Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) tries to escape the pocket as New England Patriots defensive back Kyle Dugger (23) closes in during Sunday's game in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Nyheim Hines returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills closed the regular season with a 35-23 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, New York.

Hines scored from 96 and 101 yards out to become the 11th player in NFL history with two kickoff return touchdowns in the same game.

With the victory, Buffalo (13-3) clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Patriots (8-9) were eliminated from postseason contention with their loss and Miami’s 11-6 win against the New York Jets.

The game was the first for the Bills since safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mac Jones connected with DeVante Parker for a 26-yard score with 11:37 left to play to pull New England within 28-23. But Josh Allen found Stefon Diggs for a 49-yard touchdown just under three minutes later for Buffalo.

Allen completed 19 of 31 passes for 254 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while Diggs hauled in seven receptions for 104 yards and a score.

Jones finished with 243 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions on 26-for-40 passing. Parker had six catches for 79 yards and a pair of scores, and Rhamondre Stevenson had 54 yards on six carries to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Eagles 22, Giants 16

Jalen Hurts returned after a two-game absence, Jake Elliott kicked five field goals and the Philadelphia Eagles finally clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 22-16 win Sunday over the visiting New York Giants.

Hurts had missed the last two games, replaced by Gardner Minshew in losses to Dallas and New Orleans as the Eagles (14-3) failed to secure the top seed. Sunday’s win also locked up the NFC East title for Philadelphia.

Hurts led six scoring drives and the Eagles never trailed the Giants (9-7-1), who had already sewn up the No. 6 seed and opted to rest quarterback Daniel Jones, Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and other starters.

Philadelphia secured a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and also broke a franchise record for wins set in 2004 and 2017 (both 13-3). That 2017 squad also earned the No. 1 seed and went on to win Super Bowl LII.

Hurts passed for 229 yards with an interception, Boston Scott ran for a touchdown and A.J. Brown caught four passes for 95 yards.

49ers 38, Cardinals 13

The San Francisco 49ers ended the regular season on a 10-game winning streak, dominating the second half against the Arizona Cardinals to earn a 38-13 victory, while earning the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Cardinals finished with seven consecutive defeats, and nine losses in their last 10 games, to finish 4-13 after an 11-6 record in 2021 that resulted in a spot in the playoffs.

The 49ers (13-4) delivered a similar dominating second half against the Cardinals to earn a 38-10 victory in Week 11 as they outscored Arizona 21-0 in the second half. On Sunday, they had a 17-0 advantage in the second half.

Dolphins 11, Jets 6

Jason Sanders made three field goals to help the host Miami Dolphins return to the playoffs and beat the New York Jets 11-6 on Sunday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Dolphins (9-8) snapped a five-game losing streak and coupled with Buffalo’s win over the New England Patriots secured their first playoff berth since 2016.

The Jets (7-10), who were already eliminated entering Sunday’s game, lost six consecutive games to finish their season.

Sanders’ 50-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining put the Dolphins ahead 9-6.

The Jets had one last chance and tried multiple laterals on their final play. But one of those errant laterals ended up rolling through the end zone for a safety.

The Dolphins will now face those same Bills that they split with during the regular season next week at Buffalo at a date and time to be determined in the AFC Wild Card Game.

Jaguars 20, Titans 16

Josh Allen returned a fumble for a touchdown with 2:51 remaining and the Jacksonville Jaguars clinched their first playoff berth since 2017 by recording a 20-16 victory over the visiting Tennessee Titans on Saturday night in Jacksonville, Florida.

The victory gave the Jaguars (9-8) the AFC South title, while Tennessee (7-10) endured its seventh straight loss. Jacksonville, which has won five straight games, won the fourth division crown in franchise history.

Rayshawn Jenkins delivered the strip-sack on Titans quarterback Josh Dobbs and the ball went forward toward Allen, who scooped it up and raced 37 yards for the decisive touchdown.

Jacksonville stopped Tennessee on downs and took possession with 90 seconds left and ran out the clock. The Jaguars were a combined 4-29 the past two seasons before turning things around in the second half of this campaign.

Trevor Lawrence completed 20 of 32 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown for Jacksonville. Christian Kirk had six receptions for 99 yards and one score. NFL tackles leader Foyesade Oluokun had 13 stops to raise his season count to 184 and also registered one of the team’s four sacks.

Dobbs was 20-of-29 passing for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his second career start. Derrick Henry rushed for 109 yards on 30 carries and Chigoziem Okonkwo had a touchdown catch.

Vikings 29, Bears 13

Alexander Mattison ran for two touchdowns and Greg Joseph kicked three field goals to boost the visiting Minnesota Vikings to a 29-13 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday to remain in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs in Chicago.

Minnesota, the NFC North champion, rebounded from last week’s lopsided loss at Green Bay, outgaining Chicago 482-259. The Vikings (13-4) entered the week seeded third in the conference.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins went 17-for-20 passing for 225 yards and a touchdown in the first half before yielding to backup Nick Mullens to rest for the playoffs.

Chicago (3-14) closed the season on a 10-game losing streak, continuing the longest slide in the franchise’s 123 seasons. The Bears suffered 14 losses for the first time in their history after last losing as many as 13 games in 2016.

The NFL expanded the schedule to 17 games from 16 last season.

Steelers 28, Browns 14

Najee Harris rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 28-14 home win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Because of the Miami Dolphins’ win over the New York Jets, Pittsburgh (9-8) was still eliminated from playoff contention.

Kenny Pickett completed 13 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers, who won their final four games to avoid their first losing season under coach Mike Tomlin.

Deshaun Watson went 19-of-29 passing for 230 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Cleveland (7-10).

Pittsburgh drove 75 yards in 14 plays and took a 28-14 lead with 4:37 remaining following a 1-yard touchdown run by Derek Watt and a two-point conversion pass from Pickett to Diontae Johnson.

Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17

Rookie Desmond Ridder threw his first two career touchdown passes and Tyler Allgeier rushed for 135 yards as the Atlanta Falcons closed a disappointing season with a 30-17 victory against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in Atlanta.

Atlanta (7-10) scored all of the second half’s 20 points to avoid a solo spot in last place in the NFC South.

The Buccaneers (8-9), who clinched the NFC South and a home playoff game a week earlier, were largely tuning up for the postseason. Tampa Bay had 222 yards of total offense.

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady threw for one touchdown on 13-for-17 passing for 84 yards in first-half action. Blaine Gabbert replaced Brady late in the first half. Gabbert ended up 6-for-8 for 29 yards and Kyle Trask was 3-for-9 for 23 yards.

Ridder, a rookie in his fourth NFL game, completed 19 of 30 passes for 224 yards without an interception. Allgeier had 24 carries.

Bengals 27, Ravens 16

Joe Burrow passed for 215 yards and one touchdown and the Cincinnati Bengals notched their eighth consecutive victory by dispatching the visiting Baltimore Ravens 27-16 on Sunday.

Joe Mixon rushed for a score and Ja’Marr Chase caught eight passes for 86 yards and a touchdown for Cincinnati (12-4). Rookie Joseph Ossai recovered a fumble in the end zone for his first NFL touchdown and Trey Hendrickson registered two sacks for the Bengals, who clinched the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

Baltimore’s Anthony Brown was 19-of-44 passing for 286 yards and two interceptions in his first career NFL start. Tyler Huntley (shoulder, wrist) was ruled out before kickoff while Lamar Jackson (knee) sat out for the fifth straight game.

Kenyan Drake rushed for a touchdown for the Ravens (10-7), who will be the No. 6 seed in the AFC. Isaiah Likely had eight receptions for 106 yards and Roquan Smith racked up 16 tackles as Baltimore lost for the third time in four games.

Cincinnati will host Baltimore again next weekend in the AFC wild-card round.

Burrow completed 25 of 42 passes for the Bengals.

Broncos 31, Chargers 28

Russell Wilson was 13-for-24 passing for 283 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, Latavius Murray rushed for 103 yards and a score and the host Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-28 on Sunday.

Courtland Sutton, Eric Tomlinson and Tyler Badie had TD catches and Jerry Jeudy had five receptions for 154 yards for the Broncos (5-12), who ended a nine-game losing streak within the AFC West Division.

Justin Herbert was 25-for-37 passing for 273 yards and two touchdowns, and Keenan Allen had eight receptions for 102 yards and two scores. Gerald Everett also had a TD catch, and Austin Ekeler had four receptions to set a Chargers single-season record with 107.

Chase Daniels had a TD pass and two-point conversion in relief of Herbert. Los Angeles receiver Mike Williams (back) and defensive end Joey Bosa (undisclosed) left in the first half with injuries.

The teams honored Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin before the game while the Bills safety continues his recovery after going into cardiac arrest at Cincinnati on Monday.

Seahawks 19, Rams 16, OT

Jason Myers kicked four field goals, including a 32-yarder with 4:34 remaining in overtime, as the Seattle Seahawks kept their playoff hopes alive with a 19-16 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon.

The Seahawks (9-8) need a Detroit victory or tie Sunday night at Green Bay to earn the NFC’s final wild-card berth.

The injury-plagued Rams (5-12) capped the worst season by a defending Super Bowl champion.

The Seahawks had a chance to win on the final play of regulation, but Myers’ 46-yard field goal attempt hit the right goal post.

Quandre Diggs’ overtime interception led to the Seahawks’ winning drive, which started at their own 36-yard line.

Geno Smith connected with Tyler Lockett for a 17-yard completion into Rams territory and Kenneth Walker III gained 20 yards on a rush around the right end to get Seattle into field-goal range.