NFL Week 12 breakdown: Rams make wrong kind of statement vs. Packers. Patriots look dangerous.
Week 12 is (almost) in the books. Here were some of Sunday's highlights:
- Glitzy pickups haven't helped the Rams win big games.
- Is there a changing of the guard in the AFC North?
- The Patriots continue their climb to the top of the AFC playoff picture.
- The offensively inept Browns helped the Ravens stay atop the division.
In the showdown between NFC powers, it was the Green Bay Packers who emerged victorious over the reeling Los Angeles Rams, who went 0-for-November.
In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens might boast the conference's best record, but the New England Patriots have emerged as a dangerous challenger.
Biggest moments of NFL Week 12
- The Browns' Myles Garrett shook hands with Lamar Jackson after the Ravens QB made a difficult touchdown throw.
- Cam Newton was benched in his second start since his return to the Panthers.
- FOX Sports' Joe Buck unleashed an "immunized" joke after a report about Aaron Rodgers' toe injection.
- The Buccaneers' Vita Vea laughed after getting a tooth knocked out against the Colts.
- Patriots QB Mac Jones scrambled for what he thought was a first down, jumped up and signaled to move the sticks. Problem was, he was well short.
- Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville got stuck on a bungee cord way above the field at TIAA Bank Field.
- A rash of COVID-19 cases has disrupted the Cowboys' scheduling and personnel available for Thursday's game against the Saints.
NFL Week 12 analysis
- Winners and losers: Behind rookie QB Mac Jones and a strong defense, the Patriots look dangerous. The win-now Rams, meanwhile, have issues to resolve.
- 32 things we learned: The Patriots reclaimed first place in the AFC East behind their offensive rookie of the year front-runner, Mac Jones. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers made a statement.
- AFC-leading Ravens continue to find ways to win ugly: Sunday served as another reminder of the differences between the Ravens and Browns, Mike Jones writes.
- Star-studded Rams are now riddled with red flags amid skid: The Rams made no secret of the fact that they were going all-in on a Super Bowl run this year. Now, Los Angeles looks lost amid a three-game skid, Jarrett Bell writes.
- Packers' under-the-radar move is paying huge dividends: Rasul Douglas, an NFL castoff, has won more games for the Packers than Odell Beckham Jr. has won for anyone this season, Tom Silverstein writes.
- How did Colts end up ignoring their own MVP candidate? The Colts threw the ball 26 times in a row in a loss to the Buccaneers, essentially ignoring their MVP candidate in Jonathan Taylor, Gregg Doyel writes.
- Dan Campbell losing benefit of the doubt: Sure, the Lions lost again, but Campbell's play-calling and timeout fumbles continue a scary trend for the team's future with the head coach, Shawn Windsor writes.
- End of an era? Questions mount for coach Pete Carroll, quarterback Russell Wilson amid the Seattle Seahawks' struggles.
NFL Week 12 rundown
- Ravens 16, Browns 10: The Ravens overcame four Lamar Jackson interceptions to win this crucial AFC North clash.
- Packers 36, Rams 28: Big plays on offense, defense and special teams helped the Packers topple the reeling Rams.
- 49ers 34, Vikings 26: Deebo Samuel helped the 49ers win this matchup of .500 teams trying to stay in the NFC wild-card race.
- Broncos 28, Chargers 13: Denver's win sets up a showdown for first place in the AFC West next week against the Chiefs.
- Jets 21, Texans 14: Rookie QB Zach Wilson's return helped the Jets end a three-game skid.
- Buccaneers 38, Colts 31: The Colts will be kicking themselves after this last-minute loss to Tom Brady and the Bucs.
- Falcons 21, Jaguars 14: In his return to action, Cordarrelle Patterson ran for a career-high 108 yards.
- Patriots 36, Titans 13: The Patriots' 2-4 start to the season seems like a distant memory.
- Giants 13, Eagles 7: Three interceptions by Jalen Hurts and missed opportunities cost the Eagles in this ugly contest in East Rutherford, N.J.
- Dolphins 33, Panthers 10: The Dolphins became the sixth team in NFL history to immediately follow a 1-7 start with a four-game winning streak.
- Bengals 41, Steelers 10: The Bengals completed a season sweep of their longtime AFC North nemesis in convincing fashion.
- Bills 31, Saints 6 (Thursday): The Bills clobbered the injury-riddled Saints, but the victory came with a painful cost.
- Raiders 36, Cowboys 33 OT (Thursday): A penalty-filled afternoon at Jerry World sent the Cowboys to their third loss in four weeks.
- Bears 16, Lions 14 (Thursday): The Lions continue to find ways to lose games.
Eyes on the (fantasy) prize
It’s late enough in the season that all fantasy football managers should be fortifying their depth for the playoffs. Backup running backs are likely to be a top priority this week.
Star Vikings running back Dalvin Cook left Sunday’s game early with a shoulder injury, so Alexander Mattison (21 rushing yards, TD) could be the lead back if Cook has to miss time.
Mattison is already rostered in many fantasy leagues, but the Lions’ Jamaal Williams might not be. With D’Andre Swift dealing with a shoulder sprain, Williams rushed for 65 yards on 15 carries – and also caught five passes. He looks fully recovered from the thigh injury that sidelined him earlier in the season.
Also, the Titans’ Dontrell Hilliard has had solid games in back-to-back weeks. Against the Patriots, he carried the ball 12 times for 131 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown.
In that same game, Pats wideout Kendrick Bourne caught a pair of TD passes among his five receptions for 61 yards. However, New England travels to Buffalo this week.
Cowboys wide receiver Cedrick Wilson has been more active lately with Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb unavailable. He was targeted 10 times on Thanksgiving Day vs. the Raiders, catching seven for 104 yards.
And Colts veteran Jack Doyle led all tight ends in PPR scoring on Sunday with six receptions for 81 yards and a score.
Coming this week
Monday: Week 12 wraps up when the Washington Football Team hosts the Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Seahawks have won 11 of their last 14 Monday night games dating back to 2010.
Tuesday: USA TODAY Sports offers its power rankings for all 32 NFL teams after Week 12.
Thursday: Week 13 kicks off with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Dallas Cowboys (8:20 p.m. ET, FOX/NFL Network/Amazon). Both teams are coming off losses on Thanksgiving Day. Before the game, make sure to check out our expert picks for every Week 13 game.
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