The latest from NFL games around the league on the seventh Sunday of the season (all times EDT):
1:30 p.m.
All in one fell swoop, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got Mike Evans and their first-quarter offense going.
Evans, off to a quiet start to Year 2 after a tremendous rookie campaign, caught his first touchdown pass this season – a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jameis Winston on Tampa Bay’s third play from scrimmage against the Washington Redskins.
It was also the Bucs’ first TD in any opening quarter this season.
Heading into Sunday, Tampa Bay had been outscored 38-9 in that period.
Probably helps that the Redskins are missing both of their starting cornerbacks, DeAngelo Hall and Chris Culliver, who are injured.
– Howard Fendrich reporting from Landover, Maryland.
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1 p.m.
The NFL’s experiment of streaming the Bills-Jaguars game went off without any massive glitches but showed why it might not be viable for more than the occasional game.
Many fans reported intermittent choppiness in the feed. Some of that likely stems from their own Internet connections, but it’s a reminder of why a streaming-only option is probably not a widespread option for the time being.
Jacksonville’s wild 34-31 win over Buffalo in London on Sunday, which started at 9:30 a.m. EDT, was available only through Yahoo worldwide everywhere other than the two home markets, where it was televised on CBS.
-Rachel Cohen reporting from New York.
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12:10 p.m.
The top wide receiver active for the Chiefs on Sunday against Pittsburgh has eight receptions all season.
Good luck with that, Alex Smith.
Jeremy Maclin passed the league’s concussion protocol after getting hurt last week in Minnesota, and he practiced Friday. But the Chiefs’ leading receiver was inactive against the Steelers, which means Smith won’t have the biggest weapon left in Kansas City’s popgun offense on the field with him. Jamaal Charles is already out for the season with a knee injury.
Running back-turned wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas has just eight receptions this season, making him the Chiefs’ top pass-catcher aside from tight end Travis Kelce. Jason Avant and Chris Conley, who is starting in Maclin’s place, have just seven receptions apiece.
At least Smith and the Chiefs have this going for them: Pittsburgh’s pass defense is allowing more than 280 yards per game, 26th-best in the league.
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11:41 a.m.
Keep Adrian Peterson in your lineups.
The Minnesota Vikings star running back is active Sunday at Detroit, a day after being downgraded to questionable with an illness.
Peterson had 134 yards rushing and 29 carries, both season highs, last month at home against Lions. In his first 13 games against the Lions, Peterson ran for 100-plus yards eight times and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground.
– Larry Lage reporting from Detroit
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9:30 a.m.
Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon typically call games for CBS, but on this particular football Sunday, their microphones say ”NFL on Yahoo.”
The league is experimenting with streaming the matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars from London. With kickoff at 9:30 a.m. EDT, it is available only through Yahoo outside of the teams’ home cities, not just within the United States but around the world.
The NFL wants to figure out whether there’s significant money to be made in distributing games ”over the top” – streaming them directly to fans. Yahoo and other tech companies such as Google and Apple could be future partners in how the league broadcasts the sport, to go along with its traditional deals with the television networks.
Viewers in Buffalo and Jacksonville are able to watch Sunday on their local CBS stations. Everywhere else, anyone with an Internet connection can see the game for free. The stream is available on any device through various Yahoo properties, including Tumblr, and the NFL’s website and app.
Fans are still able to watch on their televisions if they own connected devices or sets.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
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