The wait is over
Packers secure No.1 seed in NFC, get bye
Browns make play-offs after eight years with win over Pittsburgh
LOS ANGELES: The NFL’s regular season came to a dramatic conclusion on Sunday as the Cleveland Browns reached the play-offs for the first time since 2002, edging Pittsburgh 24-22 to snap the NFL’s longest active postseason drought.
Half the NFL’s 14 play-off berths were decided on Sunday with Cleveland joined by the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts for the post-season chase that opens Saturday.
AFC games next weekend find Indy at Buffalo, Baltimore at Tennessee and Cleveland again facing the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
In the NFC, the Rams are at Seattle, Chicago at New Orleans and Tampa Bay at Washington.
Cleveland’s Nick Chubb and Jarvis Landry each ran for a touchdown and Baker Mayfield threw for another as the Browns sealed their first play-off appearance since 2002.
“We wanted this. I could see that determination,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It’s not over. We’ve got work left to do. I like how this team responds when their back is up against the wall.”
Lamar Jackson threw for 113 yards and three touchdowns and ran 11 times for 97 yards to spark Baltimore over Cincinnati 38-3.
Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with back-to-back 1,000yard rushing seasons while JK Dobbins ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ romp.
The Titans secured a play-off spot when the Miami Dolphins were routed 56-26 at Buffalo and took the AFC South division crown by beating hosts Houston 41-38 on Sam Sloman’s last-play 37-yard field goal that struck the right upright and bounced through the posts for the triumph.
NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry of the Titans became the eighth player to run for 2,000 yards in a season, rushing 34 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns to finish on 2,027 while Ryan Tannehill ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in the victory.
Indianapolis took the final AFC berth
by beating league-worst Jacksonville 28-14 to end Miami’s hope.
The 10-win Dolphins missed the play-offs and were without starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick due to Covid-19 issues.
The Giants, who started 1-7, beat visiting Dallas 23-19 to end the Cowboys’ play-off dreams.
Meanwhile, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns to give the Packers a 35-16 victory at Chicago, a home-field edge in the NFL play-offs and a first-round bye.
The veteran quarterback completed 19-of-24 passes with second-quarter touchdown tosses of three yards to
Robert Tonyan, 13 yards to Dominique Dafney and 72 yards to Marquez ValdesScantling plus a late six-yarder clincher to Davante Adams as the Packers finished 13-3 with the National Conference (NFC) top seed.
“It was a good win for us. We had a lot to play for,” Rodgers said. “Very happy with our guys. Excited about the post-season. Excited to be the number one seed.”
‘CRAZY SEASON’ ENDS
The season finished on time despite multiple game postponements due to Covid-19.
The Browns, three years after an 0-16 campaign, withstood a disrupted week of preparation with a facility closed three of the past four days with Covid19 issues.
Defensive plays sparked the Rams over visiting Arizona 18-7, including an 84-yard Troy Hill interception return touchdown. That eliminated the Cardinals and allowed Chicago to advance despite the loss to Green Bay.
The Saints, whose entire set of running backs were out due to Covid-19 safety measures, ripped Carolina 33-7 to grab a second seed ahead of Seattle, which edged San Francisco 26-23.
“One of those crazy seasons,” Saints star Drew Brees said. “It was a great way to cap off the regular season with a win without our running backs. We had to step up and play different roles.”
“We’ll see how it shakes out,” he said. “Just happy with the position we’re in.”
Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans became the first player with more than 1,000 reception yards in each of his first seven NFL seasons with a 20-yard catch in the first quarter but departed on the next play with a left knee injury in the Buccaneers’ 44-27 triumph over Atlanta.
In the late game, Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes and Washington beat Philadelphia 20-14 to cap a season in which they clinched the NFC East Division with just seven wins and nine losses.
Washington will host the Tampa Bay in a wild-card game on Saturday. It is Washington’s first play-off appearance since the 2015 season.
RESULTS
Tampa Bay 44 Atlanta 27; NY Giants 23 Dallas 19; New England 28 NY Jets 14; Minnesota 37 Detroit 35; Cleveland 24 Pittsburgh 22; Baltimore 38 Cincinnati 3; Buffalo 56 Miami 26; Seattle 26 San Francisco 23; LA Rams 18 Arizona 7; Indianapolis 28 Jacksonville 14; Tennessee 41 Houston 38; Las Vegas 32 Denver 31; LA Chargers 38 Kansas City 21; Green Bay 35 Chicago 16; New Orleans 33 Carolina 7; Washington 20 Philadelphia 14