Jahmyr Gibbs had 170 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns as hosts Detroit Lions pulled away for a 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings to secure top seed in the NFC play-offs for the first time in franchise history.
Jared Goff completed 27 of 33 passes for 231 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Detroit (15-2). Gibbs rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns and caught five passes for 31 yards and one score.
Sam Darnold completed 18 of 41 passes for 166 yards for Minnesota (14-3),which was held without a touchdown. The Vikings' nine-game winning streak ended.
The Lions clinched the NFC North title for the second year in a row. They will have a bye next week and have secured home-field advantage throughout the conference play-offs.
The Denver Broncos are back in the play-offs for the first time since winning the 2015 Super Bowl thanks to a 38-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix set a franchise record by completing his first 18 passes en route to ending the Broncos' eight-year play-off drought.
Several big names for the Chiefs, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight-end Travis Kelce, kept to the bench against the Broncos as Kansas City had already secured the AFC's top seed.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 27-19 and win the NFC South for a fourth straight season.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns as he rallied his team from a 16-6 half-time deficit, with rookie running back Bucky Irving extending the lead to eight points just after the two-minute warning.
Four straight incompletions from Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler on the ensuing drive effectively ended the contest, but Mayfield still had time for a nine-yard completion to wide receiver Mike Evans to secure his 11th straight season with 1,000 receiving yards, equalling Jerry Rice's NFL record.
The Atlanta Falcons had needed a Tampa Bay defeat to have any chance of snatching the NFC South title, but in any event suffered a 44-38 overtime defeat at home to the Carolina Panthers.
Quarterback Bryce Young threw for three touchdowns and ran in two others himself as the Panthers ended the season with a 5-12 record.
The Green Bay Packers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles to start the play-offs after losing 24-22 to the Chicago Bears.
Brandon McManus kicked a late 55-yard field goal to give the Packers a 22-21 lead, only for Cairo Santos to split the uprights from 51 yards as time expired.
Defeat for the Packers ensured the Washington Commanders would be the sixth seed in the NFC play-offs, even before a Terry McLaurin touchdown catch with three seconds left gave the Commanders a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Joe Milton III threw for one touchdown and rushed for another on his NFL debut to steer the New England Patriots to a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills, who were already certain of being the number two seeds in the AFC.
New England would have secured the number one overall pick in the 2025 draft with a loss, but that dubious honour goes to the Tennessee Titans after they lost 23-14 to the Houston Texans.
Matt Gay kicked four field goals, including the game winner from 38 yards in overtime, as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23, while the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants 20-13, despite resting many of their starters.
The Los Angeles Chargers locked up the fifth seed in the AFC with a 34-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passed for 346 yards and two touchdowns, ending the regular season on a three-game win streak.
AFC Wild Card games
Denver Broncos @ Buffalo Bills, 6pm, 12 January
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens, 1am, 12 January
Los Angeles Chargers @ Houston Texans, 9.30pm, 11 January
NFC Wild Card games
Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles, 9.30pm, 12 January
Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1.15am, 13 January
Minnesota Vikings (14-3) @ Los Angeles Rams, 1.15am, 14 January
