.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
NFL Latest: Patriots playing it safe, keeping ball on ground
The latest from NFL games on the 17th Sunday of the regular season (all times EST):
2:31 p.m.
The New England Patriots were on the run at Miami in the first half, when Tom Brady threw only five passes, the lowest halftime total in any game he has started, according to STATS.
Already assured of a first-round bye, the Patriots were eager for Brady to avoid injury. They held the ball for 16:24, rushing 21 times for 62 yards. Brady targeted five different receivers, completing four passes for 20 yards.
Brady tweaked his left ankle and was examined on the sideline after getting rolled but didn't miss a snap.
The Dolphins led 10-3 at halftime. Miami's Andrew Franks (46 yards) and New England's Stephen Gostkowski (46 yards) both missed field-goal tries.
The Patriots clinch the No. 1 seed with a win or Denver loss.
---
2:11 p.m.
Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri and Titans tight end Delanie Walker hit milestone numbers.
Vinatieri extended his own NFL record with a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter, becoming the only player to score 100 or more points in 18 consecutive seasons.
Walker became just the ninth tight end to catch 90 or more passes in a season. Walker also is the first tight end in team history to go over 1,000 yards receiving.
---
2:10 p.m.
Bills running back Karlos Williams surpassed 500 yards before injuring his knee on a 2-yard TD run, giving the Bills three players with more than 500 yards rushing in the same season for the first time since 1962.
Williams joins LeSean McCoy (895) and Tyrod Taylor (535). In 1962, Cookie Gilchrist (1,096), Wayne Crow (589) and Wray Carlton (530) all reached the 500-yard mark.
---
1:54 p.m.
Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams has been helped from the field with a lower leg injury.
Williams did not put any weight on his right leg as he was assisted to the sideline. He was then placed in the front seats of a cart and driven to the locker room for further evaluation.
Williams broke off a 6-yard run on the left side before he was tackled by Browns lineman John Hughes, who appeared to roll on the back of his leg.
The Steelers need to beat the Browns and hope Buffalo can beat the New York Jets to make the playoffs. Williams has been starting since the Steelers lost star running back Le'Veon Bell with a torn knee ligament in November.
-Tom Withers reporting from Cleveland.
---
1:51 p.m.
Kirk Cousins isn't slowing down in a meaningless finale for the playoff-bound Washington Redskins.
Already the first Washington quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards with at least four touchdowns and no interceptions in consecutive games, Cousins threw three scoring passes in the first quarter against Dallas on Sunday.
The first scoring toss, a 5-yarder to Ryan Grant, made Cousins the first Redskins quarterback to throw for a touchdown in all 16 regular-season games. Cousins also had a 39-yarder to Pierre Garcon and a 3-yarder to Jamison Crowder.
Washington clinched the NFC East title last week. The Cowboys, who came in at 4-11, are on their way to their most losses since going 1-15 in 1989, the year owner and general manager Jerry Jones bought the team.
-Schuyler Dixon reporting from Arlington, Texas.
---
1:22 p.m.
Antonio Brown has his hands on an NFL record.
Brown became the first player in league history to have 125 catches in two straight seasons. Brown entered Sunday's game with 123 receptions, and quickly grabbed a couple passes from Ben Roethlisberger early in the first quarter against the Browns.
The Pro Bowl receiver also passed his club record for yards receiving in a season and is trying to lead the league in both catches and yards.
Brown had 129 catches for 1,698 yards in 2014. Before he caught his 125th pass, Brown fumbled following a 13-yard reception.
-Tom Withers reporting from Cleveland.
---
1:05 p.m.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin posed for a pre-game photo with his entire family, including 11 grandchildren wearing ''Coughlin's Crew'' sweatshirts.
Coughlin could be coaching his last game with the Giants after 12 seasons and two Super Bowl championships. New York missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season after beating New England in the Super Bowl.
---
1 p.m.
Meet your backup quarterback, Peyton Manning.
Brock Osweiler is getting his seventh straight start when the Broncos try to wrap up a fifth consecutive AFC West title and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Kickoff against the Chargers is at 4:25. Manning will be suited up for the first time since Nov. 15, when a left foot injury thrust his understudy into the starting job.
This marks Manning's first game as a backup since his freshman year at Tennessee.
On Sept. 24, 1994, Manning replaced an injured Todd Helton in a game against Mississippi State.
So, he went 7,771 days between backup roles.
-Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
---
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
