Rams Best Bucs, Bears Fall, NFL Roundup

Rams Best Bucs

(St. Louis, MO) -- Zac Stacy ran for 104 yards and a touchdown as the Rams beat the Buccaneers 23-13 at the Edward Jones Dome. Wide receiver Stedman Bailey added a 27-yard TD run for the 7-and-8 Rams, who close out the season next Sunday in Seattle. Kellen Clemens finished 16-of-20 for 158  yards, while Greg Zuerlein nailed all three of his field goal tries including a 54-yarder in the victory. Mike Glennon was 16-of-26 for 158 yards for Tampa, which ends the year at New Orleans next weekend. Bobby Rainey scored the lone touchdown for the Bucs in the first quarter but was held to just 37 yards on 20 carries in defeat.

Rams defensive end Robert Quinn had three sacks in the win over Tampa Bay. That gives him 18 on the season and the franchise single-season record in that category. Teammates Chris Long and William Hayes carried Quinn off the field at the Edward Jones Dome.

The St. Louis Rams lost left tackle Jake Long to a knee injury in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. He was carted off the field, and head coach Jeff Fisher believes its a torn ACL. Long has started all 15 games this season after signing a four-year deal with St. Louis this past offseason. Long was selected first overall in 2008 out of Michigan by the Miami Dolphins.

Eagles Soar Past Bears

(Philadelphia, PA) -- LeSean McCoy ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns on just 18 carries to lead the Eagles in a 54-11 rout of the Bears at Lincoln Financial Field. Bryce Brown added 115 yards and a TD on nine carries for Philadelphia, which improved to 9-6. Nick Foles threw for 230 yards and two scores and Brandon Boykin returned an interception 54 yards for a TD in the win. Jay Cutler threw for 222 yards with a touchdown and interception for Chicago, which dipped to 8-7. Both teams face must-win situations heading into Week 17. The Bears will host the Packers with the NFC North title on the line while the Eagles travel to play the Cowboys with the NFC East crown at stake.

The Bears face a win-and-in situation heading into next week's game against the Packers.  Chicago will need a victory to secure the NFC North title, while a loss would send the Bears home without a playoff berth.  The game time has been flexed and kickoff is now set for 3:25 p.m. from Soldier Field.

Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton was arrested early Sunday for assault and public intoxication in Texas. The incident reportedly happened after an altercation with a bartender. Melton has been on injured reserve since suffering a knee injury in late September.

Bills Blank Dolphins

(Orchard Park, NY) -- Dan Carpenter nailed four field goals to help Buffalo beat Miami 19-0 in upstate New York. Fred Jackson had the Bills' lone touchdown in the second quarter on a nine-yard run. He ended with 111 yards while C.J. Spiller had 77 yards in the win. Thad Lewis threw for 193 yards and an interception for Buffalo, which improved to 6-9. Ryan Tannehill threw for 82 yards before leaving after getting sacked. Matt Moore filled in with 53 yards and two picks for Miami, which slipped to 8-7. The Dolphins must win and get help next week in order to earn a wild card berth.

Bengals Blast Vikings

(Cincinnati, OH) -- Andy Dalton tossed for 366 yards and four touchdowns to sink the Vikings 42-14 in Ohio. The Bengals also clinched the AFC North with Baltimore's loss. BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 24 yards and a touchdown for Cincinnati, which improved to 10-5 and 7-0 at home. A.J. Green posted seven catches for 97 yards and two scores in the win. Matt Cassel threw for 114 yards, one TD and three interceptions, including one that was returned for a score. Adrian Peterson was held to 45 yards on 11 carries for Minnesota, which dropped to 4-10-1.

Colts Crush Chiefs

(Kansas City, MO) -- Andrew Luck threw for 241 yards and a touchdown to lift the Colts to a 23-7 win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Donald Brown rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown for Indianapolis. Brown also had 31 yards and the TD from Luck as the Colts upped their mark to 10-5. Alex Smith tossed for 153 yards and two interceptions for Kansas City, which slipped to 11-4 and is locked into the AFC's fifth seed after Denver won the AFC West. Jamaal Charles rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Jets Cruise By Browns

(East Rutherford, NJ) -- Geno Smith threw two touchdowns and rushed for another as the Jets topped the Browns 24-13 at MetLife Stadium. Smith tossed for 214 yards and rushed for 48 yards for New York, which improved to 7-8. Chris Ivory ran for 109 yards in the win. David Nelson hauled in both touchdowns from Smith. Jason Campbell threw for 178 yards and an interception for Cleveland, which dropped to 4-11. Edwin Baker rushed for 64 yards and a TD in the setback.

Cowboys Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

(Landover, MD) -- DeMarco Murray's 10-yard touchdown catch with 1:08 to go lifted the Cowboys a 24-23 win over the Redskins at FedEx Field and kept their playoff hopes alive. Tony Romo finished 17-of-27 for 226 yards with two TD's and an interception for Dallas, which improved to 8-7 and can clinch the NFC East with a home win over Philadelphia in next Sunday's finale. Murray also scored on the ground and ended with 96 yards, while Dez Bryant had four catches for 73 yards and a TD in the victory. Kirk Cousins was 21-of-36 for 197 yards with a TD and a pick for the 'Skins, who fell to 3-12 with their seventh straight loss. Pierre Garcon had 11 catches for 144 yards and a score and Alfred Morris had 24 carries for 88 yards and a TD in the setback.

Panthers Clinch Playoff Berth With Win Over Saints

(Charlotte, NC) -- The Carolina Panthers have clinched their first playoff berth since 2008 following a 17-13 win over the Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Cam Newton found Domenik Hixon for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left to lift the Panthers into sole possession of first place in the NFC South, one game ahead of the Saints.  A win next week at Atlanta would give Carolina the number-two seed in the NFC and an opening round bye. DeAngelo Williams had 12 carries for 67 yards including a 43-yard TD run. Drew Brees finished 30-of-44 for 281 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Saints, who fell to 10-5. Jimmy Graham had five catches for 73 yards and New Orleans' lone TD in the setback.

Titans Top Jaguars

(Jacksonville, FL) -- Nate Washington hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick early in the fourth quarter to lift the Titans to a 20-16 win over the Jaguars in Florida. Fitzpatrick ended with 181 yards and an interception for Tennessee, which improved to 6-9. Washington had six grabs for 117 yards in the win.  Shonn Greene rushed for 91 yards and a TD for the Titans. Chad Henne tossed for 237 yards, two scores and a pick for Jacksonville, which slipped to 4-11. Marcedes Lewis and Mike Brown both had a TD grab in defeat.

Manning, Broncos Crush Texans

(Houston, TX) -- Peyton Manning is back in the record books after throwing for four touchdowns and 400 yards to guide the Broncos to a 37-13 win over the Texans in Houston. Manning broke the single-season touchdown mark set by Tom Brady in 2007. Manning has 51 on the year with one week to play. Eric Decker had 10 catches for 131 yards and two TDs while Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas both had a TD grab for Denver, which locked up the AFC West with Kansas City's loss. Matt Schaub tossed for 176 yards, a touchdown and two picks for Houston, which has lost 13 in-a-row to dip to 2-13. Denver is 12-3.

Giants Boot Lions From Playoff Picture

(Detroit, MI) -- Josh Brown's 45-yard field goal midway through overtime gave the Giants a 23-20 win over the Lions at Ford Field. Detroit's free fall continued as it lost its fifth game in the past six and were eliminated from playoff contention.  Eli Manning completed 23 of 42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception. Will Hill returned an intercepted Matthew Stafford pass 38 yards for the game-tying touchdown with 4:57 to play in regulation time. Jerrel Jernigan caught six passes for 80 yards including a touchdown for New York, which improved to 6-9.

Cardinals Stun Seahawks

(Seattle, WA) -- Michael Floyd made a difficult catch for a 31-yard touchdown with 2:20 to play, and the Cardinals kept their playoff hopes alive with a 17-10 win over the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Arizona ended Seattle's home winning streak at 14 games. The Cards improved to 10-and-5 and control their own postseason destiny if the San Francisco 49ers lose on "Monday Night Football." Carson Palmer threw four interceptions, but finished with 178 passing yards in the rain.  Arizona's defense held the Seahawks to 192 total yards. Russell Wilson was 11-of-27 for 108 yards with a TD and a pick. Seattle is 12-3 but can clinch the NFC West title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win next week at home against St. Louis.

Steelers Top Packers To Keep Slim Playoff Hopes Alive

(Green Bay, WI) -- Le'Veon Bell ran for 124 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with 1:28 to go as the Steelers topped the Packers 38-31 at Lambeau Field.  Ben Roethlisberger finished 16-of-28 for 167 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and also ran in for a score for Pittsburgh, which improved to 7-8 and kept its slim playoff hopes alive. The Steelers need a home win over Cleveland in Week 17 and losses by Miami, Baltimore and San Diego to sneak into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the AFC. Antonio Brown had six catches for 105 yards, while Matt Spaeth and Emmanuel Sanders both had TD grabs in the victory.  Cortez Allen added a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Steelers. Matt Flynn was 21-of-39 for 232 yards with a TD and a pick for the Packers, who can still win the NFC North with a win at Chicago in the final week. Eddie Lacy ran for 84 yards and two scores in the setback.

Chargers Double Up Raiders

(San Diego, CA) -- The Chargers kept their postseason hopes alive with a 26-13 win over the Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. Ryan Mathews rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries and Nick Novak made four field goals.  San Diego improved to 8-and-7 with their third straight win. The Chargers need a win at home against Kansas City next week plus losses from the Ravens and Dolphins to earn a wild card berth. The Raiders' Darren McFadden ran for only eight yards in the game but scored a touchdown. Oakland fell to 4-11 with its fifth straight loss.

Patriots Pummel Ravens In Baltimore

(Baltimore, MD) -- LeGarrette Blount ran for 76 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots rolled to a 41-7 win over the Ravens in Baltimore. Tom Brady threw for 172 yards with a touchdown as New England improved to 11-and-4 and kept pace with the Broncos for the AFC's best record. The Pats had already clinched the AFC East when the Dolphins lost earlier in the day. Chandler Jones recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD while Tavon Wilson returned a Tyrod Taylor interception 74 yards for a score in the final minutes to seal the win. Joe Flacco threw for 260 yards with two interceptions for Baltimore. The Ravens fell to 8-7 and must win next week and rely on a loss from either Miami or San Diego to earn a wild card berth.

49ers Face Falcons On "MNF"

(San Francisco, CA) -- The San Francisco 49ers will bring down the curtain on Candlestick Park when they host the Atlanta Falcons on "Monday Night Football." The 49ers will move into the new Levi Stadium in Santa Clara next season. San Francisco is riding a four-game winning streak that has them at 10-4 on the season. This game is a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game in Atlanta, where the 49ers posted a 28-24 win to advance to the Super Bowl. It's the final road game of the season for the Falcons, who are 1-6 away from home. Atlanta is just 4-and-10 overall and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2009.

Sunday, December 22 Scoreboard

NFL

Buffalo Bills 19, Miami Dolphins 0

Cincinnati Bengals 42, Minnesota Vikings 14

Indianapolis Colts 23, Kansas City Chiefs 7

St. Louis Rams 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13

Carolina Panthers 17, New Orleans Saints 13

New York Jets 24, Cleveland Browns 13

Dallas Cowboys 24, Washington Redskins 23

Tennessee Titans 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 16

Denver Broncos 37, Houston Texans 13

New York Giants 23, Detroit Lions 20 (OT)

Arizona Cardinals 17, Seattle Seahawks 10

Pittsburgh Steelers 38, Green Bay Packers 31

San Diego Chargers 26, Oakland Raiders 13

New England Patriots 41, Baltimore Ravens 7

Philadelphia Eagles 54, Chicago Bears 11

Monday, December 23 Schedule (Time Central)

NFL

7:30 p.m. - Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers