NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees hit C.J. Spiller with a short pass that the running back turned into an 80-yard touchdown -- the 400th of the Saints quarterback's career -- on the second play of overtime and New Orleans won for the first time this season, 26-20 over the injury-decimated Cowboys on Monday night.
"We had to really earn it on both sides of the ball, all the way around," Brees said. "These types of wins really strengthen you, really bring you together, help build confidence."
Brees, who missed New Orleans' previous game because of a bruised rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder, completed 33 of 41 throws for 359 yards and two TDs in his return.
"It felt fine. Felt good enough, got the job done, so we're all good," Brees said of his shoulder.
Mark Ingram gained 126 yards from scrimmage on a combination of runs and short passes, and Khiry Robinson had a 1-yard touchdown run for New Orleans (1-3).
Joseph Randle scored the lone TD for Dallas (2-2) on a 1-yard run in the first half. The winning score enlivened a Superdome crowd stunned by Saints kicker Zach Hocker's 30-yard miss in the final seconds of regulation (see full story).
Ivory, Jets run all over Dolphins in London
LONDON -- The New York Jets piled up the yards, both good and bad, and got the win it came for.
NFL
The Jets (3-1) gained 425 yards of total offense, including a career-high 166 for running back Chris Ivory, in a 27-14 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
But as much as the offensive yardage helped, it was the 163 yards given up on 14 penalties that kept the Dolphins (1-3) in the game.
"We play aggressive, so some of that's going to happen," Jets linebacker Calvin Pace said. "But we know we've got to clean up our play."
Ryan Fitzpatrick started things for the Jets by completing a 58-yard pass to Brandon Marshall on the team's first play from scrimmage. Ivory then ran for 12 yards and scored from the 3 on the next two plays as the offensive line neutralized Dolphins tackle Ndamukong Suh all day (see full story).
Jennings' 51-yard TD helps Giants seal 24-10 win over Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- As running back Rashad Jennings broke one tackle after another, the New York Giants began shedding their early season reputation for blowing fourth-quarter leads.
Jennings eluded three would-be tacklers to score on a 51-yard catch-and-run midway through the fourth quarter to secure a 24-10 win over the unraveling and undisciplined Buffalo Bills on Sunday. And if the outcome was ever in doubt, cornerback Prince Amukamara settled it on Buffalo's next possession by stripping the ball out of the hands of receiver Robert Woods.
"We were challenged after the first two games where we had leads going into the fourth quarter and lost them both," quarterback Eli Manning said. "So that was a huge play by Rashad. A great effort and we need it. The team needed it."
Manning and the Giants responded once the momentum began shifting after Buffalo cut the lead to 16-10 on Tyrod Taylor's 23-yard pass to Karlos Williams with 9:41 remaining. Facing third-and-3 at his own 49, Manning busted the Bills blitz by dumping a short pass to his left to Jennings (see full story).
Freeman leads Falcons to another win, 48-21 over Texans
ATLANTA -- Devonta Freeman just wanted a chance.
Wow, he's sure taking advantage of it.
Dazzling as both a runner and a receiver, Freeman had another three-touchdown game for the Atlanta Falcons, who remained unbeaten with a 48-21 rout of the hapless Houston Texans on Sunday.
"Opportunity is everything," the second-year running back said.
Taking over as the starter after rookie Tevin Coleman sustained a rib injury in Week 2, Freeman has six TDs in the past two games and an NFL-leading seven for the season.
Against the Texans, he scored on runs of 16, 23 and 6 yards, and set up another touchdown with a 44-yard reception (see full story).
Bengals stay unbeaten with 36-21 win over Chiefs
CINCINNATI -- Andy Dalton completes his first 10 passes and makes another big play. The defense allows nothing other than field goals. Through four games, the Bengals are still perfect.
And awfully impressive, too.
Dalton threw a 55-yard touchdown pass on the run -- the type of throw he's rarely made in the past -- and Cincinnati remained unbeaten with a 36-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
The Bengals (4-0) matched the third-best start in franchise history, two wins shy of the club record.
They've got the look of a team finally capable of not only reaching the playoffs, but winning once they get there (see full story).