SCOREBOARD
Monday, Dec. 24
Denver at Oakland, 8:15 p.m. The Broncos have won 11 of the past 14 in the series. … Oakland coach Jon Gruden is 1-10 in his career vs. Denver. … The game could be the final one ever at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders have no lease for 2019 and could find a temporary home before the move to Las Vegas in 2020. … The Broncos’ 21 wins at the Coliseum are the most by any road team. … Denver needs wins in its final two to avoid its first back-to-back losing seasons since 1971-72; the second-longest streak in the NFL is New England (1992-93). … The Broncos would become the 14th franchise with 500 wins with a victory.
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STARS
Passing
- Nick Foles, Eagles, was 35 for 49 for a franchise-record 471 yards and had four touchdown passes and an interception in Philadelphia’s 32-30 win over Houston.
- Baker Mayfield, Browns, was 27 of 37 for 284 yards with three touchdowns in Cleveland’s 26-18 victory over Cincinnati.
- Andrew Luck, Colts, was 31 for 47 for 357 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception in Indianapolis’ 28-27 win over the New York Giants.
- Aaron Rodgers, Packers, was 37 for 55 for 442 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay’s 44-38 overtime win over the New York Jets.
- Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, was 33 for 50 for 380 yards and three touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s 31-28 loss to New Orleans.
- Sam Darnold, Jets, was 24 for 35 for 341 yards and three touchdowns in the New York Jets’ 44-38 loss to Green Bay.
- Deshaun Watson, Texans, was 29 for 40 threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns and added 49 yards and two touchdowns rushing in Houston’s 32-30 loss to Philadelphia.
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Rushing
- C.J. Anderson, Rams, had 20 carries for 167 yards and a touchdown in Los Angeles’ 31-9 win over Arizona.
- Rookie Nick Chubb, Browns, had 19 carries for 112 yards in Cleveland’s 26-18 win over Cincinnati.
- Rookie Sony Michel, Patriots, had 18 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown in New England’s 24-12 win over Buffalo.
- Brian Hill, Falcons, had eight carries for 115 yards in Atlanta’s 24-10 win over Carolina.
- Christian McCaffrey, Panthers, had 21 carries for 101 yards in Carolina’s 24-10 loss to Atlanta.
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Receiving
- Antonio Browns and JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers. Brown had 14 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns, and Smith-Schuster added 11 catches for 115 yards in Pittsburgh’s 31-28 loss to New Orleans.
- Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz, Eagles. Agholor had five catches for 116 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown, and Ertz had 12 catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Philadelphia’s 32-30 win over Houston. Ertz broke Jason Witten’s single-season record for receptions by tight ends.
- Kyle Rudolph, Vikings, had nine catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns in Minnesota’s 27-9 win over Detroit, including a 56-yard desperation throw for a score at the end of the first half.
-Robby Anderson, Jets, had nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in New York’s 44-38 loss to Green Bay.
- T.Y. Hilton, Colts, had seven catches for 138 yards in Indianapolis’ 28-27 win over the New York Giants.
- Sterling Shepard, Giants, had six catches for 113 yards in New York’s 28-27 loss to Indianapolis.
- Michael Thomas, Saints, made 11 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in New Orleans’ 31-28 win over Pittsburgh.
- DeAndre Hopkins, Texans, had nine catches for 104 yards in Houston’s 32-30 loss to Philadelphia.
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Special Teams
- Andre Roberts, Jets, returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the New York Jets’ 44-38 loss to Green Bay. He is the first player in franchise history with a receiving touchdown, kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown in the same season.
- Jake Elliott, Eagles, kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give Philadelphia a 32-30 win over Houston.
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Defense
- Jaylon Smith, Cowboys, returned a fumble 69 yards for a touchdown in Dallas’ 27-20 win over Tampa Bay.
- Telvin Smith and Calais Campbell, Jaguars. Smith returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown and Campbell had a forced and recovered fumble, a sack, two tackles for a loss and three quarterback hurries in Jacksonville’s 17-7 win over Miami.
- Aaron Donald, Rams, had three sacks in Los Angeles’ 31-9 win over Arizona.
- Chris Long, Eagles, had two sacks and a forced fumble in Philadelphia’s 32-30 win over Houston.
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AT HOME IN THE DOME
The New Orleans Saints defeated Pittsburgh 31-28 and clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Should they reach the Super Bowl, the Saints will again be playing in a stadium with a roof in Atlanta.
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MILESTONES
The Patriots clinched their 10th consecutive AFC East title with a 24-12 win over Buffalo. The Patriots tied the 49ers (1983-98) with having at least 10 wins in 16 consecutive seasons. They are also the first team in NFL history to make 10 consecutive playoff appearances and the first team to win their division in 10 consecutive seasons since 1970. … The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East for the second time in three seasons after beating Tampa Bay. The Cowboys have not advanced beyond the divisional round since the 1995 season, when they won their last Super Bowl. … The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-18 to sweep their southern Ohio neighbors for the first time since 2002. … Nick Foles set a franchise record with 471 yards in the Eagles’ 32-30 win over Houston … Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey had 21 carries for 101 yards and 12 receptions for 77 yards to set an NFL record for receptions in a season (106) by a running back. He became the third running back in league history to get 100 receptions and 1,000 yards rushing in a season, joining LaDainian Tomlinson and Matt Forte.
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STREAKS & STATS
The Bears have won eight of nine after beating San Francisco. … The Panthers’ losing streak reached seven games after a 24-10 defeat against Atlanta. … Detroit (5-10) lost to Minnesota and has dropped four of five and seven of nine since reaching .500 in late October. … With their fifth win in six games, the Browns improved to 5-2 under interim coach Gregg Williams. The Bengals lost for the sixth time in seven games and are assured of finishing last in the AFC North, a spot the Browns have occupied every season since 2011. … The Colts have won three in a row and eight of nine. … The Dolphins lost to Jacksonville and will sit out the playoffs for the 15th time in the past 17 years. Miami will also finish at .500 or worse for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons.
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SIDELINED
Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford suffered a scary injury in Dallas’ NFC East-clinching 27-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Crawford injured his neck on the second play of the game. His neck was stabilized on a stretcher with his facemask removed, and the seventh-year player was moving his arms and legs before he was taken off the field. He was taken to a hospital, and the Cowboys said after the game that Crawford was released and would be evaluated Monday by the team’s medical staff. … The NFL-best New Orleans Saints clinched the NFC’s top seed by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers but lost one of Drew Brees’ protectors when left tackle Terron Armstead was hurt in the first half and left for good in the second half. Armstead, who tore a pectoral muscle earlier this season, was seen clutching his chest. … Eagles left tackle Jason Peters injured a quad on the first possession of Philadelphia’s 32-30 win over the Houston Texans. … Texans wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a right leg injury. Houston also lost three cornerbacks to injury: Kareem Jackson (knee), Kayvon Webster (thigh) and Johnathan Joseph (neck). … The Indianapolis Colts managed to rally for a win over the New York Giants even with first-half injuries that knocked center Ryan Kelly (neck) and Pro Bowl tight end Eric Ebron (concussion) out of the game. In the third quarter, Colts cornerbacks Kenny Moore III and Quincy Wilson walked off on successive plays with undisclosed injuries. … Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict left late in the first half with a concussion in Cincinnati’s loss to the Cleveland Browns. Starting cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick hurt his right shoulder.
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SPEAKING
“I play a team sport. I’m not Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods. Those guys do individual things. Everything I’ve done has been in the context of a team setting. It’s a little uncomfortable to be singled out. - Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald on being honored in the possible final home game of his stellar 15-year career.
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“Don’t think you’re going to chase me down and tackle me when I got the rock,” - Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith on returning an interception 33 yards for a touchdown in Jacksonville’s 17-7 win over Miami.
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