Chargers oust Broncos from playoff contention

Chargers 34 Broncos 13

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Justin Herbert threw for two touchdowns and set the franchise single-season record, Andre Roberts returned a kick 101 yards for a score, and the Los Angeles Chargers moved back into an AFC playoff spot with a 34-13 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Los Angeles (9-7) is in the final wild-card spot but needs a win at Las Vegas next week to wrap up its first postseason berth since 2018. The Colts, Chargers and Raiders all have the same record, but the Chargers currently hold the tiebreaker over Las Vegas after their 28-14 victory Oct. 4.

Denver (7-9) has lost four of its last five, was eliminated from playoff contention and is assured of its fifth straight losing season.

PATRIOTS 50, JAGUARS 10

In Foxborough, Mass., New England returned to the playoffs when rookie quarterback Mac Jones threw three touchdown passes and Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for two scores apiece in their win over Jacksonville.

The victory by the Patriots (106) snapped a two-game losing streak and gave Bill Belichick his 20th 10-win season as a head coach, tying Don Shula for the most in NFL history. A loss by Miami at Tennessee secured New England’s first trip to the postseason since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay following the 2019 season.

49ERS 23, TEXANS 7

In Santa Clara, Calif., rookie Trey Lance threw two touchdown passes in the second half of his second career start, and San Francisco closed in on a playoff berth with a victory over Houston.

Lance got the nod for the 49ers (9-7) for the first time since Week 5 with Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined by a thumb injury and overcame an interception in the first half to lead San Francisco to the win.

The Niners can clinch their second playoff berth in five seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan with one loss by New Orleans or a win next week against the Rams.

BENGALS 34, CHIEFS 31

In Cincinnati, Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild win over Kansas City.

Ja’Marr Chase set an NFL rookie record and Bengals franchise record with 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches, Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs.

EAGLES 20, WASHINGTON 16

In Landover, Md., Jalen Hurts scrambled out of trouble while showing no ill effects from a recent ankle injury, Boston Scott rushed for two touchdowns, and Philadelphia held on to beat Washington to move one step closer to the playoffs.

Hurts ran six times for 45 yards and was 17 of 26 passing for 214 yards in leading the Eagles to a fourth consecutive victory. Pending other results around the NFL, they could have an NFC wild-card spot locked up by the end of the night.

SAINTS 18, PANTHERS 10

In New Orleans, Alvin Kamara turned a short pass into New Orleans’ first touchdown in more than 11 quarters, Brett Maher kicked four field goals, and the Saints beat reeling Carolina.

The third victory in four games for the Saints (8-8) — just their second triumph in the Superdome in their regular-season home finale — assured New Orleans would head into the final week of the regular season still in the hunt for an NFC wild-card spot.

TITANS 34, DOLPHINS 3

In Nashville, Tenn., Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes as the Tennessee Titans clinched their second straight AFC South title, snapping Miami’s seven-game winning streak.

The Titans (11-5) won their second straight overall and third in four games to clinch their first back-to-back division titles since the start of the AFL when this franchise was the Houston Oilers and won three straight Eastern Division championships. They also won 11 games for a second consecutive season for the first time since 2002-03 — and currently are the AFC’s top seed after Kansas City lost at Cincinnati.

BILLS 29, FALCONS 15

In Orchard Park, N.Y., the Bills clinched a playoff berth when Devin Singletary scored two touchdowns rushing in the second half to make up for Josh Allen’s sloppiness in a victory over Atlanta that eliminated the Falcons from contention.

The AFC East-leading Bills rallied to clinch their third consecutive playoff spot. Buffalo (10-6) did so by beating the Falcons, coupled with the Baltimore Ravens’ 20-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

RAMS 20, RAVENS 19

In Baltimore, Matthew Stafford shook off three turnovers to guide a fourth-quarter rally Sunday that carried Los Angeles to their fifth straight victory over the shorthanded but stubborn Ravens.

Stafford threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. with 57 seconds left immediately after completing a 5-yarder to Beckham on a fourth-and-5. After Los Angeles failed on a 2-point conversion, the Ravens — playing a third straight game without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson — never got close enough for a field-goal try.

RAIDERS 23, COLTS 20

In Indianapolis, Derek Carr directed Las Vegas to Daniel Carlson’s winning 33-yard field goal as time expired, and the Raiders beat Jonathan Taylor and the Colts to move one step closer to an AFC wild card.

SEAHAWKS 51, LIONS 29

In Seattle, Rashaad Penny rushed for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns, Russell Wilson threw three of his four TD passes to DK Metcalf, and the Seahawks routed Detroit.

BEARS 29, GIANTS 3

In Chicago, Robert Quinn broke Hall of Famer Richard Dent’s franchise single-season record with his 18th sack, and the Bears pounded New York Giants.