NFL Notebook: Seven Hits From Sunday Week 16

12/22/2014

Let's take a look at seven highlights from games played on Sunday, the 16th week of the 2014 season.

In the AFC, four of six playoff teams have been decided. The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (AFC East, 12-3), DENVER BRONCOS (AFC West, 11-3) and INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (AFC South, 10-5) have clinched division titles. The PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-5) secured a playoff berth today with a 20-12 win against Kansas City. The CINCINNATI BENGALS (9-4-1), who host Denver on Monday Night Football, can advance to the postseason with a win. New England, which defeated the New York Jets 17-16, has clinched a first-round bye and will secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs if Cincinnati beats Denver tomorrow. The Broncos will clinch a first-round bye with a win against the Bengals.

In Week 17, Cincinnati will play at Pittsburgh to decide the AFC North division title.

In the NFC, five teams have clinched a playoff berth: the ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-3), DETROIT LIONS (11-4), DALLAS COWBOYS (11-4), GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-4) and SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-4).

Arizona can secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a win tonight over Seattle. Dallas clinched the NFC East with a 42-7 win over Indianapolis. Detroit, who won 20-14 at Chicago, secured a playoff berth last night. Green Bay clinched a playoff spot with a 20-3 win at Tampa Bay. Seattle, who plays at Arizona tonight, locked up a playoff berth today with the results from other games.

In Week 17, Detroit will play at Green Bay with the NFC North division title on the line and the NFC South will be decided when the ATLANTA FALCONS host the CAROLINA PANTHERS.

The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS clinched a first-round playoff bye with a 17-16 road win against the New York Jets. The Patriots have earned a first-round bye for the fifth consecutive season, the longest streak of any NFL team since the current playoff format began in 1990, surpassing Dallas (1992-95) and San Francisco (1992-95). BILL BELICHICK earned his 230th career win, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer CURLY LAMBEAU (229) for the fourth-most total victories by a head coach in NFL history.

Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS passed for 318 yards and a touchdown in the Packers’ 20-3 win at Tampa Bay. Rodgers has passed for 4,155 yards and 36 touchdowns, his third career season with at least 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. He is tied with DREW BREES for the second-most such seasons in NFL history, trailing PEYTON MANNING (four).

Packers running back EDDIE LACY rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown, pushing his season totals to 1,039 rushing yards and 13 scrimmage touchdowns. Lacy is the first player in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards and score 10+ scrimmage touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.

Dallas wide receiver DEZ BRYANT had a 19-yard touchdown catch in the Cowboys’ 42-7 win over Indianapolis. Bryant has a touchdown catch in 12 consecutive games against the AFC, extending the longest interconference streak since the 1970 merger.

Detroit wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON had six catches for 103 yards in the Lions’ 20-14 win at Chicago. Johnson now has 44 career 100-yard receiving games, the second-most in a player’s first eight NFL seasons. Only RANDY MOSS (45) has more.

Lions head coach JIM CALDWELL notched his 11th win, tying POTSY CLARK for the most victories by a first-year head coach in franchise history. Clark won 11 games (11-3) for the 1931 Portsmouth Spartans.

New York Giants rookie wide receiver ODELL BECKHAM, JR. had eight catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 37-27 win at St. Louis. He has 79 receptions, the most in NFL history for a player in his first 11 career games.

Beckham is the first rookie in NFL history with at least 130 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in three consecutive games.
Beckham (11) and Tampa Bay’s MIKE EVANS (11) each have at least 10 receiving touchdowns, the first time in NFL history two rookie wide receivers have done so in the same season.

Houston wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON had six receptions for 65 yards in the Texans’ 25-13 win against Baltimore, becoming the 10th player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career catches. Johnson, who has 1,002 receptions in 168 career games, is the second-fastest player to reach 1,000 catches, trailing only MARVIN HARRISON, who reached the milestone in 167 games. Johnson also surpassed HINES WARD (1,000) for No. 9 on the all-time receptions list.

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