Le'Veon Bell feasted on the Cincinnati Bengals as the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed a vital 42-21 win over their divisional rivals.
The Steelers running back totalled 235 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns as his side scored 25 fourth quarter points to blow the game apart.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 350 yards and three scores, including a season's best 94-yard pass to Martavis Bryant, with victory leaving he AFC North title race wide open.
They are just half-a-game behind the Bengals and tied with the Baltimore Ravens on 8-5, the Ravens having beaten the Miami Dolphins 28-13 on Sunday.
Baltimore came from 10-0 down early on with Joe Flacco hitting Kemar Aiken and Steve Smith Sr for touchdowns before wrapping the game up with a one-yard sneak in the fourth quarter.
The Houston Texans kept their play-off hopes alive with a 27-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they also had to come from behind to prevail.
They trailed 13-10 at half-time but rushing scores from Alfred Blue and Arian Foster, who rushed for 127 yards, saw them home and kept them within range of the Indianapolis Colts, who snatched a 25-24 win over the Cleveland Browns.
The Detroit Lions kept up the pressure on Green Bay with a 34-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Matthew Stafford throwing three TD passes.
Calvin Johnson had 158 yards and a score and Joique Bell scored twice as the 2-11 Buccaneers were finally eliminated from post-season contention from the awful NFC South division.
Boos rang out for much of the game at the Superdome as the New Orleans were thrashed 41-10 by division rivals Carolina.
Cam Newton threw three touchdown passes and Jonathan Stewart rushed for 155 yards and a score as the Saints lost their fourth straight home game and handed the Atlanta Falcons a chance to take a one game lead if they can beat Green Bay on Monday night.
The Minnesota Vikings needed overtime to beat the New York Jets 30-24, with Jarius Wright's 87 yard touchdown sealing victory.
Eli Manning threw for 260 yards and a touchdown as the New York Giants snapped a seven-game skid by routing the Tennessee Titans 36-7.
And the St Louis Rams defense secured back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1945 when they beat the Washington Redskins 24-0, Jared Cook scoring two touchdowns on offense.