NFL: Pats win amid headset failures
Not much new in the NFL season opener. Tom Brady was in midseason form as the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-21. He threw four touchdown passes - three to tight end Rob Gronkowski - and at one point strung together 19 completions in a row, a franchise record.
Not much new in the NFL season opener.
Tom Brady was in midseason form as the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-21. He threw four touchdown passes - three to tight end Rob Gronkowski - and at one point strung together 19 completions in a row, a franchise record.
Afterward, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin raised suspicions about something untoward going on at Gillette Stadium.
The sellout crowd of 66,829, braving a persistent rain Thursday night, got just about everything it wanted.
The game was marked by headset failures on the field.
Tomlin said communication problems are "always the case" when playing in New England.
The NFL said the Patriots had nothing to do with audio interference that rendered the Steelers coaching headsets useless during the first quarter.
Spokesman Michael Signora said on Friday that the league believes the problem "involved no manipulation by any individual and that the Patriots had nothing to do with it." The statement said the problem was "entirely attributable to an electrical issue made worse by the inclement weather.
The Steelers said they don't plan to file a formal complaint regarding the matter.
Smith joins Raiders
The Oakland Raiders signed troubled pass rusher Aldon Smith to a contract, five weeks after he was released by San Francisco.
The 49ers cut ties with Smith on Aug. 7, a day after his fifth legal run-in since being drafted by the team in 2011.
Smith was arrested in Santa Clara, Calif., on charges of drunken driving, hit and run, and vandalism. The Santa Clara District Attorney's office said that Smith was charged Friday with three misdemeanors relating to his latest arrest and will be arraigned on Oct. 6.