Cowboys clinch NFL playoff berth while Chiefs, Miami win
Washington (AFP) – Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa sparked their clubs to NFL triumphs on Sunday as the Dallas Cowboys clinched a playoff berth before even taking the field.
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Two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Mahomes completed 27-of-37 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns in the defending champion Chiefs’ 27-17 victory at New England, although two intercepted Mahomes passes led to 10 Patriots points.
Miami, without injured NFL receiving yards leader Tyreek Hill, blanked the visiting New York Jets 30-0 with Raheem Mostert rushing for two touchdowns and Tagovailoa completing 21-of-24 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown.
The Dolphins reached 10-4 for the first time in 23 years to move a half-game behind Baltimore for the AFC top seed and a first-round playoff bye, with Kansas City next at 9-5.
Dallas secured a post-season trip for a third consecutive campaign with losses by the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.
The Cowboys, chasing their first Super Bowl crown since the 1995 season, entered a later game at Buffalo at 10-3 and chasing San Francisco for the NFC top seed and a first-round playoff bye.
In other later games, the Baltimore Ravens (10-3) can clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Jacksonville (8-5) and playoff-bound San Francisco (10-3) can claim the NFC West division crown by winning at Arizona (3-10).
Baker Mayfield completed 22-of-28 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay’s 34-20 victory at Green Bay, keeping the 7-7 Buccaneers atop the NFC South division on tiebreakers.
New Orleans stayed level with the Bucs at 7-7 by beating the New York Giants 24-6 as the Saints’ Derek Carr hit 23-of-28 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
Carolina’s Eddy Pineiro kicked his third field goal, a 23-yarder on the last play, to lift the host Panthers over Atlanta 9-7.
Dustin Hopkins kicked a 34-yard field goal with 32 seconds to play to give Cleveland a 20-17 home win over Chicago, keeping the Browns in the top AFC wildcard playoff spot at 9-5. Cleveland’s Joe Flacco threw for 374 yards and two touchdowns but had three interceptions.
Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked his fourth field goal, a 54-yarder on the final play, to give the Texans a 19-16 overtime triumph at Tennessee, keeping pace with rivals in the AFC playoff chase.
© 2023 AFP
