Poor stretch by Cardinals and sweep by Seahawks have Arizona’s playoff chances dwindling
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals picked a bad time to go through their worst stretch of the season. Kyler Murray threw two interceptions that led directly to first-half touchdowns and the Cardinals suffered a critical 30-18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Arizona has undergone a huge shift in less than a month. The Cardinals were atop the NFC West in mid-November, thanks to a four-game winning streak. A three-game losing streak since its bye week may have put Arizona in an insurmountable hole.
Chiefs win 9th straight AFC West title, beating Chargers 19-17 on bank-shot field goal
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matthew Wright kicked a 31-yard field goal that banked off the left upright as time expired, and the Kansas City Chiefs survived another close game, beating the Los Angeles Chargers 19-17 to win their ninth straight AFC West title. Patrick Mahomes led the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs on a clock-killing 4 1/2-minute drive to set up Wright’s fourth field goal. It looked routine until the ball clanged off the upright in the latest narrow escape for Kansas City, which has won 10 games by a one-score margin. Justin Herbert and the Chargers scored on each of their three second-half drives.
Allen sets NFL mark with 3 TD passes and 3 TD runs, but Stafford’s Rams hold off Bills 44-42
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams overcame Josh Allen’s record six-touchdown performance to snap the Buffalo Bills’ seven-game winning streak with a 44-42 victory. Matthew Stafford passed for 320 yards and hit Puka Nacua for a 19-yard touchdown with 1:54 to play for the Rams, who have won six of eight. Allen passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 82 yards and three more scores for the Bills. Allen became the first player in NFL history with three passing TDs and three rushing TDs in a game. He capped Buffalo’s third touchdown drive of the fourth quarter by scoring on a 1-yard dive with 1:00 left.
49ers beat the Bears 38-13 to spoil Thomas Brown’s coaching debut
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and the San Francisco 49ers bounced back from two blowout losses to beat Chicago 38-13 and spoil interim coach Thomas Brown’s debut for the Bears. The 49ers had been outscored by 53 points the past two weeks in losses at Green Bay and Buffalo that left their playoff hopes teetering. But San Francisco delivered a performance more reminiscent of a year ago when the Niners went to the Super Bowl. The Bears lost their seventh straight and didn’t get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.
Darnold delivers for Vikings with career-high 347 yards and 5 TDs to beat Falcons, Cousins 42-21
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 for their sixth straight victory. Darnold added another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings following Cousins’ departure in free agency to Atlanta with a 22-for-28 performance and no turnover-worthy plays despite heavy first-half pressure. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Cousins threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in his return to Minnesota.
Saquon Barkley sets Eagles season rushing record and has Dickerson’s NFL mark in his sights
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley has broken LeSean McCoy’s Eagles franchise record for rushing yards in a season. Barkley has 1,623 yards. He surpassed McCoy’s mark of 1,607 yards with a 9-yard run in Sunday’s 22-16 win over Carolina. Barkley finished the game with 124 yards, within a yard of his season average. He has four games left and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s 40-year-old NFL record of 2,105 yards. Dickerson set that record in a 16-game season and Barkley has one more game. Eagles fans serenaded Barkley with “MVP!” chants and McCoy congratulated him on social media.
Saints QB Derek Carr injures left hand on dive in 4th quarter of win over Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr injured his left hand late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 14-11 victory over the New York Giants when he went airborne while trying for a first down and crashed to the turf. Carr tried to leap over a Giants tackler and landed at the New Orleans 39-yard line, extending his non-throwing hand to break his fall. He was on the turf for a minute or two before walking to the medical tent. He was examined and slowly walked to an area where X-rays are done. The injury could hurt the already slim playoff hopes of the Saints.