NFL round-up: McAtamney grabs opportunity in Giants win

Derry’s Jude McAtamney put in a perfect kicking performance and quarterback Jaxson Dart impressed on his first start as the New York Giants produced a huge NFL upset against the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers, winning 21-18 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Dart led a successful 89-yard drive in his first series, and a clever shuffle pass to set up tight end Theo Johnson for his first career touchdown proved decisive.

McAtamney, who was elevated from the practice squad due to an injury to veteran kicker Graham Gano, sucessfully converted an extra point attempt on the Giants’ first touchdown and went on to kick field goals from 22 and 31 yards in the second quarter.

With Gano now on injured reserve and set to miss at least three more games, the Swatragh man is in pole position to face the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Denver Broncos in the weeks ahead.

The Giants’ first win of the season was soured by influential receiver Malik Nabers suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Green Bay Packers landed a field goal as time ran out in overtime to snatch a 40-40 tie with the Dallas Cowboys after the lead changed hands seven times.

Brandon McManus found the target from 34 yards to secure the second-highest scoring tie in NFL history, replying to Brandon Aubrey’s effort from 22 yards earlier in overtime.

The Packers had opened a 13-0 lead in the first half when Jordan Love twice found Romeo Doubs for short-range touchdowns, but the Cowboys returned a deflected extra point attempt for a two-point score to get on the board.

Dak Prescott ran in from two yards and then found George Pickens in the closing seconds of the first half to snatch a 16-13 interval lead.

Josh Jacobs went over from a yard to restore the Packers lead, but Prescott responded with a touchdown pass to Jake Ferguson ahead of a wild final quarter.

The teams swapped touchdowns, Jacobs and Doubs scoring again either side of a Javonte Williams one-yard touchdown run for the Cowboys.

Prescott put the Cowboys ahead 37-34 when he found George Pickens from 28 yards with 43 seconds remaining, but the Packers had time to allow McManus to take the game to overtime as he found the target from 53 yards.

The Buffalo Bills moved to 4-0 by beating the New Orleans Saints, who are 0-4, 31-19.

James Cook rushed for more than 100 yards for the third straight game and Bills quarterback Josh Allen (above), the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2024, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another.

The Philadelphia Eagles won the battle of two unbeaten teams as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were edged out 31-25 in Florida.

Jalen Hurts had more touchdown passes (two) than incompletions (15 of 16) in the first half as the Eagles built a 24-6 lead before the Buccaneers fought back.

The defending Super Bowl champions are off to a 4-0 start for the third time in four seasons and have won 10 straight games, including play-offs, matching the franchise record set last season.

The Indianapolis Colts went down 27-20 to the Los Angeles Rams after leading 20-13 in the fourth quarter.

Matthew Stafford threw for two late touchdowns for the Rams – the second an 88-yard reception by Tutu Atwell – after Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell had fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line to complete a 76-yard touchdown of his own in the third quarter.

Parker Washington returned a punt 87 yards as the Jacksonville Jaguars downed the San Francisco 49ers 26-21 to move to 3-1 for the first time in 18 seasons.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens 37-20.

The Ravens, who slipped to 1-3, also lost quarterback Lamar Jackson to a hamstring injury in the second half.

A blocked field goal in the final minute gave the Chicago Bears a 25-24 win at the Las Vegas Raiders, while the Atlanta Falcons overcame the visiting Washington Commanders 34-27 as Michael Penix Jr completed 20 of 26 passes for 313 yards and threw two touchdowns.

The Houston Texans produced their first shutout since 2010 with a 26-0 stroll against Tennessee Titans.

Rookie running back Woody Marks shone with 119 total yards and two touchdowns to leave the Titans winless. A grim day was summed up by quarterback Cam Ward completing just 10 passes.

The New England Patriots maintained their pursuit of the Bills in the AFC East by thrashing the Carolina Panthers 42-13 at Gillette Stadium.

Carolina opened the scoring when quarterback Bryce Young connected with tight end Tommy Tremble for a seven-yard touchdown.

But Drake Maye’s Patriots bossed the contest from that point and cornerback Marcus Jones put the icing on the New England cake with an 87-yard touchdown off a punt return.

The Detroit Lions’ explosive offence blew away the Cleveland Browns’ number one-ranked defence as Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St Brown impressed in a 34-10 win.