Pittsburgh Steelers reach NFL play-offs, New York Jets miss out

The Pittsburgh Steelers have clinched a spot in the NFL play-offs after they beat the Cleveland Browns in the final week of the regular season while the New York Jets were defeated.

A win would have sent the Jets (10-6) into the post-season for the first time since 2010 but they suffered an agonising 22-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills (8-8), who are led by former Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

That left the door open for the Steelers (10-6) and they cruised to a 28-12 win in Cleveland (3-13) to bag the last AFC wildcard spot available. Pittsburgh and the Jets finished the season with the same record but the Steelers held the tie-breaker due to having the best win percentage in common games.

The Houston Texans (9-7) will also be in the AFC play-offs after they clinched the South division with a 30-6 thrashing of the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11).

The Jets entered Week 17 on a five-game winning streak but fell behind as Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor scored on an 18-yard touchdown run and Karlos Williams then went over from two yards out.

New York responded and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 17-yard touchdown to Brandon Marshall in the second quarter, before tossing a 21-yard score to Eric Decker in the third.

However, the Bills kept themselves in front thanks to a trio of field goals from Dan Carpenter.

And the Jets then imploded in the closing stages as Fitzpatrick, who had thrown only one interception during their winning sequence, threw picks on each of their final three drives.

The quarterback was picked off by Leodis McKelvin in the end zone early in the fourth quarter, threw another to Manny Lawson and then ended the Jets' hopes when his side-arm pass over the middle was intercepted by AJ Tarpley with 11 seconds remaining.

Meanwhile the Steelers (10-6) were putting the finishing touches on a comfortable victory over the Browns in which quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns.

Roethlisberger began the scoring with a two-yard touchdown toss to tight end Heath Miller in the first quarter.

Brilliant Steelers receiver Antonio Brown finished with 187 yards on 13 grabs and he hauled in a 17-yard touchdown in the second quarter, before Markus Wheaton scored on an eight-yard catch in the fourth.

Roethlisberger also threw two interceptions but so did Browns starter Austin Davis and all the hosts could muster were four Travis Coons field goals.

The Steelers finish with the same 10-6 record as the Jets but advance to the playoffs on a tiebreaker.

The Texans would claim the AFC South title and a first playoff spot since 2012 with a Week 17 win and they made short work of the Jaguars in Houston.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer threw for 249 yards and a 12-yard second quarter touchdown to running back Jonathan Grimes, who then went over from three yards out later on in that period.

And the Texans wrapped it up in the final quarter when Kareem Jackson picked off Blake Bortles and scored on a 27-yard return.

Houston star JJ Watt led the defensive effort with three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.