By Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Michael Silver
Each Sunday, three of The Athletic’s NFL writers react to the biggest news, plays and performances from the day’s games.
Sunday was shaping up to be an epic day for the underdogs when the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants all took first-half leads of at least 7 points. All three lost, as the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Detroit Lions (in overtime) got things back on track. Another favorite, the Kansas City Chiefs, came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to knock off the Indianapolis Colts, also in overtime.
But that was all a precursor to the day’s most shocking result — the Philadelphia Eagles blowing a 21-point lead in Dallas in a 24-21 loss to the Cowboys.
NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Michael Silver share their thoughts on a Week 12 in which the the playoff picture got further muddled and the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft remained too close to call.
Which is the real Eagles offense, the one that started with three long touchdown drives, or the one that did virtually nothing after that? Is it panic time yet?
Nguyen: Both halves perfectly represent this offense. The Eagles can be explosive, and they can struggle greatly. Their running game isn’t dynamic and their offensive line isn’t getting the push it used to, with mounting injuries a big reason why. The Eagles used to hit explosive runs when teams crowded the line of scrimmage but they haven’t this season (ranking 17th in explosive rush rate).
Jalen Hurts has always had shortcomings as a passer, but they are magnified in Kevin Patullo’s unimaginative offense. Hurts particularly struggles against zone, and the Cowboys run zone at one of the highest rates in the league. Philly’s line still is a top-tier protection unit, but Hurts isn’t willing to fire passes in tight windows over the middle so he ends up holding the ball for too long.
I’m not sure there is an answer. They may have to win games with defense.
Silver: Those are very valid questions, and while I think “panic” is a little strong, the defending champs have issues on offense. A.J. Brown told us that earlier this month, after which our colleague Dianna Russini did excellent reporting on the disconnect between some of the Eagles’ skill players (including Brown) and Hurts. As Brown said, he and his offensive teammates “can’t just keep slapping a Band-Aid” on their struggles.
Because Vic Fangio is one of the great defensive coordinators in NFL history, the Eagles should be competitive against any potential playoff opponent. However, the offense isn’t close to postseason-ready, and the clock is ticking.
Jones: Both! The Eagles’ offense is both electric and erratic. Dangerous and disjointed. We’ve seen it all season, and these recurring inconsistencies really cost them in Dallas. As far as panic time? Well … Eagles fans have been in panic mode for much of the season. Is there anything Nick Sirianni can do to quickly turn things around? One of the biggest problems is the offensive line is no longer as effective as it once was, and there aren’t any reinforcements coming.
Sirianni and his staff must find a way to mask deficiencies and attack with greater balance, which would also help improve the offense. Fortunately for the Eagles, every team out there has warts, so they still have a good chance to win the NFC East and make a deep playoff run.
What were your initial impressions from Shedeur Sanders’ first start, a 24-10 Browns win in Las Vegas? Were you intrigued enough to want to see more?
Jones: Absolutely want to see more. Sanders can thank a smothering defense anchored by Myles Garrett (three sacks) for the assist, but he had bright spots and is the first Browns rookie quarterback in 30 years to win his starting debut. He got rid of the ball at a good pace. Other times, he used his legs to extend plays and made nice throws on the run.
In a sign of growth from last week’s relief action, he did a better job of stepping up into the pocket rather than drifting back to avoid pressure and getting himself into trouble.
Was he perfect? No. He’s a rookie. He wasn’t supposed to be. But he was indeed solid.
Silver: The kid has poise and presence. That can’t be denied. I don’t know how advanced he is in his development, or whether the breezy self-assurance that seemed to turn off most of the league’s coaches and talent evaluators before the draft will be an impediment, but he seems to be a gamer who rises to the moment.
His first career touchdown throw was a swing pass to running back Dylan Sampson, who raced 66 yards to the end zone. Conversely, Sanders scrambled to his right earlier and uncorked a deep ball to Isaiah Bond for 52 yards, the Browns’ longest pass play of the season, but ended just short of the goal line. He also hit Jerry Jeudy on a 39-yard strike, but the receiver fumbled away the ball.
Yes, Sanders also threw a pick, as many rookies making their first start do. He’s not perfect. But, hell yes, give me more.
Nguyen: While it was an improvement from last week, it was below average. He had a couple of nice out-of-structure plays but he was nearly picked off another two times and only completed 55 percent. His one touchdown pass was a screen that went for 66 yards. Still, he was better than fellow Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel has been.
The thing with Sanders is everything is magnified. If he does something bad, his critics will say it’s the worst thing they have ever seen, and when he does something good, his fans will overhype it. Again, he played below average, but due to the Browns’ fantastic defense they beat the reeling Raiders. I do think he should get another chance, because Gabriel has been awful.
The NFC North is now a three-team race. Rank the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers and the Lions after what you saw in Week 12.
Jones: 1. Packers: A top-10 defense with an ability to harass the quarterback, force takeaways and get off the field on third downs. A balanced offense with a sharp and creative, detail-oriented coach, a talented quarterback and great running back depth. In December, January and February, you have to be able to run the football.
2. Lions: Plenty of talent to go around on offense and defense, but some inconsistencies cause this team to struggle more than it should. I’m not sold on Dan Campbell the play caller, but I do believe in Dan Campbell the leader of men.
3. Chicago Bears: A young team that continues to show it’s learning how to win games and get the job done in the clutch. Another balanced offense, and an improving QB who is spreading the ball around to a wide cast of weapons. I just wonder about its lack of experience when it comes to the postseason.
Micah Parsons and the Packers remain in the thick of the NFC North race. (Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
Silver: 1. Lions: With that offensive line — and with an abundance of difference-makers on both sides of the ball (not to mention Jake Bates’ clutch 59-yard field goal at the end of regulation) — Detroit still looks to me like the division’s most dangerous team. Though it came perilously close to suffering a bad loss to the Giants at home, the stars (including QB Jared Goff in a bounce-back performance, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and, of course, RB Jahmyr Gibbs) took over when it mattered most. Campbell as the offensive play caller wasn’t something I had on my list of plausible developments during his notorious “bite a kneecap” introductory news conference, but it’s working.
2. Packers: Their defense will keep them in most games, and the offense should improve as the games get bigger. For all the public questioning of Matt LaFleur’s job security, he has a penchant for getting hot as a play caller and staying in that zone for an extended period. And Sunday proved that RB Emanuel Wilson is a capable stand-in for Josh Jacobs. Having both backs healthy down the stretch would be a luxury.
3. Bears: I know they’re 8-3 and have won four in a row and eight of nine, but I’m still not buying that they’re a true contender. Sunday’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was Chicago’s first against a team that currently has a winning record, and the Bears were lucky to avoid facing the injured Aaron Rodgers. That said, give rookie coach Ben Johnson and his players a ton of credit for injecting themselves into the mix. Their next two games (at Philadelphia Eagles, at Packers) will be illuminating.
Nguyen: 1. Lions: Though the loss of Johnson is definitely being felt, this is still an elite offense with big-play ability. The defense had a bad showing against the Giants, but once it gets healthy, it has the potential to be a top-10 unit.
2. Packers: The offense is going to struggle all year with its offensive line injuries, but I trust LaFleur to find a way to get it to baseline. With an elite defense and pass rush, this will be a tough team to beat late in the year. And with all its issues, it is 7-3-1.
3. Bears: Johnson and Caleb Williams have this offense playing fantastically. There’s a boom-or-bust element to the offense because Johnson is an aggressive play caller and Williams will still have an occasional negative play, but they’re putting points on the board. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is doing all he can, but the lack of talent and injuries on that side of the ball are hard to overcome.
Did the Chiefs save their season by erasing a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Colts in overtime?
Nguyen: At 5-6, it would have been difficult to climb into the playoffs. A win against one of the top teams in the AFC not only gets them closer but is also a huge psychological boost. DC Steve Spagnuolo and the defense were fantastic Sunday. They bottled up Jonathan Taylor, and every throw was contested. Spags dialed up blitzes in the money situations, and Colts QB Daniel Jones never looked comfortable. These are the games the Chiefs won over and over again on the way to last season’s Super Bowl. They still have too many miscues on offense to feel comfortable, though. The good news for the Chiefs is they’re moving the ball at ease; they just have to finish drives.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs got a crucial overtime win over Daniel Jones and the Colts on Sunday. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
Jones: I won’t declare their season saved just yet, but this was certainly a game they had to have. Still, the 6-5 Chiefs aren’t out of the woods. They still have a handful of teams ahead of them in the race for the final playoff spot. But they kept hope alive. It’s hard to bet against Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Spagnoulo, and they showed why Sunday as they beat a very good Colts team. We’ll see if they can use this game to spark some momentum as they prepare for a stretch run that includes upcoming games against the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. Nothing comes easily for this Chiefs team, but they are indeed battle-tested. They’ll need more heroics from Mahomes like we saw Sunday, and they’ll also need continued robust efforts from a defense that held the league’s leading rusher to just 58 yards and Jones to just 181 passing yards. A lot has to bounce the right way for a team that was winless in one-score games this season until Sunday. But it’s not out of this thing yet.
Silver: Realistically, yes. Sure, the Chiefs still would have had a mathematical shot of sneaking into the playoffs had they lost to the Colts, and I’d never put anything past Mahomes. However, the margin for error would have been thin, especially given previous defeats to the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars (which can hurt them in tiebreaker scenarios). Now? Well, Kansas City will still have to play at a high level from here on out to make the postseason, but it feels plausible. It’s 6-5, with games remaining against the Cowboys, Texans, Tennessee Titans and all three AFC West foes. Given everything I’ve seen over the previous seven seasons, expect Mahomes to start doing Mahomes things — and to give K.C. a legitimate shot of reaching the Super Bowl again.
Is Jahmyr Gibbs the best running back in the NFL?
Silver: On a day when legitimate MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor wasn’t particularly impressive (16 carries, 58 yards, no TDs against the Chiefs), it’s fair to at least ponder this question. Gibbs’ unmatched explosiveness is a constant threat for the Lions, and it proved to be game-turning when he ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime against the Giants. The fact that he plays with a potent QB in Goff and behind the league’s best offensive line makes Gibbs a constant menace. It makes you wonder how productive he could be if he were on the field more, but the use of thumper David Montgomery as a complementary rushing threat has been part of the Lions’ winning formula.
Jahmyr Gibbs’ latest heroics lifted the Lions past the Giants in overtime. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
Jones: Taylor would have something to say about that claim, and I would agree with him. Yes, Gibbs is dynamic and well-rounded. But Taylor is just on another level. He’s his team’s workhorse back, not on a timeshare like Gibbs. Taylor leads the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and he isn’t too shabby as a pass catcher, either.
Nguyen: Gibbs quietly had one of the most efficient seasons of all time last season. His 0.14 expected points added (EPA) per rush last season was the best we’ve seen in a decade. This season, he’s at 0.11 while carrying a larger load. That’s better than Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry’s EPA per rush last season. As a pure runner, there’s just no one better than Gibbs, who effortlessly ran through the Giants’ defense like butter. He’s also exceptional as a pass catcher. The biggest weakness in his game is his pass blocking. Some teams will blitz to keep him from running routes, and he can struggle to hold up in protection. But he’s been so good in every other area of the game that he deserves the RB1 crown. Taylor is obviously the other back in consideration, but Gibbs’ efficiency gives him the edge for me.
The Patriots (10-2) and Denver Broncos (9-2) lead the way in the AFC, with the Colts at 8-3. Who will be the No. 1 seed?
Nguyen: The Colts don’t have the easiest remaining schedule, which includes two games each against the Texans and Jaguars. I like where they are defensively with cornerback Charvarius Ward back in the lineup. With Ward and Sauce Gardner, this defense is going to level up significantly. The offense has had some issues in recent weeks, but it’ll likely get back on track. The Patriots also have a great shot at finishing with the No. 1 seed with a favorable remaining schedule.
Silver: The Chiefs, obviously. (Yes, that’s a joke, but I’m pretty sure the Chiefs aren’t too worried about their playoff seed, as long as they get in.) On paper, the Patriots have a reasonably favorable path, but that knee injury rookie left tackle Will Campbell suffered in Sunday’s win over the Bengals is potentially concerning. Like the Pats, the Broncos (who had a bye this week) are on a heater, with eight consecutive victories. They have a tough stretch to close the season — their final four opponents include the Packers, Jags, Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers — yet that devastating defense is capable of shutting down anyone. Assuming second-year QB Bo Nix can elevate his game even a little, Denver is my pick.
Jones: I’m going with the Patriots. The Broncos have the better defense, but the Patriots are more balanced while boasting a top-10 offense, a top-10 defense, a special teams unit that has delivered multiple big plays, and a favorable schedule (Giants, bye, Bills, Ravens, Jets, Miami Dolphins) that should enable them to protect their edge over Denver, whose offense has some inconsistencies that give me pause.