We saw a very exciting week 12 take place in the NFL with some wild games from the start of Thanksgiving to an incredible back-and-forth battle between the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles which really kept everyone on their toes like turkeys about to make a run from everyone before Thanksgiving. Week 12 also showed us a competition on who will win the one seed race between the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins all eying for home field advantage during the playoffs.
Let’s Talk Turkey-Here are the grades for all 32 NFL Teams after the week 12 games:
Arizona Cardinals: D+ (Last week C-)
The Cardinals played a woeful game against their NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, in a week 12 14-37 loss to their divisional foes. Kyler Murray threw one touchdown against zero interceptions and scored a rushing touchdown but was sacked four times. James Conner rushed for 27 yards while Marquise “Hollywood” Brown had a good performance on the field and Greg Dortch scored a touchdown for the Red Birds. On defense, the Cardinals didn’t get a sack but Jalen Thompson did have one interception against Matthew Stafford in the second quarter. The Cardinals are a lost cause that potentially needs to tank to secure a high draft pick in the 2024 NFL draft if they want to become relevant again.
Atlanta Falcons: C+ (Last week Bye Week)
Despite Desmond Ridder throwing two interceptions on the day, the Falcons managed to get a well-needed victory over their NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints. Ridder did throw a touchdown pass while Bijan Robinson scored a rushing touchdown and caught a receiving touchdown on the day. Drake London had a great performance on the field but Kyle Pitts was a non-factor in the game. On defense, Arnold Ebiketie had the team’s lone sack while Jessie Bates III had an interception returned for a 92-yard pick-six in the first quarter. Even though Desmond Ridder isn’t playing up to a great quarterback’s standard, by any stretch of the imagination, he did manage to help the Falcons get the win in a very wide-open NFC South where NFL fans won’t know who’ll end up winning the division possibly until the end of the season.
Baltimore Ravens: B (Last week B+)
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The Ravens played another great game in Hollywood against the Los Angeles Chargers in a 20-10 victory. Lamar Jackson threw a touchdown pass against zero interceptions but was sacked twice. Zay Flowers had himself a day, as he scored a receiving touchdown in the first half and a rushing touchdown in the second half. On defense, the Ravens had three fumble recoveries, three sacks, and one interception. It was business as usual for the Ravens as they head into the bye week with a victory on the road, as well as eyeing the one seed to the playoffs, if they continue their winning ways.
Buffalo Bills: B- (Last week B-)
The Bills played a very close and intense back-and-forth battle with the Philadelphia Eagles and almost won it late but fell just short in their 34-37 overtime loss. Josh Allen threw two touchdowns against one interception and scored two rushing touchdowns in the evening while Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs both scored touchdowns for Buffalo.
On defense, the Bills had two sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery against the Eagles. It was an intense battle that looked as though it wasn’t going to end until overtime came. Allen threw an incompletion to Davis which would’ve been the game-ending touchdown but it was Jalen Hurts who scored the game-ending touchdown ending Buffalo’s chances. The Bills will improve from this heartbreaker as they head into week 13 looking to avenge their week 12 overtime loss.
Carolina Panthers: D (Last week F)
It wasn’t a good day for the Carolina Panthers as they fell to the Tennessee Titans 10-17. Bryce Young didn’t throw any touchdowns or interceptions but was sacked four times and lost a fumble. Chuba Hubbard scored the Panther’s only touchdown in the afternoon while Jonathan Mingo had a decent day on the field with 60 receiving yards. On defense, the Panthers had one sack and no interceptions. It was an abysmal performance by the Panthers who are getting closer and closer to the 2024 offseason where they can truly hit the reset button and rebuild for the 2024 regular season. It is noteworthy that the Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich a day after their loss to Tennessee.
Chicago Bears: C+ (Last week C-)
The Bears with little to no expectations entered Minneapolis and got the 12-10 win without any touchdowns for the first time since 1993. Justin Fields played well with 217 passing yards despite not throwing a touchdown pass or interception but was sacked three times. Fields also led the Bears in rushing with 59 rushing yards while DJ Moore had himself a day with 114 receiving yards. On defense, the Bears had two sacks and four interceptions. It wasn’t the prettiest win for Chicago but Cairo Santos was four for five on field goals as his kicks led the Bears to victory.
Cincinnati Bengals: C- (Last week D)
The Joe Burrow-less Bengals did everything they could to stop the Pittsburgh Steelers but couldn’t secure the win as they fell to their AFC North rivals 10-16. Jake Browning threw one touchdown against an interception while the Bengals’ rushing attack was held to 25 rushing yards. Ja’Marr Chase had a good receiving game but Drew Sample scored the Bengals’ only touchdown of the day while Evan McPherson made a field goal in the fourth quarter. On defense, the Bengals had two sacks, one fumble recovery, and three pass deflections, but no interceptions on the day. It was a tough loss for Cincinnati as they try to continue to play without their leader Joe Burrow for the remainder of the season.
Cleveland Browns: D (Last week C)
It was a rough day in the Mile High City for the Browns as they fell to the Denver Broncos 12-29. Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a touchdown pass against no interceptions but left the game with a concussion. PJ Walker took over but was sacked four times. Jerome Ford rushed for 65 yards on nine carries while David Njoku had a good receiving game, and Harrison Bryant scored Cleveland’s only touchdown. On defense, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had the Brown’s only sack in the afternoon but the rest of the defense couldn’t get an interception against Russell Wilson. The Browns did have a defensive fumble recovery on the day. The Browns need to make sure Thompson-Robinson and Myles Garrett are healthy, as well as ensuring Walker is prepared to lead the Browns offense for the following weeks.
Dallas Cowboys: A (Last week A-)
It was a dominant performance for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys as they served the Washington Commanders a 45-10 victory on Thanksgiving. Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns against zero interceptions and was not sacked at all. Tony Pollard scored a rushing touchdown while Brandin Cooks, CeeDee Lamb, Rico Dowdle, and KaVontae Turpin scored receiving touchdowns. On defense, the Cowboys had four sacks and DaRon Bland had an interception returned for 63 yards and scored a pick-six. The Cowboys looked very elite and should send shivers down the spines of any opposing team they square off against in the coming weeks of the season.
Denver Broncos: B- (Last week C+)
The Broncos have turned the page from their losing ways and have a five-game winning streak with their most recent victory coming against the Cleveland Browns. Russell Wilson threw one touchdown against zero interceptions and scored a rushing touchdown. Samaje Perine also scored a rushing touchdown while Adam Trautman scored a touchdown, and Courtland Sutton had a productive day for the Broncos. On defense, the Broncos had four sacks and two fumble recoveries but no interceptions against the Browns. Denver is looking better and better since they started their win streak and can potentially ride this streak to the playoffs- if they continue playing strong.
Detroit Lions: D+ (Last week B-)
The Detroit Lions started Thanksgiving getting held and not scoring much in the first half. Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes all game including one to Sam LaPorta in the first half but lost three fumbles. David Montgomery hobbled his way into the end-zone for a rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion in the third quarter and Josh Reynolds scored the Lions final touchdown at the end of the game. On defense, the Lions couldn’t even land a single sack or interception against Jordan Love but did have one pass deflection all game. It was a tough showcase for the Lions, who kept with their woeful tradition of losing the Thanksgiving game. Generally, they have been playing very well as a team and need to rebound from this loss.
Green Bay Packers: B- (Last week C+)
The Packers are starting to get their stride and succeeded in their turkey hunt with a 29-22 Thanksgiving victory over their NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions. Jordan Love played electric wanting a slice of that freshly cooked meat as he threw three touchdowns against zero interceptions. Christian Watson, who has been quiet for a solid chunk of the season, had 94 receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass while Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft also scored touchdowns. On defense, the Packers had three fumble recoveries and Jonathan Owens scored a defensive touchdown. Rashan Gary also had three sacks for the Pack as they played a phenomenal football game against the Lions.
Houston Texans: C- (Last week C-)
The Texans played a decent game but couldn’t finish it out as their final field goal was no good in their 21-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. C.J. Stroud threw two touchdowns against zero interceptions and scored a rushing touchdown but was sacked four times. The rest of the Bengals’ rushing attack had 44 rushing yards on the day. Nico Collins and Tank Dell had a very productive afternoon and each caught touchdown passes. On defense, the Texans did not have a single sack but had six pass deflections and a Derek Stingley Jr. interception. This was a tough and painful loss for the Texans but they surely will bounce back from this loss and get more wins to secure a Wildcard spot in the playoffs.
Indianapolis Colts: B- (Last week Bye Week)
The Colts came back from their bye week and secured a well-needed 27-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gardner Minshew threw an interception against no touchdown passes and scored a rushing touchdown while Jonathan Taylor had himself a day as he scored two rushing touchdowns to help the Colts get the victory. Michael Pitman Jr. had a great day on the field with 107 receiving yards but didn’t catch a touchdown all day. On defense, the Colts had six sacks, and a fumble recovery, and Ronnie Harrison Jr. had one interception on the day. The Colts continue to push for a Wildcard spot in the playoffs and have a good chance of making it thanks to their victory in week 12.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B (Last week B-)
The Jacksonville Jaguars left Houston with a nail-biting 24-21 win over their AFC South foes, the Houston Texans. Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown against an interception and scored a rushing touchdown while Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 56 yards on 20 carries. Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk were very productive on the field while Ridley caught a touchdown. On defense, the Jaguars had four sacks but no interceptions on the day. The Jaguars played a close game, but at the end of the day, got revenge on the Texans from their week three matchup.
Kansas City Chiefs: B (Last week B-)
The Chiefs continued their dominance with a 31-17 victory over their longtime rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders. Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdowns against zero interceptions but was sacked once. Isiah Pacheco scored two rushing touchdowns on the day. Rashee Rice had a great day on the field as he scored a touchdown and Justin Watson scored a touchdown. On defense, the Chiefs did not have any fumbles or interceptions but they did have one sack on the day. The Chiefs looked outstanding against the Raiders and have an easy six-game stretch coming up before the season concludes.
Las Vegas Raiders: C- (Last week D)
The Las Vegas Raiders suffered their second straight loss with Antonio Pierce as the interim head coach of the Silver and Black to the Kansas City Chiefs 17-31. Aidan O’Connell threw one touchdown against zero interceptions but was sacked once. Josh Jacobs had a great day on the ground and scored a rushing touchdown while Jakobi Meyers scored a receiving touchdown in the Raiders’ effort against their longtime AFC West rival. On defense, Maxx Crosby had the only Raiders sack on the day but the team did not have any fumble recoveries or interceptions on the day. The Raiders have a lot of rebuilding to accomplish once 2024 begins. They did whatever they could on a weak roster with no elite quarterback. In another noteworthy move, they did release Marcus Peters.
Los Angeles Chargers: C- (Last week C)
The Chargers suffered another loss as questions continue to revolve around Brandon Staley’s coaching choices. Justin Herbert threw one touchdown against one interception but was sacked three times and lost a fumble in the 10-20 loss. Keenan Allen had a productive day with 106 receiving yards but lost a fumble and Gerard Everett scored a touchdown for the Chargers. On defense, the Chargers had two sacks but no interceptions on the night. The Chargers are struggling and are in last place in the AFC West which is getting more competitive with the Denver Broncos on the rise. Changes need to be made in the upcoming offseason if they want to be relevant again.
Los Angeles Rams: C (Last week C+)
The Rams may not be playing the best football but they know how to earn wins when it matters. Matthew Stafford threw four touchdowns against one interception while Royce Freeman scored a rushing touchdown. Kyren Williams had an excellent day rushing for 143 yards and scoring two receiving touchdowns and Tyler Higbee also scored two touchdowns on the day. On defense, the Rams did not recover any fumbles, did not have any sacks, and did not have any interceptions. The Rams had a great offensive performance against a struggling Cardinals team. However, their defense needs to improve for the remaining weeks of the season if they want to be a relevant franchise that looks as though they’re in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Miami Dolphins: B- (Last week B-)
The Dolphins ended their Black Friday shopping spree with a 34-13 win over the New York Jets. Tua Tagovailoa threw one touchdown against two interceptions but the Dolphins defense helped bail the offense out in tough situations. Raheem Mostert had a great day on the field as he scored two rushing touchdowns and Tyreek Hill scored one touchdown pass on the day. Jevon Holland had quite the day on defense as he scored a 99-yard pick-six touchdown as Tagovailoa threw an interception one play earlier. The rest of the Dolphins defense had seven sacks and another interception by Jerome Baker. It was an amazing win for the Dolphins as they returned to South Beach with an impressive road win.
Minnesota Vikings: D- (Last week C)
The Minnesota Vikings struggled in their 10-12 loss to the Chicago Bears at home. Joshua Dobbs threw one touchdown against four costly interceptions and was sacked twice while Alexander Matthison had 52 rushing yards on the ground, and T.J. Hockenson scored the only touchdown on the game. The Viking’s defense had three sacks and two fumble recoveries but no interceptions on the night. It was a very tough night for the Vikings as they fell to their woeful NFC North rival in a game they should’ve won. Minnesota needs to regroup and get themselves prepared for their remaining games if they want to make the playoffs.
New England Patriots: D- (Last week Bye Week)
The Patriots returned to action from their week 11 bye week and laid a rotten egg as they fell to the New York Giants 7-10. Mac Jones threw two interceptions and was benched for Bailey Zappe who didn’t fare that much better either as he threw an interception. Rhamondre Stevenson scored a rushing touchdown while Demario Douglas and DeVante Parker had average receiving performances on the field. The Patriot’s defense managed to get six sacks but did not get any interceptions on the day. The ultimatum that sealed the Patriots’ fate was a missed game-tying field goal by Chad Ryland which would’ve sent this boring game to overtime but it was for the better as the Patriots need to regroup for the remainder of the season.
New Orleans Saints: D+ (Last week Bye Week)
The Saints are one of those very average to below-average teams as of late but that’s what happens when they compete in a very weak division such as the NFC South which is still very wide open. Derek Carr threw one interception and no touchdowns while Alvin Kamara rushed for 69 yards on 15 carries. Chris Olave had 114 receiving yards on the day but did not get in the endzone. Blake Grupe scored the Saints points with five out of six field goals made in the game. On defense, the Saints did not have a sack but Tyrann Mathieu had two interceptions on the day against Desmond Ridder. The Saints need to get into the end-zone in their remaining games otherwise they’ll fall behind in an already weak NFC South.
New York Giants: D+ (Last week C+)
The Giants did not play well all day as they got the 10-7 win over the struggling New England Patriots. Tommy DeVito threw one touchdown pass against zero interceptions but was sacked six times. Saquon Barkley didn’t have an explosive rushing day on the ground as he rushed for 46 yards all day while Jalin Hyatt had a great receiving day but didn’t score a touchdown. Isaiah Hodgins scored the only touchdown for the “G-men” in the end. On defense, the Giants had two sacks and three interceptions against Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. This was the most boring game of the week but the only thing that matters is the Giants got the win even though they have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to be relevant or lose out and get a higher draft pick.
New York Jets: D (Last week F)
The New York Jets entered Black Friday hoping to end their three-game losing skid to their AFC East rivals, the Miami Dolphins. Instead, they found themselves getting burned on defense by a very fast and potent Dolphins offense and being picked apart by a strong Dolphins defense. Tim Boyle threw one touchdown near the end of the game to Garrett Wilson but threw two costly interceptions (one of them being returned by Dolphins safety Jevon Holland for a 99-yard pick-six as the clock ran down to zero in the first half. It was a very bad day for the Jet’s offense, but the defense did everything they could to keep “Gang Green” in the game with two sacks and two interceptions on the afternoon.
Philadelphia Eagles: A- (Last week C+)
The Eagles played a very intense and close battle with the Buffalo Bills and came up victorious in their 37-34 overtime victory. Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns against one interception and scored two rushing touchdowns (one of those touchdowns being the game-winning dagger against Buffalo. DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus each scored touchdowns in the victory. On defense, the Eagles had one sack and one interception. This game was an intense one but it shows how elite the Eagles’s offense is and how they’ll keep dominating opponents all game long and strike fear in opposing defenses all day.
Pittsburgh Steelers: C+ (Last week D+)
The Steelers had a breath of fresh air in their 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with 421 yards of offense without Matt Canada holding them back. Kenny Pickett didn’t throw any touchdowns or interceptions but was sacked twice while Najee Harris scored a rushing touchdown and Chris Boswell was three for three with field goals made for Pittsburgh. Pat Freiermuth had a great day with 120 receiving yards but didn’t score a touchdown. On defense, the Steelers had four sacks (TJ Watt had two of them) and one interception from Trenton Thompson. The Steelers have a lot of ground to make up for now that Matt Canada is no longer the offensive coordinator but showed they’re ready for the challenges ahead of them.
San Francisco 49ers: B+ (Last week B+)
The 49ers came to the dinner table in Seattle feeling hungry and leaving very satisfied with their 31-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Brock Purdy threw one touchdown against one interception while Christian McCaffery scored two rushing touchdowns and Deebo Samuel scored a rushing touchdown. Brandon Aiyuk scored a receiving touchdown while the 49ers’ defense intercepted a Geno Smith pass and sacked him six times. It was a great team performance by the 49ers who were on the hunt for Thanksgiving turkey and left with a very satisfying win.
Seattle Seahawks: D+ (Last week D+)
The Seahawks entered Thanksgiving hoping to carve up some fresh turkey from the San Francisco 49ers but didn’t get to experience that. Geno Smith threw one interception and no touchdowns and was sacked six times while Zach Charbonnet led the team in rushing yards with 47 yards and Jaxson Smith-Njigba had 41 receiving yards. On defense, Jordyn Brooks had an interception returned for a 12-yard pick-six giving Seattle their only touchdown of the night. The Seahawks ran into a tough and aggressive 49ers team that can leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth after a tough loss. Let’s just hope the Seahawks have room for dessert as they travel to Jerry’s World (ATT Stadium) for a visit with the Dallas Cowboys in week 13.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C- (Last week C-)
The Buccaneers did everything they could to get the win in week 12. Unfortunately, the Bucs fell 20-27 to the Indianapolis Colts. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdowns against an interception while Rachaad White rushed for 100 yards on 15 carries. Mike Evans caught two touchdown passes while Chris Godwin had an alright performance on the field. On defense, the Bucs had two sacks and Carlton Davis III had an interception. The Bucs have good playmakers but find themselves continuing to be on the losing side, which could potentially hold them back from securing the NFC South crown- despite the division still being wide open.
Tennessee Titans: C- (Last week D+)
The Tennessee Titans didn’t play a good game of football but they did get the win over the woeful Carolina Panthers. Will Levis threw no touchdowns or interceptions but was sacked once. Derrick Henry had a great day for Tennessee as he scored the Titan’s only two touchdowns of the day. DeAndre Hopkins had only 49 receiving yards while Chigoziem Okonkwo had 45 receiving yards and both receivers didn’t get into the end-zone. On defense, the Titans did not have any interceptions but the silver lining is they had four sacks and a fumble recovery. The Titans are struggling, no questions asked, but they were able to snap their three-game losing streak in their 17-10 victory over the Panthers.
Washington Commanders: D- (Last week D+)
The Commanders entered Jerry’s World and left with an upset stomach in a 10-45 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Sam Howell scored a rushing touchdown but threw an interception which ended up being a 63-yard pick-six for DaRon Bland. Curtis Samuel and Brian Robinson Jr. played well but the rest of the offense couldn’t make a move against a very physical Cowboy’s defense. On defense, the Commanders couldn’t even land a sack and interception against Dak Prescott but they did have three pass deflections. The Commanders have a lot of work to do to salvage what’s left of their season and secure another victory.
