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LAS VEGAS (AP) — J.T. Poston used a burst of birdies to build a comfortable lead in the morning and afternoon, first for a three-shot lead after 54 holes and then to give himself a big enough cushion to hold on for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot victory Sunday in the Shriners Children’s Open.

Poston never trailed since making a 20-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole when he returned to finish the third round. He had two more birdies for a 66 to build a three-shot lead.

He made three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine of the final round and led by four shots with three holes to play. Poston still had to sweat it out to the very last putt.

Doug Ghim closed with a 65, making a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole at the TPC Summerlin to close within one shot. Poston lagged his 45-foot birdie putt to 4 feet and calmly sank that for his third career PGA Tour title.

The winning putt felt a little longer because Poston missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 16th and a 4-foot par putt on the 17th, either of which would have put the tournament away.

“I just told myself, ‘This is what you dream of, a putt to win on the PGA Tour. Try to forget the last two,'” Poston said. “I told myself, ‘I’ve made a million of these. Just do one more.'”

The victory assures Poston of returning to the Masters for the third straight year and moving back inside the top 50 in the world. He was playing for the first time since the BMW Championship, wanting to spend time at home with a daughter born in March.

This was a happy return for the 31-year-old from North Carolina, who already was guaranteed being in the $20 million signature events because he finished among the top 50 in the FedEx Cup. This gives him an early start at Kapalua for The Sentry to start the new season.
His victory Sunday assures J.T. Poston of returning to the Masters for the third straight year and moving back inside the top 50. He was playing for the first time since the BMW Championship, wanting to spend time at home with a daughter born in March. David Becker/Getty Images

Ghim was runner-up, his highest finish on the PGA Tour.

He had his chances. Ghim made eagle on the par-5 ninth to pull within one shot, but he missed a pair of birdie putts from 8 feet and then failed to get up-and-down for birdie on the reachable par-4 15th as Poston was pulling away.

Ghim two-putted the par-5 16th, picked up another shot when Poston bogeyed the par 3 and then birdied the last to force Poston to make one last putt.

Matti Schmid continued his strong play in the FedEx Cup Fall, closing with a 66 to tie for third with Rico Hoey, who also had a 66.

Schmid was No. 125 in the FedEx Cup — the top 125 keep a full PGA Tour card for 2025 — when he tied for 16th in Mississippi, finished fifth last week in Utah and tied for third in Las Vegas. He now is up to No. 77.

Another big consolation prize went to Michael Kim, who closed with a 62 and tied for fifth, moving from No. 129 in the FedEx Cup to No. 112.

Poston felt the entire day was a struggle, even though he went 41 consecutive holes without a bogey until his short miss on the 17th, and led the final 23 holes of the tournament.

“I wasn’t quite as sharp with the scoring clubs,” Poston said. “It felt like a grind all day. I know I had a comfortable lead, but I never felt safe. Doug was playing great and I felt like I was just plodding around.”

The PGA Tour next heads to Japan for the Zozo Championship, a 78-man field with no cut, before returning to North America for three tournaments to close out the season.

CLEVELAND (AP) — As Deshaun Watson tucked the ball under his arm and collapsed without being touched, some Browns fans cheered.

For all the wrong reasons.

Cleveland’s polarizing quarterback, who has divided the team’s fan base since his arrival two years ago, suffered an apparent season-ending Achilles tendon injury on Sunday in the first half of a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

It’s yet another startling twist in Watson’s tenure with the Browns, who believed they were getting a franchise quarterback when they signed him to a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract in 2022.

Now, everything is uncertain.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who has stuck with Watson this season despite his uneven play, didn’t officially rule out the QB for the remainder of the season. But all signs point to the 29-year-old missing the rest of the year.

“That’s what it looks like,” Stefanski said.

Watson’s leg crumpled on a non-contact play as he dropped back to pass with 1:26 left before halftime. As he planted, Watson’s calf appeared to quiver before he gave himself up and dropped to the turf.

The embattled Watson, whose two-plus seasons with Cleveland have been marked by off-field problems, injuries and poor play, covered his head with a towel as he was carted off. While he was down, the Browns and Bengals left their sidelines to surround him and offer support.

Initially, some boos could be heard before fans realized the severity of Watson’s injury.

Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett was disgusted that some fans cheered when Watson went down.

“Whether it’s an opponent that goes down or one of our own, we don’t boo,” Garrett said. “We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall — could be a season-altering, career-altering injury.

“The man is not perfect. He doesn’t need to be. None of us are expected to be perfect. Can’t judge him for what he does off the field or on the field because I can’t throw stones from my glass house. But we need to do better.”

Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter as the Bengals (3-4) ended a six-game losing streak at Cleveland. While he has played well against every team in the NFL, Burrow had struggled against the Browns, coming in 1-5 overall and 0-3 on the road.

Burrow connected with Ja’Marr Chase for an 18-yard TD, and six minutes later he found Tee Higgins for a 25-yard score. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 181 yards.

“Big win,” Burrow said. “But it’s just one. We’re 3-4 now. Great teams find ways to win and I think we’ve got a chance to be a great team. We’re not there yet.”

Watson has been controversial since the Browns (1-6) traded three first-round draft picks to Houston for him. He was suspended the first 11 games in ’22 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after two dozen women accused him of sexual assault during massage therapy sessions.

Watson made six starts and showed flashes of his Pro Bowl days with the Texans last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

The 29-year-old has played poorly for most of this season, but the Browns stuck with him.

Before he got hurt, Watson was 15 of 17 for 128 yards. He was replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who moved ahead of Jameis Winston on the depth chart this week. Thompson-Robinson finished 11 of 24 for 82 yards and two interceptions before leaving with a finger injury.

Winston played the final 3:43 and threw a TD pass to David Njoku and 2-point conversion to Cedric Tillman.

Like Garrett, Winston was appalled by the fans’ behavior.

“I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years,” Winston said. “He put his body and life on the line for this city every single day. Regardless of your perception, regardless of what you thought should happen with him, he committed every single day that I’ve been here to be the best that he can be for this team.”

Charlie Jones returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown for the Bengals, who have won three of four after a three-game slide to start the season.

Watson’s injury came as the Browns welcomed running back Nick Chubb, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last season. Chubb ran for a 1-yard touchdown just after Watson went out.

Chubb received a thunderous ovation when he sprinted from the tunnel during pregame introductions. The roar came seconds after the struggling Watson was booed before Cleveland’s first home game in three weeks.

“I was so happy for him to get a touchdown, his first game back, and I know how much the fans love him,” Winston said. “I heard those ‘Chubb, Chubb, Chubb,’ and we need more of that.”

The Bengals were up 7-0 before Burrow even touched the ball.

Jones caught the opening kick at his goal line, found a seam at Cleveland’s 25, made a cut to the right and was gone. He nearly got caught at the 10-yard line but kept his feet, stayed in bounds and tumbled into the end zone.

It was only the third kick return of his career. He took punt back 81 yards for a TD last season as a rookie against Baltimore.

Jones’ TD was the longest return this season and the third one since the new kickoff rule was implemented this season.

Injuries
Bengals: S Geno Stone was taken off on a cart with a leg injury late in the fourth. Stone was put in an air cast after he was accidentally hit by teammate Vonn Bell. Coach Zac Taylor said Stone’s injury wasn’t as serious as it appeared. … LT Orlando Brown Jr. went out in the second quarter with a right knee injury and didn’t return.

Browns: Stefanski confirmed Thompson-Robinson’s injury was to his throwing hand, but had no further update.

Up next
Bengals: Host Philadelphia next Sunday.

Browns: Host Baltimore next Sunday.

——

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson sat at the podium, uniform still on, in no rush to move on from a moment he believed would always come.

Even as the weeks passed and his aching calf struggled to get better. Even as Justin Fields deftly guided the Pittsburgh Steelers in his place. Even as the outside noise of a potential quarterback controversy seemed to be growing ever louder.

Belief is a big thing for the 35-year-old Wilson. He believed he would get an opportunity to reset his career in Pittsburgh. And while the start may have come a little later than he would have preferred, Wilson offered proof he’s not close to finished during a 37-15 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday night.

Wilson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 264 yards, shaking off some early rust and ignoring the boos and brief chants for Fields when the offense sputtered in the first half. An 11-yard lob to George Pickens for a touchdown late in the first half allowed Wilson to exhale.

“I was like, ‘There’s going to be a lot more of these I believe,’” Wilson said.

While there weren’t any more scores to Pickens, there was a 1-yard touchdown run on a sneak in the third quarter and a 4-yard flip to Van Jefferson in the fourth as Pittsburgh (5-2) topped 30 points in consecutive weeks for the first time since early in the 2020 season.

“We’re just right on that edge of getting really good and being great,” Wilson said. “We’ve got to keep searching for that edge, learning and studying and spending the time on it.”

Though he’s not quite in the “Let Russ Cook” era of his prime, Wilson looked more than capable in front of a packed crowd that included Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Pittsburgh ripped off the game’s final 31 points after spotting the Jets a 15-6 lead.

“We’re doing some good things and the reality is that there’s so much more out there and we’ll get better as we go,” Wilson said. “We’ll keep working but to be where we are in a good place.”

The Jets (2-5), not so much.

New York’s retooled offense — which now includes Davante Adams, who was reunited with Rodgers this week after being acquired in a trade with Las Vegas — couldn’t keep up the Jets dropped their fourth consecutive game and seond under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

“That game, especially that second half, that’s not who this team is,” Ulbrich said. “That’s not good enough and it starts with me and the coaching staff and goes down to every single player on this team. We can all give more and we will give more.”

New York will have to if it wants to get back into contention in the AFC East. Rodgers passed for 276 yards with a touchdown and connected with Adams three times for 30 yards, but also had two passes intercepted by rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop and the Steelers turned those into game-turning scores.

The Jets were up nine and had a chance to extend their lead in the first half when Bishop stepped in front of Rodgers’ pass intended for Garrett Wilson at midfield for his first career interception. Pickens first touchdown of the season soon followed.

Chris Boswell kicked the third of three field goals midway through the third quarter to put the Steelers in front when Bishop struck again.

Rodgers tried to hit Garrett Wilson down the left sideline on New York’s next possession, but the ball bounced off Wilson and into Bishop’s hands. Bishop raced to the Jets 1, only failing to score because a sprinting Adams chased him down just short of the goal line.

No matter, Wilson bulled his way into the end zone on the next play. A scoring toss to Jefferson early in the fourth gave the Steelers the kind of breathing room that’s been rare the last handful of seasons for a team that has played more one-score games than anyone since the start of 2021.

Tomlin raised some eyebrows earlier in the week when he opted to turn to Wilson over Fields, who had racked up 10 touchdowns (five passing, five rushing) against just one turnover in six starts. Tomlin’s reasoning was simple: The Steelers had been good, but “not to be confused with great.”

Asked afterward how challenging it was to give the starting job to Wilson in the face of Fields’ play, Tomlin smiled.

“That’s why I’m well compensated,” the NFL’s longest-tenured coach said before walking away.

Injuries
Jets: G Xavier Newman was carted off with a neck injury after getting blocked on Bishop’s interception return early in the second half. He was taken to the hospital for observation. X-rays were negative and Newman was able to fly how with the team. … G Alijah Vera-Tucker injured an ankle in the second quarter and did not return. … S Tony Adams left with a hamstring injury. … S Ashtyn Davis was evaluated for a concussion.

Steelers: DT Montravius Adams exited in the first half with a knee injury. … CB Donte Jackson left in the first half with a shoulder injury.

Up next
Jets: At New England next Sunday.

Steelers: Host the New York Giants on Monday, Oct. 28.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels’ health was the first thing on Marcus Mariota’s mind when he went into the game for the injured rookie quarterback. Then he just played football like he has his whole life.

After Daniels left with a rib injury, the Washington Commanders routed the Carolina Panthers 40-7 on Sunday behind two touchdown passes from Mariota and a 67-yard pick-6 of Andy Dalton by Dante Fowler.

“It takes a little bit to kind of get your feet going and all that, but, yeah, you’re just thinking about the player first and then from there you just go out there and try to to execute,” said Mariota, who was 18 of 23 for 205 yards with TD passes to tight ends Zach Ertz and Ben Sinnott.

Concern over Daniels’ status overshadowed the victory after the No. 2 pick and offensive rookie of the year favorite left with a rib injury. His mother posted on social media that “he’s fine,” but coach Dan Quinn said only that he had no update and that Daniels would undergo further tests Monday.

The Commanders (5-2) did just fine without Daniels for a vast majority of the game after he had a 46-yard run and completed a couple of passes on their opening possession. They already led at that point thanks to Fowler’s pick-6, Andy Dalton’s first of two interceptions, the second by Emmanuel Forbes, who returned from being a healthy scratch last week.

After after catching his first interception of any kind in the NFL, Fowler saw open field and thought, “It’s time to go score a touchdown.”

“Man, it was like I was in a dream,” Fowler said.

The defense dominated, allowing 180 yards, stopping seven of 10 third-down chances and sacking Dalton twice.

With Mariota running the show, Washington chugged along and racked up 421 yards against the Panthers (1-6), who allowed the most points through of any team in the Super Bowl era through the first six games of a season.

“Between giving the ball way and just not being able to get off the field, I think they scored on all but one drive,” said Carolina coach Dave Canales, who committed to Dalton starting next week over 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young.

Brian Robinson Jr. also ran for a touchdown in his return from a knee injury, which caused him to miss the game last week at Baltimore — his team’s first loss since the opener. The 27-point halftime lead was the franchise’s biggest since being up 28-0 on Dallas on Dec. 18, 2005.

Carolina’s lost season continued five games into Dalton supplanting Young as the starting QB. Dalton finished 11 of 16 for 93 yards, and Young entered in mop-up duty with 4:55 left, completing two passes for negative yardage.

“It got out of our hands quick,” Dalton said. “We have to look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘Why do these games keep going like this?’ I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Chuba Hubbard was limited to 52 yards on 17 carries after averaging averaging over 100 over the past four weeks. He ran for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter long after the outcome was decided and fans who were doing the wave earlier long departed to beat the traffic.

“At the end of the day, we won handily and I think the defense did an unbelievable job,” said Terry McLaurin, Washington’s leading receiver with six catches for 98 yards.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams’ defense hasn’t been good in its first season after Aaron Donald’s retirement. Forcing turnovers has been a particular area of struggle.

A chance to play against the Raiders’ subpar offense run by its backup quarterback was the perfect antidote.

Kam Curl returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown and Kyren Williams rushed for 76 yards and two scores in the Rams ‘ 20-15 victory over Las Vegas on Sunday.

Cobie Durant had an interception and later caused the fumble returned for a TD by Curl for the Rams (2-4), who forced Gardner Minshew to commit four turnovers — the same number harvested by Los Angeles in its first five games of the season combined.

“The emphasis on attacking the ball was at an all-time high today,” Durant said. “All week we emphasized it, and it displayed today. What a great day it is to attack the ball!”

The Raiders’ backup QB was forced into action by an early hand injury for Aidan O’Connell, and the Rams pounced. Jaylen McCollough had two more interceptions for Los Angeles, including the game-clinching pick with 1:18 to play.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” said McCollough, an undrafted rookie who played five seasons at Tennessee. “We’re growing together as a defense. There’s a lot more chemistry, a lot more accountability. We trust each other, and it’s starting to fall into place.”

Matthew Stafford passed for 154 yards — his lowest total in four seasons with Los Angeles — as the Rams (2-4) snapped a two-game skid during their worst start to a season in coach Sean McVay’s eight years in charge.

Minshew passed for 154 yards for the Raiders (2-5) after replacing O’Connell, who didn’t return after a hand-to-hand collision with Curl during the Raiders’ second offensive series.

O’Connell said his thumb “went numb, and it’s hurting.” The Raiders will know more after additional tests in Las Vegas.

In their first game since trading Davante Adams to the Jets, the Raiders were forced to settle for five field goals by Daniel Carlson after repeatedly giving the ball away or struggling in the red zone.

The Raiders fell behind 20-6 midway through the third quarter, but had two late drives with a chance to save their game.

After settling for a short field goal with 2:46 left after reaching the Los Angeles 4, Las Vegas got the ball back with 1:39 left — but McCollough picked off Minshew’s final heave at the Vegas 34.

“We’ve got to be smart with the ball,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “At the end, you’re trying to (take) a shot. I get that one. The other ones, got to do a better job.”

Minshew was the Raiders’ starter to begin the season before losing the job to O’Connell this month, but the journeyman QB only excelled at getting the ball to star rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who had 10 catches for 93 yards.

“To have a game where we lose by five points and have four turnovers, like, that’s critical, and it’s unfair to the rest of the team,” Minshew said. “So I’m going to go back, look at the film. Not gonna sulk, not gonna pout, but whatever we gotta do to fix ’em, I’m gonna do.”

Williams rushed 13 yards for a score in the second quarter, recording a rushing touchdown in his ninth consecutive game. The third-year pro has an NFL-best 24 touchdowns from scrimmage since the start of last season despite playing in only 18 of a possible 23 games.

Durant then forced a fumble while blitzing Minshew. Curl scooped it up and ran untouched for his first TD since a 76-yard interception return as a rookie with Washington in 2020.

“My first position was running back, so I’m kind of used to it (when) I get the ball in my hand,” Curl said with a grin.

Los Angeles’ defense got its third takeaway when McCollough snared a pass deflected by the Raiders’ DJ Turner, and Williams made his second TD run.

Nate Hobbs intercepted a deflected pass and returned it to the Rams 14 late in the third quarter, but Vegas couldn’t cash in.

Rams rookie Joshua Karty missed a 35-yard field goal attempt with 10:11 to play and the Raiders drove to the Los Angeles 4 before rookie DJ Glaze false-started on fourth and goal, compelling the Raiders to kick again.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes overcame two interceptions to deliver a few big plays with his feet and the Kansas City Chiefs remained the league’s only undefeated team, beating the San Francisco 49ers 28-18 Sunday in a Super Bowl rematch.

The stakes and the quality of play weren’t at the same level as eight months ago when Mahomes and the Chiefs (6-0) beat the 49ers (3-4) 25-22 in overtime for their Super Bowl title in five seasons.

But the result was the same with Kansas City winning its fifth straight over San Francisco, including two Super Bowls.

The game came with a potentially heavy price for San Francisco with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk getting carted off after getting hit on his right knee while making a catch late in the first half. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

Aiyuk’s absence proved crucial during a key point late in the third quarter when the 49ers were driving with a chance to erase a 14-12 deficit.

A miscommunication between backup receiver Ronnie Bell and Brock Purdy led to an interception by Chris Roland-Wallace. The Chiefs then turned that into a touchdown thanks in part to a 33-yard scramble by Mahomes that was his longest regular-season run ever.

Mahomes then scored on a 1-yard scramble on fourth-and-goal for his first rushing touchdown since the 2022 season.

That was one of four TD runs on the day for Kansas City, with Kareem Hunt getting two in the first half and Mecole Hardman icing it with an 18-yarder in the fourth quarter. It was just the second time Kansas City ran for four TDs in a game started by Mahomes, with the other coming in the 2018 divisional playoff round against Indianapolis.

Mahomes finished 16 for 27 for 154 yards and has eight interceptions and six passing touchdowns this season. But that has been enough for Kansas City to become the 10th defending Super Bowl champion to start the following season with six straight wins.

Purdy wasn’t much better as the defenses had the better of this game. He went 17 for 31 for 212 yards with two TD runs and three interceptions. His third pick came in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter with San Francisco trying to mount a comeback.

Pearsall’s debut
Niners rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall made his debut exactly 50 days after being shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco. Pearsall was activated from the non-football injury list and came in for his first play on San Francisco’s opening drive. He caught his first career pass late in the second quarter.

His presence was needed since San Francisco played the second half without its top three receivers. Jauan Jennings missed the game with a hip injury, Deebo Samuel played only four plays because of an illness, and Aiyuk got hurt late in the first half.

Injuries
Chiefs: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) left in the first half. … CB Jaylen Watson (ankle) left in the second half.

Up next
Chiefs: Visit Las Vegas next Sunday.

49ers: Host Dallas next Sunday night.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Brandon McManus kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired in his debut performance with Green Bay, lifting the Packers past the Houston Texans 24-22 on Sunday.

Green Bay (5-2) overcame three turnovers to win its third straight and snap the Texans’ three-game winning streak.

The Packers released rookie Brayden Narveson and signed the 33-year-old McManus on Wednesday. McManus had been out of a job since the summer, when two women sued him and the Jacksonville Jaguars in civil court alleging he sexually assaulted them when they were working as flight attendants on the Jaguars’ trip to London last year.

The NFL said late last month it didn’t find sufficient evidence that McManus violated the personal conduct policy. Lawyers representing McManus and the women said the civil case had been resolved.

Green Bay signed McManus because of his history of reliability from within 50 yards. And McManus delivered by making a winning kick on his first field-goal attempt with the Packers. He celebrated by doing a “Lambeau leap” into the corner of the end-zone stands.

Green Bay’s Jordan Love was 23 of 31 for 214 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Houston’s Joe Mixon rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Ka’imi Fairbairn was 3 of 3 on field-goal attempts and put the Texans (5-2) ahead by making a 35-yarder with 1:44 left.

C.J. Stroud was just 10 of 21 for a career-low 86 yards and was sacked four times.

On the game’s final drive, the Packers were at midfield when Love hit Romeo Doubs for a 13-yard gain. An offside penalty on Houston’s Will Anderson brought the Packers 5 yards closer. After a 6-yard completion from Love to Doubs got Green Bay to Houston’s 26, the Packers called a timeout with 3 seconds left to set things up for McManus.

Josh Jacobs put the Packers ahead midway through the third quarter when he got his first career touchdown catch, on the sixth-year pro’s 212th overall reception. Jacobs had the NFL record for most career catches without a touchdown reception.

On second-and-goal from the 8, Jacobs caught a screen a few yards behind the line of scrimmage and ran across the middle of the field into the end zone.

But the Packers went three-and-out on their next three possessions, allowing the Texans to come back again.

The Texans built a 19-14 halftime lead by scoring 16 points off three Packers turnovers.

Injuries
Packers LB Quay Walker left in the first half to get evaluated for a concussion after teammate Kingsley Enagbare’s leg inadvertently hit him in the head at the end of a play.

UP NEXT
Texans: Host the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.

Packers: Visit the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.

AUSTIN (AP) — Charles Leclerc earned Ferrari its first United States Grand Prix victory since 2018 with a clever start and a commanding drive Sunday, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strengthened his lead in the F1 season championship by finishing third ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Verstappen earned the podium only after Norris was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track to pass Verstappen in the final laps.

Verstappen immediately complained about the move, while Norris insisted Verstappen also left the track. Norris’ pass came after the two drivers had battled for the final podium spot and critical championship points over several laps and Verstappen had stubbornly refused to give ground.

The penalty and fourth place finish cost Norris valuable points in the title chase. Verstappen stretched his championship lead over Norris from 54 points to 57 with five grand prix and two sprint races left.

Leclerc earned his third win of the season and Ferrari pulled a 1-2 finish with his teammate Carlos Sainz in second. Kimi Raikkonen had been the last Ferrari winner at the Circuit of the Americas in 2018.

But the bigger battle was raging behind them as Verstappen and Norris fought over every inch of the final dozen laps.

Verstappen has not won a grand prix since June and Norris has steadily chipped away at his lead as the Red Bull car has faded. Yet Verstappen still stretched his lead by five points over the weekend by also winning Saturday’s sprint race.

Norris will leave Austin knowing he squandered a big chance to gain ground. He had even earned pole position for Sunday’s race.

Verstappen started right beside him, and it was their battle into the first turn that saw both cars run wide, leaving room for Leclerc to pounce on the opening.

The Ferrari driver jumped from fourth and straight into the lead.

Norris complained Verstappen forced him off the track at the start to begin a battle that would be fought over the entire race.

ATLANTA (AP) — Geno Smith passed for two touchdowns and Derick Hall returned a fumble 36 yards for a clinching score as the Seattle Seahawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 34-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

The Seahawks (4-3) ended Atlanta’s run of three straight victories, shutting down a Falcons offense that averaged 37 points the two previous weeks.

Smith completed 18 of 28 passes for 207 yards, his second-lowest output of the season but more than enough to throttle the Falcons. He connected with Kenneth Walker on a 17-yard touchdown and a huge 31-yard scoring play to DK Metcalf just before halftime.

After Walker’s TD catch made it 24-14 late in the third quarter, Seattle’s defense clinched the victory.

Kirk Cousins was hit by Boye Mafe as he attempted to throw, the ball squirting away from the Falcons quarterback before his arm went forward. Hall scooped it up in front of the Atlanta bench and rumbled all the way to the end zone with 12:46 remaining.

Cousins closed out a miserable day with interceptions on his final two possessions, to go along with three sacks. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. finished up for the Falcons, marking his NFL debut.

The Seahawks’ victory was marred by Metcalf being carted to the locker room with a knee injury after an awkward landing while attempting to make an acrobatic catch late in the third quarter. The extent of the injury was not immediately known.

Walker also had a 20-yard touchdown run that staked the Seahawks to a 10-0 lead. Jason Myers booted field goals of 38 and 59 yards.

But this victory belonged to the beleaguered Seahawks defense, which gave up an average of nearly 36 points a game during the losing streak.

The Falcons cut the Seattle lead to 10-7 with a 70-yard drive powered by their running game. Cousins threw only one pass, relying on Bijan Robinson to carry seven times for 55 yards, capped by a 5-yard TD.

But Seattle restored some breathing room on its final possession of the first half. Smith completed four straight passes before an intentional grounding penalty forced the Seahawks to burn their final timeout with 10 seconds remaining.

Rather than send on the field-goal unit, the Seahawks decided to run one more play from the 31. That decision sure paid off.

Smith found Metcalf breaking free on a slant toward the middle of the end zone, delivering a scoring strike with just 4 seconds to go, sending the Seahawks to the locker room up 17-7.

Cousins connected with Drake London on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, but that turned out to be Atlanta’s last gasp.

Injury report
Seahawks: Metcalf’s injury was the big news for Seattle on what was an otherwise clean day for the battered team. … Rookie DT Byron Murphy II (hamstring) returned to the field after missing the past three games, bolstering a defensive unit that has lost five players to injuries the past couple of weeks.

Falcons: OG Matthew Bergeron was ruled out in the third quarter with a neck injury. … C Ryan Neuzil hobbled off the field midway through the second quarter but was back on the field before halftime. …TE Charlie Woerner was cleared to return after being evaluated for a possible concussion. … S Justin Simmons (hamstring) was able to go after being limited in practice during the week. … OLB Lorenzo Carter (concussion) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

Up next
Seahawks: Return home to host the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.

Falcons: Travel to Tampa Bay next Sunday for their second meeting of the season against the NFC South rival Buccaneers.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyler Goodson ran for one touchdown and Anthony Richardson led the Indianapolis Colts on two fourth-quarter scoring drives to clinch a 16-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Matt Gay’s 22-yard field goal with 8:41 left in the game gave Indy its first lead, and a defensive stop at the Indianapolis 33-yard line in the final minute sealed the victory over the NFL’s lowest-scoring team.

The Dolphins (2-4) had a chance to tie the score on a 54-yard field goal with 5:14 to go, but Jason Sanders’ kick hit the left upright and bounced harmlessly into the end zone.

Indy (4-3) has won four of its past five and three straight home games since a loss to Houston in its opener.

Miami has dropped four of five and lost yet another quarterback, Tyler Huntley, to injury Sunday. Huntley left midway through the third quarter with a right shoulder injury and did not return. Tim Boyle finished the game for the reeling Dolphins.

It sure wasn’t pretty.

Richardson was 10 of 24 with 129 yards and rushed 14 times for 56 yards while losing a fumble in his first action since Week 4. Goodson had 14 carries for 51 yards.

Huntley finished 7 of 13 with 87 yards and one score and ran five times for 20 yards. Devon Achane had 15 carries for 77 yards. And while Jonnu Smith had seven catches for 96 yards, Tyreek Hill caught only one pass for 8 yards. Boyle was 8 of 13 with 74 yards.

Miami and Indy combined for just one score in the first 29 minutes — Huntley’s 10-yard TD pass to Smith on third-and-goal midway through the first quarter.

Sanders made a 33-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the first half and Gay matched it with a 52-yarder on the final play of the second quarter to get the Colts within 10-3.

Things didn’t change much in the second half.

Indy converted Raheem Mostert’s fumble into the tying score, Goodson’s first NFL touchdown with 9:08 left in the third quarter. And after Huntley left, the Colts turned Alec Ingold’s fumble into the go-ahead field goal midway through the fourth quarter before Gay made a 38-yarder with 1:51 left to extend the lead.

Clark honored
Former tight end Dallas Clark became the newest member of the Colts Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. His name and the years he played, 2003-11 now appear above the south end zone.

Clark played 11 seasons in the NFL, the first nine with Indy after the Colts drafted him in the first round. He finished his Colts career with 649 receptions, 4,887 yards, 46 TDs, two Super Bowl appearances and one All-Pro selection. Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James were among the attendees.

Rough start
The Colts had planned to have the retractable roof and the window in the north end zone open on a warm, sunny day. But mechanical problems forced the team to keep the roof closed.

“Roof closed due to operational issues,” team owner Jim Irsay posted on Twitter before the game. “Very disappointing. Apologies to our fans.”

Up next
Dolphins: Host Arizona next Sunday.

Colts: Begin a two-game road trip next Sunday at Houston.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Bates kicked a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left and the Detroit Lions beat Minnesota 31-29 on Sunday, handing the Vikings their first loss in a back-and-forth game befitting of the NFL’s strongest division.

Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 116 yards and two of Detroit’s three second-quarter touchdowns. He also helped Jared Goff guide the Lions 48 yards in four plays to get in range for their rookie kicker while forcing the Vikings to burn their timeouts. Bates is 10 for 10 on field goals this season.

Goff went 22 for 25 for 280 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers in his third straight game with a 140-plus passer rating, joining Aaron Rodgers (2011), Kurt Warner (1999) and Roger Staubach (1971) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

Gibbs had 150 total yards to spearhead a commanding performance by the Lions (5-1) at the line of scrimmage against the defense that entered the week with a rushing average per play (3.6) allowed that was the second-best in the league.

Ivan Pace Jr. returned David Montgomery’s fumble 35 yards for a touchdown with 5:50 remaining to give the Vikings (5-1) a one-point lead after they trailed 21-10 at halftime, but Sam Darnold’s crucial 2-point conversion pass sailed past Justin Jefferson.

The Vikings neared midfield on their last-gasp possession, but they were too far away for their own perfect rookie Will Reichard to attempt a field goal. Darnold was sacked to end the game and give the Lions their fourth consecutive victory over the Vikings for their longest streak in the series since 1961-63.

Aaron Jones rushed for 93 yards and a TD for Minnesota despite being listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. Jefferson had 81 yards receiving and a touchdown, and Reichard made three field goals, including a 57-yarder.

Darnold went 22 for 27 for 259 yards, but he spoiled a promising drive in the second quarter when the Vikings needed to regain some rhythm by ignoring a wide-open Jones in the flat off a play-action fake and forcing a throw to Jordan Addison that was intercepted by a diving Brian Branch.

The Lions played a second quarter for the ages. They had three scoring drives that all covered at least 69 yards on the strength of some shrewd play-calling by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson that rendered the chess moves by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores moot, as Goff beat blitz after blitz.

Injury report
Lions: RB Montgomery (knee) limped off in the first quarter but returned before halftime. … RG Kevin Zeitler (groin) was inactive, and his backup Kayode Awosika was flagged twice for holding and once for a false start in the first quarter. One holding call was declined by the Vikings because they sacked Goff on the play.

Vikings: LB Blake Cashman (toe) was inactive.

Up next
Lions: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday afternoon.

Vikings: Play at the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.