The late window gave us a great matchup in the AFC with the Chiefs hosting the Bills in what would have essentially been an elimination game for Buffalo. However, the Bills took a 14-point lead early and held on late with the benefit of a Kadarius Toney penalty, nullifying a go-ahead touchdown in the final two minutes. As for the Chiefs, they now lead the AFC West by a single game after losing four of their last six.
During the early slate, the Lions struggled against the Bears and it might be time to worry about Detroit.
After needing a furious rally to beat the Bears in Week 11, the Lions lost handedly to the Packers on Thanksgiving before narrowly escaping with a win over the lackluster Saints in the Superdome.
On Sunday, Detroit once again looked out of sorts, losing 28–13 to Chicago at Soldier Field.
Detroit (8–5) still has control of the NFC North, but that grip is loosening. If the Packers win on Monday night, they would close to within a game of the Lions.
The Cowboys and Eagles wrapped up Week 14 on Sunday Night Football, with Dallas now holding the NFC East lead after a 33–13 win..
(This story will be updated throughout the day.)
Sunday
Cowboys 33, Eagles 13
- What it means for Eagles: Philadelphia (10–3) has glaring defensive issues threatening their season. After being torched for more than 500 yards by the Bills, the Eagles allowed 394 yards in a blowout to Dallas. Philadelphia has an easy schedule the rest of the regular season with the Seahawks, Cardinals and Giants twice. But can they handle a good team with a great passing attack?
- What it means for Cowboys: Dallas (10–3) is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Cowboys have won five straight, and after questions galore about whether they can beat a good team, hammering the Eagles on Sunday night should quash those inquiries. Now comes a rough two-game road trip with the Bills and Dolphins before a home game with the Lions come Week 17.
Bills 20, Chiefs 17
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- What it means for Bills: Buffalo (7–6) is still alive. The Bills need a ton of good play down the stretch with games to play against the Dolphins and Cowboys, but suddenly there’s a chance. Buffalo needed a win over the Chiefs and while it was tight after a 14–0 lead, the Bills found a way. Josh Allen threw for only 233 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but it was enough. Now, Buffalo heads home for a key date with Dallas.
- What it means for Chiefs: Kansas City (8–5) has enjoyed one of the league’s best offenses for years. This season, that same group will keep the Chiefs from making a serious playoff run. On the game’s biggest play, Kadarius Toney caught a lateral from Travis Kelce for a would-be, go-ahead touchdown. However, it was called back because Toney was correctly ruled to be in the neutral zone. If that’s not an encapsulation of the Chiefs’ season offensively, nothing is.
49ers 28, Seahawks 16
- What it means for Seahawks: Seattle (6–7) is now in crisis. The Seahawks have lost four straight and host the Eagles next Monday night. A loss, and Seattle will need to win out if it wants any chance of making the playoffs. The other question is whether Geno Smith is able to return after missing Sunday’s loss. What began as a promising campaign in the Pacific Northwest has quickly become a nightmare.
- What it means for 49ers: San Francisco (10–3) looks like the best team in the league, and perhaps by a wide margin. It was another day of Brock Purdy putting up gaudy numbers, throwing for 368 yards and two touchdowns on an absurd 13.6 yards per attempt. If Purdy continues to play at this level, he deserves MVP consideration and will continue having the 49ers as the front-runners going into the postseason.
Broncos 24, Chargers 7
- What it means for Broncos: Sean Payton and the Broncos (7–6) deserve a ton of credit. Denver looked like a fire sale candidate at 1–5, but since have rallied to put themselves in legitimate contention for a playoff spot. Next is a road game against the Lions, who haven’t played a full, competent 60 minutes in more than a month. If Denver finds a way to go into Ford Field and win, the postseason becomes a very attainable goal.
- What it means for Chargers: Los Angeles (5–8) entered the season with high hopes, believed to have an elite roster. And once again, it fell apart. Injuries to key players, poor coaching and the inability to close games all conspired to finish the tenure of coach Brandon Staley, which at best, has four games left. The only question is whether Justin Herbert comes back from his hand injury, or if we’ve seen the last of him until 2024.
Vikings 3, Raiders 0
- What it means for Vikings: Minnesota (7–6) looks awful offensively, but it somehow won despite only mustering three points. The Vikings also benched Josh Dobbs for Nick Mullens, who despite playing only a quarter, threw for 83 yards and put together a game-winning drive. Going forward, it’ll be Mullens’s job to captain the Vikings, who after their bye week, got an important—if ugly—victory.
- What it means for Raiders: Las Vegas (5–8) is now trying to figure out who sticks around with a looming regime change. The initial burst of energy and enthusiasm under coach Antonio Pierce has worn off, with the Raiders losing their past three games. Perhaps the biggest question is whether Pierce can earn the job, or if owner Mark Davis does the more predictable thing and opts for an outside voice to come in and take charge.
Ravens 37, Rams 31 (OT)
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- What it means for Rams: Los Angeles (6–7) had its chances to win the game, but couldn’t finish the job. The Rams totaled 410 yards but allowed 447, not including the game-winning 76-yard punt return by Tylan Wallace. However, this effort is something to build off for a team finally healthy and with momentum, having won three of its last four. In the NFC, nine wins probably means playoffs, so don’t count the Rams out just yet.
- What it means for Ravens: Baltimore (10–3) is the first AFC team to 10 wins, with the Dolphins trying to match that total come Monday night. The Ravens got a huge game from Lamar Jackson, who threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns while running for another 70. With Mark Andrews out for the season, Jackson needs to be the bulk of Baltimore’s offense, and he was against a feisty Rams team.
Browns 31, Jaguars 27
- What it means for Jaguars: While the storyline entering Sunday was Trevor Lawrence’s ankle, Jacksonville’s defense is a mess at the moment. After allowing 491 yards and 34 points to the Jake Browning–led Bengals, the Jaguars (8–5) surrendered 389 yards and 31 points to the Browns, who are on their fourth starting quarterback. With the Ravens coming to Duval County next week, it’s time for coordinator Mike Caldwell to make some adjustments.
- What it means for Browns: Cleveland (8–5) should make the playoffs, and it could be a dangerous team once there. The Browns have a friendly schedule moving forward, including home games with the Jets and the Bears. With their defense and the solid play of Joe Flacco (at least to this point), the Browns won’t be an easy out.
Bears 28, Lions 13
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- What it means for Lions: Detroit has serious problems on defense. Yes, the offense was underwhelming, scoring 13 points. But the defense permitted 28 points, 326 yards and 19 first downs. While the Lions continue to falter, they still have an excellent shot to be the NFC’s third seed. But that won’t happen if the defense doesn’t start playing better. Over the last seven weeks, the unit has given up 29.1 points per game.
- What it means for Bears: Chicago (5–8) is playing better, making a case for Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields to stay in their current posts. While it’s been far from perfect, the Bears have won three of their last four games. There’s still ample work ahead to truly argue for Eberflus and Fields as pillars, but a few wins in their last four games, and the conversation could be interesting.
Buccaneers 29, Falcons 25
- What it means for Buccaneers: Tampa Bay (6–7) lost six of seven in the middle of the season, and yet is tied for the NFC South lead after a wild win over the Falcons. The Buccaneers were outgained 434–290 by Atlanta, but Tampa Bay won and now has a division record of 3–1, with games against the Panthers (road) and Saints (home) remaining. The NFC South has been awful, so anything is possible, including the possibility of the Buccaneers hosting a playoff game.
- What it means for Falcons: The Falcons (6–7) got a huge game from Desmond Ridder, who threw for 347 yards, helping Atlanta go up and down the field all afternoon. Still, the defense allowed 17 points over Tampa Bay’s final four drives, keeping the Falcons from winning and taking control of the division. The good news? If Ridder continues to play this way, Atlanta has a good chance to win the division title.
Bengals 34, Colts 14
- What it means for Colts: Indianapolis (7–6) was due for a stinker, and it certainly had one in Cincinnati. The Colts saw their five-game winning streak snapped in decisive fashion, with the defense allowing 385 yards while Gardner Minshew threw for 240 yards on a measly 6.4 yards per attempt. Despite the loss, Indianapolis still has a shot at the playoffs, likely needing three more wins. The remaining schedule has three home games with the Steelers, Raiders and Texans.
- What it means for Bengals: Cincinnati (7–6) is still in the hunt. The Bengals have games against the Vikings and Steelers the next two weeks, before going to Kansas City and then finishing the regular-season slate with the Browns at Paycor Stadium. With Jake Browning playing excellent football (18-of-24, 275 yards), the big question is whether the defense can stiffen after being one of the league’s worst all year. Regardless, Cincinnati is alive despite losing Joe Burrow for the season.
Saints 28, Panthers 6
- What it means for Panthers: No team is in a worse spot. Carolina (1–12) doesn’t have its first-round pick, and the quarterback it traded a fortune for has been awful. This weekend was no exception, with Bryce Young throwing for 137 yards while completing just 13-of-36 attempts. When owner David Tepper goes searching for a coach this winter, he’ll have a tough time selling positives about the job.
- What it means for Saints: It’s time to start thinking up ways to move off Derek Carr long term. On Sunday, Carr had another putrid game, throwing for 119 yards on 26 attempts (4.6 YPA). His contract essentially locks him into New Orleans for 2024 but after that, the Saints (6–7) can move forward. It wouldn’t be the worst idea for general manager Mickey Loomis to use his first-round pick on a quarterback, something the franchise hasn’t done since nabbing Archie Manning in 1971.
Jets 30, Texans 6
- What it means for Texans: Houston (7–6) got a huge win last week over the Broncos, and then followed it up with a hideous loss. The question is whether this is the result of losing rookie receiver Tank Dell last week and Sunday’s calf injury to Nico Collins. C.J. Stroud had the worst day of his young career, going 10-of-23 for 91 yards before being knocked out in the fourth quarter. The Texans play the Titans twice, and the Browns and Colts moving forward, so the playoffs remain a possibility, but Houston needs to regain its form in short order.
- What it means for Jets: The win is good news for coach Robert Saleh, who has been embroiled in quarterback controversies the past couple of weeks. Zach Wilson had one of his best games, throwing for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the defense was spectacular, limiting Stroud while sacking him four times. While the Jets (5–8) aren't going anywhere, this effort shows Saleh hasn’t lost the team.
