Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 3 January 2017
Patriots clinch home-field advantage, Redskins miss playoffs

The Associated Press 27 of 36 for 331 yards, leav-
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida ing him with a franchise-re-
(AP) — Tom Brady threw cord 4,944 yards, 38 touch-
for 276 yards and three downs and just seven inter-
scores Sunday as the Pa- ceptions this season.
triots clinched home-field Atlanta is seeded second
advantage throughout in the NFC to Dallas.
the AFC playoffs by beat- The Saints (7-9) came into
ing the Dolphins 35-14. the regular-season finale
New England took a 20-0 looking to finish another dis-
lead in the first half and appointing season with a
turned away Miami’s three-game winning streak
comeback bid with the and avoid a third straight
help of a 77-yard touch- losing mark. But they were
down catch-and-run by blitzed early and often by
Julian Edelman and a 69- the league’s highest-scor-
yard fumble return by line- ing offense.
backer Shea McClellin. One consolation for New
The Patriots (14-2), already Orleans: Drew Brees be-
assured of a first-round came the first quarterback
bye, became the ninth Detroit Lions wide receiver Anquan Boldin pulls in a 35-yard pass for a touchdown during the sec- in league history to throw
team since 1972 to go un- ond half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Detroit. for 5,000 yards five times.
defeated on the road dur- Associated Press He was 29 of 50 for 350
ing the regular season. they could after losing four chance to make the play- good. That followed the yards, giving him 5,208 on
The Dolphins (10-6), beat- straight midway through offs with an uninspired loss first of two interceptions of the season.
en for only the second time the season. They won the to New York. Philip Rivers that led to 10 His 471 completions this
in the past 11 games, had division for the fifth time The Redskins would have points for the Chiefs. season set an NFL record.
already earned an AFC in six years. Like his team, made the playoffs with a Smith was intercepted STEELERS 27, BROWNS 24
wild-card berth. They play Rodgers has been per- win. Instead, Kirk Cousins once, on a deflected pass PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steel-
their first postseason game fect during the streak with was intercepted twice in that Jahleel Addae re- ers backups assured the
since 2008 next weekend 15 TD passes and no in- the second half by Domi- turned 90 yards for a touch- Browns of the top pick in
at Pittsburgh. terceptions. He will lead nique Rodgers-Cromartie down to pull the Chargers the 2017 draft.
PACKERS 31, LIONS 24 fourth-seeded Green Bay and Washington (8-7-1) (5-11) to 20-17 in the third Landry Jones hit Cobi
DETROIT (AP) — Aaron at home Sunday against goes into an offseason quarter. Hamilton with a 26-yard
Rodgers threw three of his the fifth-seeded New York filled with questions. BRONCOS 24, RAIDERS 6 touchdown with 2:57 left
four touchdown passes in Giants in an NFC wild- The Packers and Lions DENVER (AP) — In a game in overtime. The Browns
the second half, lifting the card game. Detroit (9- each qualified as a result that couldn’t have gone took a lead on Cody Par-
Packers to an NFC North 7) dropped its last three of the Redskins’ loss to New much worse, Oakland lost key’s 34-yard field goal
clincher. games after it had a two- York (11-5), which will be its latest starting quarter- with 7:17 remaining in the
Detroit’s Matthew Stafford game lead in the NFC the first wild card. Eli Man- back, Matt McGloin, to extra session. Jones, who
connected with Anquan North. The Lions, though, ning played the entire a shoulder injury, then fell started while the playoff-
Boldin for a 35-yard touch- will be in the playoffs at Se- game, going 17 of 27 for to a team with nothing to bound Steelers rested Ben
down pass with 13 seconds attle on Saturday night. 180 yards despite the Gi- play for as Denver coach Roethlisberger, took the
left, but the Packers recov- GIANTS 19, REDSKINS 10 ants opting for a conserva- Gary Kubiak told his players Steelers 75 yards in nine
ered the onside kick. LANDOVER, Maryland tive approach for much of he will be stepping down plays. The last was a pretty
The Packers (10-6) closed (AP) — Facing an oppo- the second half. The Giants for health reasons. lob to the end zone that
the regular season with nent with nothing to play will travel to Green Bay to Combined with Kansas Hamilton hauled in to give
six straight wins, running for, Washington blew their play the Packers next Sun- City’s win over San Diego, Pittsburgh (11-5) its seventh
the table as Rodgers said straight victory. Jones fin-
day. the Raiders (12-4) squan-
CHIEFS 37, CHARGERS 27 dered the AFC West title ished with 277 yards pass-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Alex and the first-round bye that ing and three touchdowns
Smith threw for two touch- went with it — and instead and one interception. The
downs and ran for another fell to the No. 5 seed. Steelers host Miami next
as the Chiefs clinched the Now, they are a wild card week. Isaiah Crowell ran
AFC West title and a first- with a rookie third-stringer, for a career-high 152 yards
round playoff bye in per- Connor Cook, as their only for the Browns (1-15), who
haps the final NFL game in fully healthy quarterback. finished with the worst re-
San Diego. Oakland is at Houston next cord in franchise history.
The Chiefs (12-4) took the weekend. JETS 30, BILLS 10
division with the win and FALCONS 38, SAINTS 32 EAST RUTHERFORD, New
Oakland’s loss at Denver. ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Ryan Jersey (AP) — Ryan Fitzpat-
San Diego fired coach bolstered his MVP creden- rick threw two touchdown
Mike McCoy after the tials with a brilliant first half, passes in what was likely his
game. throwing four touchdown final game for the Jets.
Smith scored on a 5-yard passes to secure a first- Despite a 5-11 record, the
scramble early in the sec- round playoff bye. Jets are making no chang-
ond quarter to tie the Ryan was 17 of 19 for 235 es in leadership, meaning
game at 10. He threw a yards by halftime, direct- both coach Todd Bowles
4-yard touchdown pass to ing the Falcons (11-5) to and general manager
wide-open Charcandrick touchdowns on all five pos- Mike Maccagnan will re-
West later in the quarter to sessions and a command- main with the team next
put the Chiefs ahead for ing 35-13 lead. He finished season.q