We might have had a lighter Sunday slate as a result of Thanksgiving, but it still delivered plenty of drama. The 49ers won a thrilling encounter against the Vikings, whilst the Packers dealt the Rams their third straight defeat. The Jets and Giants also managed to pull off big upsets. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from Week 12.
The Good
The Patriots are real contenders – There might not be a more in-form team in the NFL right now than New England. They are on a six game winning streak, with an average winning margin of 24.6 points over that period. Their defense has racked up 17 turnovers in that stretch, including four in this weekend’s win over the Titans. Tennessee are admittedly missing a number of key players, but in a season of uncertainty and instability, New England’s ability to keep winning deserves plenty of credit.
49ers extend their winning run – After a shaky start to the season, the 49ers have won three straight. Things have improved noticeably on both sides of the ball. The offense had scored 30+ points just twice between Weeks 1-9. They have now done so in each of their past three games. Their running game has been particularly impressive in recent weeks and they combined for 208 yards at an average of 5.3 per carry against the Vikings. The only disappointment from this game was Deebo Samuel leaving with a groin injury in the third quarter.
Bengals dominate the Steelers – This is becoming a bit of a theme in this matchup. Cincinnati won this one 41-10, marking their third straight victory over Pittsburgh. As the scoreline suggests, it never even looked close. Big Ben was poor all game and Pittsburgh could not move the ball on the ground. The Bengals’ new run-heavy approach is paying dividends and they have dominated on the ground through the past two weeks. At this rate they look set to break their six year playoff drought.
The Bad
Three losses in a row for the Rams – Three weeks ago the Rams were 7-1 at the summit of the NFC. Many had them as the favourites to win the Super Bowl. They now find themselves on a losing run and two games behind the Cardinals in their division. Turnovers continue to kill this offense, with seven in their last three games. This includes a pick six in each of their losses. Given that they have mortgaged much of their future in order to win now, the Rams will be desperate to turn things around as quickly as possible.
Jets win in spite of Wilson – This was Wilson’s first start since Week 7 and it was a rough watch. He showed no signs of improvement against the Texans and was effectively carried by the rest of the team. He finished 14 of 24 for 145 yards and an interception. His CPOE of -15.4 was the second worst mark of the weekend. Wilson had his defense to thank for the win after they held Houston to just 45 yards in the second half, thereby allowing the Jets to mount a comeback. The end result will certainly be welcome, but concerns about Wilson’s form are only likely to grow.
Eagles fall flat – It felt like everything was beginning to click for this Eagles team. They entered on a three game winning streak. Their defense has been looking far better than the sum of its parts, whilst their offense was coming off an outing that saw them put up almost 250 rushing yards on the NFL’s best run defense. This weekend’s game against a crisis-stricken Giants team should have been an easy win, but it proved to be anything but. Their running game couldn’t save them from a terrible passing performance, with Jalen Hurts throwing three interceptions. It will be interesting to see how they respond against the Jets next week.
The Ugly
Cam benched in Carolina – The second Cam Newton era began with so much positivity, but his performance this weekend will have raised serious questions. There was nothing positive to say about it at all. He completed just five of his 21 passes for a paltry 92 yards and two interceptions. He couldn’t even make an impact as a runner, with three carries for five yards and a score. Cam was eventually benched for P.J. Walker in the fourth quarter. Matt Rhule has said that Cam will remain their starter after the bye week, but he might not survive another performance like that.
Officiating in Cowboys-Raiders game – It is never good when officiating decisions are the biggest takeaway from a game and the Cowboys-Raiders game on Thanksgiving was marred by a bunch of penalties. Dallas were penalised 14 times for 166 yards, the most in franchise history. Anthony Brown accounted for more than half of them and was called for defensive pass interference on four occasions. Las Vegas weren’t far behind, with 14 penalties of their own for 110 yards. The 28 combined penalties were the most in a game since 2016.
Week 12 MVP
Xavier McKinney, New York Giants – McKinney played a huge parts in the Giants’ win this weekend. He was targeted three times in coverage, allowing a single reception for 14 yards whilst also providing an interception and a pass breakup. He also added eight tackles and two defensive stops.
Rookie of the week
Patrick Surtain, Denver Broncos – Surtain was fantastic against the Chargers and played a big part in the Broncos pulling off the upset. He picked off Justin Herbert twice, including a 70 yard pick six to give Denver a 21 point lead late in the fourth quarter.
Stat of the week
0-37 – Since 2015, starting quarterbacks with four interceptions were 0-37. Lamar Jackson became the first to get a win, with the Ravens running out 16-10 winners despite Jackson’s four turnovers.