Dallas clinches at least a wild-card berth.
By The Associated Press

IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys’ star is shining brightly again. For the first time since 1999, they’re going to the playoffs.

One year to the day since Bill Parcells’ interest in coaching the moribund franchise became public, Quincy Carter had one of his most efficient outings and Billy Cundiff kicked four field goals, leading Dallas past the New York Giants 19-3 on Sunday to clinch at least a wild-card berth.

The Cowboys (10-5) can win the NFC East only if the Philadelphia Eagles, who played later Sunday, lose their last two games and Dallas wins at New Orleans on Sunday. The Cowboys are front-runners for the top wild card, which would put them on the road against the division winner with the worst record, likely Minnesota or Green Bay.

As time expired, the public address announcer at Texas Stadium told fans to congratulate their team on being playoff-bound.

“I haven’t heard that around here in a long time,” linebacker Dexter Coakley said. “It feels great.”

Panthers 20, Lions 14

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Not even a watered-down version of the Carolina Panthers could help the Detroit Lions avoid NFL infamy.

The playoff-bound Panthers rested five starters, but still managed one of their easiest wins of the year, beating Detroit 20-14 on Sunday as the Lions set an NFL record with their 24th consecutive road loss.

Carolina’s fill-ins did just fine, holding Detroit in check as the Lions moved past the 1981-84 Houston Oilers for most successive road losses. The Lions have not won away from home since Dec. 17, 2000.

The Lions had just eight first downs and 106 yards of total offense.

Jake Delhomme threw for two touchdowns and John Kasay kicked a pair of field goals to lead the Panthers (10-5) to the leisurely victory they so desperately needed.

Despite winning its first division title in seven years, very few of Carolina’s wins came easily. Seven of the Panthers’ 10 victories this year are by three or fewer points and eight came in the final two minutes of overtime.

As much as Carolina needs momentum-building wins to close out the regular season, allowing ailing players time to heal is also a priority.

Bears 27, Redskins 24

CHICAGO – Paul Edinger made the only field goal that counted.

After shanking two makeable field goals, Edinger booted a 45-yarder with five seconds left Sunday, giving the Chicago Bears a 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins. It was the fourth victory in the last five games for Chicago, which must win at Kansas City next Sunday to finish .500 and avoid its fourth losing season in five years under Dick Jauron.

Though Edinger was mobbed by teammates as time expired, this truly was a team effort. Anthony Thomas rushed for a season-high 141 yards, and rookie Rex Grossman improved to 2-0 as a starter for the Bears (7-8).

Grossman was facing his old Florida coach, Steve Spurrier, and he gave Spurrier a reminder of just what he missed when he left the Gators two years ago. Grossman was 19-of-32 for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception, but escaped trouble about a half-dozen other times.

‘Hawks 28, Cardinals 10

SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks are unbeaten at home. They still have to go back on the road to chase a playoff spot.

Shaun Alexander ran for two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder, Matt Hasselbeck threw for another score and Seattle’s defense had eight sacks in a 28-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Arizona (3-12) lost its seventh straight game and 13th in a row on the road – including all eight this season. Seattle (9-6) finished 8-0 at home for the first time in the 26-year history of the franchise.

Alexander had 135 yards rushing on 21 carries, most of it coming when he ran for 109 yards through the first 18 minutes. The Seahawks built a 21-3 lead and handed it to the defense, with Chike Okeafor collecting two of Seattle’s sacks.

Hasselbeck completed 17 of 24 passes for 179 yards with one interception before leaving three minutes into the final period with an ankle injury. He briefly left in the second quarter after sustaining a strained left shoulder.

49ers 31, Eagles 28

PHILADELPHIA – The San Francisco 49ers put Philadelphia’s plans for a week off in the playoffs on hold.

Tony Parrish’s second interception set up a 22-yard field goal by Todd Peterson in overtime, helping the 49ers snap the Eagles’ nine-game winning streak, 31-28 on Sunday.

The Eagles (11-4) still can clinch their third consecutive NFC East title and secure a first-round bye with a victory over Washington next Saturday. They need to beat the Redskins and have St. Louis (12-3) lose at Detroit next Sunday to earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The 49ers (7-8) lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens to a broken left collarbone.

in the first half, but snapped an eight-game road losing streak.

The Eagles lost Carlos Emmons, their best linebacker, to a broken left leg.

Kevan Barlow ran for 154 yards, the sixth time in seven games a runner went over 100 yards against Philadelphia, and had two touchdowns.

Parrish, who intercepted Donovan McNabb’s throw on the first play of the game, stepped in front of a pass intended for Freddie Mitchell on the first play of OT. He bobbled it, caught it on the ground and returned it to Philadelphia’s 4. Two plays later, Peterson kicked his third field goal to win it.

McNabb threw a 19-yard TD pass to Todd Pinkston with 1:02 left to tie it at 28. But the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback had his least-productive game in weeks, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked five times.

After Brian Westbrook returned a punt 81 yards for a TD to give the Eagles a 21-14 lead early in the third quarter, the 49ers scored the next 14 points.

A 1-yard TD run by Barlow and successful 2-point conversion made it 28-21 with 5:03 left. A holding penalty on cornerback Lito Sheppard kept the drive alive after the Eagles stopped the 49ers near midfield.

The 49ers cut it to 21-17 on a 33-yard field goal by Peterson in the third quarter. He hit a 25-yarder on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 21-20.

David Akers, who had made 13 consecutive field goals, missed attempts of 42 and 47 yards in the second half.

The Eagles played without five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Troy Vincent, out with a hip injury. Also, running back Correll Buckhalter was deactivated after he missed a team meeting Saturday and was late for a walkthrough.

Duce Staley ran in from the 1 to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter. A pass interference penalty by Dwaine Carpenter on James Thrash in the end zone put the ball at the 1. The Eagles started the drive at San Francisco’s 40 after an 8-yard punt by Bill LaFleur.

A 33-yard pass from Jeff Garcia to rookie Brandon Lloyd capped an 82-yard drive, tying the score at 14.

Staley’s 7-yard TD run tied it at 7 early in the second quarter. The short scoring drive was set up when Corey Simon sacked Garcia, forcing a fumble recovered by Emmons at San Francisco’s 20.

The 49ers took a 7-0 lead on Garcia’s 15-yard TD pass to Barlow in the first quarter.

A 48-yard TD pass from McNabb to Pinkston was overturned in the second quarter when replays showed Pinkston fumbled the ball at the 1 and it rolled out of bounds in the end zone for a touchback.

AP-ES-12-21-03 1950EST