Packers become 1st team into playoffs, win NFC North

BALTIMORE (AP) – Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes – tying Brett Favre on Green Bay’s career list – and the Packers became the first team this season to clinch a division title, wrapping up the NFC North with a 31-30 win over Baltimore. The Ravens missed another big 2-point conversion in the final minute. With Lamar Jackson out with a sprained ankle, Tyler Huntley nearly led Baltimore (8-6) all the way back from a 31-17 deficit. His 8-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left pulled the Ravens within one, but Huntley’s 2-point conversion pass was incomplete. It was the third consecutive loss for Baltimore, which also fell to Pittsburgh two weekends ago on a missed 2-point conversion in the final seconds. The Ravens fell into a first-place tie in the AFC North with Cincinnati. Ravaged this season by injuries – especially in the secondary – Baltimore faced a difficult task trying to stop Rodgers and the Green Bay receivers. The Ravens mounted enough time-consuming drive of their own to keep the game close, but the Packers had the ball first after a 14-14 halftime tie and took advantage. Baltimore appeared to have Green Bay (11-3) stopped on a third-down incompletion, but minimal contact by Kevon Seymour was enough for a pass interference flag. Rodgers found Aaron Jones for a 9-yard touchdown on the next play. The Ravens drove into Green Bay territory before another devastating penalty. With Baltimore running the ball effectively and preparing to go on fourth-and-1 in the red zone, Ben Cleveland committed a false start. The Ravens settled for a field goal, and Green Bay drove 88 yards, taking an 11-point lead on an 11-yard pass from Rodgers to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. That was Rodgers’ 442nd touchdown pass, pulling him even with Favre. He went 23 of 31 for 268 yards. Rodgers has thrown for 13 touchdowns without an interception over his last four games and didn’t appear the slightest bit limited by his toe injury. Down 31-17, the Ravens began their comeback when Huntley ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 4:47 remaining. Then they got the ball back and scored again. Tight end Mark Andrews had 10 catches for 136 yards and two TDs for the Ravens. BENGALS 15, BRONCOS 10 DENVER (AP) – Khalid Kareem snatched the ball from backup quarterback Drew Lock on second-and-goal early in the fourth quarter to help the Bengals stay in the thick of the logjammed AFC playoff race. The Bengals (8-6) won despite star rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase being held to a single catch for 3 yards and Tee Higgins managing only 23 yards on two catches. The Broncos (7-7) saw their postseason hopes whittled with their fourth home loss of the season. Lock was in for Teddy Bridgewater, who was taken to the hospital in the third quarter for further evaluation of a head injury after he was carted off the field following a scary collision that also sent Bengals linebacker Joe Bachie from the game with a leg injury. Bridgewater had movement in his extremities and coach Vic Fangio said he’d be held overnight for observation but was expected to be OK. Tyler Boyd caught five passes for 96 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown throw from Joe Burrow moments after Denver had taken a 10-9 lead late in the third quarter. Kareem almost went from hero to goat on his strip of Lock, who faked a handoff to Javonte Williams but ran smack into Kareem. He wrested the ball away from the quarterback and tumbled to the ground, bounced up and rumbled down the Broncos sideline. The return was eliminated by video replay but the fumble stood. STEELERS 19, TITANS 13 PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ben Roethlisberger ran for his first touchdown in three years and Chris Boswell kicked four field goals to keep their playoff hopes alive.