Most of week 13 is in the books and it started back on Thanksgiving day with a game between the Lions and Bears. The Lions had a 16-0 lead at the half and I thought the Bears were going to get killed. I have said before I strongly dislike when teams 2 division games on a short week and not only did the Bears have that – but they also played the Packers in week 11 – so this team had 3 division games in an 11 day span. But credit Chicago because they came back and nearly tied this game. Caleb Willams played really well in the second half and I thought this team did a tremendous job of battling back when they easily could have folded. Matt Eberflus has since been fired for the way this game was handled at the end and for good reason. Players were tweeting about the situation, they were incredibly frustrated and you can’t blame them and this was in my opinion – 10 months over due – but at least the decision has finally been made.
The big takeaway for Chicago is brighter times are ahead and I hope they get a good head coach for the next several years. Since this game was on Thanksgiving, the big thing to be thankful for for Detroit is of course the win. The Lions defense is incredibly banged up and unfortunately they lost Malcolm Rodriguez due to a torn ACL and this defense has been hammered with injuries all year. What needs to be remembered is the Lions are an 11-1 team – and not every is going to be by 46 points, 18 points, or by multiple scores. They got the win on a short week against a divisional opponent and it was definitely a can’t lose game because they have a few difficult games coming up. And they couldn’t afford to lose to the Bears – and remember Lions fans – all wins count the same. And 11-1 is 11-1.
The Giants and Cowboys NFC East clash was certainly not a preview of the NFC Championship game and this was a very ugly game for the Giants and I think this put the icing on the cake for when they inevitably clean house this January. New York had 13 penalties for 98 yards, Drew Lock was sacked 6 times, he threw a pick 6, and the Giants are 0-6 against Dallas in the Brian Daboll era. We did a video last week on how the Giants got here – which I recommend watching by the way, but this is not a good football team. They’re dead last in points per game and have one game with over 400 yards of offense this season and simply put it’s going to be a long way back to the top. This is their 9th double digit loss season in their last 11 years and there’s not a lot to say other than to try again this offseason. Rico Dowdle looked good for Dallas and of course Overshown had the pick 6 – and the Cowboys extend their winning streak against a rival. The Cowboys had a great week as they beat two division rivals and after tearing his ACL last year in the preseason – I was glad to see Demarvion Overshown have a great game and to score his first career touchdown on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys beat little brother and there’s not much more to say about a game that featured Drew Lock Vs Cooper Rush.
The Dolphins traveled to Lambeau field on Thanksgiving night and I think the tone was set within the first 5 minutes of the game. The Packers ran the kick back past the 40 yard line, then punted the ball to pin Miami deep, only for the ball to be fumbled and for Green Bay to score a couple of plays later. Miami then committed 3 penalties on the ensuing drive and then gave up a touchdown on the following drive and was down 14 points before the first quarter ended. We were actually live streaming this game with a play by play reaction and it was a great time, but I couldn’t help but think how much Miami shot themselves in the foot in what was a do or die game. They need to win out, but even if they do – does it matter? No. They’re soft and this game very much showed it. Green Bay took care of business and I was happy to see them play a turnover free game and pound the rock against a weaker team. I thought we were going to get the dolphins best in this game with their season on the line – but they choked and Green Bay didn’t miss the opportunity. And this game can be summarized by a bad team failing to execute, and a good team taking advantage of several mistakes.
The Black Friday game was an AFC west clash between the Raiders and Chiefs with the Chiefs coming out on top with a 19-17 victory. My main takeaway for the Raiders is a pretty clear one – and it’s that Aidan O’Connell should have started all along. He’s only played in a few games this season and even got hurt earlier in the year, but the flashes we’ve seen from O’Connell are significantly better than what we’ve seen from Gardner Minshew for most of the year. It looked like the Raiders were going to win on the final drive, but there was a fumble and the Chiefs somehow – again – came out on top. I think the difference between O’Connell and Minshew is clear – I just hope the Raiders don’t accidentally win 4 games down the stretch and go from the 2nd overall pick – to the 10th overall pick. I know some people are going to want me to destroy the Chiefs because they narrowly won against another bad team – but I really think this team is destined for a first playoff game exit – or a 3 peat with very little in between. If any team has earned the right to dismiss their regular season performances – it’s the Chiefs. They went from 7-2 to 9-6 last year and lost to the Raiders on Christmas Day – then proceeded to win it all. They don’t look good at the moment and I do acknowledge that – but 11-1 is 11-1 – and if there’s anything we’ve learned over the past few years – it’s to not doubt the Chiefs when it matters.
The Washington Commanders jumped out to a 28-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the second quarter and never looked back. When you spot a team 28 points – especially in the NFL – it’s hard to come back from and the deficit was too much. After Washington got out to a 14-0 lead – Tennessee fumbled and that set Washington up with the ball on the Titans 24 yard line and then 3 plays later it was 21-0. There were fumbles, dropped passes, penalties, and everything you would expect from a now 3-9 team and I was surprised the Titans came out this flat. I was also disappointed as I didn’t think this game would be that much of a blowout given how Washington has played over the last few weeks. Credit to Washington for playing great in this game and this was a tremendous bounce back win for a team that desperately needed it. The Commanders have not had their bye week yet, and having this – pun intended – commanding win heading into the bye after an 8-5 start is exactly what the doctor ordered. Jayden played good, the run game was excellent, and Terry had two touchdowns and this was as close to a perfect day as Washington could have had.
The Colts narrowly beat the Patriots 25-24 to keep their playoff chances alive and this was definitely a stressful win for the Colts as they scored the game winning touchdown and two point conversion with 12 seconds left. This was a very unconventional win for Indy as New England out gained them by over 170 yards and Indy also lost the turnover battle. There is obviously a lot to clean up for Indy, but a win is a win and the last drive from Anthony Richardson was impressive. It was a 19 play drive to put the ball int he end zone and the Colts head into their bye with 4 winnable games left on their schedule. The Broncos game in week 15 will of course be tough – but given the final 3 opponents are who they are – it’s not crazy to say Indy will have a winning record after what’s been a rollercoaster of a season. The Patriots looked like a competent offense in week 13 and I know nobody wants moral victories – but there is legit promise for this team and yes we can acknowledge they should have won this game – but they looked good offensively and with where they are in the rebuild – that is the only thing that matters. They may finish 3-14 with the rest of the schedule they have – but if they can continue to look anything like they did in this game offensively – they have a very very promising future ahead of them.
The Texans survived a Mac Jones comeback and won 23-20 and I’ll start with the play everyone saw from this game – the Azeez Al-Shaair hit was insanely dirty and truly credit Evan Engram and the rest of the Jags for standing up for their quarterback. I would imagine we all feel the same way about this hit and I hope Trevor has the best recovery he can after this play. Now for rest of the game – the Texans are 8-5 and they desperately needed their bye week. They can win 10 games this year as long as they win two of their final 4 games and I think the best case scenario for this team – is to enter week 18 with the division clinched so they can rest their starters before the wild card round. I do not have an optimistic outlook for this team and I think they will be a wild card round exit, but a win is a win. The Jags are 2-10 there’s not a lot to say about a team whose head coach is most definitely getting let go at seasons end – maybe even earlier – with their season already being over. This was their 6th one score loss of the season and I will say I don’t think this roster is 2-10 levels of bad – and I think they will be a fun team to discuss in the offseason – but truly credit this entire roster for sticking up for Trevor Lawrence when it was hell or high water. And Jags fans please know – there will be a lot of Jags content coming out on the channel soon.
The Minnesota Vikings were down 19-6 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter and at a point I actually tweeted this was the least enjoyable Vikings game i’ve watched in all of 2024 – and it was awful for Minnesota until Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to Jonny Mundt late in the 3rd quarter. Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals were the better team for most of the game, but that was the story of this game. Arizona couldn’t fully capitalize and put Minnesota away – and they ultimately dropped a winnable road game against a 9-2 team. I have said this before but I do think the Cardinals are a light version of what the Lions currently are in terms of building through the draft and wearing teams down as the games go on – and it’s a matter of time until they find ways to win close games like this – consistently. They’re a very very good team, and there is still a path to the playoffs for Arizona. The Vikings are a good team that finds ways to win games which is incredibly unlike their previous regime. Kevin O’Connell is now 30-16 lifetime as a coach and nobody would have thought the Vikings would be 10-2 through 12 games. An ugly win is always better than a pretty loss and I do think Jonathan Greenard should legitimately be in the defensive player of the year conversation.
The Jets fell to 3-9 with a 26-21 loss to the Seahawks and this was in a game where they were leading 21-7 at a point and after the kick return for a touchdown from the Jets – I didn’t think Seattle would come back from down double digits on the road – but they did. The Jets are a bad football team and for anyone who says “but they’re the Jets” whenever talking about their potential success – games like this are why. They had 12 penalties and allowed 19 unanswered points and there’s a reason this team is 3-9. There’s a reason this team is a disaster. Aaron Rodgers isn’t good and this was another bad game from him and that’s an entire situation in itself. And they have officially clinched a losing record for the 9th straight year. Leonard Williams had a revenge game in this game as he had a huge pick 6 and this was the Mike Macdonald defense I envisioned when he was hired. The Jets did not score an offensive point after the first quarter and my takeaway for the Seahawks is sure they may not win the Super Bowl this year – and probably won’t for that matter – but I really like the future they have and I think Mike Macdonald has improved as the season’s progressed. And I truly think Seattle will be a dangerous team in 2025 and beyond.
Pittsburgh went into Cincy and won 44-38 and I don’t think anybody would have thought these teams would have combined for 82 points before kick off. The Steelers had over 500 yards of offense and they had 4 players have 50 receiving yards in this game as Russell Wilson threw for over 400 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was by far the best game Russ has had since becoming a Steeler and anytime you can get a win over a division rival – and more or less knock them out of the playoffs – it’s a great day. This was a huge bounce back win for the Steelers as they are in the midst of an insanely difficult stretch of their schedule and a win is a win. I also think Nick Herbig a very good player and with time will prove to be one of the bigger steals from the 2023 draft class in what was a very loaded draft for Pittsburgh. The Bengals have unfortunately wasted an MVP year from Joe Burrow as Joe now had 30 touchdowns to 4 interceptions on the season yet the team is just 4-8. There’s nothing here to say that Bengals fans either don’t feel – or already know. Pittsburgh hadn’t put up 40 points since November of 2018 and Russell Wilson had his 3rd career 400 yard game in Week 13 – and the other two were in 2017 and 2019. This defense is historically bad and it’s a shame because this is the best football Joe Burrow has played in his career. The entire Bengals offseason should revolve around the defense – well and retaining Tee Higgins. But I never would have thought this defense would be all time bad.
The Chargers won 17-13 and like we’ve said with several other teams – a win is a win. The Chargers only had 187 yards of offense in this game, but they forced 4 turnovers including a Tarheeb Still pick 6 that gave them a 17-10 lead. I do think the Chargers are going to make the playoffs and games like this are going to be why nobody wants to play them. Jesse Minter is an elite defensive coordinator and after a tough loss against the Ravens on Monday night and with a flight across the country – the defense answered the call. I don’t think the Chargers are going to win the Super Bowl this year, but I do think they are going to be an incredibly pesky team when January rolls around. And this was the definition of a hard fought gritty win. Now I do think the Falcons have a problem on their hands. Kirk Cousins was terrible in this game and my jaw dropped when I saw the 3rd interception of the day – which was on 3rd and goal with 9 minutes left. There will be an entire breakdown of the Atlanta Falcons out later this week – so be on the lookout for that – but this situation is ugly, and the Falcons fell to 6-6 and there is zero reason for this team to be 6-6 with some of the losses they’ve had. And I ask the question – even if hey make the playoffs – does it matter? And to be honest – I don’t think it does.
The Rams won in the big easy with a score of 21-14 and obviously their season wouldn’t have technically been over if they lost this game – but there’s a major difference between 5-7 and 6-6 at this point in the year. The first half of this game was very forgettable for the Rams as they only had 3 possessions and they were a punt, a turnover on downs, and another punt. But they had 4 possessions in the second half – minus the clock run out and scored touchdowns on 3 of them. I am a bit higher on the Rams than a lot of people and I do think this team can make a legitimate run – if they can put together a complete 4 quarter effort – oh and Jared Verse is him. I know the Saints lost this game, but I think there is a noticeable difference in how this team plays with Darren Rizzi versus when Dennis Allen was the coach and that’s a big win alone. Taysom Hill going down changed this game and we of course wish him and every other player who got hurt in week 13 the best moving forward – but I do think this team has played better over the past few weeks. There wasn’t a lot of positive things to say about the Saints after week 2, but their future will be interesting because a rebuild is inevitable – but I think there is a lot more talent on this team than some think – and that’s a big positive to take heading into 2025.
The Bucs narrowly escaped Carolina with a win and whether they won by 3 touchdowns or 3 points – the win counts the same. And this was huge for Tampa on a day where Atlanta lost because Tampa needs to make up ground in the NFC south because remember – Atlanta swept the Bucs earlier this year. Bucky Irving had over 150 yards and a touchdown and Mike Evans also had over 110 yards and a touchdown and Tampa is now 2-0 off their bye. If they can somehow someway win in LA next week – I think this team wins the division. They certainly need to clean some things up, and Bucs fans know that – but beating a team who is clearly getting better as the season goes on is always a positive. And shoutout to Anthony Nelson. I know the loss stings for Panthers fans – truly – especially with the Thielen catch then everything that ensued after – but this team was outscored 73-13 in the first two weeks of the 2024 season and looked like a generationally bad team with an all time draft bust at quarterback. Imagine saying 10 weeks ago right now that Bryce Young would throw for 298 yards and take the Bucs to overtime who may end up winning the division. Nobody would have believed it. Bryce Young is looking more and more like the Alabama Bryce and that’s what matters for Carolina. The loss hurts, but you can see the progress being made every week.
The Eagles went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens 24-19 and the big takeaway I have for this game is it’s time to have the Justin Tucker conversation. 7 points were left on the board in this game as he missed two field goals and an extra point and what was even worse in this game is Tucker missed a 47 yard field goal, and a 53 yard field goal which gave Philly the ball on the 37 and 43 yard line. It kills momentum, it kills confidence, and Tucker is now 19/27 on the year – which is bad. And if I have any takeaway at all – it’s that the Ravens need to make a business decision if they have any hopes of winning it all this year. For all the criticism the Ravens defense received earlier this year – they have stepped up big time over the past few weeks. But Tucker missed two field goals in the Steelers and Eagles game – and they were tone setters in those games. For the birds – they’re 10-2 and Saquon Barkley is a legitimate MVP Candidate. This was a big win for Philly because they were underdogs on the road and they got a huge huge win against another elite team. And their schedule the rest of the way isn’t too difficult and 4 of their final 5 games are at the Linc. The Lions better win out because if they don’t – there’s a very good chance the Eagles steal the number one seed. I hope you enjoyed today’s article! Thank you for reading!
