NFL Week 12 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday's 12 games

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• REWATCH: Jets-Ravens on NFL+ Premium

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Ravens wake up in second half to notch ugly win. It was a dreary scene in Baltimore after two quarters of play as the Ravens produced just 72 yards of offense while facing a 7-3 deficit entering halftime against the two-win Jets. Nothing seemed to be working for Lamar Jackson and Co., but when opportunity knocked in the second half, the Ravens answered. Baltimore rattled off three consecutive scoring drives in the second half as the Jets self-inflicted their demise through defensive penalties and one questionable decision at midfield. Derrick Henry punched in each of Baltimore's touchdown scores in the third quarter, plays that somewhat overshadowed a rough day on the ground (64 rushing yards). Zay Flowers did his best to provide a spark on offense, producing 58 yards on five receptions with great moves after the catch. While Baltimore's defense remained stout, the offense struggled to find any sort of rhythm. On a day when Jackson was simply off through the air, the Ravens were fortunate to face a mistake-laden team led by a rookie head coach. Nonetheless, the Ravens earned their fifth straight win and enter a short week with first place in the AFC North hanging in the balance. 
2. Mistakes doom New York's upset attempt. The Jets were firmly in control with Tyrod Taylor leading a balanced attack while New York's defense smothered Baltimore's offensive rhythm. It was the result of a mistake-free first half from the Jets, but their second-half lapses helped lift Baltimore out of a hole. Two brutal penalties on third-and-long plays in each of the Ravens' first two drives in the third quarter led to TD scores. In between those scoring drives, the Jets turned the ball over on downs at midfield after going for it on fourth-and-2 — a head-scratching decision that provided the Ravens a great opportunity to gain momentum. After answering with a field goal on their next possession, the Jets looked to hang around as Breece Hall powered the offense on the ground and air (119 scrimmage yards), but his fumble at the Ravens' 3-yard line served as the proverbial nail in the coffin. Taylor was solid in his first game since being named the starter, finishing 17-of-28 passing for 222 yards with one TD and a late interception with the game out of reach. He found a rhythm with John Metchie III (six receptions, 65 yards; TD) and Adonai Mitchell (42 yards off two receptions) provided some big gains. 
3. Jackson's struggles through the air remain. It was an odd performance from Jackson, who scuttled under any waft of pressure and was indecisive when outside the pocket looking to make something out of a broken play. Typically, we'd see Jackson make something out of nothing in those situations, but he appeared to lack the explosiveness to create such magic. Perhaps the multiple injuries Jackson has dealt with this season are to blame, but it's uncommon to see the Ravens' star quarterback finish with such subpar numbers through the air (13-of-23 passing for 153 yards) and on the ground (11 rushing yards off seven attempts). Jackson did prevent any cataclysmic mistakes the Jets needed to get back into the game in the second half, but it wasn't exactly an outing Baltimore will be feeling confident about as it enters a hotly contested race to the playoffs in the final stretch.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jets-Ravens (via NFL Pro): Breece Hall caught all four of his targets for 75 yards in the Jets’ Week 12 loss to the Ravens. He recorded 79 yards after catch, his season high and most in a game since Week 5 of 2022 against the Dolphins. Hall has now totaled 270 yards after the catch this season, ranking 10th among all running backs, with 135 of those yards coming in the last three games. He has also generated +82 yards after catch over expected, the fifth-most among running backs.

NFL Research: Derrick Henry (12,294 career rushing yards) moved past Marcus Allen, Edgerrin James and Marshall Faulk into 12th on the all-time rushing list. He also joined LaDainian Tomlinson (38) and Emmitt Smith (36) as the only players with at least 30 career multi-rushing TD games.

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• REWATCH: Steelers-Bears on NFL+ Premium
• READ: T.J Watt passes brother T.J. on all-time sack list
• READ: Rodgers expected to return in Week 13

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Battered Bears defense hung on for dear life in another win. The Bears hung on to win their fourth straight game, and their eighth in nine tries, to keep atop the NFC North, but it wasn’t easy. Despite Mason Rudolph filling in for the injured Aaron Rodgers , the Steelers had the ball at game’s end with a chance to tie or take the lead, but the Bears got a fourth-down stop, with Jaquan Brisker knocking down Rudolph’s final pass. The Bears were down their starting three linebackers and lost two more during the course of the game. Montez Sweat had a big game with two sacks, including a critical one late in the third quarter that led to the game-winning TD run by Kyle Monangai. The Bears defense allowed a touchdown to make it a field-goal game in the fourth quarter, but it forced a punt and the fourth-down stop to win its fourth straight at Soldier Field. 
2. Rudolph couldn’t rally Steelers. Aaron Rodgers tried to give it a go before Sunday’s game but was ruled out. Mason Rudolph got his first start for the Steelers in two years, and he had his moments, leading three long TD drives. But Rudolph was picked on his first pass of the game, lost a key fumble on a sack late in the third quarter and couldn’t finish off the final drive with the Steelers in Bears territory trailing by three points. The Steelers had a defensive score and gained 55 yards on a terrific fake tush push on fourth-and-1 to set up another score, but they couldn’t quite match the Bears on the scoreboard. Rudolph was very accurate on short passes (16 of 17 on passes traveling 10 yards or fewer) but was only 1 for 6 passing on throws longer than 10 yards, including his only INT. The Steelers hope Rodgers can return for a big showdown against the Bills next week, a game they badly need after falling to 6-5.
3. Williams did just enough for the Bears. Caleb Williams missed some throws Sunday, and his fumble was recovered for a Steelers TD, but the Bears’ offense kept churning, doing just enough to hold off the Steelers. Williams led scoring drives in all four quarters, throwing for three TDs and helping overcome their two lost fumbles, a slew of frustrating penalties and some stalled drives late. Williams didn’t quite live up to his new “Iceman” nickname, and the Bears’ defense had to be exhausted after being on the field most of the fourth quarter. But he made enough big throws, especially on a day when the Bears’ run game was stalled. It wasn’t a perfect offensive showing, but the Bears converted all three of their red-zone possessions and were efficient on third downs (7 of 13) and on fourth (1 for 1).

Next Gen Stats Insight for Steelers-Bears (via NFL Pro): Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell hit a top speed of 20.43 mph on his 55-yard gain down to the Chicago 1-yard line on fourth down. 

NFL Research: Steelers LB T.J. Watt notched his 115th career sack on Sunday against the Bears, passing his brother, J.J. Watt (114.5 career sacks) on the NFL’s all-time list. 

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• REWATCH: Patriots-Bengals on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Patriots survive bumpy afternoon. Very little was easy to achieve at Paycor Stadium on Sunday. The Patriots racked up 392 yards, but after scoring a touchdown in the first half, New England's offense failed to return to the end zone for the rest of the day. Drake Maye was largely sharp but not as impressive as most of his outings, completing 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards and a touchdown while also throwing an ugly interception that was returned for a Bengals touchdown. New England continued to prove itself as an inconsistent rushing unit, getting 66 yards on 18 carries from TreVeyon Henderson but failing to establish a legitimate ground threat on a day in which the Patriots could have used it. The showing wasn't alarming as much as it was a reminder of where and how the Patriots can (and likely must) improve as they prepare for a playoff run. And in the end, they did enough across all three phases to move to 10-2.
2. Bengals waste another improved defensive performance. Cincinnati's struggles have largely been accurately blamed on its leaky defense over the last year and a half, but in the last two games, the Bengals have received quality showings from Al Golden's group. Their lopsided loss to Pittsburgh failed to tell the whole story of their defensive performance, and the unit certainly gave Cincinnati a chance to win, especially with a stout showing in the red zone. Much like Week 11, though, Joe Flacco and the Bengals offense failed to hit their marks, breaking 300 yards but converting just 3 of 13 third-down attempts. They undoubtedly fought to stay in the game, moving within three points via a Flacco touchdown pass to Mitchell Tinsley , but what was once the Bengals' strength is now just a pedestrian group. The timing couldn't be worse, of course, because Golden is finally getting good results from his defense, but the painful reality is also fitting for this exhausting campaign.
3. New England needs to fix its red zone offense. With a 17-13 lead and a prime opportunity to bury the Bengals, the Patriots spent nine plays trying to find the end zone from inside Cincinnati's 11-yard line. Six of those snaps came from Cincinnati's 1-yard line, yet none found the end zone legally (a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry was wiped out by an offensive pass interference penalty). In a sequence that felt as if it lasted for 30 minutes, the Patriots crumpled, seemingly running out of options by the time Josh McDaniels dialed up a handoff to Rhamondre Stevenson from the 1 that was a flimsy-at-best call and was stuffed well short of the goal line. On a later trip into Cincinnati's low red zone, the Patriots failed to find the end zone again before a frustrated Mike Vrabel signaled for a field goal attempt. Those minimally productive red zone trips are the reason the Bengals were able to stay in this game, and while New England left victorious, the Patriots must be better when facing stiffer competition. It just might be their biggest weakness as we near December.

Next Gen Stats insight from Patriots-Bengals (via NFL Pro): The Patriots did not blitz until the final Bengals drive, in which they blitzed four times, with Joe Flacco completing just 1 of 4 passes (12 yards) against the blitz. Despite their low blitz rate (10.3%, their 2nd-lowest this season), the Patriots still generated pressure on 41.0% of their pass rushes.

NFL Research: The Patriots became the first NFL team to reach double-digit wins in 2025 after picking up their 10th win in Week 12. This is the Patriots' 20th season since 2000 with 10-plus wins, most in the NFL over the span and four more such seasons than the next team (Packers with 16).

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• REWATCH: Giants-Lions on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Gibbs saves Lions from a disastrous home loss to two-win Giants. The Lions haven’t looked quite right the past few weeks, with an offense that is just a tick off behind a struggling interior offensive line. On Sunday, Jared Goff was sacked three times and several drops nearly doomed Detroit. Jahmyr Gibbs wouldn’t let them lose. The explosive running back was the best player on the field. He gashed the Giants for 219 rushing yards with two long touchdowns, including a 69-yard house call on the first play in overtime. Gibbs added another 45 yards and a score on 11 catches. In all, the RB accounted for 264 of the Lions' 494 yards and three of their four TDs. When the offense was shuffling its feet, Gibbs hit turf in hyperdrive. A big play whenever he touches the pigskin, Gibbs’ ability to bounce off tackle, keep his feet, and run past the secondary was on full display. He generated runs of 69 yards, 49 yards, 49 yards, and 10 yards. Gibbs earned 184 yards and both rushing touchdowns on carries between the tackles, the most such yards by any player this season, per Next Gen Stats. Detroit’s offense needs to find more consistency against better teams, but as long as Gibbs is on the field, they’re in good hands.
2. Jameis Winston has a near-classic Jameis Winston game. The Giants played like they had nothing to lose on the road against a playoff-caliber team. Tight-roping the wire is where Jameis Winston lives. It’s either magic or tragic. For the most part, Winston was sensational Sunday, splashing big play after big play after big play after big play after big play after big play -- Lions fans are annoyed at this truthful repetition. Big Blue opened the game with a toss back to the quarterback, who launched it for a 39-yard touchdown bomb to Wan'Dale Robinson. It was a sign of things to come for Winston and the Giants. Later, Winston caught a pass, broke a tackle, and rumbled his way for a 33-yard touchdown. Winston completed 10 passes of 20-plus yards en route to a 366-yard, 2-TD day. He did throw one INT, but it didn’t bite the Giants (the lack of tackling on Gibbs did). On a day he avoided pass rushers, sometimes miraculously, Winston’s lone sack of the game came on the final play. It was apropos for the QB’s career. Credit Mike Kafka for having his team ready to play on the road, but the defense's issues continue to lead to collapses.
3. It wasn’t pretty, but Dan Campbell will take the W. Another loss would have made it awfully tough on the Lions to make the postseason. A win, even by the skin of their sharp-toothed teeth, still counts. The offense was wobbly for stretches once again, and big drops from Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams could have been the story of the game. Detroit’s defense couldn’t get stops, giving up 25 first downs and eight third-down conversions, including four of third-and-6 or longer, and a fourth-and-10 scramble from Winston to keep the game alive in OT. But when they needed it, Kelvin Sheppard’s defense stood up. The Lions got a four-down goal-line stop to keep the deficit to three points and allow the offense to force overtime. After Gibbs gave them their first lead, Aidan Hutchinson finally got to Winston to call the game. On a short week, with Green Bay heading to Motown on Thanksgiving, Detroit would have preferred the defense not play 77 snaps, but avoiding back-to-back losses for the first time since 2022 was the key.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Giants-Lions (via NFL Pro): Winston's 13.6 air yards per completion is the highest mark in a game league-wide since Week 1 of last season (Anthony Richardson), and he completed4 of 4 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown on attempts beyond 20 air yards.

NFL Research: Jahmyr Gibbs’ 44th career touchdown surpassed Hall of Famer Jim Brown (42), Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (43) and tied Hall of Famer Randy Moss (44) to tie for the second-most touchdowns of any player prior to their 24th birthday. He trails only Barry Sanders (47).

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• REWATCH: Vikings-Packers on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Packers grind out a win. Josh Jacobs' injury status threw a fresh cause for concern into the Packers' already unstable offensive formula entering Week 12, but the worried chemists didn't consider how potent Emanuel Wilson might be. The former undrafted free agent ran for a career-high 107 yards on 28 rugged attempts, bringing the fight to Minnesota's defense with a physical, unrelenting style that allowed Matt LaFleur to ride a conservative game plan to an easy win. Chris Brooks chipped in 21 yards on eight carries, but the story of the day was Wilson, whose two rushing touchdowns accounted for the entirety of Green Bay's end zone visits. The approach was perfect when facing a Vikings defense that is significantly better against the pass than the run, and even without Jacobs, the Packers were able to ride the ground game to control time of possession, limit risk and march their way to a victory over their NFC North rivals.
2. Vikings' offense craters. For yet another week, the game appeared too fast for second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy who was frequently slow to pull the trigger on his passes. Eventually, his hesitation undercut the entire offensive operation, affording the Packers ample time to collapse the pocket and close in on the passer for sacks. Christian Darrisaw's exit didn't help matters, either, and while Kevin O'Connell tried to balance the offense by leaning on the run more than usual in the first half, their overall lack of production and growing deficit required O'Connell to ditch his game plan and try to stay in the fight via the air. In these moments, McCarthy and the Vikings offense looked their worst: McCarthy threw two second-half interceptions (one deflected, the other sailed), Minnesota went three-and-out on three straight possessions, the Vikings ended their offensive day with consecutive McCarthy picks and finished with a grand total of 4 net yards in the second half. It doesn't get much worse than that, folks.
3. Green Bay's defense is peaking. The Packers' defense has been their backbone in 2025, especially as they've tried to work out their offensive kinks to varied success. Sunday represented a new high mark for them. Green Bay held Minnesota to 145 total yards on the day, sacked McCarthy five times, registered a pressure rate of 48% and was so dominant defensively in the second half, LaFleur willingly leaned on the run with the full understanding the Vikings wouldn't threaten their lead in the final two quarters. Green Bay lost a defensive struggle against Philadelphia two weeks ago, surrendered 336 yards to the Giants last week before delivering with an interception in the game's final minute, and denied the Vikings any real hope of victory Sunday thanks to a suffocating defense, providing the Packers with their first satisfying result in a while. Evan Williams is a rising star in this unit, Micah Parsons (two sacks) flourished and Devonte Wyatt became a menace on Sunday, all encouraging developments for a team that is aiming to play consistently complementary football.

Next Gen Stats insight from Vikings-Packers (via NFL Pro): Of Emanuel Wilson's 107 yards, 100 of his yards came after contact, also a career best.

NFL Research: Emanuel Wilson registered the first 100-yard rushing game by a Packer since Josh Jacobs in Week 12 of the 2024 season.

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• REWATCH: Colts-Chiefs on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Chiefs came back to win critical game, keeping playoff hopes alive. Down, 20-9, with nine minutes left, the Chiefs picked themselves up off the turf to score on three of their final four drives – including the game-winning field goal in overtime – to beat the Colts in a playoff-like atmosphere. This was the one-score victory the Chiefs badly needed, otherwise their season might have been in deep trouble. The Colts controlled the game, holding the lead from the second quarter until the Chiefs tied it at the end of regulation, but Patrick Mahomes willed his team back with 235 passing yards after halftime, also scrambling for a few key plays. Rashee Rice delivered two massive catches on the game-tying drive, plus one more on the game-winning drive in OT. Kareem Hunt coughed up a fumble early in the fourth quarter, but he rebounded with a key touchdown run, churning out 104 yards and several tough conversions (several with injured guard Trey Smith out of the game). 
2. Colts offense went cold late. The Colts’ explosive offense was held mostly in check Sunday, and it went ice cold late in a tough loss at Arrowhead Stadium – one they led by multiple scores well into the fourth quarter. They took a 20-9 lead into the fourth quarter, but after converting their first two red-zone chances into touchdowns, the Colts settled for two short field goals. That would come back to bite them. Indianapolis ran 12 plays in the fourth quarter and overtime and gained zero first downs. The Chiefs bottled up Jonathan Taylor (56 yards) outside of one 27-yard run, and Daniel Jones completed only 3 of 9 passes for 17 yards after the third quarter and was lucky a few of them were not picked. After a defensive stop, the Colts had the ball at midfield with five minutes left but only gained 1 yard. It’s hard to blame the Colts’ defense for allowing the game-tying field goal thereafter. The Colts’ offense controlled the ball for less than 26 minutes, while the Chiefs possessed it for more than 42 minutes. An exhausted defense needed more help from the Colts’ offense Sunday.
3. Chiefs defense locked down late. After the Chiefs’ offense went three-and-out, the Colts drove to the Kansas City red zone, looking to break the game open. The Chiefs held the Colts to a field goal, giving Indy a 17-9 lead. Another quick Chiefs possession was followed by another impressive Colts drive down to the Kansas City 7-yard line. Once again Kansas City held, keeping it to a 20-9 deficit. Those two stops were massive and helped allow the Chiefs to come back to win. But they also needed four more incredible defensive series in the fourth quarter and overtime to finish the job, holding the Colts to 13 yards on 12 plays while Patrick Mahomes and the offense carried them to victory. Despite the extra period, the Colts were held to 255 yards after gaining at least 317 in every game previously. Keeping Jones in check was important, but the key was stopping Taylor from getting going, four times tackling him for losses.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Colts-Chiefs (via NFL Pro): Rashee Rice's 47-yard reception with just over four minutes remaining increased the Chiefs' win probability from 28.9% to 50.8% (+21.9%).

NFL Research: This was the Chiefs’ first one-score victory of the season. They won 11 such games last season.

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• REWATCH: Seahawks-Titans on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Smith-Njigba powers Seahawks to road win in Tennessee. Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues his streak to All-Pro honors, proving again he’s playing at the highest level of any wide receiver in the game. The third-year pro gave the Titans fits on every level. Smith-Njigba splashed plays of 63 and 56 yards, and netted his second-career two-touchdown day. Of Sam Darnold's 244 yards passing, JSN netted 167 – all others had 77 yards, for those who don’t want to do the math. Through 11 games, JSN already set a Seahawks franchise record for receiving yards in a season (1,313). He’s on pace for 2,029 yards, which would set the NFL receiving record. Darnold avoided the turnovers that had plagued Seattle this season. However, the red zone remains an issue for Seattle, where oy went 2 for4 on Sunday. It didn’t sting against the one-win Titans, but it’s something the Seahawks need to figure out as the playoffs approach.
2. Ward continues to show improvement. Cam Ward played very well against a Seahawks defense that has given even experienced quarterbacks trouble this season. Ward took four sacks, but avoided back-breaking errors. The rookie finished 28-of-42 passing for 256 yards with a touchdown and added a team-high 37 rushing yards and another score. Behind a struggling offensive line, Ward showed headiness, never looked rattled and made plays. He escaped pressure to make several jaw-dropping plays, including a wild, falling heave to Xavier Restrepo to keep a drive alive. Ward displayed his big arm and was accurate, aside from a couple of sprinkled misfires. Despite getting down big, Ward and the Titans kept battling against a good Seahawks club to make it a game late. Forget the loss. Forget the stats. Ward’s excellent play on Sunday was the biggest thing for this Titans team. The QB needs a lot of help around him, but if he keeps playing like that, the future could be bright in Nashville.
3. Seahawks survive comeback. Seattle’s defense made life tough on Ward early and repeatedly pushed the QB off his spot. But a game that should have been a blowout late came down to an onside kick. The offense was unable to stay on the field, and the defense allowed 12 first downs and two TDs on the Titans' final three drives. Seattle’s special teams also gave up a 90-yard punt return touchdown to Chimere Dike that jump-started the Titans’ comeback bid. Mike Macdonald would have liked to see his team finish better against an NFL doormat, but a road win in the early window is a win. Moving to 8-3, Seattle continues on a path to January.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Seahawks-Titans (via NFL Pro): Chimere Dike hit a top speed of 20.15 MPH on this 90-yard punt return touchdown.

NFL Research: Jaxon Smith-Njigba became the thirdrd player in NFL history with 75+ receiving yards in at least 11 consecutive games within a season in NFL history -- Joined Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr. (14, 2002) and Cooper Kupp (13, 2021).

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• REWATCH: Jaguars-Cardinals on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Jags survive four-turnover day from Trevor Lawrence for OT win. It wasn’t a pretty day for Trevor Lawrence , who threw three interceptions and fumbled for a Cardinals touchdown. The Jags generated just 18 first downs and went 3 of 11 on third downs for the game. In the first half, Lawrence was particularly discombobulated, completing just three of eight passes for 51 yards and a score. The Cards made life difficult on Lawrence and generated three second-half INTs, including some excellent plays on the ball. Lawrence missed a host of passes but made the ones he needed late to overcome the miscues. Trailing deep into the game, Lawrence rifled a seed to Parker Washington for the go-ahead score. After the Cards forced overtime, Lawrence connected with Washington again for a 25-yarder to help set up the game-winning field goal. Brenton Strange's return was huge for the Jags' offense. The tight end led Jacksonville with five catches for 93 yards as Lawrence’s security blanket. The turnovers will stick out, but the Jags got a huge win for their playoff push.
2. Brissett continues to stack yards in Cards' losses. With no running game to speak of, Jacoby Brissett attempted 49 passes, completing 33 for 317 yards, with a touchdown. However, the negative plays were killer. Brissett was sacked six times, and Arizona had six other plays that lost yards. The Cardinals scored 14 points off Lawrence’s turnovers, but went three-and-out on two other INTs. The unbalanced offense puts Brissett in an untenable situation, especially with the lack of pass-catching targets. Given how the defense played, things could have played out differently. In the end, it was another one-score loss that could have been avoided for Arizona, which has now lost six games by six points or fewer, falling to 3-7.
3. Jags pull to within a game of Colts. The ugly win could prove massive for Jacksonville’s chances of catching Indy in the AFC South. With the Colts falling to Kansas City, the door opened wider for Liam Coen’s team. A loss to the three-win Cards would have been dreadful. Instead, his club bowed up when it absolutely needed to late. Jacksonville currently holds the No. 6 seed and keeps itself above a host of six-win clubs in the wild-card race. Winners of three of its last four, Jacksonville faces the one-win Titans in Week 13 before a showdown with the Colts. Facing Indy twice in the final five weeks of the season, it’s all in front of the Jags. To complete the season comeback, Lawrence must take better care of the ball.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jaguars-Cardinals (via NFL Pro): Trevor Lawrence's TD pass to Parker Washington had just a 26% completion probability.

NFL Research: This was Lawrence’s first career win in a game with three or more giveaways.

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• READ: Browns-Raiders on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Browns defense buries Geno, Raiders. Cleveland's only ray of hope and/or entertainment in 2025 has been its defense, a ferocious unit that has limited offenses consistently and occasionally taken a sledgehammer to an unfortunate opponent. It tore down the Raiders' entire offensive structure Sunday, sacking Geno Smith an outrageous 10 times while pressuring Smith at a rate of 40.4%. The Raiders had no answers for whatever Jim Schwartz's unit was bringing to the field. On a day in which Cleveland's offense broke 250 offensive yards but certainly wasn't a consistently productive unit, it mattered little thanks to Schwartz's defense, a group headlined by Defensive Player of the Year favorite Myles Garrett, who ran his season sacks total to an eye-popping 18 with six games left to play, putting the single-season sack record of 22.5 in serious jeopardy. On Sunday, Garrett led the way with three sacks but certainly wasn't the only contributor in a victory that should feel especially satisfying when considering how rare they've been in 2025.
2. Las Vegas descends deeper into darkness. We've known the Raiders' offensive line is abysmal and has been for most of the 2025 season. Its showing on Sunday, however, was truly unbelievable. Smith almost never had time to throw unless it was a quick drop and fire, spent about as much time picking himself up off the Allegiant Stadium field as he spent upright, yet he still managed to throw for 285 yards and a garbage-time touchdown. The numbers don't accurately tell the story, though, because this Raiders team is a mess in every phase of the game. The defense is marred by poor tackling, special teams has already been an adventurous experience (and not for good reason) in 2025 and the team racked up 13 penalties for 109 yards Sunday, leading me to struggle to believe this is a Pete Carroll-coached team. In a matchup of 2-8 teams, Raiders fans had reason to believe their team would be competitive and perhaps pull out a win. Instead, Las Vegas was dominated on its home turf, punctuating what has been a dreadful year.
3. Shedeur delivers decent debut. With his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion, in attendance, Shedeur Sanders made his first NFL start Sunday and did a commendable job. He finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards and wasn't overly consistent with his arm, but made some timely decisions in and out of structure, launched an on-the-run dime to Isaiah Bond for the Browns' longest offensive play (52 yards) of the year to that point, largely avoided holding on to the ball too long and earned the credit for a swing pass to Dylan Sampson that turned into a 66-yard sprint to pay dirt. Sanders threw an ugly interception typical of a youngster but shook it off, found Jerry Jeudy open for a completion that ended in a fumble and steadily piloted an offense within the guardrails laid for him by Kevin Stefanski. It wasn't entirely memorable but included a few highlights, which should be enough to make Stefanski consider continuing with Sanders going forward.

Next Gen Stats insight from Browns-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Myles Garrett focused his production against Raiders left tackle Stone Forsythe, generating seven pressures and all three sacks across their matchups. The Browns pass rusher made his biggest impact after halftime, with six of his eight pressures and two of his three sacks coming in the second half.

NFL Research: With three sacks Sunday, Myles Garrett became the third player since 1982 with at least 17.0 sacks in their first 11 games of a season. With this performance, Garrett set a new career high for sacks in a season (18).

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• REWATCH: Eagles-Cowboys on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Prescott surpasses Romo as Cowboys' all-time leading passer

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Cowboys finished off incredible comeback after early comedy of errors. The Cowboys spent the first half repeatedly shooting themselves in the feet, digging a 21-0 hole for themselves in the process. But they peeled themselves off the turf and started chipping away at the Eagles and starting a rollicking comeback – tied for the biggest in franchise history – and a stunning win over the Eagles. After a turnover on downs, several missed connections and drops from CeeDee Lamb, a KaVontae Turpin fumble and a Dak Prescott end-zone interception, it looked like too far a bridge to cross – especially the way the Eagles’ offense started the game. Even with momentum shifting Dallas’ way, the Cowboys still left some points on the board, with Lamb dropping a TD pass and Brandon Aubrey missing only his second kick on the season. But Prescott and George Pickens were locked in, hooking up nine times for 146 yards and a TD, and Prescott flipped into the end zone as the offense woke up just in time. That the comeback came against a defense the caliber of the Eagles was even more impressive.
2. Eagles’ offense went ice cold after blistering start. Less than 20 minutes into the game, the Eagles had 157 passing yards, more than they’d had in half their games this season. It felt like they came out intent on making a point that they could throw the ball and be a dangerous offense. They didn’t finish their point, however. Following three TDs in their first three possessions, the Eagles gained only seven first downs in their next eight possessions and ran only three plays in Dallas territory. That’s counting the end-of-half possession, with less than 20 seconds left, but the Eagles ate two timeouts before halftime. In the fourth quarter, Jake Elliott missed a field goal, and the Eagles lost two fumbles, shifting the game completely in the Cowboys’ favor. Blowing a 14-point lead against the Broncos hurt, but this one stung. They’ve had trouble protecting leads, and the past two weeks the defense bailed out the offense. The defense couldn’t do it this time – even with a late goal-line stand – as Dallas rang up 473 yards of offense. Fourteen Eagles penalties, by far their most of the season, didn’t help matters out, but for those who said the Eagles’ offense would cost them at some point, Sunday was that day.
3. Cowboys’ best defensive effort of the season came at the right time. The Eagles marched down the field for touchdowns on their first three drives of the game, and it felt like the same old story for a harangued Cowboys defense. But that unit strapped in and completely turned the tide of Sunday’s game, keeping the Cowboys’ slim playoff hopes alive. This is exactly what the Cowboys had to be hoping from Quinnen Williams , who had eight QB pressures and a tackle for loss. He really disrupted the timing of the Eagles’ offense that had been so smooth early in the game. Sam Williams also caused a massive Saquon Barkley fumbley as the Eagles were creeping into scoring range, and Osa Odighizuwa’s third-down sack with two minutes left gave the ball back to Dallas for the game-winning drive. From the fourth series on, this Dallas defense played as well as it has all season.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Cowboys (via NFL Pro): On play-action passes, Dak Prescott went 9 for 11 for 174 yards (15.8 yards per attempt) and a touchdown. The 174 yards on play-action passes marked Prescott's second-highest play-action yardage total in his career. Prescott completed all five of his throws when on the run (8 mph or faster).

NFL Research: Dak Prescott (34,378) has passed Tony Romo (34,183) for the most passing yards in Dallas Cowboys franchise history. 

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• REWATCH: Falcons-Saints on NFL+ Premium

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Cousins rallies offense, ends Atlanta's losing streak. Break out the chains;Kirk Cousins is back in the win column. Atlanta's high-priced backup quarterback put on a valiant and efficient performance in New Orleans, completing 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns (one interception) in leading the Falcons to victory over the archrival Saints. Cousins' passing numbers didn't wow nor did his presence exactly overwhelm the Saints into submission, but the way in which the 37-year-old stood firm in a heated pocket (three sacks, nine QB pressures) and smoothly operated the offense was a breath of fresh air for the Falcons. While Bijan Robinson provided healthy production with 102 scrimmage yards (70 rushing, 37 receiving), Cousins was always there to make the necessary throws when needed. He also provided a vintage Cousins moment early in the fourth quarter when dropping back in play-action to launch a perfect ball to Darnell Mooney for a 49-yard score to put the game away. Perhaps another classic factoid from this Cousins performance was that every touchdown scored in the game derived from his throws when counting his pick-six to Justin Reid in the second quarter. Cousins was certainly instrumental in getting the Falcons out of the muck of a five-game losing streak and earned his first win as a starter since Week 15 of last season — the final game before he was benched for Michael Penix Jr.. It will be up to him to help find any silver linings amid another lost season in Atlanta, and Sunday's performance was a great start. 
2. Frustrations mount in Shough's third start. Coming off his first win as a starter and the Saints' bye week, Tyler Shough's third career start — his first at the Superdome — might have brought higher expectations going up against a struggling NFC South rival. It ended up becoming a maddening day offensively for New Orleans. On paper, Shough was efficient through the air, completing 30 of 43 passes for 243 yards, but it didn't amount to much as the Saints continuously shot themselves in the foot. Beset by an Alvin Kamara fumble on the opening drive and two missed field goals from Blake Grupe , the Saints were especially frustrating in their two red zone possessions, which featured plenty of fruitless Taysom Hill moments and oddly timed designed runs for Shough. Their first attempt at pay dirt from the 8-yard line had Shough run twice and Hill run once before the latter threw an incompletion on fourth-and-goal from the 1. In the fourth quarter, amid a 16-7 deficit, the Saints called a Shough run twice from the 7 before Hill was called to take a shotgun snap from the 1 on third down. The snap sailed over Hill's head, and he threw it into the end zone for intentional grounding. Both of those two red-zone possessions totaled 15-play drives and amounted to just three points. Perhaps the most frustrating part of the Shough-led showing was that the rookie wasn't given many opportunities to throw deep. That might be due to his pass protection, which allowed 20 QB pressures and five sacks, but Shough's accuracy deep was also way off, as his late-game INT indicated. 
3. Falcons' defense shows up. Aiding Cousins' first win in nearly a year, Atlanta allowed no touchdowns and consistently put the pressure on a rookie quarterback. Ruke Orhorhoro , James Pearce Jr. , Jalon Walker and Brandon Dorlus notched a sack for a pass rush that pressured Shough all afternoon. Cornerback Dee Alford had himself a fantastic outing, forcing the early fumble from Kamara and finishing with a team-high 10 tackles. Divine Deablo's return (eight tackles) provided a presence that shored up a Falcons run defense that produced six tackles for loss and forced Shough to lead the Saints in rushing with 22 yards. Pitting the Saints with plenty of third and long plays allowed Falcons pass rushers to pin their ears back and disrupt without the need for blitzing. Just about everything was working for Atlanta in all facets, and one of the league's top pass rushing units put on another show on Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Falcons-Saints (via NFL Pro): The Falcons defense blitzed at a season-low rate (15.7%) against the Saints, instead relying on four or fewer pass rushers. Shough faced pressure on a career-high 44.2% of drop backs when the Falcons did not blitz. The Falcons generated 19 pressures and five sacks when sending four or fewer pass rushers, marking their highest totals in both categories this season without blitzing.

NFL Research: Kirk Cousins produced his first game with multiple passing TDs since Week 9, 2024, snapping a drought of six starts since his first season as a primary starter in 2015.

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Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Rams make emphatic statement they are indeed No. 1. When the Rams were done with the Buccaneers on Sunday night, they left SoFi Stadium as owners of the NFC’s No. 1 seed following a performance fitting for a squad with said designation. Quarterback and MVP candidate Matthew Stafford was absolutely unconscious, tossing dimes with the Buccaneers defense playing the part of a wishing well and offering no resistance as each throw landed as granted wishes come to fruition. Stafford completed his first 12 passes, delivering lasers from all angles, tossing touchdowns on L.A.'s first three offensive possessions. For as scorching a start as Stafford conducted, it was rivaled by Rams cornerback Cobie Durant. He first broke up a Baker Mayfield deep ball to Emeka Egbuka on the opening drive of the evening, and then, on the Bucs’ second drive, he stopped Egbuka for a 3-yard loss a play before a 50-yard pick-six. Stafford was simply sensational, his receivers were excellent (Davante Adams had five receptions for 62 yards and two touchdowns while Puka Nacua had seven catches for 97 yards), the Rams defense racked up four sacks and four takeaways, and even recent addition Harrison Mevis provided a nice night in the kicking game -- once a rarity for these Rams. L.A. has won five in a row and hasn’t trailed in a ballgame since Week 6. The NFC’s new top dog is a locomotive running full speed ahead into the home stretch of the regular season. 
2. No L.A. resurrection for Baker this time. Baker Mayfield has credited his brief time with the Rams and Sean McVay as the starting point in resurrecting his career. He was offered no further good tidings on Sunday night in his return to SoFi Stadium. Having fallen from grace as the 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick with the Browns, Mayfield was released by the Panthers in 2022. He landed with the Rams for the final five games of that season, highlighted when he captained the Rams to a 17-16 win over the Raiders in his debut not long after joining the squad. Sunday night did not serve as a flashback to those Inglewood histrionics, but instead underscored that Mayfield is in need of another turnaround after he sustained a left shoulder injury during the Bucs’ third consecutive loss. Mayfield struggled prior to leaving at halftime as has become problematic for the Bucs following a 5-1 start. Paramount is Mayfield hopefully returning healthy sooner than later, but Sunday was a massive blow for Tampa Bay, which is now tied atop the NFC South with the Panthers, who play Monday at San Francisco. Not only do the Bucs need to hope Mayfield can return healthy, but they need him and the offense to return to form after a night in which they were held to seven points and 193 yards. 
3. Stafford MVP campaign in full force. Matthew Stafford is on a heater that seems as though it will never end at this point. For the fifth straight game, Stafford threw multiple touchdowns with zero interceptions. He was sensational as he surgically carved up the Buccaneers defense from the start. Stafford was 8 of 8 for 89 yards with a 1-yard TD to Davante Adams to culminate a 10-play 80-yard opening drive. The resounding opening salvo boosted Stafford and the Rams to a nearly flawless first half, one in which he was 19 of 23 for 210 yards, three touchdowns, piloted four scoring drives in as many possessions and boasted a 144.3 rating. Sitting with a comfortable 31-7 lead at intermission, the Rams’ night was essentially over despite what the game clock said. There are still six games left for 37-years-young Stafford to make his MVP argument, but at this moment in time, he’s no-looking lasers, delivering pinpoint passes from all angles and delivering over and over for the NFC’s best team.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Buccaneers (via NFL Pro): In his abbreviated Sunday night, Baker Mayfield was stymied by the Rams’ pass rush, going 0 of 4 under pressure with an interception and a 15.6 completion percentage over expected. Jared Verse had a game-high six QB pressures. 

NFL Research: Matthew Stafford improved to 3-0 this year playing opposite other former No. 1 overall picks (defeated Cam Ward in Week 2, Trevor Lawrence in Week 7 and Baker Mayfield in Week 12), with Sunday’s win marking his first career six-game winning streak within a single season.