NFL Week 13 Takeaways: is there a new Super Bowl favorite? Texans keep pace
The NFL playoffs are rapidly nearing, and in Week 13, some teams secured crucial victories to strengthen their credentials, while others suffered the sting of crucial defeats
The Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks set the stage for Week 13 of the NFL season with an explosive offensive display on Thursday.
The clash between the Houston Texans and the Denver Broncos on Sunday showcased a stark contrast in performance, with the Texans' defense stealing the show. The Texans and Denver Broncos engaged in an intense battle that persisted until the end, during which Houston's defense became resolute near their own end zone. In a crucial moment, Texans safety Jimmy Ward intercepted Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, solidifying the Texans' win.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions are comfortably on track for the playoffs. Despite watching their 21-0 lead against the New Orleans Saints quickly vanish, they managed to cling on and secure a 33-28 victory, improving their record to 9-3. Still, the lack of scoring for New Orleans raises issues about the Lions’ defense and their ability to compete with the NFC's top teams in the playoffs. The Detroit Lions (9-3) are off to their best start since 1962, igniting a wave of excitement among fans.
When it came to the NFC elite, the San Francisco 49ers showcased their dominance on Sunday, overpowering the Eagles in Philadelphia with a resounding 42-19 victory. Despite being 10-2, the Eagles are barely holding onto the No. 1 seed, while San Francisco's impressive statement puts them at 9-3. The Los Angeles Rams dominated the defense of the Cleveland Browns. During the Sunday night game, the Green Bay Packers successfully pulled off an unexpected win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Conversely, the New York Jets and New England Patriots find themselves in the midst of seasons characterized by defeat. The Jets' defeat against Atlanta at home, with a score of 13-8, may have sealed the fate of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' return this season. At a record of 4-8, the Jets playoff hopes are all but extinguished.
The Patriots, who currently stand at 2-10 and suffered a demoralizing 6-0 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, presently hold the dubious distinction of being the weakest team in the AFC. However, this seemingly bleak situation carries a silver lining, as it potentially positions them as frontrunners to secure one of the highly sought-after top two picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. If they plummet into a franchise-caliber rookie quarterback, it's intriguing to ponder over who will assume the coaching responsibilities for his growth.
The Lions defensive struggles
The Lions defense has been an enduring concern. In comparison to the previous season, they have made marginal improvements in terms of yards and points allowed. During the 2022 season, they allowed an average of 392.4 yards and 25.1 points per game. The statistics for this year include 318.8 yards and 23.5 points.
Detroit faces challenges in the red zone, with opponents scoring touchdowns on 68.8 percent of their possessions inside the 20-yard line, ranking them third worst in the league. Despite those shortcomings this season, Dan Campbell's team has emerged victorious. However, once they reach the postseason, this will likely result in their downfall. Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Dallas all possess formidable offenses and the capability to engage in a high-scoring match against any opponent, and, of equal importance, all three teams have defenses capable of making pivotal plays. The Lions also find themselves near the bottom of the league in terms of takeaways, and consequently, they will probably fall short.
The Lions defense ranks at the bottom of the league in multiple metrics following the Ravens' 38-point performance against them. They must fully commit to stopping the run, consequently surrendering significant yardage on play-action passes. Their offense is as potent as any in the NFL, yet they will need to come out on top in high-scoring matchups against the top contenders. Specifically, that will be the more alarming aspect of their team.
It is of value to point out that the Lions could experience a noteworthy enhancement if C.J. Gardner-Johnson has the potential to recover from his torn pectoral. Despite being a key offseason addition, Gardner-Johnson has been inactive since the second game of the season. Having him return to the defensive side would significantly benefit that group.
The 49ers pummeled the NFC-leading Eagles on Sunday. Are they now Super Bowl favorites?
The 49ers and Eagles have been in contention all season, competing for the accolade of the league's most complete team. On Sunday, San Francisco undeniably made a monumental declaration that they are deserving of that title. While Sunday's game was an impressive display, the 49ers have had their share of lackluster performances. This was the first time we’ve seen the Eagles really not be on their game. We were hoping for a legendary showdown, but this outcome was entirely predictable for me.
Despite their impressive 10-1 record and five-game win streak, the Eagles were bound to have a bad day, given the toll of their last three victories. The recent victories consisted of a hard-fought win over Dallas (28-23), a close battle against the Chiefs (21-17), and another intense fight with the Bills (37-34) that required late-game comebacks. If the Eagles and 49ers squared off three additional times, there's a strong possibility we'd have a 2-2 series tie. I'm eager to see how the Eagles will react to this loss when they face the Cowboys again next week, and I'm already praying for an NFC championship rematch.
There is no presumptive Super Bowl favorite, as the game indicated. The 49ers might be playing the best football in the league right now, but they have to keep it up to truly be considered the best. We will learn a great deal about the 49ers from their Christmas game against the Ravens. As of now, their number of wins is the same as the Lions and Cowboys in the NFC, and they have one less victory than the Eagles. It's safe to say that San Francisco is the best team in the league right now.
Are the Texans on pace to make the playoffs?
Houston's unexpected success this season surprised both insiders and outsiders. This year was meant to be full of challenges and learning experiences. This squad has been completely transformed into a legitimate force by Ryans.
I'll be shocked if the Texans don't make the playoffs. The remaining schedule favors them, Stroud keeps getting better, and the Texans are gaining momentum. Demeco Ryans has done an outstanding job transforming a 3-13 team and is a strong contender for coach of the year. This team is firing on all cylinders every week. If they make the playoffs, this well-rounded team could make waves because of their improved defense.
The most productive day of their young careers was achieved by both Will Anderson and Derek Stingley in a crucial win over the Broncos this week. Houston's defense was greatly boosted by Anderson, the third overall pick in this year's draft, who managed to sack the opposing team's quarterback twice throughout the game. Stingley, who was chosen as the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, displayed his remarkable skills by securing two exceptional interceptions, extending his streak of consecutive games with a pick to three.
Tyreek Hill is making history, but can he win the MVP?
It seems quite unbelievable that a player other than a quarterback could win the MVP award. In any other year, voters and the public would hardly consider or pay attention to the idea. However, as I'm sure you've noticed, this football season is far from typical, isn't it?
In a period where no quarterback has managed to distinguish themselves, and even the most skilled passers have faced difficulties at some point, there is one player in the league who stands out as the most unstoppable playmaker, making the strongest case for non-quarterbacks since Adrian Peterson. Considering his exceptional performances, it is difficult to understand why Tyreek Hill is not considered the league's most valuable player.
Once again, the superstar receiver showcased his exceptional skills and dominated the field as the Dolphins easily defeated the Commanders this week. In a performance reminiscent of Randy Moss, he recorded an impressive five catches for 157 yards and scored two touchdowns. Hill's impressive season continues as he reaches over 140 yards for the sixth time, establishing his steady greatness.
This latest mind-blowing performance pushes his total yards to an astonishing 1,481 in just 12 games. Put simply, if a player is currently averaging 123.4 yards per game, they only require 519 yards in their next five games to become the first receiver in NFL history to achieve the 2,000-yard milestone. In all honesty, it seems like there's no escaping it.
Hill's candidacy isn't solely reliant on individual figures, either. His exceptional skill set is the secret ingredient for one of the league's most potent offenses and a Dolphins team poised for a successful playoff run. While Tua Tagovailoa thrives this season, there is one player on that offense who stands out as the most valuable and irreplaceable.
Hill's pursuit of the MVP might only be hindered if Dak Prescott maintains his record pace and leads the Cowboys to victory over the Eagles for the NFC East title.
Even then, what do receivers have to do to get some love? If a season of 2,000 yards isn't sufficient, it may be necessary to reimagine these awards and discard the "value" criteria that are only attributed to one position.
Monday Night Football Preview
Bengals vs. Jaguars
You won't catch me trying to pass this off as a captivating game. The Bengals still possess an abundance of star players on offense and defense; however, the absence of Joe Burrow has altered the dynamic. There's no justification to believe this will be a productive offense with Jake Browning as the quarterback, and Cincinnati will presumably drop out of the playoff hunt. In the meantime, the Jaguars have surreptitiously been assembling all the pieces following a vexing beginning to the season. The offense is ultimately discovering methods to optimize Calvin Ridley's potential, consequently leading to Trevor Lawrence's flourishing. The Jaguars should also aim to generate momentum for their struggling ground game against the Bengals' 29th-ranked run defense. Regardless, this game shouldn't be tightly contested unless Jake Browning taps into his inner Joe Burrow and Mixon delivers an exceptional game.
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Another great one! I hate that the Eagles lost. Jalen Hurts also had a big game, just couldn't clutch up like he always does. And...
It was a series of tough games for the Eagles, they were bound to have a game when they weren't up to par.