The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers both qualified for the NFL playoffs with victory Sunday. Next week, they will play for division titles at home.
Dallas clinched the NFC East with a rout of Indianapolis, ending any chance for Philadelphia to make the postseason.
The Steelers (10-5) beat Kansas City 20-12 to secure at least a wild-card berth. They will win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati next Sunday. The Bengals (9-4-1) host Denver (11-3) on Monday night.
"It was such a sense of urgency this week, knowing what was at stake," Pittsburgh defensive end Cam Heyward said. "I just thought we answered the challenge."
Green Bay topped Tampa Bay 20-3 and plays Detroit Sunday at Lambeau Field for the NFC North crown. Both are 11-4 after the Lions won 20-14 at Chicago.
"We've won six out of seven games, so I'd like to classify that as playing a lot of solid football, that's for sure," Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said.
The Falcons (6-9) and Panthers (6-8-1) set up a winner-take-all game for the NFC South next Sunday at Atlanta. Carolina beat Cleveland 17-13, and Atlanta defeated New Orleans 30-14.
"Now it all comes down to one game and that's all we can ask for is to be in that situation," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.
New England earned an AFC first-round bye with its 17-16 victory at the New York Jets. It will get home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by beating Buffalo next week at home.
The Patriots are the first team since the current format was adopted in 1990 to get five consecutive first-round byes.
"I'm glad it came out the way it did -- makes for a better Christmas," Tom Brady said.
Still alive in the AFC are Baltimore (9-6), whose loss to Houston (8-7) also kept the Texans in contention; Kansas City (8-7); and San Diego (9-6), which won Saturday night at San Francisco. The Chargers will be in if they win at Kansas City next weekend.
Buffalo (8-7) lost all chance of ending its NFL-high string of non-playoff appearances, now at 15, by falling at Oakland 26-24.
The NFC is less muddled. Dallas (11-4) has a two-game lead over Philly (9-6) after routing AFC South champion Indianapolis 42-7.
Arizona (11-4) is in the playoffs despite losing to Seattle Sunday night. The Seahawks (11-4) qualified when Dallas won and Philadelphia lost.
Seattle wins the West title if it and Arizona both win next Sunday because it won both meetings with the Cardinals.
Sports on 12/22/2014