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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 27-19 and win the NFC South for a fourth straight season.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns as he rallied his team from a 16-6 half-time deficit, with rookie running back Bucky Irving extending the lead to eight points just after the two-minute warning.
Four straight incompletions from Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler on the ensuing drive effectively ended the contest, but Mayfield still had time for a nine-yard completion to wide receiver Mike Evans to secure his 11th straight season with 1,000 receiving yards, equalling Jerry Rice’s NFL record.
The Atlanta Falcons had needed a Tampa Bay defeat to have any chance of snatching the NFC South title, but in any event suffered a 44-38 overtime defeat at home to the Carolina Panthers.
Quarterback Bryce Young threw for three touchdowns and ran in two others himself as the Panthers ended the season with a 5-12 record.
The Green Bay Packers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles to start the play-offs after losing 24-22 to the Chicago Bears.
Brandon McManus kicked a late 55-yard field goal to give the Packers a 22-21 lead, only for Cairo Santos to split the uprights from 51 yards as time expired.
Defeat for the Packers ensured the Washington Commanders would be the sixth seed in the NFC play-offs, even before a Terry McLaurin touchdown catch with three seconds left gave the Commanders a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Joe Milton III threw for one touchdown and rushed for another on his NFL debut to steer the New England Patriots to a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills, who were already certain of being the number two seeds in the AFC.
New England would have secured the number one overall pick in the 2025 draft with a loss, but that dubious honour goes to the Tennessee Titans after they lost 23-14 to the Houston Texans.
Matt Gay kicked four field goals, including the game winner from 38 yards in overtime, as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23, while the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants 20-13, despite resting many of their starters.
