The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Browns move to brink of winless season, lose to Bears
One more loss and Cleveland will join ‘08 Lions as only team to go 0-16
CHICAGO » The Cleveland Browns got pushed to the brink of a winless season, hurt by two more interceptions by DeShone Kizer and two turnovers in the red zone on the way to a 20-3 loss to the Chicago Bears on a snowy Sunday.
One more loss and the Browns will join the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams to go 0-16.
And the Browns will wrap up the season at AFC North leader Pittsburgh next week.
Then again, the Browns (0-15) keep racking up losses no matter whom they’re playing.
They’re 1-30 in two seasons under coach Hue Jackson. And after beating the then-San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve last year, there was no holiday celebration for them this time.
Kizer threw for 182 yards and ran his league leadinginterception total to 21. One of those was to a wide-open Kyle Fuller in the end zone in the second quarter.
Defensive end Myles Garrett had what looked like a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter wiped out because Carl Nassib was offside.
Rashard Higgins lost a fumble near the goal line that Chicago (5-10) recovered in the end zone.
Mitchell Trubisky threw for 193 yards and ran for a touchdown against his hometown team to help the Bears pick up the win in what might be coach John Fox’s final home game at Soldier Field. With a 14-33 record, he could be on his way out after three seasons.
The Bears at least avoided the ultimate indignity in a season full of them by not losing to the Browns.
Trubisky, who grew up near Cleveland, played a big role, completing 14 of 23 passes. He also scrambled for 44 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Jordan Howard ran for two scores, and the Bears came away with the win after dropping six of seven.
The Bears were leading 6-3 when Garrett had his big interception return wiped on the first play from scrimmage in the third. And the Bears drove 60 yards on four plays, with Howard scoring from the 16.
Trubisky made it 20-3 when he scored on a 4-yard draw. That capped a 12-play drive that Howard kept going with his 8-yard run on fourth-and-1 at the 15.
Danny Trevathan then stripped Higgins at the Chicago 3 after a 17-yard reception near the end of the quarter, and the Bears’ Prince Amukamara recovered the fumble in the end zone. PATRIOTS 37, BILLS 16 » Tom Brady passed for a pair of touchdowns and the New England Patriots stayed on track to claim home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a 37-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Dion Lewis caught a touchdown pass and rushed for a 4-yard score. He carried 24 times for career-high 129 yards. It was just his second-career 100yard game. Mike Gillislee, active for the first time in six games, added a 1-yard rushing touchdown
New England (12-3) can lock up first-round bye with either a Pittsburgh or Jacksonville loss. If both of those teams lose, the Patriots will secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Jaguars play at San Francisco Sunday. The Steelers play at Houston Monday.
Even with the loss, the Bills (8-7) remain in contention to break their 17-year playoff drought. It is longest active streak in North America’s four major professional sports. It is the longest postseason absence since NFL merger in 1970.
New England has won at least 12 games in eight straight seasons — an NFL record.
Buffalo stayed close throughout and went into halftime locked in a 13-13 tie.
But the Bills managed just three points in the final 30 minutes, after a touchdown at the end of the first half was taken away.
Trailing 13-10, Buffalo was in position to take the lead, but an apparent 4-yard touchdown pass from Tyrod Taylor to Kelvin Benjamin in the corner of the end zone was overturned after an official review.
NFL vice president of officiating Al Riveron said in a Twitter post Benjamin was juggling the ball and was only able to get one of his feet down before completing the catch.
“When Kelvin Benjamin gains control, his left foot is off the ground. The receiver only has one foot down in bounds with control. Therefore, it is an incomplete pass,” Riveron wrote. CHARGERS 14, JETS 7 » Philip Rivers threw a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates, Melvin Gordon ran for a score, and the Los Angeles Chargers stayed alive in the AFC playoff race with a 14-7 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.
The Chargers (8-7) entered the weekend needing to win both of their remaining games — including next Sunday at home against Oakland — and get lots of help elsewhere to remain in the mix. Rivers & Co. held up their end of things, but barely.
Los Angeles, which started the season 0-4, had a tough time getting much going against a spirited effort by the defense of the Jets (5-10). Rivers finished 22 of 40 for 290 yards.
Gordon had 81 yards on 19 carries, but left late in the game with an ankle injury. He remained standing on the sideline as the Chargers tried to run out the clock.
Bryce Petty, making his second start this season in place of the injured Josh McCown, struggled all game. He missed open receivers and repeatedly flexed his right hand, which he banged up early in the game. But he remained in, going 15 of 28 for 119 yards and an interception.
Bilal Powell was the bright spot for the Jets’ offense, rushing for 145 yards, including a 57-yard TD, on 19 carries.
Los Angeles took a 7-0 lead with 8:55 left in the first half on Gates’ 3-yard touchdown catch, capping a 12-play, 71-yard drive.
The Chargers had a chance to increase their advantage early in the third quarter, but Nick Rose, signed earlier this week, was wide right on a 47-yard attempt.
New York took advantage of the miss to tie it on Powell’s long touchdown run.
Los Angeles regained the lead quickly, however, on Gordon’s 1-yard run. Gordon hit the hole and pushed over the goal line with a strong second and third effort.
The Jets had a chance to tie in the closing minutes, getting a roughing-thepasser call on Joey Bosa to help extend their drive. But on fourth-and-7 from the Chargers 17, Petty’s heave to Robby Anderson in the end zone with 3:07 left fell incomplete. PANTHERS 22, BUCS 19 » Cam Newton scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds remaining to lift the Carolina Panthers to a 22-19 win over the upsetminded Tampa Bay Buccaneers and clinch a spot in the NFC playoffs.
The Panthers (11-4) trailed most of the second half, but Newton drove the Panthers 59 yards completing 4 of 7 passes for 52 yards in the final 3 minutes before scoring on a what could have been a disastrous play. Newton fumbled the snap from the shotgun, alertly picked it up and then raced across the goal line for the go-ahead score.
Newton celebrated the score by using the football as a prop, pretending to light a candle on a cake in celebration of his son Chosen’s 2nd birthday.
Carolina can clinch the NFC South championship with a win over Atlanta and a New Orleans loss to Tampa Bay.
The Panthers sealed the game when Kawann Short sacked Jameis Winston on Tampa Bay’s final drive, and forced a fumble that Julius Peppers recovered. Winston threw for 367 yards and a touchdown but was sacked six times and fumbled three times. The Bucs are 4-11.
The Panthers offense struggled all day.
Newton threw for just 160 yards and ran for 52 yards on 14 carries. Carolina’s only touchdown in the first three quarters came on a 103-yard kickoff return by Damiere Byrd. BENGALS 26, LIONS 17 » Giovani Bernard ran for 116 yards and a clinching touchdown in the closing minutes, sending Cincinnati to a 26-17 victory Sunday that eliminated the Detroit Lions from playoff contention and gave Marvin Lewis a good moment in what was possibly his final home game as Bengals coach.
Matthew Stafford and the Lions (8-7) couldn’t take advantage of an injury-depleted team that gave indifferent performances the last two games. It was a fitting finish for Detroit, which opened the season 3-4 and repeatedly wasted chances to move to the forefront of the playoff chase.
Tion Green’s 5-yard touchdown drive put the Lions ahead 17-16 early in the fourth quarter, but defensive penalties extended Cincinnati’s drive that led to Randy Bullock’s go-ahead kick with 4:42 left.
Given one last chance, Detroit self-destructed with a holding penalty, a false start and a short punt, allowing the Bengals (6-9) to finish it off in front of a half-empty stadium. Bernard broke free for a 12yard touchdown run with 1:54 to go, sending fans to the exits.
There wasn’t much reaction from the small crowd when Lewis’ name was announced as part of the pregame team introductions. He is finishing his contract and has been cryptic about whether he thinks he’ll return for a 16th season.