Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels threw three touchdowns, including the overtime game-winner, as the Washington Commanders reached the playoffs with a dramatic 30-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The result, on the penultimate week of the season, also meant that the Los Angeles Rams enter the playoffs as NFC West divisional champions.
In a fascinating battle of two talented rookie quarterbacks, with Daniels up against Atlanta’s Michael Penix, it went down to the wire.
Down 24-17 with 1:19 left, Atlanta tied up the game when Penix, who had led an excellent 12 play, 68-yard drive, found Kyle Pitts with a 13-yard pass into the end-zone.
Washington failed to make first down, giving Atlanta a chance to win the game in the final seconds and they had an even bigger chance when a pass interference penalty left the Falcons with a 56-yard field goal for a walk-off win.
But Riley Patterson’s attempt landed short, sending the game into overtime.
Daniels marched down field, putting together a 12-play, 70-yard drive, winning the game by zipping the touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz to set off the celebrations.
“To be able to play with Jayden at the end of my career is such a blessing for me,” said Ertz.
“The whole league should be on notice with him. Everyone loves playing with him, he’s the ultimate team guy, the ultimate leader and he just gave me a chance at the end of the game,” he said.
The Philadelphia Eagles, without their starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, clinched the NFC East division title, handing the Dallas Cowboys a humiliating 41-7 defeat.
The damage to the Cowboys, who gave up four turnovers, was done by the Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley who put up 167 yards on 31 carries to pass the 2,000 yard mark for the season.
Barkley, who has 2,005 yards, needs to put up 101 yards next week to break Eric Dickerson’s record for the most rushing yards in a season, set for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.
The win means the Eagles are guaranteed at least the number two seed in the NFC.
The Buffalo Bills take the second seed in the AFC, behind the Kansas City Chiefs, after a 40-14 win against the New York Jets.
The Bills led 12-0 at the half before their quarterback Josh Allen took total control of the game with touchdown passes to Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman either side of a rushing score from James Cook.
Allen, who threw for 182 yards, had opened the scoring with a one-yard rush.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions and was sacked four times.
The Minnesota Vikings remain in contention for the NFC’s top seed after they edged NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers 27-25.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw touchdown passes to Jordan Addison and Cam Akers in the third quarter to open up a 27-10 lead but then the Packers came alive.
Carrington Valentine intercepted a Darnold pass intended for T.J. Hockenson and that pick proved to be a momentum shift.
The Packers scored on the next possession with Josh Jacobs’s two-yard rush and although Darnold’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers restored the 17-point lead, the Packers sensed a comeback was possible.
Emanuel Wilson rushed in from five yards and then Jordan Love found Malik Heath with a three-yard pass to make it a two point game with 2:19 left.
But Darnold, who threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns, handled the pressure well as he saw the Vikings to the finish line.
Bucs, Dolphins stay alive
Minnesota’s final game of the regular season is against divisional rivals the Detroit Lions and will be a decider for the conference top seed.
The Indianapolis Colts were eliminated from playoff contention after falling 45-33 to the 3-13 New York Giants.
While the Giants had nothing to play for, quarterback Drew Lock enjoyed himself — he matched his career high of four touchdown passes and rushed for another score as the Giants ended their 10-game losing streak.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their post-season hopes alive as Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers.
The Miami Dolphins also remain in contention after back-up Tyler Huntley, standing in for the injured Tua Tagovailoa, threw for 225 yards and a passing and rushing touchdown in a 20-3 win over the Cleveland.
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