SUNDAY
What looked like a snoozer of an early window turned into a wild three hours.
We saw wild finishes in Chicago and Washington, while the Kansas City Chiefs (10–1) needed a last-second, 31-yard field goal from Spencer Shrader to hold off the Carolina Panthers (3–8) and their upset bid. The Tennessee Titans (3–8) actually followed through and pulled off a stunner, beating the Houston Texans (7–5) at NRG Stadium despite three turnovers.
In the late window, the Arizona Cardinals (6–5) and Seattle Seahawks (6–5) battled at Lumen Field for first place in the NFC West, and the Seahawks came away with a massive win. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos (7–5) took a step toward the playoffs with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders (2–9), handing the hosts their seventh consecutive defeat.
Finally, the nightcap gave us the Philadelphia Eagles (9–2) annihilating the Los Angeles Rams (5–6) at SoFi Stadium, with Saquon Barkley going north of 300 total yards.
Chiefs 30, Panthers 27
My take: Kansas City (10–1) bounced back from its loss to the Buffalo Bills, but things are getting concerning for the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes had a terrific game with 269 passing yards and three touchdowns, along with a clutch 33-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal. However, Kansas City’s defense was a sieve against Carolina (3–8) and its league-worst offense, allowing 334 yards and 21 first downs. The Panthers were only forced to punt once on eight possessions, largely controlling the game in the second half.
Stock up: Even in defeat, Bryce Young deserves kudos. The Chiefs have been an excellent pass defense for years, and yet Young threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, constantly beating tight coverage and the occasional all-out blitz.
Stock down: The Chiefs’ offensive line is a disaster. Entering Sunday, Carolina had 12 sacks on the year. The Panthers got five Sunday while also forcing Kansas City into multiple holding calls on tackles Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris.
Up Next: Raiders at Chiefs, 3 p.m. ET Nov. 29; Buccaneers at Panthers, 4:05 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Broncos 29, Raiders 19
My take: Denver (7–5) is marching toward a playoff berth, and it’s because of an improving Bo Nix and an awesome defense. Against Las Vegas (2–9), Nix threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns while the defense racked up four sacks and notched two turnovers. For the Raiders, Gardner Minshew II was injured late and went straight to the locker room, calling into question whether he or Desmond Ridder will start Friday at Kansas City.
Stock up: Vance Joseph might not get another head-coaching opportunity after being one-and-done, but he’s an excellent defensive coordinator. Joseph is overseeing what might be the best defense in the league, a unit that held the Raiders to one touchdown in another victory.
Stock down: Las Vegas has no imagination offensively. The scheme is stale, the coaching is terrible (it doesn’t help that three offensive coaches were fired earlier this month) and the players, outside of tight end Brock Bowers, aren’t good. It’s been ugly for two consecutive months with no end in sight.
Up Next: Browns at Broncos, 8:15 p.m. ET Dec. 2; Raiders at Chiefs, 3 p.m. ET Nov. 29
Eagles 37, Rams 20
My take: Philadelphia (9–2) is essentially free and clear in the NFC East, and Saquon Barkley is making a huge push for MVP. On Sunday, the Eagles and Barkley destroyed Los Angeles (5–6), with Barkley going for 302 total yards, including 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. For the year, Barkley leads the NFL with 1,392 rushing yards, giving himself a real chance at the 2,000-yard mark. Meanwhile, the Rams are a game out of first place in the NFC West, their only real path to making the playoffs.
Stock up: Philadelphia has a real shot at earning the NFC’s top seed. The Eagles are now riding a seven-game winning streak and although the Baltimore Ravens are up next, the schedule breaks in their favor, highlighted by three divisional games against the Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants to end the season.
Stock down: The Rams can’t feel great about their run defense. Philadelphia ran for an absurd 314 yards and three scores, getting whatever it wanted for much of the game. Next up? Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome.
Up Next: Eagles at Ravens, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Rams at Saints, 4:05 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Lions 24, Colts 6
My take: Detroit (10–1) continues to look like the best team in football. The Lions easily handled Indianapolis (5–7) on the road led by the rushing duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, who scored three touchdowns. Conversely, Detroit’s defense made life tough on Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who completed just 11-of-28 attempts for 172 yards. If Indianapolis is going to make a move toward the postseason, Richardson has to play much more consistently.
Stock up: Aaron Glenn. The Lions have survived a crush of defensive injuries, including the season-ending loss of star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Glenn is going to get a litany of head-coaching interviews this offseason, and he’s showing why on a week-to-week basis.
Stock down: Richardson needs to be better. After torching the New York Jets in a comeback win last week, he was awful with the Lions in town. The Colts have a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way, but that docket also includes a Week 15 trip to face the Denver Broncos. That game could decide who gets into the playoffs as the AFC’s seventh seed.
Up Next: Bears at Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET Nov. 28; Colts at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Vikings 30, Bears 27 (OT)
My take: It’s now officially mock draft season for Chicago (4–7) after losing to Minnesota (9–2). The Bears got a better performance from Caleb Williams for the second consecutive week in the wake of firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, but it wasn’t enough. The Vikings all but solidified a playoff spot while staying within a game of the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, largely because of Jordan Addison catching eight passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota now goes home for a three-game stretch to face the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and Bears.
Stock up: The Vikings’ chances of winning the NFC North are legitimate. Detroit beat Minnesota on a last-second field goal in Week 7, and the two teams will have their rematch Week 18 at Ford Field. That game could mean the difference between having homefield advantage and being the NFC’s top wild-card team.
Stock down: Matt Eberflus has to be wondering if he’s going to survive again. The Bears finished 7–10 last year and many in Chicago called for his firing. Those calls will be screams this time around barring a miracle turnaround.
Up Next: Cardinals at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Bears at Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET Nov. 28
Packers 38, 49ers 10
My take: This feels like the end for San Francisco (5–6). The division remains up for grabs as the 49ers are only one game out, but the injuries have mounted and the schedule is tough. After losing to Green Bay (8–3), the only hope is to win the NFC West, but that won’t be easy. San Francisco has to climb over three teams for that to happen, and the road starts with a game in Buffalo next Sunday.
Stock up: Josh Jacobs had a tremendous day against the Niners’ depleted defensive line. The free-agent acquisition ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns, helping Green Bay to continue moving toward firming up a playoff spot.
Stock down: Christian McCaffrey had to have an enormous day for the 49ers to have any chance in Green Bay, and the opposite happened. McCaffrey was held to 31 yards on 11 carries while also losing a fumble.
Up Next: 49ers at Bills, 8:20 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Dolphins at Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET Nov. 28
Titans 32, Texans 27
My take: Houston (7–5) now faces two truths. The Texans are almost certainly going to win the AFC South despite their recent stretch of play. They’re also almost certainly going to be the No. 4 seed in the AFC with the other three divisions boasting teams far superior in the standings. The Texans couldn’t run the ball (2.4 yards per carry) or protect the ball (two interceptions). They also couldn’t stop the Titans, who amassed 369 yards.
Stock up: Tony Pollard came to Tennessee (3–8) this offseason on a three-year deal, and he showed he was worthy against Houston. Pollard ran for 119 yards and a touchdown, consistently finding tough yards against a talented Houston front.
Stock down: C.J. Stroud needs to be a star. Stroud threw two interceptions while being sacked four times. The issues for Houston are far from all on Stroud, but he entered the year as a superstar. And while has been good, throwing 14 touchdowns against nine interceptions is sub-par for his standard.
Up Next: Titans at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Texans at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Seahawks 16, Cardinals 6
My take: The NFC West is a wild place. Seattle (6–5) took the divisional lead by handling Arizona (6–5) at home in the first of two matchups between the teams this season. Geno Smith threw for 254 yards while Jaxon Smith-Njigba continued his breakout stretch with six catches, 77 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. For the Cardinals, the back-breaking play was Kyler Murray throwing a 69-yard pick-six to corner Coby Bryant on fourth down, making it 13–3 Seattle in the third quarter.
Stock up: Seattle’s defense did a phenomenal job slowing down Arizona’s run game. The Cardinals entered the week with the second-best yards per carry average of any offense, and the Seahawks held James Conner & Co. to just 3.5 YPC.
Stock down: Arizona’s offensive line failed to show up. The Cardinals had major aforementioned issues in the run game while also allowing Murray to be sacked five times despite his trademark elusiveness.
Up Next: Cardinals at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Seahawks at Jets, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Cowboys 34, Commanders 26
My take: What an ending. After looking finished following a 99-yard kick return touchdown by KaVontae Turpin, Washington (7–5) miraculously scored 10 points in the final 100 seconds, including an impossible 86-yard touchdown strike to Terry McLaurin. All that, only for Austin Seibert to miss a game-tying extra point with 14 seconds left. Dallas (4–7) isn’t going anywhere, but this is a fun win for a team trying to play spoiler. The offense was good and the special teams were tremendous, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to finish the proceedings.
Stock up: Rush was hideous after taking over for Dak Prescott … until today. The Cowboys opened up the offense a bit and Rush responded, throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns to pull off the upset.
Stock down: Dan Quinn is a defensive-minded coach with institutional knowledge of the Cowboys after working there as a defensive coordinator for years. Dallas rang up 332 yards while Rush largely did whatever he wanted throughout the afternoon. It’s nowhere near good enough for a team trying to make the playoffs.
Up Next: Giants at Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET Nov. 28; Titans at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1
Dolphins 34, Patriots 15
My take: Miami (5–6) still has a daunting road ahead, but the playoffs aren’t a pipe dream anymore. After hammering New England (3–8) behind a spectacular game from Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are now getting ready for a huge matchup on Thanksgiving night with the Green Bay Packers. As for the Patriots, Drake Maye was largely bottled up until garbage time, with Miami holding him to 62 total yards in the first half.
Stock up: Tagovailoa has been excellent since returning from a concussion. In the four games since, he’s thrown for eight touchdowns against one interception while throwing for at least 230 yards three times. If he continues to play at that level, the Dolphins could rally themselves into the playoffs.
Stock down: New England’s corners have been a problem all year, and they were beaten throughout against Miami. The Patriots should be targeting a few new starters come the offseason, both in free agency and in the draft. Last week, Matthew Stafford beat them for four touchdowns in another loss at Gillette Stadium.
Up Next: Colts at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Dolphins at Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET Nov. 28
Buccaneers 30, Giants 7
My take: Tampa Bay (5–6) got Mike Evans back and then rolled New York (2–9) in one of the more pathetic efforts you’ll ever see. The Buccaneers were leading 23–0 at halftime with Baker Mayfield playing great, finishing the day with 294 yards on 24-of-30 attempts. The Buccaneers are now within a game of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. However, Atlanta has already swept the season series, so Tampa Bay likely has to outplay the Falcons by two games to make the postseason.
Stock up: Bucky Irving has quietly had a great season. Irving destroyed the Giants in the running and passing games, amassing 151 yards on 18 touches with a touchdown. Irving isn’t talked about with the best backs in the game, but the rookie is quickly ascending toward that conversation.
Stock down: Should Brian Daboll be on the hot seat? What about general manager Joe Schoen after the season? Considering how awful New York has looked in recent weeks, Daboll might have little argument to stick around. The boos are getting only louder at MetLife Stadium, where the Giants are 0–6 this season.
Up Next: Buccaneers at Panthers, 4:05 p.m. ET Dec. 1; Giants at Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET Nov. 28
THURSDAY
Browns 24, Steelers 19
My take: Pittsburgh (8–3) was briefly in the conversation for the AFC’s top seed alongside the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, but that dream appears over. The Steelers fell to Cleveland (3–8) despite only needing one defensive stop late, and now the talk shifts to whether Pittsburgh can hold off the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. As for the Browns, they have won two of Jameis Winston’s four starts, showing some progress with Deshaun Watson on IR.
Stock up: Winston deserves credit. Since being inserted into the starting lineup and delivering big wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers, he’s made Cleveland at least respectable down the stretch. Against Pittsburgh, Winston threw for 219 yards on 8.1 yards per attempt in the snow while facing an elite defense.
Stock down: Pittsburgh’s offensive line needs to hold up better. Myles Garrett continually ruined plays with three sacks, while the Browns posted 11 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. The Steelers also failed to establish a ground game with just 3.5 yards per carry.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Week 12 Recap: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team.
