Bengals stun Steelers in OT

CINCINNATI -- Neil Rackers' 31-yard field goal in overtime at least temporarily blocked the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) from getting home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs as the Cincinnati Bengals rallied for a 26-23 victory.

Jon Kitna threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:46 of the fourth quarter, part of one of the busiest passing days in league history. He threw 68 passes, tied for third-most in league history, and completed 35 for a career-high 411 yards.

Kitna's 18-yard TD pass to Danny Farmer tied the game with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but Rackers -- who missed two field goals earlier in the game -- was wide right on the extra-point attempt.

The Bengals (5-10) got the ball at their 1-yard line in overtime following a Pittsburgh punt. Kitna completed four consecutive passes, and Brandon Bennett had a 36-yard run that set up Rackers' winning kick with 4:08 left in overtime.

Kordell Stewart threw three touchdown passes for the second consecutive game as the Steelers rolled ahead 23-10 in the second half. Kris Brown also missed an extra point, slipping and falling on the chewed-up grass field.

DOLPHINS 21, FALCONS 14

MIAMI -- Miami made two goal-line stands, stopping Bob Christian on fourth down from the 1-foot line with 47 seconds left, to clinch a playoff berth and eliminate Atlanta.

The Falcons' loss gave Tampa Bay the final NFC wild-card spot.

The Dolphins forced four turnovers, including Brock Marion's 26-yard interception return for a touchdown. They also made four sacks, knocked quarterback Chris Chandler out of the game in the second quarter and then hung on against Michael Vick, who threw for a score but also committed three turnovers.

Miami's Jay Fiedler threw two touchdown passes, both in the final 1:02 of the first half.

Breaking a two-game losing streak, the Dolphins (10-5) became the only NFL team to make the playoffs each of the past five years. They still have a slim shot at the AFC East title next Sunday if they beat Buffalo, and New England loses to Carolina.

Atlanta (7-8) lost for the fourth time in five games.

BILLS 14, JETS 9

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Shawn Bryson ran for 107 yards, and Alex Van Pelt smoothly directed Buffalo's offense in swirling winds. But the Bills (3-12) had to withstand two last-ditch drives by the Jets (9-6).

First, Phil Hansen tipped and picked off a pass by Vinny Testaverde at the Buffalo 35 with under two minutes left.

The Bills failed to run out the clock, though, and then botched their punt with a bad snap, giving New York the ball at the 50. The Jets got to the 24 with 13 seconds left, but a short completion over the middle to Curtis Martin was all they could manage before the clock ran out.

Although the Jets drove into Buffalo territory on all four first-half drives, they trailed 7-6 at halftime. Buffalo marched 87 yards on 11 plays, converting on a fourth-down play with a 21-yard pass to Jay Riemersma, before Larry Centers ran in from the 5.

COWBOYS 27, 49ERS 21

IRVING, Texas -- Rookie Quincy Carter threw two touchdown passes, including a 47-yarder to Joey Galloway, and ran for another, and Emmitt Smith gained 126 yards for Dallas.

Dallas (5-10) beat San Francisco(11-4) for only the second time in the last seven meetings.The 49ers are assured of a wild card and are likely to play Green Bay in the first round. San Francisco must finish ahead of the Packers (11-4) to have the game at home.

Carter was 15-of-25 for 241 yards, easily the most for any of the Cowboys' four quarterbacks this season. He also had 30 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Galloway caught six passes for a career-high 146 yards, and Smith, one of only two holdovers from Dallas' three Super Bowl teams, went over 16,000 yards for his career and moved within 56 yards of 1,000 this season. He's trying to become the first player to have 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons; he shares the mark of 10 with Barry Sanders.Eagles 24, Giants 21

PHILADELPHIA -- David Akers kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7 seconds left, and Philadelphia (10-5) clinched its first NFC East title since 1988 by beating New York.

The Giants (7-8) were eliminated from playoff contention a year after reaching the Super Bowl, but not before they nearly won a third straight game in the final minute.

After Akers' kick, New York had time for one play from its 20, and Kerry Collins threw a 14-yard pass to Tiki Barber, who lateraled the ball to wideout Ron Dixon. With blockers leading him down the left sideline, Dixon made it all the way to the Eagles 6, before Damon Moore made the game-saving tackle.

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan had 3 1/2 sacks in the first half, breaking Lawrence Taylor's team record for sacks in a season. Strahan has 21 1/2 sacks -- a half-sack from Mark Gastineau's NFL mark.

Cardinals 30, Panthers 7

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jake Plummer threw two touchdown passes to David Boston, including a 61-yarder, and new kicker Cedric Oglesby made three field goals to lead Arizona (7-8) to its biggest victory margin this season by far.

The Panthers, who haven't won since Week 1, tied an NFL record by losing their 14th straight game. They can set the mark if they lose next week to the New England Patriots.

Browns 41, Titans 38

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Phil Dawson kicked a 44-yard field goal with 55 seconds left, and Tim Couch threw for three touchdowns and a career-high 336 yards as Cleveland (7-8) erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee's Eddie George topped 100 yards rushing for the first time this season and his second touchdown of the game put the Titans (7-8) up 38-24 early in the fourth quarter.

Couch completed 20 of 27 passes, leading the Browns to a season-high 409 yards offense. George finished with 26 carries for 130 yards, and Jamel White scored two TDs.

Bears 24, Lions 0

PONTIAC, Mich. -- Chicago (12-3) didn't have to add to its list of wild wins. Instead, Jim Miller threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to beat Detroit (1-14).

Miller was 17-of-30 for 252 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Marty Booker caught nine passes for 115 yards and set a franchise record with 94 receptions this season.

Rookie Anthony Thomas ran 25 times for 76 yards to increase his total to 1,023 this year.

Packers 24, Vikings 13

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- With Green Bay (11-4) trailing late in the fourth quarter, Brett Favre completed five passes on a 79-yard touchdown drive.

Favre completed 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards, struggling to throw for much of a game that started in 19-degree cold, with a wind chill of 5. He improved to 30-0 at home in temperatures of 34 or below.

Spergon Wynn went 11-of-30 for 114 yards, with three interceptions, for Minnesota (5-10).

Chiefs 30, Jaguars 26

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tony Gonzalez, unhappy with his role in Kansas City's offense this season, caught two touchdown passes.

The victory was the third straight for the Chiefs (6-9), who stopped Mark Brunell inside Kansas City's 15 twice in the last two minutes to hang on.

Brunell completed 22 of 37 passes for 283 yards and one touchdown for Jacksonville (6-9), but couldn't get his team into the end zone in the closing minutes to keep a three-game winning streak alive.

Stacey Mack ran for 125 yards and one TD for Jacksonville.

Broncos 23, Raiders 17

DENVER -- Rod Smith caught eight passes, Terrell Davis rushed for 89 yards, and Denver (8-7) defense held on in the fourth quarter.

After Jason Elam kicked a 42-yard field goal with 1:32 left, the Raiders (10-5) moved to the Denver 17, but Rich Gannon threw two incompletions to the end zone before Kenoy Kennedy intercepted Gannon's fourth-down throw as time expired.

Seahawks 25, Chargers 22

SAN DIEGO -- Trent Dilfer threw three long touchdown passes, and Rian Lindell kicked a career-best 54-yarder as time expired for Seattle (8-7). San Diego is 5-11.

The Seahawks (8-7), winning for the first time in four road games, can clinch a playoff spot with a win at home against Kansas City next Sunday and a loss by the New York Jets or Baltimore Ravens.

--From wire reports