Jan 3, 2016 7 min read

Peyton Manning replaced Brock Osweiler in the third quarter Sunday and led the Broncos a 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers that clinched the top seed in the AFC playoffs for Denver.

Combined with New England’s loss at Miami, the Broncos (12-4) secured the No. 1 seed even as they head into the playoffs with a quarterback quandary on their hands.

The Chargers (4-12) wrapped up what might have been their final season representing San Diego as ownership tries to move the team to L.A.

The Broncos were facing the possibility of tumbling into the wild-card round because of Kansas City’s 10th consecutive win, 23-17 over Oakland, when Manning came to the rescue.

Miami 20, New England 10: Tom Brady was sacked twice and knocked down at least half a dozen times, and New England missed a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Brady watched New England’s final offensive series from the sideline. With the Patriots eager to protect his health, he threw a season-low 21 passes, but even so was lucky to make it through the game in one piece.

New England (12-4) ends up as a No. 2 seed after Denver defeated San Diego to earn the top seed.

Houston 30, Jacksonville 6: J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus led the defense and Jonathan Grimes scored twice to help the Texans clinch the AFC South.

Houston will host Kansas City next weekend in the a wild-card game.

Grimes had a 12-yard touchdown reception and added a 3-yard rushing score in the second quarter to help Houston take a 20-3 lead by halftime. Kareem Jackson added a score on an interception return in the fourth quarter to pad the lead.

Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 16: AJ McCarron overcame a rough start and threw a pair of touchdown passes.

The Bengals (12-4) matched the best record in franchise history – they also won 12 games during the 1981 and 1988 seasons when they reached the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati will host Pittsburgh next weekend in a wild-card game.

Carolina 38, Tampa Bay 10: Cam Newton ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more, and Carolina captured the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time.

Newton tied Steve Young’s NFL record for most career TDs rushing by a quarterback with 43. Young took 15 seasons to reach that plateau; Newton did it in five.

Newton completed 21 of 26 passes for 293 yards as Carolina (15-1) overcame a slow start to build a 31-3 lead in the third quarter.

Rookie Devin Funchess had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown and Cameron Artis-Payne ran for 44 yards and a score as Carolina won its 11th straight home game.

Kansas City 23, Oakland 17: Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes, Kansas City sacked Derek Carr six times, and the Chiefs collected a franchise-best 10th straight win.

The Chiefs are headed to Houston for a wild-card game next weekend after Denver won the AFC West with its win over San Diego.

Regardless, the Chiefs (11-5) are somehow in the dance after a 1-5 start.

Seattle 36, Arizona 6: Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in a second-quarter outburst and Seattle snapped Arizona’s nine-game winning streak.

Seattle will play at either Washington or Minnesota in the wild card round next weekend, depending on the outcome of Sunday night’s game between the Vikings and Green Bay.

The Seahawks (10-6) dominated from their opening possession and led 30-6 at the half.

It was a sour end to the regular season for the NFC West champion Cardinals (13-3), who already had clinched the NFC’s No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye.

Tyler Lockett set up three of Seattle’s four first-half touchdowns – with punt returns of 66 and 42 yards and a 36-yard reception.

Philadelphia 35, N.Y. Giants 30: The New York Giants suffered another tough loss in what may have been coach Tom Coughlin’s final game.

Former Giant Walter Thurmond scored on an 83-yard fumble return in the third quarter and Philadelphia added to Coughlin’s season-long frustrations.

It was the third straight loss for the Giants (6-10) and finished a third straight losing season and a fourth straight year out of the playoffs.

After meeting with Eagles interim coach Pat Shurmur at midfield, Coughlin walked off the field, waving to the crowd just before walking into the tunnel.

Coughlin, who led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in his 12 seasons, has a year left on his contract. His future is expected to be decided soon by co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch.

Washington 34, Dallas 23: Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns before leaving late in the first half of a playoff tuneup.

Cousins broke Jay Shroeder’s franchise record for yards passing in a season, finishing with 4,166. Had the game mattered, he might have threatened Sonny Jurgensen’s 48-year-old team record of 31 touchdown passes, instead settling for 29.

The Redskins (9-7) won four straight to finish the season, their longest streak since winning the last seven the last time they made the playoffs in 2012. The NFC East champions will be the No. 4 seed on wild-card weekend.

Indianpolis 30, Tennessee 24: Recently signed Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley each threw a touchdown pass in the first half and Jerrell Freeman scored on a 23-yard interception in the second for the Colts.

The Colts (8-8) won their last two games to avoid the first losing season since 2011, but didn’t get the help they needed – a Houston loss and seven other games to go the right way – to make the postseason.

New Orleans 20, Atlanta 17: Jamarca Sanford’s interception at the Atlanta 25 with less than two minutes remaining set up Kai Forbath’s 30-yard field goal as time expired.

Sanford cut in front of Devonta Freeman for the interception with 1:47 remaining.

Detroit 24, Chicago 20: Matthew Stafford threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and Calvin Johnson had 137 yards receiving for the Lions.

Detroit (7-9) avoided a last-place finish in the NFC North with its sixth win in eight games. Whether the Lions bring back coach Jim Caldwell for a third season remains to be seen.

He led them to a rare playoff appearance last year, but a 1-7 start put his future in doubt.

San Francisco 19, St. Louis 16, OT: Phil Dawson kicked a 23-yard field goal 11:33 into overtime for his fourth of the game to lift San Francisco in what might have been Jim Tomsula’s last game as coach.

Dawson came through after Greg Zuerlein’s 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Dontae Johnson, giving San Francisco the ball back with 4:49 to play.

Blaine Gabbert passed for 354 yards and a 33-yard touchdown for the 49ers (5-11), who avoided their worst finish since 4-12 in 2005.