In a season of surprises, chaos reigned again in Week 13. The Panthers and Bears pulled off upsets over the Rams and Eagles, two teams that have spent time at the top of my Top 10. The Colts and Lions also suffered setbacks, while the Bills, Seahawks, 49ers and Jaguars posted impressive wins. Add it all up and it means another Monday Morning shakeup.
Heading into the Giants-Patriots matchup on Monday night, let’s see where everyone stands.
It is time to hit the panic button in Philadelphia after a Black Friday beatdown by the Bears that exposed the Eagles‘ most significant flaws. The inconsistent offense continues to falter, with Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley unable to rekindle the magic that sparked last year’s Super Bowl run. Meanwhile, the defense is coming off a disappointing performance where the vaunted frontline could not stop the run. Given the Eagles’ recent struggles and ongoing chemistry issues, it is getting harder to envision the defending champs making a back-to-back run.
It has not been pretty for the 49ers, but they have won nine games with several stars sitting on the sidelines due to injuries. Though the lack of blue-chip players could hurt down the stretch, the coaching staff’s brilliant schemes and tactics have masked the team’s biggest deficiencies. If head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can continue to whip opponents on the whiteboard, the 49ers could thrive in a spoiler role in the playoffs.
The Jaguars keep stacking wins while making a run at a division crown and playoff berth. Offensive wizard Liam Coen has helped quarterback Trevor Lawrence find his rhythm as a playmaker from the pocket. With the former No. 1 pick starting to build chemistry with a collection of interchangeable pass-catchers, the Jaguars’ offense is starting to look like the juggernaut some envisioned when Coen was hired as head coach in the offseason.
Credit coach Sean McDermott for getting the Bills to recommit to the old-school blueprint (running game + magical quarterback play + sound defense = big-game wins), which would give them a chance to make a deep postseason run. Despite missing a pair of starting offensive tackles, the Bills smashed the AFC-rival Steelers with a record-breaking performance by Josh Allen, who scored his 76th career rushing touchdown, the most by a quarterback in NFL history. If the Bills stick to the script down the stretch, Allen & Co. could re-emerge as AFC favorites by season’s end.
Don’t look now, but the Packers are rounding into form as an emerging heavyweight in the NFC. Micah Parsons adds a disruptive element to the front line, leading to more splash plays from the turnover-obsessed defense. As the defense creates extra possessions and short fields for quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers’ complementary football approach is starting to pay dividends for Matt LaFleur’s squad.
After the Bears’ knocked off the defending champs on the road, it is time to believe in their potential as dark-horse contenders. First-year head coach Ben Johnson has transformed this team into a bully that overwhelms opponents with physicality and pizzazz. With D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai running roughshod between the tackles, while Caleb Williams drops dimes to Rome Odunze, DJ Moore and Colston Loveland, the Bears’ offense can seamlessly transition from a ground-and-pound approach to a bombs away plan at any moment.
After being upset by the Panthers, the Rams take a tumble down the charts. The end of a six-game winning streak showed the NFC front-runners that they are not talented enough to overcome a slew of self-inflicted mistakes (turnovers, penalties and blown assignments) that gift wrap games to inferior foes. After taking a deep dive into their Week 13 issues, the Rams should get back to basics to fix their flaws heading into a pivotal divisional battle against the Cardinals next week.
Mike Macdonald has the Seahawks playing their best ball heading down the stretch. Utilizing a run-heavy approach, the Seahawks are willing to grind it out with running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet leading the way. With an athletic defense flexing its muscles at the point of attack, the Seahawks force opponents into street brawls that test their toughness, discipline and attention to detail.
As the Patriots face the Giants in a Monday night matchup, Mike Vrabel & Co. are on the verge of being legitimate title contenders despite questions about their schedule and competition level. It’s not always pretty, but the Patriots do what needs to be done each week to add another “W” to their winning streak, which stands at nine heading into Monday night.
Do not expect Sean Payton to apologize for the Broncos’ close game success, which includes an overtime win over the Commanders on Sunday night. Payton has taught his squad how to make the pivotal plays with the game on the line. Whether it is QB Bo Nix leading a game-winning drive or the defense utilizing exotic blitzes to get a key stop, the Broncos have mastered the late-game scenarios that lead to wins in a league where most games are decided by one score.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
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