Bills put end to long playoff drought
The Bills snapped the longest playoff drought in North American sports with a 22-16 victory Sunday over the Dolphins and the Bengals’ shocking win over the Ravens.
The Bills, who hadn’t made the playoffs since 1999, will travel to Jacksonville, to face the Jaguars in an AFC wild-card game.
The Bills punctuated the victory with a 1-yard TD run by 12-year veteran DT Kyle Williams.
Needing a win to advance to the postseason, Baltimore (9-7) rallied from a 14point deficit to take its first lead with 8:48 left. But Andy Dalton put together a magnificent 90-yard drive in the closing minutes before hitting Tyler Boyd over the middle on a fourth-and-12 play. “To battle our way back the way we did, and then not to be able to finish and win the game is about as tough as it can be,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. Boyd avoided a tackle by Maurice Canady and raced to the end zone to give Cincinnati (7-9) the victory in what might have been its final game under Marvin Lewis.
The Browns joined the 2008 Lions as the only 0-16 teams. DeShone Kizer passed for 314 yards and two scores but threw his NFL-worst 22nd INT.
Matt Bryant kicked five second-half FGs, including a 56-yarder, and the Falcons clinched the final NFC playoff spot. Cam Newton threw three second-half INTs for the Panthers, who got the fifth seed.
Patrick Mahomes II threw for 284 yards in his first start, and the Chiefs won on Harrison Butker’s 30-yard FG as time expired. The Chiefs were locked into the fourth AFC seed.
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 292 yards and two TDs in the 49ers’ fifth win in a row. The Rams have the No. 3 NFC seed.
The Vikings secured a first-round bye, holding a second straight opponent without an offensive TD. Latavius Murray rushed for 111 yards and two scores.
Dion Lewis had rushing and receiving TDs as the Patriots clinched home field. Bill Belichick’s 250th regular-season win tied Tom Landry for third all time and gave the Pats (13-3) their seventh 13-win season.
Philip Rivers passed for 387 yards and three TDs, but the Chargers were denied a playoff berth. The Chargers won six of their last seven.
Phil Dawson kicked four FGs, and the Seahawks’ hopes were dashed when Blair Walsh missed a 48-yard attempt with 32 seconds left.
Dak Prescott tossed a TD pass to Brice Butler, preventing the NFC top seeds from a franchise-record 14th win.
Matthew Stafford threw for 323 yards and three TDs. The Lions (9-7) had a winning record in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993-95.
Eli Manning’s TD pass and Orleans Darkwa’s career-high 154 yards helped the Giants end a five-game skid.
Jack Doyle and Marlon Mack scored as the Colts ended a six-game losing streak.