Week 12 in the NFL is very nearly wrapped up, and the balance of power atop the NFC is fairly resolved.
The Detroit Lions continue to roll over opponents, but the Philadelphia Eagles, winners of seven consecutive games, are playing balanced, complete football. And, after taking down the Los Angeles Rams, they look like a team that has found its winning identity. Behind the bruising power and speed of Saquon Barkley in the rushing game and a defense that can generate pressure at will, the Eagles are peaking.
In the AFC, the Houston Texans are facing considerable headwinds, as quarterback C.J. Stroud continues to struggle with turnovers, and Houston has lost three of its last four.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday of Week 12 in the NFL.
WINNERS
Can the Eagles steal the top seed in the NFC?
If there’s any team that looks poised to pry it away from the Lions, it’s the Eagles (9-2), whose offense is versatile and whose defense is oppressive. Philadelphia is just one game back of the No. 1 seed, but its remaining schedule is far more forgiving than Detroit’s.
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The Lions have games remaining against the Green Bay Packers (8-3), Buffalo Bills (9-2) and Minnesota Vikings (9-2). The toughest remaining Eagles opponents, meanwhile, are the Baltimore Ravens (7-4), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) and Washington Commanders (7-4) — all of whom have shown some significant flaws in recent weeks. Barkley is demoralizing opposing defenses. Jalen Hurts is playing cleanly and protecting the ball. And the defense is harassing opposing passers. In short, Philadelphia – very much like Detroit – is built to win down the stretch.
In wide open NFC West, Seahawks soar to top – for now
In what was a battle for first place, the Seattle Seahawks absolutely shut down a dynamic Arizona Cardinals offense and momentarily grabbed control of first place with a 16-6 win. Seattle contained Kyler Murray (two rushes for 9 yards) in the pocket and bottled up James Conner (seven carries for 8 yards), allowing just 49 rushing yards to a team that came in averaging 100 more per game.
Seattle’s offense, at times, can stagnate, although quarterback Geno Smith and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have developed a nice rapport. Still, with one game separating the Seahawks and the last place San Francisco 49ers (5-6), the race for this division should come down to the last week of the season.
Sam Darnold keeps rolling, Vikings keep pace in NFC North
The Lions (10-1) may be the best team in football, but the Vikings (9-2) are keeping pace. Minnesota held on against Chicago after giving up 11 points inside the final minute of regulation, allowing the Bears to take the game to overtime.
The Vikings rolled up 452 yards of total offense. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who’s making his case to stay in Minnesota beyond this season, threw for 330 passing yards and a pair of scores against a Chicago defense that came into Sunday ranked ninth in passing yards allowed. Running back Aaron Jones had a monster day (106 rushing yards). With the Vikings sitting just one game back of the Lions for first place in the division and the conference overall, this could be setting for a massive season finale Week 18, when the Vikings travel to Detroit.
Sean Payton, Bo Nix and Vance Joseph have changed the Broncos culture
Over the last nine games, rookie quarterback Bo Nix has scored 19 touchdowns against only two interceptions. Credit coach Sean Payton for installing an offense that is simple enough for the rookie to grasp and learn, but Payton has also given Nix the freedom to call and make adjustments at the line, making the offense truly his own.
More importantly, the Broncos have gone 7-3 over their last 10, with the defeats in that span coming against some of the league’s best teams in the Los Angeles Chargers, Ravens and Chiefs. Behind a barrage of pressure, coordinator Vance Joseph’s defense forced the Raiders into five sacks and two turnovers.
LOSERS
Texans come crashing down
Initially, Sunday’s shocking loss against the Tennessee Titans doesn’t appear to be so costly for Houston; the Texans (7-5) remain two games up on the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South and stayed as the No. 4 seed in the AFC.
But this was a game when Houston could’ve gained ground in seeding – after the No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers lost Thursday to the Cleveland Browns – and some of the team’s typical issues flared up against a Titans team that entered the day with two wins. Stroud, one season after throwing just five interceptions, has nine in only 11 games. Houston’s red zone offense, which entered the day ranked 20th, converted just two of four trips. The Texans generated eight sacks on defense and still lost. They gained just 40 rushing yards and have now lost three of their last four and four of their last six.
The Commanders, too
The difference between the Texans and Commanders is that Washington’s recent losses are indeed proving to be costly. The Commanders (7-5) have lost three consecutive games and are losing ground in the NFC East and in the conference overall.
Washington stumbled against a Cowboys team starting Cooper Rush, one that converted only two of 11 third downs (18%) and had lost five in a row. Washington had a horrendous special teams day, allowing a kickoff returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in addition to Austin Seibert missing a field goal and a pair of extra points, including the one that would’ve tied the game after a wild, 86-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin. Three weeks ago, the Commanders were 7-2 and second in the NFC. Now, they’re seventh and in danger of falling out of the wild-card picture altogether.
‘Soft’ Giants seemingly headed for yet another offseason of turnover
Aside from a garbage time touchdown after Tampa Bay had already built a 30-point lead on the Giants, there were very few signs of optimism. Tommy DeVito – much like last season – very clearly isn’t the answer.
After the game, several of New York’s players individually called the team’s performance “soft” and questioned effort. That’s a damning indictment of a coaching staff that has struggled to elevate a roster riddled with holes. In October, Giants co-owner John Mara gave general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll a vote of confidence, and he reportedly is standing by that. But the pair would be entering their fourth season in New York and there has been no marker of tangible progress, the quarterback question remains wholly unresolved, and it’s hard to see this team competing, even with a serious infusion of talent over the offseason.