Falcons spoil Panthers bid for perfect season

Falcons spoil Panthers bid for perfect season

ATLANTA (AP) — Carolina’s bid for an undefeated season ended Sunday when Julio Jones’ dramatic 70-yard touchdown reception powered the Atlanta Falcons to a 20-13 victory over Cam Newton and the Panthers.

Carolina (14-1) got the ball with 90 seconds left and no timeouts remaining. Newton completed a 19-yard pass to Corey Brown on first down but fumbled when stripped by Vic Beasley Jr. on the following play. Adrian Clayborn recovered for the Falcons, wrapping up the win.

Matt Ryan threw for 306 yards and one touchdown for the Falcons (8-7), and Devonta Freeman ran for 73 yards with a touchdown.

Newton threw for 142 yards and ran for 46 yards, including an 8-yard scoring run to cap the Panthers’ opening drive.

BEARS 26, BUCCANEERS 21

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ka’Deem Carey caught a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler and the third-string running back also scored on a 1-yard run to help Chicago Bears (6-7).

Carey’s 1-yard scoring reception put the Bears (6-9) ahead for good early in the fourth quarter. The second-year pro teamed with Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford to spearhead a rushing attack that produced 174 yards and kept Jameis Winston off the field for long stretches.

The victory was only the second in the past six games for the Bears. Tampa Bay (6-9) has lost four of five.

LIONS 32, 49ERS 17

DETROIT (AP) — Matthew Stafford threw for two touchdowns, including one to Calvin Johnson early in the fourth quarter for Detroit.

The Lions (6-9) have won five of their last seven gamesThe 49ers (4-11) have lost three straight.

Stafford’s 1-yard TD pass to Johnson gave Detroit a 12-point lead one play after Tramaine Brock was called for pass interference in the end zone. During the drive, the 49ers were flagged for being offside or in the neutral zone for the seventh time to set a single-game high by an NFL team this year.

COLTS 18, DOLPHINS 12

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst came off the bench again for Indianapolis, which made a last-minute defensive stand to keep alive their faint playoff hopes.

The Dolphins had a first-and-goal at the 5 with 40 seconds left, but after three consecutive incompletions, rookie center Jamil Douglas appeared to snap the ball prematurely, and Tannehill was sacked by three Colts.

The Colts (7-8) would have been eliminated from the playoff race with a loss.

JETS 26, PATRIOTS 20 OT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Eric Decker’s 6-yard touchdown catch on the first drive of overtime — after New England chose to kick off — lifted the Jets into position to make the playoffs.

A win next week at Buffalo gives the Jets a wild-card berth.

CHIEFS 17, BROWNS 13

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes for Kansas City, and the game clock finally stopped Johnny Manziel as the Chiefs won a team record-tying ninth consecutive game. Smith threw for 125 yards and ran for 54, helping Kansas City (10-5) clinch a playoff berth when Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore moments later.

RAVENS 20, STEELERS 17

BALTIMORE (AP) — Ryan Mallet threw for a career-high 274 yards in his first start with Baltimore in leading the Ravens to one of the biggest upsets of this contentious rivalry.

The Ravens (5-10) had lost three straight, the last two by a combined 69-20 score. In this one, however, they turned back a team riding a three-game winning streak and striving for a playoff berth.

TEXANS 34, TITANS 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Weeden scored his first career rushing touchdown and threw for two more as Houston took a big step toward clinching the AFC South , Houston (8-7), which wraps up the regular season by hosting Jacksonville, couldn’t clinch outright when Indianapolis beat Miami 18-12.

The Texans forced four turnovers and turned them into 17 points. Quintin Demps returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown less than two minutes into the game.

BILLS 16, COWBOYS 6

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo rookie Mike Gillislee ran 50 yards for a touchdown with 2:25 remaining to secure the win for the Bills. Gillislee finished with 93 yards rushing and led a ground attack that totaled 236 yards.

Buffalo (7-8) snapped a two-game skid and won for just the second time in six games. The Cowboys (4-11) lost in quarterback Kellen Moore’s first career start.

RAMS 23, SEAHAWKS 17

SEATTLE (AP) — Todd Gurley scored on a 2-yard TD run with 10:34 left, Akeem Ayers returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter as St Louis ended Seattle’s fivegame winning streak.