Los Angeles Chargers book play-off place in style with big win
The Chargers clinched a wild card place in John Harbaugh’s first season in charge.
The Los Angeles Chargers clinched a place in the NFL play-offs by thrashing the New England Patriots 40-7.
Justin Herbert threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers secured a wild-card spot in John Harbaugh’s first season as head coach.
The Chargers quarterback connected with a diving Derius Davis on a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter before finding star rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey with a six-yard throw in the second.
Herbert brilliantly hit McConkey again in the third quarter for a 40-yard touchdown before running back JK Dobbins rushed for another score in his first game back from injury.
New England’s rookie quarterback Drake Maye threw a fine 36-yard touchdown to DeMario Douglas in the one bright moment for the 3-13 Patriots, who were booed off the field by the remaining home fans at the end of the game.
The Denver Broncos failed to clinch the final AFC play-off spot as they went down 30-24 to the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime.
Joe Burrow, who threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns, found Tee Higgins with little more than a minute remaining in the extra period to keep the Bengals’ hopes of reaching the pre-season alive as they claimed a fourth successive victory.
Previous touchdown passes to Higgins had twice put the Bengals ahead in regulation time, Bo Nix finding Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr – from 51 yards – to level the score each time.
Burrow ran for another score in the final two minutes, only for Nix to again respond as he found Mims from 25 yards with just eight seconds left on the clock.
Cade York hit the post with a field goal for the Bengals in overtime, but with the Broncos just needing to hold on for a tie to clinch a play-off berth, Burrow connected twice with Higgins on one final drive to snatch the win.
The Broncos need a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, who have already clinched the top seed in the AFC, to secure their first play-off appearance in nine years.
The Bengals need to beat AFC North rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers and hope other results go their way.
The Los Angeles Rams moved to within a whisker of the NFC West title as they edged out the Arizona Cardinals 13-9.
Kyren Williams went over from a yard in the second quarter for the Rams’ only touchdown, Joshua Karty adding two field goals before Ahkello Witherspoon made a diving interception in the end zone with 37 seconds remaining to clinch victory.
The win lifts the Rams to 10-6, one game clear of the Seattle Seahawks at the top of the division ahead of their meeting in the final round of matches next week.
Only a defeat and a string of other results going against them can cost the Rams the title in a tiebreaker which is heading all the way to relative strength of schedule.
