Chiefs win to clinch division crown
MIAMI GARDENS, 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 multi-interception game in more than two years, but threw for 393 yards and two scores to help the Chiefs (121) 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.
Travis Kelce had eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, Mecole Hardman scored untouched on a 67-yard punt return, and Kansas City’s defense was stout against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ injury-riddled offense. Chris Jones sacked the rookie for a safety for a 30-10 lead. BUCCANEERS 26, VIKINGS 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.
CARDINALS 26, GIANTS 7 >> Haason Reddick had a franchise-record five sacks and three forced fumbles as the Cardinals spoiled the return of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and moved back into an NFC playoff spot.
Kyler Murray added a touchdown pass as Arizona (7- 6) snapped a threegame skid and ended a four-game winning streak that had moved the Giants (5- 8) to the top of the NFC East.
TITANS 31, JAGUARS 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.
COWBOYS 30, BENGALS 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 ser v iceable, going 16 for 23 for 185 yards, as the Cowboys stayed in contention in the weak NFC East. He threw an 11-yard, second- quarter touchdown to Amari Cooper, and hit Tony Pollard for a 7-yard score with 2:00 left in the game.
BRONCOS 32, PANTHERS 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.
BEARS 36, TEXANS 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 sixgame 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.
SEAHAWKS 40, JETS 3 >> Russell Wilson threw four more touchdowns passes to give him a new career-high with 36 for the season before finally resting in the fourth quarter, leading Seattle to a rout of New York.
Seattle (9- 4) rebounded exactly as it hoped after last week’s surprisingly poor offensive performance in its loss to the New York Giants, and stayed even with the Los Angeles Rams on top of the NFC West.