Brown's clutch catch gives Steelers 21-18 win over Cleveland

For Pittsburgh's first road game, Antonio Brown wore a bow tie and purple and black suit embroidered with fire-breathing gold dragons. He completed his outlandish outfit with ruby red-sequined sneakers.

The flashy look was both dazzling and jaw-dropping - just like Brown's game.

The All-Pro wide receiver made a crucial, leaping catch with less than three minutes left and Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to tight end Jesse James as the Steelers, with minimal help from Le'Veon Bell, opened the season by holding off the Cleveland Browns 21-18 on Sunday.

Roethlisberger improved to 21-2 in his career against the Browns, who led by rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer gave their rivals all they could handle - a positive sign for coach Hue Jackson and Cleveland fans after a horrid 1-15 season.

But the Browns couldn't stop Brown. With the Steelers clinging to their 3-point lead, he somehow caught and held onto Roethlisberger's throw in traffic for a 38-yard gain with 2:26 left to seal Pittsburgh's win. Brown finished with 11 receptions for 182 yards.

"I've watched him make unbelievable plays like that from the stands," said Steelers rookie running back James Conner, who played at Pitt and grew up rooting for Pittsburgh. "So to be out there with him when he does it is crazy. He's an amazing football player."

Kizer, who ran for a TD and threw a scoring a scoring in an impressive debut, had pulled the Browns within three on a 3-yard TD pass to Corey Coleman followed by a 2-point conversion with 3:36 left.

With Pittsburgh needing a big play, Brown delivered one - as usual.

Roethlisberger rolled left to buy some time and lobbed his deep pass near Pittsburgh's sideline toward Brown, who went up over defensive back Jason McCourty and hauled in the game's biggest catch. Jackson challenged the call, but it held up after a video review and the Steelers improved to 32-6 against the Browns since 1999.

"It's not our first rodeo," said Roethlisberger, who passes for 263 yards. "I see AB go and I'm going to take that shot. I've got all the trust in the world in him, he's got it in me. I don't think there are any two guys who have worked together more than him and I do.

"So, it's fun to watch him play and be on the same team with him."

The Browns have lost 13 straight openers, but they showed some promise, especially with Kizer and a vastly improved defense that played well despite not having top overall pick Myles Garrett, who injured his ankle earlier this week.

Bell, who skipped training camp in a contract dispute, ran tentatively and gained just 32 yards on 10 carries. He rejoined his teammates last week and signed his $12.1 million franchise tag, far less than he feels he deserves.

MORE WATTAGE

The Steelers sacked Kizer seven times, two by rookie T.J. Watt, the younger brother of Houston star J.J. Watt. The first-round pick also had an interception in a memorable debut.

With the Browns driving late in the third, Watt picked off Kizer.

"I was dropping back in coverage and it came right to me," Watt said. "Once I caught it, I just tried not to fumble it."

HADEN'S HOMECOMING

Steelers CB Joe Haden began the day looking for the visitors' locker room. He ended it holding the game ball.

Released recently by Cleveland, Haden faced the team he played with for seven seasons. He exchanged jerseys with Browns LB Christian Kirksey at midfield following the game and got some good-natured kidding by his new teammates for finally winning an opener.

Haden said he doesn't hold a grudge with Jackson.

"Me and the coach have a really good relationship. "It's strong."

PREGAME UNITY

In a show of unity, the Browns ran from their tunnel and onto the field before the game accompanied by Cleveland police officers, firefighters, military personnel and emergency workers.

After being criticized for kneeling in prayer during the national anthem before an exhibition, several Browns players, who felt their gesture had been misinterpreted, met with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam to discuss ways to help Cleveland - and the nation - heal during a time of division. As part of better connecting to the community, the Browns asked to be joined by the public servants.

They all stood together for the national anthem and were joined on the sideline by the Haslams and Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams.

"We love our police department and our military and everything they do for us, and we respect what they do," Jackson said. "We showed that today, and we showed that we are all together in this."

UP NEXT:

Steelers: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

Browns: Travel to Baltimore on Sunday.

Ravens force 5 Dalton turnovers, beat Bengals 20-0

With Joe Flacco easing back in from a back injury, the Ravens went out and got a victory old-style.

Baltimore's rebuilt defense picked off Andy Dalton four times and forced him to fumble Sunday, and the Ravens pulled away to a 20-0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that reminded them of the days when they'd win games with a defense that got into quarterbacks' heads.

"I like to see touchdowns, but if we've got to play lights-out defense, that's what we're going to do," said linebacker Terrell Suggs , who had a pair of sacks and tipped a pass.

The Ravens pressured Dalton into matching his career high for interceptions , three of them in the first half. Two were tipped, and the other was a throw he forced into double coverage in the end zone that C.J. Mosley picked off.

The Ravens took control with a pair of touchdowns 24 seconds apart late in the half. Flacco saw the Bengals ready to blitz with no defender in the middle of the field, and he hit Jeremy Maclin in stride on a slant for a 48-yard catch-and-run.

Two plays later, Suggs batted Dalton's pass high in the air and Lardarius Webb grabbed it. Terrance West's 2-yard touchdown run made it 17-0.

The Ravens didn't need anything else, given how the defense was dominating.

"Any time you get a shutout, it's huge," said safety Tony Jefferson, one of the new additions. "To do it today in the opener? Man!"

The Ravens' overriding question was how Flacco would hold up after missing all of camp and the preseason with a bad back. The defense made sure he didn't have to do much. Flacco was 9 of 17 for 121 yards with an interception against a defense missing suspended linebacker Vontaze Burfict and cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

"It was one of our old-fashioned games," said Flacco , in his 10th season. "It reminded me of one of our games when I was a rookie."

The Bengals had breakdowns everywhere as they were shut out in a season opener for the first time since 1979. They'd never been blanked in a home opener. The Bengals managed only 221 total yards and had nine penalties.

"This was as disappointing as it can be," coach Marvin Lewis said.

Baltimore has tormented Dalton like few others. He's had nine three-interception games during his career, four of them against Baltimore. His only other four-interception game also was against the Ravens in the 2013.

"It wasn't confusing," Dalton said. "I just didn't play well."

After missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, Baltimore put its emphasis on upgrading the defense. It paid off right away, with newcomer Brandon Carr getting the first interception .

Dalton was under heavy pressure behind Cincinnati's inexperienced line and finished 16 of 31 for 170 yards and was sacked five times.

SHUTOUT HISTORY

It was the Ravens' third season-opening shutout. They also blanked Pittsburgh in 2000 and Tampa Bay in 2006, both on the road. The Bengals hadn't been blanked in their season opener since 1979, when they lost at Denver 10-0. They hadn't been shut out at Paul Brown Stadium since 2001 by the Bears.

GRIND `EM DOWN

The Ravens essentially put it away with a 17-play, 81-yard drive in the third quarter that lasted 9 minutes, 38 seconds and ended in a field goal. The drive included 14 runs for 54 yards, two incompletions and three penalties on the Bengals: unnecessary roughness, pass interference and defensive holding.

The Ravens rushed for 157 yards overall, including 90 by West and 71 by Javorius Allen.

"This was a game that running the ball turned out to be a key," coach John Harbaugh said . "I thought we were really patient with it."

INJURIES

Ravens RB Danny Woodhead injured his left hamstring on the opening series and didn't return, another setback for a depleted offense. LB Za'Darius Smith hurt his left knee in the second quarter and was helped off the field.

Bengals RG guard Trey Hopkins hurt his left knee late in the first half and didn't return. DE Michael Johnsonsuffered a concussion on the final play of the first half and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Ravens play at Cleveland. They've won three in a row against the Browns.

Bengals host Texans on Thursday night. Houston has won its last two and seven of eight against Cincinnati, including a pair of first-round playoff games.

Ryan leads 2 TD drives in 4th, Falcons beat Bears 23-17

 Matt Ryan threw an 88-yard touchdown to Austin Hooper and led two fourth-quarter scoring drives, and the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons held on to beat the Chicago Bears 23-17 in the season opener on Sunday.

The butt of jokes following their epic Super Bowl collapse against New England, the Falcons survived as the Bears missed several chances to score a touchdown in the final seconds.

The Bears had a first down at the Atlanta 5 in the closing minute. Glennon's pass to a lunging Josh Bellamy on first down hit off the receiver's hands, and Jordan Howard then dropped a simple catch at the 1.

After another incompletion on third down, Glennon got sacked by Brooks Reed to end the drive.

Atlanta was clinging to a 13-10 lead early in the fourth when a scrambling Ryan fired to a wide-open Hooper near midfield. The second-year tight end from Stanfordraced up the right side and stiff-armed Quintin Demps on the way to the end zone to make it a 10-point game.

The Bears then went 75 yards, with Glennon hitting rookie Tarik Cohen for a 19-yard TD midway through the fourth to cut it to 20-17. Atlanta's Matt Bryant answered with a 37-yard field goal, making it 23-17 with 3:24 left.

Coming off an MVP season, Ryan was 21 of 30 for 321 yards and a touchdown.

Hooper had two catches for 128 yards. Jones added 66 yards receiving and Bryant kicked three field goals.

In his Bears debut, Glennon didn't silence fans who would rather see No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky. He was 26 of 40 for 213 yards and a TD.

Cohen made an impressive debut with 66 yards rushing and 47 receiving. He reversed field on a 46-yard run, helping set up Howard's 4-yard touchdown near the end of the half.

Receiver Kevin White found himself in a familiar position, walking off the field with an injury. He had two catches for six yards before hurting his shoulder. White was limited to four games in his first two seasons after being drafted seventh overall in 2015.

INJURIES:

Bears: LG Kyle Long - coming back from right ankle surgery - was inactive. Former Falcon Tom Comptonstarted in his place. ... RB Benny Cunningham Jr. hurt his ankle blocking on a pass play early in the second quarter.

UP NEXT:

Falcons: Host Green Bay.

Bears: Visit Tampa Bay.

Bills open McDermott's coaching era with 21-12 win over Jets

 Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes and the new-look Bills beat the New York Jets 21-12 on Sunday in Sean McDermott's debut as Buffalo's coach.

Mike Tolbert also scored on a 1-yard run , while Buffalo's defense had three interceptions, including linebacker Ramon Humber picking off Josh McCown's pass to thwart a 2-point conversion in the third quarter.

Safety Micah Hyde, a free agent offseason addition, sealed the victory by intercepting McCown at Buffalo's 41 to end the Jets' final series.

Taylor was 16 of 28 for 224 yards and an interception.

The Bills never trailed after opening the scoring on Taylor's 1-yard touchdown pass to Charles Clay 3 1/2 minutes into the second quarter.

The victory came in McDermott's first game since the former Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator took over in January after Rex Ryan was fired in the final week of last season.

The Jets looked much like a team in the midst of a makeover after making numerous offseason moves to purge talent.

McCown went 26 of 39 for 187 yards. The 38-year-old quarterback opened his 15th NFL season by extending his personal losing streak to eight games dating to Oct. 11, 2015, when he led Cleveland to a 33-30 win over Baltimore. McCown is now 1-17 in his last 18 starts.

McCown scored New York's lone touchdown on a 1-yard run to briefly cut Buffalo's lead to 14-12 with two minutes left in the third quarter.

The Bills responded on their next possession with a nine-play 80-yard drive capped by Tolbert's touchdown.

Buffalo negated the Jets' strength by limiting New York's running back tandem of Matt Forte and Bilal Powell to a combined 38 yards rushing.

Jordan Poyer also intercepted a pass from McCown by ripping it out of the hands of receiver Robby Andersonat Buffalo's 22 with 6:33 left.

The game was sloppy at times and a reflection of two AFC East teams opening with lowered expectations and coming off major offseason overhauls.

Buffalo squandered two scoring opportunities in the first half. Taylor's pass to Charles Clay in the end zone glanced off the tight end's hands and was intercepted by Juston Burris. The cornerback returned it 48 yards, and went down when he bumped into his teammate. Burris then fumbled, but was ruled down by contact, as he had a knee down when hit from behind by Bills center Eric Wood.

Newly acquired kicker Stephen Hauschka also missed a 46-yard attempt wide left.

The Jets, meanwhile, managed just four first downs and 85 yards offense in the first half in settling for a pair of field goals by Chandler Catanzaro, including a 52-yarder.

INACTIVES

Jets: Jeremy Kerley will have to wait to mark his return with New York. Kerley re-signed with the Jets on Tuesday after being cut by the San Francisco 49ers. With QB Bryce Petty still nursing a knee injury, Christian Hackenberg served as the backup.

Bills: Backup DE Jerel Worthy did not play as he is still recovering from a concussion sustained in Buffalo's preseason finale.

DEBUTS

Jets: WR Jermaine Kearse, acquired in a deal that sent DL Sheldon Richardson to Seattle 10 days ago, had seven catches for 59 yards. Waiver-claim addition Kony Ealy knocked away two passes.

Bills: WR Jordan Matthews, acquired in a trade that sent CB Ronald Darby to Philadelphia last month, had two receptions for a team-best 61 yards.

INJURIES

Jets: TE Eric Tomlinson did not return after hurting an elbow in the second quarter.

Bills: CB E.J. Gaines did not return after hurting his left shoulder while assisting Lorenzo White in tackling Bilal Powell on an 11-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

Jets: At Oakland on Sept. 17.

Bills: At Carolina on Sept. 17.

Super letdown: Patriots routed in 2nd half, Chiefs win 42-27

Winning at New England when the Patriots are coming off an historic Super Bowl victory is worth getting a little wild over.

That's not the Kansas City Chiefs' style. Not even when a rookie is setting records.

Kareem Hunt, after fumbling on his first NFL carry, scored three times and set an NFL mark in a 42-27 stunner Thursday night to open the NFL season. Hunt's 246 yards in his pro debut were a record since the 1970 merger.

"We're going to enjoy the heck out of it," coach Andy Reid said after a superb second half carried his team. "It's one of 16 and something to build on."

Judging by how they won, it certainly is. There were big plays all over the field. The Chiefs, not the Patriots, were making them. Particularly Hunt.

"It started out just a little bit shaky, but it was all heart," Reid said of the third-round draft pick. "He was trying too hard."

Alex Smith threw two long touchdown passes and became the first quarterback with 300-plus yards, four TDs and no interceptions against coach Bill Belichick. The 42 points were the most the Patriots have allowed in Belichick's 17-plus seasons.

Coming off their sensational Super Bowl rally to a fifth Lombardi Trophy, the Patriots faded badly in the second half. A raucous sold-out crowd of 65,878 celebrated the unveiling of yet another championship banner, and there was plenty of talk about Tom Brady leading them to a 19-0 record.

After Week 1, though, they are winless.

"I just think we need to have more urgency and go out there and perform a lot better," Brady said "It's a winning attitude, a championship attitude you have to bring every day. We had it handed to us on our own field."

It was the first time the Patriots lost at Gillette Stadium when leading at halftime, a span of 82 games. They were no match for the Chiefs in the last two periods.

Tyreek Hill scored on a 75-yarder and Hunt put the Chiefs in front with a 78-yarder to punctuate Kansas City's charge after trailing 17-14 at halftime. Hunt also had a 58-yard scamper and finished with 148 yards rushing and 98 receiving. Hill had 133 yards through the air, and Smith went 28 for 35 for 368 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions.

"To start on your first carry like that and have it go like that, it would be hard to overcome for a lot of guys," Smith said of Hunt, from Toledo. "I thought it was awesome coach coming right back to him.

"There was a good chunk there where we were going as Kareem was going. He was really a big chunk of the offense tonight. For a young guy, we put a lot on him, in all facets of the offense tonight, and he was able to handle it.'

Brady, the 13th quarterback to start an NFL game at age 40, didn't look too spry. He struggled mightily in the second half and didn't throw for a touchdown, finishing 16 for 36 for 267 yards.

"Just a very poor effort and we'll have to do a lot better," Brady said. "Didn't make a lot of plays tonight, actually."

Patriots newcomer Mike Gillislee scored on three short runs, becoming the first player since Terrell Owens of Philadelphia in 2004 to score three touchdowns in his debut with a new team.

And Kansas City aided the Patriots' cause with 15 penalties for 139 yards. Yet, in the end, the Chiefs looked like world-beaters.

At the beginning, it seemed like an extension of February's Super Bowl. Riled up, Brady and the Patriots tore through the opposing defense as if it belonged to, well, the Falcons, scoring in nine plays, with Gillislee surging in from the 2.

One play later, they were at it again as Hunt fumbled. The Patriots took over at the Kansas City 32 and appeared to go up 14-0 on Rob Gronkowski's diving catch. Then a replay review overturned the score, with NFL headquarters - which now makes final decisions on such reviews - determining the ball hit the ground as Gronk came down in the end zone.

Gillislee was stopped on fourth-and-inches at the KC 10 and the Chiefs, looking very much like the host team, marched 90 yards in 12 plays. Hunt made up for his early gaffe by gaining 25 yards on the tying drive, which Smith capped with a sharp 8-yard pass to Demetrius Harris.

The teams traded long touchdown drives, New England going 82 yards to Gillislee's second TD, the Chiefs covering 92 yards at the end of the half before Hunt ran in with a 3-yard swing pass.

Stephen Gostkowski's 25-yard field goal was the margin for New England's halftime edge.

But the crowd's fervor was silenced with Hill's long touchdown on which prized free agent addition cornerback Stephon Gilmore was torched. Hunt sped down the middle behind linebacker Kyle Van Noy and DE/LB Cassius Marsh to put Kansas City in front for good.

SHORT YARDAGE

New England failed twice in the first quarter on short-yardage runs, by Gillislee and Super Bowl hero James White, and again in the fourth period, by Gillislee. If anyone proclaimed the Patriots were missing RB LeGarrette Blount, who scored 18 TDs last season and was a beast in such situations, well, Gillislee, who came from Buffalo as a restricted free agent, ran in for a pair of 2-yard touchdowns and a 1-yarder.

ROGER, ROGER

Not only did the crowd revel in the video highlights from the Super Bowl, the fans booed vigorously when Commissioner Roger Goodell was shown talking on the sideline Chiefs owner Clark Hunt during warmups. A website distributed thousands of towels featuring Goodell's face adorned with a clown nose, and many fans also had T-shirts with the caricature. Goodell watched the game from a suite, but not with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

INJURIES

Kansas City's star safety Eric Berry was carted off with 4:56 remaining with an Achilles tendon injury that Reid feared was a tear that would sideline Berry for the season.

The Patriots lost perhaps their best defensive player, linebacker Dont'a Hightower, in the third quarter with a knee injury. His absence showed on Hunt's long TD reception. ... WR Danny Amendola left in the fourth quarter with a head injury. He's projected as New England's slot receiver with Julian Edelman out for the season.

UP NEXT

Chiefs: Host Philadelphia on Sept. 17.

Patriots: Visit New Orleans on Sept. 17.

HOF Game

Stars and starters sit out, Cowboys beat Cardinals 20-18

Now that the Dallas Cowboys have taken care of business in the Hall of Fame game, they're going to hang around for a couple of days.

Why not? The boss is about to get a gold jacket.

With no stars and few starters on the field Thursday night, the Cowboys edged the Arizona Cardinals 20-18. The idea, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said, was to get the young players lots of action, win the game, then get ready for owner Jerry Jones' induction on Saturday night.

So the team will be off Friday, practice in Cleveland on Saturday, then tour the hall before the evening ceremonies.

"This is a great experience not only for Jerry and the Jones family," Garrett said, "but for the entire Dallas Cowboys family. We all take ownership in his induction."

Garrett saw lots of value in playing an extra exhibition game.

"As a player you learn so much more in game situations than in any other environment," he said. "There's nothing like putting on a uniform and going on a real football field and playing versus an opponent."

Rookie Sam Irwin-Hill, unlikely to beat out Dallas veteran Dan Bailey for the placekicking job, made field goals of 23 and 43 yards, the latter providing the winning points in the fourth quarter.

The opening half featured a handful of big plays, with Arizona's third-string quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, consistently finding open receivers down the middle.

"There were a couple specific plays by the defense on those first couple of drives," Garrett said. "Blown assignments on a big third-down conversion, and it wasn't physical enough. It wasn't aggressive enough."

Dallas' Kellen Moore, who missed last season with an ankle injury, had some success passing down the sidelines, but his second-quarter interception by Brandon Williams in the end zone ruined a drive.

With the likes of Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu sitting it out, Arizona could be pleased with the work of backup running backs Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington, who both scored on short runs.

"It was great to see the offense move the ball and get touchdowns on those first two drives," Fitzgerald said. "O-line, running game, passing the ball, that was impressive and I'm happy for every one of those guys."

And with Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Jason Witten, Sean Lee and their strong offensive line pretty much inactive, the Cowboys could point to veteran RB Alfred Morris and receivers Brice Butler and Rico Gathers.

Morris showed off a spin move worthy of Elliott on a 25-yard run, Butler had 78 yards on two catches in the first half, and Gathers, a hoops starter at Baylor, made a 26-yard touchdown catch.

Gathers also made a diving reception and slipped a pair of tackles on a 17-yard play early in the third period. That led to Uzoma Nwachukwu's 14-yard TD catch from fourth-string rookie Cooper Rush. The former rebounding standout had three catches for 59 yards.

"He's gotten so much better," Garrett said of Gathers, a practice squad player in 2016. "He has a tremendous willingness to work and has come a long way, but has a long way to go."

Generally, though, it was a sloppy exercise befitting the lack of star power.

TURF'S UP: At least the turf held up - unlike a year ago, when the game was canceled for safety reasons. The new field passed NFL operations directors' approval, and the footing was steady all night.

PREGAME INTROS: Jones drew the loudest cheers - no surprise considering the overwhelmingly pro-Cowboys crowd of 21,126 at the renovated Hall of Fame Stadium - in pregame introductions of the seven men who will be inducted into the shrine Saturday night.

Jones, Terrell Davis, Kurt Warner, Kenny Easley, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Morten Andersen walked along midfield between the competing teams, often shaking hands with current players.

Hall of Famer Jackie Smith, who played tight end for both the Cowboys and Cardinals, performed a rousing national anthem.

TAKE A TABLET: Referee Jerome Boger was the first to use a Microsoft Surface tablet to handle replay reviews under a new NFL system. Final say on calls is being made by the officiating staff in New York, in consultation with the referee.

Dallas challenged a down-by-contact call in the third quarter that negated a Cardinals fumble. The verdict came quickly and the call was confirmed.

GO FOR 2: Arizona kicked the extra point after its second touchdown, but Dallas lined up illegally. So the half-the-distance penalty brought the ball inside the 2-yard line. Gabbert threw incomplete, but another flag was thrown for interference. Then Gabbert sneaked in from about the 1 to make it 15-0.

UP NEXT: Dallas will travel to face the Los Angeles Rams on August 12 in the first full week of the preseason and the Cardinals will host the Raiders August 12.