The Denver Broncos fired first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday, one day after an ugly 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams dropped the team to 4-11.

It ends the shortest head coaching tenure in franchise history.

Broncos CEO Greg Penner released a statement thanking Hackett for his efforts.

“Following extensive conversations with (general manager) George (Paton) and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos,” Penner said. “This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.”

Hackett, 43, was hired on Jan. 27 to replace Vic Fangio after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

But Hackett couldn’t get anything out of the Denver offense this season despite the costly acquisition of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.

–Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson will miss the remainder of the regular season with an abdominal injury, multiple outlets reported Monday.

An MRI revealed a torn tendon, according to ESPN, and the four-time Pro Bowl selection’s status for the playoffs remains to be determined.

Johnson, 32, was injured in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 40-34 road loss against the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnson has not allowed a sack since Week 11 of the 2020 season.

Including 15 starts this season, he has started 127 games since Philadelphia drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2013. He is a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

The Eagles (13-2), who can clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed with one more win, finish the regular season with home games against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday and the New York Giants on Jan. 8.

–Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Josh Wells will have season-ending surgery for a torn left patellar tendon, multiple outlets reported Monday.

He was injured while pass-blocking during the second quarter of Sunday night’s 19-16 overtime win at Arizona. He was carted to the locker room.

Wells, 31, started at left tackle Sunday with Donovan Smith sidelined by a foot injury. Wells played in 11 games this season with seven starts.

Wells has appeared in 95 games with 24 starts for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2014, 2016-18) and Buccaneers.

–Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Chargers will clinch a playoff berth with a win Monday night in Indianapolis against the Colts.

The team is seeking it first playoff spot since 2018, and the path was made easier after both the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders lost on Saturday.

The Chargers (8-6) currently are the No. 6 seed in the AFC, just ahead of the Miami Dolphins (8-7). The top seven teams from each conference advance to the postseason.

And Chargers players know they have their playoff fate in their hands.

“We don’t have to look over our shoulders or be fans of other teams,” safety Derwin James Jr. said, per the Los Angeles Times. “When you can control your own destiny, it’s what’s good.”

James, who missed the past two games with a quad strain, is expected to return against the Colts (4-9-1).

The Chargers close the season with the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 1 and at the Denver Broncos on Jan. 8.

–Field Level Media

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle James Lynch will miss the last two regular-season games with a shoulder injury, NFL Network reported Monday.

The team is hopeful that he can return for the playoffs with rest and rehabilitation, per the report.

Lynch, 23, played only nine snaps in Saturday’s 27-24 overtime win against the New York Giants. He has 20 tackles in 15 games (two starts) this season.

Minnesota drafted Lynch in the fourth round in 2020.

The Vikings (12-3) close out the regular season with road games against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday and the Chicago Bears on Jan. 8.

–Field Level Media

Washington Commanders coaches are reportedly meeting Monday to decide between Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke as the starting quarterback for Week 17.

The Commanders (7-7-1) completed a winless 0-2-1 December with a 37-20 defeat at San Francisco on Saturday, when Wentz relieved an ineffective Heinicke in the fourth quarter.

Head coach Ron Rivera and his staff will decide on a QB1 for Sunday’s game against the visiting Cleveland Browns (6-9) by Wednesday morning at the latest, per the report from Pro Football Talk.

Washington holds the final NFC playoff spot and controls its destiny with home games remaining against the Browns and the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 8.

Heinicke completed 13 of 18 passes for 166 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and one fumble against the 49ers. Wentz was 12-of-16 passing for 123 yards with one touchdown.

Heinicke, 29, is 5-3-1 as the starter this season, completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 1,859 yards with 12 TDs and six picks.

Wentz, who turns 30 on Friday, is 2-4 as the starter, completing 62.9 percent of his throws for 1,612 yards with 11 scores and six interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Aaron Rodgers completed 24 of 38 passes for 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 26-20 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Green Bay (7-8) won its third consecutive game and kept its NFC playoff hopes alive. The Dolphins (8-7) dropped their fourth in a row but still would clinch an AFC wild-card berth if they win their last two games.

Jaire Alexander, De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas each had fourth-quarter interceptions of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to help the Packers put the game away.

Tagovailoa threw a career-high three interceptions in a game, completing 16 of 25 passes for 310 yards and an 84-yard touchdown to Jaylen Waddle.

Buccaneers 19, Cardinals 16 (OT)

Ryan Succop capped a four field-goal performance by drilling a 40-yarder with 3:41 remaining in overtime to lift Tampa Bay to a victory in Glendale, Ariz.

Tom Brady completed 32 of 48 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown to rookie Rachaad White for the Buccaneers (7-8), who remained one-game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints atop the NFC South.

James Conner rushed 15 times for 79 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals (4-11), who have lost five in a row. Trace McSorley completed 24 of 45 passes for 217 yards and an interception in his first career start.

Rams 51, Broncos 14

Cam Akers ran for three touchdowns, Baker Mayfield connected with Tyler Higbee for two more and Los Angeles thoroughly embarrassed Denver in Inglewood, Calif.

Akers ran for 118 yards on 23 carries, becoming the first Los Angeles running back to crack the 100-yard mark this year. Mayfield picked apart the Broncos (4-11) to the tune of 24-for-28 passing for 230 yards.

It was a season-high point output for the Rams (5-10), who led 31-6 at the half and never looked back. Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was 15 of 27 for 214 yards and three interceptions in his first game back after missing one game due to a concussion.

–Field Level Media

Ryan Succop capped a four field-goal performance by drilling a 40-yarder with 3:41 remaining in overtime to lift the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 19-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.

The Buccaneers stopped the Cardinals on their opening possession of overtime before Tom Brady connected on six straight passes — two to Russell Gage — to move the ball to Arizona’s 19-yard line. A false-start penalty moved Tampa Bay back 5 yards before a pair of Leonard Fournette runs set up Succop, who split the uprights to snap his team’s two-game skid.

Brady completed 32 of 48 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown to rookie Rachaad White for the Buccaneers (7-8), who remained one-game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints atop the NFC South.

Brady threw two interceptions to Marco Wilson on Sunday, marking the second time that he has been picked off on at least two occasions in three straight games. Brady endured that indignity back from Sept. 29-Oct. 13, 2002, while playing for the New England Patriots.

Fournette rushed for 72 yards and added nine receptions for 90 yards, and teammate Chris Godwin added eight catches for 63 yards.

Arizona’s James Conner rushed 15 times for 79 yards and a touchdown and Trace McSorley completed 24 of 45 passes for 217 yards and an interception in his first career start.

Greg Dortch made 10 catches for 98 yards for the Cardinals (4-11), who have lost five in a row and seven of their past eight games.

Wilson intercepted Brady for the second time late in the third quarter to set up a go-ahead score for Arizona. McSorley connected with Marquise Brown on a 47-yard pass before Prater capped a nine-play drive by drilling a 39-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 9-6 lead with 14:07 left in the fourth quarter.

Tampa Bay went three-and-out on its next possession and Conner capped a five-play, 33-yard drive by scampering around left end for a 22-yard score. The touchdown was his seventh of the season and sixth in his past six games.

The Buccaneers erased a 16-6 deficit in the fourth quarter. Brady connected with White on a 3-yard touchdown with 8:03 remaining before William Gholston’s recovery of McSorley’s fumble set up Succop’s game-tying 42-yard field goal with 2:27 to play in regulation.

–Field Level Media