Less than two weeks after suffering two back fractures in a car crash, star quarterback Cam Newton has led the Carolina Panthers to a 17-13 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Newton's nine yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Stewart in the final quarter was the difference as the Panthers' win set the stage for a winner-take-all NFC South division showdown on the final week of the National Football League's regular season.
"We have been through so much," said Newton, who also ran for a touchdown. "Hearing the fans roar, it gives you energy."
Newton's health was the biggest concern for the Panthers heading into the contest with the Browns after he was injured in a two-car smash on December 9 near the Panthers' practice facility.
Newton, who missed last weekend's game, said he was lucky to have survived the accident. He was out the hospital and back at training just a couple of days later.
The scoring strike to Stewart capped a seven-play, 66-yard drive and came less than three minutes after the Browns took their first lead on Brian Hoyer's 81-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron.
Hoyer replaced Johnny Manziel late in the first half after the rookie left the game and did not return following a hamstring injury.
Manziel's struggles in his NFL debut last week were well documented, and he didn't fare much better on Sunday completing just three-of-eight passes for 32 yards.
The Panthers (6-8-1) will travel to the Atlanta Falcons next week with the division on the line. Whoever wins that game will not only clinch the NFC South, but will also host a postseason contest.
"We are prepared for this moment," Newton said.
The Falcons beat New Orleans 30-14 to end the Saints playoff hopes.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass as the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched a playoff spot with a 20-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field.
"We had to take advantage of the opportunities we had. They possessed the ball a long time. We won the game that is all that matters," said Roethlisberger.
The Steelers (10-5) secured a wild card berth and will host Cincinnati next Sunday for the AFC North title. The Bengals host AFC West-champion Denver on Monday.
"We still got one more game to go so we are going to treat this next one like a playoff game," said Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh, who is in the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season.
They held the Chiefs out of the end zone and limited them to four Cairo Santos field goals. Kansas City's playoff hopes are slim heading into next Sunday's home game against Phil Rivers' San Diego Chargers.
The Green Bay Packers also locked up a playoff spot on Sunday and the New England Patriots clinched a bye.
The Patriots secured a first-round bye with a 17-16 win over the lowly New York Jets as Tom Brady completed 23-of-35 passes for 182 yards with one touchdown. New England (12-3) will clinch the AFC's top seed if Denver loses on Monday.
The Packers clinched a spot in the playoffs for the sixth straight season behind a strong defence as they limited Tampa Bay to just 109 yards of offence in a 20-3 win.
Next week the Packers host the Detroit Lions, and the winner of that game clinches the NFC North title. Detroit rallied for a 20-14 win at Chicago on Sunday.
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