Dolphins knock off Patriots; Vikings end Eagles' winning streak
Dolphins running back Lamar Miller avoids a tackle attempt by Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard during the second half Sunday. (J. Pat Carter / Associated Press / )
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Tom Brady's latest comeback bid came up short, and the Miami Dolphins helped their playoff chances with a 24-20 breakthrough victory Sunday over the AFC East-leading New England Patriots. A fourth-down pass from Brady was intercepted by reserve safety Michael Thomas in the end zone with 2 seconds left, and Miami held on to win. The Patriots had mounted second-half rallies to win their past three games, and Brady moved them from their own 20 with 1:15 remaining to the Miami 14. But he threw three consecutive incompletions before Thomas sealed the third consecutive victory for the Dolphins (8-6), who improved to 5-2 since tackle Jonathan Martin left the team in a bullying scandal. Miami snapped a streak of seven consecutive losses against the Patriots (10-4).
Vikings 48, Eagles 30
MINNEAPOLIS -- Matt Cassel passed for 382 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead the injury-depleted Vikings to a 48-30 victory over Philadelphia, snapping the Eagles' five-game winning streak. With Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart out, Matt Asiata rushed for the first three touchdowns of his career and Greg Jennings caught a career-high 11 passes for 163 yards for the Vikings (4-9-1). Asiata ran for 51 yards on 30 carries. Nick Foles threw for 428 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and DeSean Jackson had 10 catches for 195 yards and a score for the Eagles (8-6). They started the day with a one-game lead over Dallas in the NFC East.
CLEVELAND -- Jay Cutler shook off some early rustiness and threw three touchdown passes in his first start since Nov. 10, leading the Chicago Bears to a 38-31 win over the Cleveland Browns. Cutler, who missed Chicago's previous four games with a sprained left ankle, threw a 4-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett with 5:41 left as Bears (8-6) rallied in the second half and stayed in contention for an NFC playoff spot. Cutler finished 22 of 31 for 265 yards and validated first-year coach Marc Trestman's decision to stick with him over backup Josh McCown, who had played well while filling in for Chicago's starter. The Browns (4-10) scored two defensive touchdowns, but as has been the case in recent weeks, Cleveland couldn't get the big stop when it needed one. The Browns have lost five straight, eight of nine and dropped at least 10 games in six straight seasons.
ATLANTA -- Desmond Trufant deflected Kirk Cousins' pass on a potential winning 2-point conversion with 18 seconds remaining, and the Atlanta Falcons edged the Washington Redskins, 27-26. The Falcons scored 20 points off seven Washington turnovers. The Redskins tied a team record with five lost fumbles. Cousins passed for 381 yards and three touchdowns but had three turnovers in his first start of the season after coach Mike Shanahan decided to bench Robert Griffin III. Griffin watched from the sideline. Cousins' touchdown pass to Santana Moss gave Washington a chance to force overtime by kicking the extra point. Instead, Cousins' attempted go-ahead 2-point pass for Pierre Garcon was deflected by Trufant. Steven Jackson ran for two touchdowns for Atlanta. Alfred Morris had 98 yards rushing but lost two fumbles for Washington.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Marshawn Lynch scored on a twisting 2-yard run, Seattle picked off five Eli Manning passes and manhandled the New York Giants, 23-0. The Seahawks (12-2) have won six times on the road, a franchise best. They're closing in on the NFC West title and their best overall record; they went 13-3 in 2005 before losing to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. This season's Super Bowl will be played at MetLife Stadium and unless they collapse in their final two games at home, where they are undefeated, the Seahawks will be the NFC favorite to reach the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city. New York (5-9) will be deep into its offseason by then with its first losing record since 2004. It was Seattle's first shutout since a 58-0 romp over Arizona on Dec. 9 last year.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Vernon Davis caught a touchdown pass for the fifth straight game and Michael Crabtree scored his first TD since returning from injury to help the San Francisco 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 33-14. The victory was the fourth straight for Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers (10-4), who pulled away for good with a 10-minute, fourth-quarter drive that produced a field goal. Kendall Hunter put it well out of reach, scooping up a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and diving 2 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. Tampa Bay got within 20-14 on Mike Glennon's TD pass to Tim Wright on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Bucs (4-10) didn't get the ball back until after Kaepernick used 17 plays to march the 49ers 77 yards into position for Phil Dawson to kick one of his four field goals.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes, and Robert Mathis broke the Colts' single-season and career sacks records by forcing a second-half safety to lead Indianapolis past reeling Houston, 25-3. It was just what the AFC South champs needed as a playoff tuneup. Luck finished 19 of 32 for 180 yards with one interception and needed only two quarters to put up 20 points, four short of the Colts' combined first-half point total from the previous six games. But the Colts (9-5) did it against a team that has lost 12 straight overall and is 0-12 all-time in Indy. For Houston (2-12), it looked all too familiar. Indy took a 20-3 halftime lead, aided by two interceptions by Case Keenum and too many penalties. Keenum also was stripped of the ball by Mathis in the end zone, which led to the safety. Keenum was 18 of 34 for 168 yards.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- EJ Manuel threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 27-20 victory against the banged-up Jacksonville Jaguars. Manuel bounced back from the worst game of his rookie season - a four-interception performance at Tampa Bay last week - and left the Sunshine State with his first win in five road starts. The former Florida State star didn't do anything spectacular, just dinking and dunking the Jaguars for 193 yards. He also ran for 37 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Bills (5-9) scored 10 points in the final 2:14 of the first half for a 20-10 lead. The Jaguars (4-10) rallied to tie the game in the fourth on Chad Henne's 13-yard TD pass to Marcedes Lewis. Manuel answered, though, capping an 89-yard drive with a 1-yard TD pass to Frank Summers.
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