Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson hugs General Manager Chris Grier as they celebrate an 11-6 win Sunday over the New York Jets in Miami Gardens, Fla. Doug Murray/Associated Press
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jason Sanders kicked a go-ahead 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds left, helping the Miami Dolphins to their first playoff berth since 2016 after squeaking by the New York Jets 11-6 on Sunday.
The Dolphins (9-8) snapped a five-game losing streak and then had to wait a few minutes for Buffalo to defeat New England 35-23 to make their postseason appearance official. “We’re In” was displayed on the videoboard at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami will play at Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs next weekend. The AFC East rivals split the season series, with each winning at home.
Sanders’ kick came after the Dolphins were helped by a 15-yard horse-collar tackle penalty on Quincy Williams.
The Jets (7-10) ended the season with six straight losses, finishing a disappointing collapse for Robert Saleh’s squad. New York failed to score a touchdown in its final three games.
On the Jets’ last-ditch effort with time running out, they lateraled the ball a few times before Elijah Moore fumbled, the ball was recovered by Garrett Wilson and he was ruled to be tackled in the end zone for a safety.
SEAHAWKS 19, RAMS 16: Jason Myers kicked a 32-yard field goal midway through overtime, and Seattle (9-8) kept its playoff hopes alive with a win at home against Los Angeles (5-12), then got the help it needed from Detroit.
Myers missed from 46 yards when he hit the upright on the final play of regulation, but given another shot in overtime, the Pro Bowler connected on his fourth field goal of the game.
Seattle eliminated Detroit from playoff contention, and then qualified as the No. 7 team in the NFC when the Lions beat the Packers on Sunday night.
LIONS 20, PACKERS 16: Aaron Rodgers threw a late interception and Green Bay (8-9) lost at home against Detroit (9-8) to fall short of the playoffs.
After winning four straight games and receiving plenty of help from other teams, the Packers had control of their postseason fate heading into the final game of the NFL regular season. But they fell short against the Lions, who had been eliminated from the playoffs earlier Sunday when Seattle beat the Rams in overtime.
Jamaal Williams’ second 1-yard touchdown run of the night against his former team put the Lions ahead with 5:55 remaining. Williams had 17 touchdown runs to break the Lions’ single-season record that Barry Sanders set in 1991.
STEELERS 28, BROWNS 14: Najee Harris ran for 84 yards and a touchdown and Pittsburgh (9-8) beat visiting Cleveland (7-10) but was eliminated from the playoffs when Miami edged the New York Jets.
The Steelers will have to settle for a 16th straight non-losing season under Coach Mike Tomlin, fueled by a 7-2 finish. Pittsburgh’s ugly 2-6 start included an injury to star linebacker T.J. Watt and rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett’s ascension to the starting job at halftime of a Week 4 loss to the Jets.
Pickett completed 13 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown and avoided an interception for the sixth time in his last seven appearances.
Pittsburgh’s defense sacked Deshaun Watson seven times to assure the Steelers of finishing ahead of the Browns in the standings for the 34th consecutive time.
BENGALS 27, RAVENS 16: Joe Burrow threw for a touchdown and Joe Mixon ran for another as Cincinnati (12-4) took advantage of four Baltimore turnovers to beat the visiting Ravens (10-7) and set up a rematch in the first round of the playoffs next week.
The AFC North champion Bengals – playing on the same field where Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in a horrifying scene six days ago – beat a Ravens team that rested some key players ahead of the postseason.
EAGLES 22, GIANTS 16: Jalen Hurts returned from a sprained right shoulder and threw for 229 yards under a conservative game plan, and Philadelphia (14-3) clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win at home against New York (9-7-1).
The Eagles didn’t do much offensively but really didn’t have to against the Giants, who had already secured the No. 6 seed and rested the bulk of their starters.
49ERS 38, CARDINALS 13: Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes for his sixth straight game with multiple TDs, and San Francisco (13-4) earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs by defeating Arizona (4-13) in Santa Clara, California.
FALCONS 30, BUCCANEERS 17: Rookie Desmond Ridder’s first two career touchdown passes powered Atlanta (7-10) to a win at home over playoff-bound Tampa Bay (8-9) after Tom Brady added to his imposing list of records.
Brady broke his own NFL record for most completions in a season before leaving the game late in the first half. Brady left with the score tied at 10 in the second quarter and watched the remainder of his first career loss to the Falcons from the sideline.
Brady had been 11-0 in his career against Atlanta, including New England’s 34-28 win over the Falcons in the Super Bowl following the 2016 season. Led by Brady, the Patriots rallied from a 28-3 deficit.
The Falcons haven’t been allowed to forget the epic Super Bowl collapse, but they can now claim to be responsible for Brady’s first sub-.500 season.
Brady and Tampa Bay’s other healthy regulars started even though the Buccaneers clinched the NFC South title by beating Carolina 30-24 last week and were locked in as the NFC’s No. 4 seed in the playoffs.
COMMANDERS 26, COWBOYS 6: Dak Prescott completed just 14 of his 37 passes for 128 yards and threw another interception that was returned for a touchdown as Dallas (12-5) lost at Washington (8-8-1).
Beyond getting picked off by Kendall Fuller on the pick-6, Prescott was wildly inaccurate and the Dallas offense had just 169 yards before he was replaced by Cooper Rush in garbage time. Prescott has a seven-game interception streak.
BRONCOS 31, CHARGERS 28: Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, Justin Simmons forced two fumbles and Denver (5-12) dodged a franchise-worst 13th loss with a victory over visiting Los Angeles (10-7).
The Chargers knew before kickoff they were locked into the AFC’s No. 5 playoff seed, but Coach Brandon Staley played his starters anyway – a decision that could prove costly.
Joey Bosa had a sack in the first half but appeared to be limping around the sideline afterward. The Chargers announced no injury to Bosa and declined to give a reason for his absence the rest of the game. Wide receiver Mike Williams left because of a back injury in the first half.
VIKINGS 29, BEARS 13: Kirk Cousins threw for 225 yards and a touchdown in the first half and watched the rest of the way as the NFC North champion Minnesota (13-4) tuned up for the playoffs by winning at Chicago (3-14).
The Bears, who held out quarterback Justin Fields, set a franchise record with their 14th loss overall and 10th in a row. Chicago will get the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
TEXANS 32, COLTS 31: Davis Mills threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Akins on fourth down with 50 seconds left, then connected with Akins on the 2-point conversion to give Houston (3-13-1) a victory at Indianapolis (4-12-1), costing the Texans the first pick in April’s draft.
PANTHERS 10, SAINTS 7: Eddy Pineiro kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired, and Carolina (7-10) won at New Orleans (7-10).
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