SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The 49ers' five-season playoff drought officially ended Sunday, but their hopes for a No. 1 seed may have been extinguished by a late-game replay review and bizarre upset to the Atlanta Falcons.

Officials in New York reversed an on-field call and awarded the Falcons' Julio Jones a touchdown catch with two seconds ...Read more

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Frustration mounted and tempers flared as the Browns had their playoff hopes buried in the desert Sunday.

The Browns are on the brink of being mathematically eliminated from postseason contention after falling 38-24 to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.

Coach Freddie Kitchens needed a win in his reunion ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Frank Clark has fought an uphill battle with his health all season. There was a pinched nerve in his neck that he'd been dealing with since the preseason, plus a shoulder injury. He's missed two games.

But the latest malady may have been the scariest.

Clark missed practice last week while visiting a specialist for a stomach...Read more

BALTIMORE -- Stadium beers aren't cheap. Marcus Peters' wasn't, either.

The NFL fined the Ravens cornerback $14,037 for drinking a beer after helping to clinch a Week 14 win over the Buffalo Bills. Peters' deflection of a pass from Bills quarterback Josh Allen with about a minute left essentially sealed the Ravens' 24-17 win, and he celebrated ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Before we get to the football we need to start here, a direct message to the many thousands of fans who drove snowy roads to stand outside for hours and watch something that's readily available through the magic of television:

Salute, and also, are you OK? Your decision making is both admirable and questionable.

The snow ...Read more

DETROIT -- For a coach on one of the hottest seats in the NFL, with few chances left to prove he deserves to keep his job, it wasn't the start – or finish – he needed.

The Detroit Lions played their worst first quarter of the season, then mounted a comeback that went up in flames when David Blough threw a fourth-quarter interception that ...Read more

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Bears had one final play to try to keep Sunday's game against the Packers -- and likely their playoff hopes -- alive at Lambeau Field.

With 34 yards to go for the touchdown, Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky passed to Tarik Cohen, who threw a lateral pass to Trubisky, who threw another lateral to Jesper Horsted. But as ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Seahawks came out hot and held on for a tense 30-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, giving them a franchise-record seven road wins this season and keeping them, at 11-3, in the hunt for the NFC West division title.

Three immediate impressions from Sunday's game:

Revitalized passing attack

The biggest ...Read more

BALTIMORE -- Stadium beers aren't cheap. Marcus Peters' wasn't, either.

The NFL fined the Ravens cornerback $14,037 for drinking a beer after helping to clinch a Week 14 win over the Buffalo Bills. Peters' deflection of a pass from Bills quarterback Josh Allen with about a minute left essentially sealed the Ravens' 24-17 win, and he celebrated ...Read more

CHICAGO -- The Bears activated defensive tackle Akiem Hicks from injured reserve Saturday as they traveled to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday afternoon.

Hicks hasn't played in a game since he suffered a left elbow injury Oct. 6 against the Raiders in London. He returned to practice two weeks ago, and coach Matt Nagy seemed optimistic ...Read more

DENVER -- An inconspicuous backpack occupies the bottom shelf of Drew Lock's cubbyhole inside the Denver Broncos' practice facility in Dove Valley, Colo. Although he has owned it for less than a year, it rarely leaves his side.

A few minutes before practice Wednesday, he unzipped its top flap to glance at an item he purposefully views almost ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- His recent highlight-reel exposure might have been a revelation for some, but the dynamic pass-catching ability Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee displayed during consecutive 100-yard receiving performances was no surprise to others.

Bob Hudson helped develop it while coaching Higbee in high school in Florida. Jeff Brohm ...Read more

DAVIE, Fla. -- As a reward for his breakout season with the Miami Dolphins, receiver DeVante Parker is getting a long-term contract extension, with the 26-year-old getting a four-year deal that features an $8 million signing bonus.

The extension, which could pay Parker as much as $40 million, ensures that the Dolphins' 2015 first-round pick, ...Read more

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Former football star Michael Vick left his Hampton mansion years ago, but he still owes the city $70,800 in unpaid taxes on a fleet of luxury cars.

Vick lived in the city after serving time in prison on federal charges of running a dog-fighting operation in Surry County, in which, federal investigators reported, he was ...Read more

The Los Angeles Times' NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week's matchups. Lines according to Pregame.com (O/U = over/under). Last week's record 13-3 (.813); season 132-75-1 (.638). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 11-4-1 (.733); season 111-92-5 (.547). Times are ...Read more