SEATTLE — The Minnesota Vikings won in Seattle for the first time since 2006. They remain in control of their destiny for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and they’ve got two 13-win seasons in three years, as they head home for a showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

Take a deep breath, Vikings fans.

The Vikings rallied for a 27-24 win over the ...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes are still alive … for now.

They made sure of that by surviving Sunday’s contest against the San Francisco 49ers when they hung on for a 29-17 victory at Hard Rock Stadium.

Jason Sanders went a perfect 5 for 5 on field goals and the Dolphins (7-8) found the end zone twice, sealing the outcome ...Read more

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The New England Patriots came out far more competitive than anyone expected but still wound up disappointing in a 24-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots squandered a 14-point lead in the Week 16 loss to the Bills at Highmark Stadium. Jerod Mayo is now 3-12 to begin his first season as Patriots head coach.

The ...Read more

LANDOVER, Md. — This is what the Philadelphia Eagles look like without Jalen Hurts:

Nineteen points in 54 minutes, against a pretty bad defense. Twelve points, really. No discipline. No leadership. A collapse. A loss. The end of a 10-game winning streak.

That comprised the entire production Sunday for the 11 drives begun by backup Kenny ...Read more

LANDOVER, Md. — Jalen Hurts left the game with a concussion. His replacement, Kenny Pickett, threw a touchdown and an interception. Saquon Barkley topped 100 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.

Eagles players had to be separated from their Washington Commanders counterparts multiple times by the game’s officials.

All of that happened ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic that several of his injured players, including top receiver George Pickens, will return for Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tomlin said Pickens, safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Donte Jackson, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and backup quarterback Justin Fields all have ...Read more

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It could not have been a sweeter way to come back.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee played Sunday for the first time since suffering a major knee injury in last season’s NFC wild-card playoff game.

He endured 11 months of rehabilitation from knee and shoulder surgeries.

So Higbee enjoyed himself after he ...Read more

CHICAGO — How's that for a response?

After having their 11-game win streak snapped against the Buffalo Bills, the Detroit Lions showed no mercy against a desolate Chicago Bears squad at Soldier Field on Sunday, racing out to a 20-point lead before pulling away in the second half of a 34-17 Lions victory.

Detroit scored on its first six ...Read more

ATLANTA — Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was steady in his first NFL start and received a major boost from the defense as the Falcons routed the lowly New York Giants 34-7 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Falcons improved to 8-7, while the Giants dropped to 2-13.

Penix, who was victimized by some dropped passes, directed two ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — Millions have journeyed to Boston through the decades just to see Fenway Park. Regardless of one’s favorite team, a sporting life would not be truly complete without seeing baseball played in a ballpark opened in 1912 for that purpose and so tightly woven in its history.

But from the beginning, a grid was laid out when it ...Read more

I’m gonna take a wild guess and say I didn’t see the Steelers’ 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens like a lot of other people did.

I didn’t see it as some kind of unforgivable disaster. It wasn’t. The Steelers still control their divisional fate, and the playoffs are what really matter, anyway.

I was actually encouraged in some ways. ...Read more

SEATTLE — Two answers, both sincere, but just one got it right.

The first came from Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf when speaking about the hometown support.

“I looked around and there were a lot of Green Bay fans. They did a great job traveling, but just wishing us 12s didn’t sell as many tickets as they did to make sure we kept the home-...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Much of the focus of Travis Kelce’s foundation is helping kids in Kansas City.

The Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation has long supported Operation Breakthrough in particular. That non-profit’s goal is “to provide a safe, loving and educational environment for children in poverty and to empower their families through ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What with managing a high-ankle sprain through a short week and all, Patrick Mahomes anticipated adapting to the reality of that on Saturday when the Chiefs played host to the Houston Texans.

Among other concessions, the Chiefs quarterback said, “my plan was to not run.”

Turned out that was more a guideline than a rule...Read more

BALTIMORE — Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey didn’t view the Pittsburgh Steelers as a hump Baltimore needed to get over, even though the AFC North rivals had won eight of nine matchups going into Saturday’s crucial divisional showdown at M&T Bank Stadium.

Finally, the Ravens did it anyway. And it was Humphrey who delivered the knockout ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One more for No. 1.

The Chiefs beat the Texans, 27-19, in a rare Saturday afternoon appearance, and they now need just one win in their last two games to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

It wasn’t the ugly game some had anticipated — myself included — and Patrick Mahomes seemed unbothered by an ankle injury that ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are just one small step away from the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-week bye in the playoffs.

They took that significant step Saturday thanks to a rejuvenated offense — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes gutting through a mild high-ankle sprain in a 27-19 home victory over the Houston Texans on ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears have pledged to cast a wide net in their head coach search, and it stands to reason the franchise’s most attractive asset, quarterback Caleb Williams, could lead them to an offensive mind.

A prospect with a defensive background likely would have to blow the Bears away with a detailed plan centered around Williams...Read more