CINCINNATI (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders overcame a season of turmoil and clinched a wild card on the last day of the season. Today they go to Cincinnati to open the playoffs against the AFC North champion Bengals. Coach Jon Gruden resigned after racist, anti-gay and misogynistic comments in emails were leaked. Receiver Henry Ruggs III was cut after being charged with DUI resulting in death. The Raiders lost three in a row but won their last four, beating the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime to get the postseason. The Bengals got there for the first time in six seasons.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — New England and Buffalo will meet tonight for the third time this season after splitting the annual regular-season meetings with each team winning on the road. This will be just the second matchup between the teams in the postseason. The Patriots’ first playoff game was a 26-8 win over the Bills at Buffalo on Dec. 28, 1963 in the AFL. The Patriots are 38-23-1 overall at Buffalo. New England enters the playoffs as a wild-card team for the first time since the 1998 season. The Patriots have played in the wild-card round four times under Bill Belichick, but played in those games as the division winner.