WEEK 17 RECAPS

STEELERS 28, COLTS 24

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger overcame a month- long malaise to throw for 342 yards and three second- half touchdowns as the Steelers locked up the division title. Listless and lifeless for weeks thanks to a three- game losing streak that followed an 11- 0 start, Pittsburgh (12-3) somehow got it together over the final 25 minutes against the Colts (10-5). Indianapolis missed a chance to inch closer to a playoff berth when it let a 17- point third- quarter lead slip away. Roethlisberger kick- started the comeback with a 39- yard strike to Diontae Johnson and brought the Steelers within a touchdown on a 5- yard pass to Eric Ebron. He gave Pittsburgh its first second- half lead since Dec. 7 when he audibled into a play that ended with Roethlisberger threading the ball between two Colts to JuJu Smith-Schuster from 25 yards with 7: 38 to play.

SEAHAWKS 20, RAMS 9

SEATTLE— The Seahawks earned the NFC West title with Russell Wilson throwing a 13- yard touchdown pass to Jacob Hollister with 2: 51 left for the clinching score. Seattle (11- 4) won its first division title since 2016 and its fifth since coach Pete Carroll arrived in 2010 behind a stellar defensive effort and a clutch late drive engineered by Wilson. Seattle’s quarterback scored on a 4- yard run on the opening drive of the second half for a 13- 6 lead. Wilson was 5-for-5 for 59 yards on the final drive, hitting four receivers, and he finished 20- of-32 for 225 yards.

CAROLINA 20, WASHINGTON 13

LANDOVER, Md. — Dwayne Haskins turned the ball over three times before getting benched, Steven Sims muffed a punt return that turned into a Panthers touchdown, and Washington (6- 9) blew its first chance to clinch the NFC East. Haskins was 14- of-28 with a fumble and two interceptions after starting in place of injured veteran Alex Smith, despite violating COVID-19 protocols last week. Washington’s defense allowed two Panthers touchdown drives and 202 yards in the first half alone. Carolina (5-10) snapped a threegame skid.

COWBOYS 37, EAGLES 17

ARLINGTON, Texas — Andy Dalton threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns, two to Michael Gallup, and the Cowboys stayed alive in the NFC East playoff race. The Cowboys (6- 9) won their third consecutive game and still have a chance to win the East thanks to Washington’s loss to Carolina, which guaranteed the NFL’s worst division won’t have a team with a winning record. Dallas can overtake Washington with a road win against the New York Giants and a Washington loss to the Eagles on the final weekend of the regular season. The Giants (5-10) can get in by beating the Cowboys if Washington loses. Philadelphia (4-10-1) led 14-3 in the first quarter.

RAVENS 27, GIANTS 13

BALTIMORE — Lamar Jackson directed four scoring drives during the decisive first half. Baltimore’s fourth straight victory, combined with Pittsburgh’s win over Indianapolis, lifted the Ravens past the Colts in the AFC wild- card hunt. With a victory in Cincinnati next Sunday, the Ravens (10-5) will earn a playoff berth for the third year in a row. The Giants (5-10) took their third straight loss and were left with only a miniscule chance of making the postseason.

JETS 23, BROWNS 16

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. — After this loss, the Browns will need to beat the archrival Steelers next Sunday if they’re going to end the NFL’s longest playoff drought. On fourth- and-1 with 1:18 remaining and the shorthanded Browns (10-5) driving for the potential tying score, Baker Mayfield tried to push forward for a first down. He lost the ball when Tarell Basham smacked into him. Kareem Hunt recovered, but by rule, Mayfield was the only one who could advance the ball — and the Cleveland quarterback was short of the first down. The Jets (2-13) sealed their second straight victory after an 0-13 start, losing all chance for the top overall draft pick next year.

BEARS 41, JAGUARS 17

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars took care of business, losing their 14th consecutive game and then getting some help to secure the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Mitchell Trubisky accounted for three scores, including two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham, and the Bears (8-7) kept control of their postseason path. Chicago can make the NFC playoffs for the second time in three years by beating Green Bay next weekend at home — despite having gone through a six- game losing streak in 2020. The Jaguars (1-14), who set a franchise record for consecutive losses after surprising the Colts in the season opener, locked up the top pick for the first time in franchise history when the Jets beat Cleveland.

CHARGERS 19, BRONCOS 16

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Justin Herbert set the rookie record for most touchdown passes in a season, and Michael Badgley tied a career high with four field goals for Los Angeles (6- 9), including the winning kick with 41 seconds remaining. Herbert’s 9- yard screen pass to Austin Ekeler in the second quarter was his 28th touchdown throw of the season, surpassing the 27 that Baker Mayfield had for Cleveland in 2018. Herbert, the sixth overall pick in the April draft and the third QB taken, completed 21 of 33 passes for 253 yards as he became the fourth to throw for more than 4,000 yards as a rookie. Denver (5-10) had tied it with scores on three straight possessions.

BENGALS 37, TEXANS 31

HOUSTON — Samaje Perine ran for two touchdowns, including a 3- yard score late, to give the Bengals their first road win in more than two years. The Texans (4-11) were driving after Perine’s second score when Deshaun Watson was sacked by Sam Hubbard, who forced a fumble that Margus Hunt recovered. The Bengals added a field goal to seal the victory. It’s the first road win for second- year coach Zac Taylor and the first time the Bengals (4-10-1) won away from Cincinnati since a 37-36 victory at Atlanta on Sept. 30, 2018. The Bengals have won two games in a row for the first time this season after upsetting the Steelers 27-17 last Monday night.