The New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals clinched division titles and playoff spots but in a stunning upset, the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts lost to the New York Jets on Sunday.
The Colts, unbeaten in 14 starts this year and 23 regular season games in total, finally crashed to a 29-15 loss at home on the regular season’s penultimate weekend.
The Jets scored 19 consecutive points after the Colts had taken a 15-10 lead and pulled quarterback Peyton Manning and several other starters.
“Our guys played great. We found a way to win,” Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters. “We were just going to line up and play, whoever was out there.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell downplayed the loss.
“A perfect season has never been one of our goals,” Caldwell said, adding that the playoffs were more important.
In other NFL action, the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys advanced to the post-season and defending Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh kept their slim playoff hopes alive.
But the playoff-bound New Orleans Saints joined the Colts in posting a surprising home loss, falling to Tampa Bay 20-17.
The Patriots’ (10-5) Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns, three to Randy Moss, to help his team beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8) 35-7 at Foxborough, Massachusetts, and wrap up the AFC East title for the seventh time in nine years.
Cincinnati (10-5) needed a six-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Chad Ochocinco with 2:03 left to claim the AFC North championship with a 17-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs (3-12).
A 38-yard field goal by Jeff Reed with 5:25 remaining ensured champions Pittsburgh (8-7) will take their playoff hopes into the final round as the Steelers knocked off the error-prone Baltimore Ravens (8-7) 23-20. Both teams remain in the picture for an AFC wildcard into the playoffs.
Houston (8-7) also kept its slender playoff hopes alive by outlasting the Miami Dolphins 27-20 in Miami.
Green Bay (10-5) earned a playoff spot thanks to a 48-10 rout of the Seattle Seahawks (5-10) in Wisconsin and the New York Giants’ 41-9 loss to the Carolina Panthers (7-8).
New Orleans (13-2) stumbled to give visiting Tampa Bay just their third for the season.
The Saints, who won their first 13, can still claim the NFC’s top seeding and the home-field playoff advantage by defeating the Panthers at Charlotte next Sunday.
Dallas’ (10-5) 17-0 thrashing of the Washington Redskins (4-11) gave them a playoff spot and set up a showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) for the NFC East title next Sunday.
The Eagles, who along with the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals clinched NFC playoff berths before the weekend, held onto their lead in the NFC East with a 30-27 win over the Denver Broncos (8-7).
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