EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: After one of the strangest and nastiest games this NFL season, Cam Newton had an odd feeling.

His Carolina Panthers had just shrugged off a record-equaling Giants comeback to remain perfect with a wild 38-35 victory Sunday. Newton, who threw for five touchdowns to further state his case for NFL Most Valuable Player honors, wasn’t quite sure what he’d just been through.

“It was kind of a weird feeling in that locker room, and I’m still feeling kind of weird, but not enough to (not) celebrate,” said Newton, who also rushed for 100 yards. “We’re just trying to find a way to get victories.”

New York tied the score after trailing by 28 points in the third quarter, but the Panthers got to 14-0 on Graham Gano’s 43-yard field goal as time expired.

It was Carolina’s 18th straight regular-season victory. Newton has thrown for 19 touchdowns in the last five games and a career-best 33 in this so-far special season.

It looked oh so easy when NFC South champion Carolina led 35-7 with 5:32 left in the third quarter. Then the Giants (6-8) matched San Francisco’s 28-point rally — from the same score — against New Orleans in 1980.

One big difference: The 49ers won that game in overtime. The Giants trail Washington by one game in the NFC East, and have lost in the final minutes six times.

Carolina hasn’t lost at all, of course.

Carolina visits Atlanta and hosts Tampa Bay to finish the schedule. All three previous NFL teams to reach 14-0 — Miami in 1972, New England in 2007 and Indianapolis in 2009 — made the Super Bowl. Only the Dolphins won the championship, though.

The 18 straight wins match the third-longest string in NFL history.

“These last two games are division opponents, and we’ll be in a hostile environment in Atlanta,” Newton said. “And we’ve got a tricky week with Christmas. We just have to find a way to keep moving ahead and make sure we stay on the side of the pendulum.”

The Giants tied it when Odell Beckham Jr., involved in a game-long helmet-smacking, shoving and jawing session with cornerback Josh Norman, got behind Norman for a 14-yard touchdown catch with 1:46 to go. Beckham had lost his cool several times as Norman was getting the best of him in their high-profile matchup. But he got free for a 40-yard catch and run that led to the tying TD.

Then Newton calmly guided the Panthers 49 yards to the winning kick.

In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers rallied for a 34-27 win over the Broncos.

Antonio Brown caught 16 passes for 189 yards and two scores as Pittsburgh (9-5) moved into the AFC’s second wild-card spot by dominating the NFL’s best defense after spotting the Broncos 17-point lead.

The Steelers controlled the second half, finally taking the lead when Ryan Shazier intercepted Brock Osweiler to set up a 23-yard dart from Roethlisberger to Brown with 3:34 to go.

The Cardinals beat the Eagles 40-17 with David Johnson running for 187 yards and three touchdowns, Carson Palmer threw a TD pass and Arizona beat Philadelphia to clinch the NFC West title.

The Cardinals (12-2) will earn a first-round bye with a win over Green Bay next week. They still have a chance to secure the No. 1 seed if they win out and Carolina loses its last two games. The Eagles (6-8) would win the NFC East title if they beat Washington at home and the Giants on the road.

The Seahawks clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season with a 30-13 win over the Browns, the Green Bay Packers (10-4) still have their

The Green Bay Packers (10-4) beat the Raiders 30-20 and still have their eyes set on a division title and remain one game ahead of Minnesota in the NFC North, and the Bengals clinched a fifth straight postseason berth with a 24-14 win over the 49ers.

In other results the Vikings 38 beat the Bears 17, the Charges had a 30-13 win over the Dolphins, Washington had a 35-25 win over the Bills — winning consecutive games for the first time in more than a year and stay atop the NFC East — the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 34-14, Houston won at Indianapolis for the first time in 14 tries with a 16-10 victory over the Colts, the Patriots held onto top spot in the AFC with a 33-16 result against the Titans and the Falcons ended a six-game losing streak with a 23-17 win over the Jaguars.