CLEVELAND -- Four days before Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston was set to make his first NFL start in more than two years, he offered a confident assertion.

"I view this as an opportunity to go out there and be my very best," Winston said Wednesday. "And when I'm my very best, I'm a great NFL starter."

Winston backed up that talk Sunday, throwing the game-winning touchdown in the Browns' 29-24 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens to end a five-game losing streak. It was Cleveland's first game since losing starting quarterback Deshaun Watson to a season-ending Achilles tendon tear.

Winston did his part in injecting life into a Cleveland offense that had been one of the NFL's worst through seven games.

He completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards -- a franchise record for a quarterback in a Browns debut -- and three touchdowns, including the 38-yard, go-ahead score to wide receiver Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining.

"I thought he played well," Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said of Winston. "I thought the protection was outstanding all day. The guys really took the challenge of that, and I thought he got through his reads and guys got open. He made good decisions. Wasn't perfect. He's not going to play perfect. I'm not going to coach perfect. But I thought he played well."

With Stefanski handing playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, the Browns had a rhythm and a flow it lacked all season with Watson under center. Cleveland (2-6) reached 20 points for the first time all season and set season-high marks for passing yards, total yards and third-down conversion rate.

A passing offense that was disjointed suddenly became explosive. Winston recorded eight completions and two touchdowns on passes that traveled at least 15 yards downfield, according to ESPN Research, including the winning toss to Tillman. Watson had just nine such completions and one touchdown in the seven previous games.

"He brought great energy," Tillman said. "Jameis kept telling us that he's going to keep throwing it. He's going to keep coming back to us no matter what. He played great today."

Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, was making his first start since Sept. 25, 2022, when he was a member of the New Orleans Saints. It didn't come without mistakes and scares. He lost a fumble on a sack late in the first half that led to a Ravens touchdown and put the Browns behind 10-6 at halftime. He twice avoided interceptions on drops by the Ravens (5-3), including what could have been a game-sealing interception when he overthrew wideout Elijah Moore that safety Kyle Hamilton couldn't corral.

Winston, though, was unfazed, finding Tillman downfield on the very next play as the Ravens' blitz was barreling down on him.

"Ken always talks about how we're not going to be conservative," Winston said. "We're going to be aggressive and not conservative. And that's the way he preaches as an offensive coordinator. And that's what we showed, that's what we exemplified out there on that field today."

Winston, known for being an animated figure in the Browns' locker room, addressed his teammates in a passionate pregame speech, emphasizing the need to have "unwavering faith."

And in his first start as a Brown, Winston was unflappable, down to his winning throw.

"I am certain when I am making great decisions one play at a time I am a great NFL quarterback," he said after the game. "I am certain of that."

HOUSTON -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson wasn't on the field for a late-third-quarter play in a game in which his team trailed by two scores and later lost.

Curiously, Richardson was on the sideline not because he was hurt but, rather, because he was exhausted.

The second-year quarterback exited the game after scrambling around furiously on the previous two plays against the Houston Texans' defense. On a second-and-goal play from the Houston 23-yard line, Richardson shook off a would-be sack from defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi before turning up the field and looking for a target. Richardson ended up keeping the ball and was ultimately tackled by linebacker Jake Hansen for no gain.

Richardson got up slowly and headed to the nearby Colts sideline, tapping his helmet while in route. On the sideline, he immediately took a knee.

"I was tired," he said. "I ain't gonna lie. That was a lot of running right there. I didn't think I was going to be able to go that next play, so I just told [Colts coach] Shane [Steichen] I just needed a break right there."

Richardson's departure from the game initially raised questions about whether he had sustained an injury. Earlier in the game, he took a hit that impacted his left hand and was seen flexing it on the sideline. But athletic trainers who checked on him did not appear to be treating an injury and seemed satisfied that he was fine.

"He needed a breather," Steichen said. "He ran three times in a row and it was third and long, so we were going to hand the ball off."

Backup quarterback Joe Flacco entered the game and did, in fact, hand off to running back Jonathan Taylor on a third-and-goal from the 23. Taylor gained 5 yards, and the Colts settled for a 37-yard field goal, trimming Houston's lead to 20-13. The Texans ultimately won 23-20.

The strange string of events is only going to intensify the discourse around Richardson, whose season-long struggles have been a weekly challenge for the Colts to navigate. The fourth pick in the 2023 draft, Richardson has completed 44.4% of his pass attempts on the season after Sunday's 10-for-32, 175-yard effort.

Sunday's pivotal AFC South matchup -- a win would have given the Colts a share of the division lead with Houston -- instead became another referendum on Richardson's future with Indianapolis.

Richardson's skill players let him down repeatedly in the game, with running back Tyler Goodson dropping a perfect touchdown pass and a Michael Pittman Jr. penalty negating another would-be Richardson touchdown throw. Richardson also was pressured on 17 of his 32 dropbacks in the game, which suggests some protection issues.

But the conversation is likely to center on the performance of Richardson, despite his career-long 69-yard touchdown pass to receiver Josh Downs.

After showing flashes of his significant talent in the four games he played in 2023 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, Richardson has arguably experienced regression in 2024. For his part, Richardson rejected that narrative.

"I feel like I'm a great passer," he said. "I've been playing quarterback pretty much my whole life. I'm just a different quarterback from everybody else, so people are going to try to point out that I'm not as efficient as everybody else. But it's cool to me. I run the ball way better than every other quarterback. Probably not Lamar [Jackson], but [better] than most quarterbacks. So, I take advantage of my opportunities."

Richardson did have 45 rushing yards on six carries Sunday, but only two of his rushes were designed runs. That paled in comparison to the seven he had in a win over the Miami Dolphins last week.

So, what's next for Richardson? The Colts have resisted the idea of starting Flacco since Richardson returned from a two-game absence because of an oblique injury. But questions about Richardson are not likely to subside.

"We keep working through the process," Steichen said. "It's a process. We keep grinding through it. We do it together. It's a team game. We grind through those things and we get it figured out."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who inherited the team three weeks ago after the abrupt firing of Robert Saleh, stood at the podium, eyes glazed, voice shaking at times. He was trying to make sense of a once-promising season that appears all but lost.

"I'm pissed; they're pissed," he said of the players. "I'm hurt; they're hurt."

The Jets (2-6) dropped their fifth straight game, a demoralizing 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium -- one of the franchise's lowest points in recent memory. Ulbrich, sharing his postgame message to the team, called it "a moment of darkness."

Three weeks ago, the Jets were playing for a share of first place in the AFC East. Now they're tied for last with the Patriots, who, despite losing quarterback Drake Maye (concussion) in the second quarter, outscored the Jets in the second half 18-9.

The Jets are a star-laden team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, and they have collapsed in spectacular fashion.

"I mean, five losses in a row is pretty damn dark," tight end Tyler Conklin said, amplifying Ulbrich's words. "S---, one or two losses in a row can get dark. This sucks."

Aaron Rodgers deadpanned: "I've been in the darkness. You have to go in there and make peace with it."

Unlike one of Rodgers' retreats, there's no guarantee this will end anytime soon, based on the way the Jets played against the struggling Patriots, who snapped a six-game losing streak.

In a virtual must-win situation, the Jets lost a game that seemed impossible to lose. They became the first team since 2012 to lose with zero giveaways and less than 250 yards allowed, according to ESPN Research. It happened to Rodgers in 2012, in the Green Bay Packers' loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the infamous "Fail Mary Game."

The Jets seemed ill-prepared, as the offense wasted three timeouts in the first quarter and took a delay penalty on a pivotal 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter. They also were undermined by kicker Greg Zuerlein, who missed a field goal and an extra point -- the continuation of a season-long slump that has put his roster spot in jeopardy. He has missed six field goals, twice as many as his 2023 total.

"We did not execute in critical moments," said Ulbrich, whose team gave up the lead twice in the last seven minutes. "We say that's not who we are, but it's who we are until we demonstrate otherwise."

Owner Woody Johnson recently called this probably his best roster in 25 years. At 2-3, he fired Saleh, expecting the move to spark the team. The Jets also traded for star wide receiver Davante Adams and welcomed back pass rusher Haason Reddick, who made his debut Sunday after a lengthy holdout.

There has been no spark.

Reddick was a nonfactor, recording no tackles and two quarterback pressures in 26 defensive snaps. He was on the field for five of the last eight plays on the Patriots' 12-play game-winning drive, which culminated with Rhamondre Stevenson's 1-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds left.

"As of right now, I have nothing to say as far as the holdout," said Reddick, who refused to answer several questions about it. "The only thing that I'm worried about right now is what can I do to be better, what can I do to get myself fully up to speed."

Adams (four catches for 54 yards) had another quiet game, though his presence created opportunities for Garrett Wilson (five catches for 113 yards). Otherwise, the offense sputtered, appearing confused at times. Plays came in slowly from the sideline and players didn't know where to line up at times.

Rodgers seemed exasperated at times, though he held his tongue afterward.

"On one of [the timeouts], we were lagging out of the huddle," he said. "One, I was trying to get the protection right. One, I felt like we could have gotten off, but it was fine to take [a timeout] there.

"Yeah," he concluded, "our operation was a little slow at times."

"I'm pissed; they're pissed. I'm hurt; they're hurt."

Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich

On the delay of game, which moved the 2-point try back to the 7-yard line, Rodgers said he didn't like the playcall versus their defensive look. So he let the play clock expire, figuring that was better than wasting another timeout. Ultimately, his pass failed. Instead of a 24-17 lead, it was 22-17.

Which didn't last long.

For Rodgers (17-for-28, 233 yards), who threw two short touchdowns, this marked the third five-game losing streak of his career. His mission in New York was to change the culture of a star-crossed franchise, but that hasn't happened. He bristled when asked about that, saying the question was "a little dramatic."

"The NFL is hard," he said. "It's hard to win. It's harder when you make it difficult on yourself."

Since replacing Saleh, Ulbrich has presided over a defense that has allowed 85 points in three games -- well above its average. He has continued to call the defensive plays, but that could change soon.

"I'll take a hard look at everything," he said. "If that's one of the things that could help us, then it'll definitely be on the table."

LANDOVER, Md. -- Jayden Daniels connected with Noah Brown on a 52-yard Hail Mary as time expired to give the Washington Commanders an 18-15 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Daniels scrambled for several seconds before heaving the ball from the Commanders' 35-yard line. It was deflected about 3 yards short of the goal line and fell into the arms of Brown, who was standing alone in the end zone.

It was the fifth go-ahead Hail Mary TD in the final 10 seconds since ESPN began tracking them in 2006. At 52 yards, it was the second longest of the bunch, behind the Rodgers-to-Rodgers Miracle in Motown play against the Detroit Lions in 2015.

"That was wild. That was so much fun, and what I love about the team is that we're never out of the fight," Commanders coach Dan Quinn said as part of his opening statement to reporters.

Chicago had taken its first lead with 23 seconds left in the game, going ahead 15-12 on a 1-yard TD run by Roschon Johnson after a pass-interference penalty on the Commanders (6-2). The Bears (4-3) had their winning streak snapped at three after falling behind 12-0 and giving up the Daniels-to-Brown play that sent players and fans in the stands into a frenzy.

"Just throw the ball up, give my guys a shot," said Daniels, who noted he didn't see the result of the play but "just heard people screaming and our sideline rushing the field -- so, that's how I knew."

It was the first game since Nov. 13, 1977, where each team scored a go-ahead touchdown in the final 30 seconds.

The unlikely TD was Daniels' 21st completion on 38 attempts while playing through a rib injury that left his status uncertain until hours before kickoff. In the NFL's sixth matchup of rookie quarterbacks taken with the top two picks in the draft, Daniels threw for 326 yards and ran for 52.

The unexpected ending ruined a turnaround for No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams, the Washington-area native who engineered a late 62-yard scoring drive after starting the game completing just four of his first 16 passes. Williams finished 10-of-24 for 131 yards, and D'Andre Swift ran for a TD as part of his 129-yard performance.

In this often ragged matchup of dynamic rookies, it was Daniels, taken one spot after Williams in the NFL draft, who came out on top.

Austin Seibert kicked four field goals for the Commanders for their only points until the Hail Mary.

Signing Seibert after a kicking debacle in the season opener has turned out to be huge for Washington. Even with one fewer game, he passed Mark Moseley during his All-Pro season in 1982 for the most field goals made and most points scored through Week 8 in franchise history.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade is now the first Miami Heat player with a statue outside the team's arena.

The Heat unveiled the statue Sunday, about eight months after team president Pat Riley announced plans for the tribute. Wade is Miami's all-time leading scorer, and he and Udonis Haslem are the only players to have been on all three Heat teams that won NBA championships.

"This is crazy," Wade said moments after the unveiling. "I wanted to feel this. Life goes by so fast and it's very rare that we get to feel things, because we're always off to the next thing. ... I wanted to feel this, man. I wanted to look at it."

An in-game celebration will follow Monday when Miami plays host to Detroit on the 21st anniversary of Wade's debut game with the franchise.

Wade, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of six former Heat players to have their numbers retired by the team -- along with Haslem, Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning.

"As the greatest player ever in Miami Heat history, yes, it's his day, it's his family's day," Riley said.

The statue is accompanied by a wall listing Wade's career accomplishments and has been placed outside the front doors of the team's arena. Wade is now a part-owner of the Utah Jazz in addition to having many other business interests.

LOS ANGELES -- The World Series is averaging 14.55 million viewers through two games, the best start for the Fall Classic since 2017.

Saturday's 4-2 victory by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the New York Yankees averaged 13.44 million on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming. That is a 65% increase over last year's Game 2, which at 8.15 million was the second least-viewed World Series game on record.

It was the most-viewed Game 2 since 2018, when the Dodgers-Red Sox matchup averaged 13.51 million.

According to Nielsen, Saturday's audience peaked at 16.35 million during the ninth inning.

The game had a 17.3 rating and 55 share in Los Angeles and 10.3 rating and 32 share in New York.

The rating is the percentage of television households tuned in. The share refers to a percentage of the audience viewing it at the time.

England head coach Steve Borthwick has called up Northampton lock Alex Coles and Bath back-row Ted Hill to his squad for the opening Autumn Nations Series match with New Zealand on Saturday.

Hill is rewarded after his player of the match display after Baths Premiership win over Sale, while Coles continues to impress for Saints.

Sale fly-half George Ford is also promoted to the regular squad, having been previously named as going through rehabilitation after a quad injury sustained in early October.

Leicester forward Ollie Chessum drops out of the squad as he awaits assessment on a knee injury picked up against Saracens, while Charlie Ewels is also out as he follows return to play protocols following Baths win at The Rec.

Sale wing Tom Roebuck is also dropped from the 36-player squad that will prepare to play the All Blacks.

The match is the first of four fixtures for England who also play Australia, South Africa and Japan at Allianz Stadium in November.

Virgil van Dijk said he will put his Liverpool future on hold until the end of the season and "enjoy the ride" of the Premier League title race after helping Arne Slot's team to a 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Liverpool moved to within a point of defending champions and league leaders Manchester City by twice fighting back from a goal behind to emerge with a point against the Gunners.

Van Dijk, who escaped a booking for kicking out at Arsenal's Kai Havertz in the opening minutes, cancelled out Bukayo Saka's ninth-minute opener with a 17th-minute header.

Mohamed Salah then earned Liverpool a point with an 81st-minute leveller after Mikel Merino had restored Arsenal's leader moments before half-time.

Van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at Anfield at the end of the season with each still to sign a new deal.

And speaking after the game at the Emirates, Van Dijk said he is in no rush to negotiate a new contract at the club.

"I'm very calm," Van Dijk told Sky Sports. "Let's see what happens towards the end of the season.

"I'm enjoying my football, physically and mentally. Keep enjoying the game because it's a beautiful game that we play and I play."

Salah's late goal ensured that Liverpool avoided a second league defeat of the season and kept them close to City, who they face at Anfield on Dec 1.

Van Dijk, a title winner with Liverpool in 2019-20, said that a point against Mikel Arteta's side is a good result in the context of the title race.

"Listen, it's a very tough place to come," he said.

"They created a solid team and make it difficult for everyone. To come back twice is a good thing, we take the point and we move.

"You play here in London, they have the fans behind them and they created some momentum. You have to be ready to fight because you will have some tough moments. One point and we take it.

"It sounds very cliché, but it's better than losing. There were opportunities for us to try and win the game. The first half was difficult. We came out well in the second half and pushed for the equaliser.

"I think someone said to me last year, Man City lost here and they won the league. We're in October. I've read so many things that Arsenal are out of the title race if they lose.

"We're in the business where you can be on top one week and then not. We are in October and let's see what it brings us at the end of the season. Enjoy the ride."

Liverpool manager Slot paid tribute to his players for proving their resilience and "energy" after claiming a point, despite having one day fewer of rest than Arsenal following Champions League duty in midweek.

"Going two times behind against a very strong Arsenal team and to get a point is pleasing to see," Slot told reporters. "Away game in Europe, one day less to prepare and two times behind with the fans so loud and coming back so strongly -- it's very pleasing to have the energy in the second-half. We looked really strong.

"You ask yourself: 'Can you get a result in a difficult game away like this one?' To see we can compete with such a strong Arsenal team in their stadium is very good, but where that will take us at the end of the season, I can't tell you."

Salah's late goal, his eighth in the league so far this season, moved him level with Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler on 163 Premier League goals to take eighth spot in the league's all-time scoring charts.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry sits in seventh position with 175 goals, and Slot said that Salah's biggest quality is his reliability when the team needs him to deliver.

"He's [Salah] available, top players have that," Slot said. "They are always available and show up, just like last week against Chelsea when he showed up with a goal and assist.

"For a big club like Liverpool, you need these players who make a difference and Mo is that.

"But I also must say that Ibrahima Konaté was also very good for us today. He doesn't get the recognition he deserves, but he is always close to the man of the match and it was a very good performance today."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has played down the significance of a five-point gap to Premier League leaders Manchester City by backing his team to respond in the title race after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with his 50th league goal after nine minutes before Virgin van Dijk's 18th-minute header drew the visitors level. Mikel Merino headed in Declan Rice's free kick to restore the Gunners' lead just before the break but Mohamed Salah's 81st-minute equaliser salvaged a point for Liverpool towards the end of a second half they largely dominated.

Liverpool remain in second place, four points clear of Arsenal who sit in third with City ending the weekend top as they seek a fifth consecutive title.

Asked how relevant the points difference was at such an early stage of the season, Arteta said: "You don't want to be in that position. You want to be five points ahead, but this is where we are. The team is alive, the team wants it. I feel it every single day. The players that cannot play, they are upset that they are not playing.

"The ones getting injured, the ones that are there they are in a good moment. Things will turn up and we are going to be in a better place. But we are certainly there.

"I see the team and I have no doubts. I think I told you three days before that we are going to be flying on Sunday and we started flying and were the better team by far.

"We needed to get the points today to make a reflection of where we are and where we want to be. We couldn't do it but for sure we are there."

Arsenal sat deep for long periods of the second half as Liverpool probed for an equaliser. Arteta said that defender Gabriel Magalhães "could not run" and was forced off with an injury to his left leg on 54 minutes, perhaps contributing to a more cautious display given the Gunners were already without suspended centre-back William Saliba.

"It should've been a bigger score in the first half, they came out in second half and we didn't have courage," added Arteta. "We were clear in what we had to do and the execution, determination and aggression with and without the ball was really good. [There were] a few moments where we should've put the ball in the net.

"In the first phase we needed more courage to play. We created big opportunities."

Brazilian authorities said a Cruzeiro soccer fan has died after a roadside ambush by rival supporters in São Paulo state on Sunday morning.

The fan was confirmed dead at a hospital in the city of Mairipora, 46 kilometers (28 miles) north of Sao Paulo. Local media reports said at least 12 fans were injured in the same attack.

The Cruzeiro fans were traveling back to Belo Horizonte by bus after their team's 3-0 loss at Athletico Paranaense in the top-tier Brazilian league on Saturday.

Brazil's federal road police told journalists the victim was a 30-year-old man, but did not provide more details. São Paulo's public security secretariat said the attack was carried out by ultra supporters of rival Palmeiras.

Footage on Brazilian TV showed a bus on fire and several Cruzeiro fans lying on the sidewalk as Palmeiras supporters punched them and hit them with sticks.

Cruzeiro said on its social media channels that it "deeply regrets yet another incident of fan violence" in Brazil.

The club also said "several fans were wounded."

Sao Paulo-based Palmeiras has not commented so far.