SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers now have a little better outlook on reaching the playoffs.
Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes to Malcom Floyd and the Chargers remained alive in the AFC West race with a 31-0 win Sunday over the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs, who went nowhere without quarterback Matt Cassel.
The four-time defending division champion Chargers pulled to within one game of the Chiefs.
Cassel didn’t travel after having an emergency appendectomy on Wednesday. Backup Brodie Croyle completed 7-of-17 passes for 40 yards and was sacked four times in his first start since the 2009 opener.
Rivers was 18-of-24 for 226 yards, and the Chargers outgained the Chiefs 426 yards to 67. Kansas City had five first downs.
It was San Diego’s first regular-season shutout against the Chiefs. The teams began play in 1960 as original members of the AFL.
Patriots 36, Bears 7
CHICAGO — Tom Brady threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns, and New England locked up its eighth playoff berth in 10 years.
The win was the fifth straight for the Patriots, who grabbed a 33-0 halftime lead and sent coach Bill Belichick to his 174th career win. That put him in a tie for 10th place with Mike Holmgren.
Buccaneers 17, Redskins 16
LANDOVER, Md. — A flubbed extra point attempt with nine seconds to play kept Washington from tying the game.
The Redskins pulled within a point on Santana Moss’ 6-yard touchdown catch, but Nick Sundberg’s slightly high snap on a wet field went through holder Hunter Smith’s hands.
The Buccaneers improved to 8-5 and broke a two-game losing streak. It was also the fifth time this season Josh Freeman has won a game with a fourth-quarter comeback. He hit Kellen Winslow for a 41-yard scoring pass with 3:47 to play.
Steelers 23, Bengals 7
PITTSBURGH — Troy Polamalu and LaMarr Woodley returned interceptions by Carson Palmer for touchdowns as Cincinnati dropped a franchise-record 10th straight game.
The Steelers couldn’t get into the end zone on offense despite dominating time of possession — a 9 1/2-minute drive produced no points.
Bills 13, Browns 6
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Ryan Fitzpatrick threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to David Nelson, and Leodis McKelvin made a late interception for Buffalo.
Rian Lindell hit field goals of 30 and 19 yards to help the Bills snap a three-game losing streak against Cleveland, which was eliminated from playoff contention.
Falcons 31, Panthers 10
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Falcons built a 17-0 halftime lead and cruised to its seventh straight win. John Abraham and Kroy Biermann each had two sacks as the Falcons became the latest team to shut down the NFL’s worst offense.
49ers 40, Seahawks 21
SAN FRANCISCO — Seattle had turnovers in five of six possessions during one stretch as San Francisco muddled up the ugly NFC West race even more with a surprisingly lopsided win and moved within a game of division leaders Seattle (6-7) and St. Louis. The Associated Press
