Miami (AFP) – The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East division title on Sunday, handing the Dallas Cowboys a humiliating 41-7 defeat while the Buffalo Bills secured the second seed in the AFC with a 40-14 crushing of the New York Jets. The Cowboys were already eliminated from playoff contention and without top receiver CeeDee Lamb due to a shoulder injury, but it was their defense that struggled. Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts missed the game due to a concussion. Kenny Pickett got the start but had to leave the game in the third quarter with a rib injury, with Philadelphia leading 24-7 at that point. This meant third-choice Tanner McKee took over under center, and two of his four passes were for touchdowns.
The real damage to the Cowboys, who gave up four turnovers, was done by the Eagles’ star running back Saquon Barkley, who put up 167 yards on 31 carries to surpass the 2,000-yard mark for the season. Barkley, who now has 2,005 yards, needs to put up 101 yards next week to break Eric Dickerson’s record for the most rushing yards in a season, set for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The win means the Eagles are guaranteed at least the number two seed in the NFC.
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The Bills took the second seed in the AFC, behind the Kansas City Chiefs, after taking care of business against the New York Jets. The Bills led 12-0 at halftime before their quarterback Josh Allen took total control of the game with touchdown passes to Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman, either side of a rushing score from James Cook. Allen, who threw for 182 yards, had opened the scoring with a one-yard rush. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions and was sacked four times.
The Minnesota Vikings remain in contention for the NFC’s top seed after they edged NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers 27-25. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw touchdown passes to Jordan Addison and Cam Akers in the third quarter to open up a 27-10 lead, but then the Packers came alive. Carrington Valentine intercepted a Darnold pass intended for T.J. Hockenson, and that pick proved to be a momentum shift. The Packers scored on the next possession with Josh Jacobs’s two-yard rush, and although Darnold’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers restored the 17-point lead, the Packers sensed a comeback was possible. Emanuel Wilson rushed in from five yards, and then Jordan Love found Malik Heath with a three-yard pass to make it a two-point game with 2:19 left. However, Darnold, who threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns, handled the pressure well as he led the Vikings to the finish line.
Minnesota’s final game of the regular season is against divisional rivals the Detroit Lions and will be a decider for the conference top seed. Detroit, who are at the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, currently hold a 13-2 record, and a win would leave them with an identical 14-2 record to the Vikings. The Indianapolis Colts were eliminated from playoff contention after falling 45-33 to the 3-13 New York Giants. While the Giants had nothing to play for, quarterback Drew Lock enjoyed himself, matching his career high of four touchdown passes and rushing for another score as the Giants ended their 10-game losing streak.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their postseason hopes alive as Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The Miami Dolphins also remain in contention after backup Tyler Huntley, standing in for the injured Tua Tagovailoa, threw for 225 yards and had both a passing and rushing touchdown in a 20-3 win over Cleveland. The Washington Commanders would book a playoff berth if they can beat the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday night’s game.
© 2024 AFP
