NFL Week 12 big questions and takeaways: wild endings, huge upsets and division-race shake-ups
-
NFL Nation, ESPN
Week 12 of the NFL season kicked off Thursday with the Cleveland Browns winning a snowy battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sunday started with a handful of thrillers. The Dallas Cowboys snapped their five-game skid, beating the Washington Commanders, and the Tennessee Titans upset the Houston Texans. The Minnesota Vikings earned an overtime win against the Chicago Bears, and the Kansas City Chiefs narrowly beat the Carolina Panthers.
Later, the Arizona Cardinals saw their four-game win streak end to the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos defeated the Las Vegas Raiders. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 37-20 on the back of an outstanding Saquon Barkley performance. And finally, on “Monday Night Football”, John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens toppled his brother Jim’s Los Angeles Chargers 30-23.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
Jump to:
LAR-PHI | PIT-CLE | TB-NYG | DET-IND
KC-CAR | NE-MIA | TEN-HOU
DAL-WSH | MIN-CHI | SF-GB
ARI-SEA | DEN-LV | BAL-LAC
Ravens
Are the Ravens the NFL’s most dominant offense? The Ravens are definitely the most confident offense. Trailing 10-0 early in the second quarter, Lamar Jackson led Baltimore to scores on five straight drives, reaching the end zone four times. This was against a Chargers defense that ranked No. 1 in fewest points allowed (14.5) and hadn’t allowed a team to score 30 points this season. Jackson showed confidence in his teammates when he threw in tight windows twice for touchdowns — a 40-yarder to Rashod Bateman and a 6-yarder for Mark Andrews. The Ravens’ four wins after trailing by 10 this season ties for the most by any team in a full season since 2000.
Describe the game in two words: Sibling rivalry. John Harbaugh improved to 3-0 over his younger brother, Jim. John was aggressive in doing so, going for it on fourth down three times and converting each time. It was the Ravens’ most fourth-down conversions in a game in two years. This marked the first time the Harbaugh brothers had faced each other as opposing head coaches since Super Bowl XLVII 11 years ago.
Most surprising performance: Running back Derrick Henry failed to reach the end zone for the first time in 12 games this season. He fell one game shy of tying Hall of Famers LaDainian Tomlinson, Jerry Rice and John Riggins for the third-longest streak of scoring a touchdown within a season in NFL history. But Henry was still dominant, rushing for 140 yards on 24 carries. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Chargers
Does this loss prove that the Chargers aren’t legitimate contenders? As the Ravens’ offense pulled away from the Chargers in the second half Monday, the Chargers could not get a stop on defense or score points on offense. It appeared clear that Los Angeles is not in the same tier as Baltimore in the NFL’s hierarchy. It doesn’t mean the Chargers won’t make the playoffs, but this game highlighted many of L.A.’s flaws against a team expected to contend for a Super Bowl.
Most surprising performance: Defensive struggles on late downs. The Chargers entered giving up a 32% conversion rate on third down, the third-best mark in the NFL. But the Ravens converted on 53% of their third downs Monday night. Baltimore also had three fourth-down conversions, their most since 2022.
What we learned about the QB today: Justin Herbert isn’t enough to make these Chargers legitimate contenders. Herbert was accurate throughout the night and evaded defenders to rush for 29 yards and a touchdown, but the Chargers needed more from their supporting cast. L.A.’s receivers had four drops, the most they’ve had all season. — Kris Rhim
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Eagles
Will Saquon Barkley become the first running back since 2012 to win MVP? He’s in position to make a serious run at it. Barkley set a personal high with 302 yards from scrimmage and broke the franchise record for single-game rushing yards (255), which included a pair of 70-plus-yard rushing touchdowns. He has three games with 195-plus scrimmage yards this season, the same amount as the rest of the NFL combined. Barkley is the third player in NFL history to have 1,500 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season with multiple teams, joining Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson. If he keeps this production up, he could become the first back since Adrian Peterson to secure the MVP.
Describe the game in two words: Defensive flip. The Eagles yielded 117 yards on the first two drives of the game but then turned the tables on the Rams, holding them to minus-6 yards for the rest of the half. Matthew Stafford was under duress for most of the night as the Eagles racked up five sacks and 11 quarterback hits on him. Coordinator Vic Fangio’s group continues to play above expectations.
Early prediction for next week: Eagles-Ravens will be billed as a possible Super Bowl preview. With the Eagles winning seven straight games, they’ve put themselves on the short list of legitimate NFC contenders. One of their toughest tests of the regular season will come in Baltimore against the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens, who have postseason goals of their own. — Tim McManus
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Rams
Can the Rams’ offense find consistency before it’s too late in the playoff race? A week after scoring 28 points against the Patriots, the Rams struggled to finish drives, going 2-for-4 in the red zone and 0-for-8 on third down. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter for the second time this season, the Rams had minus-6 yards in the second quarter, which was their fewest in any quarter since 2019, according to ESPN Research. The Rams are running out of time to find that consistency but are a game out of first place in the NFC West.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping Saquon Barkley. The Rams’ run defense, which entered the game ranked 22nd in DVOA, knew this would be a challenge. The Eagles running back finished with 255 yards and 2 touchdowns on 26 carries and 4 catches for 47 yards.
What we learned about the QB today: Matthew Stafford needs better protection. The offensive line has been a challenge all season for the Rams, mostly because of injury. But a week after Stafford was not sacked by the Patriots, he was sacked five times and hit 11 by the Eagles. The Rams are hopeful they will get right tackle Rob Havenstein back from an ankle injury, perhaps by Week 14 against the Saints. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Broncos
Do the Broncos have the profile of a true playoff team? The Broncos’ defense again made the difference-making plays, most notably a Brandon Jones third-quarter interception to set up the go-ahead touchdown and Nik Bonitto’s game-sealing strip sack with 2:21 left. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton also had two touchdown catches to help them maintain the No. 7 spot in the AFC. But the Dolphins are a lurking problem. Miami has won three in a row to climb to 5-6 and has a better AFC record (4-4) than Denver (3-4). The Broncos showed they can grind out wins against inferior opponents, but they’ll have less of a margin for error when their schedule gets more difficult after their Week 14 bye.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Broncos have been special teams stalwarts for much of Sean Payton’s tenure, but there has been some shakiness over the last three games. While Wil Lutz made his five field goal attempts Sunday, the Broncos surrendered a 59-yard kickoff return and a 34-yard gain via a fake punt on back-to-back possessions. The Raiders pulled 10 points out of those two drives.
Eye-popping stat: Bonitto put the exclamation point on the Broncos’ win when he sacked Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew, forcing a fumble that Denver recovered and turned into a game-sealing field goal. In the process, he became the first Broncos player to have 10 sacks in a season since Von Miller had 14.5 in 2018. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Browns (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Raiders
Are the Raiders on a fast track to a top-three draft pick? The short answer: Yes. The Raiders, who have lost seven in a row, are one of only three teams to have two wins (the Giants and Jaguars are the others), as the Browns and Titans each won their third game this week. Plus, given the Raiders’ injury woes, erratic QB play and immediate schedule — at Kansas City on a short week followed by a cross-country trip to Tampa Bay — it’s hard to find many wins down the stretch. Maybe at home against the Jags in four weeks? Stay tuned.
What we learned about the QB today: While Gardner Minshew threw a game-turning third-quarter interception (his 10th) and Aidan O’Connell (broken right thumb) is now eligible to come off IR, a short week means Minshew probably still starts at Kansas City unless his left shoulder injury is worse than expected. Desmond Ridder, anyone? He was strip-sacked upon entering the game, denying the Raiders their best attempt to tie the score.
Most surprising performance: The Raiders, who had the worst rushing attack in the NFL entering Sunday’s game, were without top running backs Alexander Mattison and Zamir White. Yet, Ameer Abdullah and Sincere McCormick combined to rush for 61 yards on 13 carries against the league’s No. 6 run defense. Abdullah also caught five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Chiefs (Friday, 3 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
Are the Seahawks the best team in the NFC West? The standings say so, with the Seahawks’ win over Arizona giving them the tiebreaker as each team sits atop the division at 6-5 pending the result of Rams-Eagles on Sunday night. Interestingly, ESPN Analytics pegged Seattle’s chances at making the playoffs at only 24% with a win over the Cardinals. That reflects a tough remaining schedule, a tightly packed division and some bad football from Seattle early in the season. But the 49ers are reeling and Seattle’s defense continued its recent turnaround. The Seahawks were dominant on that side of the ball, though they’ll need more from quarterback Geno Smith & Co. during the closing stretch.
Editor’s Picks
Describe the game in two words: JSN Show. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba provided most of the offense on another day in which Seattle couldn’t run the ball. The second-year receiver continued his breakout with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. He has been the Seahawks’ most productive player over the past three weeks with 366 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
What we learned about the QB today: Smith is still prone to careless mistakes. The Seahawks’ quarterback entered Sunday tied for the NFL lead with 11 interceptions. A few have been fluky, but the one he threw in the red zone at the start of the fourth quarter was a bad decision. It was his third interception this season on a pass thrown into the end zone, per ESPN Research. — Brady Henderson
Next game: at Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What went wrong after the bye? Whatever magic the Cardinals had during their four-game winning streak didn’t exist in Seattle. Arizona couldn’t get its run game going, which usually sets up its passing game. James Conner had just 8 yards and was the Cardinals’ fourth-leading rusher. Arizona’s defense also gave up its first touchdown since Week 8 and couldn’t figure out a way to rush Geno Smith or cover deep. And Kyler Murray threw his first interception since Week 7, which went for a pick-six.
Describe the game in two words: Sack city. Murray was pressured 16 times for five sacks, the most sacks in a game this season and the most since Week 9 of the 2022 season. He was sacked five times then.
Most surprising performance: Tight end Trey McBride finished with the best game of his career. He had 133 yards on 12 catches, surpassing the 131 yards he had against Atlanta last season. McBride reached 100 yards early in the third quarter, giving him two 100-yard games this season. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Packers
What kind of shape will the Packers be in for Thursday night? There’s reason to be concerned given they play the Dolphins in four days. Running back Josh Jacobs made a significant impact (26 carries, 103 yards, three touchdowns), but he had to leave briefly to be treated for cramps. They lost receiver Romeo Doubs (three catches, 54 yards) to a concussion, and it would be difficult for him to clear protocol for the Miami game. The Packers aren’t likely to have cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) or linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring), either.
What we learned about the QB today: Quarterback Jordan Love can get through a game without an interception. He ended a streak of eight consecutive games with a pick by remaining at 11, which matches his total from last season. It wasn’t exactly a vintage performance by Love; he threw for 163 yards but had two touchdowns. He threw one interception in his final eight regular-season games in 2023.
Most surprising performance: Lukas Van Ness made a play. The 2023 first-round pick had been largely unproductive with one sack — way back in Week 3 — and two QB hits. He helped put the game away with a strip-sack in the fourth quarter. Along with an interception and a forced fumble, the Packers ended a two-game streak without a takeaway. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
0:16
Josh Jacobs completes hat trick with 3rd TD vs. 49ers
Josh Jacobs barrels into the end zone and picks up his third rushing touchdown against the 49ers to pad the Packers’ lead.
49ers
At 5-6 with a trip to Buffalo awaiting, how dim are the 49ers’ postseason hopes? The lights are flickering but not completely out. Yet. The Niners haven’t looked like a playoff contender for much of this season, but it’s hard to rule out anyone right now from the NFC West. Despite Sunday’s loss, the 49ers are one game back in the division and have another cross-country trip to face a surging Bills team. Buffalo could put San Francisco in a situation where it has to win out to even sniff the playoffs. Expecting any sort of second-half surge akin to recent years seems far-fetched for a team that’s lacked a knockout punch.
Describe the game in two words: Entirely predictable. Even at full strength, this game was going to be difficult for the 49ers. But they were nowhere near that Sunday, missing quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder), end Nick Bosa (oblique) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle). Those absences left a clear talent discrepancy and the scoreboard reflected that chasm.
What we learned about the QB today: Making his first start since the 2021 regular-season finale, Brandon Allen looked like a capable backup. When he had time to throw and his teammates weren’t accumulating penalties, fumbling or letting catchable passes slip through their hands, Allen was mostly on time and on target. While the Niners are hopeful that Purdy can return next week, Allen was far from San Francisco’s biggest problem Sunday. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Vikings
How did the Vikings let this game get to overtime? Simply put, weird things happen to the Vikings at Soldier Field. The Vikings were up by 11 points with 22 seconds remaining. Although their defense allowed Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to run all over it in the fourth quarter, the real issue was tight end Johnny Mundt letting an onside kick hit him in the foot. That allowed the Bears to recover the kick long before it went the required 10 yards. If it had not been for that fluke bounce, the conversation would have been much different.
Most surprising performance: No. 2 receiver Jordan Addison had a huge day, catching seven passes for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings finally made an opponent pay for the attention it was paying to Justin Jefferson, but he managed only 7 receiving yards in regulation. That would have been a career low before Jefferson caught a 20-yard pass in overtime.
What we learned about the QB today: Quarterback Sam Darnold is tough, and he might have had his best stretch as an NFL player in overtime. He left Sunday’s game for two plays in the fourth quarter because of what appeared to be an ankle injury. But he returned and completed all six of his pass attempts in overtime to salvage the game. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bears
Has Caleb Williams been more efficient with Thomas Brown as offensive coordinator? Williams has averaged 2.42 seconds before releasing his passes in Brown’s two games as interim OC, which marks his quickest throws this season. That helped him go 9-of-12 for 128 yards and two touchdowns against the blitz, marking his first multi-TD game versus the blitz this season. He was 5-of-12 for 141 yards on passes with at least 15 air yards, which was his season best. His completion rate also is higher (71% to 61%).
Most surprising performance: Keenan Allen was a late addition to the injury report Friday after rolling an ankle in practice, but he turned in a season-high nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 15 targets. He ignited the Bears’ dormant deep passing game when he hauled in a 40-yard reception from Williams that set up Chicago’s lone touchdown in the first quarter. This was Allen’s third game with double-digit targets.
Eye-popping stat: After his blocked game-winning attempt against Green Bay, Cairo Santos’ first field goal attempt of the afternoon was blocked by the Vikings. His three blocked field goal attempts are the most in the NFL and Chicago’s most in a season since 2012 (also three). He converted on two other attempts, including a 48-yarder to send the game into overtime. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Lions (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
How the heck did the Cowboys pull that off? The Cowboys entered the game with more than $100 million in salary cap space on injured reserve in Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Zack Martin, Trevon Diggs and Brandin Cooks. Their best offensive lineman, Tyler Smith (ankle), was also ruled out Sunday. They overcame two missed field goal attempts, a deflected punt, a penalty on a kickoff and iced the game on a pair of kickoff returns by KaVontae Turpin (99 yards) and Juanyeh Thomas (43 yards) after Washington nearly pulled off its second miracle of the season.
What we learned about the QB today: Cooper Rush is steady, and that’s what teams need from its backup quarterback. Against the Commanders, Rush completed a season-high 78.5% of his passes and avoided big mistakes. His previous best as a starter was 67.7% in a 2022 win against the Giants. He threw two touchdown passes in the second half and looked like the quarterback who went 4-1 as Prescott’s replacement in 2022.
Early prediction for next week: When the Cowboys host the Giants, don’t expect an uptick in the quality of football after the Giants lost 30-7 to the Buccaneers. This will be just the fourth time in the Super Bowl era that both teams are under .500 when playing on Thanksgiving. At least the Cowboys enter the game with a win. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Giants (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)
0:49
Commanders’ miracle comeback attempt falls short after Seibert’s missed XP
Terry McLaurin hauls in an 86-yard touchdown, but Austin Seibert misses the game-tying extra point as the Cowboys beat the Commanders.
Commanders
What’s wrong with the offense? Washington’s offense powered its 7-2 start. Now it’s responsible for its past two losses. Dallas’ defense entered the game ranked 29th in scoring and 23rd in yards, but Washington managed only 319 yards, surpassing 300 for the first time in three games. The offensive line is banged up, and in the past three games, its running backs have averaged 3.2 yards per carry and gained 181 yards combined.
What we learned about the QB today: It hasn’t been good. The pass game lacked any rhythm, and quarterback Jayden Daniels averaged just 3.9 yards per attempt until he had to throw downfield to play catch-up late in the game. Daniels was considered an MVP contender early in the season. Now they just need to get him back to being the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The kicking game. Austin Seibert missed two extra points and a 51-yard field goal attempt. Entering the game, Seibert had made 25 of 28 field goal attempts and all 22 extra-point attempts. However, he had missed the past two weeks with a hip injury and was bad Sunday. Tyler Ott’s low snaps and a 99-yard kick return by the Cowboys didn’t help, either. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
Is the Titans’ offense starting to wake up? The Titans scored 30 points for the second time this season. Before reaching that threshold against the Dolphins in Week 4, Tennessee had not done it since Jan 2, 2022. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine continued his hot play with his sixth touchdown in six games. The suddenly explosive passing game produced three plays of 30 yards or more, matching last week’s output against the Vikings.
Eye-popping stat: Will Levis absorbed seven sacks in the first half, becoming the first QB to be sacked at least seven times in multiple halves of a season since Randall Cunningham with the Eagles in 1986. Levis was also sacked seven times by the Packers in the second half of a Week 3 loss.
NFL Playoff Machine
Simulate your own scenarios and check the latest playoff picture. Playoff Machine »
• Playoff picture » | Standings » | More »
What we learned about the QB today: Levis continues to be late on throws. At least three of Houston’s eight sacks could have been avoided if he saw receivers coming open. His predetermined read kept him from seeing Texans safety Jimmie Ward in the passing lane, leading to a pick-six. But Levis showed resilience, connecting with Chig Okonkwo for a 70-yard touchdown that held up as the game winner. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Texans
Will the Texans’ defensive struggles become a trend? The Texans allowed quarterback Will Levis to go 18-of-23 for 278 passing yards and two touchdowns. In December, Houston faces the Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens, whose offenses can score in bunches. Those issues must get fixed or the hopes of a deep playoff run won’t materialize.
Eye-popping stat: Ka’imi Fairbairn’s missed 28-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter marked just the fourth missed field goal of 29 or fewer yards (out of 159 attempts) in the NFL this season. Two of those four misses are by Fairbairn.
What we learned about the QB today: C.J. Stroud’s performance was a mixed bag. He threw multiple touchdown passes for the first time since Oct. 13, but he also threw multiple interceptions for the second time in three weeks and was sacked four times. Houston’s line has allowed 17 sacks in its past four games. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
Can Miami’s offense continue to be efficient at Green Bay on Thanksgiving? The temperatures for the Dolphins’ game against the Packers are expected to drop below freezing — which has historically been the Dolphins’ kryptonite. But with a continued emphasis on high-efficiency passes and ball control, Miami appears to be better equipped to play in frigid temperatures than it was in either of the past two seasons. If it can overcome the weather, Thursday night presents an intriguing matchup for Miami against a Packers defense that ranks 22nd in defensive expected points added since Week 8.
What we learned about the QB today: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has matured as a passer, and that was on full display Sunday with a four-touchdown performance. He completed 72.5% of his passes against the Patriots — not far from his career-high 74% this season. It’s clear he is less insistent on attempting deep passes and more willing to take what defenses give him.
Early prediction for next week: Tight end Jonnu Smith will have another big game against the Packers. He has scored three touchdowns in his past two games and faces a Green Bay defense that has allowed the 13th-most yards to opposing tight ends (entering Sunday). Miami’s intention to run the passing offense through Smith is no secret, but Green Bay is still more likely to shade coverage toward receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Packers (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
0:16
De’Von Achane waltzes in for 2nd TD of game for Dolphins
De’Von Achane gets the pass from Tua Tagovailoa and runs it in to increase the Dolphins’ lead to 21-0.
Patriots
Was this no-show effort an outlier or a sign of things to come in the final five games? The Patriots had played competitively in four games since coach Jerod Mayo called the team out for “playing soft,” so this was a big step back. It was a poor reflection on Mayo and his staff, as well as the players. The Patriots return home to face the Colts on Sunday, then they have their bye week before finishing the season against the Cardinals, Bills, Chargers and Bills again. Mayo has said he hopes to be a team that no one wants to play coming down the home stretch. They hardly looked like that against Miami.
Describe the game in two words: Undisciplined mess. The Patriots had nine penalties in the first half, six of which were pre-snap infractions: four false starts, one offensive offside and one defensive neutral zone infraction. Before a team can beat an opponent, it has to not beat itself.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Was there a game plan? The Dolphins ran circles around them, especially in a 24-0 second quarter, which was the largest scoring margin for a team in any NFL quarter this season. Tackling on defense was also shoddy. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Chiefs
What does the emergence of more receiver options mean for the rest of the Chiefs’ season? The Chiefs can’t have too many threats, so having another reliable receiver is a welcome development for them. It’s unlikely their passing game will feature as many big plays as they envisioned before the start of the season, but the Chiefs showed against the Panthers they can be effective with mostly shorter gains. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown could return later in the season, which would give the Chiefs yet another threat.
Eye-popping stat: Tight end Noah Gray had 11.9 yards of separation on his first touchdown, which is the most yards of separation on a Chiefs receiving touchdown in the past two seasons. He was wide open.
Most surprising performance: The Chiefs on defense had more trouble with quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina offense than expected. The Panthers entered the game averaging 281 yards (last in the league) and 17 points (30th). But the Chiefs failed to contain them. Carolina had 249 passing yards, allowing the Panthers to tie the score with less than two minutes left. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Raiders (Friday, 3 p.m. ET)
Panthers
Did Bryce Young earn the right to start the rest of the season? Coach Dave Canales has been careful not to name Young the starter each week until evaluating the film. No further need. The top pick of the 2023 draft had his best game, considering the opponent, and deserves to play out the season. He handled the blitz like a seasoned pro. He was blitzed on 38% of dropbacks. He was 11-of-13 for a season-high 135 yards with a touchdown against five or more defenders.
Describe the game in two words: Turning point? Despite the loss, Carolina went toe-to-toe with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. This might have been a bigger confidence booster than the consecutive wins against the Saints and Giants entering the day. Young looked great. The defense created pressure (five sacks). This team had an identity.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending the Chiefs’ second tight end, Noah Gray. He had four catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns, including a 35-yarder on the first series. The Panthers did a decent job on star Travis Kelce, but Gray made them pay throughout the afternoon. — David Newton
Next game: vs. Bucs (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Lions
Are Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery the NFL’s top rushing duo? Nicknamed “Sonic & Knuckles,” Gibbs and Montgomery combined for three rushing touchdowns against the Colts, becoming the first duo in NFL history with 10 rushing touchdowns each in consecutive seasons. Sunday’s game also marked the 11th time both backs have scored a touchdown in the same game — including the playoffs — which is the most such games by an RB duo in NFL history, per ESPN Research. At this point, it’s not a question of whether they’re the best in the league; the production speaks for itself. It’s now time to decide their place in league history, if they can keep it up.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending the deep ball. Dealing with a groin injury, rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold was ruled out for Sunday’s game and didn’t travel with the team. His absence was felt. Detroit’s defense allowed Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to connect with Michael Pittman Jr. for a 30-yard pass and another 39-yard bomb to Alec Pierce.
Most surprising performance: Lions wideout Tim Patrick. In the Lions’ previous four games, Patrick logged five receptions for 38 yards, but he found a groove against the Colts. He grabbed four receptions for 55 yards, including a 27-yard catch at the end of the first quarter, which helped the offense find an early rhythm. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Bears (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET)
0:46
Lions lose two players in the 3rd quarter to injury
Lions’ players David Montgomery and Kalif Raymond head to the locker room with apparent injuries in the third quarter.
Colts
Do the Colts still have a realistic shot at the postseason? The Colts entered the day in the eighth position among AFC playoff contenders and didn’t help their case with a loss. After starting the day with a 34% shot at the playoffs, according to ESPN Analytics, the defeat lowered those chances to 27% independent of other outcomes. On the other hand, the Colts have one of the more favorable schedules, with four of their five remaining opponents currently under .500. In any case, it will take significant work for them to reverse the damage done to their postseason hopes by losing four of their past five games.
What we learned about the QB today: Sunday demonstrated that Anthony Richardson needs more help from his supporting cast. Indianapolis was flagged for a season-high eight offensive penalties, several of them proving to be crushing by negating big plays from the quarterback. Richardson also had some underwhelming performances from his pass targets, including a dropped touchdown by tight end Drew Ogletree.
Eye-popping stat: This was the first loss in a game in which the Colts did not commit a turnover since a loss to the Raiders on Jan. 2, 2022. In the past five seasons, the Colts have 22 games in which they have avoided a turnover. They are now 19-3 in those contests. The Colts’ six points Sunday is the fewest scored in any of those three losses. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
Is this the jolt the Bucs needed to ignite a playoff push? Yes, as long as Baker Mayfield’s stinger isn’t serious and these late-game fumbles stop. Getting franchise leading scorer Mike Evans back was huge. So was having both starting cornerbacks in Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum, and waiver wire pickup Mike Edwards, who came in at safety on third-down passing situations and then to relieve Jordan Whitehead after he had a pectoral injury in the fourth quarter. Only one of their remaining opponents — the Los Angeles Chargers — has a winning record.
What we learned about the QB today: Mayfield still has some of that Oklahoma swag. Never mind the Bucs came into Sunday’s game on a four-game losing streak. He hurdled Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, did Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito’s signature celebration and sprinted downfield to deliver a block on Bucky Irving’s 56-yard run.
Eye-popping stat: The Bucs had 11 different receiving targets catch passes, tied for their most in a game in franchise history. This was last done Week 16 of 2020, when Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns in a 47-7 win over the Lions, according to ESPN Research. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Giants
How much did the release of Daniel Jones lead to this blowout loss? It’s hard to imagine it wasn’t a significant factor. The Giants benched their starting quarterback, saw him step in as a scout-team safety during a walk-through period at practice Thursday, and he was released by Friday. Players such as captain Dexter Lawrence said publicly they thought Jones was still the team’s best quarterback. Clearly, it had an effect. DeVito hardly provided the “spark” or energy that coach Brian Daboll thought it would as his team fell behind 23-0 by halftime.
What we learned about the QB today: DeVito isn’t the answer. He went 3-of-5 passing for 31 yards with three sacks in the first half. He finished 21-of-31 passing for 189 yards. He was also sacked four times. Not that DeVito stood a chance. The Giants lost left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on the opening drive. That put third-string left tackle Chris Hubbard into the game opposite Evan Neal for what was already the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL.
Most surprising performance: A no-show by the Giants’ defense coming out of the bye week. Inexcusable. At points, Lawrence stood despondent, by himself, on the sideline. Perhaps it was because the defense barely sniffed Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield during a sackless afternoon while allowing 400-plus yards of offense. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Cowboys (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)
Steelers
Is this loss a wake-up call for the Steelers’ offense? Don’t be distracted by the first part of Russell Wilson’s stat line. Yes, the quarterback completed 21 of 28 attempts for 270 yards and a touchdown, but he was also sacked four times. And the offense had six empty possessions that ended either with a punt, turnover on downs or a turnover. Wilson had some moments of field-stretching brilliance, firing off three deep balls on third-down completions to Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson and George Pickens, but he also struggled against pressure. Winning like they did against the Ravens, with six Chris Boswell field goals, isn’t sustainable. It wasn’t against the Browns, and it won’t be as the gauntlet of AFC North games continues.
Describe the game in two words: Trap game. Hindsight is 20/20, but this had all the makings of a trap game. Though the Steelers said they didn’t overlook the hapless Browns, they were clearly overpowered and outwitted by a motivated team playing with nothing to lose. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski took risks that paid off, while Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did the opposite.
Eye-popping stat: Though they briefly erased their 12-point deficit, the Steelers are the only franchise that hasn’t overcome a deficit of 12 or more points in the fourth quarter of a regular-season game since 2000, per ESPN Research. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Browns
Will the Browns play spoiler during the final stretch of the season? Thursday night’s win over the Steelers marked the Browns’ second upset victory over a divisional opponent, coming weeks after they stunned the Ravens. With four of its final six games coming against teams with winning records, Cleveland has the opportunity to play spoiler a few more times and a strong finish could raise optimism heading into the offseason with a roster that disappointed in the first half of the season.
Describe the game in two words: No quit. Four days after giving up 21 points in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to the Saints — their seventh defeat in their previous eight games — the Browns delivered a gritty victory at home against the division-leading Steelers.
Most surprising performance: Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin. The veteran lineman held outside linebacker T.J. Watt to just one pressure across 24 matchups. It was just the second game this season that Watt was held to one pressure. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: at Broncos (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)