Dolphins score on lateral to stun Pats
Kenyan Drake ran the last 52 yards as the host Miami Dolphins (7-6) scored on a pass and double lateral on the final play to beat the New England Patriots (9-4).
The Patriots were 16 seconds from clinching their 10th consecutive AFC East title when the Dolphins scored on the 69yard play to rally from a 33-28 deficit.
Ryan Tannehill threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who quickly lateraled to Drake. He found a seam and beat two Patriots to the corner of the end zone – defensive back J.C. Jackson and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field as part of the Patriots’ prevent defense.
The Dolphins’ bench emptied as teammates mobbed Drake.
Baker Mayfield outplayed Cam Newton, Jarvis Landry caught a touchdown pass and ran for another score and the host Cleveland Browns (5-7-1) damaged Carolina’s playoff hopes with a win over the Panthers (6-7), who dropped their fifth straight.
Mayfield bravely threw a 51-yard TD pass into traffic to Landry, who had a 3yard scoring run and added a long run – on a similar call – early in the fourth quarter to set up a go-ahead touchdown.
Harrison Butker atoned for a 43-yard miss as time expired with a 36-yard field goal in overtime, and the host Kansas City Chiefs (10-2) stopped the Baltimore Ravens (7-6) on fourth down to clinch a playoff spot.
The Chiefs twice converted on fourth down before Patrick Mahomes threw a tying touchdown pass to Damien Williams with 53 seconds left.
Drew Brees threw for one touchdown and ran another to help the New Orleans Saints (11-2) rally from an 11-point halftime deficit to clinch their second straight NFC South title with a victory over the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-8).
Brees shrugged off a pair of turnovers to throw a 1-yard TD pass to Zach Line, then scored on a 1-yard sneak as the Saints avenged a season-opening loss to Bucs and also rebounded from a defeat last week at Dallas.
Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and set an NFL record for interception-free football, and the host Green Bay Packers (57-1) beat the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) to win their first game under interim head coach Joe Philbin.
Aaron Jones ran for a 29-yard score in the third quarter. The defense limited quarterback Matt Ryan after a gameopening touchdown drive to hand Atlanta its fifth straight loss.
Saquon Barkley rushed for 170 yards, including a 78yard touchdown to surpass 1,000 for the season, Eli Manning threw for three scores and the New York Giants (5-8) routed the host Redskins (6-7) to effectively end Washington’s already-slim playoff hopes.
Barkley gashed the Redskins’ defense for 12.1 yards a carry to become the first Giants rookie to break 1,000 and set a single-season franchise rookie record with his 13th touchdown. Andrew Luck threw for 399 yards and two touchdowns and T.Y. Hilton had 199 receiving yards to lead the Indianapolis Colts (7-6) to a road win over the Houston Texans (9-4).
The Colts snapped a nine-game winning streak by the Texans, trimming Houston’s lead over the AFC South to two games with three remaining.
Sam Darnold oneupped fellow rookie Josh Allen, rallying the New York Jets (4-9) to a win over the host Buffalo Bills (4-9).
Elijah McGuire scored on a fourthand-goal run from the 1 with 1:17 remaining to cap a drive during which Darnold completed three of five passes for 52 yards. The rookie quarterback particularly showed off his deft touch on a 37-yard pass to Robby Anderson, who made an over-the-shoulder catch up the right sideline.
George Kittle caught an 85-yard touchdown pass on the way to 210 yards receiving and became the 49ers’ first tight end to reach the 1,000-yard milestone, leading host San Francisco (3-10) past the sluggish, injury-plagued Denver Broncos (6-7).
Kittle finished just shy of Shannon Sharpe’s NFL record by a tight end of 214 yards receiving, not having a catch nor as many chances in the second half. Kittle had seven receptions in all on nine targets.
Darius Slay returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown and Detroit (5-8) beat the punchless Cardinals in the Lions’ first win in Arizona since 1993.
Slay stepped in front of intended receiver Trent Sherfield, picked off Josh Rosen’s pass and raced down the left sideline for the third-quarter score as the Lions ended an eight-game losing streak in the desert (3-10).
Philip Rivers threw for 220 yards and Michael Badgley kicked four field goals – including a teamrecord 59-yarder – as the host Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) held off the Cincinnati Bengals (5-8).
Rivers completed 19 of 29 and threw a touchdown in what was not one of the team’s best games.
Derek Carr threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Derek Carrier with 21 seconds left before Chris Boswell slipped on a potential game-tying 40-yard field goal attempt on the final play as the host Oakland Raiders (3-10) beat the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5-1).
Ben Roethlisberger returned from a rib injury to lead a go-ahead touchdown drive that Carr answered for the Raiders. Big Ben then connected on a 48-yard hook-and-lateral pass play that put Boswell in position for the tying kick. But he lost his footing and sent the kick into the line, sending the Steelers to their third straight loss.
The host Dallas Cowboys (8-5) pushed their lead over Philadelphia and Washington in the NFC East to a commanding two games with three games to play, with a wild overtime win over the Eagles (6-7).
Amari Cooper’s third touchdown of the game came with 1:55 left in the extra session, a 15-yard reception off a deflected third-and-8 pass by Dak Prescott to end it. Cooper finished with 217 yards on 10 catches. The Eagles never had the ball in overtime.