Associated Press
SEATTLE ó The Seahawks used a stingy defense to become the first sub-.500 division champ in league history with a 16-6 win over St. Louis on Sunday night.
Backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw a 4-yard touchdown pass on Seattleís first drive, and Olindo Mare kicked second-half field goals of 31, 38 and 34 yards. The Seahawks finished as champs of the NFC West at 7-9, the first playoff team with a losing record ó not including the 1982 strike-shortened season ó since the merger in 1970. It was Seattleís first division title since 2007.
Whitehurst finished 22 of 36 for 192 yards making just the second start of his career. He started in place of Matt Hasselbeck, who was active and went through warmups, but didnít play after suffering a hip injury last week against Tampa Bay. (Sum is on 2B.)
49ers 38, Cardinals 7
SAN FRANCISCO ó Alex Smith threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis in what likely was the quarterbackís final hurrah with the 49ers in a matchup for last place in the awful NFC West.
Smith, the 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick who becomes a free agent, threw for 276 yards and two TDs overall and the Niners (6-10) made interim coach Jim Tomsula a winner in what will probably be his only game coaching the team. Tomsula was promoted from his defensive line duties after coach Mike Singletary was fired following a loss last week.
Colts 23, Titans 20
INDIANAPOLIS ó Peyton Manning threw two touchdown passes and Adam Vinatieri made a 43-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Colts their seventh AFC South title in eight years.
The Colts (10-6) tied Dallasí NFL record for most consecutive playoff appearances (nine) and will face the New York Jets next weekend in a wild-card game.
Manning was 27 of 41 for 264 yards and threw his 398th and 399th career TD passes. He set the NFLís single-season record for completions with 450.
But it was Manningís masterful five-play, 37-yard drive that gave Indy its fourth straight win.
Texans 34, Jaguars 17
HOUSTON ó Arian Foster ran for 180 yards to capture the NFL rushing title for Houston.
The Jaguars (8-8) needed a win and a Colts loss to make playoffs, but couldnít overcome the absence of its top two offensive players. Quarterback David Garrard had finger surgery Thursday and Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew sat out with a right knee injury.
Indianapolis wound up winning minutes after the Jaguarsí game ended.
Foster finished with 1,616 yards rushing, the highest single-season total for an undrafted player.
Steelers 41, Browns 9
CLEVELAND ó Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes and Pittsburgh won the AFC North to secure a first-round playoff bye.
The Steelers (12-4) built a 31-3 halftime lead and rocked the rival Browns (5-11), who didnít put up much of a fight in their finale.
Ravens 13, Bengals 7
BALTIMORE ó Ed Reed had two interceptions and Ray Lewis recovered two fumbles, part of an opportunistic defense that carried Baltimore.
Despite the victory, the Ravens (12-4) failed to get the help necessary to win the AFC North. Baltimore needed Pittsburgh to lose to Cleveland, but the Steelers won easily to deny the Ravens a first-round bye.
Baltimore will play Kansas City next Sunday and comes into the playoffs with a four-game winning streak.
Raiders 31, Chiefs 10
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Michael Bush rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown and short-handed Oakland beat playoff-bound Kansas City to gain a unique NFL distinction.
The Raiders (8-8) finished 6-0 in the AFC West, the first team since the 1970 merger to go unbeaten in the division and not make the playoffs.
Packers 10, Bears 3
GREEN BAY, Wis. ó Aaron Rodgersí 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Lee to give Green Bay the lead, and its defense held on to clinch a wild card berth.
The Packers will visit the NFC East champion Eagles next Sunday.
Nothing came easy for the Packers (10-6), They trailed 3-0 at halftime and were tied going into the fourth quarter with the Bears ó a team that didnít have anything to play for in terms of playoff seeding, but still played to win with its starters.
Buccaneers 23, Saints 13
NEW ORLEANS ó Josh Freeman passed for two touchdowns but Tampa Bay failed to make the playoffs.
The Bucs (10-6) entered the game needing a victory and losses by both the Giants and Packers to make the post season. The Giants and Packers both won.
The Saints (11-5) will open the playoffs next Saturday against the NFC West champion Seahawks (7-9), who defeated the Rams 16-6.
Freeman passed for 255 yards, including a 2-yard scoring strike to Dezmon Briscoe in the back of the end zone, and an 18-yard TD to Mike Williams on fourth-and-short.
Patriots 38, Dolphins 7
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. ó Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to cap a record-setting season as New England won its eighth straight.
The game meant nothing in the standings. Still, Brady played into the third quarter and finished with 36 touchdowns passing and four interceptions. He extended his NFL records to 335 straight passes without an interception and 28 consecutive regular-season wins as a starter at home.
The Patriots (14-2) already had homefield advantage for as long as they remain in the AFC playoffs and have a first-round bye.
Jets 38, Bills 7
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ó Mark Brunell threw two touchdown passes in relief of Mark Sanchez, Joe McKnight ran for a career-high 158 yards and the Jetsí defense dominated.
Having already clinched a postseason spot, New York (11-5) sat a handful of stars, including LaDainian Tomlinson and Darrelle Revis, but still earned the fourth 11-win season in franchise history ó and first since the 1998 team went to the AFC championship game.
The Jets open the playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts next Saturday.
Lions 20, Vikings 13
DETROIT ó Brett Favre stood in street clothes on the sideline in what likely was the final game of his 20-season career, watching the Lions (6-10) beat his Vikings for their fourth straight win.
The Vikings (6-10) closed out a lost season by putting the three-time MVP quarterback on the inactive because of a concussion, with rookie Joe Webb making his second start.
After the game, Favre said it was time for him to call it a career.
Cowboys 14, Eagles 13
PHILADELPHIA ó Stephen McGee threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jason Witten with 55 seconds left to lead Dallas over the NFC East champs.
Michael Vick and nearly every starter didnít play in a game that had no effect on Philadelphiaís playoff positioning.
The Eagles (10-6) are locked into the No. 3 seed and will host Green Bay in a wild-card game next Sunday.
Giants 17, Redsksins 14
LANDOVER, Md.ó The Giants got the win, but they didnít get the help they needed to make the playoffs.
Osi Umenyiora forced two of the defenseís four turnovers, and the Giants ended with a 10-6 and no playoff spot after the Packers defeated the Bears to clinch the final NFC postseason spot.Chargers 33, Broncos 28
DENVER ó Rookie Ryan Mathews ran for three scores and Nate Kaeding kicked four field goals for San Diego.