NFL Week 13: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game
Week 13of the NFL season began Thanksgiving Day, as the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys sent their fans home happy with victories before the Green Bay Packers joined them in the win column against the Miami Dolphins in the final game of the annual holiday showcases. The Lions took down the Chicago Bears thanks to some truly puzzling clock management by Chicago, while the Cowboys used their defense to outlast the struggling New York Giants.
On Black Friday, the Las Vegas Raiders nearly pulled off a stunning upset against the Kansas City Chiefs before a heartbreaking fumble.
Sunday, quarterback Anthony Richardson lifted the Indianapolis Colts past the New England Patriots, and the Pittsburgh Steelers handled the Cincinnati Bengals.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let's get to it.
Jump to:br/>LAC-ATL|IND-NE|ARI-MINbr/>PIT-CIN|MIA-GB| NYG-DALbr/>CHI-DET|LV-KC
Pittsburgh 44, Cincinnati 38
Steelers
Did the Steelers fix their offensive woes? After weeks of a boom-or-bust offense quarterbacked by Russell Wilson, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith opted for a safer, more efficient scheme predicated on establishing the run and a quick passing game. And it worked. With well-executed screens and early Najee Harris touches -- plus a handful of Wilson's moon balls -- the Steelers found an offensive balance that had long escaped them. But will it stick? Next week's rematch with the Browns -- who held the Steelers to 19 points in Week 12 -- will be a crucial measuring stick.
What we learned about the QB today: Wilson can adjust to the game plan. He wants to air it out, but he averaged 3.2 air yards per attempt in the first half. Of his 257 first-half passing yards, 191 were picked up by receivers after the catch. Part of Wilson's undoing in Denver was deviating from the game plan, but he showed Sunday that he can stay on schedule.
Describe the game in two words: All gas. Not only did the offense move the ball at will, but the Steelers defense forced three turnovers, including a fourth-quarter scoop-and-score by second-year pass rusher Nick Herbig. -- Brooke Pryor
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bengals
Is it time to shift to developmental mode? Fire up those mock drafts! At 4-8, the Bengals' playoff hopes are at 4.9%, according to ESPN's FPI. And after quarterback Joe Burrow said he didn't want to consider the outlook for 2025 and beyond until later in the season, that might be the best use of the team's time for the remaining five games of the regular season. Sunday's loss punctuates a disappointing year for a team that started the season with Super Bowl aspirations.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Zone defense. The Bengals had no answer for Wilson, which is not something that has been said often this season. At one point, Wilson was 22-of-25 passing for 312 yards and three touchdowns against zone coverage. There will be a lot of soul searching for Cincinnati's defense the rest of the way.
What we learned about the QB today: As things currently stand, the Bengals aren't constructed well enough around Burrow, who has had the best season of his career. The offense just couldn't keep pace with a defense that was torched too often, which has been the case throughout the year. Cincinnati has to take a hard look at its roster, at minimum, if it wants to maximize Burrow's championship window. -- Ben Baby
Next game: at Cowboys (Monday, Dec. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Minnesota 23, Arizona 22
Vikings
What happened to the Vikings offense? Minnesota didn't cross the 100-yard mark on offense until late in the third quarter and finished with 272 yards, its second-lowest total of the season. But quarterback Sam Darnold caught fire in the fourth quarter, and he threw the first go-ahead touchdown pass in the final two minutes of a game in his career. All told, the Vikings scored 17 points in the final 16:17 of the game.
Describe the game in two words: Stepped up. That's what the Vikings' defense did after appearing to be worn down by the methodical Cardinals offense. Despite being on the field for a whopping 76 plays Sunday, they held Arizona without a net yard or a first down on its final possession.
Most surprising performance: Running back Aaron Jones fumbled twice, losing one, and also dropped a sure touchdown pass in the fourth quarter before catching the go-ahead score with 1:13 remaining. Usually reliable, Jones has now tied his career record for most fumbles (five) and most fumbles lost (three) in a full season. -- Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What cost Cardinals Sunday after giving up a 13-point lead? Sunday would've been a proverbial walk in the park for the Cardinals had they been able to score a touchdown on any of their three trips to the red zone in the first half. Arizona kicked field goals from the 13-yard-line twice and from the 6-yard-line once. Its three-point halftime lead could have been by seven or 14 points had it converted one or two of those trips into touchdowns.
Early prediction for next week: Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will parlay his 60-yard, one-touchdown afternoon this Sunday into his third 100-yard game of the season. He is due for another one and showed again versus the Vikings that he can make the big plays, securing the seventh touchdown catch of his career.
Most surprising performance:Tight endTrey McBride. He caught all 12 of his targets for 96 yards, tying his third-best game of the season. But he continued to prove he is an elite playmaker for Arizona, with seven of his catches going for first downs. -- Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Indianapolis 25, New England 24
Colts
What does coach Shane Steichen's 2-point decision say about the season? Steichen's decision to go for two points following what could have been a game-tying extra point suggests he knows the Colts have no margin for error as they chase a postseason berth. Indianapolis entered the game with a 25% shot at making the playoffs, per ESPN Analytics, and risking a loss in overtime -- with a defense that had been a traffic cone all day -- could have been risky. Steichen is an aggressive coach, but this might have been the most aggressive call he has made in two seasons. The Colts' playoff hopes improved to 31% with the win.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Colts needed to be more aggressive on defense. Patriots rookie quarterbackDrake Maye showed the discipline required to take the quick, short passes against the Colts' zone coverage. New England did not punt until 5:43 remained in the game, and the Colts also made infrequent use of blitzes, which creates other questions.
What we learned about the QB today: Anthony Richardson has shown in two of his past three games that he can show up big in the fourth quarter. He has now led game-winning drives against the Jets and Patriots. And in both of those games, his powerful running was a factor -- a game-winning TD run against New York and a two-point conversion run against New England. -- Stephen Holder
Next game: at Broncos (Dec. 15, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Patriots
Did the Patriots squander their best chance to win a game the rest of the season? This is a heartbreaking result for the Patriots, who had a chance to match last season's win total (four) and instead couldn't stop the Colts on a 19-play drive that resulted in a game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion with 12 seconds remaining. Now they go into their bye before road games against the Cardinals and Bills. Then, they have home games against the Chargers and Bills. So yes, this was absolutely their most winnable game the rest of the way.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Red-zone offense. The Patriots scored just two touchdowns in six trips inside the 20-yard line, which included an interception when a tight-window goal-line throw bounced off of veteran tight end Hunter Henry. Joey Slye also missed a 25-yard field goal.
Eye-popping stat: Drake Maye's 41-yard run in the first quarter is the second longest by a Patriots quarterback over the past 25 seasons, trailing only Cam Newton's 49-yard run against the Jets in Week 17 of 2021. He reached a speed of 19.4 mph, per NFL Next Gen Stats, which is his second-fastest scramble this season. -- Mike Reiss
Next game: at Cardinals (Dec. 15, 4:25 p.m. ET)
L.A. Chargers 17, Atlanta 13
Chargers
Should the Chargers be concerned about their offensive line? Entering Sunday, Atlanta's 10 sacks were seven fewer than the next closest team (the Panthers). But against the Chargers, the Falcons dominated the Chargers offensive line, sacking quarterbackJustin Herbert five times. That's the second-most sacks he's taken in a game this season. Herbert has been sacked nine times over the past two games, which is a point of concern for Los Angeles as it tries to make a push in the AFC playoffs.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Rushing offense. With running back J.K. Dobbins(MCL sprain) on injured reserve, the Chargers rushing offense stalled and was ineffective Sunday. Running backs Gus Edwards and Kimani Vidal combined for just 52 yards, and Hassan Haskins fumbled on his only carry of the game.
Most surprising performance: Cornerback Tarheeb Still. The fifth-round rookie finished with two interceptions, including one he returned for a 61-yard touchdown. Still became the first Chargers rookie with multiple interceptions in a game since cornerback John Hendy, who did it in 1985. He has three interceptions this season. -- Kris Rhim
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Falcons
Can quarterbackKirk Cousins rebound from three straight poor performances to lead the Falcons to the playoffs?Atlanta went into its bye worried about a defense that gave up 38 points to the Broncos in Week 11. Now, the big concern is at quarterback. Cousins had four interceptions Sunday -- his most in 10 years -- and has not thrown a touchdown pass since Week 9. The NFC South title that once seemed like a lock could slip away. Cousins and the Falcons coaching staff need to figure out what's going wrong before it's too late.
Most surprising performance: The Falcons' pass rush, the worst in the NFL, came to play Sunday. Atlanta had five sacks, its most since Week 16 of 2023. It came into the game with a league-worst 10 sacks and had a combined five in their past six games. LinebackerArnold Ebiketie had a breakout game with a pair of sacks.
Biggest hole in the game plan: It was a main point during the bye week that the Falcons become more efficient in the red zone. That did not come to fruition. Atlanta was 1-of-4 inside the 20, including a missed field goal by Younghoe Kooand a costly fourth-quarter interception by Cousins. Koo is now 50% on field goals since Week 7. -- Marc Raimondi
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Kansas City 19, Las Vegas 17
Chiefs
Should the Chiefs be concerned about their inability to finish off the Raiders and (last week) the Panthers?In a word, yes. It's one thing to have to go deep into the fourth quarter to outlast two of the NFL's worst teams. But the Chiefs had sizable leads on both. They led the Raiders by 13 points late in the third quarter, this after holding a 14-point edge against the Panthers in the first half. This doesn't bode well for the playoffs, when the competition gets much tougher.
Early prediction for next week:Newly signed D.J. Humphries will start at left tackle next week against the Chargers. Wanya Morris, who started against the Raiders, played so poorly that he was benched. Rookie Kingsley Suamataia, who began the season as the starting left tackle, isn't an option. He, too, was benched earlier in the season.
Eye-popping stat:Patrick Mahomes' second-quarter touchdown pass to Justin Watson had a completion probability of 26.6%, according to Next Gen Stats. That's his lowest completion probability on a touchdown pass since 2021, a fourth-quarter TD to Darrel Williams in Week 10 against the Raiders (22%). --Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Raiders
Are the Raiders the worst team in football?Not after the scare they threw into the two-time defending Super Bowl champs. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce got tongues wagging when he acknowledged the narrative that the Black Friday game was "the best team in football against the worst team in football." And yes, the Raiders, having lost their eighth straight game, are tied with the Giants for the worst record in the NFL at 2-10. And if you are what your record says you are, well, that should settle the debate, right? Yet, few staffs could win with the Raiders' injury-plagued roster and QB struggles. Las Vegas, heading to Tampa Bay, is playing for more than pride with elite talents in defensive endMaxx Crosby, tight endBrock Bowers and punterAJ Cole.
Describe the game in two words:Not enough. The Chiefs were simply too deep and too good for the weary and injured Raiders, who were game but just did not have enough to pull off a second consecutive holiday week upset in Kansas City.
What we learned about the QB today:Aidan O'Connell is who we thought he was. Making his first appearance since breaking the thumb on his right (passing) hand Oct. 20, O'Connell was comfortable in the pocket and throwing deep but also displayed his trademark lack of mobility. He passed for 340 yards, completing 23 of 35 passes, but took 3 sacks, including one that knocked the Raiders out of field goal range. He outplayed Mahomes, though, on this day. --Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Green Bay 30, Miami 17
Packers
Exactly how good are the Packers? We're about to find out when they go to Detroit to face the NFC North-leading Lions on Thursday night, but the last time the two teams met it was a major mismatch, with the Lions jumping out to a 24-3 lead and never really looking back. Even if the Packers can't catch Detroit or theVikings -- they still have to go to Minnesota in Week 17 -- they look like a dangerous team. This much we know: The NFC North now has three teams with at least nine wins: Detroit (11-1), Minnesota (9-2) and Green Bay (9-3). It's the first division to have three nine-win teams through Week 13 since the AFC East in 1985.
Describe the game in two words: Jacobs again. A week after Josh Jacobs dominated the 49ers on the ground, the running back showed he can do it as a receiver out of the backfield, too. While he was held to 43 yards rushing on 19 carries (with a 1-yard touchdown), he caught four passes for 74 yards -- including a 49-yard catch-and-run on a dump-off pass that wound up as the longest reception of his career. The Packers might keep riding Jacobs as far as he can take them.
What we learned about the QB today: Maybe Jordan Love has fixed his interception issues. It was his second straight game without a pick after throwing at least one in his first eight games of the season, and unlike the previous game against the 49ers when he was nearly picked off several times, this time Love did not put the ball in harm's way. He finished 21-of-28 for 274 yards and two touchdowns. -- Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Lions (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What does this loss do to the Dolphins' playoff chances? It certainly doesn't help, but they're not mathematically out of the running just yet. The goal after a 2-6 start should have been to return to a .500 record as quickly as possible; Miami could still do so with wins against the New York Jets and Houston Texans over the next two weeks. The Dolphins will likely have to win their final three games of the season against the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Jets -- none of whom is playing well. Playoffs are still possible, but this season is on life support.
Describe the game in two words: Wake up. The Dolphins sleepwalked through the first half and were thoroughly beaten down by a Packers team that came ready to play. Miami outscored Green Bay 14-6 in the second half, but it was far too little, far too late.
Eye-popping stat: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Dolphins missed 20 tackles, directly leading to 132 additional yards for Green Bay -- which finished with 388 yards of offense. Miami appeared unwilling to tackle a physical Packers team for most of the game, and it showed on the stat sheet. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Dallas 27, N.Y. Giants 20
Cowboys
Has the Cowboys' defense taken a turn for the better? After a slow start in Mike Zimmer's first year as defensive coordinator, the unit has put together some of its best work recently. The Giants are not exactly the best of measuring sticks, starting their third quarterback of the year, Drew Lock, on Thursday, but there are positive signs. The Cowboys had two more takeaways, including a pick-six by DeMarvion Overshown. After New York gained 70 yards on its first drive, it got just 33 yards on its next 21 plays in the first half. The true test for the defense, however, comes Dec. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
What we learned about the QB today: Four days after an efficient performance against Washington, Cooper Rush was more erratic, especially in the second quarter, when he completed just 5 of 14 passes for 52 yards. He rebounded with a third-quarter touchdown pass, but a lost fumble was overturned because of replay and he had a botched handoff with Rico Dowdle that he was able to recover. But Rush did not give the ball away for a second straight game, which is what matters most to Mike McCarthy.
Most surprising performance: It has been trending in this direction recently, but the Cowboys had their first running back go for more than 100 yards since Week 3 last year asRico Dowdle picked up 112 yards, a career high, on 22 carries. He also scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and had a season-long 22-yard run in the first half. The last time a Cowboys running back went for more than 100 yards was Tony Pollardagainst Arizona in 2023. The 26-game span was the longest 100-yard game drought in franchise history. -- Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Bengals (Monday, Dec. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Giants
How hot is the seat getting for Brian Daboll after seven straight losses and a second straight blowout? Scorching. It doesn't matter if owner John Mara gave him vote of confidence last month. The Giants haven't won since. And they aren't just losing (seven straight now), they're getting embarrassed, this time on national TV. Daboll is running out of excuses. It's no longer Daniel Jones' fault. The results were similar -- or worse -- with Tommy DeVito, and then with Drew Lock in this one. Daboll and the Giants are 8-21 since the start of last season.
What we learned about the QB today: It's not Lock's fault. He made some mistakes, but he also never really stood a chance. Lock took 13 quarterback hits and six sacks while throwing for 172 yards with an interception and a fumble, to go along with 57 rush yards and a touchdown on the ground. The results with Lock looked similar to those with Jones and DeVito. The Giants' problems go well beyond just the quarterback.
Eye-popping stat: 0 INTs in 11 games. The defense's 11 games without a pick sets an NFL record. Its only interception this season came by rookie linebacker Darius Muasau on a tipped ball in Week 1. It's almost hard to imagine that a ball hasn't clanked off a receiver and fallen accidentally into a defensive back's arms this season. -- Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Detroit 23, Chicago 20
Lions
Will the Lions target tight end Sam LaPorta more going forward? It depends on the matchup and situation. With so many offensive weapons in Detroit, it's almost pick your poison. LaPorta didn't reach his second receiving touchdown this season until Week 8 versus the Tennessee Titans. However, he connected with Goff for two touchdowns versus the Bears. LaPorta has 15 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons. That's the most by any tight end over that span, per ESPN Research.
Most surprising performance: The Lions' running game. Thursday was first time this season Detroit failed to score a rushing touchdown. The Lions had scored one in 25 straight games -- including the playoffs -- which is the longest streak in NFL history. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 175 rushing yards against Chicago.
Early prediction for next week: Lions kicker Jake Bates won't miss a field goal. Against the Bears, Bates missed a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter. The Lions had been the only team in the NFL to not miss a field goal this season, as Bates was 19-for-19 to start his career, including game winners at Week 7 in Minnesota and Week 10 at Houston. -- Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Packers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Bears
Can Bears coach Matt Eberflus survive this loss? Eberflus defended the Bears' disastrous clock management that led to their sixth straight loss and solidified his 5-19 record in one-score games, which is the worst by any coach with at least 20 such games in NFL history. Whether it's a tipped Hail Mary, blocked game-winning field goal attempt, losing on a field goal in overtime or letting a timeout go to waste in Detroit, the Bears continue to find confounding ways to get beaten. Late-game decisions continue to squander quarterback Caleb Williams' efforts to put his team in position to win, which ultimately falls on the head coach. (Note: Eberflus was fired Friday, with offensive coordinator Thomas Brown elevated to interim head coach).
Describe the game in two words: Furious comeback. The Bears turned a first-half shutout and 16-point deficit into a three-point game that they were in position to tie or win outright in the final 36 seconds. Williams led the Bears on three touchdown drives in the second half as the Chicago defense held the Lions to one touchdown after allowing nearly 6 yards per play in the first half.
What we learned about the QB today:In the second half, Williams converted in nearly every category he struggled with in the first half. He was 8-for-11 on passes outside of the numbers (0-for-7 in first half), 4-for-7 on passes with at least 15 air yards (0-for-6 in first half), 5-for-8 on third down (0-for-6) and 3-for-5 on throws when pressured (0-for-3). The quarterback set a single-season rookie franchise record at 15 touchdown passes. -- Courtney Cronin
