The Latest: Agnew returns from benching, scores on KO return
The Latest on NFL Week 3 (all times EDT):
1:20 p.m.
Detroit’s Jamal Agnew ran a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Agnew burst to his left and sprinted along the sideline for his first career kickoff return touchdown. The Eagles had scored a field goal on the opening drive. Lions coach Matt Patricia rubbed his returner’s head after the big score.
Patricia had benched Agnew last week after he fumbled the ball on a punt return in the second quarter.
—Dan Gelston reporting from Philadelphia.
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1:15 p.m.
Adam Vinatieri made a 49-yard field goal to open the scoring in Indianapolis.
He didn’t exactly erase doubts, though, banking the line drive kick off the left upright. The league’s career scoring leader’s slow start had some wondering if time had finally caught up to the 46-year-old Vinatieri, the third-oldest player to ever appear in an NFL game.
He missed five of eight kicks during the first two weeks, including a career-high three extra points.
—Mike Marot reporting from Indianapolis.
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1:10 p.m.
The Buffalo Bills honored late superfan Ezra “Pancho Billa” Castro in a pregame ceremony at New Era Field.
Castro, a mortician from El Paso, Texas, who regularly attended Bills games, died in May after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula presented game balls and No. 19 Pancho Billa jerseys to Castro’s mother, Aurora, longtime girlfriend, Veronica Borjon, and their two children, Gino and Lourdes. The family members watched the Bills’ home opener against the Cincinnati Bengals from Buffalo coach Sean McDermott’s suite.
The presentation at midfield also included 100 children who received backpacks with school supplies through the Pancho Pack program in Castro’s honor.
Some fans held up signs with images of Castro attending Bills games in his customary Bills-themed pancho and wrestling mask.
Shortly after Castro was diagnosed with cancer, the Bills honored his wish by bringing him to Dallas to announce their third-round selection of defensive tackle Harrison Phillips at the 2018 NFL Draft.
—John Wawrow reporting from Orchard Park, New York.
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11:49 p.m.
Who are these guys?
Already, eight NFL teams are starting quarterbacks they didn’t plan to have behind center about a month ago. That’s one-quarter of the league.
Included are two of the more obscure names: the Jets’ Luke Falk in for Sam Darnold (mononucleosis), and the Panthers’ Kyle Allen, starting Sunday for Cam Newton (foot). Falk actually is New York’s third-stringer; Trevor Siemian damaged his ankle in last Monday night’s loss to Cleveland.
New York’s other team, the Giants, made the switch this week to sixth overall draft pick Daniel Jones, benching longtime starter Eli Manning.
Two of the league’s biggest stars, Drew Brees (thumb surgery) of New Orleans and Ben Roethlisberger (elbow surgery) of Pittsburgh, are sidelined. Teddy Bridgewater takes over for the Saints and Mason Rudolph gets the assignment for the Steelers.
Miami has switched from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Josh Rosen, and, of course, Andrew Luck retired and Jacoby Brissett is the man in Indianapolis.
Gardner Minshew started for Jacksonville in a Thursday night win over Tennessee; Nick Foles is hurt.
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