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Jones compiled 3rd season with more than 1,500 yards
NFL

Atlanta’s Julio Jones, who leads the NFL with 1,511 receiving yards, is the fifth player in NFL history with at least three seasons with 1,500 or more yards receiving, joining Jerry Rice (four seasons) and Marvin Harrison, Antonio Brown and Andre Johnson (three each). Jones, who also has 100 receptions this season, joined Harrison, Brown and Johnson as the only players in NFL history with at least 100 catches and 1,500 receiving yards in three seasons.

 

TONIGHT’S GAME

New Orleans is at Carolina tonight at 5:15 p.m. Drew Brees and the Saints (11-2) are out in front in the NFC and looking to stay a step ahead of the Los Angeles Rams in the battle for the top seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Cam Newton and the Panthers have lost five straight and need a victory to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.

STREAKS & STATS

Chicago’s Eddie Jackson ended Aaron Rodgers’ NFL-record streak of 402 pass attempts without an interception, picking him off in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 24-17 win over Green Bay. It was Rodgers’ first INT since Sept. 30 against Buffalo. ... Oakland’s Derek Carr was 21 of 38 for 263 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions for the ninth straight game. With his 14th pass, Carr broke Rich Gannon’s club record for the longest stretch without throwing an interception — 277 in 2001. He was lucky to get that far: Bengals safety Shawn Williams dropped a ball thrown directly to him on Oakland’s first possession. ... Tennessee’s Derrick Henry rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns in the Titans’ 17-0 victory over the New York Giants. He had 238 yards rushing and four touchdowns last week, joining LaDainian Tomlinson (2006), Deuce McAllister (2003), Clinton Portis (2003) and Ricky Williams (2002) as the only players with at least 170 yards rushing yards and two TD runs in consecutive games. ... Baltimore, led by rookie running back Gus Edwards (104 yards rushing) and rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson (95 yards), had 242 yards rushing yards in the Ravens’ 20-12 victory over Tampa Bay. They have rushed for at least 190 yards in five consecutive games and are the first team to accomplish the feat since the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers did it in five straight. ... With 202 yards, Minnesota gained the highest first-quarter total in the NFL during its 41-17 victory over Miami. It was the Vikings most points in the opening 15 minutes since a 28-point output on Oct. 9, 2011, against Arizona.

TICKETS PUNCHED

Chicago defeated Green Bay 24-17 to clinch the NFC North title for the first time since 2010. The Bears, who finished in fourth place in the division last season, completed a worst-to-first turnaround. ... The Los Angeles Chargers, who beat Kansas City 29-28 on Thursday night, also clinched a playoff berth this week — their first postseason trip since 2013.

STINGY

Tennessee’s shutout of the New York Giants was its first since a 31-0 win over Dallas on Christmas Day in 2000. ... Indianapolis’ 23-0 victory over Dallas was its first shutout since a 27-0 win over Cincinnati in 2014. It was the first time the Cowboys were held off the scoreboard since losing 12-0 to New England in 2003.

PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS

Minnesota had nine sacks, including two each from Danielle Hunter and Anthony Barr, in a 41-17 win over Miami. The Vikings, who recorded 10 sacks in the team’s victory over Detroit in Week 9, are the second team since 1990 to register at least nine in multiple games in a single season, joining Jacksonville, which had two such games last season.

MACK ATTACK

Indianapolis’ Marlon Mack rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts’ 23-0 victory over Dallas. Mack, who also had 132 yards rushing and two scores in Week 8 against Oakland, is the third player in franchise history to have multiple games with at least 125 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a single season, joining Eric Dickerson (two games, 1987) and Edgerrin James (two, 1999 and 2005).

WORST TO FIRST

Chicago won the NFC North a year after finishing in fourth place, completing a worst-to-first turnaround. It made for 15 of the past 16 seasons with at least one NFL team finishing in first place in its division the season after finishing in last or tied for last place.

SLOPPY

New England was penalized 14 times for 106 yards in its 17-10 loss at Pittsburgh. ... Seattle committed three personal fouls on one drive in the third quarter of its 26-23 overtime loss at San Francisco. The Seahawks finished with 14 penalties for 148 yards.

SIDELINED

Miami’s Frank Gore hurt his left ankle on the second-to-last play of the first quarter and didn’t return to the Dolphins’ loss at Minnesota. Gore, the NFL’s active rushing leader, had five carries for 14 yards. ... Chicago safety Eddie Jackson was injured during his interception in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ win over the Packers. Jackson had to be helped off the field with a sprained right ankle after his leg bent awkwardly as he tried to slide on the return. ... Green Bay running back Aaron Jones left with a knee injury in the first quarter and wide receiver Randall Cobb was evaluated for a concussion following a hard hit by Jackson late in the game. ... Cincinnati’s Tyler Boyd reached 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his career before hurting his right knee late in the first half of the Bengals’ win over Oakland. ... Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones injured his ribs on a TD catch in the second quarter and only played a few snaps in the third period with the outcome all but assured during the 40-14 rout of Arizona.

SPEAKING

“He said, ‘Give me the freaking ball,’ and then he said, ‘Pat, push me,’ He’s competitive. He’s tough. He’s everything you want as a leader. This franchise is going to be good with him around.” — Buffalo fullback Patrick DiMarco on rookie quarterback Josh Allen, whose 2-yard leap on a fourth-and-1 helped the Bills to a 14-13 win over Detroit.

“He makes you play 11-on-11 football instead of 11 on 10. We had him wrapped up a couple of times and he squirted out of there and was able to extend plays.” — Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter on Baltimore rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson after the Ravens’ 20-12 victory.

“I know every opportunity I get could be my last one. It’s the reality of my situation, so I just wanted to leave it all on the field. I owe the game that much because I love it that much. For me to go out there and not leave it on the field, I would be disrespecting it. If I had the opportunity to go out and make a play, I’m going to do it.” — Washington’s 32-year-old quarterback Josh Johnson, after leading the Redskins to a 16-13 win at Jacksonville in his first NFL start in more than seven years.