The Cincinnati Bengals stretched their win streak to four games after defeating the Buffalo Bills, 24-18, on “Sunday Night Football.”

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 30 passes for 348-yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Tee Higgins led Cincinnati with eight receptions for 110 yards. The Bengals move to 5-3 on the season after losing three of their first four games. 

The Bills attempted a fourth-quarter comeback, but their efforts came up short. Quarterback Josh Allen connected with receiver Stefon Diggs for a 17-yard touchdown and successful two-point conversion with 3:32 remaining in the game to cut the Bengals’ lead to six points. But running back Joe Mixon sealed the win for Cincinnati with a 5-yard run to get a first down. 

The Bills’ Super Bowl aspirations took another hit as they drop to 5-4 following the key AFC matchup.  Allen had 26 completions for 258-yards, one touchdown and one interception, in addition to 44 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. 

The last time these two met in the regular season was last year during ‘Monday Night Football’ when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field. Hamlin was revived at a Cincinnati hospital and his inspirational story continues despite being inactive for eight of the Bills’ nine games. — Cydney Henderson

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Bengals vs. Bills highlights

While the Bengals now have won four consecutive games following a 1-3 start to the season, the Bills have lost three of their last five games.

Winners and losers from Bengals’ win over Bills

WINNERS

Joe Burrow’s healthy and back: One of Burrow’s best attributes is his pocket awareness and ability to maneuver within the pocket to buy extra time. That was absent when he was hampered with a calf injury, but the Bengals quarterback is healthy now.

Burrow was sharp in the pocket and picked Buffalo’s defense apart with an assortment of weapons.

Burrow finished 31-of-44 passing for 348 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a 108.9 passer rating.

The Bengals quarterback hit eight different pass catchers in what was a good day in the office for the quarterback.

Wide receiver Tee Higgins led the way with eight catches for a season-high 110 receiving yards.

Bengals defense: Germaine Pratt is one of the unheralded members of the Bengals defense, but he’s a playmaker. The Bengals linebacker had a team-best 11 tackles.

Nick Scott had a big forced fumble in the fourth quarter when the Bills were threatening to score.

Cincinnati’s defense held the Bills to just seven points in the first half, and the Bills were only able to reach the end zone once second half.

The Bengals defense forced two total turnovers in the victory.

Bengals tight ends: The Bengals haven’t got much usage out of their tight end position this season, but they produced Sunday night.

Tight Irv Smith, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson combined for 10 catches, 101 yards and two touchdowns.

LOSERS

Bills offense: The Bills offense found some life late in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late.

The Bills were held to just seven points in a first half that featured Josh Allen’s ninth interception of the season. When the Bills were driving to score early in the fourth quarter, tight end Dalton Kincaid had a costly fumble.

At times, Buffalo’s best offense was a broken play and an Allen scramble.

Bills’ rushing offense: Josh Allen’s 26 rushing yards led the Bills. The Bills played from behind for the entire game, but they didn’t get anything from their rushing attack that produced a modest 46 total yards.

Bills’ pass defense: Injuries took a toll on the Bills defense on Sunday night, especially in the secondary.

The Bills defense gave up 397 yards, including 343 through the air.

The Bengals averaged 5.9 yards per play. — Tyler Dragon

Joe Mixon run seals Bengals win

Coming out of the two-minute warning, Bengals running back Joe Mixon secured his team’s fourth consecutive victory by juking past Bills edge rusher Von Miller for a 5-yard gain on third-and-3 at the Bills’ 36-yard line.

While the Bengals’ win means every team in the AFC North is over .500, the Bills’ defeat kept the team from moving into a tie for first in the AFC East after the Dolphins’ loss to the Chiefs in Frankfurt, Germany. — Jim Reineking

Bengals 24, Bills 18: Stefon Diggs TD, two-point conversion brings Buffalo closer

The Bills finally reached pay dirt, doing so for the first time since their initial offensive drive of the game when quarterback Josh Allen connected with receiver Stefon Diggs for a 17-yard score.

Allen and Diggs connected again on the ensuring two-point conversion attempt, with Diggs colliding with a stadium security worker behind the end zone. Both appeared fine after the collision.

The score brought Buffalo within six points of Cincinnati, but time is ticking away at further opportunities to tie up the game. — Jim Reineking

Bengals 24, Bills 10: Cincy extends lead in fourth quarter

The Bengals scored their first points of the second half.

Bengals kicker Evan McPherson made a short 20-yard field goal to extend Cincinnati’s lead, 24-10.

The 12-play, 85-yard field goal drive came after Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid had the football punched out from him by Bengals safety Nick Scott. — Tyler Dragon

Bills’ Dalton Kincaid fumbles in Bengals territory

Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed a 11-yard pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid, who attempted to hurdle over Bengals safety Nick Scott to get the first down. But Kincaid was flipped upside down on the play and fumbled the ball before he landed. Scott recovered the ball on the Bengals’ 13-yard line.

It marked the Bills’ second turnover of the day. — Cydney Henderson

Bills score only points in third quarter, but Bengals still lead

Defenses on both sides won the third quarter.

Buffalo’s successful 34-yard field goal represented the only points of the quarter. 

The Bills defense forced the Bengals to turn the ball over on downs with a little over two minutes remaining in the third period.

Buffalo’s defense held the Bengals to 57 total yards in the third quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Bengals 21, Bills 10: Field goal cuts into Cincy’s lead

The opening drive of the second half resulted in a successful 34-yard field goal attempt by Bills kicker Tyler Bass.

The three-pointer capped an 11-play, 58-yard drive for Buffalo, which entered halftime trailing Cincinnati by two touchdowns. The biggest play of the drive was a 15-yard connection between Josh Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs that put the Bills in field goal range. — Jim Reineking

Bengals hold two TD lead at halftime

The Bengals were the best team on the field in the first half.

The Bengals offense scored touchdowns on three of their five possessions and the defense intercepted Josh Allen once in the first half to take a 21-7 lead at halftime.

Joe Burrow has been sharp through two quarters. The Bengals’ quarterback has 181 passing yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a 123.8 passer rating.

The Bills scored of their first possession, but they were contained on their four following drives.

Bengals tight ends have combined for seven catches and two touchdowns in the first half.

Bills safety Jordan Poyer currently has a game-high eight tackles. — Tyler Dragon

Bengals 21, Bills 7: Joe Burrow tosses second touchdown

The Bengals reached the end zone for a third time late in the second quarter.

On third down, Joe Burrow found tight end Drew Sample wide open for a short pass and Sample scampered for a 22-yard touchdown to give Cincinnati a 21-7 advantage.

Sample and fellow tight end Irv Smith have two of Cincinnati’s three touchdowns in the first half.

Burrow has 181 passing yards and two touchdowns through two quarters. — Tyler Dragon

Joe Burrow battling through bloodied finger

The Bengals quarterback has a finger injury. 

The NBC broadcast showed Burrow’s right index finger bleeding on his throwing hand, but it’s not clear how serious the injury is or if it is affecting him. He was seen sucking the blood off his finger and even wiping it on a towel during the second quarter. 

After the Bengals punted the ball following a three-play, minus-10 yard drive, Burrow was attended to on the sidelines. According to NBC’s Melissa Stark, trainers cleaned off and sterilized Burrow’s fingernail. He didn’t take any warmup throws before taking the field again. 

Trainers also put a heating pad on Burrow’s right calf, the same one he injured in the preseason. — Cydney Henderson

Bengals’ all-time rushing leaders

If you’re wondering where Joe Mixon ranks on the Bengals’ all-time rushing yardage list, he is climbing toward the top after recently passing Rudi Johnson to move into third place.

Here are the Bengals’ rushing yardage leaders:

Corey Dillon (1997-2003): 8,061 yardsJames Brooks (1984-1991): 6,447 yardsJoe Mixon (2017-present): 5,831 yards*Rudi Johnson (2001-2007): 5,742 yardsPete Johnson (1977-1983): 5,421 yardsCedric Benson (2008-2011): 4,176 yardsHarold Green (1990-1995): 3,727 yardsGiovani Bernard (2013-2020): 3,697 yardsEssex Johnson (1968-1975): 3,070 yardsBoobie Clark (1973-1978): 2,978 yards

*Total entering Sunday night’s game.

Bengals pick off Josh Allen

After allowing an opening drive touchdown, the Bengals defense has stopped Buffalo for two straight drives.

Josh Allen’s deep pass to Gabe Davis was picked off by Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt at the Buffalo 32-yard line.

The interception was Allen’s ninth of the season.  — Tyler Dragon

Hot first quarter for both offenses

The Bills and Bengals combined for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter.

The Bengals ended the first period with a 14-7 lead. Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s completed 11 of 14 passes for 114 yards and has a touchdown.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has completed five of six passes for 83 yards. He also has a touchdown on the ground. — Tyler Dragon

Bengals 14, Bills 7: Cincy back on top with Joe Mixon’s rushing TD

The Bengals retook the lead against the Bills with a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Joe Mixon that capped a 11-play, 69-yard drive. 

Nixon has eight yards and one touchdown on four carries. 

The Bengals lead, 14-7. Cincinnati has possessed the ball 11:10 and ran a total of 20 plays, compared to Buffalo only having the ball for 3:15  and running a total of seven plays. — Cydney Henderson

Bills 7, Bengals 7: Josh Allen scores TD, gets penalized for taunting

Josh Allen saw the Bengals offense make it look easy on their first possession.

Allen led the Bills on an opening drive touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.

The Bills’ quarterback only had one incompletion during a seven-play, 85-yard touchdown drive.

Allen ran for a 2-yard touchdown to cap off Buffalo’s first series. The quarterback was called for a taunting penalty on the touchdown run for pointing at a Bengals defender. — Tyler Dragon

Bengals 7, Bills 0: Cincinnati sharp during opening drive

The Bengals took possession of the football to start the game, and proceeded to waltz down the field on a nine-play, 76-yard touchdown drive.

Joe Burrow was a perfect six-for-six on Cincinnati’s first drive. Burrow threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Irv Smith to end the series. — Tyler Dragon

What time is the Bengals vs. Bills ‘Sunday Night Football’ game? 

The Bills at Bengals kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET. The game will air on NBC and Peacock. The game is also available to stream for free on Fubo. 

Bengals vs. Bills: Predictions, picks and odds

The Bengals are favorites to defeat the Bills, according to BetMGM NFL odds. 

Spread: Bengals (-1.5) Moneyline: Bengals (-125); Bills (+105) Over/under: 50.5 

Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for this game:

Lorenzo Reyes: Bengals Tyler Dragon: Bills Victoria Hernandez: Bengals Jordan Mendoza: Bengals Jarrett Bell: Bengals Safid Deen: Bengals Nate Davis: Bengals Chris Bumbaca: Bengals Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Bengals 

Will Joe Burrow throw 3-plus TD passes?

Joe Burrow has 16 career games with three or more touchdown passes, tied with Peyton Manning and Dak Prescott for the fifth-most such games by a quarterback in his first four NFL seasons. — Tyler Dragon

Josh Allen is a threat by air and ground

Josh Allen has 43 career rushing touchdowns, tied with Hall of Fame QB Steve Young for second on the NFL’s all-time list among quarterbacks. Allen only trails 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton (75). — Tyler Dragon

How to bet on ‘Sunday Night Football’

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Monday Night Football odds and more. 

If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin 

All odds provided by BetMGM 

Bills vs. Bengals inactives: Damar Hamlin will not play

Returning the site of his scary cardiac arrest on Jan. 2, 2023, Bills safety Damar Hamlin is inactive and will not play. Hamlin has been inactive for eight of the Bills’ nine games this season.

Bills’ inactive players:

S Damar HamlinLB A.J. KleinLB Baylon SpectorOG Germain IfediOT Alec AndersonDT Poona Ford

Bengals’ inactive players:

CB DJ IveyC Trey HillLB Devin HarperOT D’Ante SmithDT Josh Tupou

Bengals vs. Bills: A history lesson

The Bengals and Bills have been squaring off since Cincinnati joined the American Football League as an expasion team in 1968. Sunday night’s matchup is the 34th meeting between the two teams, with Buffalo holding a 17-16 series edge (including playoff games).

The Bengals have won all three of the playoff showdowns against the Bills. During the 1981 season, the Bengals defeated the Bills, 28-21, en route to reaching Super Bowl XVI. In 1988, the Bengals defeated the Bills, 21-10, in the AFC championship game. And, last season, the Bengals topped the Bills, 27-10, in the divisional playoffs.

Following that 1988 AFC title game loss, the Bills would win 10 consecutive games against the Bengals in a run that spanned from 1989 through 2010. — Jim Reineking

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Who is the highest-paid NFL player? 

The NFL’s top 15 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. As Joe Burrow proved in his new deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, teams place a huge priority on having a top-flight QB under center. Burrow’s five-year, $275 million contract extension made him the league’s highest paid player at a staggering average annual value of $55 million. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league after signing a five-year, $170 million extension. 

Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position? 

We have a complete list at every position: 

Quarterbacks Running back Receivers Tight ends Offensive tackles Offensive guards Centers Edge rushers Interior defensive linemen Linebackers Cornerbacks Safeties Kickers Punters 

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PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts has the type of street cred that can only be earned when the going gets tough and the heat is on.

Another prime example of this came just before halftime on Sunday at The Linc, when the typically rabid throng of Philadelphia Eagles fans was suddenly hushed by the sight of their quarterback limping to the sideline.

Hurts was dazed by a violent sequence as a blocker crashed into the side of his already tender left knee, an instant before Dallas Cowboys quarterback killer Micah Parsons dumped him for a sack.

Ouch.

Yet while the fans may have held their collective breath, it appears that Hurts’ teammates barely batted an eye.

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“I kind of saw him limping off the field,” Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson said after a survival of a 28-23 victory. “After I saw him in the locker room at halftime, I knew he’d be OK.”

On the other side of the room, Hurts’ most prolific target, A.J. Brown, was similarly chill.

“If he can get up and walk off, he’s OK,” Brown said.

They were hardly trying to minimize Hurts’ pain or the scare inflicted on Eagles faithful. No, the teammates were merely expressing the confidence in their leader.

Besides, when the Eagles opened the second half, Hurts demonstrated just how much he was not totally doomed, if limited, by the knee. On the first third down, he scrambled around right end to move the sticks. Then he rolled right and threw on the run for an 11-yard completion to D’Andre Swift. On the next snap, he sat in the pocket, spotted DeVonta Smith matched in single coverage against DaRon Bland and launched a dime for a 29-yard touchdown.

“I really don’t know what to say,” Hurt offered. “It was a gritty win. A tough win.”

And a victory that allows the Eagles (8-1) to maintain the NFL’s best record as they head into a bye week. They also expanded their NFC East lead over the Cowboys (5-3) to 2 ½ games.

The latest effort was like several others this season. The Eagles hardly played their best, nearly lost, but scratched out enough at the end to survive. Not the best formula for the defending NFC champions, but better than the alternative.

“We still haven’t played a complete game,” Hurts said. “It’s always about finding a way.”

Hurts didn’t put up huge numbers, passing for 207 yards and 2 TDs. But he was plenty efficient, avoiding turnovers and posting a robust passer rating of 130.2. Like his team, he sweated out the finish. 

Philadelphia flirted with a catastrophe as the Cowboys threatened to overcome an 11-point deficit in the final minutes, and it would have been just as much on the offense as it could have stained the defense. The Eagles had three possessions in the fourth quarter and didn’t make a single first down.

As Hurts put it, “We have to be better.”

Still, they have piled on a few more toughness points, led by the quarterback.

Brandon Graham, the grizzled defensive end, was struck, too, by the brief scare before halftime and Hurts’ bounceback against the backdrop of week-to-week NFL survival. He knows resilience when he sees it.

“A fighter, man,” Graham said. “I was so proud of him. I know he’s been dealing with a lot. It’s been a lot of stuff we don’t talk about; we just keep confidential. I’ve got much respect for Jalen.”

In this town, which isn’t shy about romanticizing love for hard-nosed boxers – real and cinematic – and a blue-collar toughness, the appreciation for Hurts has undoubtedly gone up a few notches in recent weeks. For weeks he has operating – complete with the Brotherly Shove sneaks – on the gimpy left knee.

This is how one adds pages to his legend as the quarterback has represented his name in more ways than one.

“He hasn’t been on the injury report because his status has never been in doubt,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Great leader. Great player. Rises to the occasion in big-time moments. That’s who he is. Whether his body’s feeling 100%, whether his body is not feeling 100% — which nobody’s body is at this particular time – he’s a warrior.”

That’s who Hurts is. Brown professed the same. That’s why he wasn’t worried when Hurts took the bang-bang collision before halftime.

 “I know exactly how he’s going to respond,” Brown said. “If he can go, he’s going to go. That’s just who he is. You’re going to have to drag him off the field.”

Well, there was no use for that, at least not this week. Yet through it all, Hurts is human, too.

The man deserves a break about now.

As Hurts put it, “I don’t think the bye week could come at a better time.”

Legend or not, there is no argument to that.

The 32 things we learned from Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season:

1. Who Dat? If you’re a New Orleans Saints fan, it means one thing – more on remarkable QB/TE/FB Taysom Hill later. If you’re a casual NFL fan, it’s what you might utter when trying to figure out who’s playing quarterback for any given club.

2. Twenty teams were in action Sunday afternoon. Seven of them (35%) – whether due to performance, injuries or even a trade – started different quarterbacks than they did in Week 8. Furthermore, the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants both had to make mid-game switches after Jaren Hall and Daniel Jones, respectively, saw their days cut short by injuries.

3. Hall and the Arizona Cardinals’ Clayton Tune became the eighth and ninth rookie quarterbacks to start a game this season.

3a. All told, seven rookie QBs started in Week 9, the most in one weekend in nearly four years.

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4. Las Vegas Raiders rookie QB Aidan O’Connell made his second start of 2023, though first since veteran Jimmy Garoppolo was benched for performance reasons following Josh McDaniels’ firing last week. AOC – yeah? – and the Silver and Black responded nicely to interim coach Antonio Pierce, licking the Jones-less New York Giants 30-6.

4a. Raiders DE Maxx Crosby collected at least three sacks for the third time in his career, helping propel Pierce to a 1-0 start.

4b. There was even a Josh Jacobs sighting in Las Vegas, the league’s reigning rushing champion grinding out 98 yards and two TDs (both season highs) on the ground.

5. And how about Joshua Dobbs? Following Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tear, the Vikes acquired Dobbs from the Cardinals on Tuesday. He wasn’t supposed to play Sunday with Hall getting his shot, but all Dobbs did was step in for the injured rookie and pass for 158 yards and two scores while running for a team-best 66 yards and another TD in Minnesota’s 31-28 escape at Atlanta.

5a. Dobbs, who didn’t even know most of his new teammates’ names yet, became the first player in league history to account for at least three TDs in consecutive weeks but with different teams.

5b. Per NFL Research, Dobbs will likely join Baker Mayfield next Sunday as the only quarterbacks since 1950 to start for three different teams in a calendar year.

6. In his first start of 2023, Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke passed for 268 yards, a TD and one INT – a performance that likely would have equated to a win if he’d gotten any help from Atlanta’s defense.

7. The Vikings’ four-game winning streak remains the NFC’s best active heater, and they now own a full one-game lead for the conference’s final wild-card berth.

7a. And ‘congratulations’ to Hall, who technically gets credit for the win since he started the game.

8. It didn’t go nearly as well for Tune, Hall’s fellow fifth-rounder in 2023. Just an epically disastrous offensive performance Sunday for the Cardinals, who gained 58 yards – total – averaging 1.2 per play while Tune was responsible for three turnovers (2 INTs, fumble) in a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Unsurprisingly, Arizona never cracked the red zone. Paging Kyler Murray …

9. Browns WR Amari Cooper had a 59-yard reception, besting the Cardinals’ offensive total on one play.

10. But Arizona’s misfortune benefited Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson, who passed for 219 yards and two scores in his most extensive action since September 24.

11. Brett Rypien also made his first start for the Los Angeles Rams after Matthew Stafford was unable to go due to an injured thumb. Rypien (130 passing yards, INT) got next to nothing going in a 20-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers, a setback LA may not be able to recover from.

12. Sunday’s most consequential game may have taken place in Frankfurt, Germany, where the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs ‘hosted’ the AFC East-leading – at the start of the day – Miami Dolphins, both teams 6-2 before kickoff. It was the first matchup of the league’s International Series to feature a pair of clubs at least four games over .500.

13. Kansas City won 21-14 as Miami fell to 0-3 against teams with winning records.

13a. Why could that be important? Since playoff expansion in 1990 to 12 teams (two more were added in 2020), 84.8% of teams with two losses after Week 9 ultimately qualified for postseason. That figure drops to 63.4% for three-loss teams at the same point and 33.5% for clubs with four defeats.

14. Travis Kelce displaced fellow tight end and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez as Kansas City’s all-time leader with 10,941 receiving yards.

14a. However Kelce’s production in games not attended by Taylor Swift took another hit on a day when he snared three balls for 14 yards. With Swift elsewhere this season, the All-Pro has averaged 5.8 catches for 41.3 yards … as opposed to 8.5 grabs and 108 yards, on average, for the four games when she’s in the building.

15. The Chiefs became the first team to win a game in four different countries (United States, England, Mexico, Germany).

16. Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park is the 191st venue to host a game in the NFL’s 104 seasons.

17. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill didn’t get any revenge against the Chiefs, his former team – not that he needed any given his desire to go to Miami. But his fumble, returned for a TD and 21-0 first-half K.C. lead, essentially proved to be the difference in the game.

18. Carolina Panthers HC Frank Reich also got no revenge Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts – they stunningly fired him midway through the 2022 season – Pro Bowl CB Kenny Moore II’s pair of pick-sixes in front of his family the difference in Indy’s 27-13 victory in Charlotte.

19. Like Miami, the Dallas Cowboys also became a three-loss club after losing 28-23 at Philadelphia, the Eagles becoming the league’s only 8-1 outfit to date. Philly’s 2½-game lead in the NFC East at the season’s midway point might be a lot for Dallas to surmount … though the Eagles’ scheduled is about to get very challenging, while the Cowboys’ is about to soften significantly.

19a. Should the Eagles win the division, they’ll be the NFC East’s first repeat champs since … 2004, when they last successfully defended the throne.

19b. Philadelphia is the first team to post consecutive 8-1 starts since the Colts 17 years ago.

20. Sloppy enough affair at Lincoln Financial Field, the Cowboys and Philly committing 10 penalties apiece.

21.Dallas K Brandon Aubrey continued his remarkable season, becoming the first rookie in NFL history to convert his first 19 field-goal attempts. Sunday, the former first-round pick of the MLS’ Toronto FC also banked one of his extra-point tries off the upright but successfully through.

22. If the season ended today – it doesn’t – the entire AFC North would qualify for the playoffs after the Cincinnati Bengals moved ahead of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. Buffalo is now ninth in the conference.

23. Who didn’t tab Texans-Buccaneers as the game of the year? C’mon, obvious answer, Houston predictably pulling out a 39-37 victory in a matchup that featured four lead changes in the fourth quarter.

24.Texans RB Dare Ogunbowale, a former Buccaneer, kicked a go-ahead 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter on a day when Houston K Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the second half with a quadriceps injury. Ogunbowale became the first non-kicker or punter to convert a field goal since Wes Welker did it for Miami in 2004 and the first running back to do so since 1979. Ogunbowale also handled kickoffs for the Texans after Fairbairn went out.

25. Far more impressively, Houston QB C.J. Stroud set a rookie record with 470 yards passing and tied another freshman mark with five TD throws, and on a day – when his kicker was hurt and his run game non-existent – when Tampa Bay knew he’d be throwing. Stroud’s final attempt was the game-winning 15-yard TD pass to fellow rookie Tank Dell.

26. At 22, Stroud became the youngest player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) with at least 450 yards and five TDs passing in a single game.

26a. The only other rookie with at least 400 yards and five TDs passing in a game was Stafford for the Detroit Lions in 2009.

26b. Stroud’s 147.8 passer rating is yet another rookie record for a single game.

27. Sunday marked the first time in Texans history when they had three players (Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz, Tank Dell) top 100 receiving yards.

28. Be nice to see Taysom Hill play a little defense. All he contributed in Sunday’s 24-17 win over the Chicago Bears was a 2-yard TD catch, a 3-yard TD pass and a team-high 52 rushing yards. Be better, Tebow wannabe.

28a. How distinct is Hill? Sunday, he became the fifth player in league history with at least 10 TD passes, 10 TD runs and 10 TD receptions in his career but is the first to accomplish that trifecta in the Super Bowl era.

29. Hill and Co. were greatly assisted by the Bears’ five turnovers, their most in a game in more than two years. Rookie QB Tyson Bagent was responsible for three INTs and a fumble, probably amplifying the probability injured QB Justin Fields returns for Thursday night’s DJ Moore Bowl against the Panthers.

30. New Orleans (5-4) assumed sole possession of first place in the NFC South because Atlanta could not fend off Dobbs and Minnesota.

31. The Seattle Seahawks deserved to fall into a first-place tie with the idle San Francisco 49ers after getting tattooed 37-3 by the Baltimore Ravens. Seattle had two more points than third-down conversions.

32. Lastly – but certainly not leastly – sending a virtual hug to Bills S Damar Hamlin, who was not active Sunday night for his return to Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium, where he suffered cardiac arrest on the field 10 months ago in a scary episode the captured the nation’s attention. Yet Hamlin took the opportunity to use the occasion as a milestone to launch a new scholarship initiative in the Queen City to honor members of the University of Cincinnati medical team who helped to save his life.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

Jason Kelce may be a nice guy.

But you don’t want to get tied up with him on the football field.

Kelce was seen in a viral moment that surely endears him more to the Eagles fanbase following the team’s 28-23 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Kelce was tied up with Cowboys linebacker Damone Clark during the second quarter after a play, causing Kelce to visibly scream in Clark’s face like a madman.

Here’s the video:

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The Eagles had just tied the game at 14 before halftime, likely leading to Kelce’s outburst.

Kelce, who has become the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Eagles in his 13-year stint with the franchise, also celebrated his 36th birthday on Sunday.

Kelce will likely address his viral outburst the latest episode of his podcast, ‘New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,’ which releases every Wednesday.

How are the Eagles doing this season?

Philadelphia heads into a bye for Week 10 with the best record in the NFL.

The Eagles are 8-1 record – all other NFL teams have at least two losses.

The Eagles have a sizable lead over the Cowboys (5-3) in the NFC East, and have the top seed in the NFC playoff race ahead of the Detroit Lions (6-2) and San Francisco 49ers (5-3).

The beginning of November means it’s time for the NCAA women’s soccer tournament, and 64 teams will attempt to make it to Cary, North Carolina, and win the 2023 College Cup.

Leading the tournament is No. 1 Florida State, which finished the season unbeaten with a 16-0-1 record and a fourth straight ACC title, as the Seminoles look to win their second national championship in three seasons. Just behind FSU is defending national champion UCLA, which finished at 16-1-1 and a Pac-12 championship, as the Bruins attempt to become the first back-to-back champions since North Carolina in 2008-09.

The bracket is broken down into four quadrants, with seeds 1-8 in each quadrant hosting first-round games. Second- and third-round games will be played at eight campus sites of the highest seed remaining, and quarterfinals played at the highest seeded team’s home stadium before the final four teams reach the College Cup.

Here is what to know about the bracket for the 2023 NCAA women’s soccer tournament:

Who are the NCAA women’s soccer No. 1 seeds?

Florida StateUCLAClemsonBrigham Young

2023 NCAA women’s soccer tournament schedule

First round: Nov. 10, 11 or 12Second round: Nov. 17Third round: Nov. 19Quarterfinals: Nov. 24 or 25College Cup: Dec. 1National championship: Dec. 4

2023 NCAA women’s soccer tournament bracket

No. 1 seed Florida State

First round

1. Florida State vs. Morehead State

8. Texas A&M vs. Colorado

5. Texas vs. Lamar

4. Wisconsin vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee

3. Notre Dame vs. Valparaiso

6. Memphis vs. LSU

7. Pittsburgh vs. Ohio State

2. Arkansas vs. Grambling State

No. 1 seed Clemson

First round

1. Clemson vs. Radford

8. Columbia vs. Rutgers

5. Iowa vs. Bucknell

4. Georgia vs. Liberty

3. Georgetown vs. Old Dominion

6. Saint Louis vs. Indiana

7. Santa Clara vs. Arizona State

2. Penn State vs. Central Connecticut State

No. 1 seed BYU

First round

1. BYU vs. Utah State

8. Southern California vs. Grand Canyon

5. Michigan State vs. Ohio

4. Harvard vs. Maine

3. North Carolina vs. Towson

6. Alabama vs. Western Carolina

7. Princeton vs. Michigan

2. Texas Tech vs. Florida Gulf Coast

No. 1 seed UCLA

First round

1. UCLA vs. UC Irvine

8. Gonzaga vs. Idaho

5. Nebraska vs. South Dakota State

4. Xavier vs. Tennessee

3. Brown vs. Quinnipiac

6. Mississippi State vs. Providence

7. South Carolina vs. James Madison

2. Stanford vs. Pepperdine

The New York Mets looked across the city to fill their managerial opening.

According to news report from the New York Post and other news outlets, the Mets will hire Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as their new manager. Mendoza will be the fifth manager the Mets have named since 2017.

After the team parted ways with Buck Showalter following the end of his second season with the Mets, new president of baseball operations David Stearns elected to go with a first-time manager in the 43-year-old Mendoza.

The native of Venezuela has coached in the Yankees organization since 2009, spending the last four seasons as the team’s bench coach under manager Aaron Boone.

‘I view the managerial position as one of true partnership, someone who is working side by side with me and the rest of our baseball ops group,’ Stearns said during his introductory press conference on Oct. 2. ‘The manager has so many responsibilities these days, it is a big job, but first and foremost is the ability to manage people, manage personalities and create and facilitate organizational culture where people enjoy coming to work and work hard.’

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Mendoza, who played across the infield, broke into the Giants minor-league system in 1997 at 17 years old. He spent his final four seasons in the Yankees’ system, reaching as high as Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2009 before making the leap to coaching.

Mendoza managed the Gulf Coast Yankees in 2011 and the Class A Charleston River Dogs in 2012 and began serving as the Yankees’ infield coach in 2017.

The Mets were also linked to Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who served under Stearns in Milwaukee, and former Padres manager Andy Green, who had served as the Cubs bench coach. Counsell decided that he would leave to manage the Cubs on Monday.

The Mets have been searching for a new manager since it was announced that Showalter would not be returning as the team’s leader prior to the final game of the 2023 season on Oct. 1.

Mets owner Steve Cohen gave Stearns the ability to name his manager when he took the helm as the team’s first president of baseball operations at the end of the regular season.

‘We’re not going to rush this process,’ Stearns said when he was introduced on Oct. 2. ‘If there are candidates that emerged quickly that are that are really strong candidates and the right fit, that’s great. And if we have to wait a little longer, I’m fine with that too.’

Mendoza will enter the role with high expectations. Showalter was let go despite being named National League Manager of the Year in 2022, racking up a 176-148 record and snapping a five-year postseason drought.

Check back for more news on the Mets’ hiring of Carlos Mendoza.

The Cleveland Guardians have their new manager.

After roughly a month-long search, former catcher Stephen Vogt will serve as the club’s manager beginning with the 2024 season.

Vogt, 39, played 10 seasons in the majors, mostly with the Oakland A’s. His last year at the major league level was 2022. Vogt spent the 2023 season as a bullpen and quality control coach with the Seattle Mariners.

‘We’re thrilled to welcome Stephen and his family to Northeast Ohio and to name him the next manager of the Cleveland Guardians,’ said president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti in a statement. ‘Stephen earned a reputation as one of the best teammates in the game across his 16-year career as a player, and we’ve greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him over the past several weeks.

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‘Stephen has thought critically about the type of leader and manager he wants to be. His deep care for others, his ability to build meaningful relationships with those around him, and his open-mindedness and curiosity make him an ideal fit to lead our club moving forward. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Stephen.’

Vogt will lead the Guardians into a new era after Terry Francona was at the helm for 11 seasons. In that decade-plus, Francona led Cleveland to the playoffs six times, including a trip to the 2016 World Series. He left as the winningest manager in franchise history and the second-longest tenured manager/head coach in Cleveland sports history, behind only Paul Brown.

In many ways, Francona exemplified everything the organization wanted to be about, and his departure from the dugout leaves a major hole to fill. Francona is expected to remain with the franchise in some capacity.

After numerous surgeries and health issues over the last few years, Francona also needed a shoulder replacement and two hernia procedures this offseason. He notified the front office in mid-August of his intention to possibly step aside, though he wouldn’t confirm the ‘worst-kept secret’ in baseball until after the season had ended.

President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti originally noted that they had a list of roughly 45 potential candidates that included both internal and external possibilities. That search took a little more than a month before they found the person who will replace Francona.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

The NBA does not have a $60 million a season player. Yet.

Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard is set to hit $60 million per season in 2026-27. Lillard eventually will have company in the $60 million club when Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo hit that mark in 2027-28.

But for now, Golden State’s Steph Curry is the highest-paid player in the NBA at $51.9 million this season. Curry has held the top spot since 2021-22 and is in line to be the highest-paid player for the next two seasons.

Eighteen players will earn at least $40 million this season.

Top 25 highest-paid NBA players

1. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, $51,915,615

In the second year of a four-year, $215.3 million contract.

2. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, $47,649,433

In the second year of a four-year, $194.2 million contract.

3. (tie) Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, $47,607,350

In the first year of a four-year, $213.2 million contract.

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, $47,607,350

In the first year of a two-year, $99 million contract.

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, $47,607,350

In the first year of a five-year, $276.1 million contract.

6. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns, $46,741,590

In the second year of a five-year, $251 million contract.

7. (tie) Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, $45,640,084

In the third year of a $228.2 million deal and signed a three-year, $177 extension that begins in 2025-26.

Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers, $45,640,084

In the third year of a four-year $176.2 million contract.

Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, $45,640,084

In the third year of a four-year $176.2 million contract.

Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks, $45,640,084

In the third year of a four-year $176.2 million contract and signed a two-year, $121.7 million extension that begins in 2025-26.

11. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, $45,183,960

In the first year of a three-year, $146.3 million contract.

12. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors, $43,219,440

In the final season of a five-year, $189.9 million contract.

13. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves, $41,000,000

In the third year of a five-year, $205 million contract.

14. Fran VanVleet, Houston Rockets, $40,806,300

In the first year of a three-year, $128.5 million contract.

15. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, $40,600,080

In the fourth year of a five-year, $189 million contract and signed a three-year, $177.1 million extension that begins in 2025-26.

16. (tie) Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, $40,064,220

In the second year of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.

Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, $40,064,220

In the second year of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, $40,064,220

In the second year of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.

19. Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers, $39,270,150

In the final season of a five-year, $180 million contract.

20. (tie) Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors, $37,893,408

In the final season of a four-year, $136.9 million contract.

Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets, $37,893,408

In the fourth year of a five-year, $177.2 million contract.

22. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, $37,037,037

In the first year of a three-year, $120 million contract.

23. (tie) Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns, $36,016,200

In the final season of a five-year, $158.2 million contract and signed a four-year, $222.6 million extension that begins in 2024-25.

Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics, $36,016,200

In the final season of a five-year, $158.2 million contract and signed a two-year, $60 million extension that begins in 2024-25.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, $36,016,200

In the final year of a five-year, $158.2 million contract and signed a four-year, $222.6 million extension that begins in 2024-25.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on X @JeffZillgitt

The NFL comeback tour for wide receiver Martavis Bryant is taking another turn.

According to The Athletic, Bryant is set to work out for the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday. This comes just days after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly reinstated Bryant from a four-year suspension of multiple violations of the league’s policy on substance abuse. Bryant’s reinstatement means that he is free to sign with any team, though he likely has terms and conditions he is required to meet.

Bryant, who turns 32 in December, last played in the NFL in 2018 as a member of the Oakland Raiders. A fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Bryant flashed promise as a big-play target with the Steelers, combining for 1,314 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns through his first two seasons in Pittsburgh.

Bryant missed the entire 2016 season due to a suspension before his eventual reinstatement in April 2017.

The Steelers traded Bryant to the Raiders in April 2018 and he played eight games there before a knee injury prematurely ended his season. In December 2018, the NFL suspended Bryant indefinitely for a violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement.

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Since then, Bryant has bounced around professional football, latching on for opportunities in the Canadian Football League, the now-dormant Fan Controlled Football and, in what was his most successful stint, in the XFL.

During his time in the NFL, Bryant caught 145 passes for 2,183 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns.

The Cowboys (5-3) rank 12th in the NFL in passing offense, generating an average of 234.9 passing yards per game. Star receiver CeeDee Lamb leads the team with 824 yards and three touchdowns, but the team has been missing a dependable No. 2 target, with tight end Jake Ferguson ranking second on the team with only 328 receiving yards.