NFL notes: Falcons thump Bucs

Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and high-stepping Devin Hester led the Atlanta Falcons to one of the biggest wins in franchise history.

Ryan threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, Jones hauled in nine passes for 161 yards and a couple of scores, and Hester set an NFL record with his 20th return for a TD as the Falcons routed the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers 56-14 on Thursday night in Atlanta.

The Falcons (2-1) led 35-0 before the Buccaneers (0-3) picked up a first down.

Atlanta built a stunning 56-0 lead heading to the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay scored two meaningless touchdowns to avoid the worst loss in franchise history.

With the Falcons already up 28-0, Hester took a punt at his own 44, found a seam up the middle of the field and zipped around the last man with a chance to tackle him, punter Michael Koenen. The 56-yard play was Hester’s 20th career return for a touchdown, breaking the mark he shared with former Falcons star Deion Sanders.

Police: Cardinals RB Dwyer head-butted wife

Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer head-butted his wife and broke her nose after she refused his sexual advances, and punched her in the face the next day, police said Thursday.

The details surfaced in a law enforcement report a day after Dwyer was arrested on aggravated assault charges and deactivated from all team activities after he was taken into custody at the Cardinals’ headquarters in Tempe. He spent a night in jail and made a brief court appearance before being released on a $25,000 bond early Thursday.

Vikings release Simpson

The Minnesota Vikings have released wide receiver Jerome Simpson.

The move was made Thursday, following the revelation of misdemeanor charges of driving on a limited driver’s license, possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, and having an open bottle in a motor vehicle from a July citation. Police in Bloomington, Minnesota, confirmed the charges.

Quick kicks

Defensive lineman B.J. Raji will need six to nine months to return from right biceps surgery, though it’s unclear if he’ll be back with the Green Bay Packers. Raji, who has a one-year contract with the team, said Thursday he had surgery recently to reattach a tendon following the injury last month during a preseason game. … Denver Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan is practicing for the first time since breaking his left leg Aug. 12. The team’s leading tackler a year ago, Trevathan is expected to miss one more game and then return Oct. 5 against Arizona.