CLEVELAND CLINCHES FIRST PLAYOFF BERTH SINCE 2002
POST-SEASON PICTURE COMES INTO FOCUS ON FRENZIED FINAL DAY OF NFL REGULAR SEASON
The NFL playoff picture is set. Here are Sunday’s highlights as the regular season concluded.
Browns top Steelers, book spot in playoffs
The Cl eveland Browns snapped the longest active playoff drought in the NFL on Sunday, outlasting the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-22 to reach the post-season for the first time since 2002.
Nick Chubb rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown as the Browns booked their spot in the big dance. The Browns ( 11- 5) will be the No. 6 seed in the AFC.
“It’s not over,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We’ve got work left to do. I like this football team, I like how this football team works, I like how this football team responds when their back’s up against the wall.”
Pittsburgh ( 12- 4), which clinched the AFC North and a playoff spot in Week 16, will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC and play host to the Browns in a rematch next weekend in the wild- card round.
The win was just the second for the Browns in their last 12 meetings against their division rival, and only the eighth against the Steelers since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999.
The Browns won the regular- season finale for the first time since 2009.
Dolphins eliminated following loss to Bills
Miami native Isaiah Mckenzie scored three second- quarter touchdowns to lead the Buffalo Bills to a 56-26 win over the Miami Dolphins at Orchard Park, N.Y.
Buffalo ( 13- 3) clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC, giving the Bills home field for their first two games, if they advance.
Miami (10- 6) needed one of Baltimore, Cleveland or Indianapolis to lose to clinch a playoff spot, but all three won on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Colts (11-5) beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-14 to clinch their second AFC playoff berth in three seasons — eliminating the Dolphins in the process.
Starting quarterback Josh Allen set the Bills’ single- season passing yardage record in the second quarter, beating Drew Bledsoe's 2002 mark of 4,359 yards. Allen played just one half, completing 18 of 25 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns to complete the regular season with 4,544 yards.
Jackson, Ravens lock up playoff berth
Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in multiple seasons while leading the Ravens to their third straight AFC playoff berth with a 38-3 win over the host Cincinnati Bengals.
The Ravens ( 11- 5) enter the post-season as a wild card team on a five-game winning streak, while Cincinnati ends the season 4-11-1.
Jackson rushed for 97 yards on 11 carries to give him 1,005 yards for the season. He also went 10for-18 passing for 113 yards and three touchdowns and an interception before being pulled late in the third quarter.
Jackson rushed for an NFL quarterback record 1,206 yards last year in his first full season as a starter. The mark eclipsed Michael Vick’s record of 1,039, which he set in 2006 — the only season in which he broke 1,000 yards.
Rodgers, Packers clinch top seed in NFC
Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns to help the Green Bay Packers pull away for a 35-16 win over the host Chicago Bears to clinch the No. 1 seed and a firstround bye in the NFC playoffs.
Rodgers completed 19- of- 24 passes for 240 yards and Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-scantling and tight ends Robert Tonyan and Dominique Dafney each hauled in a touchdown reception for Green Bay (13-3).
Chicago ( 8- 8) still sneaks into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed by virtue of the Arizona Cardinals’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The sixth- seeded Rams ( 10- 6) will open the playoffs on the road against their NFC West- rival Seahawks.
Seahawks storm from behind to top 49ers
The Seattle Seahawks rallied to beat the host San Francisco 49ers 26-23.
The Seahawks, who had already clinched the NFC West title, finished with the conference’s No. 3 seed and will play host to the Los Angeles Rams in an opening-round playoff game next weekend.
Bucs clinch fifth seed in NFC with win
Tom Brady passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers record a 44-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Tampa, Fla.
Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans became the first player in NFL history to exceed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons before leaving with a left knee injury late in the first quarter. Evans, who was tied with Hall of Famer Randy Moss at six, needed 40 yards and got 46.
Tampa Bay clinched the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs and will be making its first appearance since 2007. The Buccaneers will visit the NFC East champion next weekend.
Jones fuels Giants past Cowboys
Daniel Jones passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns as the New York Giants kept their NFC East title hopes alive with a 23-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in East Rutherford, N. J.
New York ( 6- 10) snapped a three- game losing streak. The Giants, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Washington Football Team ( 6- 9- 0), would become first 10- loss team since the AFL-NFL merger to win a division title if Philadelphia ( 4-10-1) beats Washington on Sunday night.
Saints crush Panthers, take No. 2 seed in NFC
Drew Brees threw touchdown passes to three different receivers as the New Orleans Saints routed the host Carolina Panthers 33-7 at Charlotte, N.C.
The Saints ( 12- 4), who had five different defenders make interceptions, became the first NFC South team to complete a six- game season sweep of the other three teams in the division. New Orleans will be the No. 2 seed in the NFC and host the seventh-seeded Bears.
New Orleans did it without running back Alvin Kamara in their first game since his six-touchdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas night. Kamara was out because of a positive coronavirus test; his status for the playoffs is unclear.