man up,” Daniels said. “We have to go out there and do our job.”
The Commanders’ defense struggled to contain both Jackson and Henry, allowing Baltimore to gain 484 yards. Their winning streak ended at four games against an opponent that is starting to look like a serious Super Bowl contender.
“We got so many guys that can make plays, a lot of guys are getting the chances, getting the ball and being able to showcase their talents,” Henry said.
He became the first player to rush for a touchdown in each of his first six games since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005. “That’s what you want as an offense.”
The Ravens’ strong performance included scoring drives of 93 and 94 yards, with the second drive becoming crucial when Henry scored from 7 yards out late in the third quarter.
“Those two drives were much needed,” Flowers said. “I feel like we needed those drives to set the tone that this offense is going to keep going all game and we’re just going to keep scoring, either running or passing.”
Feeling upset that Eagles fans had chanted for his firing, Nick Sirianni couldn’t hold back his comments in the closing moments of the game.
The Philadelphia coach, known for his trash-talking, put a finger to his right ear and responded to fans in the front rows at Lincoln Financial Field.
After the Eagles barely secured a four-point victory against the struggling Browns, Sirianni wanted to make a statement, providing material for social media and tabloids about a coach whose job security is often questioned. Even in victory, he’s not winning any popularity contests in Philadelphia.
“Just excited to get the win,” Sirianni said. “Appreciate the Linc support.” He had to be even more grateful for the Eagles’ offense.
Jalen Hurts passed for 264 yards and threw two touchdowns, including a 45-yard throw to DeVonta Smith in the fourth quarter, leading Philadelphia to a 20-16 win over Cleveland on Sunday.
Philadelphia Eagles players celebrates after a touchdown in the 2nd half
Hurts also connected with A.J. Brown for a 22-yard touchdown. Both receivers had recently returned from injuries, and the Eagles can’t afford to lose either of them again if they hope to make a deep playoff run.
Coming off a bye week, the already frustrating Eagles (3-2) had to fight hard against the Browns (1-5) in front of a mostly uninterested crowd. Before Smith’s touchdown, Eagles fans only showed enthusiasm when they chanted for Sirianni to be fired.
Sirianni mentioned that several players told him, “We need you back, Nick. We need your energy. We need your focus.”
“I encourage him to be himself. That’s who he is,” Hurts said.
With the Browns trailing 20-13, they moved into Eagles territory late in the game but had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. Deshaun Watson was pushed out of bounds at the 2-yard line during a scramble and then threw an incomplete pass on third down.
The Eagles took possession with 3:54 left and didn’t let Cleveland get the ball back, with Hurts connecting with Brown for a 40-yard gain that sealed the game.
Sirianni had promised changes after the bye week, and he made one by shaving his head.
On the field, the Eagles mostly played as they had before. They turned running back Saquon Barkley into a non-factor, struggled to connect consistently with their star receivers, and had poor execution, especially on special teams.
The one saving grace? They faced the Browns.
Watson’s poor performance didn’t help ease the calls for the team’s $230 million quarterback to be benched. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 168 yards, and the Browns still haven’t scored an offensive touchdown this season, failing to reach 20 points in any game.
“We’re putting ourselves in the danger zone for not being able to accomplish what we want to accomplish,” Watson said.
DeVonta Smith celebrates after a touchdown in the 2nd half
Cleveland’s only touchdown came from a blocked field goal by All-Pro Myles Garrett, which Rodney McLeod Jr. returned untouched for a score. Watson was sacked three times and only threw for 49 yards in the first half.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who decided last week to keep calling the plays, remains committed to quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson is in the third year of a fully guaranteed five-year contract.
After the game, Stefanski said he would continue to support Watson, even as the Browns seem unlikely to have a playoff run like they did last year with then-backup Joe Flacco.
“I know the guys are fighting like crazy, and I appreciate that, but we’ve got to find a way to get a win against a good opponent,” Stefanski said. “We had our opportunities and did not come through.”
A.J. Brown had six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown after missing the last three games due to a hamstring injury. DeVonta Smith had three catches for 64 yards after sitting out a game because of a concussion.
“I haven’t played football in a month, so the little things I have to focus on, I have to focus on,” Brown said. “Make sure I’m really running instead of just looking up for the ball.”
After a scoreless first quarter for the fifth time this season, Jake Elliott finally scored with a 49-yard field goal.
Darius Slay Jr. walks off the field after an injury
The Eagles found some offensive momentum on their next drive: Hurts connected with Grant Calcaterra for 34 yards, then with Brown for 16 yards, and again with Brown for a 22-yard touchdown that made it 10-0.
Dustin Hopkins kicked a 43-yard field goal for the Browns, bringing the score to 10-3. The Eagles looked ready to go into halftime with a small lead when Elliott lined up for a 57-yard field goal attempt. However, Myles Garrett jumped over Tyler Steen to block the kick.
Former Eagles safety Rodney McLeod picked up the loose ball and ran 50 yards for a touchdown, completing a somersault in the end zone to tie the game 10-10 with 14 seconds left in the half.
Eagles fans, frustrated with Sirianni since last season’s late collapse, booed the team as they left the field. Some angry fans began chanting “Fire Nick!” while others at home wondered on social media if a coach could be fired at halftime.
“We thrive off the crowd when they cheer for us. That’s all I’ll say,” Sirianni said.
Joe Flacco has played in the NFL long enough to know that a backup quarterback should always be ready to step in.
At 39 years old, Flacco also understands to ignore rumors about a teammate possibly going on injured reserve and focus on wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. when it counts.
Flacco took a few steps back to create time and then threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Pittman in the end zone, with Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed covering him. This play with 7:27 left in the game helped the Indianapolis Colts secure a 20-17 victory over Tennessee.
“He’s got to be one of the toughest players I’ve played with,” Flacco said about Pittman, who only practiced on Friday due to a back injury that made his participation uncertain. “I think part of him was probably trying to prove a point.”
Flacco is now 1-1 in his second consecutive start for the Colts (3-3), who managed to split their back-to-back road games in the AFC South while second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson was sidelined again due to a right hip injury.
Will Levis throws in the 1st half
“You just got to stay on your toes and prepare, and that’s kind of how it was, you know?” Flacco mentioned.
The Titans (1-4) have now lost three straight games to their division rivals. They will have to wait until November for their chance to win their first home game this season under first-year coach Brian Callahan, who believes his team is better than its current record.
“We also aren’t making enough plays to win tight games, and we’ve got to find a way to do that,” Callahan said about the Titans’ third loss by a touchdown or less. “And I got to find a way to help us get there because right now, losing games in one-score games is tough.”
Tony Pollard scored a 23-yard touchdown run that put Tennessee ahead 17-10 during a drive that took up more than half of the third quarter. Flacco then led the Colts to 10 consecutive points, giving them a lead they wouldn’t lose.
He set up Matt Gay’s second field goal, a 22-yarder, at the start of the fourth quarter. Pittman, who did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, knew he would play and credited Flacco for the excellent throw on the winning touchdown.
“I had to go up there and get it for him,” Pittman said.
Romeo Doubs celebrates his reception with Christian Watson in the 2nd half
Romeo Doubs wanted to make things right after he served a one-game suspension for what the Green Bay Packers called conduct harmful to the team.
Doubs responded by catching two of Jordan Love’s four touchdown passes in the Packers’ 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Doubs’ first two touchdowns of the season included a 10-yard catch to start the second quarter and a 20-yard catch in the third quarter. “I was able to get back to my regular self, you know?” Doubs said.
He was suspended during the Packers’ 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams last week after missing two practices. A regretful Doubs didn’t share details about why he was absent but admitted he needed to communicate better.
“I’m just ready to be a ballplayer, try to move past whatever has happened and just get back to our winning culture like Green Bay has always been,” said Doubs, who had three catches for 49 yards.
It was clear how much Doubs’ return meant to the Packers (4-2) as soon as he scored his first touchdown.
James Connor pulls away from Jaire Alexander in the 1st half
On a third-and-5 pass from the 10, Doubs caught a pass near the right sideline at about the 3-yard line. As Arizona cornerback Garrett Williams tried to grab his jersey, Doubs leaped into the end zone with his arms stretched out.
Doubs was hugged first by wide receiver Christian Watson, who was closest, and then by several other receivers and Love.
“We’re a family,” Love said. “We’re in this thing all together. So just staying together, keeping that brotherhood is definitely very important to us.”
Love also threw touchdown passes of 5 yards to Jayden Reed and 44 yards to Watson while completing 22 of 32 passes for 258 yards, with one interception. His four touchdown passes matched a career high.
“We talked about coming into this game just playing four quarters of complementary football, and I thought that was about as good as we could’ve done it,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
“There’s always stuff that we can clean up, but I thought all in all, just the effort from start to finish, the focus from start to finish, was exactly what is a great formula for winning football.”
Arizona (2-4) played poorly and showed an unusual lack of discipline. The Cardinals had been averaging a league-low 3.8 penalties per game, but they were penalized 13 times for 100 yards on Sunday. They also committed three turnovers.
Blake Gillkin stops Keisean Nixon in the 1st half
“We play like that, we won’t beat anybody,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot against a good team.”
Arizona also lost several players to injuries, with the most significant being rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who left with a concussion in the second quarter after his head hit the thigh of Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie during an incomplete pass.
Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes in the first 25½ minutes, helping the Packers take a 24-0 lead. The Cardinals fought back by scoring 13 points in a row—10 points in the last two minutes of the first half and a field goal on their first drive of the second half.
However, the Cardinals wouldn’t score again. “We can’t play in a hole like that versus really good teams,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “It’s just too hard to overcome.”
Kyler Murray completed 22 of 32 passes for 214 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown to Michael Wilson. Arizona’s James Conner gained only 24 yards on seven carries, as the Packers outrushed the Cardinals 179-89.
After both teams exchanged punts to start the game, the Packers scored three touchdowns and a field goal in their next four possessions to take control.
Even when it seemed the Cardinals were gaining some momentum in the second quarter, a change in events allowed Green Bay to extend its lead.
Jordan Love and Christain Watson run to the bench after a touchdown in the 1st half
Offsetting penalties canceled a fumbled punt return by Reed that would have given Arizona the ball at Green Bay’s 23-yard line while trailing 17-0. Arizona had to punt again, and this time, Keisean Nixon returned it 39 yards.
On the next play, Love threw a deep pass to Watson, making it 24-0 with 4½ minutes left in the first half. Watson was back after missing the Rams game due to an ankle injury.
Arizona began its comeback attempt when Murray found Wilson in the end zone with 1:56 left in the first half.
After intended receiver Bo Melton fell on a route, Sean Murphy-Bunting intercepted Love at Green Bay’s 44-yard line. Arizona’s Chad Ryland then made a 38-yard field goal just before halftime.
Ryland added a 40-yarder early in the third quarter, bringing the score to 24-13. He was kicking in place of Matt Prater, who missed his second straight game due to a knee injury.
Green Bay extended its lead on its next series when Love threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Doubs, capping a drive that included two holding penalties on Murphy-Bunting. The Cardinals then lost fumbles on their next three possessions.
C.J. Stroud threw three touchdown passes, helping the Houston Texans defeat rookie quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots 41-21 on Sunday.
Joe Mixon, back from an ankle injury, rushed for 102 yards and caught a touchdown pass from Stroud. “He’s got a great feel for the game and has great vision,” Stroud said.
Stefon Diggs had six catches for 77 yards and a score for the Texans, who lead the AFC South with a record of 5-1. Tank Dell also contributed with seven receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Dameon Pierce had a big 54-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, finishing with 76 yards on eight carries. Will Anderson Jr. shined on defense with three sacks, helping Houston win their third consecutive game.
“You’ve got to keep chopping and going and keep getting better,” Anderson said. “I have to give credit to the defensive linemen. Those guys are tremendous in what they do. I love those guys.”
New England players clebrates after a touchdown
The Patriots, now at 1-5, saw some promise in Maye, the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft. In his first game, he completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
He also ran for 38 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked four times, with one sack causing a fumble that led to a Texans touchdown.
After sacking Caleb Williams seven times last week, the Texans quickly pressured Maye. The Patriots went three-and-out on their first possession, and Maye was intercepted early on. New England committed four turnovers in total and has now lost five straight games, falling to 0-3 at home this season.
“The thing about this team is taking the ball away,” Anderson said. “If you get a lot of turnovers, you win the game.”
Maye threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kayshaun Boutte just before halftime. He matched the two touchdown passes thrown by Brissett in his five games by finding tight end Hunter Henry for a 6-yard score in the third quarter, making the score 27-14.
Drake Maye and C.J. Stroud on the field after the game
In the fourth quarter, Maye connected with DeMario Douglas for a 35-yard touchdown. Douglas finished with six catches for 92 yards.
“I thought he showed a lot of poise. I thought he went out there and controlled the huddle, got those guys out of the huddle and once again, made some plays. It’s definitely encouraging,” said Patriots coach Jerod Mayo.
“From a team-wide perspective right now, we let him down. It was his first game, and I feel like I let him down. I’m sure all the coaches feel like we let everyone down. We’ve just got to be better.”
Both teams were missing key offensive players. The Texans placed their top receiver, Nico Collins, on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, while the Patriots were without running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who has a foot injury.
Stroud finished 20 of 31 for 192 yards, with one interception. “We knew that we needed everyone to step up. Once everyone took on that challenge, we started rolling,” Stroud said. “We couldn’t feel bad about Nico not being there. We had to pick up the slack.”
