NFL playoff picture update

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The Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, the only two teams that controlled their playoff destiny entering Sunday’s games, earned the final two wild-card berths with victories, while the Dallas Cowboys have clinched the NFC East title with a 24-0 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Ravens defeated the Oakland Raiders, 21-13, while the Jets dominated the Cincinnati Bengals, 37-0, to clinch the final spot and deny the Houston Texans their first trip to the postseason. Baltimore will head to New England next week to play the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs, while New York heads to Cincinnati for the first of three final-week rematches in the postseason.

The Eagles will return to Dallas for a first-round playoff game at Cowboys Stadium next week. The Arizona Cardinals, the defending NFC champion, fell to Green Bay, 33-7, on Sunday and will get a rematch next week when they host the Packers.

The Ravens’ victory helped eliminate the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The only other AFC team with playoff aspirations was the Houston Texans, who defeated the New England Patriots, 34-27, today and would have qualified for the final wild-card berth if the Bengals defeated the Jets.

The top-seeded Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers will get first-round byes in the AFC playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings will join the top-seeded New Orleans Saints as opening-weekend playoff spectators after whipping the New York Giants, 44-7.

-- Dan Loumena