Tylan Wallace returned an overtime punt for a touchdown to secure the Baltimore Ravens a stunning 37-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.

The Ravens went top of the AFC standings with their 10th win of the season after Wallace returned the punt 76 yards for the game-winning score.

Baltimore had retaken the lead in a roller-coaster clash with one minute 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter through Lamar Jackson’s third touchdown pass of the game.

The Rams forced overtime with a Lucas Havrisik field goal, but Baltimore prevailed to move above the Miami Dolphins, who play on Monday night.

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a second successive defeat as Joe Flacco led Cleveland Browns to a 31-27 home win.

Veteran Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP in 2013 with the Ravens, threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on his second appearance for the Browns.

Cleveland remained two games behind Baltimore in the AFC North, while the Cincinnati Bengals are just a game further back after quarterback Jake Browning shone in a 34-14 success against the Indianapolis Colts.

Back-up Browning, who has stepped in for the injured Joe Burrow, threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and rushed in for another score to earn his side a second successive victory.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went top of the NFC South with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker Mayfield led a 12-play, 75-yard drive which ended with him finding Cade Otton in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left.

Both teams sit on a record of 6-7 in the NFC South, as do the third-placed New Orleans Saints after they ended a three-match losing run by beating the struggling Carolina Panthers 28-6.

The New York Jets ended a five-match losing run by beating the Houston Texans 30-6.

Much-maligned Jets quarterback Zach Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie of the year frontrunner CJ Stroud completed just 10 throws for 91 yards for the play-off chasing Texans before leaving the game with a head injury.

DJ Moore had both a receiving and a rushing touchdown – the first of his career – as the Chicago Bears stunned NFC North leaders the Detroit Lions 28-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was placed in concussion protocol after the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year reported symptoms on Friday.

Watt played 51 of Pittsburgh’s 57 defensive snaps in Thursday’s 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots.

The five-time Pro Bowler inadvertently had his facemask collide with Patriot running back Ezekiel Elliott’s knee in the first quarter, and Watt was evaluated briefly on the sideline before returning.

Watt’s 14 sacks this season trail only Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers, who has 15.

Alex Highsmith, who emerged as a standout edge-rushing complement to Watt with 14.5 sacks last season, missed most of Thursday’s game after going into concussion protocol in the first half.

Inside linebackers Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb are already out for the year.

Veteran Markus Golden and rookie Nick Herbig are projected to be the starting edge-rushing combination in next Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts if Watt and Highsmith remain in protocol.

Watt is a three-time All-Pro selection with 91.5 sacks and 189 quarterback hits in 100 career games.

The Las Vegas Raiders made the right decision when they fired head coach Josh McDaniels last month and have got their "swagger" back under interim coach Antonio Pierce.

That is the view of three-time Super Bowl-winning safety Duron Harmon, who hopes Pierce gets a shot at leading the team on a full-time basis next season.

The Raiders parted company with coach McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler in early November, having made a 3-5 start to McDaniels' second season with the franchise.

Pierce has overseen something of an upturn since taking the reins, with the Raiders overcoming the New York Giants – with whom Pierce won Super Bowl XLII during his playing career – and the New York Jets before losing difficult games against the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Harmon, who was with the Raiders last year, believes the team are already seeing their decision pay off, telling Stats Perform: "I think [the owner] Mark Davis did the best thing. 

"I have a lot of respect for Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. They allowed me to go out there and play and I enjoyed my time there. But you could just tell the team wasn't responding to the coach. 

"So they did the right thing by letting him go and hiring somebody on an interim basis, like Antonio Pierce, another man who's a great leader, a leader of men who could just kind of get the juices going back throughout the locker room.

"I think they've done that. They played the Dolphins tough. They beat the Jets, they beat the Giants, I believe. 

"Then they ran into the Chiefs [last week], which is a tough test for everybody. Amik [Robertson] and Devante [Adams] came out and said that basically, they beat themselves. When you watch the tape, you could probably agree with them. 

"The idea that they have this type of confidence now, it shows that they have a head coach that is giving them that swagger that they need."

The 5-7 Raiders are outside the playoff picture in the AFC with five games to play, but Harmon does not think the prospect of a postseason run is completely unrealistic. 

"Hopefully, they can maybe get on a little run and maybe sneak into playoffs," he added.

"I have a lot of great relationships over there, and I still talk to a lot of guys over there and they can't talk highly enough about the energy shift that has been since Antonio has taken over. 

"So, I wish those guys the best of luck. I think if all goes well, hopefully, they give AP a good hard look to make him not only the interim but the head coach for the future."

Cleveland Browns safety Duron Harmon says the team cannot dwell on injuries to key players Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson, saying they must find a way to "win at all costs".

The Browns have lost several key players this season, starting with star running back Chubb as he suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2, which has required two separate surgeries. 

That injury put even greater responsibility on quarterback Watson, but he was forced to undergo season-ending surgery after sustaining a fracture in his throwing shoulder last month.

Despite their absences, the Browns approach their Week 14 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 7-5 record and are one of three teams from the AFC North currently in a playoff position.

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Harmon – who signed to Cleveland's practice squad in November – said they cannot afford to dwell on those injuries, remaining bullish about their Super Bowl hopes.

Asked what the Browns' mentality would be for the rest of the season, Harmon said: "Find a way to win. it's not about making excuses. 

"It's not about talking about who could be there, who's not going to be there, who might be there. It's about just finding a way to win. 

"We're at the point of the season where everybody has, or is dealing with, some type of injuries on their team.

"The teams who just find a way are the teams that are going to be there in the end competing for that Lombardi. So we've just got to find a way to win at all costs."

The Browns had another injury scare last week as defensive end Myles Garrett was seen with his arm in a sling following the team's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos, though he was able to suit up for their road game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 – a 36-19 defeat.

Harmon believes Garrett, who ranks fifth in the NFL for sacks this year with 13, is the standout athlete in the league.

Asked what makes the star edge rusher special, Harmon said: "I think just his motor, his get-off, his athletic ability. Myles Garrett is truly one-of-one. 

"I was talking to a team-mate yesterday and I was like, 'Myles Garrett might be the best athlete in the NFL'. 

"Just as a pure athlete, and he looked at me and said, 'There's no might about it, he is'. Just watching how he practices, watching how he goes about his day, how he treats his profession, how he works on his craft daily. It's no surprise he is where he is. 

"It's no surprise he's going to continue to get better and terrorise quarterbacks. He takes the right approach every day. The success coming his way is because he works for it and he's earned it."

The New England Patriots ended a five-game losing streak with a 21-18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A week after failing to reach the end zone against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England’s offence finally found some form behind quarterback Bailey Zappe.

He threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, while Pittsburgh’s Mitch Trubisky was held to just one passing touchdown and 190 yards in the air.

The Steelers were under pressure almost immediately when Zappe found Ezekiel Elliott in the end zone within the first minute.

Pittsburgh were able to steady the ship slightly through kicker Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal, but back-to-back Hunter Henry touchdowns to open up the second quarter saw New England stretch their lead to 18.

Trubisky was eventually able to reduce that deficit to 11 before the end of the first half, but it took until the fourth quarter for the scoreboard to tick over again.

A one-yard run from Trubisky at the start of the quarter kept the game alive for Pittsburgh, but the New England defence was ultimately able to hold on for the Patriots to pick up just their third win of the year.

The Detroit Lions are strong contenders as they close in on the NFL playoffs and Duron Harmon believes his former side are succeeding due to the understanding and relatability of head coach Dan Campbell.

Campbell's Lions lead the NFC North after going 9-3, inspired by an energetic running game and experienced quarterback Jared Goff, who made Super Bowl LII with the defeated Los Angeles Rams.

Only C.J. Stroud (3,540), Sam Howell (3,466) and Tua Tagovailoa (3,457) have passed for more yards than Goff's 3,288, while the Lions' 1,648 rushing yards can only be bettered by the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.

Enjoying a fine season to date, Harmon – a Lion for a season in 2020 – lauded the qualities his former Detroit side have to offer in their quest for a first playoff berth since 2016.

"What I've seen is a team that has taken the approach and the mindset of their head coach," Harmon, now of the Cleveland Browns, told Stats Perform.

"A gritty team, a tough team, a team that will not quit, a team that will fight for all 60 minutes, and a team that is continually going to be on the rise this year and for years to come.

"They have a great thing cooking in Detroit.

"I was privileged enough to sit down with coach Campbell when he got hired. Right then and there, I knew they hired the right guy.

"He said it was going to be a year-to-year thing, it wasn't what happened overnight. He understood that he understood the process that it was going to be."

As the Lions continue in their search for a first Super Bowl triumph, Harmon lauded Campbell for restoring pride among a devoted Detroit faithful.

He added: "I'm happy for what he has done for the city of Detroit because they have one of the most loyal fan bases in sports, not just in the NFL.

"All they've ever wanted was a team to compete and a team that they can be proud of and Dan Campbell has given that to them – so hats off to him.

"We still have a long season, but what they've been able to accomplish this year up to this point, and just over the last two years, it shows that they're heading in the right direction to compete for years to come."

Touching further on Campbell's qualities, Harmon believes more NFL teams should follow suit in appointing former players looking to get into coaching.

Former tight end Campbell played for the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints – as well as a spell with the Lions – in a playing career that ended in 2009.

"It was a brief, probably 20-25 minute conversation, and the energy he gave off to me was, a lot of coaches say, I'll do any and everything for you, but you can just tell he meant it," Harmon continued.

"Not only did he mean it because, obviously it was his chance to be a head coach, but because he could relate. He was in the player's shoes.

"That's one thing that I think the NFL and these owners should start doing more is looking to hire former NFL players because they can relate.

"They understand the grind, not only physically, but mentally. They understand what it means to be an NFL player.

"What better way to have a head coach, who not only can motivate the players, but also relate? So they hired the right guy and we all see it. I wish him nothing but luck."

Trevor Lawrence sustained a right high-ankle sprain in Monday's night's 34-31 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jaguars coach Doug Person revealed the diagnosis while talking to reporters Tuesday.

"Everything is stable," Pederson said. "Everything looks good and we'll see where he is in a couple of days."

Jacksonville visits the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and Pederson didn't rule out Lawrence from playing.

"I'm not going to put that timetable on Trevor, not going to put him in a box like that," Pederson said.

Lawrence was injured with about five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when his his right leg bent awkwardly after being stepped on by teammate Walker Little as he was sacked. He went to the ground in obvious pain and needed to be helped off the field. X-rays taken at Jacksonville's stadium were negative.

"The one last night looked worse than what it really was - very fortunate there," Pederson said. "But he seems to have a little bit of a knack (for avoiding serious injury)."

If he can't play, it would be the first game the durable Lawrence would miss since the Jaguars selected him No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Backup C.J. Beathard would then make his 13th career start - and first since Week 17 of the 2020 season for the San Francisco 49ers. He is 2-10 as a starter in the NFL.

Replacing Lawrence on Monday, Beathard completed 9-of-10 passes for 63 yards.

"It's good to get C.J. a full week of preparation," Pederson said. "Trevor will stay mentally sharp and obviously see where he's at."

Lawrence was enjoying another showing before the injury, completing 22-of-29 passes for 258 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

In 12 games this season, he has 3,004 passing yards with 14 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions.

While Lawrence's status is uncertain, Pederson announced that top wide receiver Christian Kirk will be sidelined for "some time" due to a core muscle injury that will likely require surgery.

Kirk, who was injured on the first play from scrimmage against the Bengals, leads Jacksonville with 787 receiving yards on 57 receptions with three touchdown catches.

With Monday's loss, the Jaguars dropped to 8-4 and their lead atop the AFC South shrunk to one game over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans.

The Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 on the back of kicker Evan McPherson’s overtime field goal.

In just his second career start, Bengals quarterback Jake Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown while his counterpart Trevor Lawrence left the field late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

The Jaguars opened the scoring in the first quarter through running back Travis Etienne Jr before Cincinnati equalised at the start of the second with a six-yard touchdown run from Joe Mixon.

A touchdown to Jacksonville’s Evan Engram and Mixon finding the end zone for his second saw the half-time score even at 14-14.

Momentum continued to shift after the break, Cincinatti briefly taking the lead before the Jaguars entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point advantage.

The Bengals levelled again through a one-yard touchdown run from Browning and took the lead on a 54-yard field goal with just two minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

The Cincinnati defence was almost able to wrap things up in regulation, but Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus was forced overtime in the final 30 seconds.

With Lawrence out of the game, the Bengals were ultimately able to claim their sixth win of the season through McPherson’s 48-yard conversion.

Shaquille Leonard has found a new home.

The free agent linebacker agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

The 28-year-old had also met with the Dallas Cowboys, but ultimately decided to join the reigning NFC champions.

The Eagles, who visit the Cowboys on Sunday, suddenly need to shore up their defence after surrendering 456 yards in yesterday's 42-19 drubbing by the San Francisco 49ers in the highly anticipated NFC championship game rematch.

Since Week 11, Philadelphia is 31st in rushing defence, permitting an average of 162.3 yards per game on the ground after boasting the league's top-ranked rushing defence prior to its Week 10 bye, yielding 66.3 rushing yards per game.

The hope is Leonard, who was surprisingly waived by the Indianapolis Colts on November 21, can recapture the play that made him one of the top defenders in the league.

Leonard was voted to the AP All-Pro team as a rookie in 2018, then again in 2020 and 2021, but his injuries limited him to just three games last season and his production has dropped significantly.

After spending his first six seasons in Indianapolis, he was then cut by the Colts last month after complaining about his lack of playing time.

He had started the first nine games of the season for Indianapolis, registering 65 tackles with two going for loss.

In 70 career games, Leonard has 15 sacks, 12 interceptions, 17 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.

Bill Belichick is still the right coach for the New England Patriots despite their struggles this season.

That is the view of Duron Harmon, who played for the Patriots between 2013 and 2019, winning three Super Bowl rings in that time.

All of those triumphs came under Belichick's guidance, with the 71-year-old having been head coach of the Patriots since 2000.

His 24th straight season in charge has proved a dismal one, with the Patriots sinking to a 2-10 record.

New England have lost their last five games including their 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13.

Their displays have cast doubt over the future of veteran coach Belichick, but Harmon – who is on the practice roster at the Cleveland Browns – does not think making a change is the right solution.

"I just think it's timing," he told Stats Perform. "How many organisations do you know that are this successful for this long? That's life.

"You look at all the great organisations, the [Chicago] Bulls when they had their run, then eventually, you've got to go through [hard times]. 

"That's just a part of sports that happens because when you're at the top, everybody's gunning for you. Everybody's trying to figure out how to get better.

"They're taking from you, they're taking coaches from you. They're taking players from you. That's sports, it's life.

"We've come where it's time for the Patriots to be on the other side for a little bit. I think if there is one person that can reverse it and turn it the other way, it's the man that's right there, and that's Bill Belichick – he's done it before.

"If he has the, I don't want to say patience, but if he wants to go through that again, I think he's the man to do it."

Harmon also believes Belichick would choose to stay on with the Patriots, rather than end his tenure on a low ebb.

He added: "Besides Tom Brady, he's the most competitive person I know. People don't realise, Bill is a competitor. He loves to win, but he hates to lose even more. And you can kind of just see it in his demeanour.

"Losing is not a part of his nature and I can't see him just going out like this.

"I think this would be the motivation. He does everything there. He's the coach, he's the front office. It's all on him."

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett will reportedly miss two-to-four weeks with a right ankle injury he sustained in Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pickett will undergo surgery Monday and will be evaluated further following the procedure, leaving open the possibility he could be sidelined for a period longer than his initial timetable. 

Pickett was injured on a scramble attempt near the goal line during the second quarter of Pittsburgh's 24-10 loss to the Cardinals. The second-year pro was ruled out at half-time and had his right foot in a walking boot while on the sidelines during the second half.

Veteran Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett and will start the Steelers' game against the New England Patriots on Thursday.

Trubisky began last season as Pittsburgh's No. 1 quarterback before being displaced by the then-rookie Pickett after four games. The former Chicago Bears' first-round pick went 2-3 in five overall starts in 2022 while compiling 1,252 passing yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions over seven total games.

Pickett completed seven of 10 passes for 70 yards before exiting to extend his franchise-record streak of pass attempts without an interception to 218, the longest streak of any quarterback this season as well. The 2022 first-round pick has not thrown an interception in eight consecutive starts to help put the Steelers in position for a playoff spot in the AFC.

At 7-5, Pittsburgh is one of four teams currently tied in the race for the conference's three wild card spots. The Steelers trail the first-place Baltimore Ravens by two games in the AFC North with five left to play.

For the season, Pickett has thrown for 2,070 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 62 per cent of his pass attempts in 12 starts. 

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell will reportedly miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left fibula in Sunday's 22-17 win over the Denver Broncos.

The severity of the injury was reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

The injury occurred with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter when his leg was rolled over during Dameon Pierce's 3-yard touchdown run.

Dell remained on the ground in obvious pain and was helped onto a car, unable to put any weight on his left leg. He covered his face in a towel while being driven off the field.

As one of the favourite targets of fellow rookie C.J. Stroud, his injury is a big loss to Houston's offence.

The 24-year-old is second on the Texans with 47 catches for 709 yards. Among all rookies, his seven touchdown receptions are the most in the NFL and are also a franchise record.

He had a career-high 149 receiving yards and entered Week 13 as the third rookie in league history with at least five catches and a TD reception in four straight games.

After losing 13 games each of the last two seasons, the Texans are one of the bigger surprises in the NFL this year, as Sunday's win improved their record to 7-5.

Gardner Minshew threw a touchdown pass to Michael Pittman with less than three minutes remaining in overtime as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Tennessee Titans 31-28 for their fourth straight win.

The Colts had to score a touchdown to win after Nick Folk made a 46-yard field goal to put the Titans 28-25 in front with four minutes, 19 seconds left on the clock.

Minshew led his side down the field in a 71-yard, seven-play drive which culminated in a four-yard pass to Pittman. The Colts now have a 7-5 record and remain in the play-off race in the AFC.

The Denver Broncos suffered a blow in their bid to make the post-season as their five-game winning streak came to an end against the Houston Texans.

Nico Collins had a career-high 191 yards receiving, including a fourth-quarter touchdown, and Jimmie Ward intercepted Russell Wilson in the end zone with nine seconds remaining to ensure the Texans held on for a 22-17 win.

A miserable campaign for the New England Patriots hit a new low as they were shut out twice in a season for the first time in franchise history, with two field goals from Cameron Dicker giving the Los Angeles Chargers a 6-0 win.

It was a different story in New Orleans as the Detroit Lions beat the Saints 33-28 to improve to 9-3, their best record after 12 games since 1962.

Sam LaPorta enjoyed career highs of nine catches for 140 yards, including an early touchdown, while Saints lost quarterback Derek Carr to injury in the fourth quarter after he was the victim of a penalised hit from Bruce Irvin.

Desmond Ridder threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt as the Atlanta Falcons beat the New York Jets 13-8, while the Arizona Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-10 for just their third win of the season in a weather-delayed contest.

Tyreek Hill caught two touchdown passes, the first from 78 yards, as the Miami Dolphins thrashed the Washington Commanders 45-15 to improve to 9-3 for the first time since 2001.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw three touchdowns as his side downed the Seattle Seahawks at home in a high-scoring 41-35 win.

The 30-year-old completed the winning play for the Cowboys, finding Jake Ferguson with just minutes left to win their fourth game in a row.

Prescott threw for just 299 yards, while his opposing quarterback Geno Smith threw for 334 yards, matching Prescott with three touchdowns.

The Seahawks led at halftime 21-20, thanks to two touchdowns from DK Metcalf and one from Zach Charbonnet, with Smith grabbing his own touchdown just two minutes into the second half.

But the Cowboys refused to go away, scoring a touchdown in the third quarter through Tony Pollard to stay within touching distance.

In the final quarter, Metcalf ran over for his third touchdown for the Seahawks, giving his side an eight-point lead with less than 15 minutes left.

But the Cowboys rallied again with two field goals and the Ferguson touchdown pushing them to nine wins on the season.

Aaron Rodgers has taken the next step towards a potential return before the end of the season, as the New York Jets designated the star quarterback to return from injured reserve on Wednesday.

The move allows Rodgers, recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon he suffered in the Sept. 11 season opener, to resume practising and gives the Jets a 21-day window to return him to the active roster.

NFL.com reported earlier this month that Rodgers was targeting the Jets' home game against the Washington Commanders on Dec. 24 as a potential return date. The four-time NFL MVP, who turns 40 on Saturday, has stated that he would only play again this season if physically able and if the Jets are still in the playoff race.

New York currently sits two games behind the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC's final wild card spot after losing its last four games to drop to 4-7. 

Jets coach Robert Saleh said that it's still unclear whether Rodgers will be back this season, as he categorised the decision to open the veteran's practice window as the next part of the rehabilitation process.

"This isn't so much getting ready to play as it is a progression in his rehab," Saleh told reporters Wednesday.

Saleh added that Rodgers will be limited to light throwing drills this week and has yet to be cleared for contact.

"What he will be doing in practice is no different than what he'd be doing on (a side field) as (the media) watch it," he said. "With regards to certain drills and individual, being able to throw ... instead of throwing with staff members he'll be throwing with teammates.

"There's no added risk to it. There's certain things he's been cleared for that we're going to allow him to do."

Should Rodgers play again in 2023, it would complete a remarkably speedy recovery from a serious injury, as Achilles tears generally require a rehab period between nine and 12 months.

Rodgers was injured on the Jets' third official play from scrimmage of the season when he was sacked by Buffalo's Leonard Floyd in New York's Week 1 win over the Bills, bringing a sudden and shocking ending to one of the most anticipated player debuts with a new team in NFL history.

The Jets acquired Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers, the team he spent his first 18 seasons with and led to a Super Bowl title in 2010, in April.

Rodgers' injury has greatly dampened hopes for a Jets team that entered the season with very high aspirations, with inconsistent quarterback play a major factor in their disappointing record.

The Jets rank 30th of 32 teams in scoring at 14.8 points per game and 31st in total offense with Zach Wilson seeing the majority of time as Rodgers' replacement. Saleh benched Wilson in favor of journeyman TIm Boyle for last week's 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins.