|
 The Steelers (10-6) earned a wild-card berth and a playoff game at
Cincinnati next weekend as a result of their win and the Buffalo
Bills' 22-17 victory over the New York Jets.
The Browns' 3-13 record is their worst since 2000 when they were
also 3-13. It was their 18th defeat in the last 21 games. Browns
coach Mike Pettine was fired after posting a 10-22 record in two
seasons.
Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams suffered an ankle injury in
the second quarter and did not return.
Texans 30, Jaguars 6
HOUSTON -- J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus combined for 6.5 sacks and
Houston clinched its third AFC South title with a victory over
Jacksonville.
The Texans (9-7) closed the season with three consecutive division
wins for their first AFC South title since 2012. Houston, 2-5
following a loss at Miami on Oct. 25, won six of eight games
following their bye week and will serve as hosts in an AFC wild-card
game next weekend.
Watt and Mercilus paced a dominant defense, with Watt regaining his
All-Pro form playing without a cast on his broken left hand for the
first time in four games. Watt participated with thick protective
padding and played like a whirling dervish with three sacks, two
deflected passes, eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Mercilus had
five tackles and 3.5 sacks, giving him a career-high 12 this season.
Broncos 27, Chargers 20
DENVER -- Peyton Manning came off the bench to relieve an
ineffective Brock Osweiler and led four second-half scoring drives,
and Denver rallied to beat to San Diego to clinch the AFC West title
and the conference's No. 1 playoff seed.
Relying more on his leadership than his passing arm in his first
action in seven weeks, Manning drove the Broncos (12-4) to a pair of
field goals by Brandon McManus and on marches that ended in
touchdown runs by C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman.
Hillman finished with 117 rushing yards, including a tiebreaking
23-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left. Manning finished 5-for-9 for
69 yards Sunday in his first action since sustaining a foot injury
Nov. 15.
Vikings 20, Packers 13
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay's four-year reign atop the NFC North is
over.
Minnesota used a strong defensive effort to beat the struggling
Packers at Lambeau Field to capture the division title.
The Vikings won a third consecutive game to earn the No. 3 seed in
the NFC playoffs, and they will host the sixth-seeded Seattle
Seahawks (10-6) next weekend. Green Bay (10-6) lost its second in a
row, fell to the No. 5 seed and will play next weekend at
Washington. The Redskins (9-7) won the NFC East.
Aaron Rodgers helped Green Bay rally from a 20-3 deficit to pull
within 20-13 with 5:35 remaining in regulation. Vikings returner
Cordarrelle Patterson broke into the clear on the ensuing kickoff,
but kicker Mason Crosby stripped the ball around the Green Bay 30,
and Packers safety Micah Hyde recovered at the 23.
Seahawks 36, Cardinals 6
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- In a game that meant next to nothing for Seattle,
the Seahawks derailed the hottest team in the NFC with a thrashing
Arizona, avoiding a sweep by the Cardinals and handing them their
first loss in 10 games.
The Seahawks cruised behind three touchdown passes from Russell
Wilson and a franchise-record 139 yards in punt returns by Tyler
Lockett.
Both Wilson and Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer wound up on the
bench after the score became one-sided.
Panthers 38, Buccaneers 10
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cam Newton made another case for the NFL's Most
Valuable Player honors, and Carolina secured the top seed for the
NFC playoffs with a rout of Tampa Bay.
Newton ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more touchdowns for
the Panthers (15-1). He finished 21-for-26 for 293 yards without an
interception. He wrapped up his day with a 16-yard touchdown strike
to Devin Funchess with 7:22 left.
The Buccaneers (6-10) lost their final four games after flirting
with playoff contention in early December.
Chiefs 23, Raiders 17
KANSAS CITY, Mo -- Kansas City won its 10th consecutive game by
dowing Oakland.
The Chiefs opened the season 1-5. They are the first team since the
1970 Cincinnati Bengals to start 1-5 and reach the playoffs.
In the first quarter, Alex Smith connected with Jeremy Maclin on a
25-yard touchdown pass, and then Spencer Ware capped a 12-play drive
with a 3-yard run to the end zone. The score was 14-0 with 51
seconds left in the period. Smith finished with two TD passes and
two interceptions.
Bills 22, Jets 17
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Coach Rex Ryan's Buffalo Bills prevented his
former team from returning to the playoffs with a victory over the
New York Jets.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back Karlos Williams rushed for
first-half touchdowns and kicker Dan Caprenter made three field
goals as the Bills ended the Jets' five-game winning streak. Taylor
was 18 of 28 passing for 182 yards with no touchdowns or
interceptions.
The Jets (10-6) will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight
season. Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 16 of 37 passes
for 181 yards, but threw three fourth-quarter interceptions in his
first game in Buffalo since he was the Bills' quarterback in 2012.
Dolphins 20, Patriots 10
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Ryan Tannehill passed for 350 yards and two
touchdowns as Miami beat New England and prevented the Patriots from
clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
[to top of second column] |
The Patriots (12-4), who had already clinched a first-round bye,
limp into the playoffs after losing four of their past six games and
sustaining several injuries during the past month. New England
played a conservative game offensively as Tom Brady completed 12 of
21 passes for 134 yards and no touchdowns. He was removed from the
game for the Patriots' final drive.
The Dolphins (6-10), finished their seventh straight season out of
the playoffs. Miami hasn't won a playoff game since 2000.
Bengals 24, Ravens 16
CINCINNATI -- AJ McCarron overcame a slow start to toss two
touchdown passes and Jeremy Hill rushed for 96 yards and a TD,
helping Cincinnati wrap up the regular season with a victory over
Baltimore.
The Bengals (12-4) reached 12 wins for the third time in franchise
history. The other two seasons (1981, 1988) both resulted in Super
Bowl appearances.
Cincinnati will host AFC North division rival Pittsburgh in the
first round.
Baltimore (5-11) failed to finish the season on a positive note.
Quarterback Ryan Mallett in his second Ravens start passed for 292
yards and a touchdown but also had a pair of interceptions.
Redskins 34, Cowboys 23
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kirk Cousins passed for three touchdowns and
Washington, the NFC East champion, closed out the regular season by
rolling past Dallas.
The Redskins (9-7) head into the playoffs on a four-game winning
streak, the team's longest since 2012. The Redskins will host the
Green Bay Packers in a wild-card playoff game next weekend.
The Cowboys (4-12) had a merciful end to one of the worst seasons in
franchise history. Injuries to quarterback Tony Romo and receiver
Dez Bryant began a downward spiral one year after winning the East.
Colts 30, Titans 24
INDIANAPOLIS -- Fourth- and fifth-string quarterbacks Josh Freeman
and Ryan Lindley each threw a touchdown pass, leading Indianapolis
to a victory over Tennessee.
The win was not enough to extend the Colts' season. Indianapolis
(8-8) officially was eliminated from the playoff picture in a
complicated scenario after New Orleans defeated Atlanta. Houston
then clinched the AFC South with a victory against Jacksonville.
The Titans (3-13) clinched the No. 1 draft pick by losing their
fourth straight. Quarterback Zach Mettenberger fell to 0-10 as a
starter.
Eagles 35, Giants 30
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Philadelphia defensive back Walter Thurmond
returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown in a win over
rival New York in what could have been Giants coach Tom Coughlin's
final game.
The 69-year-old Coughlin, who led the Giants to two Super Bowl
titles in his 12 seasons, has a year left on his contract. The
Giants (6-10) finished a third straight losing season and a fourth
straight year out of the playoffs.
Interim head coach Pat Shurmur got the win for the Eagles (7-9), who
fired Chip Kelly on Tuesday after the team missed the playoffs for
the second straight season.
Saints 20, Falcons 17
ATLANTA -- New Orleans safety Jamarca Sanford picked off Atlanta
quarterback Matt Ryan late in the fourth quarter, setting up Kai
Forbath's 30-yard field goal as time expired.
The Saints' defense surrendered an NFL record 45 touchdown passes
this season, a statistic that cost defensive coordinator Rob Ryan
his job. But they will go into the offseason on a high note, after
beating the Falcons for the second time this season.
Quarterback Drew Brees threw a touchdown pass to tight end Ben
Watson, running back Tim Hightower scored on a short touchdown run,
and Forbath made two field goals.
Lions 24, Bears 20
CHICAGO -- If this becomes the final game with Detroit for Calvin
Johnson and the final game with Chicago for Matt Forte, they both
gave their fans something to remember.
The victory gave Detroit a two-game sweep of Chicago for the third
consecutive year and boosted coach Jim Caldwell's chances of keeping
his job as the Lions went 6-2 the second half of the season after
starting 1-7.
Johnson caught 10 passes for 137 yards, including a diving catch of
a 36-yard Matt Stafford pass for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Forte had 110 yards rushing and receiving, and he matched the
Johnson touchdown on the next possession by doing a masterful job of
tip-toeing down the sideline with a Jay Cutler screen pass for a
23-yard touchdown play that tied the game at 17.
49ers 19, Rams 16 (OT)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Phil Dawson kicked a 23-yard field goal with
3:27 left in overtime, lifting San Francisco past St. Louis.
Dawson made a winner of coach Jim Tomsula in what was likely his
last game with the 49ers. The team fired him Sunday night after he
posted a 5-11 record in his first season.
Blane Gabbert completed 28 of 44 passes for 354 yards, one touchdown
and one interception for the 49ers, who snapped a three-game losing
streak. Case Keenum finished 22-for-37 for 231 yards to lead St.
Louis (7-9).
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
