Packers, 49ers secure playoff spots

The Green Bay Packers continued their unbeaten start to the NFL season on Sunday, while Drew Brees dominated for the New Orleans Saints.

The Packers made it 12 wins from as many games as quarterback Aaron Rodgers led his team to a narrow 38-35 defeat of the New York Giants to seal their place in the playoffs with four regular-season games remaining.

Rodgers led a last-minute 66-yard drive at MetLife Stadium, setting up Mason Crosby to kick the game-winning 30-yard field goal.

The Giants are six wins, six losses and sit second in NFC East, while the reigning Super Bowl champions have already clinched NFC North.

Meanwhile, Brees (342 yards and three touchdowns) guided the New Orleans Saints to a fourth straight win, a 31-17 victory over the Detroit Lions.

The performance gave him 4,031 yards for the season, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to pass the 4,000-yard mark in the opening 12 games of a campaign.

Elsewhere, the San Francisco 49ers clinched NFC West and a playoff spot with a 26-0 win over the St Louis Rams, their first post-season place since 2002.

Marshawn Lynch ran for 149 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Seattle Seahawks eased past the Philadelphia Eagles 31-14.

The Houston Texans made it six straight wins with a 17-10 defeat of the Atlanta Falcons, while Reggie Bush rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown in the Miami Dolphins’ 34-14 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Quarterback Tim Tebow (202 yards and two touchdowns) saw the Denver Broncos to a thrilling 35-32 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, while the Indianapolis Colts remain winless after slumping to a 31-24 loss to the New England Patriots.

The Tennessee Titans kept their playoff chances alive after a 23-17 win over the Buffalo Bills, while the Pittsburgh Steelers cruised past the Cincinnati Bengals in a 35-7 victory.

Cam Newton rushed for three touchdowns as the Carolina Panthers overcame the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-19, while the New York Jets left it late before beating the Washington Redskins 34-19.

In other games, the Kansas City Chiefs edged the Chicago Bears 10-3, the Baltimore Ravens kept top spot in AFC North with a 24-10 win over the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys’ four-game winning run came to an end after a 19-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.