Week 12 was just another ho-hum weekend in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley ran all over the Los Angeles Rams in a 37-20 victory for the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium, their seventh straight this season. Barkley totaled a career-high 255 rushing yards, setting an Eagles franchise record and putting Philadelphia in the driver’s seat in the NFC East.
Will Levis was sacked eight times and turned the ball over twice, but somehow he managed to lead the Tennessee Titans to a 32-27 victory over the Houston Texans. According to FOX Sports Research, Levis is the first player since the 1970 merger to have at least a 105.0 passer rating in a three-game span in which he was sacked at least 20 times.
Caleb Williams finished with 340 passing yards and two scores, setting a single-season record for a Bears rookie with 2,356 passing yards. But, of course, Chicago lost to the Minnesota Vikings in overtime.
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The Detroit Lions earned another blowout win, a 24-6 victory over the Indianapolis Colts to improve to 6-0 on the road this season.
The San Francisco 49ers are bad.
The Denver Broncos are good.
Let’s take a closer look at who’s hot and who’s cold as we head into Thanksgiving weekend.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Packers
Green Bay had the look of an NFC playoff contender in a 38-10 rout over the San Francisco 49ers, last year’s NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Jacobs was the catalyst of that effort, totaling 106 rushing yards on 26 carries and three scores.
NFL observers raised eyebrows last offseason when the Packers signed the 26-year-old Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal and moving on from Aaron Jones, who’s now playing for the Vikings. But it looks like the Packers knew what they were doing. Jacobs is third in the league in rushing with 944 yards. His presence creates balance on offense for the Packers, paired with Jordan Love’s explosive playmaking ability in the passing game. That balance should be a recipe for success in cold-weather games late in the season at Lambeau Field.
For his effort on Sunday, Jacobs was Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game.
Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Packers’ Josh Jacobs | Week 12 DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Baker Mayfield, QB, Buccaneers
Not an outrageous day statistically for Mayfield, who finished with 294 passing yards and completed passes to 11 different players in Tampa Bay’s 30-7 victory at home over the New York Giants. Mayfield did not throw for a touchdown for the first time this season, but it was more about what the charismatic quarterback did after scoring on a 10-yard scramble late in the first half.
Mayfield mocked Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito’s signature touchdown celebration in the end zone after his score. DeVito struggled in his first start of the season after New York benched and then released former starting quarterback Daniel Jones.
“Tribute to Tommy,” Mayfield told reporters after the game. “He’s a good dude, that’s why. Most of the times, I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s spontaneous.”
Mayfield is No. 7 in passing yards (2,799) in the league and third in passing touchdowns (24) this season.
Leonard Williams, DE, Seahawks
Rookie head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense is finally playing up to the unit’s full potential — and at the right time as the season heads down the backstretch.
The Seahawks held Kyler Murray and an explosive Arizona Cardinals offense to just six points in a 16-6 victory at Lumen Field, moving back into the top spot in the NFC West with the victory.
Williams led the way for Seattle, finishing with 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and three tackles for loss in the dominant defensive performance.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
Winners of three in a row, Miami is getting hot at the right time, and Tagovailoa has been the reason for the Dolphins’ resurgence.
Tagovailoa finished with 317 passing yards and four touchdowns in a decisive, 34-15 win over the New England Patriots. But it’s really been about Tagovailoa’s mastery of head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense, seamlessly running plays like this no-look flip to Jaylen Wright on a 10-yard reverse.
Since his return from a concussion in Week 8, Tagovailoa has completed a league-high 77.3% of his passes for 1,043 yards, with 10 touchdowns and one interception for a 121.5 passer rating.
At 5-6, the Dolphins are 2.5 games behind Denver for the final wild-card spot in the AFC.
KaVontae Turpin, KR, Cowboys
The electric return man helped Dallas snap a five-game losing streak with a 99-yard kickoff return for a score late in the game. Turpin fumbled the kickoff, but that helped him as the defenders hesitated, allowing him to spin out of a would-be tackle and find daylight for the big play.
Turpin’s touchdown was part of a wild fourth quarter, in which the Cowboys and Commanders scored a combined 41 points.
WHO’S COLD
Kyle Shanahan, Head coach, 49ers
A noisy offseason that included contract disputes with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams has led to a disappointing 5-6 record for San Francisco in Kyle Shanahan’s effort to get this team back to the Super Bowl.
Yes, the 49ers were playing without quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa and Williams because of injuries. Still, San Francisco has one of the most talented rosters in the league, and the 49ers failed to compete in a 38-10 drubbing by Green Bay.
“This is probably one of the worst ones I’ve been a part of,” linebacker Fred Warner said about the loss. “It is embarrassing.”
The 49ers finished with 77 penalty yards, including back-to-back plays where they had 12 men on the field defensively. They missed 20 tackles and turned the ball over three times, leading to 21 points for the Packers.
Shanahan curiously started Brandon Allen at quarterback, making his first start in three years, instead of the more mobile Joshua Dobbs, who started 12 games last season.
The 49ers have lost two in a row and are in last place in the NFC West, and the road doesn’t get any easier as they travel east to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 13.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, Stroud is experiencing a sophomore slump. Part of the issue has been protection: Stroud has been sacked 39 times this season. Only Caleb Williams has been sacked more (44).
Stroud has also had to play a large chunk of this season without two of Houston’s top receivers due to injuries to Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs. Still, Stroud has shown in the past that he has the talent to put the Texans on his shoulders and carry the franchise when the team is struggling.
But since Week 7, Stroud has completed only 59.1% of his passes for 1,298 yards, with four touchdowns and five interceptions for a 74.7 passer rating. The Texans are 2-4 during that time.
Seibert had a tough day, missing two extra point attempts and a field goal. His missed PAT with 21 seconds left after an 86-yard Terry McLaurin touchdown could have tied the game, potentially sending the contest into overtime.
Despite a low snap on the PAT, Seibert took accountability after the game. “It didn’t make a difference at all,” Seibert said. “It’s on me.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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