2023 NFL season, Week 12: What We Learned from Sunday's games

Baltimore Ravens

9-3

20-10

Los Angeles Chargers

4-7

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• READ: Ravens end Week 12 perched atop AFC

Coral Smith’s takeaways:

1. Baltimore defense shuts it down. In what was a low-scoring affair, it was the Baltimore defense’s clutch performance that clinched the win. The Chargers offense entered Sunday night as the eighth-ranked scoring offense, and the Ravens held Justin Herbert and Co. to just 10 points, forcing four takeaways. The Chargers scored a field goal on their opening drive, but for their next seven possessions they were unable to get anything going, with six of the drives consisting of 22 of fewer yards gained before a punt or turnover, and the seventh ending with a red-zone turnover on a strip sack by Jadeveon Clowney. And even though Los Angeles closed the gap with a late touchdown, Baltimore locked it down, forcing turnovers on downs on each of the Bolts’ last two possessions to seal the victory. It was the fewest points scored by the Chargers since Week 3 of the 2022 season, and the Ravens defense cemented its status as one of the NFL’s elite units.
2. Bolts’ mistakes once again the headline. One week after multiple drops were a big part of Los Angeles’ loss to the Green Bay Packers, an inability to hold on to the ball was once again a key issue in the team’s third straight loss. The Chargers had three fumbles, and they came at the hands of the team’s three biggest stars. Keenan Allen was first, fumbling just after hauling in a catch in the second quarter. Then on the Bolts’ next drive, it was Austin Ekeler who coughed it up when being tackled after a catch. The most painful came late in the game, when Herbert fumbled on a sack by Clowney in the fourth quarter, cutting short what was a 61-yard drive in the red zone. Multiple opportunities were squandered, points were scarce and yet again mistakes were the story of a Los Angeles loss.
3. Off day for the offense. Baltimore has a very high ceiling with its quarterback and offensive weapons, but Sunday wasn’t the Ravens’ best outing. They got off to a pretty good start, but repeatedly stalled late in drives and had to settle for field goals, and couldn’t pull away from the Chargers. They left the door open late, especially after John Harbaugh made the decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 26-yard line, and the usually can’t-miss Justin Tucker booted it wide left. Another fourth-quarter collapse was avoided with a late touchdown run by Zay Flowers (making him the first Ravens wide receiver and rookie with a rushing and receiving TD in a game) and two defensive stops, but it wasn’t the decisive victory it could have been. Whether it was because of the growing pains of playing without Mark Andrews, or because the wide receiving corps was dealing with various injuries (a shoulder for Odell Beckham Jr and a hip for Flowers), things just weren’t quite right. But, the Ravens came out with the win, and now they can use their upcoming bye to get right for the final third of the season, as they head down the stretch with an eye toward maintaining the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Next Gen stat of the game: Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers had just a 0.7% chance of scoring when he received the handoff on his 37-yard jet sweep touchdown in the fourth quarter, which sealed the win for Baltimore.

NFL Research: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had 39 yards rushing in Sunday’s win, officially giving him over 5,000 career rushing yards. Jackson becomes just the fourth QB in NFL history to hit that benchmark, after Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson.

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Los Angeles Rams

5-6

37-14

Arizona Cardinals

2-10

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• READ: Rams RB Kyren Williams feeling ‘200%’ after return

Michael Baca’s takeaways:

1. Kyren Williams resumes breakout season. The second-year running back had a career day in his return from an ankle injury, producing a career-high 204 scrimmage yards and scoring two touchdowns. He boosted a Rams team that scored a season-high 37 points. Williams was a key factor in preventing the game from turning into a back-and-forth affair after the NFC West rivals traded TD scores to begin the game. The Rams proceeded to pound the rock with Williams, who gained 143 rushing yards on 16 carries (8.9 YPC) and helped maintain an efficient offense. Williams’ impact was also felt through the air. He hauled in all six of his targets for 61 yards and accounted for two of Matthew Stafford’s four TD passes. Williams, who missed four games due to the ankle injury, looked every bit the impactful player he was prior to the injury, and his return had Sean McVay’s offense looking like a well-oiled machine. Royce Freeman scored a TD when the game was already well in hand for the Rams, producing 77 yards and a touchdown off 13 carries, and backup QB Carson Wentz even got to see his first snaps as a Ram by the end of the dominant display.
2. Cardinals offense hits lull. Kyler Murray seemed poised for a big day after finishing a 12-play, 75-yard drive with a nifty TD run on the Cardinals’ first possession, but Arizona didn’t score again until midway through the fourth quarter, when the game was already decided. Murray and Co. had an opportunity to capitalize on a Stafford interception near midfield before halftime, but a holding penalty nullified Matt Prater’s 57-yarder and brought the second quarter to an end. On Arizona’s next attempt to find points, Prater pushed his 56-yarder wide right in the third quarter. It was that type of day for the Cardinals. Converting first downs became a laborious task and with the deficit growing, abandoning the run game was necessary but also a hindrance. Murray finished 27-of-45 passing for 256 yards and two total TDs (one passing, one rushing).
3. Rams defense dominates. Once Arizona went pass-heavy offensively, Rams defenders pinned their ears back and enjoyed a stellar day rushing the passer. While Aaron Donald received all the attention initially, rookie defensive tackle Kobie Turner feasted with two sacks and five QB pressures. Michael Hoecht and Desjuan Johnson posted a sack apiece, and Donald had a couple hits on Murray. The pressure allowed Rams defensive backs to make plays, with Jordan Fuller (four), Ahkello Witherspoon (three) and John Johnson III (two) recording multiple pass deflections. The sure tackling from the defense prevented the Cardinals from finding the breakaway play they needed to get out of that lull. It was an ideal team performance from the Rams, who are on a winning streak for the first time this season.

Next Gen stat of the game: Rams rookie DT Kobie Turner set career highs in pressures (5), sacks (2) and pressure rate (22.7%) on 22 pass rushes against the Cardinals. Four of five pressures came across 16 matchups against Cardinals center Hjalte Froholdt, while three of five pressures came against double teams. Turner was double-teamed on 68.2% of his pass rushes (15 of 22).

NFL Research: Kyren Williams became the first player in NFL history with 140-plus rushing yards, six-plus receptions, 60-plus receiving yards and two-plus receiving TDs in a game.

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Denver Broncos

6-5

29-12

Cleveland Browns

7-4

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• READ: Browns lose QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to concussion
• READ: Russell Wilson ‘never doubted’ Broncos’ turnaround

Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Broncos impose their will on Browns. Denver did it on both sides of the ball on Sunday, pounding Cleveland’s vaunted defense on the ground to the tune of 169 rushing yards. Russell Wilson didn’t need to do all that much, but he certainly did more than enough, finding open receivers on key downs and delivering under duress for important conversions. The Broncos didn’t rack up an outrageous yardage total (294), but they capitalized when presented with scoring opportunities. And Denver’s defense came to play, limiting the Browns to 162 net passing yards on 42 attempts, forcing Cleveland to settle for field goals on two red-zone trips and shutting down its second-half comeback attempt. The Broncos were simply the better team, taking down a squad that they might be watching closely in the standings as the season enters December and January. My, how far Denver has come in the last month and a half.
2. Play-calling misfires costly for Browns. Kevin Stefanski’s rushing attack was working quite well on Sunday, with Jerome Ford averaging 7.2 yards per carry on nine totes. Stefanski refused to rely on what had been working late in the first half, though. He called a designed quarterback run for rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson on first-and-goal just before halftime, and with two timeouts in his pocket, opted to pass on second and third down in Thompson-Robinson’s third career start. Both passes fell incomplete, forcing Cleveland to settle for a field goal. I have a bigger issue with Stefanski’s play call to start the fourth quarter, though. With the Browns trailing by five and Thompson-Robinson being evaluated for a concussion, the coach dialed up a reverse. Running back Pierre Strong fumbled the pitch from receiver Elijah Moore, and the Broncos recovered the loose ball. Four plays later, Denver scored a back-breaking touchdown to take a 24-12 lead. At times this season it has felt like Stefanski is trying to outsmart defenses with unnecessarily exotic play calls, and on Sunday, it burned the Browns. His use of tight end Harrison Bryant on a fourth-and-1 direct snap resulted in a lost fumble. When he had only PJ Walker available to play quarterback, he put the aforementioned reverse toss in the hands of a receiver and running back on second-and-7. The Browns’ defense has kept them in games amid a revolving door at quarterback, but the combination of injuries, three turnovers and some unfortunate play-calling was too much to overcome on Sunday.
3. The swagger is back in Denver. It’s been a long time since the Broncos played with the supreme confidence they’re showing right now. They can thank their defense, which added three more takeaways for an incredible total of 15 over the last four games and prevented the Browns from fighting their way back into the game. Injuries to the Browns’ offense also clearly played a role in the contest. Starting QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson exited at the end of the third quarter with a concussion, when Cleveland still had hope of making a comeback. Midway through the fourth quarter, Amari Cooper suffered a rib injury when he took a hit on an incomplete pass and was ruled out. The Broncos seem to play with the intent to win the physical battle. They did so in resounding fashion on Sunday.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Broncos generated +45 rushing yards over expected on designed runs, their most in a game since Week 4 of the 2021 season.

NFL Research: The Broncos’ defense has allowed nearly 20 fewer points per game in their last six games compared to their first five games in 2023, in which they allowed an NFL-worst 36.2 points per game. It would be the largest improvement in points per game allowed in the first five games of a season compared to the rest of the season in NFL history.

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Kansas City Chiefs

8-3

31-17

Las Vegas Raiders

5-7

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• READ: Chiefs’ Kelce becomes fastest TE to 11K yards

Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. Chiefs offense gets back on track, steamrolling Vegas. Kansas City got off to a wobbly start, generating 13 yards on its first two drives, staring at a 14-0 deficit. Then Patrick Mahomes & Co. hit the gas pedal. The next three Kansas City drives: 71 yards, TD; 79 yards, TD; 75 yards, TD. Mahomes was able to get whatever he wanted against the Raiders D in the middle portion of the contest. He got the ball out quickly, dropped ridiculous dimes to Travis Kelce and hit targets in stride. After three sub-par games by his standard, Kelce won easily against Vegas for chunk gains, making six catches for 91 yards. More importantly, rookie Rashee Rice generated his best game. The wideout caught eight passes for a career-high 107 yards and a TD — his first game over the 75-yard mark. Rice is the first Chiefs rookie WR with 100+ receiving yards in a game since Dwayne Bowe in Week 10 of the 2007 season (105). The rookie’s run-after-catch ability brings a needed dimension to the Chiefs offense. With questions at receiver in K.C., Rice surging down the stretch would be massive for Mahomes.
2. Raiders offense cools off after hot start. Aidan O’Connell impressed off the bat, zipping quick passes, putting the pigskin on the money and dicing up the Chiefs defense in the first quarter. On the Raiders’ first two drives, O’Connell put up 114 passing yards (compare that to Mahomes’ 12 on his first two series). Vegas marched into the red zone twice in the first quarter, earning a TD and a missed chip-shot field goal (eschewing a fourth-and-1 chance). Josh Jacobs then blasted off for a 63-yard TD run early in the second quarter for a double-digit lead. From there, things got more difficult for the Raiders. They generated seven first downs the rest of the way and struggled to stay on the field. The entire Raiders operation has improved under interim head coach Antonio Pierce, but, as we saw last week, they’re not ready to compete consistently with the upper echelon of the AFC (particularly with Maxx Crosby banged up).
3. Chiefs D bows up. We can’t talk about Vegas running out of gas late without crediting Steve Spagnuolo’s D. The Chiefs allowed just 113 yards in the second half, including holding Jacobs to 16 rush yards on eight carries in the final two quarters. Despite generating a solitary sack of O’Connell, the pass rush created enough pressure to discombobulate the young quarterback. Perhaps the most significant difference after the opening sequence was the coverage of Davante Adams. The wideout had five catches for 73 yards in the opening half. He had zero catches on two targets the rest of the way. Credit L’Jarius Sneed, who covered Adams on 16 second-half routes, per Next Gen Stats, for bouncing back after getting beat early.

Next Gen stat of the game: Josh Jacobs got behind the Chiefs defense almost immediately on his 63-yard TD run. Three yards past the line of scrimmage, Mike Edwards was the only Chiefs defender between Jacobs and the end zone. His Expected Rush Yards on the play: 5; Rush Yards Over Expected: +58; TD Probability: 0.1%.

NFL Research: Mahomes set the record for the most games (66) with 2+ pass TDs in a player’s first seven NFL seasons.

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Philadelphia Eagles

10-1

37-34 (OT)

Buffalo Bills

6-7

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• READ: Hurts has career-best five TDs — including OT winner
• READ: McDermott says Bills ‘didn’t do enough’ in OT loss

Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Jalen Hurts lifts clutch Eagles over Bills in a thriller. In what might have been the game of the regular season thus far, the Eagles overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to tie the game with a 59-yard field goal in the waning moments of regulation — then won it on Hurts’ back in overtime. Hurts threw three TD passes and ran for two more scores, the final one a walk-off score in OT. Hurts didn’t have a whopper of a statistical game otherwise, and his second-quarter pick fueled a 14-0 Bills run. But when it was money time, Hurts delivered. He led four TD drives after halftime and set up the game-tying kick, even if the Eagles’ execution in the rain wasn’t pristine. Hurts drifting to his left and hitting Olamide Zaccheaus on a 29-yard TD fade was just silly. But DeVonta Smith was Hurts’ preferred target in other clutch situations, as that connection has come alive in recent games. One way or another, no matter who is on the field, the Eagles seem to find a way late.
2. Josh Allen, Joe Brady rediscover magic, but missed OT opportunity stings. Allen was having a whale of a game late, even with a fourth-quarter pick. So was Brady, the interim play-caller who directed a gorgeous go-ahead drive late in regulation. The Bills took the ball first in overtime and converted two third-and-9 plays, but facing third-and-6 at the Philly 22-yard line, Allen and Gabe Davis seemed to be on different pages. It appeared the play call was a corner route (which Davis ran) that should have converted to a post (which Allen threw). Davis had separation, but the ball fell incomplete. Buffalo settled for the field goal, and the Eagles promptly drove down and won it. It was a crushing loss for the Bills, who rang up 505 yards. They can blame missed opportunities with two missed field goals (one blocked), 10 first-half penalties, Allen’s short-field pick and a defense that needed one more stop. They also had 20 seconds and a timeout late in regulation but chose to kneel.
3. Eagles defense labors but gets enough key stops late. Frankly, Philadelphia was lucky to be down only 17-7 at halftime, as the Bills dominated despite being their own worst enemy with penalties. Allen was carving up the Eagles, even while missing on some passes, and he was using his legs very effectively. The Eagles seemed to have no answer for it, but the defense delivered a game-saving play early in the fourth quarter when Allen never saw James Bradberry come off his man to swipe a pick that led to an Eagles TD. The Bills had been up 24-21 and were looking to make it a two-score game; instead, they trailed by four after Zaccheaus’ circus-catch TD. Buffalo took the lead on a late touchdown drive, as the Eagles looked gassed, having lost LB Zach Cunningham and DT Fletcher Cox to injuries. It’s hard to blame a group that was on the field for 92 snaps and more than 40 minutes of clock. But they somehow mustered the strength to hold the Bills to a field goal in OT. It wasn’t easy, but it’s part of their winning DNA.

Next Gen stat of the game: Jack Driscoll started for the Eagles at right tackle in place of an injured Lane Johnson against the Bills in Week 12, allowing four pressures on 39 pass-blocking snaps (10.3% pressure rate). After allowing four pressures on 14 pass-blocking snaps in the first half, Driscoll did not allow a pressure on 26 pass-blocking snaps after halftime. 

NFL Research: Josh Allen has thrown an interception in eight consecutive games, which is the longest streak of his career.

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Atlanta Falcons

5-6

24-15

New Orleans Saints

5-6

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• READ: Bates’ 92-yard pick-six propels Falcons to first place

Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Falcons take lead in NFC South, but division remains wide open. The Saints entered the Week 12 game in Atlanta as the NFC South’s only team with a non-losing record. Now there are no NFC South teams who hold that honor. The Saints and Falcons now both stand at 5-6, with Atlanta holding the edge thanks to the head-to-head win. Both teams ran the ball effectively, but the Falcons rode their three key backs to victory. Bijan Robinson capped a 95-yard TD drive, catching a terrific blitz-beating throw from Desmond Ridder. Robinson totaled 123 yards from scrimmage, also running in a first-half score. Cordarrelle Patterson chipped in with 43 yards rushing in his busiest game in a month, and Tyler Allgeier ran for 64 yards, including 57 in the fourth quarter. 
2. Falcons’ Jessie Bates III makes two game-changing plays. Bates made two crucial plays that kept Atlanta in the game. The Saints had a chance to gain a two-score lead, driving to the Falcons’ 12-yard line late in the first quarter. But Bates jumped a regrettable Derek Carr pass and ran it back 92 yards for a score. A similar situation unfolded late in the third quarter, with Atlanta up 14-12. Taysom Hill gashed through the Falcons’ defense for a 10-yard run to the Atlanta 9-yard line, but Bates arrived with a brilliantly timed punch, knocking the ball out for a Falcons recovery. Bates led the Falcons with 12 tackles, including a few that prevented even bigger gains downfield. Atlanta’s defense quietly has been a very solid unit this season, and Bates has made a tremendous impact as their showcase free-agent signing this offseason. The Falcons have only six INTs as a team, but Bates has four of them.
3. Saints, Derek Carr cough up game in the red zone. In a mistake-filled game, the Saints were less efficient than their opponent. They were 0 for 5 in the red zone, with two back-breaking turnovers inside the Atlanta 10-yard line. New Orleans outgained the Falcons, 444-396, and controlled the time of possession early. But their red-zone mistakes were too much to overcome as Atlanta went up 7-3 late in the first quarter and never trailed thereafter. The Falcons’ first TD came on Jessie Bates III’s 92-yard pick-six, which was a disastrous decision by Derek Carr. Had Bates not picked it, the pass had little chance of being completed. Taysom Hill, who otherwise had a good game, also committed a devastating turnover, losing a fumble after running for a first down to the Atlanta 9-yard line. The Falcons drove the ball 95 yards for the game-clinching TD immediately after that play.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Falcons’ defense featured man coverage on a season-high 76.3% of dropbacks in their Week 12 victory over the Saints. Saints receivers had an average target separation of 2.4 yards against the Falcons defense, their lowest average separation in a game this season. 

NFL Research: Desmond Ridder’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson was only the second deep touchdown reception by a running back this season. The other deep TD by a running back came on Saquon Barkley’s 24-yard TD reception against the Commanders in Week 11.

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Pittsburgh Steelers

7-4

16-10

Cincinnati Bengals

5-6

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• READ: Steelers offense surpasses 400 yards in first game since Canada firing

Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. Steelers finally put up 400 yards of offense. Following the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Pittsburgh moved the ball with aplomb, gobbling up 421 total yards. It was the Steelers’ first time reaching the 400-yard plateau in 58 contests (Week 2, 2020). Most notable was the big plays from a previously wheezing offense. Pittsburgh picked up six plays of 20-plus yards, including four through the air. Kenny Pickett used the middle of the field, hitting tight end Pat Freiermuth for chunk gains. The QB also dropped a couple of deep sideline shots to George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. With the ground game churning out 153 yards, it was the best the Steelers offense has moved the ball. The inability to finish drives was still an issue, as Pittsburgh went 1 of 4 in the red zone. Mike Tomlin’s crew will have to take that next step down the stretch, but the first game with a new play-caller is a breath of fresh air in Pittsburgh.
2. Bengals offense lacks explosiveness with Jake Browning under center. Making his first start, the quarterback wasn’t the biggest issue for Cincy’s offense, but there was a notable lack of field-stretching opportunities against the Steelers D. Browning’s biggest passes came on a 39-yard screen late to Joe Mixon and a deflected pass that Ja’Marr Chase took for 31. Browning completed only one pass of 10-plus air yards, per Next Gen Stats. The QB threw a bad INT and put the ball in harm’s way several times. But the more significant issue was the lack of help for the QB. The Bengals couldn’t run the ball, with Mixon earning 16 yards on eight carries with a long of four yards. To get through the rest of the season with Browning under center, the Bengals must find aid for the passer.
3. T.J. Watt leads swarming Steelers defense. Once again, Pittsburgh made life difficult for an inexperienced quarterback. Watt generated two sacks, one in which the Bengals left him inexplicably unblocked, and four QB pressures. Watt (91.0 sacks) joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White as the only players with 90+ sacks over their first 100 career NFL games since individual sacks were first tracked in 1982. The Steelers squatted on the short throws as the game progressed, getting hands on the ball and squeezing routes. Trailing at halftime, defensive back Trenton Thompson jumpstarted the comeback with an interception that led to Pittsburgh’s only TD drive. The defense could have earned more INTs, with DBs jumping passes. The Steelers held Cincy to just 10 first downs and 25 rush yards.

Next Gen stat of the game: Joey Porter Jr. lined up across from Ja’Marr Chase on 24 of his 28 routes (85.7% shadow), while pressing Chase on 10 of those routes (41.7% press). Chase caught both of his targets for 36 yards when Porter was the nearest defender in coverage (0.9 yards average separation) with both receptions coming in man coverage in tight windows.

NFL Research: The Steelers outgained their opponent for the first time in 2023 (Pittsburgh: 421, Cincinnati: 222). The Steelers were outgained by 875 total yards from Weeks 1-11 (30th in NFL).

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Jacksonville Jaguars

8-3

24-21

Houston Texans

6-5

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• READ: NFL stats and records: Stroud sets consecutive 300-yard mark for rookies
• READ: Lawrence edges Stroud, would prefer bad QBs in division

Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Jacksonville stakes its claim to the AFC South throne. Make no mistake, this game could play a big role in determining the outcome of a surprisingly tight division race. For Houston, it was another chance to prove its rapid turnaround is no fluke. In the end, Jacksonville ended up being the better team in a wild back-and-forth affair. Trevor Lawrence made a few mistakes, including a third-quarter interception that led to a Texans touchdown. He missed a few other throws because of timing issues or inaccuracy, but the good outweighed the bad. He connected with Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk almost equally, kept the ball himself for a touchdown run and led two second-half scoring drives that were essential to Jacksonville’s win. C.J. Stroud appeared to be authoring another memorable comeback tale, but the Jags’ defense decided Sunday would not be the day for it, stiffening up in the final minutes to force the Texans to try a 58-yard field goal attempt that was no good. Before that, the Jaguars did a solid job of harassing Stroud and limiting his chances to make a big play, keeping themselves ever so slightly ahead of the scrappy Texans. Josh Allen‘s sack of Stroud late in the fourth quarter was the statement play that defined the message sent by Jacksonville: You’re going to need more than that to take down big brother.
2. Texans make questionable coaching decisions. DeMeco Ryans and his staff made a few peculiar calls that had an impact on Sunday’s outcome. Early in the fourth quarter, with his team trailing by 10, Ryans opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from Houston’s 46. Instead of running on either third or fourth down, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik dialed up passes twice. Neither worked, and the last was perplexing. Stroud needed to gain just a yard keep the drive going, but he tossed a deep pass down the left sideline to tight end Dalton Schultz. Going for it there was a necessary risk, but considering the situation, the play-calling was questionable at best. Later, with two timeouts in his pocket, Ryans’ special teams staff made a key blunder, allowing 12 men on the field for a punt return on fourth-and-7, forcing Ryans to burn one of his final two timeouts with a must-score drive looming. Finally, on that drive, Slowik wasn’t able to scheme up a play to at least pick up more yards on third-and-12, leaving the Texans in a fourth-and-12 situation from Jacksonville’s 39 with no timeouts left. Instead of going for it, Ryans decided to send out Matt Ammendola — whose career-long make was from 49 yards — for a 58-yarder to tie the game. The kick clanged off the crossbar and landed short, sealing the loss. Ryans has done a great job this season, but he’s still a first-year head coach.
3. Future looking bright for the division rivals. It’s a great time to be a future-focused fan of a team in the AFC South. Lawrence and Stroud will be with Jacksonville and Houston for years to come, all but guaranteeing two entertaining showdowns like Sunday’s contest with each season. Indianapolis will have Anthony Richardson at the controls in 2024 and beyond, and Tennessee might have something in Will Levis. As for the Jaguars and Texans, though, we should expect more of this in the years ahead. Houston is young, hungry and has a nucleus that seems to be set for a promising future. Jacksonville has already proven it has plenty of reason to believe the next few years will be worth following. Stroud vs. Lawrence might become the next great divisional rivalry. If those games play out like Sunday’s — in which Stroud followed a Lawrence interception with a go-ahead touchdown, then watched Lawrence respond immediately — it’s going to be a real treat.

Next Gen stat of the game: Trevor Lawrence excelled on downfield passes, completing 7 of 14 such attempts for a season-high 180 yards on passes over 10 air yards.

NFL Research: C.J. Stroud set an NFL rookie record, posting 300-plus passing yards for the fourth straight game on Sunday. Also, he tied the rookie record with his fifth game of 300-plus passing yards and two-plus passing touchdowns, joining Justin Herbert (2020) and Andrew Luck (2012).

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Indianapolis Colts

6-5

27-20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4-7

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Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Defense delivers for Colts. Days after waiving former All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard, Indianapolis took the field on Sunday looking to shut down the Buccaneers. It wasn’t a flawless effort by any means, but the Colts won by forcing two turnovers, holding Tampa Bay to 298 yards and most importantly, pressuring Baker Mayfield. Indianapolis pressured Mayfield 16 times, recording six sacks, including a crucial strip-sack in the game’s final minutes. Veteran Ronnie Harrison picked off Mayfield in his Colts debut, providing the offense with a short field for a drive that ended in a touchdown. In total, it was a complementary effort led by the defense, which played inspired football.
2. Good and bad from Baker Mayfield decides day for Bucs. The always-gutsy, relentless Mayfield once again drove Tampa Bay’s offense on Sunday, and he even overcame an early injury to throw the team back into the game. One sequence in particular — in which Mayfield scrambled for a first down on third-and-8, completed a fourth-down pass to Chris Godwin between two defenders and capped the drive with a touchdown toss to Mike Evans — defined Mayfield’s value to the Bucs in 2023. They wouldn’t have had a chance of competing without him, but his mistakes also cost them. Mayfield threw a very ugly interception (to former Browns teammate Ronnie Harrison), which the Colts turned into a touchdown, and fumbled away possession on the Bucs’ final drive in a one-score game. This is what Tampa Bay will have to accept as its reality, one that grows increasingly frustrating as the losses start to pile up.
3. Jonathan Taylor is trending upward. The Colts running back has steadily found a bit of a rhythm over the last month, but Sunday was his best game yet. His refusal to go down made a massive difference in the game, especially along the goal line, where Taylor twice ran through defenders for touchdowns. He paced Indianapolis’ ground game, averaging 6.1 yards per attempt on 15 totes, and accounted for 12 of Indianapolis’ 27 points. Most importantly, Taylor provided much-needed balance to the Colts offense, preventing Tampa Bay from blitzing Gardner Minshew without fear and preserving Indianapolis’ ability to both run and throw. Because of Taylor (and a decent day from Minshew), the Colts won the time of possession battle by nearly three minutes, the turnover battle (2 to 1) and managed to score enough points to outlast the Bucs, even while only converting 2 of 11 third downs. If Taylor continues along this path, the Colts will remain in the postseason conversation for a while. That sentence alone is remarkable, considering where Taylor and the Colts stood just a few months ago.

Next Gen stat of the game: Jonathan Taylor recorded a season-high +37 rushing yards over expected on his 15 carries.

NFL Research: Taylor posted his first game of 90-plus yards and one or more rushing touchdowns of the 2023 season. He recorded his 37th career rushing score on Sunday, passing Marshall Faulk for the most rushing touchdowns by a Colts player in their first four seasons in franchise history.

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New York Giants

4-8

10-7

New England Patriots

2-9

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Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. Collapse continues for Bill Belichick’s club. A yanked 35-yard field goal attempt that would have tied a waterlogged game summed up the Patriots’ season. Whenever there is a glimpse of light, it’s quickly snuffed out. Regardless of who was under center on Sunday, the New England offense wilted. Mac Jones started and played the first half. To say the QB struggled would be putting it nicely. Jones tossed two horrific interceptions, including one in scoring range. He finished 12 of 21 for 89 yards and the two INTs for a 27.8 passer rating. Woof. It marked Jones’ fifth career game with zero TD passes and 2-plus picks. Bailey Zappe entered after halftime and led the Patriots’ only scoring drive but did most of his damage on screen passes. The backup also threw a bad interception into heavy traffic, leading to New York’s game-winning field goal. Zappe went 9 of 14 for 54 yards and a pick for a 42.0 passer rating. The Patriots offense is an amalgam of short, inefficient passes that rarely threaten the defense. Neither Jones nor Zappe completed a pass of more than eight air yards, per Next Gen Stats. At this point, for the 2-9 Pats, neither QB is the long-term answer.
2. Giants D propels Big Blue to victory. Wink Martindale’s crew has struggled. Also, he’s had to answer questions about whether there’s any tension between him and head coach Brian Daboll. But for the second straight Sunday, Martindale’s unit made game-winning plays. New York generated three interceptions, with all 10 of its points coming off turnovers. Bobby Okereke continued his splendid play, snagging an INT and gobbling up eight tackles. Safety Xavier McKinney was all over the field, earning a pick and 10 tackles. The Giants forced four three-and-outs to go along with their three takeaways. Playing a moribund Patriots offense certainly helped, but the Giants D made the plays it needed to escape with the win.
3. Jalin Hyatt gives Giants offense some life. The third-round rookie had the best game of his career, netting five catches on six targets for a career-high 109 receiving yards. Hyatt provided much-needed field-stretching, earning sideline catches of 41 and 29 yards. At this stage of the campaign, seeing progress from young players like Hyatt is critical for Big Blue heading into 2024. With undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito making his third start, the Giants offense wasn’t exactly pretty, generating 220 yards and going 4 of 13 on third downs. The QB took six sacks and botched an early handoff, leading to a fumble. But DeVito also flashed a decent deep ball and avoided big mistakes down the stretch — standing in stark contrast to his Patriots counterparts.

Next Gen stat of the game: Bailey Zappe averaged 1.1 air yards per attempt, the third-lowest mark in a game in the NGS era (min. 10 attempts). Mac Jones averaged 4.6 air yards per attempt.

NFL Research: Tommy DeVito is the first undrafted QB to start and beat Bill Belichick at any point in their career since the Panthers’ Jake Delhomme in Week 2 of the 2005 season. DeVito is the first undrafted rookie to start against Belichick — therefore, he’s the first to beat the coach.

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Tennessee Titans

4-7

17-10

Carolina Panthers

1-10

• FULL BOX SCORE
• READ: Panthers fire HC Frank Reich following 1-10 start to season

Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Jeffery Simmons leads a dominant Titans defensive effort. Granted, this game came against a relatively moribund Panthers offense, but the Titans prevented Carolina from crossing midfield on their final four possessions, clinching it with a fourth-down stop late. The dominance started up front as Simmons and Denico Autry teed off on a shorthanded Panthers offensive line. Simmons was seemingly everywhere in the game, playing a whopping 83.6% of the defensive snaps, per Next Gen Stats. He had five tackles, including two big run stuffs, a fumble recovery and his first sack in a month. Autry added two sacks and was credited with seven QB pressures. Tennessee’s defense only allowed 258 yards but kept the Panthers in the game with four defensive penalties in the secondary that netted them first downs. Even so, the Titans’ front made up for the handsy coverage by dominating the line of scrimmage.
2. Bryce Young struggles early, Will Levis falters late in an underwhelming rookie showdown. Despite both starting for two years concurrently in the SEC — at Alabama and Kentucky, respectively — Young and Levis never faced each other in college, adding some intrigue to this matchup. Although both had some moments on Sunday, neither really put a complete game together. Levis started strong for Tennessee completing 13-of-18 first-half passes for 128 yards, beautifully leading a pre-halftime field-goal drive with the clock ticking down. But despite not facing much pressure, Levis didn’t get anything going after halftime, missing on some throws in the fourth quarter as he tried to get DeAndre Hopkins involved. On the flip side, Young did nothing early (8-of-16 passing, 80 yards at half) before completing 10-of-15 passes for 114 yards after halftime, using his legs to buy time. The Panthers gave themselves a chance to win with the third-quarter TD drive, but a few of Young’s successful scrambles were called back by penalty, and he took three second-half sacks as one Carolina drive after another was stalled. With one last chance to tie the game or take the lead, Young’s fourth-down throw was caught — but several yards shy of a first down.
3. Injuries continue to pile up for Carolina. The 1-10 Panthers have endured a nightmare season for a variety of reasons, including poor health. Carolina has been ravaged by injuries, and that situation didn’t get any better in Week 12. The offensive line was hit pretty hard. They lost Chandler Zavala and Cade Mays during the game, weakening an already poor pass-protection unit. The Panthers were shorthanded going into the game, with CBs Jaycee Horn and CJ Henderson, TE Hayden Hurst, OLB Yetur Gross-Matos and S Jeremy Chinn out — and they also lost OLB DJ Johnson, WR Laviska Shenault Jr. and S Vonn Bell to injuries against the Titans. This was a game the Panthers had a chance to win, to boot. But they were stretched too thin and couldn’t find a way to scratch back shorthanded.

Next Gen stat of the game: Carolina’s Bryce Young finished with an average time to throw of 3.41 seconds, the 10th-longest time to throw by a quarterback in a game this season (min. 14 attempts). Young did not complete any of his 6 pass attempts with a time to throw over 4 seconds.

NFL Research: Tennessee’s Denico Autry finished with a season-high seven pressures and two sacks on 30 pass rushes.

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