NEW YORK -- With so many teams trying to get into the playoffs, one thing became clear Sunday: The Buffalo Bills aren't going to be one of them.


Yes, Pittsburgh shut down Cleveland 17-7 to win the AFC Central and gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and San Diego beat the New York Jets 21-6 to win the AFC West.


But the big news is the AFC will have a new team in Miami on Jan. 29 to try to end a 10-game losing streak against the NFC in the championship game. After Kansas City's win over Houston later Sunday, the Bills -- who reached the Super Bowl the last four years, only to lose each time -- had their fate sealed.


Elsewhere on the playoff front, Miami (9-6), a 10-6 loser to Indianapolis, is tied with New England (9-6) atop the AFC East. Miami, already in the playoffs, wins the division if both teams finish with the same record.


The Patriots would have made the playoffs had Seattle beaten the Los Angeles Raiders on Sunday night. But the Seahawks lost 17-16 when John Kasay missed a 43-yard field goal with nine seconds left. Now the Patriots will need a victory at Chicago on Saturday.


In the AFC Central, the Steelers (12-3) are the winners, with the Browns (10-5) in as a wildcard.


In the West, the Chargers (10-5) are the champs, with Kansas City (8-7) and the Los Angeles Raiders (8-6 entering Sunday' night's game at Seattle) still in the wild-card running.


In the NFC, Dallas (11-3) already won the East, with the New York Giants, a 16-13 winner over Philadelphia, and Arizona, a 28-7 winner over Cincinnati, still in the chase for a wildcard spot.


The Central is the most confusing, with Chicago joining Detroit and Minnesota atop the division at 9-6, and Green Bay (8-7) also alive. If all four teams win next weekend, then all four get in the playoffs -- Minnesota as the division winner and the other three as wild cards.


In the West, the 49ers already clinched the division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.


In Saturday's games, it was San Francisco 42, Denver 19 and Detroit 41, Minnesota 19.


Patriots 41, Bills 17. The Patriots, who are at Chicago on Saturday, scored 38 straight points to bury Buffalo. On the second play of the third quarter, Rickey Reynolds returned a fumble 25 yards for a TD to make it 24-17. Reynolds recovered another fumble on the Bills' next possession and then Drew Bledsoe threw a 6-yard TD to up the lead to 31-17.


Steelers 17, Browns 7. Neil O'Donnell threw a 40-yard TD pass to Yancey Thigpen and Barry Foster (32 carries, 106 yards) had a 1-yard score as the Steelers made an early 14-0 lead stand up as the Browns fell to 10-5.


Raiders 17, Seahawks 16. Jeff Hostetler and Tim Brown combined on a 77-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, then the Raiders needed a botched field goal by Seattle to escape.


Chargers 21, Jets 6. The Chargers are AFC West champions as Stan Humphries threw three TD passes and Junior Seau knocked the Jets' Boomer Esiason (concussion) out of the game in the second quarter. Humphries (19 of 26 for 280 yards) connected on scoring passes of 2 yards to Mark Seay and 60 and 44 yards to Tony Martin.


Packers 21, Falcons 17.Brett Favre (29 of 44 for 321 yards) scrambled 9 yards for a TD with 14 seconds to keep the Packers (8-7) in the playoff chase and knock out the Falcons (6-9). Atlanta took its first lead, 17-14, with 5:33 left when Bobby Hebert, subbing for Jeff George (broken finger), hit Terance Mathis with a 5-yard TD pass and then Andre Rison with a 2-point conversion pass.


Bears 28, Rams 13. The Bears (9-6) held Los Angeles (4-11), losers of six straight, to 37 yards rushing. Jerome Bettis was held to 7 yards on eight carries. Raymont Harris (23 carries, 92 yards) and Lewis Tillman ran for short TDs and Steve Walsh had a 3-yard TD pass to Keith Jennings in handing the Rams their sixth straight loss.


Colts 10, Dolphins 6. At Indianapolis, Dewell Brewer returned a punt 75 yards for a first-quarter TD and the Colts (7-8) shut down Dan Marino in the closing minutes. Marino had the Dolphins at the Colts' 2, but Bernie Parmalee ran for no gain, then Marino threw three incomplete passes, the last with 2:47 to go.


Cardinals 28, Bengals 7. At Tempe, Arizona, Buddy Ryan's Cardinals are alive in the playoffs as Garrison Hearst ran for one TD and threw for another in the first quarter. Jay Schroeder added a 15-yard TD pass to Ricky Proehl in the second quarter as Arizona built a rare 21-0 lead, its biggest early margin since the first half of a 31-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Oct. 9, 1988.


Giants 16, Eagles 13. At Philadelphia, the Giants (8-7) survived some final-second dramatics to win their fifth straight and stay in the playoff race.


Dave Meggett scored on a 5-yard run with 3:54 left and Brad Daluiso kicked an 18-yard field goal with 54 seconds left to lift the Giants and eliminate the Eagles (7-8), who lost their sixth straight.


Chiefs 31, Oilers 9. At Kansas City, Missouri, Joe Montana, out for two weeks with an injured left foot, returned just in time to revive the Chiefs' playoff chances. He threw two TD passes as Kansas City (8-7) snapped a three-game losing streak.


Buccaneers 17, Redskins 14. Washington (2-13) completed its first winless season at home while Tampa Bay won its fourth straight, the Bucs' longest winning streak since starting 5-0 in 1978.


49ers 42, Broncos 19. Steve Young threw for three touchdowns and 350 yards to lead San Francisco.


Lions 41, Vikings 19. Barry Sanders had TD runs of 18 and 64 yards to power Detroit. over Minnesota.