1 9. Detroit Lions back Kevin Smith (c) runs through the San Diego Chargers for a touch-down in the second half of the NFL Football game in Detroit, Michigan, December 24, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Rebecca CookBy Julian Linden
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters)-the Detroit Lions, sealed their spot in the play-off National Football League (NFL), beating the San Diego Chargers Saturday, while the New England Patriots clinched a first round bye in the postseason with a back beat the Miami Dolphins.
Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions arranged one of the two NFC wildcard and advanced to the play-off for the first time in over a decade after a 38-10 victory over the Chargers (7-8), which still have a mathematical chance of grabbing one of the four remaining points in the postseason.
Atlanta Falcons (9-5) can join the eight teams already through if hit New Orleans on Monday or the Super Bowl champion Rentskins defeat Chicago on Sunday.
Quarterback Tom Brady led the Patriots back from a 17-point deficit to beat the dolphins (5-10) 27-24 Saturday and earn a first round bye in the play-off.
Brady rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another as the Patriots recovered their way after trailing 17-0 at halftime to improve to 12-3 with just one week of the regular season to go.
The win ensured New England would get a balance in the first week of the playoffs next month and a home game in the second week, but the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens could overcome their sowing the AFC If Patriots lose their last game at home next week for accounts Buffalo peak.
The Eagles and the Ravens, already assured of the points in the play-off, both won on the eve of Christmas to improve to 11-4.
Pittsburgh, last season's Super Bowl runners-up, the struggling St. Louis Rams (2-13) 27-0 despite resting injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
LATE COMEBACK
Then Baltimore, who hold the tie-breaker on the Patriots in the AFC North Division's raced away to lead 20-0 survived a late comeback by the Cleveland Browns (4-11) in order to win 20-14.
David Akers kicked a field goal with less than three minutes left on the clock to give San Francisco a Titans 19-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The Titans would lock up a first round bye, win their last game against St. Louis next week, or the Saints lose either of the remaining two.
Tim Tebow of the Ntolfins (8-7) missed a chance to secure a spot in the postseason, when he was beaten to death, 40-14 from accounts, and then joined at the top of the AFC West standings from the Oakland Raiders (8-7) after Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime to seal a win 16-13 over the Kansas City Chiefs (6-9).
The Giants (8-7) won their showdown against the New York Jets 29-14 to set up a sudden death clash with the Dallas Cowboys next week for the top spot in the NFC East Division after a 99-yard touchdown by Eli Manning pass Victor Cruz.
The defeat ended all but prospects made jets in the play-off, which fell a game behind Cincinnati (9-6) in the race for the AFC wildcard after the Redskins beat the Arizona Cardinals 23-16.
Do not have to play for the Cowboys (8-7) relax in some of the protagonists against the Philadelphia Eagles and lost 20-7.
Tennessee (8-7) quarterback Matt Hasselbeck passed for 350 yards of Titan 23-17 Win in Jacksonville Jaguars kept alive their hopes of play-offs, while Carolina Panthers (6-9) quarterback Cam Newton broke Peyton Manning's NFL record for most yards passing in a rookie season.
The Newton 22-year-old missed the Mark Manning 3,379 yards, set in 1998 to win 48-16 of his team over Dolphins Tampa Bay (4-11), adding yet another record of impressive start in the NFL.
(Edited with Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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