The Blitz Read: AFC South a jumbled mess with two games remaining

Ron Clements

The Blitz Read: AFC South a jumbled mess with two games remaining image

Could we have a three-way tie in the AFC South? It's very possible.

Thanks to a pair of improbable wins, the Titans and Texans are tied atop the division with 8-6 records, but the Colts are right behind them after cruising to a 34-6 road win over the Vikings.

The Texans benched starting quarterback Brock Osweiler after a pair of interceptions. Backup Tom Savage then rallied the Texans to a 21-20 win over the Jaguars, who fired coach Gus Bradley following the game. The Titans kept pace despite a questionable decision by coach Mike Mularkey. 

After a Derrick Henry touchdown with 3:12 remaining brought the Titans within a point of Kansas City, Mularkey passed on an extra point to tie. A two-point conversion pass failed, but the Titans defense forced a three-and-out and Tennessee won the game on Ryan Succop's 53-yard field goal as time expired. 

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The Texans and Titans will actually play each other in the season finale at Nashville's Nissan Stadium. Before they play each other, the Titans will play at Jacksonville (2-12) while the Texans will host the Bengals (5-8-1). But the Colts are also in play with a road game against the Raiders (11-3) before hosting the Jags on Jan. 1. The Colts swept the Titans this year, but the Texans own the season series against the Colts. The Texans won their Week 4 matchup with the Titans. In the case of a three-way tie, the Texans would hold the edge because of their division record. 

The Raiders, who clinched a playoff spot Sunday with a 19-16 win over the Chargers, broke a tie with the Chiefs atop the AFC West. The Chiefs do hold the tiebreaker, thanks to their season sweep of the Raiders. 

The NFC North is also coming down to the wire after the Packers beat the Bears and the Lions lost to the Giants. The Packers nearly blew a 27-10 lead in Chicago, but Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers heaved a 60-yard bomb to Jordy Nelson to set up Mason Crosby's game-winning 32-yard field goal. 

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One division that is not in doubt is the AFC East. The Patriots clinched their NFL-record eighth straight division title with a 16-3 win over the Broncos. 

Injury report

Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins had to be helped off the field with a back injury and did not return to the 17-6 win over the Lions. 

Niners wide receiver Quinton Patton was carted off the field with a foot injury in the first half of Sunday's blowout loss to the Falcons and did not return to the game.

By the numbers

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker continued his stellar season, tying an NFL record with his 10th field goal of 50 yards or more on Sunday. Tucker booted a 53-yarder in the first quarter of Baltimore's 27-26 win over the Eagles. 

Steve Smith caught two passes for 40 yards against the Eagles and is now seventh on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list, passing Colts Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.

Colts running back Frank Gore ran for 101 yards and caught four passes for 14 yards against the Vikings to pass Cowboys Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett for 10th-most career yards from scrimmage in NFL history.

Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. caught six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown to join John Jefferson and Randy Moss as the only receivers in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in each of their first three seasons. 

Highlights

The Chiefs got things rolling early against the Titans and Tyreek Hill's 68-yard touchdown run was their longest play from scrimmage this season.

Smith's 34-yard touchdown gave the Ravens a 20-14 lead over the Eagles.

The Browns probably would not have been winless if they had Robert Griffin III playing all season. His 18-yard touchdown run against the Bills was all effort.

Ty Montgomery refused to be tackled against the Bears, rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, including second-quarter runs of 61 and 36 yards.

The Packers escaped Soldier Field with a 30-27 win thanks to Nelson's 60-yard reception on a perfect pass from Rodgers.

Beckham's touchdown against the Lions was another one-handed gem that gave the Giants a 17-6 lead.

The Jaguars sprung an upset at Houston thanks to their defense and special teams. Marqise Lee's 100-yard kickoff return in the third quarter gave them a 20-8 lead, but the Jags blew the lead and head coach Gus Bradley was fired following the 21-20 loss.

Ezekiel Elliott scored on a 2-yard run and proceeded to donate himself to the Salvation Army. It was his 13th rushing touchdown of the season, breaking Tony Dorsett's franchise rookie record. Elliott's season-high 159 rushing yards in the 26-20 win over the Buccaneers brings him within 258 yards of Eric Dickerson's all-time rookie record.

Quotables

Bears cornerback Tracy Porter on Rodgers' deep throw to Nelson to set up the game-winning field goal: "I kind of had a feeling that they didn’t want to go to overtime. They were trying to win the game... Aaron was able to throw the ball away from (Cre'Von LeBlanc) and Jordy just made an adjustment on the ball."

Texans owner Bob McNair on coach Bill O'Brien's decision to bench starting quarterback Brock Osweiler: "I'm just glad I wasn't the one that had to make that decision. I mean, that was a gutsy call. Give coach credit, he made a change and it was for the good of the team. We benefited from it. Now we have three good quarterbacks and we are proud of all of them."

MORE: NFL Scoreboard — stats, updates, info and more

Thursday's game

Seahawks 24, Rams 3

Saturday's game

Dolphins 34, Jets 13

Sunday's games

Ravens 27, Eagles 26
Bills 33, Browns 13
Packers 30, Bears 27
Giants 17, Lions 6
Steelers 24, Bengals 20
Texans 21, Jaguars 20
Titans 19, Chiefs 17
Colts 34, Vikings 6
Saints 48, Cardinals 41
Falcons 41, 49ers 13
Patriots 16, Broncos 3
Raiders 19, Chargers 16
Cowboys 26, Buccaneers 20

Monday's game

Panthers at Redskins, 8:30 p.m. ET

Ron Clements