The New England Patriots are excruciating to watch, but in a good way. Same goes for the Philadelphia Eagles, but in a way that’s led to them posting the NFL’s best record.
Those two teams had very different paths to games decided by last ditch field goals. The Patriots biffed theirs, a routine 35-yarder that would have sent a terrible game to overtime. The Eagles drilled theirs, a brilliant 59-yard laser beam on a rainy Philadelphia night to force an extra frame in an eventual win over the Buffalo Bills.
These two games highlighted the dichotomy between good and bad in Week 12, but they weren’t the only worthwhile games on the slate. The season’s two-thirds mark featured big performances, frustrating missteps and arguably Tony Romo’s most inscrutable commentary to date. Let’s see what was great — and what we’d like to forget — from this year’s round of Thanksgiving adjacent football.
Worst: The New England Patriots' on-field product
Mac Jones’ average pass completion traveled -0.4 yards downfield. His average pass only went 4.6 yards downfield.
He still managed to turn the ball over three times. He only played one half of Week 12’s 10-7 loss to the New York Giants.
55-YARD INT RETURN 😤
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/KmQ0ahyh1S
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 26, 2023
That kind of play is how you get pulled for Bailey Zappe, a backup who’d been, coming into Week 12, the league’s 49th-best quarterback in a sample size of 50.
Zappe, of course, didn’t change much. He led a scoring drive on his opening possession that was powered by a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run. He threw an interception and needed 15 dropbacks to gain 47 net yards. He was better than Mac Jones the same way one option at Pizza Ranch’s buffet is better than the other but each remain, fundamentally, poison.
This is how the New England defense can face Tommy DeVito, give up zero drives of 50-plus yards (and only one of more than 33 yards) and still lose.
Best: The New England Patriots' draft stock
Are the Patriots gonna give Bill Belichick another shot at the draft knowing they’re in line for the highest draft pick the franchise has seen in three decades? Via Tankathon, here’s the current 2024 NFL Draft order:
- Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers): 1-10
- Arizona Cardinals: 2-10
- New England Patriots: 2-9
- Chicago Bears: 3-8
- Washington Commanders: 4-8
The Patriots can catch the Cardinals and currently hold the strength of schedule edge (.543 to .553) to secure the second overall pick. In a draft with two clear quarterback prospects who rise above the fray and Jones and Zappe the only two guys under contract for 2024, that’s pretty dang valuable.
Best: Trevor Lawrence heard y'all talking about him
It was reasonable to be concerned about Lawrence’s future after Week 10. The former first overall pick was coming off the worst game of his non-Urban Meyer-influenced NFL career. He’d been put in a blender by the San Francisco 49ers and, after winning a tune-up against a bad Tennessee Titans team, now had to face a Houston Texans team that had routed his Jags 37-17 back in September.
This was a massive test. Lawrence passed with flying colors.
.@Trevorlawrencee with an absolute DIME to @CalvinRidley1!#JAXvsHOU on CBS pic.twitter.com/R8ad3q2pZz
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) November 26, 2023
Lawrence continued to rebound from that awful Week 10 to not only stake the claim as the AFC South’s top team but keep the Jaguars in the running for the conference’s top seed and lone postseason bye. The third-year quarterback never let the Texans get a read on him, carving up their young defense at every level with a wide array of throws that put Houston’s depth to the test.
Lawrence’s 19.3 expected points added (EPA) was second only to Josh Allen (21.7) Sunday. He was pressed to defend his status as a franchise quarterback and responded with a huge performance in a vital road win. He’s been only sacked once and hit four times the past two weeks, shucking off concerns about his protection and ability to avoid pressure after the Niners shredded him.
This is a massive adjustment for the Jaguars, who once again look like they can compete in an AFC without an unassailable alpha at the top. Jacksonville could make a run to its first Super Bowl in franchise history — but only if Lawrence keeps dealing like he did in Week 12.
Worst: Matt Ammendola's tragic donk
Look, the odds were never in Matt Ammendola’s favor when he took the field to kick a game-tying 58-yard field goal vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Houston Texans’ fill-in kicker had already missed a 50-yard attempt that afternoon. He was 0-for-4 in his NFL career from 50-plus yards to that point.
But after a solid leg strike, Ammendola’s kick soared with all the potential of an extra period in a game crucial to the AFC South standings. The ball pierced the air at NRG Stadium, gliding end-over-end to what appeared to be the geometric center of the goal posts. It looked like head coach DeMeco Ryan’s lose-lose decision on fourth-and-12 with 34 seconds left was going to pay off.
Then, the clang. The dreaded, way-too-solid doink that sounded the death knell on Houston’s comeback hopes.
The Texans were this close to tying the game on a 58-yard field goal. #JAXvsHOU pic.twitter.com/w5P2AAg2Nj
— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
Brutal.
Best: The Steelers' offense without Matt Canada
The Steelers had gone more than three years without gaining 400 yards in a single game. They’d seen Kenny Pickett fail to take any meaningful step forward in his second year as a pro. Head coach Mike Tomlin was staring down yet another season of having a solid defense usurped by an offense unable to do anything with the opportunities given to it.
So the team fired embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada last week. Then, immediately:
Yep, the offense came back online. Pickett’s 273 passing yards were a season high. A team whose 4.7 yards per play ranked 27th in the NFL coming into Week 12 averaged 6.2 on Sunday in a 16-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh didn’t do things all that differently. Faulkner’s plan wasn’t reliant on George Pickens and Jaylen Warren like reporters had speculated early in the week. Instead, the Steelers rode tight end Pat Freiermuth to 11 targets and career highs of nine catches and 120 yards. The space he cleared in the middle of the field was filled by Najee Harris, trusted to run downhill between the tackles and carry defenders with him en route to solid gains (16 carries, 99 yards).
Najee Harris heard everyone saying Jaylen Warren deserved more touches than him pic.twitter.com/PBLHYSMWsS
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 26, 2023
The result was an easy lift for Pickett, who still found ways to screw things up but who, predictably, found his rhythm in the fourth quarter just in time to salvage a win.
Pickett to Pickens for a huge gain! #HereWeGo
📺: #PITvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/NZMj58QRYr— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
The Steelers weren’t able to turn this newfound yardage into an explosion of points. They only found the end zone once. But they also had five drives of at least 50 yards — notable, since they’d only had four the last two weeks total. That’s something from which Pittsburgh can build, even if Pickett still isn’t remotely trustable at quarterback.
Best: Rashee Rice, who just may be the lead wideout Patrick Mahomes needs right now
Through the first 11 weeks of the season, rookie Rashee Rice had done plenty to suggest he could be an asset for the Kansas City Chiefs. His 8.3 yards after catch ranked second only to Noah Brown among all NFL wideouts. His 78.5 percent catch rate was number one among all Kansas City wide receivers with more than 10 targets (and by a significant margin). His 9.1 yards per target were a top 25 mark among all NFL players.
But Rice had never had a game with more than seven targets or five receptions. Until Sunday.
RICE. COLD. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/ql2TymtoNP
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 26, 2023
Look at that man’s run-after-catch chops! That’s the kind of player Kyle Shanahan drafts to make whatever average quarterback he’s got look incredible. But instead of having to play with Jimmy Garoppolo or Brock Purdy, Rice gets to team with the reigning MVP in an offense begging for someone other than Travis Kelce to get open consistently.
Rice was mostly utilized as a short range target, but also made hay in the intermediate range en route to eight catches and 107 yards. At 6-foot-2, he’s got the size to out-jump defenders in the red zone as well.
This could be vital to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl hopes. Isiah Pacheco has emerged as a consistent threat, but Andy Reid’s offense has lacked the extra gear that has dusted opponents over the last five seasons. On Sunday we were treated to a vintage Kansas City performance. The Chiefs fell behind 14-0 early, flipped a switch and won by two touchdowns.
The lesson here should be that Rice is the kind of explosive runner who can make things easier for his quarterback. Even when that quarterback is the exact kind of player who thrives when things are wildly difficult.
Worst: Jared Goff, sewing seeds of doubt in a team that needs none
Over the last two weeks, the Detroit Lions have dug early holes against two bad division rivals. A 26-14 fourth quarter deficit to the Chicago Bears wasn’t insurmountable. A 29-14 one to the Green Bay Packers was.
What did those two games have in common? Terrible early performances from Goff, who turned the ball over three times each week.
That's a @jjowens_3 TD!#GBvsDET | #GoPackGo
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Cyu1YrykQj
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 23, 2023
Goff’s career resurgence had been a driving factor in the Lions’ march toward their first NFC North title … ever. He was initially a throw-in for Matthew Stafford, a salary dump whose departure earned Detroit extra draft considerations for merely being willing to roster him. But after the move he shed the label of Sean McVay’s unwanted toy to once again become a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback. Through Week 10, his 0.179 adjusted expected points added (EPA) per play ranked eighth among all starting QBs.
Over the last two weeks that number is down to -0.061, 22nd-best. He’s been able to balance his mistakes with efficient quarterbacking, but forcing Detroit to play from behind keeps the team from leaning on a powerful run game. The Lions should have ground the Packers’ deficient ground defense into a fine paste on Thanksgiving; instead they had to throw more than they wanted because of that early deficit.
This could just be a blip on Goff’s radar. It could be the bad stretch that refocuses him. Or it could be the reason no one trusts Detroit come January.
Best: Jordan Love, who miiiiiight be the guy?
The biggest wart on Love’s first season as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback was his inability to fit throws into tight windows downfield. In Week 11, he answered this criticism with some bang-on deep throws to a cadre of young wideouts. In Week 12, well, he did this:
.@JaydenReed5 with a TD on the opening drive!#GBvsDET | #GoPackGo
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/3KeWUG3qbR
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 23, 2023
Phew. That’s a lot to deal with. While you can argue Love shouldn’t have tried to thread that pass through three defenders in the red zone, you can’t argue with the result. There was no room for error on that throw and Love left none. And when it came to making big throws across the field to keep opponents from jumping his routes or crowding his field of vision, the Lions never stood a chance.
While Goff had been fading, Love has played like a top five quarterback. That’s a tremendously small sample size, but it’s exactly what Green Bay needed. The worst possible outcome for 2023 wasn’t just a losing season; it was having no idea if Love could be a franchise quarterback. He’s shown that in stretches, and even if it doesn’t last it should be enough to sustain hope into 2024.
Best: Kyren Williams, who is so dang explosive
If you give Williams one confident step toward the line of scrimmage, you’re in trouble. The Arizona Cardinals learned this Sunday evening.
WELCOME BACK @Kyrenwilliams23!!!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/Mj3pPIhjbO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2023
Williams, the former fifth round pick, made his return to the lineup after missing more than a month due to injury. He didn’t need much time to demonstrate his importance to the Rams’ offense. He had nearly 200 total yards … in the first three quarters alone.
Mama there goes that man @Kyrenwilliams23 for 56 yards!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/DTvsPG7QDy
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2023
Williams finished his day with 143 rushing yards on 16 carries — a wildly efficient 8.9 yards per run. He also added 61 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air. The Rams are now averaging 29 points per game when he gets at least 14 handoffs and 14.5 when he doesn’t. That big output includes four of Los Angeles’ five wins in 2023 so far.
Best; Adam Trautman's one cheek touchdown
Yep, this ruled:
Adam Trautman doing his best Courtland Sutton impersonation pic.twitter.com/tUvhv80Fss
— Good News Broncos 🫏 (@BadNewsBroncos) November 26, 2023
Worst: Tony Romo, who no longer understands football
Romo was outright torturous calling Sunday evening’s Buffalo Bills-Philadelphia Eagles game. But aside from his typical guttural grunts and “I don’t know”s, he was particularly intolerable when it came to one game-deciding play late in the fourth quarter.
At the Bills’ 41-yard line with 20 seconds left in a 31-28 game Romo advocated that Philly:
a) attempt a fake field goal
b) on fourth-and-17
c) with no timeouts remaining
d) by “sneaking Diggs out there,” referring to wideout Stefon Diggs … who decidedly does not play for the Eagles.
Hearing Romo suggest the Eagles sneak Stefon Diggs on the field for a fake and then watching a 60-yarder get drilled in weather gave me whiplash
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) November 27, 2023
Just a truly stupid turn of a events from an announcer who clearly no longer cares what people think or, indeed, what he sounds like.
