Pats tip Steelers, lead for home field
Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski repeatedly to set up Dion Lewis’ go-ahead 8-yard TD with 56 seconds left and Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted in the end zone with 5 seconds to go as the visiting Patriots rallied Sunday to beat the Steelers 27-24 in Pittsburgh.
The Patriots gained the inside track for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs by ending the Steelers’ eight-game winning streak. Brady threw for 298 yards with two TDs and an INT. Gronkowski caught nine passes for 168 yards, including four on the game-winning drive.
The Steelers lost wide receiver Antonio Brown to a partly torn calf muscle in the second quarter. The NFL Network reported Brown won’t need surgery and the Steelers hope he’ll return for the playoffs.
The Steelers appeared to take the lead when Roethlisberger connected with tight end Jesse James for a 10-yard TD with 28 seconds to left.
But the play was overturned on review, with James ruled not to have control of the ball.
Seconds later, Roethlisberger’s pass to Eli Rogers was batted into the air, and the Patriots’ Duron Harmon came down with it.
Roethlisberger completed 22 of 30 for 281 yards with two touchdowns and the pick. Le'Veon Bell ran for 117 yards and added another 48 receiving as Pittsburgh hung in there even with Brown, the NFL's leading receiver, in a hospital having his left calf injury examined.
Mark Ingram ran for two TDs and Michael Thomas caught nine passes for 93 yards. The Saints overcame three turnovers.
Kirk Cousins threw two TD passes as the Cardinals were eliminated.
Case Keenum passed for two TDs and the Vikings clinched the NFC North. Keenum completed seven passes to Jerick McKinnon for 114 yards in the first 100-yard receiving game for a Vikings RB since 2004.
Nick Foles fired four TD passes in his first start for the injured Carson Wentz. The Eagles rallied from 14 down to secure a first-round bye.
Dan Bailey hit a 19-yard FG with 1:44 left and Derek Carr’s fumble near the goal line a minute later clinched it. Carr had scrambled for a first down but then stretched out to try to get the ball across the goal line and lost it through the end zone. En route to Bailey’s field goal, Dak Prescott's fourth-down sneak resulted in referee Gene Steratore calling for the chains to come out, but even that wasn't enough. Steratore then tried to slide what appeared to be an index card between the tip of the ball and the end of the chain. When the card didn't slide through, Steratore gave Dallas a first down.
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for a career-high 381 yards and a TD to give the 49ers a three-game winning streak.
Joe Flacco threw a 33-yard TD pass to Benjamin Watson and ran for a score.