The 2017 NFL regular season is now in the books and the teams in the playoffs include some expected teams and some big surprises considering the finishing records from last season.The New England Patriots (13-3) rolled past the New York Jets, 26-6 as quarterback Tom Brady had a pair of touchdown passes. The Pats will be the top seed in the AFC while the Pittsburgh Steelers (also 13-3) will be the number-two seed following their 28-24 win against the Cleveland Browns, who became just the second team in NFL history to finish the season with an 0-16 record.
Pittsburgh sat many starters in this one and still won the game as backup QB Landry Jones connected with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster for a scoring pass. Smith-Schuster also took a kickoff back 96 yards for a score after the Browns had tied the game 21-21 in the third quarter.
The Buffalo Bills (9-7) are playoff bound for the first time since the 1999 season after they outlasted the host Miami Dolphins, 22-16 and got help when the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Baltimore Ravens, 31-27 to knock Baltimore out of the playoff chase.
Buffalo used a balanced attack on offense and got three field goals from kicker Steven Hauschka to make the difference. Meanwhile, the Bengals squandered a 14-point lead and trailed the Ravens, 27-24 but QB Andy Dalton hooked up with WR Tyler Boyd on a 49-yard scoring pass with only 44 seconds remaining in the game to provide the excitement.
The Tennessee Titans (9-7) won a yawner game at home, 15-10 against AFC South division champion Jacksonville (10-6) to lock up a wild card spot as well. Titans kicker Ryan Succop made three field goals and running back Derrick Henry scored on a 66-yard screen pass to make the difference against the listless Jaguars, who wound up as the number-three seed in the AFC.
The Atlanta Falcons (10-6) clinched the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC following their 22-10 win at home against the Carolina Panthers (11-5), who also are a wild card team (fifth seed) in the NFC. Falcons kicker Matt Bryant made five field goals and QB Matt Ryan had a TD pass to provide the difference.
Around the NFL . . . . . . . .
The Minnesota Vikings (13-3) sewed up the second seed in the NFC with a 23-10 home win over the Chicago Bears, who, as expected, fired Head Coach John Fox this morning. Vikings RB Latavius Murray had two touchdown runs and the defense limited the Bears to just 201 yards in total offense . . . The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the visiting New Orleans Saints, 31-24 as QB Jameis Winston had a scoring pass and run to pace the offense. The Saints (11-5) are the NFC's fourth seed in the playoffs and all purpose back Alvin Kamara scored twice in the loss, including a 106-yard kickoff return . . . The Seattle Seahawks (9-7) were eliminated from the NFC playoff chase when the Atlanta Falcons won their game, but they lost 26-24 at home to the Arizona Cardinals (8-8) as kicker Blair Walsh missed a 48-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds. Seattle QB Russell Wilson had two TD passes in the loss . . . The Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) throttled the Oakland Raiders, 30-10 as QB Philip Rivers (387 passing yards and three TD strikes) did all he could to get his team into the AFC playoffs, but they didn't get the help needed when Baltimore lost their game and the Tennessee Titans won to clinch a wild card spot. The Raiders fired Head Coach Jack Del Rio after the game . . . The San Francisco 49ers finished the season a five-game winning streak as they pounded the Los Angeles Rams (11-5), the NFC's third seed in the playoffs, 34-13. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde scored twice and QB Jimmy Garoppolo had two scoring passes to lead the way . . . The New York Giants beat the Washington Redskins, 18-10 as QB Eli Manning threw a TD pass and RB Orleans Darkwa scored on a 75-yard run . . . Kansas City (10-6) won 27-24 on the road at Denver as kicker Harrison Butker drilled a 30-yard field goal as time expired . . . The Indianapolis Colts beat the visiting Houston Texans, 22-13 as QB Jacoby Brissett had a TD pass. The Colts fire Head Coach Chuck Pagano following the game . . . The Detroit Lions (9-7) also fired their Head Coach Jim Caldwell following their 35-11 trouncing of the visiting Green Bay Packers. Lions QB Matthew Stafford had three TD passes to go with 323 passing yards . . . The Dallas Cowboys won a 6-0 road game against the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), the NFC's top seed in the playoffs. The Eagles rested their starters in this game.
Heftyinfo NFL Player of the Week - Philip Rivers (QB- Los Angeles Chargers)
WEEK SEVENTEEN RESULTS
New England 26, NY Jets 6
Pittsburgh 28, Cleveland 24
Minnesota 23, Chicago 10
Dallas 6, Philadelphia 0
NY Giants 18, Washington 10
Detroit 35, Green Bay 11
Indianapolis 22, Houston 13
San Francisco 34, LA Rams 13
LA Chargers 30, Oakland 10
Atlanta 22, Carolina 10
Tampa Bay 31, New Orleans 24
Tennessee 15, Jacksonville 10
Buffalo 22, Miami 16
Arizona 26, Seattle 24
Kansas City 27, Denver 24
Cincinnati 31, Baltimore 27
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