NFL Week 12 Recap: Jaguars In Position for AFC’s Top Seed

Sunday’s slate gave us an AFC South showdown with the Texans missing a 58-yard field goal in the waning seconds to fall 24–21 to the Jaguars at NRG Stadium in the early window, while the Steelers handled the Bengals in Cincinnati, putting themselves in prime position to make the postseason.

In the late window, the Eagles and Bills tangled in Philadelphia, with the Eagles winning an overtime classic. Meanwhile, the Chiefs handled business on the road in Las Vegas to beat the Raiders.

The Ravens wrapped up the Sunday schedule with a 20–10 victory over the Chargers, and now own the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

SUNDAY

Eagles 37, Bills 34 (OT)

Hurts tossed three touchdown passes and ran for two others, including the game winner in overtime to beat the Bills.

Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

• What it means for Bills: This is a crushing defeat for Buffalo (6–6). The Bills gained more than 500 yards, and they had a three-point lead in the dying seconds, only to see it erased on a 59-yard field goal through the rain as time expired. In overtime, Gabe Davis and Josh Allen miscommunicated on a wide-open, would-be touchdown, forcing a field goal. Then, coach Sean McDermott called a passive defense throughout the extra period, allowing the Eagles to win with little resistance. It’s the kind of loss which could keep the Bills home in January.
• What it means for Eagles: This is why Philadelphia (10–1) is the best team in the NFL. The Eagles were outgained most of the game with Jalen Hurts struggling throughout the first half. Then, the Eagles scored 31 points on their final six drives despite hideous conditions. Nick Sirianni’s group may need to clean up the pass defense, but the Eagles are the most resourceful team in the league.

Ravens 20, Chargers 10

• What it means for Ravens: Baltimore (9–3) enters its bye week with the best record in the AFC, largely because the defense is an elite unit. Against the Chargers, the Ravens forced four turnovers and allowed just 4.2 yards per play, which matches their season-low figure, best in the NFL. While Lamar Jackson and the offense were nothing special at SoFi Stadium, they only needed to make a handful of big plays to win.
• What it means for Chargers: If there was any hope for a miracle in Los Angeles (4–7), that evaporated with another close loss. While Brandon Staley will be gone by season’s end, the real question is what to do moving forward. Yes, Justin Herbert is a great quarterback to build around, but what else is there? Right now, the Chargers have a slew of injury prone, expensive veterans, a looming cap crunch and a tough conference to contend with. There’s an ugly storm ahead.

Chiefs 31, Raiders 17

• What it means for Chiefs: Kansas City (8–3) finally scored some points in the second half. After only notching one touchdown after halftime through their first 10 games, the Chiefs scored 17 points, including two touchdowns, to outscore the Raiders by a 31–3 margin after falling into a 14-point hole in the first quarter. Patrick Mahomes also found success with rookie receiver Rashee Rice, who had his first 100-yard game.
• What it means for Raiders: The Raiders (5–7) showed some moxie under interim coach Antonio Pierce, winning their first two games with the former NFL linebacker. However, times have gotten tougher the past two weeks, with losses to the Dolphins and Chiefs. Las Vegas is fighting, but the talent isn’t there to beat some of the league’s better teams.

Broncos 29, Browns 12

• What it means for Browns: Cleveland (7–4) has an obvious problem: it doesn’t have a quarterback. Without Deshaun Watson, the Browns have to choose between PJ Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Neither are good enough to beat quality teams, which Denver has become over the past month. While the defense will have mostly solid days, Cleveland needs something from its injury riddled offense. Right now, that’s a big ask.
• What it means for Broncos: Denver (6–5) is officially in the race. The Broncos looked like a fire-sale candidate five weeks ago, but haven’t lost since with wins over the Vikings, Browns, Chiefs and Bills, all teams fighting for the postseason. Russell Wilson hasn’t been great, but he’s miles better than a year ago with 20 touchdown passes against four interceptions. And the defense has done a complete 180 since the first six games, giving up only 16 points per game.

Jaguars 24, Texans 21

Lawrence rushed for a touchdown and passed for another to beat the Texans.

Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports

• What it means for Jaguars: Jacksonville (8–3) all but finished off the AFC South, showing why it’s a contender come January. The Jaguars went on the road against a hot team and an excellent quarterback, and made enough plays to earn the season split. Tied for the AFC’s best record (going into the late window), Jacksonville has a real shot at the top seed, with one of the easiest schedules in football remaining.
• What it means for Texans: Tough loss for Houston (6–6), but it continues to show it can hang with the NFL’s best teams. The Texans got another 304 yards and two touchdowns from C.J. Stroud, while the defense only gave up 24 points. With Stroud under center and DeMeco Ryans continuing to work with the defensive side, Houston should only improve over the season’s last six weeks, where it plays a soft slate before the posteason.

Rams 37, Cardinals 14

• What it means for Rams: Los Angeles (5–6) is back in the race. With a pair of divisional wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals the past two weeks, the Rams are now in the mix with the Packers, Saints and Falcons as teams trying to chase down the Vikings for a wild-card spot. The most encouraging sign from Sunday? The showing from Kyren Williams, who returned from injury to rush for 143 yards.
• What it means for Cardinals: Arizona (2–10) doesn’t have the offensive firepower to keep up when the defense is getting dragged all over the field. Kyler Murray struggled throughout while the receivers did very little to create plays after the catch. With five games remaining, the main concern now becomes how well Murray plays after missing the season’s first half while rehabbing from a torn ACL. 

Falcons 24, Saints 15

• What it means for Saints: New Orleans (5–6) simply needs a better effort from the offense on a weekly basis. While the offense gained more than 400 yards, Derek Carr’s pick-six was the turning point in a game the Saints could’ve controlled from the outset. However, the defense can’t be given a pass. The Falcons ran for a season-high 229 yards despite New Orleans knowing the run was coming with second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder under center.
• What it means for Falcons: Atlanta (5–6) has life despite consecutive losses to the Josh Dobbs-led Vikings and the Cardinals. Suddenly, the Falcons are leading the NFC South and have an easy schedule moving forward, with games against the Panthers, Bears, Buccaneers and Jets. To keep winning, Atlanta needs Ridder to curtail his turnover issues, but the Falcons have a trio of stud weapons in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson to ride.

Steelers 16, Bengals 10

Pickett was solid against the Bengals, throwing for 278 yards in the Steelers' win.

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

• What it means for Steelers: Pittsburgh (7–4) fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada with the hopes of unlocking Kenny Pickett. In his first game without Canada, Pickett threw for 278 yards, consistently throwing down the seams. It’s a big win for the Steelers, who are now in good position to reach the playoffs with games remaining against the Cardinals, Patriots and Bengals, all at home.
• What it means for Bengals: Cincinnati (5–6) gave a valiant effort but the offense couldn’t get anything going without Joe Burrow. Although Jake Browning threw for 227 yards on 8.7 yards per attempt, he could only direct a single touchdown drive, with the offense sputtering the entire second half. With Burrow sidelined for the year, the Bengals’ offense is going to be a struggle.

Titans 17, Panthers 10

• What it means for Panthers: Just more of the same for Carolina (1–10). The offense can’t get chunk plays, the defense can’t get enough key stops and the result is another loss. On Sunday, Bryce Young threw for 194 yards on 6.3 YPA while taking four sacks. The run game only gained 3.0 yards per carry against a strong Tennessee front, struggling to block up Jeffery Simmons and Co. Again, it’s the same thing on a weekly basis for Carolina.
• What it means for Titans: Tennessee (4–7) is in the process of evaluating Will Levis, which is the only prism this effort matters through. All told, it was an average day against an awful team. Levis threw for 185 yards on 6.6 YPA, with his longest completion going for 5 yards. If Levis can continue developing, general manager Ran Carthon has a tough decision this spring. Otherwise, it’s an easy call.

Colts 27, Buccaneers 20

• What it means for Buccaneers: This was a rough step back for Tampa Bay (4–7), which could have tied the Saints and Falcons atop the NFC South with a victory. Instead, the Buccaneers are now three games under .500 after starting the season 3–1. Although they finally ran the ball well (125 yards on 6.6 YPC), the Buccaneers couldn’t get enough from Baker Mayfield, who threw for just 199 yards while being sacked six times.
• What it means for Colts: Indianapolis (6–5) is quietly a factor in the playoff race. The Colts are a game back of the Steelers and they’ll play each other at Lucas Oil Field in Week 15. Meanwhile, the offense is getting nice production out of receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, who combined for 15 catches and 150 yards Sunday. Combine that duo with star running back Jonathan Taylor, and the Colts have some juice with Shane Steichen calling the plays.

Giants 10, Patriots 7

• What it means for Patriots: It’s finally over for Mac Jones. If it’s not, Patriots fans need to stage a protest. Jones was benched after the first half, throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble. New England (2–9) is a real candidate to not win another game, putting it in real position for either USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye come April’s NFL draft. Until then, though, there’s six more weeks of hideous football.
• What it means for Giants: Give Brian Daboll and his staff credit. Despite being hopelessly out of the postseason chase with Tommy DeVito at the helm, New York (4–7) has reeled off two consecutive wins. DeVito has also stepped up, throwing four touchdowns against zero interceptions over that stretch. While the Giants are moving backwards in draft position, they’re showing resilience after looking like a team with little energy for the better part of the first two months. 

FRIDAY

Dolphins 34, Jets 13

• What it means for Dolphins: Miami (8–3) is in the midst of a five-game stretch against sub-par teams, and so far, so good. The Dolphins smoked the Jets, holding them under 100 yards until the fourth quarter. However, the loss of Jaelan Phillips is significant. Phillips is an excellent edge rusher who had 6.5 sacks and an interception, providing a great tandem with Bradley Chubb. Without Phillips, blocking Chubb becomes easier. Now, Miami needs its terrific interior to step up even further with Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler penetrating up front.
• What it means for Jets: This might be the worst offense we’ve ever seen when you contextualize the situation. The expansion-era Buccaneers of 1976 and ‘77 were atrocious, but they were in their infancy with castoffs. The Jets (4–7) spent significantly this offseason both in free-agency dollars and draft capital, bringing in a litany of new starters including receivers Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb, running back Dalvin Cook and center Joe Tippmann. While Aaron Rodgers’ injury is obviously devastating, New York is still an incompetent mess, completely hopeless on a weekly basis.

THURSDAY

Packers 29, Lions 22

• What it means for Packers: Green Bay (5–6) is alive in the playoff chase. The Packers appeared finished less than a week ago, but now with wins over the Chargers and Lions, they’re suddenly a factor in the NFC wild card race. The defense has stepped up considerably under beleaguered coordinator Joe Barry, limiting Los Angeles and Detroit to 42 combined points. Offensively, Jordan Love has been excellent in those two wins, throwing five touchdowns without a turnover while totaling 590 passing yards. Next up, a Sunday night showdown at Lambeau with the Chiefs.
• What it means for Lions: Detroit (8–3) is still in terrific shape in the NFC North, but this is its second bad performance in five days. The Lions were able to pull a miracle on Sunday in their comeback victory over the Bears, but no such luck against the Packers. Jared Goff has been a mess in both games, turning the ball over three times in each affair. If Detroit reels in the turnovers and can reassert itself defensively, the Lions have a chance to finish with 12 or 13 wins. If not, every game becomes an adventure.

Cowboys 45, Commanders 10

• What it means for Commanders: Washington (4–8) has entered the evaluation phase. With new ownership taking over before the season, only a successful 2023 campaign was going to prevent a housecleaning. The big question is whether the Commanders’ brass believes in quarterback Sam Howell, who leads the NFL in passing yards, sacks taken, attempts and completions. What to make of this? The last five games are about figuring out who has a place in 2024 and beyond.
• What it means for Cowboys: When Dak Prescott is hot—and he’s played very well this year—Dallas (8–3) can challenge anybody in the league. Prescott threw for 331 yards (10.4 YPA) and four touchdowns against Washington, doing a nice job of going downfield and finding results. However, we’re going to find out just how consistent Prescott and the Cowboys can be as they face the Seahawks, Eagles, Bills, Dolphins and Lions in their next five games. Also, DaRon Bland. Whew.

49ers 31, Seahawks 13