Playoff-bound Raiders have bigger aspirations
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland coach Jack Del Rio got swamped with congratulatory messages after the Raiders clinched their first playoff berth in 14 years.
Fans had reason for excitement after more than a decade of losing that featured 18 starting quarterbacks, nine head coaches and the second-most losses in the league with 148.
Del Rio’s focus, however, is elsewhere, with the Raiders (11-3) still needing two more wins to clinch the division title and a first-round bye once they get to the postseason.
“I’m excited for the fans,” Del Rio said Monday. “To be in the playoffs, and there’s been a drought here. We got here two years ago and talked about winning the division and being in the playoffs. The being in the playoffs part is there, the winning the division is still to be determined. So we need to continue to work on that, let the fans enjoy the other part, but as a team we’ve got to get back to work.”
The Raiders had a very successful Sunday as they watched Tennessee beat Kansas City 19-17 on a last-second field goal to knock the Chiefs out of first place in the AFC West, then went out and beat San Diego 19-16 to clinch at least a wild-card spot.
Oakland now turns its attention to Saturday’s home game against Indianapolis (7-7). With wins over the Colts and then in the season finale at Denver (8-6), the Raiders will win the AFC West. They can also win the division with only one win, as long as the Chiefs lose again.
Cowboys on track
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott had no interest in joining fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott for the Salvation Army kettle jump.
The Dallas quarterback is a little more lowkey, happy to let his most accurate game as Cowboys quarterback do the talking coming off his worst game as a pro.
And now Prescott puts his focus on an NFC East title and the top seed in the conference after once again quieting talk about backup Tony Romo.
“I think he’s shown that he can do what you hope that a quarterback can do, and that’s come back from when he didn’t play as well as he wanted to play,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said after Sunday’s 26-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“And I think that ought to show you that he’s sure not worried about anything that’s being said about him. He’s going to go to work and go to town, and we can quit worrying about that kind of stuff.”
Broncos seek unity
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos downplayed any disharmony in their locker room that erupted following their 16-3 loss to New England that left them precariously close to missing the playoffs a year after winning it all.
Cornerback Aqib Talib objected when left tackle Russell Okung rose to speak after coach Gary Kubiak asked if anyone wanted to address the team in the locker room after the loss.
That started a shouting match between defensive players who had held Tom Brady in check and the O-linemen, who have taken the brunt of the blame for Denver’s dive.
“Well, it was just an instance where you have two guys that are very emotional and very competitive who really want what’s best for this team and it’s nothing, it’s not a big issue,” Okung said Monday. “I think at the end of the day we all want the same thing, we want to win games.”
The defensive backs didn’t come through the locker room during the media’s 45-minute access Monday.
Talib’s comments to reporters after the game belied any brewing conflict.
“That’s not going to take us nowhere, being frustrated and beefing with the offense,” Talib said. “That’s going to get us nowhere. We’re going to ride and stick together. We’re going to go play Christmas night.”
The Broncos (8-6) need to beat the Chiefs (10-4) and the Raiders (113) to have any chance of defending their title.
Panthers win 26-15
ANDOVER, Md. — Kirk Cousins threw an interception and fumbled near his goal line as the Washington Redskins coughed up their easiest path to the playoffs with a 26-15 loss to the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers on Monday night.
Washington (7-6-1) could have clinched a playoff berth by winning its final three games but now needs help. Carolina (6-8) kept its astronomical wild-card hopes alive and dealt a serious blow to the Redskins’ chances with two weeks left in the season.
After being picked off by Kurt Coleman in the first half to set up a Carolina field goal, Cousins was sacked by Wes Horton and fumbled on the first snap after halftime as the Panthers took over at the 1-yard line. They scored two plays later to take a 20-9 lead.
49ers near record
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — About the only thing left to determine for the San Francisco 49ers will be if 2016 will go down as the worst season ever in franchise history.
After losing their franchise-record 13th straight game Sunday in Atlanta, the Niners (1-13) must win their final two games to avoid matching, or breaking, the team record for losses in a season.
San Francisco can tie the single-season loss record reached in 1978, 1979 and 2004 by losing at the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. With a loss in that game, the 49ers can set the record with a loss in the season finale at home on Jan. 1.
“I don’t think it’s the time right now where we sit down and look at it and say, ‘All right. Let’s evaluate from a 50,000 foot above, take a look at the entire season,’” coach Chip Kelly said Monday.
Texans tab Savage
HOUSTON — Tom Savage will start at quarterback for the Houston Texans on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coach Bill O’Brien announced the decision Monday, a day after Savage took over in the second quarter when Brock Osweiler was benched against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We make decisions on what we think is the best way to help the team, what helps the team win,” O’Brien said.
“And I think that yesterday and this week I feel like Tom Savage gives us the best chance to win. I’m going to give him a week to prepare as a starter and see what he can do for us on Saturday night against the Bengals.”
Savage threw for 260 yards to help Houston rally from a 13-point deficit for a 21-20 win in his first regular-season action since 2014.