The Latest on the third week of the NFL season (all times Eastern):
1:35 p.m.
Larry Fitzgerald finally has a catch in Buffalo.
The Cardinals star receiver extended the NFL’s longest active reception streak to 182 consecutive games with a 3-yard catch on a crossing pattern midway through the first quarter against the Bills on Sunday.
Fitzgerald’s streak began during his rookie season and after he failed to make a catch in a 38-14 loss at the Bills on Oct. 31, 2004.
Fitzgerald vividly recalled his first and only previous visit to Buffalo. He noted how windy the conditions were and said the only positive that came from the trip was getting a chance to see Niagara Falls.
Fitzgerald wasn’t shut out in the game, as he we credited with a 4-yard run. It came on a bubble screen. He joked that the pitch to him was nearly a forward pass and wondered whether the play could be reviewed.
— John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York.
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1:30 p.m.
Washington Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland hurt his right ankle during the first quarter agains the New York Giants and will not return to the game.
He was injured covering rookie Sterling Shepard on a 12-yard pass down to the Redskins 1.
Trainers worked on his lower right leg, and he couldn’t put weight on the leg as he was helped off the field.
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1:25 p.m.
That TD was quick for the Green Bay Packers.
The struggling offense is off to a fast start after quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit Davante Adams for a 14-yard touchdown pass over the middle on the first drive of the Packers’ home opener for a 7-0 lead. Rodgers was 4 of 5 for 64 yards on the drive.
The offense struggled in last week’s 17-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers are hoping to build momentum over the first of four straight home games after starting the season with two road games.
— Genaro Armas in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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1:25 p.m.
Players at several NFL games have made small demonstrations during the national anthem, kneeling, raising a fist in the air or using other displays.
Panthers safety Marcus Ball, who was elevated to the active roster this week, held his right hand up in the air during the national anthem on Sunday. He was the only Carolina player who protested during the anthem after the police shooting of 43-year-old African-American man this week.
A handful of Tennessee Titans and a couple of Oakland Raiders raised their fists in protest Sunday.
Tennessee’s defensive captain and tackle Jurrell Casey, linebacker Wesley Woodyard and cornerback Jason McCourty had protested in a similar fashion after the anthem for the season opener on Sept. 11, and were joined Sunday, by teammates DaQuan Jones and Perrish Cox. Oakland linebacker Bruce Irvin bowed his head and raised his right fist along with fellow linebacker Malcolm Smith.
Four Washington Redskins — WRs DeSean Jackson and Rashad Ross, cornerback Greg Toler and tight end Niles Paul — stood two steps behind the rest of the team on the sideline during the anthem and held up their right arms, fists clenched, for the entire song.
Numerous Bills players kneeled in the west end zone just before the song began and then rejoined their team to stand along the sideline during the anthem.
Broncos safety T.J. Ward stood and raised his right fist before a game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. His teammates next to him stood with hands over their hearts or crossed in front of them.
Michael Thomas, Kenny Stills and Arian Foster kneeled again during the national anthem before Miami’s game against Cleveland on Sunday. Thomas, Stills and Foster have now done so in prior to all three Dolphins games this season. Foster is inactive for the game because of injury.
Four Jacksonville Jaguars raised their right fists before their game against Baltimore. Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., linebacker Telvin Smith, defensive end Jared Odrick and linebacker Hayes Pullard III joined the movement for the first time Sunday.
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12:30 p.m.
Cam Newton wore a T-shirt that quoted Martin Luther King Jr. during his warmup for Carolina’s game against the Vikings.
The dark shirt was emblazoned with the quote: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” across the back.
Newton earlier this week called the fatal shooting of a black man by a Charlotte police officer “embarrassing,” touching on a “state of oppression in our community.”
Dashboard camera footage of Keith Scott’s shooting was released Saturday night and prompted a fifth day of protests in Charlotte. There was a heavy police presence around Bank of America Stadium before Sunday’s game.
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12:15 p.m.
The Packers say that rookie Kenny Clark will make his first career NFL start at nose tackle in Green Bay’s home opener against the Detroit Lions.
Clark will replace Letroy Guion, who is out with a knee injury. Clark, the 27th overall pick in the first round out of UCLA, was slowed in training camp by a hamstring injury. But he was solid after replacing Guion in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers’ league-best run defense will be tested without Guion, as well as two other veterans: linebacker Clay Matthews is sidelined by ankle and hamstring injuries, while safety Morgan Burnett has a groin injury. Top reserve Datone Jones, who plays defensive line and linebacker, is also out with a knee injury.
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12:10 p.m.
Some Carolina Panthers players opted to take a team bus from the downtown team hotel rather than drive their cars to the stadium prior to Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings due to potential protests in downtown Charlotte area.
Normally, players simply drive from the team hotel to their designated parking lot — and most did on Sunday. However, the Panthers offered to take any players who didn’t feel comfortable driving over to the stadium a ride on the team bus.
Protests have been ongoing since Tuesday when a black male was shot by a black police officer, sparking rioting and looting in the city. There have been more peaceful protests in downtown in recent days.
There was a group of about 50 people protesting outside the stadium prior to the game, with arms locked and chanting.
— Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina
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12 p.m.
The third week of the NFL season includes a battle between two solid Pennsylvania teams, a rematch of the biggest regular-season game in Saints history and a game in Charlotte, North Carolina, where there is a heavy police presence outside the stadium after a fifth day of protests prompted by the fatal shooting of a black man by a police officer.
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton warmed up while wearing a T-shirt quoting Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He has said the shooting is embarrassing.
In Philadelphia, the Steelers play the Eagles with both teams looking strong even though Pittsburgh is without its top running back Le’Veon Bell and Philadelphia has leaned on a strong debut by rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.
New Orleans hosts Atlanta 10 years after returning to the Superdome in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina a year earlier.
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AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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