Washington (United States) (AFP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers lost on Sunday to miss out on clinching NFL playoff berths, setting up a pair of showdowns next week for post-season spots. Cleveland beat Pittsburgh 13-6 to snap the Steelers’ three-game win streak. The Baltimore Ravens (8-8) will visit Pittsburgh (9-7) next week in a winner-take-all game that will decide the AFC North division title and final AFC playoff spot. The Browns (4-12) halted a four-game losing skid by snapping Pittsburgh’s three-game win streak and imposing a fourth consecutive defeat on the Steelers in games at Cleveland.
Shedeur Sanders’ 28-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin lifted host Cleveland to a 10-6 halftime lead, and Andre Szmyt added a 33-yard field goal for the Browns with 1:40 remaining. Aaron Rodgers drove Pittsburgh to the Cleveland 7-yard line but couldn’t produce a touchdown. “We had been executing at a high level the entire game and the guys were intent on bending but not breaking,” NFL sacks leader Myles Garrett of the Browns said. “They can get all the yards they want but they can’t get in our end zone and we showed that all day.”
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After Tampa Bay’s 20-17 loss at Miami, the Carolina Panthers could have captured the NFC South crown with a home victory. But Seattle’s Sam Darnold threw for 147 yards and a touchdown, and Zach Charbonnet ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 27-10 rout at Charlotte. The result set up a crucial matchup next week with Carolina (8-8) at Tampa Bay (7-9) and the winner likely taking the last NFC playoff spot. Should Atlanta (6-9) beat the Los Angeles Rams on Monday and New Orleans next week, and Tampa Bay defeat Carolina to create a three-way tie at 8-9, Carolina would advance based on season results among the three clubs.
The Seahawks (13-3) were level 3-3 at halftime but broke open the game in the second half for their sixth consecutive triumph. “You’d like to come out a little faster but our defense played well the entire game, kept us in it, and we did enough in the second half to win,” Darnold said. With a victory next week at San Francisco, the Seahawks would clinch the NFC top seed and a first-round bye. “We’re really confident. We’ve been confident all year,” Darnold said. “So we’re just going to keep this thing rolling.”
New England’s Drake Maye threw a career-high five touchdown passes as the visiting Patriots routed the New York Jets 42-10 to match Denver at 13-3 in the fight for the AFC top seed and a first-round playoff bye. The Patriots clinched the AFC East division crown when Buffalo lost a 13-12 thriller to defending champion Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert, and Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 28 and 47 yards to give the Eagles a 13-0 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Buffalo’s Josh Allen answered on a two-yard touchdown run with 5:11 remaining, but the conversion kick was blocked, leaving the Bills down 13-6. Allen marched Buffalo 83 yards and scored on a one-yard plunge with five seconds remaining to lift the Bills within the final margin. They went for a game-winning two-point conversion but Allen’s pass was incomplete, and the Eagles won, leaving both teams 11-5. “Our defense never quits, no matter what the scoreboard says, no matter what the situation is,” Eagles defender Zack Baun said.
– Jags’ win streak at 7 – Trevor Lawrence ran for two touchdowns in Jacksonville’s 23-17 victory at Indianapolis, stretching the Jaguars’ win streak to seven games, their best run in one season since 1999. “It wasn’t the prettiest win,” Lawrence said. “We felt like we were moving the ball pretty consistently, just couldn’t finish the drives. Defense had to pick us up but find a way to win, that’s what’s important.” At 12-4, the Jaguars have an outside chance at the AFC top seed despite not having clinched the AFC South title. “We know we’re a good team,” said Lawrence. “And if we play well we can beat anybody.”
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