As the NFL playoffs approach, each game takes on more and more importance.
In Week 15, with urgency mounting, select teams were looking for wins to improve their playoff prospects and build momentum heading into January.
The NFC South division battle remains tight, both conferences’ Wild Card races are just getting started, and teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, both coming off heart-breaking losses, are looking to hit the top gear.
Here’s a look at the early window of Sunday’s action.
CHIEFS 27, PATRIOTS 17
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Running back Jerick McKinnon threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and Patrick Mahomes passed for 305 yards and two scores to help Kansas City beat the New England Patriots 27-17 on Sunday in front of Chiefs superfan Taylor Swift.
With the pop star — and a whole bunch of Swifties — in the crowd, the defending Super Bowl champions snapped a two-game losing streak and maintained control of the AFC West race. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, who is in a relationship with Swift, caught five passes for 28 yards, but also had a potential touchdown bounce off his hands.
Bailey Zappe, making his third straight start in place of benched first-round draft pick Mac Jones, completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards for the Patriots. New England (3-11) lost for the sixth time in seven games and remains in contention for one of the top two picks in next year’s NFL draft.
BROWNS 20, BEARS 17
CLEVELAND (AP) — Joe Flacco passed for 374 yards and led Cleveland to 13 points in the fourth quarter, including Dustin Hopkins’ go-ahead 34-yard field goal with 32 seconds left, and the Browns withstood a Hail Mary on the final play to beat the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday.
Flacco was intercepted three times but made some brilliant throws in the closing minutes to rally the Browns, including a 51-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper with 3:08 left that tied it at 17-all.
The Browns (9-5) got the ball back with 1:50 left and the 38-year-old Flacco, who was signed on Nov. 20 and made his third start for Cleveland, completed two passes to tight end David Njoku for 65 yards to set up Hopkins’ kick.
After blowing a 17-7, fourth-quarter lead, the Bears (5-9) nearly pulled off a stunning finish.
With no time left, Chicago quarterback Justin Fields lofted a pass from the 45-yard line to the end zone into a pack of players. Two Browns defenders batted it down, but it went directly to Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who was lying on his back.
The ball bounced in and out of Mooney’s hands and he kicked it into the air, allowing Browns safety D’Anthony Bell to intercept it and avoid catastrophic ending for Cleveland.
DOLPHINS 30, JETS 0
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Raheem Mostert scored two more touchdowns to set Miami’s single-season record with 20, Tua Tagovailoa threw for 224 yards and a score and the Dolphins shut out the New York Jets 30-0 on Sunday without star receiver Tyreek Hill.
Mostert walked into the end zone untouched on a 2-yard run that put AFC East-leading Miami (10-4) ahead 7-0 and gave the ninth-year running back his 17th rushing touchdown of the season — one more than Ricky Williams, who set the record in 2002. The score was also Mostert’s 19th overall, which broke the team record of 18 set by Mark Clayton in 1984.
Tagovailoa was 21 of 24 with an 87.5% completion percentage and a 60-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle. He was replaced by Mike White with 8:32 remaining and the Dolphins up by 30.
A week after Zach Wilson threw for over 300 yards against Houston, the Jets’ third-year quarterback’s day was cut short when he left late in the second quarter with a concussion. New York (5-9) was shut out for the first time since losing 26-0 at Denver in Week 3 of the 2021 season.
TEXANS 19, TITANS 16
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and the Houston Texans rallied from a 13-point deficit without C.J. Stroud to beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 Sunday.
The Texans (8-6) entered the day one spot outside of the AFC’s seven-team playoff field. They kept pace by winning without several key players, including Stroud — their standout rookie quarterback — along with top receiver Nico Collins, right tackle George Fant and a pair of defensive starters out injured.
Case Keenum made his first start since Week 17 of the 2021 season for Cleveland. He filled in for Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick who didn’t practice all week while in the concussion protocol and didn’t travel. Keenum threw for 229 yards and helped Houston outgain the Titans 340-204.
BUCCANEERS 34, PACKERS 20
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight, 34-20 over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Mayfield went 22 of 28 and threw touchdown passes to Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Ko Kieft and David Moore to help the Buccaneers (7-7) keep pace with New Orleans (7-7) atop the NFC North. Mayfield’s passer rating was a perfect 158.3.
Chris Godwin had 10 catches for 155 yards for the Bucs.
Green Bay (6-8) lost its second straight to deal its playoff hopes a major blow. Jordan Love was 29 of 39 for 284 yards with touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.
SAINTS 24, GIANTS 6
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derek Carr passed for 218 yards and three touchdowns, New Orleans sacked Tommy DeVito seven times, and the Saints defeated the New York Giants 24-6 on Sunday.
It was one of the more redemptive performances of the season for Carr, who was booed while struggling in recent home games. Not this time as he connected on 23 of 28 passes without a turnover in one of his most efficient outings of his first season with New Orleans (7-7).
And he did it without top receiver Chris Olave, who was scratched because of an ankle injury.
Carr’s scoring passes went for 7 yards to Keith Kirkwood, 24 to Juwan Johnson and 1 to Jimmy Graham, who caught his third scoring pass in three games.
PANTHERS 9, FALCONS 7
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Eddy Pineiro kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired and the Carolina Panthers defeated Atlanta 9-7 in a steady downpour Sunday, dealing the Falcons playoff hopes a huge blow.
Atlanta (6-8) entered the game tied with New Orleans and Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South, but now find themselves needing help to get into the postseason after the Saints and Buccaneers both won to improve to 7-7.
Bryce Young threw for 167 yards in his second NFL win and Chuba Hubbard ran for 87 yards for Carolina (2-12), which snapped a six-game losing streak.
The Falcons led 7-6 and were driving for more points when Desmond Ridder threw into traffic and was intercepted at the Carolina 5 by safety Xavier Woods. Young, who had struggled all afternoon, led the Panthers on a 17-play, 90-yard drive that took all 7:35 off the clock.
On the final drive, interim coach Chris Tabor took a chance when the Panthers reached the Atlanta 2 by having Young take a knee on three straight plays before sending Pineiro on the field with :01 showing on the clock.
-With files from Sportsnet
