Week 12 of the 2018 NFL season was as impactful as it was
unpredictable. Teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos saved
their respective seasons with huge wins, while teams like the Jacksonville
Jaguars and New York Jets had their dwindling playoff hopes dashed.
We also saw rookie quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen
and Lamar Jackson lead their teams to victories, while longtime veteran Philip
Rivers tied an NFL record. The New Orleans Saints kept rolling, and the
Cleveland Browns snapped another dubious losing streak.
How did we grade your favorite team's Week 12 performance?
Let's take a look.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Week 12 Opponent: Denver Broncos
Result: Lost 24-17
Plenty of fans will blame this loss on Ben Roethlisberger.
He uncorked the pass that was picked off at the end of the game and tossed
another interception that led to a Broncos touchdown.
However, James Conner and Xavier Grimble both lost
fumbles—Grimble's went through the end zone and erased a scoring
opportunity—and the defense couldn't get key stops. Chris Boswell had a field
goal blocked on Pittsburgh's opening drive as well.
When five of your 11 possessions result in four turnovers
and a missed kick, it's hard to win on the road, something the Steelers
struggle with anyway. Yes, Roethlisberger was responsible for two turnovers,
but he was also responsible for the 462 yards passing that kept Pittsburgh in
the game.
Pittsburgh needs to figure out how to play more consistently
on the road. Losing this game dropped the Steelers out of the No. 2 seed in the
AFC, which means much of the postseason could be on the road.
Week 12 Grade: C-
Season Grade: A
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Week 12 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Result: Lost 45-10
For a quarter, it looked like the Arizona Cardinals just
might be able to upset the Los Angeles Chargers. The offense engineered two
long scoring drives, the defense forced a three-and-out, and the Cardinals took
a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.
After that, though, it's almost like the Cardinals
remembered that they're supposed to be bad. They didn't score again and
stumbled to what ultimately was an embarrassing performance.
Arizona produced just 149 yards of net offense in the game—and
only 25 yards in the second half. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen passed for a
mere 105 yards, and the Cardinals had just one second-half first down.
This was a blowout loss in every sense of the term, and it
leaves Arizona with nothing positive to build on heading into next week's game
against the Green Bay Packers.
Week 12 Grade: F
Season Grade: D-
ATLANTA FALCONS
Week 12 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
Result: Lost 31-17
After battling back from a poor start to the season to reach
.500, the Atlanta Falcons have now lost three in a row and are slipping out of
the playoff picture. Thursday night's loss to the New Orleans Saints wasn't
shocking because the Saints have been rolling, but it was disheartening if
you're a Falcons fan.
When Matt Ryan passes
for 377 yards and Julio Jones has
147 receiving yards, you would expect Atlanta to put up more than 17 points.
Unfortunately, mistakes and an inability to run the
ball—Ryan led the team with 16 yards—prevented the Falcons from keeping things
close against New Orleans. Ryan, Jones and Calvin Ridley all lost fumbles and
Ryan threw an interception.
Teams simply cannot play sloppy games and hope to knock off
the Saints this season. Atlanta couldn't play a clean enough game, and it
dropped to 4-7 as a result.
Week 12 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Week 12 Opponent: Oakland Raiders
Result: Won 34-17
The Baltimore Ravens have a legitimate quarterback
controversy on their hands. Rookie Lamar Jackson made his second consecutive
start in place of an injured Joe Flacco. While he wasn't perfect, he did more
than enough to get the win.
Jackson finished 14-of-25 for 178 yards with a touchdown and
two interceptions. He also added 78 yards on the ground. The game was close
early, but the defense stiffened in the second half and helped hand Baltimore
an easy win.
While Jackson still has some growing to do as a pocket passer,
opposing defenses have to respect his arm strength, accuracy and mobility. This
opens up the run game—Gus Edwards had his second consecutive 100-yard game—and
keeps defenses off-balance.
Jackson is only going to get tougher to defend as he
continues to adapt to the speed and nuances of the NFL. The Ravens have to
decide if they should let him finish out the year to speed up that process. As
long as he is playing well enough to keep delivering wins, Baltimore may be
able to develop Jackson and reach the postseason.
Week 12 Grade: B+
Season Grade: C+
BUFFALO BILLS
Week 12 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
Result: Won 24-21
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey isn't a fan of
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
"He's trash," Ramsey said during his now-famous GQ interview. "And it's
gonna show too. That's a stupid draft pick to me."
There was no love lost during the Bills and Jaguars game
Sunday, that's for sure. There were several confrontations during the game, and
one scuffle resulted in both Leonard Fournette and Shaq Lawson getting ejected.
Allen wasn't brilliant, but he used his running ability (99
rushing yards) and made a couple of big throws—including a 75-yard touchdown
strike. That proved to be enough to get the win.
LeSean McCoy chipped in with 46 rushing yards, the defense
picked off Blake Bortles twice, and Bills out-punched the Jaguars in a
slugfest.
Week 12 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C-
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Week 11 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Result: Lost 30-27
Fantasy owners who started Christian McCaffrey had to be
happy with the Carolina Panthers' performance on Sunday. Panthers fans? Not so
much.
McCaffrey racked up 237 yards from scrimmage and two
touchdowns. He also helped Carolina take a seven-point lead with just under
seven minutes remaining in regulation. But the Panthers defense couldn't
stop Russell
Wilson from making fourth-quarter magic, and the Seattle
Seahawks scored 10 unanswered in that span.
The Panthers struggled to stop Wilson all game, and he
finished with 339 yards passing and two touchdowns. Just one stop late in the
fourth would have delivered a win.
Graham Gano also pushed a 52-yard field-goal attempt wide
right in between those two Seahawks scores. That was one of several missed
opportunities that ultimately doomed Carolina. Cam Newton tossed a
red-zone interception, and the Panthers were stopped on an early fourth-down
attempt from the Seattle 5-yard line.
Week 12 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C
CHICAGO BEARS
Week 12 Opponent: Detroit Lions
Result: Won 23-16
The Chicago Bears deserve a ton of credit for pulling out
the Thanksgiving win against the Detroit Lions. They were playing on an
extremely short week—from Sunday night to Thursday afternoon—and without
starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
While Chase Daniel didn't bring the running ability Trubisky
possesses, he was able to operate Matt Nagy's offense in nearly its full form.
He finished the game 27-of-37 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. However, with
Daniel in, the Lions were able to focus on shutting down the run. Chicago
finished with just 38 yards on the ground.
Unsurprisingly, it was Chicago's defense that put this one
away by grabbing interceptions on Detroit's final two possessions—one of which
was returned for a touchdown.
This had all the makings of a trap game, and the Bears
avoided it. They're now 8-3 and in control of the NFC North.
Week 12 Grade: B
Season Grade: B+
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Week 12 Opponent: Cleveland Browns
Result: Lost 35-20
Credit the Cincinnati Bengals for continuing to fight with a
backup quarterback and after getting down big early. After being down 28-7 at
halftime, backup quarterback Jeff Driskel and the Cincinnati defense got the
Bengals back into the game.
Unfortunately, you can't give Cincinnati credit for much
else in this game. The defense allowed rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield to
slice it apart early, Andy Dalton threw
an interception that led to a Browns touchdown, and the Bengals found themselves
in a 28-7 halftime hole.
Mayfield finished with 258 yards and four touchdowns. Dalton
left the game with an injured thumb,
which is why Driskel took over.
Cincinnati scored two second-half touchdowns to at least
pull within striking distance, and the defense held up once the Browns went
into conservative mode, but the Bengals never really had a chance. Racking up
13 penalties over the course of the game didn't help matters.
Week 12 Grade: F
Season Grade: C-
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Week 12 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Result: Won 35-20
It's steadily becoming safer to say that the Cleveland
Browns have found their franchise quarterback in Baker Mayfield. The former No.
1 overall pick shined again against Cincinnati, passing for 258 yards with four
touchdowns and no turnovers.
Mayfield has been tremendous in his last two games, and a
lot of that has to do with the play-calling of new offensive coordinator
Freddie Kitchens. The Browns opened up their offense early against Cincinnati,
racking up 245 passing yards and 296 total yards in the first half.
If we were only grading Cleveland's first half, we'd happily
give a perfect score. However, the Browns went ultra-conservative in the second
half, attempting just four passes and gaining a mere five first downs. This
placed a ton of pressure on the defense and gave Cincinnati a chance to get
back in the game.
Taking the ball out of Mayfield's hands was a mistake, but
the defense played well enough to avoid blowing a huge lead. Cleveland still
won by 15 and snapped a 25-game road losing streak. At 4-6-1, the Browns are on
the periphery of the playoff picture.
Week 12 Grade: A-
Season Grade: C
DALLAS COWBOYS
Week 12 Opponent: Washington Redskins
Result: Won 31-23
Plenty of people—myself included—believed the Dallas Cowboys
overpaid by giving up a first-round pick for wideout Amari Cooper. Well, Cooper
showed just what kind of game-breaker he can be against the Washington
Redskins. If he can add such a different dimension to the Dallas offense on a
consistent basis, then he'll be worth the price.
Cooper finished with 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
He added a quick-strike component to the offense and ensured Washington
couldn't key in on Ezekiel Elliott and the ground game.
Dallas racked up 404 yards of offense as a team, which
proved to be more than enough to knock off the Redskins. This is largely
because the defensive front seven had its way with Washington's banged-up
offensive line.
The Cowboys defense held Adrian Peterson to
just 35 rushing yards and made Colt McCoy look like
the backup quarterback he is.
Week 12 Grade: B+
Season Grade: B-
DENVER BRONCOS
Week 12 Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Result: Won 24-17
"I have the best hands on the team," Broncos
defensive lineman Shelby Harris joked following his team's win over the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
There's little arguing his late-game interception of Roethlisberger
wasn’t the biggest play of Sunday's game.
With just over a minute remaining and with the Steelers
facing third down from the Denver 2-yard line, Roethlisberger forced a pass
that Harris snagged while backing away from the line of scrimmage. That big
play sealed a game that had more than a few.
The Denver defense picked off Roethlisberger twice and
totaled four turnovers. Phillip Lindsay rumbled for 110 yards rushing, and Case
Keenum threw for an efficient 197 yards and two touchdowns. This was a
back-and-forth game with plenty of momentum changes. The Broncos got the last
and the biggest, and they remain in the playoff hunt because of it.
Week 12 Grade: B
Season Grade: C
DETROIT LIONS
Week 12 Opponent: Chicago Bears
Result: Lost 23-16
The Lions were not in an ideal situation against the rival
Bears on Thanksgiving. They were without running back Kerryon Johnson and wide
receiver Marvin Jones Jr., yet they still hung with the Bears.
With LeGarrette Blount leading the way, Detroit ran the ball
well against Chicago. The Lions rushed for 111 yards and 4.6 yards per carry,
and as a result, they didn't have to lean too heavily on Matthew Stafford and
the passing game.
Unfortunately, it was a pair of mistakes by Stafford that
cost the Lions late. With the game tied at 16 in the fourth quarter, Bears
safety Eddie Jackson picked off Stafford and returned the ball 41 yards for a
touchdown. Stafford was picked in the end zone the next time out to end a drive
that could have tied the game, and the Lions never got the ball back.
This was a game the Lions easily could have won, but they
fell just short.
Week 12 Grade: C
Season Grade: C-
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Week 12 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Result: Lost 24-17
The Packers desperately needed to win in Week 12 to stay in
the NFC North race. They failed to beat the Minnesota Vikings, though, and once
again some questionable play-calling played a role.
A week ago, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy decided to punt
on 4th-and-2 with just over four minutes remaining. His offense never got the
ball back. In the third quarter of this one, McCarthy decided to go for it on
4th-and-1, but he also called a run up the middle into a stacked defensive box.
Unsurprisingly, that call failed.
This loss also falls on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers, who had
more than a couple of errant throws and who finished with just 198 yards
passing. A defense that allowed 416 yards also contributed to the loss.
At 4-6-1, Green Bay will now find it incredibly difficult to
make a push toward the postseason.
Week 12 Grade: D
Season Grade: C-
HOUSTON TEXANS
Week 12 Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Result: Won 34-17
On Monday night, the Houston Texans became the first team in
NFL history to earn an 8-3 record after starting the season 0-3. It wasn't easy
in the beginning, though, as the Tennessee Titans jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense then rattled off 27
straight points, took a commanding lead in the second half, and let J.J.
Watt, Jadeveon
Clowney and the Texans pass rush attack Marcus Mariota. It
became clear pretty quickly that Houston was the better team.
Watson (210 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, three
touchdowns) was brilliant. Lamar Miller,
who rushed for 162 yards, including 97 on one touchdown run, put the game away.
Houston dominated in all facets Monday night. The Texans are
dangerous and a team that no one should want to see in the postseason.
Week 12 Grade: A
Season Grade: B
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Week 12 Opponent: Miami Dolphins
Result: Won 27-24
The Colts faced what could have been a trap game in Week 12.
They were coming off a 38-10 thrashing of the Titans, while the Miami Dolphins
were coming off the bye and with starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill back under
center.
It wasn't pretty, but the Colts managed to avoid the trap,
thanks in large part to another three-touchdown game from Andrew Luck.
Luck wasn't perfect, as he also tossed a pair of picks, but
he outdid Tannehill and got the Colts into position for a game-winning kick as
time expired. Adam Vinatieri nailed that kick, the Colts tallied 455 yards of
offense, the defense forced a turnover in Dolphins territory, and the Colts
grabbed a hard-fought win.
At 6-5, Indianapolis remains in the AFC South race, with
games against the Jaguars and Texans upcoming.
Week 12 Grade: C+
Season Grade: B-
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Week 12 Opponent: Buffalo Bills
Result: Lost 24-21
The Jaguars essentially saw their season end when running
back Leonard Fournette got tossed against the Bills. Fournette had 95 rushing
yards, 13 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville had the ball at
Buffalo's 1-yard line after the ejection, but it moved backward and ended up
missing the ensuing field-goal attempt.
Naturally, the Jaguars went on to lose by three points and
drop to 3-8.
Jacksonville cannot solely blame the loss on Fournette's
ejection, of course. Blake Bortles threw two interceptions while in Jaguars
territory—one of which led to a field goal—and the defense couldn't slow the
running of Josh Allen.
Still, this was a winnable game for the Jaguars, and playing
undisciplined football and making dumb mistakes cost them any chance of hanging
around in the wild-card race.
Week 12 Grade: D
Season Grade: D
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 12 Bye
The Kansas City Chiefs lost a shootout for the ages to the
Los Angeles Rams before heading into the bye. While it's never ideal to take a
loss into the bye, the Chiefs have to still feel confident that they're one of
the top teams in the league.
The problem is the Patriots won during the bye, so the
Chiefs have just a one-game lead over New England for the No. 1 seed and lost
the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Chiefs can feast on a pair of remaining Raiders
matchups, but they still have tough games against the Ravens, Chargers and
Seahawks to get through.
Season Grade: A-
LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Week 12 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Result: Won 45-10
The Chargers suffered a huge letdown last week against the
rival Broncos, but they avoided doing the same against the Cardinals on Sunday.
After sleepwalking through the first quarter and falling behind 10-0, the
Chargers came alive to score 45 unanswered points.
Philip Rivers tied an NFL record with
25 consecutive completions. The Chargers defense allowed less than 150 yards of
total offense, and the Los Angeles offense scored on seven of its final 10
possessions.
Unfortunately, starting running back Melvin Gordon also
suffered a knee injury during the game. According to ESPN's Eric D. Williams, it's an MCL injury that could sideline
Gordon during next week's Steelers matchup.
Gordon's injury is about the only thing that went wrong for
the Chargers, who moved to 8-3.
Week 12 Grade: A+
Season Grade: B
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Week 12 Bye
The Rams were on bye this week, but they still managed to
lose the No. 1 seed in the NFC, at least temporarily. This is because the
Saints picked up their 10th win of the season and already own the head-to-head
tiebreaker over L.A.
Make no mistake, though: the Rams are still one of the top
teams in the NFL. They're averaging the third-most points in the league, 35.4
per game, and they have a defense loaded with playmakers capable of ending
drives in an instant.
Los Angeles carried the momentum of a huge win over Kansas
City into the bye, and the Rams should parlay that into an 11th win over the
inconsistent Lions in Week 13.
Season Grade: A
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Week 12 Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
Result: Lost 27-24
The Dolphins finally got quarterback Ryan Tannehill back and
he nearly helped deliver a much-needed victory.
Tannehill looked sharp most of the game, finishing 17-of-25
for 204 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins ran the ball well, averaging 4.5
yards per carry, and the defense forced three turnovers. All of this helped the
Dolphins build a 10-point fourth-quarter lead.
However, the Miami defense couldn't stop Andrew Luck and Co.
from storming back in the final period, and some questionable offensive
play-calling gave the Colts the opportunities they needed.
Miami went three-and-out on its final two possessions,
totaled negative-one yard between them and took just 2:30 off the game clock.
The Dolphins fell to 5-6 as a result and out of the AFC East chase.
Week 12 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Week 12 Opponent: Green Bay Packers
Result: Won 24-17
The Vikings got themselves firmly back in the playoff race
with a convincing win over the rival Packers on Sunday night. They did so
thanks in large part to quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had perhaps his best game
with Minnesota.
Cousins finished 29-of-38 for 342 yards and three
touchdowns. The Vikings' backfield contributed 91 yards rushing as well. The
final score would have been more lopsided if not for a pair of missed Dan
Bailey field-goal attempts.
Missed field goals helped lead to a tie the last time these
teams met, but they weren't so critical here. The Vikings defense was able to
keep Aaron Rodgers out of rhythm, and the Packers weren't able to keep pace on
the scoreboard.
At 6-4-1, Minnesota is very much alive in the wild-card
race, but they have a crucial Week 13 matchup with the Patriots upcoming.
Week 12 Grade: A-
Season Grade: B-
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
Week 12 Opponent: New York Jets
Result: Won 27-13
The New England Patriots came out of the bye sluggish, and
for a while, it appeared as if they might blow it against the rival New York
Jets. Thanks in large part to Sony Michel and the ground game, however, New England
pulled away.
According to Michel, head coach Bill Belichick challenged
the Patriots' rushing attack heading into the game.
"The challenge was just to be able to run the ball
consistently," Michel said, per Zack Cox of NESN.com.
The Patriots responded by rushing for 215 yards and 6.0
yards per carry. This allowed New England to run a balanced offense, as Tom
Brady chipped in with 283 yards and two touchdowns.
New England's defense is still a question mark, but when the
Patriots are balanced and efficient on offense, they'll be tough to beat down
the stretch.
Week 12 Grade: B
Season Grade: B
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 12 Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Result: Won 31-17
The Saints didn't dominate on Thanksgiving the way they did
in Week 11, but they still played well enough to beat the Falcons handily.
New Orleans set the tone with the run game, rushing for 150
yards and 4.8 yards per carry. Drew Brees chipped in
with an efficient 171 yards and four touchdowns, though he did toss his second
interception of the season.
The story of the game, though, was the Saints defense. New
Orleans did give up 366 yards of offense, but it also held the Falcons to 1.6
yards per carry and forced four turnovers. The Saints can afford to give up
yardage when they can make timely stops and take the ball away—especially with
an offense capable of scoring in bunches.
When the New Orleans defense plays like it has over the last
three weeks, the Saints are going to be nearly impossible to stop down the
stretch.
Week 12 Grade: A-
Season Grade: A
NEW YORK GIANTS
Week 12 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
Result: Lost 25-22
The New York Giants came into their matchup with the
Philadelphia Eagles on a two-game winning streak. For a long stretch, it looked
like they would continue their streak, but they couldn't string together enough
impact plays to put the defending champs away.
Poor coaching and questionable offensive play-calling played
roles in this loss. Though running back Saquon Barkley averaged 7.8 yards per
carry, he only got 13 of them. Even with the Eagles secondary missing several
starters, the Giants rarely attacked deep down the field.
"Knowing they were struggling in the secondary,
personally I would have loved to attack them," wideout Odell Beckham
Jr. said, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.
New York led 19-3 in the second quarter but managed just one
field goal the rest of the way. One more score might have stuck a dagger in the
Eagles and their season, but it never came.
Week 12 Grade: C-
Season Grade: D
NEW YORK JETS
Week 12 Opponent: New England Patriots
Result: Lost 27-13
For the second straight game, the Jets played without rookie
quarterback Sam Darnold. For the second consecutive game, New York lost. The big
difference, though, is that backup Josh McCown played fairly well in this game.
Against the Bills, McCown completed just 17 of 34 passes for
135 yards and two interceptions. He finished this game 26-of-45 for 276 yards
with a touchdown and a pick.
Was McCown great against New England? No. However, he played
well enough for New York to win. Instead of blaming their replacement
quarterback, the Jets can blame poor game planning and a lack of defense for
the loss.
New York allowed 498 yards of total offense. The Jets also
ran the ball just 15 times. This isn't a winning formula against the Patriots,
and it led to a Jets loss on Sunday.
Week 12 Grade: D
Season Grade: D
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Week 12 Opponent: Baltimore Ravens
Result: Lost 34-17
The Raiders failed to build off last week's win over the
Cardinals, though they did keep things close early. They held a 7-3 lead
heading into the second quarter and trailed just 13-10 at halftime.
However, the defense couldn't slow Baltimore's running game
in the second half, and a sack-fumble returned for a touchdown by Terrell Suggs
ended Oakland's chances.
In all, the Ravens amassed 416 yards of offense, and it's
become clear that the Raiders defense lacks talent. That isn't a surprise. What
the Raiders have to be concerned about is quarterback Derek Carr's
inconsistency.
Carr finished the game just 16-of-34 for 194 yards and a
touchdown. This isn't the type of performance a team expects from a franchise
quarterback, and it's fair to wonder if Coach Jon Gruden even views Carr as
such.
Week 12 Grade: D+
Season Grade: F
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
Week 12 Opponent: New York Giants
Result: Won 25-22
The Eagles came into Week 12 reeling from a blowout loss. A
loss to the Giants would have essentially ended their chances in the NFC East,
but Philadelphia managed to avoid the upset.
Doing so saved the Eagles' season.
"Yeah, this was a big game for us," quarterback
Carson Wentz said, per Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia
Inquirer. "Obviously in terms of the divisional standings, all that
fun stuff, but really mentally."
The Eagles fought back from a 16-point deficit, largely by
running the ball (29 times) and keeping New York's offense off the field. The
resiliency they showed this game could carry over into the coming weeks.
At 5-6, Philadelphia still sits behind the Redskins and
Cowboys in the division, but those happen to be the next two teams on the
schedule.
Week 12 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C
SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
Week 12 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: Lost 27-9
The San Francisco 49ers had a lot stacked against them
heading into Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were coming
out of the bye week, but they were also playing with their third-string
quarterback. They were without Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon and
traveled across the country for an early afternoon game.
None of this excuses putting up such a dud against an
inconsistent Buccaneers team. After scoring a touchdown in the second
quarter—and missing the extra point—San Francisco only managed three more
points.
The 49ers failed to finish drives, Nick Mullens was picked off
twice, and the defense had few answers for Tampa's passing attack. Despite
having two weeks to get ready for this game, the 49ers looked woefully
underprepared.
The good news is San Francisco remains on track to earn the
first overall pick in the draft.
Week 12 Grade: F
Season Grade: D-
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Week 12 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
Result: Won 30-27
The Seahawks refuse to go away, and they hung
tough against the Panthers after being down in the fourth quarter.
The Seattle running game produced just 75 yards. The defense
gave up 476. Yet this team keeps finding ways to survive.
"We had some mishaps in the first half, which is
typical," receiver Doug Baldwin said, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. "But when the
game's on the line, for whatever reason, we just make plays."
Wilson was incredible down the stretch, firing darts
downfield in clutch situations and leading Seattle to 13 fourth-quarter points.
By winning back-to-back games, the Seahawks have climbed to 6-5 and right back
in the NFC wild-card race.
The next task will be avoiding a slip-up against the 49ers
in Week 13.
Week 12 Grade: B
Season Grade: C+
TAMPA BAY
BUCCANEERS
Week 12 Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
Result: Won 27-9
For the first time since perhaps Week 2, everything went
right for the Buccaneers.
Jameis Winston rattled off 312 yards passing and, more
importantly, didn't turn the ball over. The defense grabbed a pair of
interceptions, and the running game—which totaled 108 yards—was at least good
enough to keep the offense balanced.
The end result was a dominant win. It was a good first
impression in what may be Winston's last chance to prove he is Tampa's
quarterback of the future. He was only reinserted as the starter this week.
If Winston can keep playing mistake-free football like he
did in this game, he may just earn himself a new contract with the
Buccaneers—and Tampa will win a few more games down the stretch. The next two
weeks will be crucial, and the Panthers and Saints are next on the slate.
Week 12 Grade: A
Season Grade: D+
TENNESSEE TITANS
Week 12 Opponent: Houston Texans
Result: Lost 34-17
One thing we've learned about the Titans this season is that
they aren't going to quit. Head coach Mike Vrabel has instilled an aggressive
mentality in his team, and Tennessee is going to remain dangerous down the
stretch.
Right now, though, Tennessee is in trouble. The Titans were
dominated by the Colts last week, and they didn't fare too well after going up
10-0 against Houston.
Running the ball was a problem—wideout Corey Davis led the
team with 39 yards—and so was trying to stop Watson, Miller and the Houston
offense. Marcus Mariota had a strong day passing the ball (303 yards and two
touchdowns) but he could not find the big plays needed to complete the
comeback.
Tennessee now faces winnable games against the Jets and
Jaguars over the next two weeks. Those are must-wins.
Week 12 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Week 12 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
Result: Lost 31-23
The Redskins got handed a decisive loss by the Cowboys on
Thanksgiving, and Washington is in serious trouble.
Actually, Washington was in trouble a week ago when starting
quarterback Alex Smith went down with a torn ACL. The team was already dealing
with an injury-hampered offensive line, and with Smith out, opposing defenses
can focus on stopping Adrian Peterson and the ground game. That's exactly what
Dallas did Thursday, and Washington couldn't overcome Peterson's mediocre
performance.
While Colt McCoy is one of the better backup quarterbacks in
the league, he's still a backup. He made too many mistakes—including three
interceptions—against Dallas, and Washington simply couldn't keep pace on the
scoreboard as a result.
Washington is now tied with Dallas at 6-5 and atop the
division. Divisional matchups against the Eagles and Giants over the next two
weeks will be critical.
Week 12 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C
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