Lamar Jackson’s perfect day clinches top seed in AFC for Ravens, fuels rout of Dolphins

BALTIMORE (AP) — In what may have been his final bid for the MVP award, Lamar Jackson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, finishing with a perfect passer rating and helping the Baltimore Ravens clinch the top seed in the AFC with a 56-19 rout of the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Isaiah Likely caught two TDs for the Ravens, who won their sixth straight game and also wrapped up their first AFC North title since 2019, Jackson’s first MVP season. Now Baltimore (13-3) can rest Jackson — and anyone else it chooses — in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.

Miami (11-5) is also postseason bound, but now the winner of next weekend’s Dolphins-Bills game will take the AFC East. And now the Dolphins face a potentially significant injury. Linebacker Bradley Chubb — with his team down 30 points — had to be carted off with 3:05 remaining after hurting his knee.

Serenaded with periodic “MVP!” chants from the home crowd, Jackson went 18 of 21 passing.

Jackson also had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 against Miami in 2019. He joins Tom Brady (against Detroit) as the only quarterbacks with two perfect ratings against the same team, with a minimum of 20 attempts.

CHIEFS 25, BENGALS 17

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Harrison Butker was a career-best 6 for 6 on field-goal attempts and Kansas City rallied past Cincinnati to win the AFC West for the eighth straight season.

Patrick Mahomes had 245 yards passing and a touchdown for Kansas City (10-6), which also secured the AFC’s No. 3 seed and at least one home playoff game. Isiah Pacheco ran 18 times for 130 yards while Rashee Rice had five catches for 127 yards.

The Bengals (8-8) led by 10 early but found themselves trailing 25-17 when Butker hit the last of his field goals — a 46-yarder through blustery wind — with 2:59 remaining in the game.

With one last chance, Jake Browning hit Tyler Boyd to convert a long fourth down and get into Kansas City territory, but back-to-back sacks by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones gave the Chiefs eight on the day and ended the Bengals’ comeback hopes.

The Chiefs held the Bengals scoreless on their final seven possessions. Butker converted from 54, 43, 27, 24, 48 and 46 yards, accounting for the game’s final 18 points.

CARDINALS 35, EAGLES 31

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Conner ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 32 seconds remaining, Kyler Murray threw three TD passes, and Arizona rallied from a 15-point deficit to stun Philadelphia.

The Eagles (11-5) could have won the NFC East with wins against Arizona and the New York Giants next week. Now, Dallas can win the division with a win next week at Washington, and San Francisco has locked up the top seed in the conference.

Jalen Hurts, who threw three touchdown passes, was picked off in the end zone on a desperate heave to end the game.

Murray finished 25 of 31 for 232 yards and got stronger as the game progressed, overcoming a 99-yard pick-6 by Sydney Brown early in the second quarter. Conner rushed for 128 yards on 26 carries for the Cardinals (4-12).

Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon got his biggest win yet as Arizona’s coach.

PACKERS 33, VIKINGS 10

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, and Green Bay took control of its playoff fate by pounding Minnesota.

Aaron Jones rushed for 120 yards and Jayden Reed had two touchdown catches for the Packers (8-8), who can get the NFC’s last wild-card spot by beating Chicago at home next week. They moved into playoff position when Seattle lost to Pittsburgh earlier in the day.

Love went 24 for 33 for 256 yards.

The Vikings (7-9) benched quarterback Jaren Hall at halftime after he threw an interception and lost a fumble, both of which the Packers converted into touchdowns. Nick Mullens took over, the fifth time the Vikings have switched QBs since Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon during a win at Green Bay on Oct. 29.

Minnesota still has a chance to make the playoffs but needs to win at Detroit next Sunday and have several other results go its way.

BILLS 27, PATRIOTS 21

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen ran for two touchdowns, cornerback Rasul Douglas returned one of his two interceptions for a score, and Buffalo beat New England, setting up a showdown at Miami next weekend for the AFC East title.

The three-time division champion Bills (10-6) have already defeated the Dolphins (11-5) this season, and Miami blew a chance at clinching the division title by getting blown out at Baltimore.

Buffalo won its fourth straight and fifth in six games. The Bills gave up Jalen Reagor’s 98-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown and settled for a touchdown and two field goals off three takeaways inside the Patriots 30. Allen concluded the opening drive of the third quarter with his second rushing TD — his 15th of the season — and the Bills held on from there.

The Patriots (4-12) are in jeopardy of finishing with their fewest wins in coach Bill Belichick’s tenure. Bailey Zappe threw three picks and receiver Pharaoh Brown lost a fumble.

SAINTS 23, BUCCANEERS 13

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Derek Carr threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns, and New Orleans moved into a tie atop the NFC South by halting Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak.

Carr tossed TD passes of 4 yards to Juwan Johnson and 22 yards to Taysom Hill in the first half. The Saints’ defense did its part to keep the Bucs (8-8) from clinching their third consecutive division title by intercepting Baker Mayfield twice and forcing a pair of fumbles.

Tampa Bay can still repeat as NFC South champion by winning at division rival Carolina next week. The Saints (8-8) close with a division game at home against Atlanta.

Carr completed 24 of 32 passes and outshined Mayfield, who went 22 of 33 for 309 yards with two late TD passes. He was sacked twice and didn’t get the Bucs into the end zone until the fourth quarter.

RAMS 26, GIANTS 25

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and a career-best three touchdowns, and Los Angeles beat New York, clinching a playoff berth hours later when Seattle lost to Pittsburgh.

Matthew Stafford threw for 317 yards and a touchdown but also had his first two interceptions in the last five games as the Rams (9-7) held on to win their third straight and sixth of seven.

Gunner Olszewski scored on a 94-yard punt return to get New York (5-11) within a point with 3:27 to play. After an encroachment penalty on the extra point attempt, coach Brian Daboll elected to go for a 2-point conversion — but Tyrod Taylor missed a wide-open Saquon Barkley.

Later, a 31-yard run by Taylor allowed Mason Crosby to attempt a game-winning 54-yard field goal, but it was short. Taylor threw for 319 yards and a touchdown in his first start since replacing Tommy DeVito.

Williams scored on runs of 4, 2 and 28 yards.