FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — I am back! I know you missed me. Want to give Will McFadden a shoutout for holding down the Power Rankings fort while I was away. Nice to see things are still in order and haven't changed up too much. Means Will and I are on the same page!
That being said, this week's slate of games presented a very interesting set of circumstances for me. It was a week that saw top-spot holders lose — think the Colts and Eagles — and the .500 teams get over the hump — think the Texans and Chiefs. Those games, particularly, shook up things up.
How much? Well, you'll have to scroll to find out.
Matthew Stafford has thrown 30 touchdowns and only two interceptions this year. If that isn't playing like an MVP I don't know what is.
Fun fact: With their 26-20 win over the Bengals, the Patriots tied the NFL record with 23-plus points scored and 23 or fewer allowed in nine straight games. The last two teams to have had the same streak? Yeah, they went on to win the Super Bowl (the 1961 Oilers and the 1984 Niners).
The Broncos will be back in primetime this coming Sunday night against the Commanders, when they should reach win No. 10.
The Colts have lost two of their last three games after starting the season 7-1. According to Next Gen Stats, all three of the Colts' losses this season have come on the road and the team has scored exactly 20 points in each of those losses.
This game was probably a bit closer than the Seahawks wanted, but hey. A win's a win, right?
The Eagles were up by 21 at one point. But then they laid an egg in the second half. So, that's where we are.
While the game was interesting, I think it ended up how most expected, yeah?
The Vikings tried to pressure Jordan Love time and time again, but he wasn't having it. In fact, he welcomed it, averaging more yards per attempt when pressured (7.8) than when kept clean (5.8).
The Chargers have the Raiders on deck. They beat them 20-9 in Week 3. I feel it may look similar in Week 13.
Da Bears are Da Real Deal.
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 219 yards in the Lions' Week 12 overtime victory over the Giants, the third-most rushing yards in a single game in Lions franchise history.
What a win for the Texans. Or, are the Bills just not it this year? I am starting to feel like it may be the latter.
The Bucs have lost four of their last five. For a team whose path to the playoffs seemed so straight forward in October, things have changed dramatically.
There is no team that finds a way to squeak out a win like the Jags.
T.J. Watt (115.0 career sacks) passed his brother J.J. (114.5) for career sacks on a strip-sack of Caleb Williams in the end zone. Too bad they don't have a win to celebrate this with.
Patrick Mahomes became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 35,000 career passing yards. Oh, and the Chiefs won, too.
Derrick Henry (12,294) moved into 12th on the NFL all-time rushing yards list in Week 12, surpassing Hall of Famers Marcus Allen, Edgerrin James and Marshall Faulk. The Ravens are also on a 5-game win streak. Things feel back on track in Baltimore.
A performance no one is talking about when it comes to this win by Houston? Trent Brown, who allowed zero pressures across 21 matchups with Joey Bosa, becoming the first blocker to not allow a single pressure to Bosa with at least 15 matchups in a game since 2018. Crazy work
A historic day for the Cowboys. The team tied a franchise record with their 21-point comeback win. Plus, Dak Prescott became the Cowboys' all-time leading passer
If the offense could have capitalized off ANY moment the defense game it this game would have been a completely different story!
Despite starting the season 1-6, the Dolphins will have a chance over the next few weeks to make up some ground with the Saints and Jets on deck. They already have wins over the Bills and Commanders, mind you.
The Falcons needed this win. Oh how they needed it.
J.J. McCarthy completed only 12 of his 19 passes for 87 yards and two interceptions. That's not good. The Vikings have a long way to go to get their young quarterback in a groove.
The Bengals have played just one single game without Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow since drafting Chase in 2021. Make that two.
There is no team that finds a way to squeak out a loss like the Cardinals.
The only team on a worse losing streak than the Falcons last week was the Commanders. They will have their chance to get off the mat this Sunday… against the Broncos…
10 sacks?!!??! A Shedeur Sanders start?!?! A WIN!??! What a day for the Browns.
It was a valiant effort by the Giants. Jameis Winston became the second player in NFL history to record 300+ passing yards, 2+ passing touchdowns, and a receiving touchdown. The only other player to do that? Matt Ryan.
The Jets defense recorded zero takeaways in their Week 12 loss to the Ravens, marking the 10th game without a takeaway this season, the most such games in a single season in Jets history. This is good news for the Falcons.
The Saints offense got swallowed up by the Falcons defense. And all is right with the world.
Brock Bowers has 151 receptions in 24 career games, the most by any TE in NFL history over their first two career seasons. Too bad he plays for the Raiders.
Another valiant effort by a low-ranked team vs. a top-ranked opponent.
