NFL Game Capsules - Week 16

Andrew Luck's 7-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne with 4:08 remaining lifted Indianapolis over the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-13, and the Colts locked up the AFC's fifth seed. Luck completed 17-of-35 passes for 205 yards for the Colts (10-5), who have won four of five. The Stanford product broke Cam Newton's single-season rookie passing record late in the second quarter and has 4,183 yards this season. Wayne caught five passes for 81 yards for Indianapolis, which could get head coach Chuck Pagano back for its regular-season finale against Houston next week. Bruce Arians has been filling in for Pagano, who underwent treatment for leukemia. Pagano could rejoin the Colts on Monday and coach for the first time since September. Brady Quinn connected on 10-of-22 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions for the Chiefs (2-13), who play at Denver next week. Jamaal Charles carried the ball 22 times for 226 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City, which racked up 507 yards of total offense. Peyton Hillis rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries.

Final Score: Cincinnati 13, Pittsburgh 10

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Bengals accomplished a feat they hadn't achieved in three decades. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, however, they'll now have to wait until next year. Josh Brown booted a 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to give Cincinnati a 13-10 victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field, vaulting the Bengals into the playoffs while eliminating their AFC North rival in the process. Cincinnati (9-6), an AFC wild card entry a year ago, last reached the playoffs in consecutive seasons in 1981 and 1982. The Bengals will be one again this postseason, as Baltimore clinched the AFC North with its win over the New York Giants on Sunday. Cincinnati is locked into the sixth seed. Ben Roethlisberger was picked off twice on the afternoon, with Leon Hall returning the first 17 yards for Cincinnati's lone touchdown of the game back in the first quarter. He finished just 14-of-28 for 220 yards and one touchdown in the loss, the third straight and fifth in six games for the spiraling Steelers (7-8). Dalton finished with 278 yards on 24-of-41 passing and was also intercepted twice, with Green amassing 116 yards on 10 catches to help the resurgent Bengals to their sixth triumph in their last seven outings.

Final Score: Baltimore 33, NY Giants 14

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Joe Flacco threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens clinched their second straight AFC North title with a 33-14 dismantling of the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium. Flacco completed 25-of-36 passes with no interceptions and added a rushing touchdown for the Ravens (10-5), who snapped a three-game slide. Ray Rice finished with 107 yards on 24 carries and 51 yards and a score on six receptions, while Anquan Boldin led all receivers with 93 yards on seven catches before leaving the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Eli Manning threw for 150 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-28 efficiency for New York (8-7), which dropped its second consecutive contest to fall a game behind the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC's final playoff spot. Ahmad Bradshaw returned from a knee injury that kept him out of last week's game, but totaled just 39 yards on nine carries as the Giants offense was held to a paltry 186 yards.

Final Score: Seattle 42, San Francisco 13

Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Russell Wilson added to his resume for Offensive Rookie of the Year, carving up one of the league's best defenses and helping the Seattle Seahawks clinch a playoff spot with a 42-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Wilson was 15-of-21 for 171 yards with four touchdown passes, while Marshawn Lynch scored two first-quarter touchdowns as Seattle (10-5) kept its hopes of winning the NFC West alive. In order to capture the division crown, the Seahawks will need to close out the regular season with a win against St. Louis and have the 49ers (10-4-1) lose to Arizona. Lynch finished with 111 yards on 26 carries, while Doug Baldwin had two scores among his four receptions and Richard Sherman returned a blocked field goal 90 yards for another touchdown. San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick completed 19-of-36 passes for 244 yards with one late touchdown and an interception.

Final Score: Washington 27, Philadelphia 20

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Robert Griffin III was limited with a knee brace but still threw two touchdown passes, and the Washington Redskins held on against the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-20, to put themselves on the brink of a division title. The Redskins (9-6), behind Griffin and fellow rookie Alfred Morris, recorded five road wins in one season for the first time since 1991 and can capture their first NFC East crown in 13 years with a home win over the Cowboys in next week's regular season finale. Griffin missed last week's win over Cleveland with a sprained right knee and only ran the ball twice on Sunday to go with 198 passing yards and an interception on 16- of-24 attempts. Morris posted 91 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries for the Redskins, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak that started Nov. 18 against an Eagles club then in the midst of an eight-game slide, the longest in head coach Andy Reid's 14-year tenure. Philadelphia (4-11) earned a last-second win over the Buccaneers in Week 14 to stop the skid, but has since lost two in row, leading to more speculation that Reid's time on the sideline is soon coming to an end.

Final Score: Minnesota 23, Houston 6

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Minnesota Vikings handled the Houston Texans, 23-6, on Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive. Adrian Peterson carried the ball 25 times for 86 yards for the Vikings (9-6), who have won three in a row and hold the final wild card spot in the NFC. Peterson has now rushed for 1,898 yards for the season, but his string of eight consecutive games with 100 yards rushing came to an end. Christian Ponder completed 16-of-30 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota, which plays Green Bay next week to end the regular season. Matt Schaub connected on 18-of-32 passes for 178 yards, while Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 97 yards for the AFC South-champion Texans (12-3), who have lost two of their last three.

Final Score: Chicago 28, Arizona 13

Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - In desperate need of a victory, the Chicago Bears got a huge effort from their defensive unit, which made plays against an inept Arizona Cardinals offense to keep the team's postseason hopes alive. Zack Bowman recovered a fumble in the end zone and Charles Tillman recorded his third interception return for a touchdown this season, as the Bears dominated the Cardinals, 28-13, to halt a three-game skid. After losing five of six following a 7-1 start to the season, the Bears (9-6) will still need to win next week and receive some help in order to reach the postseason. Jay Cutler finished with 146 yards passing for Chicago and tossed a touchdown to Brandon Marshall, who caught six passes for 68 yards on the day. Matt Forte rushed for 88 yards and a score on 12 carries, but left the contest in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. After snapping a nine- game losing streak last week with a win against Detroit, the Cardinals (5-10) reverted back to their losing ways. Ryan Lindley completed 17-of-30 passes for 141 yards and an interception before giving way to backup Brian Hoyer, who didn't fair much better in throwing for 105 yards and an interception on 11-of-19 efficiency. Arizona scored its only touchdown on a blocked field goal return by Justin Bethel late in the fourth quarter. Larry Fitzgerald recorded eight catches for 111 yards in the setback.

Final Score: Denver 34, Cleveland 12

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Peyton Manning finished with a season-high 339 yards passing and three touchdowns on 30-of-43 efficiency, as the Denver Broncos won their 10th straight game with a 34-12 decision over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Demaryius Thomas posted 102 yards and a score on nine receptions and Eric Decker added two TD receptions among his six catches for 65 yards for the Broncos (12-3), who have put together their first double-digit win streak since beginning the Super Bowl season of 1998 with 13 consecutive victories. Knowshon Moreno totaled 78 yards on 22 carries and Jacob Hester added a touchdown run as Denver kept pace with AFC South leader Houston in the race for the top seed in the conference. Brandon Weeden left the game in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury, having completed 12-of-19 passes for 104 yards for the Browns (5-10), who hit double- digit defeats for the fifth straight season and 11th time since returning to Cleveland in 1999. Colt McCoy finished 9-of-17 for 79 yards and Cleveland's lone end zone excursion, a six-yard pass to Greg Little.

Final Score: New Orleans 34, Dallas 31 (OT)

Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Garrett Hartley drilled a 20-yard field goal in overtime as the New Orleans Saints recovered from a late rally by the Dallas Cowboys to take a 34-31 victory at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys rallied from a 14-point deficit in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter and then received the ball first in the extra period, but they could not score, leading to Hartley's game-winning kick. Drew Brees completed 37- of-53 passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns for the Saints (7-8), who have won two straight. Marques Colston finished with 153 yards on 10 receptions, while Darren Sproles added 104 yards on seven catches to go along with 48 yards on nine carries. Tony Romo threw for 416 yards and four scores on 26-of-43 efficiency for Dallas (8-7), which fell a game off the pace for the top spot in the NFC East after the Washington Redskins defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Dez Bryant hauled in nine catches for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Cowboys had their three-game win streak snapped. Jason Witten finished with six receptions for 60 yards, which gave him 103 receptions on the season to snap Tony Gonzalez's record for receptions by a tight end (102) set in 2004.

Final Score: Green Bay 55, Tennessee 7

Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for another score, as the Green Bay Packers pummeled the Tennessee Titans, 55-7, on Saturday at Lambeau Field. Rodgers finished an efficient 27-of-38 passing to go with four carries for 11 yards, while Ryan Grant rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. James Jones finished with seven catches for 100 yards and a score, while Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings each hauled in a touchdown pass for the Packers (11-4), who have won four straight. The Packers, fresh off clinching their second straight NFC North Division title, are still vying for a first-round bye, They moved into the second seed when San Francisco lost to Seattle Sunday night. Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker struggled all day, going just 13-of-30 through the air for 140 yards with a touchdown and a pair of interceptions in the setback, Tennessee's fourth in its last five games.

Final Score: Miami 24, Buffalo 10

Miami, FL (Sports Network) - The Miami Dolphins kept their slim playoff hopes alive Sunday with a 24-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, but the window was slammed shut only a few minutes later. Moments after the Dolphins finished off their second straight victory, the Cincinnati Bengals ended Miami's faint postseason chances with a last-second win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dolphins (7-8) needed to finish in a three-way tie with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at 8-8 to claim the AFC's final wild card spot. Reggie Bush ran for 65 yards with a touchdown on 19 carries and caught four passes for 42 yards with two scores in the victory. Ryan Tannehill completed 13-of-25 passes for 130 yards and added 44 yards on the ground. Buffalo turned the ball over four times, the first three leading to 17 points for Miami. The Bills (5-10) have dropped three in a row and will finish with double-digit losses for the fourth straight year. C.J. Spiller ran for 138 yards for Buffalo and Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 240 yards with a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Final Score: New England 23, Jacksonville 16

Jacksonville, FL (Sports Network) - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots shook off a poor first quarter, with the veteran quarterback passing for 267 yards and two scores on 24-of-41 efficiency to offset a pair of interceptions in a 23-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 action. Brady also tied Johnny Unitas for second place on the all-time list by throwing a touchdown pass in his 47th straight game. Wes Welker posted 88 yards and one score on 10 receptions and Stevan Ridley added 84 yards on 18 carries for the Patriots (11-4), the AFC East winners who finish the regular season by hosting Miami next Sunday afternoon. Danny Woodhead added a TD catch, while Patrick Chung recorded a pair of late picks which twice derailed Jacksonville attempts to tie the game. Chad Henne was 29-of-51 for 348 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions for the Jaguars (2-13), who squandered a 10-0 first- quarter lead and will head to Tennessee next week to close out the worst season in franchise history.

Final Score: St. Louis 28, Tampa Bay 13

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Sam Bradford threw for 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns on Sunday as the St. Louis Rams topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 28-13, at Raymond James Stadium. Bradford completed 13-of-27 passes with one interception, while Lance Kendricks had a huge day through the air, catching four passes for 119 yards -- including an 80-yard touchdown -- for the Rams (7-7-1), who still can finish with a winning record with a victory next week against the Seahawks. Steven Jackson ran for 81 yards and a score on 19 carries as the Rams bounced back from a 36-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and have won four of their last five. Josh Freeman threw for an impressive 372 yards on 30-of-54 efficiency with one touchdown, but was intercepted four times. Mike Williams hauled in seven passes for 132 yards and a touchdown, while Vincent Jackson caught seven balls for 108 yards for the Bucs (6-9) who have lost five in a row.

Final Score: San Diego 27, NY Jets 17

East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Philip Rivers tossed a pair of touchdown passes on Sunday, as the San Diego Chargers spoiled Jets quarterback Greg McElroy's first NFL start with a 27-17 triumph over New York at MetLife Stadium. Rivers completed 11-of-22 passes for 165 yards and Micheal Spurlock added a 63-yard punt return touchdown for the Chargers (6-9), who have won two of their last three. New York coach Rex Ryan named McElroy the starter earlier this week after Mark Sanchez turned the ball over five times in a 14-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans that eliminated the Jets (6-9) from playoff contention this past Monday. The second-year signal-caller finished 14-of-24 for 185 yards with an interception and a fumble lost and was sacked 11 times in the setback, New York's second in a row. Shonn Greene carried the ball 14 times for 38 yards and two scores in the loss.

Final Score: Carolina 17, Oakland 6

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Cam Newton threw for 170 yards with a touchdown and also ran for a score to lead the Carolina Panthers to a 17-6 win over the Oakland Raiders. Steve Smith had four catches for 45 yards and a score and Greg Olsen hauled in six passes for 53 yards for the Panthers (6-9), who have won three straight and four of their last five. Rookie linebacker Luke Kuechly had nine solo tackles and an interception that led to a score in the triumph. Matt Leinart replaced an injured Carson Palmer for Oakland in the first quarter and completed 16-of-32 passes for 115 yards with an interception. Terrelle Pryor also made a limited appearance for the Raiders (4-11). He caught one pass for 22 yards, rushed for two yards and completed a 5-yard pass in Oakland's seventh loss in eight games.

Saturday, December 22nd

Final Score: Atlanta 31, Detroit 18

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Detroit wideout Calvin Johnson entered the record books on Saturday, breaking Jerry Rice's mark for most receiving yards in a season in NFL history. But as has been the case for most of the season, his stellar performance came in yet another loss. Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes, and the Atlanta Falcons clinched the NFC's top seed with a 31-18 win over the Lions at Ford Field. Ryan was 25-of-32 for 279 yards and tied Steve Bartkowski for the most passing touchdowns in a single season in franchise history with 31. Bartkowski set the record in 1980. Roddy White caught two of the scores and finished with 153 yards on eight receptions for Atlanta (13-2), which produced 17 points off three Detroit turnovers. Johnson made 11 grabs for 225 yards, upping his season total to 1,892. Rice had 1,848 yards in 1995 with San Francisco. It wasn't the only NFL record the player known as "Megatron" broke as he became the first player to record at least 100 receiving yards in eight straight games. Johnson surpassed a mark set by Charley Hennigan in 1961 and matched by Michael Irvin in 1995. Matthew Stafford completed 37-of-56 passes for 443 yards with one interception for the Lions (4-11), who have lost seven in a row.