The Carolina Panthers improved their season record to 13-0 and became the first team to clinch a first-round playoff bye in the National Football League.
The Cam Newton-led Panthers, runaway winners of the NFC South, routed the Atlanta Falcons 38-0 and are two games better than the 11-2 Arizona Cardinals in the NFC standings.
The top two teams in each conference receive a first-round playoff bye, a significant advantage in a league that uses a cut-throat, single elimination postseason format.
The Cardinals, who lead the NFC West, are the only other NFC team assured of a playoff berth at this point.
No AFC team has clinched a playoff spot yet.
Dalton injured as Bengals beaten
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 282 yards and DeAngelo Williams rushed for two touchdowns to lift Pittsburgh past Cincinnati, who lost quarterback Andy Dalton to a fractured thumb on his throwing hand in the costly home defeat.
Dalton will miss at least one game for the 10-3 Bengals and is scheduled to see a hand specialist on Monday. He was replaced by AJ McCarron who completed 22 of 32.
The loss damaged the Bengals' hopes of securing the top seed in the AFC, while the Steelers (8-5) moved closer to snaring a Wild Card.
Kansas City extend winning streak
Kansas City extended their winning streak to seven games with a rain-soaked victory over San Diego at Arrowhead Stadium.
The victory moved the Chiefs to 8-5 overall and kept them in the lead for a Wild Card slot in the AFC playoffs.
The result was in the balance up to the final play when San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers' bid for a touchdown pass in the end zone was broken up as time expired.
Five touchdowns passes for Wilson in win
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw five touchdown passes, leading the Seahawks in a romp over Baltimore (4-9), who started third-string quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
Wilson completed 23 of 32 passes for 292 yards and wide receiver Doug Baldwin had three touchdown receptions for Seattle (8-5), winners of six of their last seven games.
Redskins snap road losing streak
Quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for 300 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another touchdown, and Washington held on to beat Chicago and end a nine-game road losing streak.
Washington (6-7) tight end Jordan Reed hauled in nine passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Jay Cutler completed 19 of 31 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (5-8), who dropped to 1-6 at home.
Eagles keep pace in playoff race
Philadelphia kept pace in the NFC East race by beating Buffalo at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles (6-7) stayed tied for first in the NFC East with the Washington Redskins, and are now a half-game ahead of the New York Giants, who play Miami on Monday night (local time).
Philadelphia scored the game-winning points on Caleb Stugis' 30-yard field goal with 3:26 left to play, which was set up by a 41-yard catch-and-run by tight end Zach Ertz, who broke two tackles and stiff-armed another defender.
Browns beat Niners
Cleveland snapped a seven-game losing streak and running back Isaiah Crowell rushed for two touchdowns to beat San Francisco in Johnny Manziel's return as starting quarterback.
Manziel, banished to the bench two weeks ago for lying to the team about partying, threw for 270 yards on 21-of-31 passing and one touchdown and one interception for Cleveland (3-10) as the 49ers slipped to 4-9.
