Martindale says Giants D is coming together for playoffs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Coordinator Wink Martindale has been excited about his defense all season, and he believes his New York Giants unit is coming together heading into the playoffs.

Martindale sees all the signs of the Giants (9-7-1) being a “playoff defense.”

There's a brotherhood among the players. They care for each other and they don't care who makes the play as long as it's made. They are also on-point in their preparation.

The other thing that has Martindale excited preparing for Sunday's wild-card game in Minnesota against the NFC North champion Vikings (13-4) is the defense is almost healthy.

Bills turn focus to Dolphins, with Hamlin recovering at home

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — With Damar Hamlin recovering at home, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott smiled when asked if he thought the tide of bad news might finally be turning for his team.

And he jumped on an opportunity to move forward to Sunday, when the AFC East champion Bills (13-3) host their division rival Miami Dolphins (9-8) in a wild-card playoff game.

“I appreciate where you’re going with that, but this is not a soap opera,” McDermott responded. “We’ve got one game to get ready for, and that’s really what we’re focused on.”

In the wake of an emotionally draining stretch during which the Bills were inspired by the outpouring of support from around the NFL, and uplifted further by Hamlin’s remarkable recovery since he had to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati, McDermott’s message was clear.

Chargers’ Williams questionable for playoff game vs. Jaguars

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Mike Williams’ status for the Los Angeles Chargers' AFC wild-card round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a game-time decision.

Williams was listed as questionable on the team’s injury report Thursday. He did not practice all week after suffering a lower back contusion late in the first half of last Sunday’s 31-28 loss at the Denver Broncos.

“He’s making progress in getting treatment,” coach Brandon Staley said. “We’re just trying to get him as much rest as possible for Saturday. We’re hoping that he can make it to the game.”

Williams had one reception — a 15-yard touchdown — in the Chargers’ 38-10 loss to the Jaguars on Sept. 25. He has six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns in four games against Jacksonville.

Brady-led Bucs primed to host Cowboys in NFC wild-card game

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers down a winding path to the playoffs. Dak Prescott helped the Dallas Cowboys weather significant challenges on their way to the postseason.

The star quarterbacks meet Monday night in an NFC wild-card game, and they are hoping the regular-season adversity will pave the way to a Super Bowl run.

“Everyone works hard to get to this point. There’s no more second chances,” said the 45-year-old Brady, who has the Bucs (8-9) in the hunt for a second title in three years despite finishing the regular season with a losing record for the first time in more than two decades as a NFL starter.

“It’s going to be hard, but we’re battle tested,” the seven-time Super Bowl champion added. "We’ve had some tough games. Some we came back from. Some we haven’t. But ... close won’t be good enough going forward for anybody.”

Patriots look to extend Mayo, seeking offensive coordinator

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots have started discussions for a long-term contract extension with linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Bill Belichick will also begin interviewing candidates for offensive coordinator next week.

The team made the announcements in a statement Thursday. It comes on the heels of Mayo being sought for the second straight offseason for interviews for one of the NFL's open head coaching jobs. The Carolina Panthers are the latest team to request permission to talk to him, Mayo also interviewed last offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Patriots are looking to hire their first offensive coordinator since Josh McDaniels left following the 2021 season to take the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job. Matt Patricia, an assistant with an extensive defensive pedigree, served as the Patriots' primary offensive play-caller this season.

But the unit struggled, with second-year quarterback Mac Jones regressing during an underachieving season that had the Patriots’ offense ranked in the bottom half of the league in points per game and red zone touchdowns.

Elliott has revamped role in 4th playoff trip with Cowboys

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott enters his fourth trip to the playoffs with the Dallas Cowboys in a position unlike any of the previous three.

The two-time NFL rushing champion is no longer the top playmaker in the Dallas backfield, and not even the leading rusher. Tony Pollard carries those distinctions now.

Teammates and coaches grade Elliott's value on a different scale, most notably the quarterback who has been with him since their remarkable rookie seasons together.

“He's a huge part of the temperature of that locker room,” said Dak Prescott, who was the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in a toss-up vote with his teammate.

Winnipeg receiver turning heads

The label ‘generational player’ is thrown around much too casually these days.

49ers seeking 3-game sweep vs. Seahawks in wild-card game

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan knows the challenges of trying to beat an opponent three times in a season after falling short a year ago in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams.

The 49ers open this postseason with a similar challenge when they host NFC West rival Seattle in a wild-card playoff game Saturday less than a month after beating the Seahawks for the second time this season.

“I don’t really look at it as you have to beat someone three times. I just look at it as we have to beat them on Saturday," Shanahan said. “That’s the game, I don’t think the other games have to do with it."

The Niners (13-4) are seeking a better result against the Seahawks (9-8) than they had last year against the Rams, when they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and lost 20-17 to Los Angeles in the NFC title game.

Chiefs top seed in AFC, but title game could be in Atlanta

Patrick Mahomes is the graybeard of the quarterbacks in the AFC playoffs even though he's only 27 and wasn't even born yet when Tom Brady was a freshman at the University of Michigan in 1995.

With Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) out and Teddy Bridgewater, 30, also hurt, the Miami Dolphins are preparing rookie Skylar Thompson, 25, to start at Buffalo this weekend.

That would make Mahomes the oldest starting quarterback in the AFC field.

Mahomes said he certainly feels as if he's entered a new phase in which he's no longer the puerile passer who took the league by storm in 2018 when he threw for 50 touchdowns and was the league MVP in his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs' starter.

Lamar Jackson says in tweet he’s suffered grade 2 PCL sprain

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens are still practicing without Lamar Jackson.

Thursday, however, included one significant development — an update from the star quarterback's Twitter account.

“Thank you everyone for your support and concerns regarding my injuries. I want to give you all an update as I am in the recovery process,” Jackson tweeted. “I’ve suffered a PCL grade 2 sprain on the borderline of a strain 3. There is still inflammation surrounding my knee and my knee remains unstable.

“I’m still in good spirits, as I continue with treatments on the road to recovery. I wish I could be out there with my guys more than anything but I can’t give a 100% of myself to my guys and fans I’m still hopeful we still have a chance.”

Texans interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans interviewed Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Thursday, making him the first announced candidate for their head coaching vacancy.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio is searching for his third coach in as many years.

Lovie Smith was 3-13-1 in one season and was fired on Monday, a year after Houston fired David Culley following one season and a 4-13 record.

The Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts are also interested in interviewing the 36-year-old Johnson about potentially leading their teams.

Eagles, Hurts get week of much-needed rest as NFC’s top team

Jalen Hurts couldn't wait to get back to work so he could get some more time off.

Hurts returned to Philadelphia's lineup last weekend after missing two weeks with a sprained right shoulder and helped the Eagles secure the top seed and lone bye in the NFC playoffs.

“We’re the No. 1 seed and we are the NFC (East) champs and that’s the goal we set out to do. Now I can continue to recover and be ready for the playoffs,” Hurts said after operating a conservative offense designed to keep him safe and leading the Eagles to a 22-16 win over the Giants' backups in Week 18.

“Winning pretty is not a priority,” second-year coach Nick Sirianni said.

Jags’ Lawrence, Chargers’ Herbert face off in playoff debuts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence feels as if he’s been in the playoffs the past two months.

Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars were 3-7 and four games behind division-leading Tennessee in late November. It was clear they needed to find ways to start winning close games.

Lawrence easily could have panicked or even packed it in. Instead, he and the Jaguars picked it up and won six of seven down the stretch, clinching the AFC South and returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Now, Lawrence will make his official postseason debut when the Jaguars (9-8) host fellow playoff newcomer Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) in a wild-card game Saturday night.