Eagles falter in 49ers loss; Dolphins crush Commanders
Brock Purdy threw four touchdowns and explosive receiver Deebo Samuel scored three as the San Francisco 49ers humbled the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday with an emphatic 42-19 NFL statement victory. The 49ers, who lost to the Eagles in last year's NFC Championship game, were devastating on both the ground and in the air as they dominated an Eagles side who had gone into the game with just one defeat. In a chippy encounter, San Francisco had linebacker Fre Greenlaw ejected after a confrontation on the sideline with an Eagles security official who was also ejected. Purdy threw for 314 yards. Samuel put up 138 total yards and running back Christian McCaffrey 133 as the 49ers moved to 9-3. The Eagles fell to 10-2. Tyreek Hill dominated again as the Miami Dolphins crushed the Washington Commanders 45-15 with the wide receiver scoring two touchdowns and putting up 157 yards. The win moves the AFC East-leading Dolphins (9-3) closer to their first division title since 2008 with much of their success built on the understanding between Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Hill said before the season that his goal was to become the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards. With five games of the regular season left he has that record within reach with 1,481 receiving yards at an average of 123.4 yards per game. The Houston Texans ended the Denver Bronco's five-game winning streak with a 22-17 home win. Rookie quarterback sensation CJ Stroud found Nico Collins for a three-yard touchdown early in the fourth to open up a 22-10 lead but Bronco's quarterback Russell Wilson responded with a one yard rushing score. Denver pushed for a game-winning score in the final moments but on third-and-goal, with 16 seconds on the clock, Wilson's pass into the end-zone to Luca Krull was intercepted by Jimmie Ward. The Detroit Lions have their best record through 12 games since 1962 after moving to 9-3 with a 33-28 win at New Orleans. Lions receiver Sam LaPorta had a career-best 140 yards on nine receptions as Detroit held on after scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the first quarter. Saints quarterback Derek Carr left injured in the fourth quarter after a penalised hit from Bruce Irvin. Carr was reported to have suffered back, shoulder and head injuries. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett was also injured in his team's 24-10 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Pickett went out late in the first half with an ankle injury. The Indianapolis Colts won their fourth straight game, keeping their post-season hopes alive, with a 31-28 overtime win at the Tennessee Titans. (AFP)