Chargers 27, Chiefs 24

The San Diego Chargers' three-year playoff drought is over, thanks to another epic, heart-stopping win against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chargers have needed help for weeks, and everything fell into place on Sunday, with the last piece being an overtime victory over a Chiefs team that already had clinched the AFC's No. 5 seed and rested 20 of 22 starters.

Nick Novak kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:30 left in overtime. The Chargers, who trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter, then held the Chiefs on downs to win it after they reached the San Diego 41.

Earlier in the day, the Chargers (9-7) got the help they needed when Miami and Baltimore both lost. San Diego has won four straight and five of six heading into a wild-card game next weekend at AFC North champion Cincinnati.

The Chiefs (11-5) go into the playoffs having lost five of seven. They play at AFC South champion Indianapolis, which won 23-7 in Kansas City last week.

Bengals 34, Ravens 17

Andy Dalton threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and set a pair of Bengals passing records, leading Cincinnati to a victory that eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

It was an erratic performance by the third-year quarterback, who also threw four interceptions for AFC North winner Cincinnati (11-5).

The Ravens (8-8) lost their last two games, denying them a chance to make the playoffs for a sixth straight season. They couldn't avoid the Super Bowl slump that's so common.

Broncos 34, Raiders 14

Peyton Manning set the NFL single-season record for yards passing and threw four first-half touchdown passes to help the Denver Broncos clinch the top seed in the AFC playoffs with a win over the Oakland Raiders.

Manning needed just one half to add the yards record to the touchdown mark he set last week and assure that the Broncos (13-3) won't have to leave home again until the Super Bowl if they make it that far. He threw touchdown passes to Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno in the first quarter and added two to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter. He broke Drew Brees' record of 5,476 yards set in 2011 with a 5-yard pass to Thomas with 13 seconds left in the half to make it 31-0.

That ended Manning's day having completed 25 of 28 passes for 266 yards. He finished the season with 5,477 yards and 55 touchdown passes.

Saints 42, Buccaneers 17

Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns and ran for another score, and New Orleans clinched a wild-card spot with a victory over Tampa Bay.

Three of Brees' scoring strikes were longer than 40 yards - 76 to Kenny Stills, 44 to Lance Moore and 41 to Robert Meachem. Brees passed for 381 yards, eclipsing 5,000 yards in a season for an unprecedented fourth time. He finished the season with 5,162 yards to go with 39 touchdowns.

Seahawks 27, Rams 9

Malcolm Smith returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown, Marshawn Lynch added a 2-yard scoring run and the Seahawks clinched the NFC West title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over the St. Louis Rams. Seattle (13-3) matched the franchise record for wins in a season and finally wrapped up the No. 1 seed after losses to San Francisco and last week to Arizona, which snapped a 14-game home winning streak.

Steelers 20, Browns 7

Le'Veon Bell ran for 90 yards and a touchdown as the Steelers drubbed the Cleveland Browns, though Pittsburgh's bid to become the second team in NFL history to go winless in September and make the playoffs ended when San Diego edged Kansas City.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 179 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions as the Steelers (8-8) won their third straight to avoid the franchise's first losing season since 2003. The victory also continued a furious second-half rally by the Steelers, who went 6-2 over the season's final eight weeks to fuel an improbable run at the AFC's final postseason spot.

Panthers 21, Falcons 20

Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes, Greg Hardy had a team-record four sacks and the Panthers clinched the NFC South.

The Panthers (12-4) earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage for at least one game as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez had four catches for 56 yards and was honored at halftime in his final regular-season game. He has announced plans for retirement.

49ers 23, Cardinals 20

Phil Dawson made a 40-yard field goal as time expired to lift the San Francisco 49ers to a win over the Arizona Cardinals that clinched the NFC's No. 5 playoff seed.

Colts 30, Jaguars 10

Andrew Luck threw for 282 yards and one touchdown, Robert Mathis reclaimed the NFL sacks lead and Adam Vinatieri joined the 2,000-point club.

The AFC South champs have won three straight, matching their longest streak of the season. Indy (11-5) finished with a 6-0 mark against division foes and has outscored its last three opponents 78-20.

Titans 16, Texans 10

Chris Johnson ran for 127 yards and a touchdown in what might be his last game with the Titans, a win that may help coach Mike Munchak's argument to stay on the job in 2014.

With their 14th straight loss, the Texans (2-14) clinched the No. 1 selection in next May's draft for the next head coach owner Bob McNair hires.

Vikings 14, Lions 13

Rookie Cordarrelle Patterson scored two more touchdowns, including the go-ahead catch in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and the Vikings won their final game at the Metrodome after 32 seasons.

The building will be torn down next month to make room for a new domed stadium on the same site.