Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin breaks away from Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards after an interception on Sunday afternoon. The Titans clinched a playoff berth by beating Cleveland. (John Russell/Associated Press) The Tennessee Titans on Sunday became the first team to book a ticket to the post-season in the National Football League.
Led by a pair of Kerry Collins touchdowns and 136 yards rushing by Chris Johnson, the hometown Titans beat the overmatched Cleveland Browns 28-9.
That victory moved the AFC South leaders to 12-1 on the season and made them winners of 15 of their last 16.
Cleveland (4-9) continued its lost year with a third-straight defeat.
Eagles 20 Giants 14
A week of Plaxico Burress distraction ended about the way many observers thought as the New York Giants fell 20-14 to arch rivals Philadelphia at home in New Jersey.
Running back Brian Westbrook had an excellent day for the Eagles (7-5-1), running one ball in from 30 yards and catching another 40-yarder from quarterback Donovan McNabb.
It was just the second loss of the season for 11-2 New York, and it prevented the club from clinching the NFC East for a few weeks until the Dallas Cowboys lost to Pittsburgh three hours later.
Burress, a star receiver on the Giants, faces numerous weapons charges after accidentally shooting himself in the leg a week ago Saturday.
Vikings 20, Lions 16
Just three more losses and the Detroit Lions will become the only team in NFL history to finish 0-16.
This time the Puddy Tats put up a fight before falling to the Minnesota Vikings, 20-16.
Detroit has contests with Indianapolis, New Orleans and Green Bay remaining.
The Vikings (8-5) may have paid a high price for a win that keeps them in the NFC North lead, losing quarterback Gus Frerotte to a back injury.
Bears 23, Jaguars 10
Chicago stayed a game behind the Minnesota Vikings with a 23-10 victory over the disappointing Jacksonville Jaguars at Soldier Field in the Windy City.
Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen caught touchdown passes and Robbie Gould kicked three field goals as the Bears went to 7-6.
Saints 29, Falcons 25
New Orleans may have slim playoff hopes but at least they still exist thanks to a big 29-25 victory over division rival Atlanta down in Louisiana.
Drew Brees went 18-for-32, 230 yards and two touchdowns while the Saints also came up with 184 yards on the ground, 102 of them in a strong performance by Pierre Thomas, who scored twice.
Atlanta's Matt Ryan threw for 315 yards for the Falcons (8-5).
Texans 24, Packers 21
Matt Schaub returned to the lineup for the first time in a month and led the Houston Texans (6-7) to a 24-21 win over the Green Bay Packers on the frozen tundra at Lambeau Field.
Kris Brown nailed a 40-yard field goal with no time left to wrap up the game.
Green Bay (5-8) lost at home late for the second straight week.
Colts 35, Bengals 3
After winning five consecutive games by six points or less, the Indianapolis Colts were looking for a team they could put the spurs to.
Enter the 1-11-1 Cincinnati Bengals who put up no resistance on the road, falling 35-3.
Peyton Manning threw for three touchdowns and handed off to Dominic Rhodes for another as the Colts went to 9-4.
Niners 24, Jets 14
The bloom seems to be off the Brett Favre rose.
One week after a loss at home to the Denver Broncos, Favre and the New York Jets lost what should have been a gimme – 24-14 at San Francisco against the improving 49ers.
Shaun Hill passed for 285 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Niners to a victory that improved their record to 5-8 following three out of four wins.
The Jets, who did not get a touchdown pass out of Favre, are now 8-5 and tied with Miami and New England at the top of the AFC East.
Patriots 24, Seahawks 21
This one was just too close.
Matt Cassell led the New England Patriots to a game-winning drive in the closing minutes at Seattle as the visitors pulled out a 24-21 victory over the Seahawks.
The victory came just a week after a loss at home by the Pats to the Pittsburgh Steelers and it kept them in a tie with the New York Jets and now Miami for first place in the AFC East, all at 8-5.
Cardinals 34, Rams 10
For the first time since 1975 the Cardinals are division champs.
That would be the Arizona Cardinals, by the way, because back then the team resided beside the Mississippi in St. Louis.
Kurt Warner threw for 279 yards and watched his defence score twice in a 34-10 win over the awful St. Louis Rams, clinching the NFC West.
The Cardinals are now 8-5 while St. Louis is 2-11.
Broncos 24, Chiefs 17
Jay Cutler's 95-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter was the difference as the Denver Broncos beat the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 24-17.
The Broncos, who had lost three straight at home, moved to 8-5, three games up on San Diego in the AFC West and looking solid for a division championship.
On the negative side, rookie Peyton Hills became the sixth Broncos running back to go down with an injury this season after straining a right hamstring.
Kansas City is 2-11.
Steelers 20, Cowboys 13
The Pittsburgh Steelers came roaring back in the final minutes to shock the Dallas Cowboys 20-13 in the cold of southern Pennsylvania.
This one seemed in the Cowboys' hands, with them leading 13-3 and having just stopped the Steelers on fourth-and-goal early in the final period.
But Ben Roethlisberger hit Nate Washington for a touchdown with just over two minutes left and Deshea Townsend ran back a Tony Romo interception 24 seconds later for the victory.
Dallas's loss gives the NFC East to the New York Giants, despite that club's earlier loss. Pittsburgh leads the AFC North.
Ravens 24, Redskins 10
Ed Reed scored on a 22-yard fumble return to lead a swarming effort by the Baltimore Ravens' defence in a 24-10 victory over the visiting Washington Redskins on Sunday night.
Baltimore (9-4) won for the seventh time in eight games and stays one game back of Pittsburgh in the race for the NFC North with a game at home against the Steelers next Sunday night ahead of them.
Washington (7-6) has lost four of five.
With files from the Associated Press
