Evans goes off for 207 yards, 3 touchdowns as Bucs top Panthers to clinch NFC South title | CBC Sports

Tom Brady threw for 432 yards and three long touchdowns to Mike Evans, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch their second straight NFC South championship with a 30-24 come-from-behind win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Panthers (6-10) led 14-0 early and 21-10 after Sam Darnold’s third TD pass of the day, 10 seconds into the fourth quarter.

It was all Bucs from there, with Evans beating cornerback C.J. Henderson for touchdowns twice and Darnold losing a fumble on a sack inside his own 10. That turnover set up Brady’s 1-yard TD sneak, which put the game out of reach with 1:58 left.

The Bucs (8-8) can finish the regular season with a winning record by beating Atlanta on the road next weekend. As division champs, they are assured of beginning the playoffs with a home game in two weeks.

The Panthers, who had won four of six to climb back into playoff contention after firing coach Matt Rhule and trading star running back Christian McCaffrey, could have clinched their first NFC South title since 2015 by beating the Bucs and then winning at New Orleans.

Darnold threw for 341 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also lost two fumbles while falling to 3-2 since becoming Carolina’s starter on Thanksgiving weekend.

Two plays later, Darnold mishandled a snap in shotgun formation and compounded the mistake by whiffing when he tried to pick up the ball, leaving linebacker Devin White to recover the fumble at the Carolina 13.

Ryan Succop’s 22-yard field goal trimmed Tampa Bay’s deficit to 14-10 just before halftime, but the Bucs wasted an opportunity to pull closer — or possibly take the lead — when a 90-yard drive stalled inside the Panthers 10 and Succop had a 26-yard field-goal attempt blocked.

Darnold completed 23 of 37 passes with TDs of 17 yards to Tommy Tremble, 24 yards to D.J. Moore and 19 yards to Shi Smith, the last putting Carolina up 21-10. The Panthers, meanwhile, rushed for just 74 yards on 22 attempts as D’Onta Foreman was limited to 35 yards on 13 carries.

Giants punch ticket to playoffs with win over Colts

Daniel Jones threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more and the New York Giants routed the Indianapolis Colts 38-10 Sunday to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

New York had five straight losing seasons, including a four-win season in 2021 that led to the firing of coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman.

Buffalo assistant Joe Schoen was hired as general manager and he chose Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to be the coach, his first head coaching job.

In clinching a playoff spot and sending the Colts (4-11-1) to their sixth straight loss and ninth in 10 games, the Giants looked liked the high-powered Bills where Schoen and Daboll were previously.

Their point total was a season high and it was the first time the team scored at least 30 points since getting 34 in a 37-34 loss to Dallas on Oct. 11, 2020.

Jones, who saw the team not pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract when he was the No. 6 overall pick in 2019, played like Bills star Josh Allen.

The 25-year-old threw touchdown passes of 6 yards to Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins in the first half and scored on a run of 18 and 10 yards in the second half. He finished 19 of 24 for 177 yards and had 11 rushes for 91 yards.

With the crowd shouting his name, Jones left the field to a standing ovation with about 7:30 remaining in the game.

The only negative for New York was seeing rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux doing snow angels after sacking and injuring Colts quarterback Nick Foles late in the second quarter. Foles walked off the field, but he was taken to the locker room on a cart. He did not return.

Sam Ehlinger played the second half and threw his first NFL TD pass, a 6-yarder to Michael Pittman.

Patriots deal Dolphins 5th straight loss

Kyle Dugger intercepted Teddy Bridgewater and returned it 39 yards for a go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter, and the New England Patriots kept their playoff hopes alive by rallying to beat the Miami Dolphins 23-21 on Sunday.

Mac Jones had touchdown passes to Tyquan Thornton and Jakobi Meyers to help the Patriots (8-8) snap a four-game losing streak to their AFC East rivals. Jones finished 20 of 33 for 203 yards.

The Dolphins (8-8) entered with a chance to clinch a postseason berth with a victory and loss by the New York Jets at Seattle. Instead, Miami lost its fifth straight game and will need to win next week against the Jets and need Buffalo to beat New England to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Bridgewater, who didn’t return, was replaced by Skylar Thompson. The third-stringer had an interception and a late TD pass to Mike Gesicki to trim the deficit to 23-21. He finished 12 of 21 for 104 yards.

The Dolphins were already shorthanded, missing left tackle Terron Armstead (toe/pectoral muscle/knee/hip), cornerback Xavien Howard (knee), and linebacker Bradley Chubb (ankle/hand).

New England was without defensive backs Jalen Mills (groin), Jack Jones (knee) and Marcus Jones (concussion), along with wide receiver DeVante Parker and tight end Jonnu Smith, who both have concussions.

It left Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant as the starters at cornerback, with practice squad elevation Tae Hayes providing support in certain sets as New England stuck mostly to zone.

The Dolphins mostly played it safe offensively, running the ball often, with Bridgewater sticking mostly to short and intermediate passing routes.

After exchanging touchdowns in the first half, the teams combined for six punts and a missed field goal by Miami. The Dolphins broke the stalemate in the the third quarter when Bridgewater capped a five-play, 41-yard drive with a 2-yard shovel pass to Raheem Mostert that made it 14-7.

Nick Folk cut into the lead on New England’s next series with a 49-yard field goal.

Miami was facing third down on the next drive when Bridgewater threw into traffic looking for Trent Sherfield. Dugger picked it off and returned it 39 yards for his TD. But Folk’s extra point banged off the upright, leaving the score at 16-14.

It was Dugger’s third score of the season. It marked the fourth straight week the Patriots have had a defensive score and their seventh of the season.

Bridgewater entered the medical tent for evaluation after the INT and was replaced by Thompson, who was picked off by Jonathan Jones.

Two series later, the Patriots went up 23-14 on Mac Jones’ 1-yard TD pass to Meyers.

Lions rout Bears to keep playoff chances alive

Jared Goff threw two of his three touchdown passes to Brock Wright in the first half, and the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday to remain in the playoff chase.

The Justin Fields-led Bears (3-13) took two leads in the opening quarter before collapsing and losing a franchise-record ninth straight game.

Goff completed passes to 10 teammates and an 11th, rookie receiver Jameson Williams, ran 40 yards on a reverse early in the third quarter to set up Jamaal Williams’ 15th rushing score that gave Detroit a three-touchdown lead.

Jamaal Williams had a career-high 144 yards rushing on 22 carries and D’Andre Swift added 117 yards from scrimmage and two scores.

Swift put the Lions up for good with a 17-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and his 21-yard reception put them ahead by four touchdowns in the third.

Goff was 21 of 29 for 255 yards and did not throw an interception for an eighth consecutive game.

Meanwhile, rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson got the better of Fields, forcing two turnovers in the first half.

Fields started strong, running for 105 yards in the first quarter alone and throwing a 13-yard touchdown to Cole Kmet, before Hutchinson recovered his fumble and picked off his pass in the second quarter.

Fields finished with 132 yards rushing, giving him 1,143 this year. With a game to play at home against Minnesota, he has a chance to break the single-season NFL quarterback rushing record of 1,206 yards set by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in 2019 during his MVP season.

When Detroit shut down Fields’ ability to run for the final three quarters, he was in trouble. Fields was 7 of 21 — completing a season-low 33.3 per cent of his passes — for 75 yards.

Commanders’ playoff hopes take hit

Carson Wentz threw three interceptions after getting the starting quarterback job back, defensive miscues added up and the Washington Commanders ‘ playoff hopes took a major hit with a 24-10 loss Sunday to Cleveland.

Wentz was 16 of 28 for 143 yards, and the offence gained just 261 — 96 on Washington’s only touchdown drive — not exactly the spark coach Ron Rivera was hoping for when he made the QB change. Fans making up the sparse crowd booed and chanted early on for Taylor Heinicke multiple times after Wentz missed open receivers or lobbed the ball into the hands of a Cleveland defender.

Watson also connected with Cooper on a 33-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter that sent fans to the exits. Washington (7-8-1) would be eliminated from playoff contention later Sunday if Green Bay beats Minnesota.

Cleveland (7-9) were already out of the race in the AFC but made good on tight end David Njoku’s expectation they’d “give the Commanders hell.” Cooper had three catches for 105 yards, Nick Chubb ran 14 times for 104 yards and Watson finished 9 of 18 for 169 yards and the TD passes to Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.