NFL Playoffs coming soon
The Miami Dolphins were eliminated from contention for the playoffs despite their win over the Minnesota Vikings but the Dallas Cowboys made it back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2009 season when they crushed the Indianapolis Colts 42-7 on Sunday to claim the NFC East title. Tony Romo passed for three touchdowns in the first half, and four for the game, as he completed 18 of 20 throws for 218 yards to become the Cowboys’ all-time passing leader. Dallas won their third straight to improve to 11-4. Dallas’ win, along with the Eagles’ defeat on Saturday, clinched the Seattle Seahawks a place in the post-season. Indianapolis, already playoff bound as the AFC South champions, had a four-game winning streak interrupted. The Colts (10-5) did not score until less than six minutes from the end of the game. The Cowboys, five-time Super Bowl winners, have not advanced to the title game since the 1995 season when they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers for the championship.
The Steelers and the Green Bay Packers both qualified for the playoffs after recording wins. The Steelers (10-5) beat Kansas City 20-12 to secure at least a wild-card berth and will win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati next Sunday. The Bengals (9-4-1) host Denver (11-3) on Monday night. Green Bay defeated Tampa Bay 20-3 and will go to Lambeau Field for next Sunday’s showdown with Detroit for the NFC North crown. Both are 11-4 after the Lions won 20-14 at Chicago. With their wins in Week 16, the Falcons (6-9) and Panthers (6-8-1) set up a winner-take-all game for the NFC South next Sunday at Atlanta. Carolina beat Cleveland 17-13, and Atlanta defeated New Orleans 30-14. New England earned an AFC first-round bye with its 17-16 victory at the New York Jets. Still alive in the AFC are Baltimore (9-6), whose loss to Houston (8-7) also kept the Texans in contention; Kansas City (8-7); and San Diego (9-6), who won on Saturday night at San Francisco.