Bucs Beat Bears, Cardinals Down Colts

By ESPN

Jameis Winston threw for 204 yards and one touchdown Sunday, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers return from an unscheduled bye week forced by Hurricane Irma to open the season with a 29-7 rout of the mistake-prone Chicago Bears.

The defense stymied former teammate Mike Glennon with four turnovers. Robert McClain returned one of the quarterback's two interceptions for a TD, and the Bucs didn't let the Bears into the end zone until Deonte Thompson scored on a 14-yard reception with 1:43 remaining.

The Bucs (1-0) dominated despite having a short week of practice following the massive storm that forced postponement of the team's scheduled season opener at Miami.

Winston completed 18 of 30 passes without an interception. He threw a 13-yard TD pass to Mike Evans, who had seven catches for 93 yards.

Glennon, who signed with Chicago as a free agent last winter, was 31 of 45 for 301 yards and two interceptions in his return to Raymond James Stadium. The Bears (0-2) finished with 310 yards total offense, 1 yard less than a Bucs offense that hasn't had much work in the past month.

By the time he lined up to face the Bears, Winston hadn't taken a snap in a game in three weeks. Eight regulars, including Evans, receiver DeSean Jackson, linebacker Kwon Alexander and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, hadn't seen game action in a month.

The Bucs insisted, though, that they would not use rustiness as an excuse if they had a less-than-sharp debut. The way the Bears played, the layoff never had a chance to become an issue.

After opening the season with a solid performance in a 23-17 loss to defending NFC champion Atlanta, the Bears turned over the ball four times in the opening half, helping Winston build a 26-0 halftime lead.

If Chicago had an advantage entering the game, it figured to be Glennon's knowledge of the Tampa Bay defense. The fifth-year pro faced it in practice every day the past four seasons, the last two as Winston's backup.

And while the Bears did have some success moving the ball, the barrage of turnovers was too much to overcome.

Glennon's first-half miscues led to two touchdowns. Rookie Tarik Cohen's ill-advised decision to scoop a punt off the ground and run with it deep in Bears territory set up Tampa Bay's first TD, Winston's 13-yard pass to Evans.

Noah Spence sacked Glennon, forcing a second-quarter fumble that led to Jacquizz Rodgers' 1-yard TD run. McClain's interception and return up the sideline on Chicago's next possession hiked the lead to 23-0.

Cardinals 16, Colts 13

Carson Palmer's late rally got the Arizona Cardinals into overtime Sunday and Tyrann Mathieu's interception set up Phil Dawson for a 30-yard field goal to help them leave Indianapolis with a 16-13 win.

Dawson made the most of his second chance after pushing a 42-yarder wide right as time expired.

Arizona (1-1) never led until the final play. It hasn't started 0-2 since 2005.

Coach Bruce Arians won his 42nd career game and tied Don Coryell for the second-most wins in Cardinals history on the same field he called home when he won his first NFL Coach of the Year award in 2012.

Indy, which is 0-2 for the fourth consecutive year, thought it may have changed directions after switching quarterbacks. But newcomer Jacoby Brissett was picked off on the first offensive play of overtime.

Palmer looked erratic most of the day, but came up big in the final 7 1/2 minutes. He started the rally with a 22-yard completion to Jaron Brown and got another 15 yards on the play on a roughing the passer call. On the next play, J.J. Nelson split two defenders for a 45-yard TD pass that made it 13-10.

Palmer took the Cardinals 40 yards in six plays on their possession, setting up Dawson for a 40-yard field goal to tie it.

Arizona thought it had the win in regulation when Dawson made the 42-yarder -- after the Colts called time out. But he missed the second kick.

Palmer wound up 19 of 36 with 332 yards, one TD and one interception.

The Colts' quarterback change initially looked genius. Brissett led them to a touchdown on their first drive and a field goal on their second drive. Then, things bogged down.

Indy didn't even have a chance to score again until Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter made it 13-3, and his inability to move the offense late in the game helped Palmer finally get in sync.

Brissett was 20 of 37 for 216 yards in his third career start -- his first with the Colts, who traded for him on Sept. 2.

Frank Gore scored on a 5-yard touchdown run and Adam Vinatieri made two field goals for the Colts.

Sunday, September 17 Scoreboard

Baltimore 24, Cleveland 10

Carolina 9, Buffalo 3

Arizona 16, Indianapolis 13 (OT)

Tennessee 37, Jacksonville 16

Kansas City 27, Philadelphia 20

New England 36, New Orleans 20

Pittsburgh 26, Minnesota 9

Tampa Bay 29, Chicago 7

Miami 19, Los Angeles Chargers 17

Oakland 45, New York Jets 20

Denver 42, Dallas 17

Washington 27, Los  Angeles Rams 20

Seattle 12, San Francisco 9

Atlanta 34, Green Bay 23

Monday, September 18 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 21 Schedule (Time Central)

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco, 7:25 p.m.

Sunday, September 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Baltimore at Jacksonville, 8:30 a.m.

Denver at Buffalo, noon

New Orleans at Carolina, noon

Pittsburgh at Chicago, noon

Atlanta at Detroit, noon

Cleveland at Indianapolis, noon

Tampa Bay at Minnesota, noon

Houston at New Elgna,d noon

Miami at New York Jets, noon

New York Giants at Philadelphia, noon

Seattle at Tennessee, 3:05 p.m.

Cincinnati at Green Bay, 3:25 p.m.

Kansas  City at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:25 p.m.

Oakland at Washington, 7:30 p.m.