Bills 21, Packers 13
Not only did Buffalo (8-6) stay alive in the playoff race with their shocking win over the Packers (10-4), they knocked Green Bay out of the top spot for home field advantage in the NFC and even opened up the NFC North division lead for the Lions. Aaron Rodgers set a career- high with 25 incompletions and a career low quarterback rating, 34.3. The game ended on a strip sack from Mario Williams that was ruled a safety for the Bills.
Leaders: Bills – Aaron Williams (9 tackles, 5 solo) Packers – Eddie Lacy (15 carries, 97 yards, TD), Randall Cobb (7 catches, 96 yards), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (13 tackles, 6 solo), Morgan Burnett (12 tackles, 5 solo), Sam Barrington (10 tackles, 9 solo), Clay Matthews (2 sacks)Bengals 30, Browns 0
Johnny Manziel’s first start was a complete disaster for the Browns (7-7), knocking them out of the playoff hunt and giving Cincinnati (9-4-1) its fourth shutout in two decades, all came at Cleveland (1998, 2006, 2008 and 2014). Johnny Cornhole led Cleveland to only five first downs (and one of those came from a penalty) and only 107 total offensive yards.
Leaders: Bengals – Jeremy Hill (25 carries, 148 yards, 2 TDs) Browns – Craig Robertson (10 tackles, 6 solo, 1 INT)Steelers 27, Falcons 20
Well, it’s official, the Falcons (5-9) are officially losers and still not out of the NFC South race. Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown rekindled their Fantasy Football love affair, but couldn’t close the deal with any touchdown passes. Le’Veon Bell picked up the slack with two TDs and the Pittsburgh (9-5) defense scored one, a 54-yard interception return from William Gay.
Leaders: Steelers – Roethlisberger (360 yards passing), Brown (10 catches, 123 yards), Gay (8 solo tackles, 1 pick six) Falcons – Matt Ryan (310 yards passing, 2 TDs), Harry Douglas (10 catches, 131 yards), Paul Worrilow (11 tackles, 5 solo)Giants 24, Redskins 13
Here’s how bad things are for the Redskins (3-11). Washington wide receiver Santana Moss was ejected from the game going into the locker room with a 10-7 lead. How does that even happen? Odell Beckham’s 143 yards was a rookie record for the Giants (5-9). On the bright side for the Redskins, Robert Griffin III didn’t play horrible after Colt McCoy immediately re-injured his neck.
Leaders: Giants – Eli Manning (3 TD passes), Beckham Jr. (12 catches, 143 yards, 3 TDs), Devon Kennard (7 solo tackles), Jason Pierre-Paul (7 tackles, 6 solo, 2.5 sacks), Johnathan Hankins (2.5 sacks).Redskins – Griffin III (106.4 QB rating, No picks), Perry Riley (10 tackles, 6 solo)
Patriots 41, Dolphins 13
New England (11-3) secured its 11th division title in the last 12 years and entered Fry’s Electronics Gold Club in the process. Miami (7-7) was effectively eliminated from the playoff race with a 24-point Pats third quarter that the Dolphins matched by scoring exactly zero points in the entire second half.
Leaders: Patriots – Tom Brady (287 yards, 2 TDs), Rob Gronkowski (3 catches, 96 yards, TD), Patrick Chung (10 tackles, 5 solo), Chandler Jones (1.5 sacks)Dolphins – Ryan Tannehill (346 yards, 1 TD), Mike Wallace (5 catches, 104 yards, TD), Kelvin Sheppard (10 tackles, 7 solo), Jason Trusnik (10 tackles, 5 solo)
Chiefs 31, Raiders 13
A week after their biggest win in years, the Raiders (2-12) remembered they were the Raiders and were promptly blown out by Kansas City (8-6). An efficient Alex Smith led three touchdown drives in the third quarter, guaranteeing Oakland would lose its 10th consecutive road game.
Leaders: Chiefs – Smith (297 yards passing, 2 TDs), Jamell Fleming (8 solo tackles) Raiders – Derek Carr (222 yards, TD, No picks), Khalil Mack (6 tackles, 5 solo)Colts 17, Texans 10
Hard to call it a real comeback attempt when all both teams did was kick a field goal in the second half, but technically, you could call it that. The Texans (7-7) lost quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the second quarter and didn’t get a bad outring from rookie backup Tom Savage. Andrew Luck actually had to overcome himself in this one for the Colts (10-4), serving up his sixth career pick-six in the first quarter.
Leaders: Colts – Luck (2 TD passes), D’Qwell Jackson (10 tackles, 6 solo) Texans – Arian Foster (26 carries, 99 yards), J.J. Watt (6 tackles, 5 solo, 2 sacks)Ravens 20, Jaguars 12
After trailing 12-10 at halftime, the Ravens defense didn’t give up another point in the second half, sacking Jaguars’ QB Blake Bortles eight times. Joe Flacco and the Baltimore (9-5) offense did just enough to get the victory against the suddenly competitive Jaguars (2-12).
Leaders: Ravens – Terrell Suggs (2.5 sacks), Pernell McPhee (1.5 sacks) Jaguars – Johnathan Cyrprien (9 tackles, 4 solo)Panthers 19, Buccaneers 17
You can’t stop Derek Anderson, you can only hope to contain him. The former Browns’ QB is 2-0 as a starter this season after being forced into service this week after Cam Newton was injured in a car wreck. Carolina (5-8-1) trailed 10-9 at the half, but a 2-yard TD pass from Anderson to Jerricho Cotchery early in the third gave them the lead for good.
Leaders: Panthers – Anderson (277 yards passing, TD), Greg Olson (10 catches, 110 yards), Kelvin Benjamin (8 catches, 104 yards) Bucs – Doug Martin (14 carries, 96 yards), Bradley McDougald (15 tackles, 11 solo), Lavonte David (12 tackles, 6 solo), Danny Lansanah (1.5 sacks)
