SAN DIEGO — The mild, mild AFC West belongs to LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers and the rest of the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers won their third straight division title by finishing 8-8, becoming the first team to go from 4-8 to the playoffs by routing the Denver Broncos, 52-21, last night.

"This is obviously history in the way we trailed the division and now won it," Rivers said after San Diego's fourth straight win. "We all had the expectations to get here. We obviously went a different route than we thought we would. But we're here."

The Chargers are the ninth team overall to make it to the playoffs at 8-8; only two of the previous teams to do it managed to win a game in the playoffs.

Tomlinson, who didn't return after straining a groin muscle in the third quarter, had his first three-touchdown game of the season. Rivers threw his 33rd and 34th touchdown passes to break Hall of Famer Dan Fouts' 1981 team single-season record.

"It's a tribute to the guys who kept believing and kept fighting," said Tomlinson, who plans to have an MRI exam today.

The Broncos (8-8) completed a monumental collapse, becoming the first team since division play began in 1967 to miss the playoffs after having a three-game lead with three weeks to go. Needing just one win to wrap up the division, the Broncos lost at Carolina, at home to Buffalo and then to the Chargers.

"Obviously it's not the same football team that started the year," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said of a team that started 3-0.

DOLPHINS 24, JETS 17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Chad Pennington walked off the field where he spent his first eight NFL seasons, surrounded by cameras and jubilant teammates after leading the Dolphins (11-5) to an improbable AFC East title.

On the Jets' sideline, a disappointed Brett Favre jogged off the field and into the locker room, maybe for the last time in a storied career.

Pennington, cut in the offseason by the Jets to make room for Favre, threw two touchdown passes in leading the Dolphins to a division title. The Dolphins were 1-15 last season.

"It's always a sweet feeling to be a champion," Pennington said.

The Jets (9-7) lost four of their last five games.

RAVENS 27, JAGUARS 7

BALTIMORE — Le'Ron McClain ran for two touchdowns in the pivotal first half and the Ravens (11-5) routed the Jaguars (5-11) to clinch a wild-card berth.

"This wasn't just finishing up the season or a game that was going to get us into the playoffs. This was a playoff game," center Jason Brown said.

It was 24-7 at halftime, and Jacksonville committed four turnovers and was held scoreless over the final 45 minutes. The seven points were a season low.

A year ago, Baltimore went 5-11 and finished last in the AFC North.

PATRIOTS 13, BILLS 0

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — A nasty wind strong enough to tilt the goal posts was no match for Matt Cassel and the Patriots (11-5).

LaMont Jordan scored on a 2-yard run set up by Cassel's 12-yard completion into the wind on fourth down, and Stephen Gostkowski hit a pair of field goals against the Bills (7-9).

Then came the hard part for the Patriots, who had to wait to find out they didn't make the playoffs when Miami and Baltimore both won.

"Eleven-and-five is a good record on paper, but it's not good enough," Patriots running back Sammy Morris said.

STEELERS 31, BROWNS 0

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger gave the playoff-bound Steelers (12-4) a major scare by sustaining a concussion during an essentially meaningless victory over the Browns (4-12).

"It was a rough season, that pretty much sums it up, it was a rough season," Browns linebacker Kamerion Wimbley said.

Roethlisberger, expected to play a half, lay on the turf for nearly 15 minutes after being leveled while delivering a pass in the second quarter.

Roethlisberger's teammates did not react as if he had been seriously hurt and the quarterback flashed a thumbs-up while being driven off the field.

The injury probably won't sideline Roethlisberger for the No. 2-seeded Steelers' AFC playoff game Jan. 10 or 11.

COLTS 23, TITANS 0

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis got those pesky milestones out of the way quickly, yanked its starters early and still managed to win its ninth straight, beating the Titans (13-3), the AFC South champion.

"We wanted to play well and get off to a fast start with our first unit, and we did that," coach Tony Dungy said.

It marked the sixth straight season Indy has won at least 12 games, and that wasn't the only big achievement for the Colts (12-4).

Peyton Manning hit 4,000 yards for a ninth straight season, three more than Dan Marino's previous NFL mark. Marvin Harrison moved into second place on the all-time receptions list with 1,102, and Dallas Clark (with 848 yards) broke John Mackey's single-season franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end, a mark that had stood since 1966.

BENGALS 16, CHIEFS 6

CINCINNATI — Cedric Benson ran for 111 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals (4-11-1) beat the Chiefs (2-14).

Cincinnati closed the season with three straight wins, two of them against teams that seemed to care less than they did.

The worst season in Kansas City's 49-year history ended with another disjointed performance under coach Herm Edwards.

"I thought early in the football game, we didn't have energy," Edwards said.