SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Now we know the difference between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.

A tight end who makes big plays.

A defensive front that stuffs the run and harasses quarterbacks down-after-down without blitzing.

And a young head coach experienced in game-management decisions.

Someday, the Packers might be able to claim all of the above.

Not now, though, and certainly not in Sunday night’s 37-8 loss at Levi’s Stadium in what was billed as a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC.

If the Packers are still one of the top teams in the NFC — and the conference standings say they are — then the gap between them and the top is perhaps wider than we thought coming into Week 12.

And it’s because the 49ers (10-1) have someone like tight end George Kittle, who returned from a two-game absence because of an ankle injury, and caught six passes for 129 yards (including a 61-yard touchdown), while the Packers tight end Jimmy Graham couldn’t put away a catch on a well-thrown deep ball in the second quarter when it was still a 10-0 game.

And because the 49ers’ defense held Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams in check — the Packers’ longest run came from receiver Allen Lazard on an end around for 21 yards in the second quarter– and swarmed Aaron Rodgers, especially on third down, to the point where he was just 1-of-6 for 7 yards with two sacks while the Packers went 0-for-9 on first-half third downs. In fact, they didn’t convert a third down until the final minute of the game after they had gone 0-for-14.

And because the Packers young first-year head coach — Matt LaFleur, protégé of 49ers young third-year head coach Kyle Shanahan — made a losing bet on a fourth-and-1 from the 49ers’ 28-yard line when a field goal would have made it a 10-3 early in the second quarter. LaFleur then allowed Shanahan to manufacture 10 points in the final 58 seconds of the half to blow it open 23-0 at the break.

Yes, the Packers (8-3) have the better quarterback in Rodgers but when he’s in near constant scramble mode, what good does that do anyone? The answer on Sunday night was nothing. Rodgers finished with just 104 yards on 20-of-33 passing and was sacked five times. It was the fewest yards Rodgers has ever had in a game with at least 30 passes. His previous low (161) came in the Week 9 loss at the Chargers. His 3.2-yard average per attempt was his career-low in an NFL start.

The Packers’ lead in the NFC North is virtually gone because the Vikings (8-3) keep winning. For now, the Packers have the edge because of their head-to-head win, but they still have to go to Minnesota on Dec. 23.

Troubling trend: Good thing the Packers don’t have any more games in California. They’re 0-2 in this state and 8-1 everywhere else.

In the first half of the loss at the Chargers, the Packers had no points and 50 yards of offense.

In the first half against the 49ers, the Packers scored no points and had 60 yards of offense.

The 50 yards of offense against the Chargers were the Packers’ second fewest in a first half with Rodgers starting. The 60 yards tonight are their third fewest.

Troubling trend II broken: Davante Adams caught 13 touchdowns last season and 35 over the last three.

He had zero entering Sunday night’s game, although he missed four games because turf toe.

He finally caught his first touchdown pass of the season with 3:52 left in the third quarter (and caught the two-point conversion pass) for the Packers’ first score of the game.

Silver lining: There’s a good chance the Packers will be 10-3 in two weeks heading into their three-game stretch of NFC North games to close the regular season. They play a pair of 2-9 teams — at the New York Giants this coming Sunday and home against the Washington. After that, it’s the Chicago Bears at home before the rematch against the Vikings.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore pulled off an impressive feat in Sunday’s 13-9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, catching one more pass than Amari Cooper on Sunday.

The Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver was held without a catch for the first time since his stint with Dallas began last season, and Gilmore — who also picked off Dak Prescott — was largely responsible.

After the game, Gilmore responded to a Patriots tweet of his diving interception, which referred to him as the best cornerback in the NFL, by saying there is “no debate.”

“This was another great effort by Steph,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “He just works and prepares so hard for his matchups every week, and takes those as such a personal challenge.”

Cooper was playing his 20th game as a Cowboy and entered the day with 56 receptions for 886 yards and seven touchdowns. Gilmore was matched up with Cooper on 26 of his 30 routes, according to NFL Next Gen State, and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett acknowledged that Gilmore “was on him a lot.”

“It was fun. I was just trying to get my hands on him every snap,” said Gilmore, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2018, and earned first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors last season.

Cooper shook free of Gilmore on a crossing route for a 15-yard gain late in the third quarter, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty. He also had a 20-yard diving reception late in the fourth quarter that officials originally ruled a catch before overturning it on replay.

“That wasn’t a catch. It hit the ground and I knew it hit the ground. I gave my best effort to catch the ball; I just came up short,” said Cooper, who was only targeted twice and believed the rainy, windy conditions were why the Cowboys “didn’t throw the ball downfield how we would have liked.”

The 29-year-old Gilmore is one of the most soft-spoken Patriots players, but he isn’t shy in expressing his belief in his abilities. Teammates aren’t surprised with his play.

“He’s a monster,” receiver Julian Edelman said. “I get to battle against him every day and I love getting to do it, because it makes me better. He has a knack for the ball, he’s confident, and he’s got that steady mind where he’s never up, he’s never down. He barely talks. But when he does talk, it’s usually ball, and I love the conversations we do have.

“It’s unbelievable to have a teammate like him. You’re just seeing the tip of it. He does that stuff in practice all the time.”

Gilmore has four interceptions and a team-high 13 passes defended this season.

CALGARY, Alberta — Andrew Harris ran for 134 yards and a touchdown and caught a scoring pass to help the Winnipeg Blue Bombers win their first Grey Cup title since 1990, 33-12 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday night.

The Blue Bombers won their 10th title, becoming the first third-place team to reach and win the Canadian Football League championship since Edmonton in 2005.

With the temperature in the mid-30s with little wind, Harris opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 15-yard run and caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from backup Chris Streveler in the second quarter.

Harris finished with six catches for 35 yards.

Zach Collaros, the former University of Cincinnati quarterback in his first season with Winnipeg and eighth in the, completed 17 of 23 passes for 170 yards.

Streveler was 3 for 3 for 39 yards.

Justin Medlock made six field goals, salvaging a single on his lone miss. Dane Evans threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Bralon Addison in the third quarter for Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats won their last championship in 1999.

NAPLES, Fla. — A 25-foot putt was all that stood between Sei Young Kim and a $1.5 million paycheck.

After maintaining the lead for all four days of the CME Group Tour Championship, the 26-year-old South Korean saved the best for last. Hitting a 6-iron from the 18th fairway, Kim put herself in position to win with a 25-foot birdie putt.

At 17-under, Kim didn’t realize the putt would determine whether or not she would walk away with the $1.5 million winner’s check, the largest in women’s golf history. She was focusing only on herself and the score of her playing partner, Nelly Korda. Kim thought she could two-putt and win. As a result, she hit the 25-feet putt like she would any other putt.

“I was only aware of Nelly’s position when I was putting,” Kim said after the final round. “So, I just thought of two-putting to secure my win. Coming into the 18th putt, I just reminded myself what I practiced out on the putting green. Just nice pace putt.”

LANDOVER, Md. — As the Washington Redskins offense ran back onto the field, ready to take the victory formation, quarterback Dwayne Haskins was taking a selfie with a fan. That left the Redskins needing to trot veteran Case Keenum onto the field to take the final snap.

It was an unusual ending to Haskins’ first NFL victory as a starter.

“I was so hype, I broke a water bottle,” Haskins said. “I look up and we’re in victory (formation). I thought the game was over with already, but I’ll get it next time.”

Interim coach Bill Callahan said the coaches were looking for him. He didn’t come across as upset by it, but he didn’t shrug it off.

“No, I don’t laugh at it,” Callahan said. “I’m happy we won. We’ll address that. I’m just pleased we won the game. I just have to find out.”

Former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann wasn’t happy about it, based on a tweet he made after the game. After the draft, Theismann gave Haskins his blessing to wear the No. 7 again; it had been out of commission since he retired in 1985. But Theismann wasn’t a fan of what happened Sunday, calling the selfie “unprofessional and wrong.”

The fan who took the selfie with Haskins disagreed.

OK. BOOMER. https://t.co/DOjf3fDmnE pic.twitter.com/pcbojKjR3Y

— Jaime López-Verduzco (@jaimeverduzco) November 24, 2019

It’s easy to see why Haskins was celebrating. He helped lead a 19-16 comeback win over the Detroit Lions. After completing 7-of-20 passes for 88 yards to start the game, he went 6-of-9 for 68 yards on his final two possessions. Both drives ended in field goals. The second one resulted in the game-winner, a 39-yard field by Dustin Hopkins with 16 seconds remaining. After that, Haskins was seen in a tight embrace with offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell and then tackle Morgan Moses on the sidelines.

But Haskins was needed for one more snap after corner Fabian Moreau intercepted his second pass of the day.

Teammates certainly understood why Haskins would want to celebrate after enduring a six-sack game in a 17-point loss to the New York Jets a week ago. Teammates also liked how he responded to a tough day. Before the final two drives he had struggled with overthrows to open receivers. Haskins said he injured his right wrist, which at times impacted his ability to grip the ball as he wanted.

“It’s big. Obviously he comes from a big program; he’s not used to losing. It’s a sour taste in his mouth,” said right tackle Morgan Moses. “We all know he has big-play potential. This is about composure.”

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — When the New York Jets came out for their pregame warmups on Sunday, they heard loud boos. In their own building, MetLife Stadium.

It was filled with a large contingent of Oakland Raiders‘ fans, who tried to make it like the Black Hole. The Jets took umbrage, especially outspoken safety Jamal Adams, who addressed his teammates when they returned to the locker room before the opening kickoff.

“I’m not going to lie to you, when we came on to the field, we felt disrespected,” Adams said after the Jets’ 34-3 victory. “We got booed in our own home stadium by the Oakland fans. We came back into this locker room. It was a hell of a talk. It was something that needed to be said.”

When pressed, Adams said: “I’m not going to get into what was said, but we felt disrespected. I came in here and sparked it up.”

It’s not often a home team derives motivation from a negative reaction in its own stadium, but it worked for the Jets (4-7), who won their third straight and snapped the Raiders’ three-game winning streak.

“Put up or shut up,” said Adams, describing his team’s mentality. “I don’t want to sound arrogant or cocky, but [the Oakland fans] came in a little too happy, let’s put it like that. They thought it would be easy, put it like that.”

This was the Jets’ third home game that had an away feel to it, as the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants (obviously) drew many fans.

The Jets’ record in those games: 3-0.

CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield might finally be finding a rhythm with his star wide receivers.

Mayfield tossed a season-high three touchdown passes Sunday — two to Jarvis Landry and another to Odell Beckham Jr. — as the surging Cleveland Browns rolled to a 41-24 rout against Miami for their third consecutive victory. It was the first time all season that Mayfield found Beckham and Landry for touchdowns in the same game.

Despite the collective talent, Mayfield’s chemistry with Beckham and Landry has been rocky at times this year. Lately, though, the three seem to be finding their groove together.

Through Cleveland’s first seven games — which included five losses — Mayfield had only one touchdown pass and a startling eight interceptions targeting Beckham or Landry.

Over the past four games, however, Mayfield has six touchdowns and only one pick targeting Beckham and Landry, culminating in the scoring outbreak in the first half against the Dolphins.

Mayfield finished off the opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown strike to Landry, who arrived in Cleveland in a trade with Miami last year. Landry, who would later grab a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield in the second quarter, has touchdown catches in each of the past four games, tied for the longest active streak in the NFL.

In between Landry’s touchdowns, Mayfield also hooked up with Beckham for a 35-yard score over the top of the Miami defense, breaking Beckham’s streak of eight straight games without a touchdown, which had been the longest of his career.

Behind Mayfield, Landry and Beckham, the Browns scored four touchdowns in a first half for just the second time since returning to the NFL in 1999, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Mayfield finished 24-of-34 for 327 yards, though he did toss one interception, throwing behind Beckham on a slant pattern early in the second half.

Otherwise, Mayfield was sharp. So, too, were Landry and Beckham, who together totaled 16 receptions and 232 receiving yards — easily their biggest combined output of the season.

Promising trend: Three weeks ago, Mayfield declared the Browns had to start force-feeding Beckham the ball early and often. That’s exactly what Cleveland has been doing ever since. Sunday, Beckham had eight targets, giving him 30 over the past three games, tied for the most he has been targeted over a three-game stretch all season. Beckham also drew two pass interference calls, which both came on Cleveland scoring drives.

QB breakdown: Mayfield delivered his best statistical game of the year, finishing with a quarterback rating of 118.1, a season high. He was especially efficient against the blitz, going 7-of-7 with two touchdowns against Miami’s blitz in the first half alone. That marked the first time all year Mayfield has had multiple touchdown passes against the blitz in a half, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Mayfield now has seven touchdown passes over his past three games, which matches the total he had through the first nine weeks of the season.

Bold prediction for next week: It should be a wild scene in Pittsburgh, on the heels of last week’s melee with the Steelers that saw the NFL punish 33 players and suspend Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett for the rest of the season for ripping off Mason Rudolph‘s helmet and striking the Pittsburgh quarterback in the head with it. In his appeal, Garrett accused Rudolph of inciting him with a racial slur, which Rudolph denied through his agent. In a show of support, Browns owner Dee Haslam was photographed Sunday donning Garrett’s No. 95 on her cap. Cleveland tailgaters were less subtle, playing Rudolph piñata, as blindfolded fans tried to hit a dummy mockup of the Steelers quarterback with a Pittsburgh helmet. When FirstEnergy Stadium showed Rudolph throwing an interception in Cincinnati on the video board, chants of “Pittsburgh sucks” and “Rudolph sucks” reverberated around the stands.

Given all that has transpired, it figures to be tense next weekend — both on the field and around Heinz Stadium.

PHILADELPHIA — They committed 12 penalties, dropped a sure touchdown pass and missed an open receiver on another.

But in the end, the Seattle Seahawks did what they’ve done so many times throughout another season that is headed towards the playoffs: they won despite playing nowhere close to their best football.

It’s rarely pretty with the Seahawks (9-2) and it certainly wasn’t Sunday in their 17-9 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

They have their defense to thank for this one. It got five takeaways and more than enough pressure on Carson Wentz, even though Jadeveon Clowney was inactive with a sore hip and Jarran Reed missed the second half with an ankle injury.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Seahawks entered Week 12 with a 95% chance to make the playoffs with a win over the Eagles. It would have been 76% with a loss.

The Seahawks are 6-0 on the road this season and head home to face the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.

Promising trend. The Seahawks’ defense has allowed 28 points over the last two games. That covers nine quarters, if you count overtime of their win over the 49ers two weeks ago (San Francisco scored a defensive touchdown in that game), and includes a garbage-time touchdown by the Eagles. That streak coincides with safety Quandre Diggs‘ insertion into the starting lineup. The Seahawks’ offense had to carry their defense over the first half of the season, but it was the opposite Sunday. The ensuing possessions after the Seahawks’ five takeaways produced only three points, with two of those drives resulting in turnovers by Seattle. The Seahawks finished with two sacks and nine official QB hits.

Buy/sell on a breakout performance. I’ll buy that Rashaad Penny will get more opportunities after his monster game. The 2018 first-round pick ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run and finished with a career-high 129 yards on 14 carries. It has sounded like lip service every time Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer have talked about getting Penny more involved. They’ve said that more than once this season, yet Penny remained buried behind Chris Carson. That might not be the case anymore after what Penny did Sunday while Carson (57 yards on 12 touches) fumbled again.

QB breakdown. This was not a game that will do much for Russell Wilson‘s MVP candidacy. He finished 13-of-25 for 200 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The pick wasn’t really his fault, coming on a throw to David Moore that was tipped. Wilson had Jacob Hollister wide open in the end zone but airmailed the throw, something you rarely see. The wind that gusted through Lincoln Financial Field for much of the afternoon might have been a factor. Wilson delivered a perfect throw into that wind on his touchdown pass to Malik Turner, which came on a trick play that had Carson pitching the ball back to the quarterback.

Troubling trend. The Seahawks fumbled twice Sunday and lost one on a botched handoff between Wilson and Carson. That makes 12 lost fumbles this season, already their most in a season under Carroll, with five games still to go. Hard to assign blame on a botched handoff, but the other fumble was on Carson, continuing what’s been an issue for him. He has seven fumbles this season. Carroll has stuck with him to this point, but there has to be a breaking point for a coach who stresses the importance of possessing the ball as much as he does.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore became the NFL’s third-leading career rusher Sunday, eclipsing the 15,269-yard mark set by Barry Sanders.

Gore officially passed Sanders on a six-yard run in the fourth quarter of the Bills game against the Denver Broncos. Now in his 15th season, Gore previously became the fourth player to rush for 15,000 career yards during the Bills’ Week 4 game against the New England Patriots.

The former Miami Hurricane pulled himself within striking distance on a 27-yard run midway through the third quarter before officially stepping onto the NFL’s all-time podium with just over nine minutes left in the game. Gore had just 54 combined rushing yards in his past three games but had amassed 43 yards on eight carries at the time he passed Sanders’ career mark.

He signed with the Bills this offseason after stints in Miami and Indianapolis, but began his career in 2005 as the San Francisco 49ers‘ third-round pick, rushing for 608 yards in 14 games. That still stands as the fewest yards he has rushed for in a single season; Gore ran for 1,000 or more yards in nine of the following 13 seasons, although he is projected to fall just short of that mark this season.

A model of durability, playing in 217 of 231 possible games, Gore could finish his career in his current position on the all-time list. He’s roughly 1,500 yards from the No. 2 rusher, Walter Payton, and 3,000 yards from the all-time leader, Emmitt Smith.

The Boston Celtics announced Sunday morning that Kemba Walker is doubtful for Monday night’s home game against the Sacramento Kings with a neck sprain after his collision with teammate Semi Ojeleye during Friday night’s loss in Denver.

Walker fell to the ground and hardly moved after running headfirst into Ojeleye’s midsection in the second quarter against the Nuggets; he was eventually immobilized and stretchered off the court and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Before the game had ended, the Celtics announced Walker had been diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms, and later in the evening the team said he had been released from the hospital and allowed to rejoin the team to travel back home following the conclusion of its five-game West Coast swing.

The Celtics are scheduled to practice Sunday afternoon ahead of Monday’s game at TD Garden against the Kings.

Walker is averaging 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists in his first season with the Celtics after spending the first eight years of his career with the Charlotte Hornets. The man Walker replaced at point guard for the Celtics, Kyrie Irving, has already been ruled out for the Brooklyn Nets for Wednesday’s game between the two teams in Boston, which was supposed to be Irving’s first game at TD Garden since joining the Nets as a free agent this summer.

After hosting Sacramento and Brooklyn this week, the Celtics play in Brooklyn on Friday and at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Boston is already without forward Gordon Hayward for the next few weeks after he underwent surgery last week to repair a broken bone in his non-shooting (left) hand. After going 2-3 on their West Coast swing, the Celtics are 12-4 and tied for second in the Eastern Conference.