KansasCity.com

Mobile Site RSS Feeds
Logout | Member Center
Posted on Sun, Oct. 25, 2009 11:30 PM
Buzz UpYahoo Buzz PrintPrint
Comment (0)Comment

Sunday’s other NFL games: Freeman makes his debut

More News

Patriots 35, Buccaneers 7

LONDON | It took a trip across the Atlantic for Tom Brady and the Patriots to get their first road victory of the season. For the winless Buccaneers, the change of scenery produced yet another loss.

Brady threw three touchdown passes as the Patriots, 5-2, beat the Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium in the NFL’s third regular-season game at the iconic London venue.

The Bucs, who gave up a home game to play in London, fell to 0-7 and saw their losing streak extended to 11 games overall. And perhaps a quarterback controversy will greet the Bucs when they return to Florida.

Tampa Bay and quarterback Josh Johnson mustered little offense. The Bucs’ only score came on a 33-yard pass from Johnson to Antonio Bryant near the end of the first half. Johnson finished nine of 26 for 156 yards and three interceptions. He was taken out midway through the fourth quarter and replaced by rookie Josh Freeman, the former Grandview High School and Kansas State star.

Freeman was two for four for 16 yards. He also rushed for 5 yards.

One St. Petersburg Times columnist is openly calling for Freeman to take the starting job, but Freeman wasn’t ready to make that call.

“Josh is still our man,” Freeman told the Times, “and I still support him.”

The Patriots were coming off a 59-0 win over the Titans in which Brady tossed six TD passes. New England wasn’t as overpowering this time, and Brady even threw two interceptions in an uneven first-half performance. Former Kansas star Aqib Talib had one of the picks.

Bills 20, Panthers 9

CHARLOTTE, N.C. | A quick peek of the box score, and you’d think it was impossible the Bills won. They were outgained almost 3-to-1, had only nine first downs and had a nearly 10-minute deficit in time of possession.

Then you see the stat that decided the game and defined Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme’s miserable season with Carolina: turnovers. Delhomme was picked off three more times, and the Panthers committed four turnovers to Buffalo’s none.

Buffalo, 3-4, won its second straight despite being outgained 425-167 by getting two more interceptions from Jairus Byrd that set up touchdowns. Byrd, a second-round pick from Oregon, now has five interceptions in three games.

The Bills recovered Kenny Moore’s fumbled punt late in the fourth quarter and watched John Kasay miss two field goals for Carolina, 2-4.

Delhomme’s interception total has reached an NFL-high 13 — with only four touchdowns — and coach John Fox said he’d “evaluate” whether Delhomme keeps his job. Delhomme badly overthrew two passes that led to 14 Buffalo points and hedged when asked whether he should remain the starter ahead of Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley.

“In my heart, yeah, but I mean let’s be honest, I don’t think I’m a dummy,” said Delhomme, whose passer rating is 56.5. “When you’re not playing well offensively, you always have to look at the quarterback.”

Packers 31, Browns 3

CLEVELAND | Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards, and Green Bay warmed up for Brett Favre’s first visit back to Lambeau Field next week with a laugher.

It would have been understandable if the Packers, 4-2, had overlooked an inferior opponent with their eyes on Favre’s hyped return to Wisconsin with the Vikings. But Rodgers and his teammates took care of business against the Browns, 1-6.

Rodgers finished 15 of 20 for 246 yards and the three TDs — a 71-yarder to Donald Driver and 41-yarder to tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner in the first half, and a 5-yarder to James Jones that capped a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter.

| Star News Services

Posted on Sun, Oct. 25, 2009 11:30 PM
Buzz UpYahoo Buzz PrintPrint
Comment (0)Comment

Join the discussion

Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open, civil debate is the goal. Please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as abuse" link.

Text alerts Subscribe today!