Tyler Huntley threw a first-half touchdown pass, and the Baltimore defense kept the Atlanta Falcons out of the end zone in a 17-9 victory Saturday that ended up assuring a playoff spot for the Ravens.
About a half-hour after Baltimore (10-5) took care of the Falcons, New England lost to Cincinnati to put the Ravens in the playoffs. The Ravens won for the second time in three games without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been out with a knee injury.
Gus Edwards ran for 99 yards and J.K. Dobbins rushed for 59 for Baltimore. Huntley’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson in the second quarter was the first TD catch by a Ravens wide receiver since Week 3.
Tyler Huntley #2 of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball during the fourth quarter of the game against the Atlanta Falcons
Huntley ran for a 2-point conversion that put the Ravens up 14-0 — and Baltimore’s defense has allowed more than 14 points in a game just once since the start of November.
Atlanta (5-10), which entered just a game behind first-place Tampa Bay in the NFC South, has lost four straight — including rookie QB Desmond Ridder’s first two starts — and six of seven.
The temperature at kickoff was 17 degrees, the lowest for a home game in franchise history. Although both teams were expected to rely on the run instead of their shaky passing games, Huntley did connect with Sammy Watkins for 40 yards and Mark Andrews for 36. Those two drives both ended in field goals, and the Ravens led 6-0.
Running back Gus Edwards (35) runs the ball against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Cornell Armstrong and linebacker DeAngelo Malone (51)
Atlanta (5-10) went for it on fourth down near midfield, and Ridder found Drake London for a gain of 20. But London fumbled at the end of that play, and the Ravens took over at their own 30.
Baltimore then ran the ball on the first 11 plays of the ensuing drive, which ended with Huntley’s short touchdown pass.
The Ravens caught a break near the end of the first half. On first-and-goal from the 1, Ridder was called for intentional grounding — it appeared he was hit as he threw — for a loss of 13. The Falcons settled for a field goal.
On the first possession of the second half, a holding call on receiver Olamide Zaccheaus nullified a touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson, and Atlanta kicked a field goal again.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen (6) and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) reacts after stopping the Atlanta Falcons on fourth down
TEXANS 19, TITANS 14
Davis Mills threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks with 2:52 left, and the Houston Texans snapped a nine-game skid by beating the sliding Tennessee Titans 19-14 Saturday in a game delayed because of power issues.
Kickoff was delayed by an hour in a joint agreement by the Titans, the NFL and local emergency management officials after rolling power blackouts. Tennessee had crews working at Nissan Stadium since this extreme cold front moved into the area Thursday, blowing open some windows and bursting at least 36 water pipes at the stadium.
Even with the delay, it was the coldest home game in Titans history with a temperature of 20 at kickoff and the wind chill at 6.
The Texans (2-12-1) weren’t bothered much by the coldest game they’ve played this season. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo had two of the Texans’ four sacks by halftime, and Houston also forced three turnovers.
Linebacker Christian Harris intercepted rookie Malik Willis at the Houston 41 with 1:33 left, and Texans safety Jalen Pitre picked off Willis’ final pass in the end zone to seal the victory.
Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) attempts a pass against Tennessee Titans linebacker Bud Dupree (48)
SAINTS 17, BROWNS 10
Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill each had touchdown runs and New Orleans left its comfortable dome and withstood Cleveland’s arctic-like conditions in a 17-10 win Saturday over the Browns, who were officially eliminated from the playoffs.
The Saints (6-9) were 0-6 in outdoor games this season before rallying to beat the Browns (6-9) in the coldest game in New Orleans history.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson drove Cleveland to the Saints’ 15 in the final minute, but he was sacked on fourth down by Carl Granderson – one play after tight end David Njoku let a TD pass slip through his hands – with 19 seconds left, ending the Browns’ postseason hopes.
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (7) carries Cleveland Browns defenders into the end zone for an 8-yard rushing touchdown
BENGALS 22, PATRIOTS 18
Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Cincinnati Bengals forced a late turnover in the red zone to preserve a 22-18 win over the New England Patriots on Saturday.
The Bengals (11-4) won their seventh straight game and remained in the driver’s seat for a second consecutive AFC North title despite nearly blowing a 22-0 halftime lead. They clinched a playoff berth by virtue of the New York Jets´ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night, and they still have a chance at the conference´s top seed and a first-round playoff bye.
The Patriots had the ball on the Cincinnati 5 with just over a minute to play when Rhamondre Stevenson was hit by Vonn Bell and fumbled, leading to Josh Tupou’s recovery. The Bengals punted it back four plays later, but the Patriots turned the ball over on downs.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, front, is brought down by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson
CHIEFS 24, SEAHAWKS
Seattle twice drove into Kansas City territory in the third quarter, twice went for it on fourth down while trying to dig out of a 17-3 hole and twice came up short on the frigid field inside Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday.
That about sums up the Seahawks offense these days.
Geno Smith struggled to deal with the Chiefs pass rush, his wide receiver group missing injured Tyler Lockett struggled to make plays, and the Seahawks didn’t reach the end zone until a mostly meaningless touchdown in the closing minutes of a 24-10 loss that just about knocks Seattle out of the playoff hunt with two games left in the regular season.
It was the fifth loss in six games for a Seahawks team that was a surprising 6-3 after beating Arizona on Nov. 6.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) is congratulated by quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after scoring against the Seattle Seahawks
PANTHERS 37, LIONS 23
D´Onta Foreman ran for a career-high 165 yards and a touchdown, Chuba Hubbard added 125 yards rushing and the Carolina Panthers racked up a franchise record 320 yards on the ground to beat the Detroit Lions 37-23 on Saturday and keep their NFC South title hopes alive.
Sam Darnold completed 15 of 22 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score to improve to 3-1 as Carolina´s starting QB. Raheem Blackshear and D.J. Moore also scored for the Panthers, who amassed a team-record 570 yards of offense in the coldest game ever played at Bank of America Stadium.
The Panthers had seven runs of longer than 20 yards against a Lions defense that had allowed just 84 yards rushing per game over the last five weeks. Foreman and Hubbard both exceeded 100 yards rushing in the first half as the Panthers built a 24-7 lead.
Carolina (6-9) can clinch its first division title since 2015 with wins at Tampa Bay and New Orleans.
D’Onta Foreman runs during game between the Carolina Panthers and the Detroit Lions
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