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Cleveland Daily Banner—Monday, January 4, 2016—15
Vikings win NFC North; Steelers slip in
playoffs.
After meeting with Eagles interim coach Pat Shurmur at midfield, Coughlin walked off the
field, waving to the crowd just
before walking into the tunnel.
Coughlin, who led the Giants to
two Super Bowl titles in his 12
seasons, has a year left on his
contract. His future is expected to
be decided soon by co-owners
John Mara and Steve Tisch.
The 69-year-old might retire
and end his 20-year NFL head
coaching career.
VIKINGS 20, PACKERS 13
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The
Minnesota Vikings won the NFC
North by holding on for a 20-13
win Sunday night over the Green
Bay Packers.
Adrian Peterson ran for a
touchdown, cornerback Captain
Munnerlyn returned a fumble 55
yards for a score, and Minnesota
(11-5) claimed its first division
title since 2009.
The Vikings will host the Seattle
Seahawks for a wild-card playoff
game next weekend. The Packers
(10-6) will travel to Washington
after watching their four-year
reign atop the NFC North end.
The upstart Vikings survived
despite a shaky finish in hostile
territory. The defense knocked
away a desperation pass in the
end zone from Aaron Rodgers on
fourth down as time expired.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby
forced a fumble on Cordarrelle
Patterson’s potentially field-flipping 70-yard kickoff return with
5:21 left. But the Packers’ next
drive ended with Rodgers’ pass
being intercepted in the end zone
by Xavier Rhodes.
BILLS 22, JETS 17
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) —
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw interceptions on each of New York’s final
three drives and the Jets’ playoff
hopes were dashed.
The Jets (10-6) would have
made the postseason for the first
time since 2010 with a win, but
the defeat combined with
Pittsburgh’s win at Cleveland
ended those hopes. New York had
a five-game winning streak
stopped, and the loss came
against former Jets coach Rex
Ryan — fired by New York and
hired by the Bills (8-8) last
January.
Fitzpatrick, who had thrown
just one interception in the Jets’
winning streak, was picked off by
Leodis McKelvin in the end zone
early in the fourth quarter with
New York driving.
The game was decided when
Fitzpatrick’s side-arm pass over
the middle was intercepted by A.J.
Tarpley with 11 seconds remaining.
STEELERS 28, BROWNS 12
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ben
Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes, Pittsburgh’s defense
dominated and the Steelers
slipped into the AFC playoffs with
the win over Cleveland, which
REDSKINS 34, COWBOYS 23
Green BAy’s John Kuhn is brought down in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, in Green Bay, Wis.
fired coach Mike Pettine and GM
Ray Farmer after the game.
The Steelers (10-6) had to win
and needed Buffalo to knock off
the New York Jets to make the
postseason. Pittsburgh did its
part, then earned a wild-card
berth when the Bills beat the 2217. Pittsburgh will play at
Cincinnati next weekend.
Roethlisberger threw for 349
yards, 187 to Antonio Brown, who
had 13 catches and a TD.
The Browns finished 3-13.
DOLPHINS 20, PATRIOTS 10
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) —
Tom Brady was sacked twice and
knocked down at least half a
dozen times, and New England
missed a chance to clinch the No.
1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Brady watched New England’s
final offensive series from the
sideline. With the Patriots eager to
protect his health, he threw a season-low 21 passes, but even so
was lucky to make it through the
game in one piece.
New England (12-4) ends up as
a No. 2 seed after Denver defeated
San Diego to earn the top seed.
The Dolphins (6-10) wrapped
up a disappointing season and are
expected to embark on a search
for their ninth coach since 2004.
TEXANS 30, JAGUARS 6
HOUSTON (AP) — J.J. Watt and
Whitney Mercilus led the defense
and Jonathan Grimes scored
twice to help the Texans clinch
the AFC South.
Houston will host Kansas City
next weekend in the a wild-card
game.
Grimes had a 12-yard touchdown reception and added a 3yard rushing score in the second
quarter to help Houston take a
20-3 lead by halftime. Kareem
Jackson added a score on an
interception return in the fourth
quarter to pad the lead.
Watt, playing without a cast for
the first time since breaking his
left hand Dec. 9, had had three
sacks, forced a fumble and recovered another one to help the
Texans (9-7) to their first division
title and playoff berth since 2012.
Blake Bortles threw for 239
yards with two interceptions for
the Jaguars (5-11)
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