American football: Super Bowl champs fail to make NFL play-offs

REIGNING Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers nearly dug themselves out of a huge hole, but finally saw their NFL playoff hopes buried in a 30-28 loss to Atlanta at the weekend.

Needing to win their final two games and receive help to make the playoffs, Tampa Bay trailed 30-7 after three quarters before nearly coming all the way back.

“I am very proud of our football team - the character they showed in the last 15 minutes of the game,” Bucs coach Jon Gruden said.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Warren Sapp accepted the fact that the Bucs would not be in the post-season.

“You look at it early in the year and looked at some of the teams that hadn’t made it, and you kind of laughed at it. It’s a reality now,” he said.

Brad Johnson, who was intercepted four times in the first half, threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. His final one, an 11-yard connection with Jameel Cook with 27 seconds remaining, pulled the Bucs within 30-28.

But on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Johnson came under a ferocious blitz and had his pass batted down at the line of scrimmage.

“It’s unbelievable the way the guys fought, and I think that’s why we were Super Bowl champions last year. Unfortunately, we came close and just couldn’t get it done,” Johnson said.

Michael Vick passed for two touchdowns for the Falcons (4-11), who came into the contest tied for the NFL’s worst record.

“We came down here last year and played them in a big one and they blew us out,” said Vick, who completed 8-of-15 passes for 119 yards. “So for us to come down here and knock them out of playoff contention was big.”

The Minnesota Vikings moved a step closer to securing a playoff berth with a 45-20 victory over early-season pacesetters Kansas City.

Randy Moss caught two touchdown passes and rookie Onterrio Smith had a huge game for the Vikings, while the Chiefs received a record performance from Priest Holmes.

Fresh off being named to his fifth Pro Bowl, Moss sported a new look by letting out his trademark cornrows into a wild afro hairstyle. The new hairdo did nothing to slow down one of the game’s premier wide receivers.

Moss had touchdown receptions of 30 and 21 yards in the first half, helping the Vikings build a 24-0 lead. He finished with seven catches for 111 yards, his eighth 100-yard game this season.

Holmes did his best to try to help the Chiefs rally from a 31-0 deficit, rushing for three touchdowns in a 10:11 span of the second half. He has rushed for 25 touchdowns, tying Emmitt Smith’s NFL record for most in a season.

But despite Holmes’ big day, the Chiefs (12-3) fell to 3-3 following a 9-0 start. They continued to struggle defensively and have allowed 138 points in their last four road games.

New England took sole possession of the best record in the AFC - one game ahead of the Chiefs - and clinched a first-round bye with a 21-16 victory over the New York Jets.

The Patriots intercepted Chad Pennington five times and Tom Brady connected with David Givens on a pair of touchdowns as New England posted their 11th straight victory.

New England’s winning streak is the longest in the NFL since Indianapolis and Jacksonville also won 11 in a row in 1999.