Giants win battle of New York; to play for division title

EASTRUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Rex Ryan was brash and confident all week, insisting his Jets were the kings of New York.

Well, the Giants shut him up in a big way — taking the city bragging rights and setting up an even more important showdown with the Dallas Cowboys next weekend with a 29-14 victory Saturday.

"I hate to use that cliche, but this is a huge one," left tackle David Diehl said. "This is about the city, the city of New York and what team wants to be responsible. They have talked all week and said what they wanted to say. From Day 1, they're our big brother and other stuff. We went out there and played our game and showed whose stadium this is."

Ryan said the Jets were the better team the last two years, based on their consecutive trips to the AFC championship game and the Giants missing the postseason. Tom Coughlin responded by saying, "Talk is cheap. Play the game."

It was the Giants who did.

The Giants kept their postseason hopes alive, helped by Victor Cruz setting two franchise receiving records and Ahmad Bradshaw running for two touchdowns. While neither team looked much like playoff material, the Giants (8-7) are now in position to win the NFC East with a victory at home next Sunday against Dallas.

Running back Brandon Jacobs said he had an exchange with Ryan after the game in which the coach approached him, used an expletive and said, "Wait till we win the Super Bowl."

Added Jacobs: "And I told him I'll punch him in the face. I told him out of all these Giants players on this team you're talking to the wrong one. And that was that."

Ryan acknowledged that he and Jacobs "had a private conversation. He doesn't like me; I respect him."

The Jets' playoff hopes took a serious hit, and they will need to win at Miami next week and get help from several other teams.

Cruz, who had three catches for 164 yards, broke Amani Toomer's single-season mark for yards receiving — and the team's record for longest touchdown reception, a 99-yarder that gave the Giants the lead for good in the second quarter.

Lions 38, Chargers 10: In Detroit, the Lions made the playoffs for the first time since 1999 as Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes in the first half.

Detroit (10-5) has won three straight after a seven-game slump to earn a wild-card spot.

Patriots 27, Dolphins 24: In Foxborough, Massachusetts, Tom Brady ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as New England clinched a playoff bye.

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Texans lost to the Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the AFC's top two spots.

Raiders 16, Chiefs 13 (OT): In Kansas City, Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 36-yard field goal 2:13 into overtime, keeping Oakland's AFC West title hopes alive.

Carson Palmer threw for 237 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders (8-7). His perfectly thrown 53-yard pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey early in overtime set up Janikowski's winning kick, allowing Oakland to avoid a second straight late-game meltdown.

Bills 40, Broncos 14: In Orchard Park, New York, Tim Tebow finished with a career-worst four interceptions as the Broncos lost their second in a row.

Titans 23, Jaguars 17: In Nashville, Tennessee, Matt Hasselbeck threw for 240 of his 350 yards in the first half as Tennessee tried to keep its faint playoff hopes alive.

Bengals 23, Cardinals 16: In Cincinnati, Andy Dalton threw a pair of touchdown passes, and the Bengals withstood a fourth-quarter comeback.

Vikings 33, Redskins 26: In Landover, Maryland, the Vikings survived injuries to Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder on back-to-back plays to end a six-game losing streak.

Panthers 48, Buccaneers 16: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Cam Newton broke Peyton Manning's rookie record for yards passing in a season.

Steelers 27, Rams 0: In Pittsburgh, Rashard Mendenhall ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and backup quarterback Charlie Batch played efficiently in place of an injured Ben Roethlisberger.

Ravens 20, Brown 14: In Baltimore, Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens moved one step closer to winning the AFC North.

49ers 19, Seahawks 17: In Seattle, David Akers kicked four field goals, including a 39-yarder with 2:57 left, and San Francisco hung on against Seattle (7-8).

Eagles 20, Cowboys 7: In Arlington, Texas, Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes in Philadelphia's victory.

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