Manning, Giants down Browns for sixth straight win

CLEVELAND—Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes to Odell Beckham Jr., Jason PierrePaul returned a fumble for a TD, and the New York Giants extended their winning streak to six, holding off Cleveland 27-13 on Sunday to keep the Browns winless.

Manning had three TD passes. They don’t overwhelm anyone, but the Giants (8-3) do just enough to win and are in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011, when they won the Super Bowl.

Manning threw a 32-yard TD pass to Beckham in the second quarter and added a 4-yarder to the star wide receiver with 5:10 left to finally put away the Browns (0-12).

Cleveland has lost 15 in a row since last season. It is 3-30 since ending the 2014 season with five consecutive losses.

BUCCANEERS 14, SEAHAWKS 5

TAMPA, Fla.—Jameis Winston threw a pair of touchdown passes to Mike Evans and Tampa Bay’s rejuvenated defense shut down Russell Wilson and Seattle.

Evans scored on receptions of 3 and 23 yards in the opening quarter, a grieving Alterraun Verner had one of two interceptions off Wilson, and the Bucs sacked the Seattle quarterback six times.

RAIDERS 35, PANTHERS 32

OAKLAND, Calif.—Derek Carr came back from an injured pinkie to lead another fourth-quarter comeback and the Raiders won their fifth straight game.

Carr threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns despite missing a series after the injury, leading the Raiders (9-2) back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to clinch their first winning season since 2002.

After leading a tying drive earlier in the fourth quarter, Carr hit Michael Crabtree on a 49-yard pass on thirdand-9 to help set up Sebastian Janikowski’s 23-yard field goal with 1:45 left.

Cam Newton led the Panthers (4-7) into Oakland territory on the final drive. But Greg Olsen dropped a pass on third down that would have put Carolina in field goal range, and Khalil Mack stripped Newton on a fourth-down sack to seal the win.

PATRIOTS 22, JETS 17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—Tom Brady tied Peyton Manning for the most wins by a quarterback in NFL history, getting his 200th by throwing a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Mitchell with 1:56 left.

Trailing 17-16 with 5:04 left and the ball on the Patriots 17, Brady led an efficient drive by completing six passes. After James White stretched for 4 yards on fourth-and-4, a 25-yard catch by Chris Hogan put the ball at the 8. Brady then zipped a pass to Mitchell to put the Patriots (9-2) ahead.

A 2-point conversion try by White was initially ruled good, but the call was reversed because the ball never crossed the goal line—giving the Jets (3-8) a final chance.

FALCONS 38, CARDINALS 19

ATLANTA—Taylor Gabriel took two short passes for touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons returned from a bye week to add to Arizona’s misery.

Gabriel, cut by the winless Browns before the season, scored on plays of 35 and 25 yards that showed off his speed.

His second score finished the Cardinals, who began the season touted as a Super Bowl contender but have been one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams.

The Falcons (7-4) began the day leading the NFC South and moved a step closer to their first playoff berth since 2012. The Cardinals (4-6-1) have lost two straight and three of their past four, putting them in danger of missing the postseason a season after reaching the NFC championship game.

TITANS 27, BEARS 21

CHICAGO—Marcus Mariota threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns, and the Titans hung on to beat the depleted Bears.

The Titans (6-6) gave their playoff hopes a boost, though they watched as Chicago (2-9) cut a 20-point lead to six in the fourth quarter. The Titans moved a half-game out of first place in the AFC South.

Matt Barkley, starting for the injured Jay Cutler, led the late surge. The Bears had a first down at the Tennessee 7 in the final minute when Josh Bellamy dropped a pass in the end zone on first down. Barkley’s next three attempts fell incomplete, preserving the win for Tennessee.

DOLPHINS 31, 49ERS 24

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.— Ndamukong Suh tackled Colin Kaepernick 2 yards short of the goal line as time ran out, and the Dolphins handed the 49ers a franchise-record 10th consecutive loss.

Ryan Tannehill threw for 285 yards and three scores to compensate for a sputtering Miami ground game.

RAVENS 19, BENGALS 14

BALTIMORE—Justin Tucker kicked four field goals and Baltimore shut down the Bengals’ depleted offense.

Joe Flacco threw for 234 yards and a touchdown to help Baltimore (6-5) snap a fivegame losing streak against the Bengals (3-7-1), whose playoff hopes took another serious blow.

The victory was not assured until Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton fumbled when sacked by Elvis Dumervil, and defensive end Lawrence Guy recovered at the Baltimore 21 with 1:05 left and the Ravens up 19-12.

Cincinnati got a safety on the final play when Baltimore punter Sam Koch ran out of the end zone while his blockers intentionally held Cincinnati rushers. A game can end on an offensive penalty.

At this point, the Bengals will need a sensational finish to extend their run of consecutive playoff appearances to six.