49ers Stay in No. 1 Seed Hunt With 24-16 Win Over Bears
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers kept pressure on the NFC’s top spot Sunday, defeating the Chicago Bears 24-16 at Levi’s Stadium in Week 17 to remain firmly in the hunt for the conference’s No. 1 seed.
Running back Jaylen Warren powered the offense, rushing for 130 yards and adding a receiving touchdown, consistently keeping the Bears’ defense on its heels. San Francisco controlled the tempo for much of the afternoon, leaning on the ground game and timely conversions to keep Chicago at arm’s length.
The win moves the 49ers one step closer to locking up the NFC West and keeps their path to the top seed alive heading into the regular-season finale.
Chargers Win 3GML Showdown Over Texans 23-16 in Slugfest at SoFi
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — In a gritty, mistake-filled 3GML head-to-head, the Los Angeles Chargers outlasted the Houston Texans 23-16 on Sunday in a game that felt more like a chess match than a shootout.
Neither offense ever found a consistent rhythm, as both teams traded stalled drives and field-position battles throughout the afternoon. The difference came from the Chargers’ defense, which capitalized on key opportunities against Texans quarterback Drake Maye.
Los Angeles intercepted Maye twice, with Xavier Watts grabbing one over the middle and Patrick Surtain II snatching another in tight coverage to halt a potential Houston scoring drive. Those turnovers kept the Texans chasing the game and allowed the Chargers to control tempo despite their own offensive struggles.
Houston’s defense did its part to keep things close, led once again by Logan Wilson, who piled up 11 tackles in a relentless performance. Wilson now sits at 179 tackles on the season, just three shy of the 3GML single-season record of 182, with one game remaining.
The win gives the Chargers bragging rights in the latest 3GML clash and further cements their playoff positioning, while Houston will head into the final week with the AFC South already locked up.
Ravens Hand Packers 28-24 Loss at Lambeau, Tighten NFC No. 1 Seed Race
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers missed a chance to lock up the NFC’s top seed Sunday, falling 28-24 to the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field as their once-comfortable margin at the top of the conference shrank to a single game with one week remaining.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was the difference, leading all rushers with 97 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly extending drives and keeping the Packers’ defense on the field in key moments. His legs proved especially damaging in the second half, when Green Bay struggled to get the stops it needed.
Tua Tagovailoa put together a productive stat line for the Packers, throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns, but the offense stalled after halftime. Green Bay failed to engineer a touchdown drive in the second half, settling instead for punts and missed opportunities as Baltimore controlled the tempo.
The loss puts added pressure on Green Bay heading into the final week of the regular season, with the race for the No. 1 seed now very much in doubt. What once looked like a formality is suddenly a sprint to the finish.
For the Packers, the formula is clear heading into Week 18: finish strong — or risk giving up home-field advantage just before the playoffs begin.
