Article updated during matches.
Night kick off Saturday to Sunday at 02.15am
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8) vs Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)
Kick-off Saturday 10pm
San Francisco 49ers (10-4) – Washington Commanders (7-6-1)
Dallas Cowboys (10-4) vs Philadelphia Eagles (13-1)
Kick-off Saturday at 19.00
Tennessee Titans (7-7) vs Houston Texans (1-12-1)
Baltimore Ravens (9-5) – Atlanta Falcons (5-9)
Carolina Panthers (5-9) vs Detroit Lions (7-7)
Chicago Bears (3-12) – Buffalo Bills (12-3): 13-35
They were bugged for a long time, Josh Allen (15/26, 172 yards, 2 Tds, 2 ints) threw two interceptions, including an extremely bad one, but the Bills got away with it. Logically their manpower is superior, but with a welcome helping hand of defense, which completely shut down Chicago after the break.
Because it was the Bears who led 10-6 at halftime. But it was on the ground that Buffalo fought back. Devin Singletary (12 games, 106 yards, 1 TD) and James Cook (11 rushes, 99 yards, 1 TD) found the end zone to put their team back in front (10-21). And when Chicago scored on the foot to get closer (13-21), it was Josh Allen who ended up delivering the knockout blow with just under 4 minutes left (13-28). And for good measure, he even sent Dawson Knox into the end zone late in the game to inflate the score.
Justin Fields (15/23, 119 yards, 1 TD) and teammates had taken the game from right end, scoring from the start on a pass caught by Dante Pettis. But Buffalo’s defense quickly returned coverage to limit them to two field goals the rest of the game and 209 total yards.
Defense and ground play will then have carried Buffalo. Meanwhile, Allen is still looking for consistency.
Kansas City Chiefs (12-3) – Seattle Seahawks (7-8): 24-10
A first defensive win for Kansas City? In any case, the defensive team held up throughout the game, while the offense was less dominant than usual. Only when there were just under 5 minutes to go did Patrick Mahomes (16/38, 224 yards, 2 Tds) rush into the end zone for the touchdown of 24-3, synonymous with an assured victory. . And if the full-back found himself in a position to finish, it’s also because his defense had intercepted Geno Smith a few moments earlier to give the ball back to the AC Milan attack with only twenty yards to go. Seattle scored well after Mahomes again, but it was too late.
Proof that the game was not as smooth as usual for them, the Chiefs punted six times in eleven possessions. Kadarius Toney opened the scoring in the first quarter, before Jerick McKinnon (3 recs, 31 yards, 1 TD) doubled in the second. The score is 17-0 at the break for the reds. Because Seattle gets even less there. Under pressure, pushed and even shaken to the point of leaving the field for a few moments, Geno Smith (25/40, 215 yards, 1 TD, 1 int) did not take advantage of the solid match by Kenneth Walker (26 games, 107 yards).
The Seahawks scored their first points on a field goal only at halftime. Not enough to build any momentum, as they came back from the locker room to fail again and again, before being finished off by Mahomes’ contest.
No, bosses aren’t just a big offense. They can also win by only gaining 297 yards on offense. And this is very worrying for the rest of the championship.
Minnesota Vikings (11-3) vs New York Giants (8-5-1)
New England Patriots (7-7) – Cincinnati Bengals (10-4)
Cleveland Browns (6-9) – New Orleans Saints (6-9): 10-17
Deshaun Watson (15/31, 135 yards, 1 int) had the ball to get the tie. But he couldn’t find a solution and was sacked on the fourth attempt with 19 seconds to go. Quite a logical end given that Cleveland’s offense didn’t show much. New Orleans did little more, but it was enough.
Certainly not helped by the freezing cold in Ohio, the two teams started with a streak of five cumulative punts, then an interception by Andy Dalton (8/15, 92 yards, 1 TD). A turnover that gave a good position to the Browns, who opened the scoring at the start of the second quarter on a run by Watson in the end zone. With a field goal on the next series, then one by the Saints, it’s 10-3 at halftime.
But when they return from the locker room, Andy Dalton and company finally find the fault. Taysom Hill scored on the ground. The defense takes over by intercepting Watson on his side of the field. Alvin Kamara (20 rushes, 76 yards, 1 TD) then has only a few yards to go to score and give him the lead (17-10). The second half of the Browns can only be summed up in failures on offense, despite an Amari Cooper (6 rec, 72 yards) who did what he could and an honorable ground play led by Nick Chubb (24 runs, 92 yards).
The Browns are mathematically out of the playoff race. New Orleans has hope.
