The Eagles’ offense once again went into turtle mode, costing the team greatly in a 24-21 loss to the Cowboys.
The Chiefs finally broke through with a late win in a close contest, while the Colts wilted down the stretch.
J.J. McCarthy continues to raise questions about his viability for the Vikings in 2026.
Week 12 in the NFL was no mere appetizer to the forthcoming Thanksgiving slate.
Yes, the holiday schedule sure looks tantalizing, with the league trotting out a troika of highly consequential matchups. But a Sunday setup that initially looked light on thrills ended up holding its own when it came to producing entertainment, with three games going to overtime after double-digit comebacks. And with two-thirds of the regular season now wrapped up, it’s hard to shake the emerging pecking order in certain parts of the playoff picture, even though nothing has been settled on that front.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from NFL Week 12:
NFL Week 12 winners
Jahmyr Gibbs
Sunday looked like it could be calamitous for the Detroit Lions, who found themselves in a 10-point fourth-quarter hole at home against the shorthanded New York Giants. Gibbs, however, prevented a full-blown meltdown. The running back ripped off a 49-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth to cut the deficit, and his 69-yard scoring sprint in overtime provided the ultimate edge in a 34-27 win. He finished the day with a career-high 264 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 26 total touches. Gibbs also reaffirmed his status as the league’s premier breakaway threat, as he now owns three of the four fastest speeds by a ball carrier this season, according to Next Gen Stats.
The Jameis Winston experience
Yes, the 11-year veteran didn’t end up pulling off the upset and eating a Detroit-style W. That’s about the only missing element of his outing, though. Winston was the perfect triggerman for interim Giants coach Mike Kafka’s go-for-broke approach. The heightened entertainment value was evident from the opening drive, when Winston chucked a 39-yard touchdown to Wan’Dale Robinson on a trick play. But the peak would come in the second half, when the quarterback hauled in a pass from Gunner Olszewski and then spun out of Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes’ grasp before reaching the end zone. He ended up with a classic Winston line: 18-of-36 for 366 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. But for a moment, he made a lot of people care about a Giants team that was without Jaxson Dart. No easy feat.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff outlook
Regressions to the mean typically are supposed to result in the affected party landing somewhere close to, well … the mean. Instead, the Chiefs have swung from one polarity to the other on one-score games, going from 12-0 last year to 0-5 prior to Sunday. The result was a 5-5 mark that didn’t fully capture the capabilities of this year’s team. In what could be an inflection point for Kansas City’s season, the team finally rediscovered the late-game edge that had eluded it so far in 2025, squeezing out a 23-20 overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts. Between Patrick Mahomes leading a methodical march in crunch time and the defense ramping up the pressure late, the Chiefs at least somewhat resembled previous championship-caliber editions and how they were able to close out contests. If the Chiefs can handle a critical three-week stretch that brings tilts with the Cowboys, Texans and Chargers, they could find themselves in prime position for another postseason run – even if it’s as a wild-card entrant.
Chicago Bears’ resilience
Caleb Williams had more than a few misfires, prompting the Chicago Bears quarterback to label his day as ‘frustrating.’ And the Pittsburgh Steelers took advantage of an already shorthanded defense that had its entire starting linebacker group nuked by injuries, piling up 186 rushing yards. But maybe this was yet another distinction between the previous iterations of the Bears, who might have let this game slip through their fingers, and this year’s crew, who prevailed 31-28 to run their record to 8-3. Chicago’s formula doesn’t exactly feel foolproof, as it typically entails relying on takeaways – two more coming against Pittsburgh – to cover for several defensive shortcomings. But fans should be encouraged that this young group is finding ways to persevere even when things aren’t fully clicking.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
It stood to reason that a one-win team that fired its coach more than a month ago wouldn’t offer up much resistance to the NFL’s leading receiver. But Smith-Njigba was totally unsolvable to the Tennessee Titans’ secondary, posting eight catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the Seattle Seahawks’ 30-24 win. With that line, he broke the Seahawks’ single-season franchise record for receiving yards at 1,313 … through just 11 games. A 2,000-yard campaign – which would break Calvin Johnson’s all-time mark of 1,964 – is within reach, especially given that Seattle could need every bit of Smith-Njigba’s contributions for a playoff push that could last all the way through its Week 18 finale against the San Francisco 49ers.
Marcus Jones
In late October, Jones inked a three-year, $36 million extension with the New England Patriots. Three weeks later, it was the slot cornerback who was providing the major payout. In the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones jumped a late Joe Flacco throw to the flat for an easy pick-six that put the Patriots ahead after a slow start. A third-round pick in 2022 and holdover from the Bill Belichick era, Jones has long demonstrated a rare playmaking streak, primarily as a returner. But he’s also been a major asset to Mike Vrabel as a slot corner, where he’s seen even more action this season.
Emanuel Wilson
Matt LaFleur really, really wants the run game to power the Green Bay Packers offense. That commitment has been apparent all season, but it was fully on display Sunday, when the coach turned to Wilson to shoulder the load with starter Josh Jacobs sidelined by a knee injury. In his first start, Wilson ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in a 23-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Used mostly as a battering ram between the tackles, the third-year back helped LaFleur and Green Bay play keep-away with a 37:15 time of possession. But while there might not have been many highlight-reel runs, he’s still the first Packers player to rush for 100 yards since Week 12 of last year.
Shedeur Sanders
Let’s keep everything in perspective when it comes to Sanders, a player who provokes hyperbole across the sports media spectrum. Of course, part of that process necessitates allotting credit where it’s due, and the rookie quarterback added substance to spectacle in leading the Cleveland Browns to a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Sanders handled a streamlined game plan and largely avoided mistakes, particularly the sacks he was so prone to in college. It was hardly electrifying, but that was a meaningful shift for a Browns offense that couldn’t even handle the basics at times with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel at the helm. Is that enough to keep the job even if Gabriel can return from a concussion next week? At least Sanders turned that into a conversation.
NFL Week 12 losers
Philadelphia Eagles’ conservative offense
A 21-0 lead after Philadelphia’s first three possessions seemed like it would put the defending champions on track for another rivalry rout against the Dallas Cowboys. Then, everything came undone for the Eagles in an eventual 24-21 loss. The offense abandoned the aggressive approach that helped the unit build the advantage in the first place, instead opting to recede into its shell yet again. That style can pay off with the right support, but this year’s group simply doesn’t have the same level of assurances in place that its predecessor did. For one, the offensive line and run game haven’t rediscovered the dominant form that allowed Philadelphia to set the tone regardless of its risk aversion. That trend continued against the Cowboys, with the Eagles averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and Saquon Barkley being held to a season-low 22 yards. But operating in that mode also necessitates a level of composure that Philadelphia fell well short of with its 14 penalties and two costly fourth-quarter fumbles, among other miscues. The defense has to be in absolutely elite form to overcome those factors, and the task was too tall for the Eagles this week. It’s high time to recognize this as more than a point of locker room intrigue, as a repeat run will be almost impossible if Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo continue to keep this ceiling in place.
Shane Steichen
The Colts’ rise to the forefront of the AFC playoff race has been met with some degree of skepticism, with many questioning whether the league’s offensive standard-bearer had staying power. In easily its greatest test to date, Indianapolis failed to rise to the occasion and affirm its contender credentials. That falls largely on Steichen, the head coach and play-caller who repeatedly acknowledged ‘I have to be better’ after his team went three-and-out four times in the fourth quarter and overtime. In the first three of those series, NFL leading rusher Jonathan Taylor logged just one carry. Perhaps it’s understandable that Steichen would have been reticent to run the ball carrier into yet another loaded box given that Taylor was hit behind the line of scrimmage on a season-high 62.5% of his runs, according to Next Gen Stats. But going the pass-happy route when Daniel Jones was shaky at best left far too much up to a defense that did more than its part, with Kansas City able to wear down the unit with a stunning 91 plays. Finding a way forward in these scenarios could determine whether Indianapolis is an actual threat in the postseason or merely a nice regular-season story, as opponents are sure to try to replicate Steve Spagnuolo’s game plan.
Las Vegas Raiders’ new regime
Is it time to start unwinding this group after just 11 games? It’s at least clear that the status quo can’t hold, with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly fired Sunday in the aftermath of an embarrassing bottoming out against the Browns. Kelly long seemed like a strange fit for the direction of this organization, with his deployment of Ashton Jeanty only heightening concerns. But what play-caller can pull this attack as currently constructed out of the darkness? Maybe another offseason overhaul will actually prove fruitful this time, particularly if help can be found for the overmatched offensive line or underdeveloped receiving corps. But there’s a fundamental misalignment between 74-year-old Pete Carroll and a franchise in need of a multi-year runway, so maybe another full teardown is in store.
J.J. McCarthy
Both McCarthy and coach Kevin O’Connell last week tried to turn down the volume on the rising discontent surrounding the Vikings quarterback’s trajectory, with O’Connell saying he was eager ‘to start seeing the concrete kind of dry a little bit on the work that’s put in.’ On Sunday, however, the Packers wrote their names in the wet cement. McCarthy once again wasn’t nearly quick or decisive enough, taking five sacks and throwing two interceptions while throwing for just 87 yards. It was probably too much to expect a young quarterback to have answers for Micah Parsons (two sacks) and a defense that generated pressure McCarthy on 12 of his 26 dropbacks. But even with just six starts in his career, it’s getting difficult to see the upside in continuing on with him. At 4-7, the Vikings need to keep collecting data on McCarthy, which means giving him more reps even as the outlook worsens. But the 2026 quarterback plan for Minnesota seems like it needs to at least include an insurance option at the very least.
Drake Maye
The Patriots’ second-year quarterback was probably facing an uphill battle to push to the front of the MVP conversation. But his odds for the award took a hit Sunday, as did New England’s offensive outlook for the rest of the season. Both left guard Jared Wilson and left tackle Will Campbell left the game with injuries and did not return, leaving a degree of uncertainty for a front that’s enjoyed an enviable level of consistency. But the offense’s woes extended well beyond personnel losses. Maye threw a pick-six to Geno Stone and otherwise had an uncharacteristically off-kilter outing, with his passer rating (87.1) his lowest since the rain-drenched season opener. The Patriots, who were the only team besides the Browns not to post at least 27 points against the Bengals so far this season, also came up empty after snapping the ball from Cincinnati’s 1-yard line on seven consecutive plays. Maye has shown enough to mark this as an aberration that shouldn’t overshadow an otherwise remarkably successful season – including the league’s best record at 10-2 and a nine-game win streak – but the problems could compound if they go unaddressed.
Baltimore Ravens offense
In a vacuum, a five-game win streak and return to the top of the AFC North standings – where they’re now tied with the Steelers at 6-5 – should be cause for celebration in Charm City. But several members of the Ravens’ offense were far from content after the Ravens’ 23-10 win over the New York Jets, each saying improvement was needed. One year after performing at a level that nearly earned him his third NFL MVP award, Lamar Jackson looks out of sorts, passing for just 153 yards on Sunday. Whether when taking off or merely avoiding the rush, Jackson’s running ability appears to have taken a significant hit, which has been particularly problematic when combined with the offensive line’s protection lapses. And while Derrick Henry scored two touchdowns against New York, the run game hasn’t provided a sufficient spark to make up for the inertia. Crunch time is here for the Ravens with two meetings against the Bengals sandwiching a home showdown with the Steelers, so Baltimore can’t afford to take long to sort out these issues.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
After catching just two of 12 targets in the Lions’ offensive face plant last week against the Eagles, St. Brown said he wasn’t concerned about the uncharacteristic drops that were starting to pile up. “I’ve caught so many balls in my life that the next one comes, I’m going to catch it, and I’m going to catch a lot more than I don’t,’ he told reporters last week. The problem persisted this week, however, as St. Brown had two more costly whiffs, including one that led to a Jevon Holland interception. It’s hardly panic time for the two-time All-Pro, but Detroit’s offense doesn’t have the same margin for error as it did in previous years.
