Bengals can clinch AFC North title with win over Steelers

Mariota became the first player in National Football League history with at least 250 passing yards and three touchdowns and over 100 rushing yards in the same game. Dalton ended the game at 14 of 19 for a total of 220 yards.

The Cardinals (No. 2), the Broncos (No. 3) and the Bengals (No. 4) each moved up one spot on Tuesday. It’s just hard not to take Cincy at home with the small chalk.

The Bengals are now in a three-way tie with New England and Denver at 10-2 and sitting pretty, as an old expression went, with four games to go. Sacks leader J.J. Watt had helped Houston hold three of its last four opponents to six points prior to the loss in Buffalo, so expect them to aggressively get after Brady in this Sunday night showdown.

With extra time to prepare, the Packers now have a home game to get healthy with, facing a Tony Romo-less Cowboys team coming in off a short week after playing in Landover on Monday night. Philadelphia has been incredibly unpredictable this season, and just when it seems like they are headed in the right direction they have a letdown performance.

The NFC South champions host the reeling Falcons on Sunday. Atlanta has a. 500 record, but they are a below-average team, and they are being exposed after winning a few games at the start of the year that could’ve gone either way.

“We’re pleased with the guys who got the opportunity to play yesterday, their roles and what they did”, said coach Marvin Lewis. I mean that is what they have done, they have made the effort to finish plays 80 yards down the field to spring a touchdown, that’s a good thing to show these guys what it takes.

Seven AFC teams are both 6-5 or 5-6 and 6 will face one another in Week 13, helping to type out a jumbled wild card race. Just look at the Eagles beating the Patriots as proof of that, and the Saints running the Panthers close.

Both teams have four wins, but they are headed in two different directions.

Leon Hall could step into a starting role, but he missed last week’s game with a back injury.

Plus, the Broncos were still able to run the ball, though not as effectively the last two weeks. Denver already holds it over New England.

When you have the best defense in the National Football League, it makes that possible. Jameis Winston has led Tampa Bay to three wins in the last four games, and he continues to improve each week. On the other hand, the Steelers, who have yet to win more than two in a row this season, could get hotter than holy hell and declare themselves ready to rock and roll toward the Super Bowl. Kansas City also has head-to-head tiebreaker wins over both Pittsburgh and Buffalo, so it’s very safe to pencil them into the field.

Two games went to overtime – Torrey Smith’s 71-yard catch ensured the San Francisco 49ers claimed a 26-20 win over Chicago, while the Jets defeated the Giants 23-20 in the Battle of the Big Apple between the two NY franchises.

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos: A disastrous fourth quarter prevented the Raiders from getting back to. First team to nine wins is in.

“Can make me a believer this week vs. Pittsburgh”, NBC Sports’ Tony Dungy said of the Bengals.

The former first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans is enjoying another strong season with 54 tackles and two interceptions after being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career in 2014.