Chiefs overcome turnovers, Miami to clinch
Fla. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 30-yard sack, four turnovers and a 10-point deficit Sunday to clinch their fifth consecutive AFC West title by beating Miami 33-27 on Sunday.
Mahomes was picked off three times, his first multiinterception game in more than two years, but threw for 393 yards and two scores to help the Chiefs (12-1) earn their eighth consecutive victory.
Tyreek Hill ran through the Dolphins’ secondary and behind it, scoring on a 32-yard run and a 44-yard reception when Mahomes hit him in stride at the goal line.
Kansas City reached 12 wins for the third consecutive season, the longest streak in club history, and has the best 13-game record in franchise history.
The Dolphins (8-5) hurt their playoff prospects by losing for only the second time in the past nine games.
Tampa Bay 26, Minnesota 14: Tom Brady threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Brady tossed TD passes of 48 yards to Scotty Miller and 2 yards to Rob Gronkowski to rebound from losing two straight home games entering Tampa Bay’s bye. Ronald Jones had a 1-yard TD run and Ryan Succop kicked field goals of 18 and 48 yards.
The Bucs (8-5) lost three of four games to division title contenders leading into last week’s bye, including a pair of 27-24 losses at home to the Rams and reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs. They entered Sunday holding the sixth playoff spot in the NFC, with the Vikings (6-7) nipping at their heels after winning five of six following a 1-5 start.
Tampa Bay sacked Kirk Cousins six times, the last producing a fumble that ended any chance of a rally in the closing minutes. Cousins finished 24 of 37 passing for 225 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Dalvin Cook rushed for 102 yards on 22 carries, but Minnesota chances were undermined by another poor performance by kicker Dan Bailey, who missed an extra point and three field goals.
Dallas 30, Cincinnati 7: Andy Dalton was good enough in his return to Cincinnati, tossing two touchdown passes. Cincinnati greatly contributed to the cause of its longtime quarterback, who was playing in Paul Brown Stadium for the first time since he was cast aside by the team before the season. The Bengals fumbled the ball away on their first three drives, one fumble returned for a touchdown, and leading to 17 first-half points by the Cowboys (4-9). That was all they needed.
Dalton was serviceable, going 16 for 23 for 185 yards, as the Cowboys stayed in contention in the weak NFC East.
Denver 32, Carolina 27: Drew Lock threw for 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, and Diontae Spencer returned a punt 83 yards for his first career score.
Lock connected on touchdown throws of 49 and 37 yards to rookie KJ Hamler and also threw scoring strikes to Nick Vannett and Tim Patrick to help the Broncos snap a two-game slide. Hamler, the team’s second-round draft pick, twice beat veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas for touchdowns.
Indianapolis 44, Las Vegas 27: T.Y. Hilton caught two TD passes from Philip Rivers, Jonathan Taylor rushed for a career-best 150 yards and two scores, and the Colts solidified their spot in the AFC playoff race beating the Raiders Sunday.
Rivers passed for 244 yards and Taylor had a key 62-yard TD run for the Colts (9-4), who racked up 456 total yards.
Indianapolis stayed securely in one of the conference’s wild-card spots and remained atop the AFC South alongside Tennessee, which has a better divisional record for now.
Tennessee 31, Jacksonville 10: Derrick Henry ran for 215 yards and two touchdowns, his best performance in five trips to his hometown area, and the Titans handed the Jaguars a 12th consecutive loss. It was Henry’s fourth game with at least 200 yards and two scores, setting an NFL record he previously shared with Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Henry also topped the century mark for the ninth consecutive road game, leaving him one shy of the NFL mark set by Sanders over the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
Green Bay 31, Detroit 24: Aaron Rodgers ran for a tiebreaking score in the third and threw three TD passes as the Packers clinched the NFC North.
The Packers (10-3) knocked Matthew Stafford out of the game with a rib injury in the fourth quarter and went on to win their third straight game and second straight division championship.
The Packers’ win combined with the Saints’ loss in Philadelphia gives Green Bay the top seed in the NFC. The teams are both 10-3, but the Packers beat the Saints earlier this season.
Philadelphia 24, New Orleans 21: Jalen Hurts gave the Eagles more than just a spark. He helped deliver a victory. Hurts ran for 106 yards and threw for 167 and one touchdown, Miles Sanders had 115 yards rushing and a pair of scores.
The Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak and stayed within reach in the woeful NFC East.
The Saints (10-3) had won nine in a row and were 8-0 over the past two seasons without Drew Brees before running into the inspired Eagles. The loss dropped the Saints to the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
L.A. Chargers 20, Atlanta 17: Michael Badgley hit a 43-yard field goal as time expired and the Chargers rallied past the Falcons on Sunday.
Los Angeles got the ball on its 26 after Michael Davis picked off Matt Ryan’s pass intended for Calvin Ridley. Justin Herbert completions of 15 yards to Hunter Henry and 25 yards to Tyron Johnson to get into Badgley’s range. After Kalen Ballage’s 1-yard run, Badgley came on and split the uprights for the second game-winning kick of his career.
Herbert was 36 of 44 for 243 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Chicago 36, Houston 7: Mitchell Trubisky threw three touchdown passes to outplay Deshaun Watson in their first meeting since they entered the NFL, and the Bears snapped a six-game losing streak.
David Montgomery ran for an 80-yard touchdown on Chicago’s first play from scrimmage, helping the Bears stopped their worst skid since the 2002 team dropped eight in a row to match a franchise
record.
The Bears (6-7) sacked Watson seven times, including a safety by Khalil Mack, to tie a career high for the Texans quarterback.
Washington 23, San Francisco 15: Rookies Chase Young and Kamren Curl scored defensive touchdowns and Washington grabbed sole possession of first place in the NFC East after a gritty 23-15 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday
Washington (6-7) has won four straight games and is one game ahead of the New York Giants, who lost to the Arizona Cardinals 26-7 earlier Sunday. It is Washington’s first four-game winning streak since 2016.