Saints clinch

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) is stopped on a run by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (27) and defensive tackle Antwaun Woods (99) in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington,

Texas on Dec 23. (AP)

In Santa Clara, Calif, Mitchell Trubisky threw one touchdown pass, Jordan Howard ran for another score and the Bears survived a fight and a late fumble to earn their eighth win in nine games.

Danny Trevathan made a key interception in the fourth quarter and Chicago’s stout defense kept the 49ers out of the end zone to clinch at least the third seed in the NFC playoffs. The Bears (11-4) can earn a first-round bye with a win in the season finale and a loss by the Rams.

Robbie Gould kicked three field goals for the 49ers (4-11), who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

The game turned feisty in the fourth quarter, when San Francisco safety Marcell Harris hit Trubisky after he started sliding on a scramble near the Bears bench. Trubisky’s teammates took exception to the hit and a scuffle ensued with punches being thrown. San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman and Chicago receivers Joshua Bellamy and Anthony Miller all got ejected.

In Miami Gardens, Fla, Blake Bortles came off the bench late in the third quarter with the score tied and provided a spark, helping the Jaguars eliminate the Dolphins from the AFC playoff race.

Bortles took the Jaguars 51 yards for a short field goal and 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. On the next series, Telvin Smith Sr intercepted Ryan Tannehill’s pass and scored on a 33-yard return.

The Dolphins (7-8) will sit out the playoffs for the 15th time in the past 17 years, and they’ll finish at .500 or worse for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons. The Jaguars (5-10) won for only the second time in the past 11 games.

Kessler bruised his throwing shoulder when hit as he threw a pass and left the game late in the first half. He returned to start the third quarter, but after being sacked for a fifth time was replaced again late in the period by Bortles.

Bortles finished 5 of 6 for 39 yards. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft, he lost the starting job to Kessler in Week 13.

In Cleveland, Baker Mayfield threw three touchdown passes to thrill a sellout, holiday-spirited crowd that came out to boo former Cleveland coach Hue Jackson.

Mayfield continued his stellar rookie season, one that took off after Jackson was fired by the Browns on Oct 29. Mayfield’s 24 TD passes are the third most in NFL history by a rookie, trailing only Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson, who both had 26.

With their fifth win in six games, the Browns (7-7-1) improved to 5-2 under interim coach Gregg Williams, who has gone from long shot to legitimate candidate to become Cleveland’s next coach. It’s only the second time since 2007 the Browns have won at least seven games.

The Bengals (6-9), on the other hand, are disintegrating under coach Marvin Lewis. They lost for the sixth time in seven games and are assured of finishing last in the AFC North, a spot the Browns have occupied every season since 2011.

Cincinnati made it interesting as Jeff Driskel threw two TD passes in a two-minute stretch to get the Bengals close.

However, Mayfield connected with tight end David Njoku for 66 yards and the Browns ran out the clock. Following the long play, Mayfield jogged backward and stared in the direction of Cincinnati’s bench and presumably at Jackson, whom he called “fake” following their matchup last month in Cincinnati. New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore breaks up a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans

on Dec 23. (AP)

In East Rutherford, NJ, Aaron Rodgers threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams with 6:23 left in overtime. The victory was the Packers’ first on the road this season – snapping a nine-game skid away from Lambeau Field dating to last season – and it prevented them from becoming the first Green Bay squad since 1958 to go an entire season without a win away from home.

And this one was all on Rodgers, who was masterful in the fourth quarter and the overtime period for the Packers (6-8-1). He threw for 442 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for two scores.

The loss for the Jets (4-11) overshadowed a dazzling performance by rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, who threw for a career-high 341 yards with three touchdowns – but never got a chance with the ball in overtime. It was likely the final home game for coach Todd Bowles, who is expected to be fired after next week’s game at New England.

The Jets were done in by penalties, getting called for a whopping 16 that cost them 172 yards. Bowles was critical of the officiating crew, saying some of the calls against New York shouldn’t have happened.

In Charlotte, NC, Matt Ryan threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and the Falcons handed the Panthers their seventh straight loss.

Ryan found Calvin Ridley for a 75-yard touchdown strike on the first play of the second half for the go-ahead score. He also connected with Mohamed Sanu on a crossing route for a 44-yard score and threw a 1-yard TD pass to Julio Jones in the back of the end zone.

Ridley had three catches for 90 yards and Sanu had five grabs for 81 yards for the Falcons (6-9). Brian Hill had 115 yards on eight carries.

The Falcons intercepted Taylor Heinicke three times and forced four turnovers after allowing a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. Heinicke, making his first NFL start for the injured Cam Newton, left briefly in the second quarter with a left elbow injury, but returned and was hit repeatedly by the Falcons.

He finished 33 of 53 for 274 yards with one touchdown.

Christian McCaffrey had 21 rushes for 101 yards and 12 receptions for 77 yards for Carolina (6-9) and set an NFL record for receptions in a season (106) by a running back. quality and when we have the advantage in a match, we need to use it to bring home the result.

“We need to be more cunning,” added Spalletti who has also seen his side twice throw away the lead in a 2-2 draw at AS Roma and lose 1-0 at leaders Juventus despite creating more clear cut chances. “Sometimes, we don’t make the right choices, therefore we don’t get the most out of ourselves.”

Inter will again be without their prize summer signing Radja Nainggolan in midfield, this time after the club suspended him for what it described as “disciplinary reasons.”

The combative, heavily-tattooed Belgian, who according to Italian media arrived late for training several times in the previous weeks, has not made the expected impact since his move from Roma in the summer, partly due to injury.

Napoli are the only team with any serious hope of stopping Juventus from winning an eighth successive title, although even they are eight points behind. The Turin side, who have dropped only two points in their first 17 games, visit Atalanta earlier on Wednesday.

“We are pretty much doing as expected,” said Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti whose side have won their last four league games and not conceded a goal in their last three games.

“The championship is still open, not because of the points difference, but because there is such a long way to go,” he said.

“If we start thinking about Juventus, we run the risk of getting demoralised. We should just think about ourselves and try and improve.

“We intend to be competitive until the end of the championship. We managed to scrape together wins even when we do not play very well.”