Panthers ruin Rodgers’ return
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cam Newton threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns, and Carolina spoiled Aaron Rodgers' return from a broken collarbone by defeating Green Bay 31-24 on Sunday.
Damiere Byrd had two touchdown catches, and Christian McCaffrey had 136 yards from scrimmage, including a 7-yard touchdown reception as the Panthers (10-4) kept pace with the first-place New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.
Rodgers, making his first appearance since Oct. 15, threw for 290 yards with three touchdowns, but was intercepted three times as the Packers' playoff hopes took a critical blow.
Green Bay (7-7) had a chance to send the game into overtime for a third straight week. But cornerback James Bradberry stripped wide receiver Geronimo Allison of the ball with 1:48 remaining and Carolina recovered. Host Jacksonville (10-4) clinched a playoff spot for the first time in a decade after Blake Bortles threw three touchdowns in a rout of visiting Houston (4-10). Bortles finished with a season-high 326 yards and the best QB rating (143.8) of his career. Todd Gurley rushed for 152 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in just two quarters to lead visiting Los Angeles to the cusp of its first division title since 2003 with a win over Seattle (8-6). The Rams (10-4) scored on six of seven first-half drives, including a 21-point blitz in the second quarter capped by a 57-yard TD run by Gurley on thirdand-20 with less than a minute remaining in the first half to take a 34-0 lead.
Mark Ingram ran for two touchdowns and gained 151 yards from scrimmage, including a late 50-yard TD run, and host New Orleans (10-4) overcame three turnovers to beat New York (5-9). The Saints' Michael Thomas of Ohio State became the second NFL player with at least 90 receptions in his first two seasons. He caught nine passes for 93 yards, including a pivotal fourth-quarter touchdown on a short slant. Nick Foles threw four touchdown passes in his first start replacing the injured Carson Wentz, and visiting Philadelphia (12-2) secured a first-round playoff bye by holding off New York (2-12). Eli Manning threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns for the Giants. Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired to lift host San Francisco (4-10) over Tennessee. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for a career-high 381 yards and a touchdown. The Titans (8-6) had taken a 23-22 lead on a 50-yard field goal by Ryan Succop with 1:07 to play. LeSean McCoy scored twice and surpassed 10,000 career yards rushing to help host Buffalo (8-6) stay in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt with a win over Miami (6-8).