Gary Kubiak on starting quarterback: I won’t say anything

Kubiak knew the team had to make changes up front even though they had moved the ball consistently.

– The Broncos (12-4) earned home-field advantage in the AFC less than two weeks after heading into their 15th game on a two-game losing streak and two games behind New England.

The Dolphins (6-10) wrapped up a disappointing season and are expected to embark on a search for their ninth coach since 2004.

Texans 30, Jaguars 6: In Houston, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus led the defense, Jonathan Grimes scored twice and the Texans won the AFC South. In 2013, his coverage of the Seattle Seahawks ended in heartbreak when they defeated the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati will host Pittsburgh next weekend in a wild-card game.

In the NFC, the Carolina Panthers secured the top seed after 38-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For one, the veteran quarterback is finally healthy, or at least as much as he can be at this point in his career. Young took 15 seasons to reach that plateau; Newton did it in five. “He came in and was the leader that he is”.

It has been an emotional year for Peyton Manning fans, especially Vols fans who have based their entire support of the National Football League behind their beloved quarterback for the past 18 years. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown before being benched, though he did throw a pair of interceptions. DeMarcus Ware’s injury is disconcerting, but Denver’s defense is playing at a championship level and, as they have all season, looks to be the unit that anchors the team’s success in the playoffs.

Regardless, the Chiefs (11-5) are somehow in the dance after a 1-5 start. Denver’s suspect offensive line also played relatively well and their two star receivers, Demaryius Thomas (117 yards) and Emmanuel Sanders (99 yards), had solid games, making this one of the offense’s best performances of the season, turnovers aside.

It was a sour end to the regular season for the NFC West champion Cardinals (13-3), who already had clinched the NFC’s No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye.

The New York Giants suffered another tough loss, 35-30 against Philadelphia, in what may have been Tom Coughlin’s final game as coach. But they turned over the ball four times in the first and on their first possession of the third quarter, falling behind, 13-7.

Kubiak needed to see how Manning would do before the playoffs began, and he’ll find out this week how his sore foot held up.

REDSKINS 34, COWBOYS 23 (at Arlington, Texas) – Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns before leaving late in the first half of a playoff tuneup. Osweiler has also proved he can scramble for yards when given the opportunity, rushing for 61 yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts. Meanwhile, Manning finished 5 of 9 for 69 yards and, for the first time this season, didn’t throw an interception.

The public doubled down and won two major decisions in the early games on Pittsburgh and Houston. The Chargers were down to third string at left tackle.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns to bring about the victory, with the hapless Browns restricted to just four Travis Coons field goals.

The loss denied the Falcons (8-8) their chance to give first-year coach Dan Quinn a winning record.

New Orleans upset Atlanta 20-17 in what might have been Sean Payton’s last game as Saints coach.