Patriots capture AFC East

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The New England Patriots clinched the AFC East on Sunday, beating Carolina 38-6 and giving the Carolina Panthers an ignominious spot in NFL history as the first team to lose 15 straight games in the same season.

It was New England's first division title since 1997. And because of Oakland's loss, the Patriots earn a first-round bye.

The Panthers went out in the same hapless way they played all season -- committing six turnovers, two for touchdowns on interception returns of 46 yards by Ty Law and 76 yards by Otis Smith.

The announced crowd was 21,070, less than half the previous franchise low. Adding insult to Carolina (1-15) were the huge sections of Patriots fans waving red and blue and raucously celebrating every New England score.

While the Patriots (11-5) head into the playoffs, the focus in Carolina now shifts off the losing and on to George Seifert, who could be ousted at any time, and Steve Spurrier, whose name has been buzzing around Charlotte since his resignation as coach at Florida on Friday.

JETS 24, RAIDERS 22

OAKLAND, Calif. -- John Hall kicked a 53-yard field goal with 59 seconds left as the Jets clinched a postseason berth.

On his only field-goal attempt of the game, Hall proved his leg is one of the NFL's strongest -- even strong enough to overcome three turnovers by the Jets (10-6), who made the playoffs for the first time since 1998 under first-year coach Herman Edwards. They'll open the playoffs on the road next week as a wild-card team, but they were 7-1 away from home this season.

With their third straight loss, the Raiders' collapse cost them a first-round playoff bye. Oakland (10-6) will open the playoffs at home next week -- possibly against the Jets.

The Raiders had the ball and a 22-21 lead with 3:12 to play, but their inconsistent offense couldn't move. The Jets then drove to Oakland's 35 with four passes, including a 15-yard completion on third down to Kevin Swayne.

SEAHAWKS 21, CHIEFS 18

SEATTLE -- Trent Dilfer passed for two touchdowns and Shaun Alexander scored on a 44-yard run as Seattle kept its playoff hopes alive by beating Kansas City (6-10).

The Seahawks can get into the playoffs as an AFC wild-card team tonight if the Baltimore Ravens lose at home to the Minnesota Vikings. The Seahawks (9-7) could have made the postseason if the Raiders had beaten the Jets.

Dilfer, replacing the injured Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback for the second straight week, had TD passes of 12 and 18 yards to Darrell Jackson in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead at halftime.

It was Dilfer's 15th consecutive victory as a starter, including 4-0 this season, when he mainly was Hasselbeck's backup.

Kansas City's Priest Holmes had 117 yards rushing to win the NFL rushing title with 1,555 yards, finishing 50 ahead of Curtis Martin of the Jets.

DOLPHINS 34, BILLS 7

MIAMI -- Lamar Smith rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown as Miami clinched a home game in the first round of the AFC playoffs by beating Buffalo.

The game began shortly after New England won the AFC East by drubbing Carolina 38-6, which dashed the Dolphins' hopes of winning the division.

Miami (11-5), which clinched a playoff berth a week ago, will play Baltimore or the New York Jets in the opening round.

The Bills (3-13), out of the race since October, finished with their worst record since going 2-14 in 1985.

The Dolphins were eager to start the playoffs at home, where they're 7-1 this season, outscoring opponents 188-92. Their past six playoff losses have been on the road.

PACKERS 34, GIANTS 25

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. -- The Packers got what they wanted -- the right to open the playoffs next week against San Francisco in Green Bay. And the Giants' Michael Strahan got what he wanted with the NFL single-season sacks record, a late present from Brett Favre.

Before lying down and letting Strahan fall on him with 2:42 left, Favre threw two touchdown passes and Ahman Green scored on runs of 25 and 1 yard. Strahan finished with 22 1/2 sacks, a half more than Mark Gastineau's record in 1984.

New York (7-9) missed the playoffs one year after playing in the Super Bowl. The only thing that prevented the Packers (12-4) from having a perfect day was the Bears, who clinched the NFC Central by beating Jacksonville.

LIONS 15, COWBOYS 10

PONTIAC, Mich. -- A record for Emmitt Smith and a rare victory for Detroit brightened the last NFL game at the Silverdome.

The Dallas (5-11) star became the first running back to reach 1,000 yards in 11 straight seasons in the Lions' win. He broke the record he shared with former Lion Barry Sanders on a 13-yard run on his 13th carry late in the third quarter.

Smith ran for 77 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to finish his season with 1,021 and increase his career total to 16,187, behind only Walter Payton's 16,726.

Ty Detmer threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Johnnie Morton with 5:37 left for the game-winner. The Lions (2-14) matched the worst record in franchise history.

BEARS 33, JAGUARS 13

CHICAGO -- Chicago's defense, as it has all season, carried the Bears to their first NFC Central title since 1990 and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

The Bears (13-3) intercepted three passes and sacked Mark Brunell four times, and Anthony Thomas rushed for 160 yards as Chicago clinched the division a year after it finished 5-11.

Chicago players doused coach Dick Jauron and coordinators Greg Blache and John Shoop from large liquid containers, setting off a celebration in the last regular-season game at Soldier Field before it is renovated.

Jackson finished 6-10.

49ERS 38, SAINTS 0

NEW ORLEANS -- Jeff Garcia threw four touchdown passes for the second time this season against New Orleans, and completed 14 of 21 passes for 263 yards.

San Francisco (12-4), which recorded its third shutout in the last six games, had a chance to get a home game in the first round of the playoffs until a 27-21 upset loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. Green Bay's 34-25 victory over the New York Giants meant the 49ers will visit Lambeau Field next weekend.

The Saints (7-9) finished the season with four straight losses. They gave up an average of 40 points in those games.

STEELERS 28, BROWNS 7

PITTSBURGH -- Troy Edwards scored on a 32-yard fumble return to start the second half and the Steelers regained some playoff momentum by beating the Browns.

In a game that meant little to Pittsburgh except that it was against a rival, many of its starters played only a half, and some didn't play at all due to injuries.

But the Steelers (13-3) didn't want to go into the AFC playoffs with consecutive losses to Cincinnati and Cleveland (7-9), although they had already gained home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

BENGALS 23, TITANS 21

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Neil Rackers kicked three field goals, including the game-winner with 20 seconds left, as the Bengals beat the Titans.

The Bengals (6-10) finished as they started, with a two-game winning streak and ended up with the most wins in a season since 1997. They also ended a seven-game losing skid to the Titans (7-9).

REDSKINS 20, CARDINALS 17

LANDOVER, Md. -- For the second time this season, backup QB Kent Graham won a game after starter Tony Banks was injured. Stephen Davis broke his own franchise season rushing record and scored the winning touchdown with 3:11 left as the Redskins beat the Cardinals in a battle for .500.

On the third offensive play after Banks left with a knee injury, Graham set up the winning touchdown by fighting off a rusher to complete a left-handed flick to Ki-Jana Carter for an 8-yard gain on third-and-7.

The Redskins finished 8-8 after starting 0-5 under new coach Marty Schottenheimer -- just as they did under first-year coach Joe Gibbs in 1981. Arizona finished 7-9, its 12th sub-.500 season in 14 years in Arizona.

COLTS 29, BRONCOS 10

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning threw for two touchdowns, Dominic Rhodes rushed for 141 yards and the Colts (6-10) forced four turnovers and allowed a season-low points total.

Manning completed 16 of 30 passes for 191 yards, and Rhodes provided the running threat that opened up the passing game, running for more than 100 yards for the fifth time this season for Indianapolis. He finished the season with 1,104 yards, the first undrafted rookie to rush for more than 1,000.

The Colts limited Denver (8-8) to just 219 yards on offense, picked off four of Brian Griese's passes and sacked Griese five times.

Eagles 17, Bucs 13

TAMPA, Fla. -- The first-round playoff opponents closed the regular season against each other, with the Eagles coming from behind to win as both teams rested most of their starters.

Third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley threw two touchdown passes to Dameane Douglas within a 26-second span of the fourth quarter to bring Philadelphia back from a 13-3 deficit.

The Eagles (11-5) and Bucs (9-7) will meet again next Saturday in a rematch of the NFC wild-card game that the Eagles won 21-3 in Philadelphia last season.

-- From wire reports