Around the NFL: Panthers Atop NFC South, Jags Stay Hot, Broncos Stumble, More ...Middle East

The Carolina Panthers haven’t sniffed the postseason since 2017, but on Sunday, they took their biggest step yet toward ending that drought. Carolina outlasted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in a tense, back-and-forth divisional fight at Bank of America Stadium, moving into sole possession of first place in the NFC South with just two games to play.

Panthers Take Control of the NFC South With Gritty Win Over Bucs — and Set Up a Massive Week 17

The defining moment came in the final minute, when rookie safety Lathan Ransom jumped a Baker Mayfield throw and secured the game-sealing interception at the Carolina 35-yard line with 42 seconds remaining. It was a perfectly timed break on the ball and a fitting close to a game that demanded poise from a Panthers defense that has quietly grown into a playoff-caliber group.

Carolina got its final lead moments earlier on Ryan Fitzgerald’s 48-yard field goal with 2:20 left, capping a seven-play, 43-yard march that showcased exactly the kind of late-game maturity this young roster has lacked in recent seasons.

Bryce Young delivered the kind of clean, efficient performance Carolina has been waiting for. The second-year quarterback finished 21-of-32 for 191 yards and two touchdowns — a pinpoint 22-yard strike to Tetairoa McMillan before halftime and a 6-yard dart to Ja’Tavion Sanders in the third quarter. Young protected the football, kept the offense on schedule, and outplayed his predecessor in Charlotte.

Mayfield, meanwhile, struggled again. He threw for only 145 yards — his second straight game under 200 — and his late interception dashed any hopes of a Tampa Bay comeback. He did connect with Mike Evans for a first-half score, but the Bucs never found a consistent rhythm.

The game itself was a seesaw. Fitzgerald opened with a field goal before Evans responded with a touchdown. Young hit McMillan just before the half to reclaim the lead, then both teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter before Chase McLaughlin knotted it at 20-20 with a 50-yarder. But in the final moments, Carolina made the plays that mattered.

The stakes only get bigger from here. The Panthers host the NFC West–leading Seattle Seahawks next Sunday, while the Bucs face the Dolphins in Miami. The division can be clinched in Week 17 under one scenario: Carolina wins, Tampa Bay loses. Anything else — both win, both lose, or a split — sets up a winner-take-all Week 18 showdown in Tampa.

And there’s a Chicago twist: if the Panthers beat the Seahawks next week and the Bears beat the 49ers on Sunday Night Football, Chicago will take over the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into the final week of the regular season. The playoff picture is getting wild — and suddenly, very Bears-friendly.

Jaguars Stay Red Hot, Broncos Stumble, and the AFC Playoff Picture Gets a Shakeup

Two of the AFC’s hottest teams collided Sunday in Denver, and only one kept its streak alive. The Jacksonville Jaguars pushed their win streak to six games with a decisive 34–20 victory over the Denver Broncos at Empower Field, handing Denver its first loss in nearly three months and tightening the race for the conference’s No. 1 seed.

Jacksonville, now 11-4, continues to lead the AFC South and holds the AFC’s third seed. They couldn’t clinch a playoff berth Sunday — Houston’s win over Las Vegas delayed that — but the clinching scenario is simple: if the Colts lose on Monday night, the Jags are in. Meanwhile, the Broncos fall to 12–3, snapping an 11-game heater and leaving the door cracked in the race for the top spot in the AFC.

And once again, Trevor Lawrence was the force driving it all. The Jaguars quarterback accounted for four touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground — and looked every bit the MVP candidate the organization envisioned. After a sluggish start that featured two three-and-outs, five total yards, and multiple sacks, Lawrence and the offense ignited. From that point on, Jacksonville diced up a Denver defense that had been dominant all season.

It was arguably the most impressive offensive performance any team has put up against the Broncos this year. Lawrence stretched plays, manipulated pockets, punished Denver’s blitzes, and spread the ball to every corner of the field. Since Week 8, he now has 17 passing touchdowns — second only to Matthew Stafford in that span.

The game ended on a somber note as Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant was carted off the field after a violent collision over the middle. The hit initially drew a flag, which was later picked up, but the concern was immediate and palpable.

Bills Stay Hot, Inch Closer to Playoff Berth

The Buffalo Bills keep finding ways to stack wins, and Sunday’s 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns pushed them one step closer to officially punching their postseason ticket. Behind another workhorse day from James Cook — 117 yards and two touchdowns, his ninth 100-yard rushing game of the season — Buffalo moved to 11-4 and maintained control of its playoff destiny.

Josh Allen gave the Bills a brief scare when he limped off late in the second quarter, but after an X-ray on his right foot, he returned to finish the game. Buffalo scaled things back with its passing attack, and Allen closed the afternoon 12 of 19 for 130 yards while adding 17 rushing yards.

Cleveland’s season, in contrast, continues to spiral. Myles Garrett inched closer to history with his 22nd sack — now just a half-sack shy of tying the NFL’s single-season record — but the Browns lost rookie running back Quinshon Judkins to a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula, a crushing blow in a lost year. Shedeur Sanders battled but threw two interceptions to go with his 157 passing yards and 49 on the ground.

Buffalo now enters a favorable clinching path: any loss or tie by Houston or Indianapolis sends the Bills to the postseason. And with the AFC East still in play — Buffalo sits with a 25 percent chance to win the division — their final two home games against the Eagles and Jets carry massive stakes.

Extra Points

After today's performance, Taysom Hill now has 2,388 passing yards, 2,545 rushing yards, and 1,002 career receiving yards. With his 36 receiving yards today, Hill is now the only player with over 1,000 yards passing, rushing, and receiving in the @NFL Super Bowl era. pic.twitter.com/FxMhfY2qaL

"I still can't believe it, my feet have not touched the ground." ?A big congrats to our Pam Oliver for being inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame ?? pic.twitter.com/arngGnAYph

Justin HerbertGame Ball ? pic.twitter.com/3rMozDAArW

Chiefs are concerned that QB Gardner Minshew tore his ACL, as @mattderrick also reported. There will be additional tests but Minshew could be the second Chiefs’ quarterback in two games to tear his ACL. pic.twitter.com/vDVoxOTGKb

A playoff-clinching, game-winning drive.@Patriots pic.twitter.com/wNqFqELUwH

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