The Latest: TE Ertz enjoys spectacular start with Cardinals

By The Associated Press

The latest from Week 7 of the NFL (all times EDT):

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4:45 p.m.

Zach Ertz is off to quite a start with his new team in Arizona.

The former Philadelphia tight end had a spectacular first catch from Kyler Murray with the undefeated Cardinals against Houston. Ertz was acquired in a trade a little more than a week ago.

The three-time Pro Bowler went over the middle, where Murray’s throw was behind him. Ertz reached behind his body and with his left hand and was able to corral the one-handed grab.

Fans cheered after the catch and roared even louder when they realized it was Ertz.

— David Brandt reporting from Glendale, Arizona

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4:30 p.m.

Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals have pulled even with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.

Both teams are 5-2 after Burrow threw for a career-high 416 yards while also matching his best with three touchdowns in a 41-17 victory. The rookie Chase had the second 200-yard game in the NFL this season with 201 yards and a TD. The eight catches are also his best.

The Tennessee Titans knocked Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes out of the game in the fourth quarter of a 27-3 win over the Chiefs. It was the lowest point total for the high-scoring two-time defending AFC champs since a 38-3 loss to Denver in December 2012.

Aaron Rodgers has thrown for three touchdowns to help Green Bay win its sixth consecutive game since losing the opener. The 24-10 victory was highlighted by the defense holding Washington without points on three consecutive trips inside the 20 in the second half.

Atlanta beat Miami 30-28 on a field goal on the final play. New England blew out the Jets 54-13 with rookie New York quarterback Zach Wilson leaving with a knee injury in the first half.

The New York Giants got their first home victory, beating Carolina 25-3 as former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold fell flat in his return to his old home stadium.

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4:05 p.m.

Sam Darnold has fallen flat in the Carolina quarterback’s return to his old home stadium in the Meadowlands.

Darnold was 16 of 25 for 111 yards with an interception in a 25-3 loss to the New York Giants.

The No. 3 overall pick in 2018 by the New York Jets earned a measure of satisfaction by beating his former team at Carolina in his debut for the Panthers in the opener.

No such gratification in his first game at MetLife Stadium. The Panthers are on the verge of their fourth consecutive loss since starting 3-0.

P.J. Walker took over for Darnold late.

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3:50 p.m.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been replaced by Chad Henne after going to the medical tent following his fourth sack against Tennessee.

Mahomes and the Chiefs were going for it on fourth-and-18 from their own 25 trailing 27-3 in the fourth quarter when Denico Autry sacked the 2018 NFL MVP. Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons’ knee caught Mahomes in the head as he came swarming in.

Once Mahomes got up with some help, he went into the medical tent on the Kansas City sideline. He came out of the tent and chatted with coach Andy Reid before going to the bench. Henne took the next series.

Mahomes has an interception and a lost fumble, giving him 11 turnovers this season.

— Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee

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3:30 p.m.

The Green Bay Packers are finally getting some stops when the opponent gets inside their 20-yard line. Two of them, in fact.

The Packers had allowed touchdowns every time they allowed the opponent inside the 20 before the meeting with Washington. In the third quarter, Washington didn’t get any points on two drives inside the Green Bay 5.

Green Bay preserved its 21-7 advantage after Washington’s Taylor Heinicke couldn’t connect with Ricky Seals-Jones on fourth-and-2 from the 3. That came after Heinicke’s third-down passed bounced off the upper body of Terry McLaurin.

On the previous drive, Heinicke was stopped on fourth-and-goal from inside the 1 after his apparent 3-yard touchdown on third down was overturned on replay.

Heinicke had a clear path to the end zone on third down, but officials ruled he gave himself up diving forward and his knee hit the ground just before his outstretched arm crossed the goal line.

— Steve Megargee reporting from Green Bay, Wisconsin

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3:20 p.m.

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are carving up the Baltimore defense.

Chase scored on an 82-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter to put the Bengals up 27-17 in this AFC North showdown. Cincinnati has a chance to pull into a first-place tie with the Ravens with a victory.

It was a tight defensive struggle for most of the first half. But after Baltimore went up 17-13 in the third, the Bengals answered with two straight touchdowns. Burrow is 18 of 29 for 340 yards and three touchdowns.

— Noah Trister reporting from Baltimore

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3:10 p.m.

Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke’s Lambeau leap was all for naught.

The self-described Brett Favre fan from his youth ran for an apparent 3-yard touchdown on third-and-goal, found a fan in a Washington jersey and did a Lambeau leap in front of him.

The touchdown was overturned after replays showed his knee hit the ground just before his arm crossed the goal line on his dive into the end zone. Heinicke appeared to have a clear path to the goal line before diving forward, and officials ruled he gave himself up.

After the reversal, Heinicke tried to sneak it in on fourth-and-goal from half a yard away. But he was stopped before he could stick the ball over the goal line. The Packers lead 21-7.

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2:55 p.m.

New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has been ruled out against New England with a knee injury.

Wilson took a hit from Patriots linebacker Matt Judon early in the second quarter and was down several minutes on the field. He eventually walked off the field on his own and went to the medical tent.

Mike White replaced Wilson. The Patriots had a 31-7 halftime lead.

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2:45 p.m.

The third touchdown pass of the day from Aaron Rodgers has given Green Bay a 21-7 lead early in the third quarter against Washington.

The teams traded touchdowns on the opening possessions of the game before the Packers went in front 14-7 on Adam Lazard’s 10-yard catch 15 seconds before halftime.

Washington’s Taylor Heinicke, who grew up a fan of Brett Favre, opened with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin. But Heinicke lost a fumble on a strip sack early in the second half, setting up Rodgers’ 20-yard scoring toss to Robert Tonyan.

New Washington kicker had his first career field-goal attempt blocked when the score was tied at 7-7. The 42-yard attempt was blocked by T.J. Slaton.

— Steve Megargee reporting from Green Bay, Wisconsin

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2:15 p.m.

The Tennessee Titans are streamrolling Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ryan Tannehill is 14 of 16 for 195 yards, NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry has a touchdown pass and the Titans are up 24-0 on the two-time defending AFC champs late in the second quarter.

The Titans have 259 yards and 17 first downs while Mahomes and company have 35 yards and three first downs in their first meeting since the AFC championship game during the 2019 season.

Tennessee was already up 17-0 when Mahomes was intercepted for the sixth consecutive game, the longest streak of his career. Rashaan Evans had a diving catch on a tipped ball for the ninth pick of the year for Mahomes. The 2018 MVP had six all of last season.

Titans receiver A.J. Brown has five catches for 89 yards and a 24-yard touchdown after battling food poisoning during the week.

— Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee

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2 p.m.

New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has left the game against New England early in the second quarter with a knee injury.

Wilson took a hit from Patriots linebacker Matt Judon and was down several minutes on the field. He eventually walked off the field on his own and went to the medical tent. There was no immediate word on whether Wilson would return.

Mike White replaced Wilson with the Patriots leading 17-0.

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1:35 p.m.

Some non-quarterbacks are getting into the act with touchdown passes early in Week 7.

to tight end MyCole Pruitt out of the wildcat for Tennessee against Kansas City.

to fellow receiver Nelson Agholor after catching a backward pass from Mac Jones and faking a run against the New York Jets. Both TDs came on the opening possessions.

It was the first career pass for Bourne, who had a go-ahead 75-yard touchdown catch late in regulation last week against Dallas before the Patriots lost in overtime.

It wasn’t Henry’s first TD pass. The two-time defending rushing champ threw on in a divisional playoff win over Baltimore during the 2019 season.

with multiple touchdown passes from non-quarterbacks in the same week.

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1:20 p.m.

The Tennessee Titans are rolling early on offense against Kansas City after struggling to score in the first quarter this season coming in.

Ryan Tannehill spread the ball around to A.J. Brown, Julio Jones and Derrick Henry. Then the Titans let Henry, the NFL’s rushing leader, finish off the drive out of the wildcat. for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Henry also threw a TD pass in a divisional win over Baltimore in January 2020.

— Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee

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12:25 p.m.

The AFC North lead is in play with Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals visiting Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in one of the Week 7 headliners.

The Bengals are a game back of the Ravens at 4-2. Baltimore is among three NFL teams with five consecutive victories since losing the opener.

Tom Brady is trying to lead Tampa Bay to the first 6-1 start in franchise history. The defending Super Bowl champion is at home against Chicago.

Jared Goff returns to Los Angeles to face the Rams after the offseason trade that sent the 2016 No. 1 overall pick to Detroit for Matthew Stafford. The Lions are the only winless team at 0-6, while Stafford has led LA to a 5-1 start.

The Rams trail the undefeated Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. Kyler Murray and company put their perfect season on the line at home against Houston. The Texans have lost five in a row since winning their opener.

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10:30 a.m.

Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury has cleared COVID-19 protocols and will be on the sideline when the undefeated Cardinals play Houston.

Kyler Murray is trying to lead the Cardinals to their first 7-0 start since 1974, 14 years before the franchise moved to Phoenix from St. Louis. Arizona defensive end J.J. Watt is facing the Texans for the first time after spending his first 10 seasons playing with them.

Kingsbury’s positive COVID-19 test was announced two days before Arizona played at Cleveland last week. Murray threw four touchdown passes in the Cardinals’ 37-14 win.

Arizona quarterbacks coach Cam Turner and defensive tackle Zach Allen also were sidelined last week because of coronavirus protocols.

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