Decker had eight catches for a career-high 174 yards for the Broncos (10-2), who moved a game clear of the Chiefs (9-3) in the division. With four games left, Denver also holds the tiebreaker by virtue of two wins over Kansas City in the last three weeks.
After forcing a punt with 3:32 remaining, Kansas City used three long pass plays to move deep into Broncos territory. But Alex Smith’s pass to Dwayne Bowe in the end zone on fourth-and-4 with 1:45 left fell incomplete.
Panthers 27, Bucs 6
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cam Newton threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score, and the Panthers earned a franchise-record eighth straight regular-season victory.
Newton threw touchdown passes to Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr. and “Superman” leaped over the pile for another score as the Panthers (9-3) outgained the Buccaneers 426-206.
The Carolina victory sets up a huge showdown next Sunday night with New Orleans with first place in the NFC South on the line.
Bengals 17, Chargers 10
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Andy Dalton threw a go-ahead, 21- yard touchdown pass to wide-open A.J. Green late in the third quarter and the AFC North-leading Bengals (8-4), coming off their bye, kept a two-game lead over Baltimore.
San Diego (5-7) lost the momentum it gained with a thrilling comeback win at Kansas City a week earlier and saw its playoff hopes dwindle after its fourth loss in five games.
With the score tied at 7, the Bengals got the ball after Dre Kirkpatrick ripped it away from tight end Antonio Gates after a reception at the Cincinnati 25, the Chargers’ third turnover.
Ten plays later, Green split the defense for an easy touchdown, with safety Eric Weddle and cornerback Marcus Gilchrist only able to watch.
Eagles 24, Cardinals 21
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles threw three touchdown passes and the Eagles held on. Zach Ertz had two TD catches, LeSean McCoy ran for 79 yards and the Eagles (7-5) won their fourth straight to remain tied with Dallas for first place in the NFC East.
Carson Palmer threw for 302 yards and three TD passes, but also had two interceptions and lost a fumble as the Cardinals (7-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Foles picked up where he left off in November, when he was the NFC’s Player of the Month and tied an NFL record with seven TDs in a game. Foles finished 21 of 34 for 237 yards against a defense ranked eighth.
Dolphins 23, Jets 3
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Ryan Tannehill threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns, leading Miami past the listless Jets to keep the Dolphins in the playoff mix.
The Dolphins (6-6) played with more of a sense of urgency while sending the Jets (5-7) to their third straight loss. New York also has a quarterback controversy on its hands as Geno Smith was benched in favor of Matt Simms after a dismal first half.
Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace had touchdown receptions for Miami, while Tannehill finished 28 for 43 with an interception.
Falcons 34, Bills 31
TORONTO (AP) — Matt Bryant hit a 36-yard field goal 3 minutes into overtime in Buffalo’s annual “home” game in Toronto.
Falcons safety William Moore set up the decisive score in a back-and-fourth game by forcing a fumble on Buffalo’s second play from scrimmage. He punched the ball out of the arms of Bills tight end Scott Chandler.
Cornerback Robert McClain also forced a fumble on the Bills’ final possession of regulation, when he knocked the ball out of the hands of receiver Stevie Johnson at the Falcons 30 with 20 seconds remaining.
Jaguars 32, Browns 28
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cecil Shorts caught a 20- yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne with 40 seconds left, rallying the Jaguars. On third-and-9, Henne lofted a perfect pass to the left corner for Shorts, who had beaten cornerback Joe Haden to get open. Shorts got both feet down in the end zone before tumbling out of bounds. It was a dream moment for Shorts, who grew up in Cleveland.
Henne drove the Jaguars (3-9) 80 yards in nine plays for the winning TD.
Colts 22, Titans 14
INDIANAPOLIS — Adam Vinatieri, the best clutch kicker in NFL history, tied his career high with five field goals, including a 49- yarder to give the Colts the lead for good late in the third quarter. He matched an NFL record with four field goals of 40 yards or longer in one game.
Vinatieri equaled Jason Elam’s NFL record for 100- point seasons (16).
Surprise starter Donald Brown scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left, giving Indianapolis (8-4) a three-game lead in the AFC South with four to play. It owns the first tiebreaker thanks to a season sweep of the Titans (5-7).
49ers 23, Rams 13
SAN FRANCISCO — Anquan Boldin caught nine passes from Colin Kaepernick, and Michael Crabtree made his long-awaited season debut six months after Achilles tendon surgery. Kaepernick threw for 275 yards and Frank Gore ran for a 3-yard touchdown as the reigning NFC champion Niners (8-4) boosted their position in the playoff picture. Crabtree had a 60-yard catch, while Vernon Davis hurdled into the end zone on a 17-yard reception.
Phil Dawson kicked three field goals, and San Francisco’s swarming defense rattled Kellen Clemens and the Rams (5-7) all day.
Vikings 23, Bears 20
MINNEAPOLIS — Blair Walsh’s 34-yard field goal with 1:43 left in overtime won it. Adrian Peterson rushed 35 times for 211 yards for the Vikings (3-8-1), who tied Green Bay the previous week. Peterson had two 11- yard runs on the final drive to get well within range for Walsh, who missed a 57-yard try earlier in overtime.
Walsh had to kick that one because Rhett Ellison was called for a 15-yard facemask penalty to wipe out a 39-yard make by Walsh that would’ve ended the game.
The Bears (6-6) then reached the 29-yard line, but coach Marc Trestman called for a field goal on secondand 7. Robbie Gould’s 47- yarder went wide right hours after the birth of his first child, a son.
“I’m happy for my wife and my little boy. Sorry I couldn’t do it for my teammates like I did for my wife this morning,” said Gould, who arrived in Minnesota about six hours before the game.
Giants 24, Redskins 17
WASHINGTON — The host Redskins (3-9) were eliminated from contention as their defense of the NFC East title was a dud.
Eli Manning completed 22 of 28 passes for 235 yards, and Justin Tuck had four sacks to help shut down Robert Griffin III in the second half. Andre Brown had a pair of touchdown runs, including a 1-yarder early in the fourth quarter that put the Giants ahead for good.
Griffin was 16 for 17 at halftime, but he went 8 for 15 in the second half, and the Redskins managed only 95 total yards after halftime.
Game officials appeared to mismanage the downs on Washington’s final series, indicating that the Redskins made a first down before reversing the decision despite moving the chains and switching the down markers.
Patriots, 34-31
New England7 0 14 13— 34
Houston10777—31
First Quarter
Hou—Tate 8 run (Bullock kick), 8:44.
Hou—FG Bullock 43, 4:10.
NE—Gronkowski 23 pass from Brady
(Gostkowski kick), 1:25.
Second Quarter
Hou—Tate 20 run (Bullock kick),
1:47.
Third Quarter
NE—Develin 1 run (Gostkowski kick),
12:41.
NE—Vereen 9 pass from Brady
(Gostkowski kick), 8:06.
Hou—Keenum 5 run (Bullock kick),
2:11.
Fourth Quarter
NE—Blount 7 run (Gostkowski kick),
13:09.
Hou—Tate 10 run (Bullock kick),
11:35.
NE—FG Gostkowski 53, 7:16.
NE—FG Gostkowski 53, 3:12.
A—71,769.
———
NE Hou
First downs 28 19
Total Net Yards 453 385
Rushes-yards 27-88 28-121
Passing 365 264
Punt Returns 1-11 1-6
Kickoff Returns 6-149 2-71
Interceptions Ret. 1-2 1-31
Comp-Att-Int 29-41-115-30-1
Sacked-Yards Lost 1-6 1-8
Punts 3-44.0 3-44.7
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 0-0 2-25
Time of Possession 33:45 26:14
———
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—New England, Blount 12-
44, Vereen 10-38, Develin 2-4, Bolden 3-2. Houston, Tate 22-102,
D.Johnson 3-13, Keenum 3-6.
PASSING—New England, Brady 29-
41-1-371. Houston, Keenum 15-30-
1-272.
RECEIVING—New England, Edelman
9-101, Gronkowski 6-127, Amendola
5-54, Vereen 5-37, Bolden 1-18,
Thompkins 1-16, Develin 1-12, Boyce
1-6. Houston, A.Johnson 8-121, Graham 3-36, Hopkins 2-77, Martin 1-
27, D.Johnson 1-11.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—New England, Gostkowski 55 (WR).
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