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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Corey Grant crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the second half at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, on Dec. 17, 2017.Reinhold Matay/The Globe and Mail

The Jacksonville Jaguars are returning to the playoffs for the first time in a decade thanks to a 45-7 drubbing of rival Houston on Sunday.

Once the NFL's poster child for futility and a punchline for potential relocation, the Jaguars (10-4) are now one of the league's top turnaround stories.

Blake Bortles threw three touchdowns passes, including two to a reserve receiver who slept in his car earlier this season. The Jaguars won for the seventh time in eight games to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2007.

Bortles finished with a season-high 326 yards and the best QB rating (143.8) of his career, including 186 yards and a touchdown to rookie Keelan Cole. Primary punt returner Jaydon Mickens, who stepped in for injured starter Marqise Lee in the first quarter, caught four passes for 61 yards and two scores against the Texans (4-10).

The Jaguars were an NFL-worst 22-74 over the previous six years, more a laughingstock than a postseason contender.

RAMS 42, SEAHAWKS 7

Todd Gurley rushed for 152 yards and scored four total touchdowns in just 2 1/2 quarters, and the Los Angeles Rams moved to the cusp of their first division title since 2003 with a thumping of the Seattle Seahawks. The matchup to determine first place in the NFC West was completely one-sided. Los Angeles (10-4) was dominant, embarrassing Seattle in the worst loss of Pete Carroll's eight seasons in charge. The Rams don't have the division wrapped up, but have a two-game lead with two weeks to play. A win against either Tennessee or San Francisco is enough for their first division title in 14 years.

VIKINGS 34, BENGALS 7

Eric Kendricks had an interception return for a touchdown, Case Keenum passed for 236 yards and two scores and the Vikings clinched the NFC North over the depleted and disinterested Bengals. Running backs Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon combined for 37 touches and 242 yards from scrimmage for the Vikings (11-3). The game went so smoothly that Teddy Bridgewater even made his grand entrance, his first live action in 16 months since a massive knee injury. Bridgewater's first pass was intercepted.

EAGLES 34, GIANTS 29

Nick Foles threw four touchdown passes in his first start replacing the injured Carson Wentz and the Eagles secured a first-round playoff bye. Foles hit 24 of 38 passes for 237 yards and no interceptions. The NFC East champion Eagles (12-2) made a late stand on first-and-goal in the final minute in edging the Giants (2-12) for the second time this season, spoiling a three-touchdown, season-high 434-yard passing game by Eli Manning.

SAINTS 31, JETS 19

Mark Ingram ran for two touchdowns and gained 151 yards from scrimmage, including a late 50-yard TD run, and the Saints overcame three turnovers. Michael Thomas became the second NFL player with at least 90 receptions in his first two seasons. He caught nine passes for 93 yards, including a pivotal fourth-quarter touchdown on a short slant for New Orleans (10-4), which retained its tenuous hold on first place in the NFC South heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Bryce Petty made his first start at quarterback this season for the Jets (5-9), who were eliminated from playoff contention.

RAVENS 27, BROWNS 10

Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass, ran for a score and beat Cleveland again as the Ravens stayed on track for the AFC playoffs. With victories at home over Indianapolis and Cincinnati in its past two games, the Ravens will return to the postseason after a two-year absence. Flacco scored on a two-yard run and threw a 33-yard TD pass to Benjamin Watson as the Ravens (8-6) took control with two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the first half. The Browns (0-14) went 0-8 at home – 0-7 in Cleveland, 0-1 in London – for the second time. Last season, the Browns avoided infamy by winning their final home game and finishing 1-15.

BILLS 24, DOLPHINS 16

LeSean McCoy scored twice and surpassed 10,000 career yards rushing, while helping the Bills stay in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. Tyrod Taylor also scored on a nine-yard touchdown run and Shareece Wright and Jordan Poyer intercepted Miami's Jay Cutler on consecutive drives to start the second half. Buffalo never trailed. The Bills have won three of four and improved to 8-6 to match the team's best record through 14 games during Buffalo's 17-year playoff drought – the longest active streak in North America's four major professional sports. The Bills were 8-6 in both 2004 and 2014, but missed the playoffs with 9-7 finishes.

WASHINGTON 20, CARDINALS 15

Anthony Lanier sacked Blaine Gabbert and forced a fumble that Preston Smith recovered and Washington held on to beat the Cardinals in a comedy of errors for each team. Smith also intercepted Gabbert and Lanier batted down three passes and had two sacks. Washington (6-8) was booed at times in the second half by fans in the announced crowd of 71,026.

Anthem update

Ten Seattle Seahawks players knelt or sat for the national anthem before their home game against the Rams, among 17 players protesting this week. Defensive players Michael Bennett, Dion Jordan, Sheldon Richardson, Marcus Smith, Quinton Jefferson, Jarran Reed, Frank Clark, Paul Dawson and Branden Jackson sat during the anthem, while offensive tackle Duane Brown knelt. No Rams players sat or knelt, but defensive end Robert Quinn had his fist raised during the anthem. San Francisco safety Eric Reid, linebacker Eli Harold and wide receiver Marquise Goodwin knelt for the anthem ahead of their home game with Tennessee. Three players protested during the early games.

The B.C. Lions announced Ed Hervey as the team’s new general manager on Thursday after a disappointing CFL season. Wally Buono, who steps down from the job, says he will stay on as head coach for a “final year” in 2018.

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