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SPORTS Saturday 29 december 2018

Wild and crazy season ends with lots of playoff uncertainty

By BARRY WILNER lot worse than you do now Driscoll went 9-2-1 in 1956,
AP Pro Football Writer if you were to go out there when George Halas took
In a wild and crazy season, and see Baltimore lose and a two-year hiatus. The Vi-
the biggest remaining tu- us lose, too. It’s definitely kings lead the league with
mult is in the AFC South. deflating, it’s been a long 50 sacks and have allowed
Houston leads and takes season. We’ve put forth a the fewest TD drives (25) in
the division title by beating lot of effort.” the league for a second
struggling Jacksonville. A Cleveland (7-7-1) at Balti- straight season after giving
Texans loss, however, gives more (9-6) up 23 in 2017.
the winner of the prime- Cleveland certainly has Oakland (4-11) at Kansas
time game between the lots of incentive, including City (11-4)
Colts and Titans in Nashville a winning record after go- The Chiefs can clinch the
the crown, dropping Hous- ing 0-16 in 2017, and mak- AFC West and No. 1 seed in
ton into a wild card. ing an emphatic statement the playoffs with a win and
“When you start off 0-3 and about the work of interim they have handled Oak-
you’re sitting here at 10-5 coach Gregg Williams. land in seven of the past
with a chance to win the That doesn’t likely trump eight meetings. But a loss
division on Sunday you’ve the motivation of making and Chargers win drops
done a lot of good things the playoffs, especially in a Kansas City to fifth seed.
over the course of those season with no overwhelm- KC’s top-ranked offense
games since we were 0-3,” ing favorites. The Ravens could be challenged a bit
star defensive end J.J. are 9-1 against Cleveland by a Raiders D that has not
Watt says. “But we have to at home under John Har- allowed an opposing QB to
make sure that we do what baugh, who took over in throw for 300 yards in nine
we need to do to make 2008. Ravens QB Lamar straight weeks. Raiders QB
sure that doesn’t all go to Jackson is 5-1 in his first six Derek Carr has an NFL-best
waste.” There are two other career starts, tied for third- streak of 325 passes without
AFC division crowns to set- best start in NFL history. RB an interception.
tle, in the North and West, Gus Edwards leads Balti- Los Angeles Chargers (11-
but at least the Chiefs and more with 642 yards rush- 4) at Denver (6-9)
Chargers already are into ing, with Jackson second LA has in large part made
the postseason. So while This Nov. 18, 2018, file photo shows Pittsburgh Steelers head at 605. Both are rookies. its rush to the playoffs away
avoiding having to suit up coach Mike Tomlin, center, talking to his players on the Philadelphia (8-7) at Wash- from its temporary Califor-
next weekend — and the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the ington (7-8) nia home: The Chargers
likelihood of having the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. With last year’s hero, Nick have won five straight on
conference’s best record Associated Press Foles, taking over once the road, tied for the fran-
— becomes paramount, more scores last week in a and come off the bench in more for an injured Car- chise’s longest since the
Kansas City and Los Ange- loss at Philadelphia. He has three other games this sea- son Wentz, the Eagles have merger. Although QB Philip
les both have a comfort nine touchdown passes son for Mariota and fared made a late playoffs push. Rivers is 12-15 vs. Denver,
zone. and no interceptions in his relatively well. They win here and Minne- including the playoffs, he’s
Baltimore and Pittsburgh past four home games. But Tennessee’s route to sota fails and the Eagles get having a special season.
do not. If the Ravens win at Jaguars quarterback Blake the playoffs likely is Der- a chance to defend their The Broncos are assured of
home over Cleveland, they Bortles, who was benched rick Henry toting the ball. crown. Foles threw for a back-to-back losing sea-
take the North. If they lose after a loss to Buffalo on Nobody has more yards franchise-record 471 yards sons for the first time since
and the Steelers defeat spi- Nov. 25, will start, perhaps rushing or TDs in December last week vs. Houston. He’s 1971-72. They lost Pro Bowl
raling Cincinnati, Pittsburgh for the last time for Jack- than Henry, who has 532 the only QB in franchise his- selection Philip Lindsay, an
advances. sonville. Bortles has 13 TD yards rushing and eight TD tory with multiple 400-yard undrafted free agent who
The winner of the night passes and 10 interceptions runs. passing games and has av- has 1,037 yards rushing and
game in Music City will, this season. Indianapolis (9- Cincinnati (6-9) at Pitts- eraged 279.5 yards passing nine TDs, to a wrist injury.
well, be making sweet mu- 6) at Tennessee (9-6) burgh (8-6-1) in his past four starts vs. the San Francisco (4-11) at Los
sic as a playoff qualifier. Advantage Andrew Luck Pittsburgh has won 10 of Redskins. In a strong come- Angeles Rams (12-3)
“We’re just blessed to be in in this rivalry: he is 10-0 in the past 11 meetings with back season, Adrian Pe- A win or tie gives LA a wild-
this position to be playing his career starts vs. the Ti- Bengals, while the Bengals terson rushed for 119 yards card round bye. But the
for a playoff game, so that’s tans. He could become the are 8-25 vs. the Steelers un- last week to surpass 1,000 Rams haven’t been as dy-
all the motivation that guys only player since 1970 with der coach Marvin Lewis. for the season. Peterson’s namic with the ball recent-
need,” Titans safety Kevin an 11-0 mark against one But last year, the Bengals 13,259 yards rushing are ly, and star running back
Byard says. “They’ll be moti- team. won at Baltimore 31-27 in eighth on the career list. Todd Gurley is battling knee
vated, we’ll be motivated. Colts K Adam Vinatieri can the final game, knocking Chicago (11-4) at Minne- issues, though C.J. Ander-
It’ll be a fun game.” break a tie with Jeff Feagles the Ravens out of conten- sota (8-6-1) son filled in well last week
Jacksonville (5-10) at Hous- (352) for third-most games tion and giving a playoff A huge challenge for the against Arizona. DT Aaron
ton (10-5) played in league histo- berth to Buffalo. Of course, Vikings, because a loss Donald leads the NFL with
Watt needs one-half sack ry and can join George those Bengals were a lot could ruin their season one 19½ sacks, and is in striking
to join Reggie White as the Blanda, Morten Andersen more healthy than this inju- year after making the NFC distance of Michael Strah-
only players since 1982 with and John Carney as the ry-wrecked group. title game. But the Bears an’s record of 22½. Donald
four or more seasons with only players to appear in a Pittsburgh is hopeful Pro have lost six straight games had four sacks in the Rams’
15 or more sacks. Watt has game at age 46. Bowl running back James in Minnesota and doing so first meeting with the Niners.
4½ sacks and has forced Titans QB Marcus Mariota Conner returns after a again likely sends the Vi- San Francisco has had sev-
three fumbles in the past is recovering from a sting- three-game absence kings to Soldier Field the fol- en takeaways; the record
four division games. er that knocked him out (sprained left ankle). lowing week. Matt Nagy is for the fewest in a season is
On offense, Deshaun Wat- of the last game against “It’s out of our control,” the first Bears coach with 11, previously done by Chi-
son had two touchdown Washington. Backup Blaine says guard David DeCas- a winning record in a de- cago in 2016. Carolina (6-9)
passes and ran for two Gabbert has started twice tro. “You’re going to feel a but season since Paddy at New Orleans (13-2) q