APTOPIX Bengals Browns Football

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is carted off the field after suffering an Achilles injury during the Browns’ 21-14 loss to the Bengals on Sunday in Cleveland. Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Deshaun Watson’s third season with the Browns is likely over.

Cleveland’s embattled quarterback was carted off with an Achilles tendon injury in the first half of the Browns’ 21-14 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday as Joe Burrow got his first road win against the Bengals’ in-state AFC North rival.

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.

While he did not confirm Watson’s season has ended, Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski said it appears that way. The team was still awaiting further test results.

“Really, really disappointing,” Stefanski said.

The embattled Watson, whose tenure with Cleveland has been marked by off-field problems, injuries and poor play, covered his head with a towel as he was carted off the field. While he was down, players from both teams came off the sidelines to surround him and offer support.

Advertisement

LIONS 31, VIKINGS 29: Jake Bates kicked a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left and Detroit (5-1) beat Minnesota (5-1) in Minneapolis, 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.

EAGLES 28, GIANTS 3: Saquon Barkley made a memorable return to MetLife Stadium, rushing for 176 yards and a touchdown and turning early jeers to cheers as he the Philadelphia (4-2) to a victory over the offensively inept Giants (2-5) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Jalen Hurts scored on two tush-push quarterback sneaks and threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown as the Eagles  beat the Giants for the sixth time in seven games and 14th in 17. Philadelphia’s defense was just as good, recording eight sacks and limiting New York to 119 yards.

CHIEFS 28, 49ERS 18: Patrick Mahomes overcame two interceptions to deliver a few big plays with his feet and Kansas City (6-0) remained the league’s only undefeated team, beating San Francisco (3-4) in a Super Bowl rematch in Santa Clara, California.

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

Advertisement

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

PACKERS 24, TEXANS 22: Brandon McManus kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired in his debut performance with Green Bay (5-2), lifting the Packers past visiting Houston (5-2).

Green Bay 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.

COLTS 16, DOLPHINS 10: Tyler Goodson ran for one touchdown and Anthony Richardson led the Colts (4-3) on two fourth-quarter scoring drives to clinch a win over Miami in Indianapolis (2-4).

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.

Advertisement

SEAHAWKS 34, FALCONS 14: Geno Smith passed for two touchdowns and Derick Hall returned a fumble 36 yards for a clinching score as Seattle (4-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Falcons (4-3 in Atlanta.

The Seahawks’ victory was marred by receiver DK 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.

“We’re optimistic at this point,” Seattle Coach Mike Macdonald said. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

BILLS 34, TITANS 10: Amari Cooper scored the go-ahead touchdown in his debut with Buffalo and Josh Allen overcame a sluggish first half to throw two touchdown passes in his 100th career start to help the Bills (5-2) rally from a 10-point deficit and beat Tennessee (1-5) in Orchard Park, New York.

Cooper’s 12-yard TD catch was his first reception for the Bills and came five days after being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Ty Johnson also scored on a 4-yard catch, and James Cook and Ray Davis rounded out the rout with touchdown runs.

RAMS 20, RAIDERS 15: Kam Curl returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown and Kyren Williams rushed for 76 yards and two scores as the Rams (2-4) beat the Raiders (2-4) in Inglewood, California.

Cobie Durant had an interception and later caused the fumble returned for a TD by Curl for the Rams (2-4), who forced four turnovers by Gardner Minshew. The Raiders’ backup quarterback was forced into action by an early hand injury for Aidan O’Connell.

COMMANDERS 40, PANTHERS 7: Marcus Mariota replaced injured rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels early in the second quarter, Dante Fowler returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown and Washington (5-2) routed Carolina (1-6) in Landover, Maryland.

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,” and given the lopsided score, it would have been more surprising if Daniels returned, and the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner spent the second half on the bench chatting and laughing with teammates.

Join the Conversation

Please sign into your CentralMaine.com account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.