December 29, 2025 4:31 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 to play, and the San Francisco 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play from the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 and set up a Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC. Caleb Williams drove the Bears down the field in the closing seconds and had one last shot for the win. But Bryce Huff forced him out of the pocket and his throw short-hopped Jahdae Walker in the end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers. San Francisco can secure the top seed by beating Seattle on Saturday night.
December 29, 2025 4:30 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen sailed a 2-point conversion attempt wide of open receiver Khalil Shakir in the back of the end zone with 5 seconds remaining, and the Philadelphia Eagles hung on for a 13-12 win over the Buffalo Bills. Dallas Goedert caught a 1-yard touchdown pass, Jake Elliott hit field goals of 28 and 47 yards, and the Super Bowl champion Eagles barely avoided squandering a 13-0 fourth-quarter lead. Linebacker Jalyx Hunt had two of Philadelphia’s four sacks. Allen scored on a tush push on fourth-and-goal to pull the Bills within one point with 5 seconds remaining. Buffalo went for 2 and the win but Allen couldn’t connect with Shakir.
December 28, 2025 2:07 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for a career-high 262 yards and two TDs, including a 73-yard strike to Trebor Pena early in the fourth quarter, and Penn State beat Clemson 22-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl. In his seventh start since Penn State lost Drew Allar to an injury, Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes, setting career bests for completions and attempts. His best throw was to Pena, who caught the ball at the Penn State 44, ran by Clemson safety Ricardo Jones and rumbled untouched down the left side for a 15-3 lead with 12:51 left in the fourth.
December 28, 2025 8:36 am
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — With their backs against the wall, the Baltimore Ravens made sure they wouldn’t underutilize Derrick Henry again. The five-time Pro Bowl running back responded by delivering one of the greatest performances of his brilliant career to keep the Ravens’ playoff hopes alive. Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards — the most ever by a visiting player at Lambeau Field — and matched a career high with four touchdown runs in the Ravens’ 41-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. “It’s one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. The Ravens (8-8) now must hope the Pittsburgh Steelers lose at Cleveland on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s playoff hopes. Green Bay (9-6-1) lost its third straight, enabling the Chicago Bears to clinch the NFC North title. The Packers already clinched a playoff berth on Thursday when the Detroit Lions lost 23-10 at Minnesota.
December 28, 2025 8:39 am
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Chaston Ditta threw two second-half touchdown passes, and East Carolina overcame an inadvertent whistle that negated a long touchdown in a 23-17 victory over Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl on Saturday. ECU faced fourth-and-1 from its own 32 in the third quarter when Marlon Gunn Jr. shed a couple of tacklers and went all the way to the end zone. That would have put the Pirates up 17-7, but the play was called back because of a whistle, and Gunn was credited with a 14-yard gain instead. Two plays later, Ditta fumbled on a sack by Pitt’s Rasheem Biles, who recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the end zone to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead. The Pirates rebounded quickly when Ditta threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Smith, and ECU led the rest of the way. The Pirates won the Military Bowl for a second straight year after beating N.C. State in 2024.
December 27, 2025 4:50 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — Aaron Rodgers doesn’t plan on changing his sleep schedule Saturday night, even though his Pittsburgh Steelers could wrap up a division title without playing. If the Green Bay Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers would secure their first AFC North title since 2020, making Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns essentially meaningless. Rodgers says he won’t change his approach even if the Steelers have the division wrapped up. One thing the Browns have to play for is Myles Garrett’s pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record. He needs one sack to beat the mark of 22 1/2 held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.
December 27, 2025 4:54 am
It’s not always easy to sell your fans on a trip to the same bowl two seasons in a row. The benefit for East Carolina is another shot at an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. The Pirates are in the Military Bowl for a second straight year, but Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh in Annapolis, Maryland, is a nice opportunity for them. Pitt was in contention for an ACC title until it lost its regular-season finale. ECU — which plays in the American Athletic Conference — was eyeing a chance to face a Power Four team when bowl bids were dispersed.
December 26, 2025 4:21 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bo Nix ran for a touchdown and threw a go-ahead pass to R.J. Harvey, leading the Denver Broncos to a 20-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Nix finished with 182 yards passing, helping the Broncos bounce back from last week’s loss to Jacksonville. The Chiefs, missing key players like Patrick Mahomes, struggle offensively. Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and Travis Kelce give Kansas City a late chance, but they fall short. The Broncos can clinch the AFC West title on Saturday, if the Chargers lose. Kansas City faces more challenges with injuries impacting their lineup.
December 26, 2025 4:22 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jordan Addison took a jet sweep handoff 65 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 3:43 left after the Minnesota Vikings forced six turnovers and eliminated the Detroit Lions from contention for the playoffs with a 23-10 victory. Harrison Smith had one of the two interceptions and one of the five sacks of Jared Goff as the Vikings won their fourth straight game. Goff was charged with three lost fumbles, once on a sack and twice on errant snaps by backup center Kingsley Eguakun. The Lions lost their third straight to clinch a wild-card spot for the Green Bay Packers.
December 26, 2025 4:23 am
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys blew most of an 18-point lead before squeezing past the Washington Commanders 30-23. Dallas scored touchdowns on its first three possessions to go up 21-3. Although the Commanders twice got within a touchdown, they couldn’t complete the comeback and absorbed their 10th loss in 11 games. Both teams were previously eliminated from playoff contention, which severely lessened the significance of this matchup between longtime NFC East rivals. Prescott completed 19 of 37 passes and helped Dallas convert all six of its fourth-down tries. His two TD passes gave him 30, tying Tony Romo’s franchise record of four seasons with at least 30 touchdown throws.
