LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Garoppolo converted a pair of third-and-16s in the final two minutes to set up Robbie Gould for a 33-yard, final-play field goal Saturday night, giving the host San Francisco 49ers a dramatic 34-31 victory that eliminated the Los Angeles Rams from postseason contention.
Gould’s kick capped a nine-play, 60-yard drive and pushed the 49ers (12-3) a half-game ahead of Seattle (11-3) for the NFC West lead and the inside track to top seeding in the NFC playoffs.
The win also capped a season-series sweep for the 49ers over the Rams, after they won 20-7 in Los Angeles in Week 6. The Rams (8-7), the defending NFC champions, needed to win out and have Minnesota lose out in order to reach the postseason.
Garoppolo threw for 248 yards, two interceptions and a fourth-quarter touchdown to George Kittle from 7 yards out that gave San Francisco a 31-28 lead, before Greg Zuerlein’s game-tying 52-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining. Jared Goff threw TD passes and Todd Gurley scored a pair of touchdowns.
PATRIOTS 24, BILLS 17
Rex Burkhead’s 1-yard run with 5:06 remaining gave New England a victory against visiting Buffalo, clinching another AFC East Division title.
The Patriots scored the game’s final 11 points to defeat the Bills for the second time this season and the seventh time in a row. It’s the 11th year in a row in which New England (12-3) has won its division, extending its post-merger (since 1970) NFL record. — Reuters
