By ROB MAADDI
The Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers captured the NFL’s final two playoff spots in Week 18.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix led the Broncos to a 38-0 victory over Kansas City’s backups on Sunday, sending Denver to the postseason for the first time since Peyton Manning helped the team win a Super Bowl nine years ago.
The Buccaneers clinched the NFC South with a 27-19 comeback victory over New Orleans and earned the No. 3 seed when the Los Angeles Rams lost to Seattle 30-25. Tampa Bay (10-7) will host Washington (12-5) in the wild-card playoffs next weekend.
The Broncos (10-7) got the seventh seed and will visit Buffalo (13-4).
Denver’s victory eliminated Cincinnati and Miami, which lost to the Jets.
Green Bay, which lost 24-22 to Chicago, will be the seventh seed and visits No. 2 seed Philadelphia. The Eagles (14-3) beat the Packers (11-6) in the season opener, 34-29, in Brazil.
The Commanders beat Dallas 23-19 behind backup quarterback Marcus Mariota’s two touchdown passes. Washington opened the season with a loss in Tampa Bay, but rookie QB Jayden Daniels has come a long way since Week 1.
The NFC North and the conference’s No. 1 seed will be decided when the Lions (14-2) host the Vikings (14-2) on Sunday night. The winner clinches the division, the top spot and a bye next week. The loser gets the No. 5 seed and travels to Los Angeles (10-7) for a wild-card game against the fourth-seeded Rams. Detroit clinches if the final game of the regular season ends in a tie.
The AFC’s playoff picture became more clear on Saturday when the Baltimore Ravens beat Cleveland to clinch the North and the No. 3 seed. The Chiefs (15-2) already locked up a first-round bye, the Bills are the No. 2 seed and the Houston Texans are No. 4.
The Los Angeles Chargers beat Las Vegas to get the No. 5 seed. The Chargers (10-7) will play at Houston (10-7). The Ravens (12-5) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7), who lost the final four games of the regular season to drop to the No. 6 seed. The division rivals split the season series.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
