Week 13 of the NFL season is in full swing following four total games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
The Detroit Lions survived a thrilling second-half charge by the Bears to win 23-20 and improve to 11-1, a game that \proved to be the last for Chicago coach Matt Eberflus, who was fired Friday. The Dallas Cowboys topped the New York Giants 27-20 to string together their first two-game win streak in more than a month. The Green Bay Packers rolled to a 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins to finish Thursday night. And on Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs survived (again) to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 and also improve to 11-1.
Sunday’s slate features seven games in the early time slot, three in the late afternoon and a nightcap between the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. The Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos cap it all off Monday night.
Here’s a look at five of the most compelling storylines from the remainder of this weekend’s games. (Find the full Week 13 schedule here.)
1. Pittsburgh Steelers’ response to loss
Russell Wilson’s perfect mark as Steelers starting quarterback ended last week as the Browns handed their AFC North rivals their first loss since Week 5, snapping Pittsburgh’s five-game win streak. Now 8-3, the Steelers cling to a slim division lead over the Baltimore Ravens (8-4). A victory Sunday over the host Cincinnati Bengals would go a long way toward helping the Steelers remain in control of the division.
Wilson and the Steelers struggled on a snowy night to capitalize on opportunities against Cleveland. They converted just one of three fourth-down attempts and missed a field goal. The offense ventured into the red zone just twice and came away with only one touchdown. The 19 points scored also represented the second-lowest output of Wilson’s stead as starter. This week, the quarterback and his unit need to figure out how to regain their explosiveness. After averaging 30 points per game in his first three starts, the Steelers scored just 18 and 19 points against Baltimore and Cleveland. Will the Bengals, whose porous defense has given up 26.9 points per game, be the get-right opponent for Pittsburgh?
That problematic defense is one of the biggest reasons Cincinnati, coming off its bye this week, is 4-7 and appears likely to miss the playoffs. Joe Burrow and the offense certainly can score with the best of them (averaging 27 points per game) despite injuries at wide receiver. But an inability to get stops on third down and to generate turnovers has proved costly.
After Sunday, Pittsburgh (1-1 in the division) has a rematch with Cleveland and games against contenders Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City before a season finale against the Bengals. A loss Sunday could come back to haunt the Steelers. (Steelers at Bengals, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
2. Hot NFC West race
Arizona and Seattle — the leaders of the ever-intriguing NFC West — find themselves in high-pressure situations as they jockey for position in this final stretch of the regular season. Both 6-5, the Seahawks and Cardinals have little margin for error. The Seahawks look to extend their win streak to three games Sunday as they take on the hapless New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Meanwhile, the Cardinals aim to rebound from last week’s loss to Seattle as they go on the road to face a tough Minnesota Vikings team.
Seattle appears to have shaken off a midseason slump, earning hard-fought wins over San Francisco and Arizona in the last two weeks. A previously struggling defense held the 49ers and Cardinals to a combined 23 points while also proving stingy on third downs. Can Mike Macdonald’s team continue to build momentum, or is facing the Jets the perfect trap game?
Arizona needs a strong rebound from Kyler Murray and an offense that had averaged 26.3 points per game during a four-game win streak, only to muster six points against Seattle. The Cardinals converted only three of 12 third downs for first downs and went 0-for-2 in the red zone against the Seahawks. Fending off Minnesota’s aggressive pass rushers will rank high on the Cardinals’ list of priorities, but that’s no easy task, especially for a team that has beaten only one opponent with a record over .500 this season. A win over 9-2 Minnesota could provide much-needed momentum for Arizona. A loss could put the Cardinals in an undesirable position entering next week’s crucial rematch with Seattle. (Seahawks at Jets, Cardinals at Vikings, both at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
3. Can Bucs get back on playoff track?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ three-year streak as NFC South champions is in danger of ending. After a strong start to the season, injuries impacted the Buccaneers in late October and early November. A four-game losing streak dropped the Bucs below .500 and behind 6-5 Atlanta in the division standings. The healthy return of wide receiver Mike Evans and a blowout win over the New York Giants last week helped Tampa Bay end the skid, and now it’s trying to mount a charge that will keep its postseason hopes alive.
The Bucs travel to Charlotte on Sunday, when they face an improved Carolina Panthers team. Second-year quarterback Bryce Young and his teammates came close to upsetting Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs last week but now seek their third win in four games. Can Young continue to ascend, or can Todd Bowles’ defense and Baker Mayfield, who had a brief stint with the Panthers in 2022, deal their division foes another setback? A victory would improve Tampa Bay’s record to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in the division. Before their kickoff, however, the Bucs will root for the Chargers, who can help Tampa Bay’s cause by beating Atlanta in a game that begins at 1 p.m. ET. (Buccaneers at Panthers, 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday.)
4. Star RBs Barkley, Henry on display
In a potential Super Bowl preview, the Eagles travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. There are many similarities between these teams. Dual-threat quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts direct well-rounded units that boast big-play ability and workhorse backs Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. Philadelphia’s Barkley and Baltimore’s Henry have led the NFL in rushing for the entire season. Last week, Barkley charged ahead of Henry in his quest for the rushing title. Barkley has rushed for 1,392 yards (first place) while Henry trails narrowly with 1,325. Henry, however, still leads the NFL with 13 rushing touchdowns while Barkley trails with 10. Not to be outdone, Hurts is tied for second in the NFL with 11 rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, Baltimore and Philadelphia both endured offseason change with new coordinator hires and the departures of leading players. The Eagles appear to have rounded into form, holding their last three opponents to 20 points or fewer. The Ravens, meanwhile, have had their bright spots but still seek the consistency that could elevate them to a championship-caliber squad.
Philadelphia is on a hot streak, winning its last seven games to cement itself as the NFC East’s leader and one of the best teams in the conference. Baltimore, meanwhile, remains one of the top teams in the AFC but has work to do to overtake Pittsburgh for the division lead. (Eagles at Ravens, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.)
5. 49ers’ Super Bowl return in jeopardy
Entering the season, Sunday night’s showdown between Buffalo and San Francisco looked like a possible Super Bowl preview. But the 49ers have encountered calamity of every kind this season, and their quest to return to the Super Bowl is in great jeopardy. Back-to-back losses (versus Seattle, at Green Bay) have the 5-6 49ers in a desperate position as they travel to Buffalo.
The injuries that have plagued the 49ers for much of the season reached quarterback Brock Purdy last week. He is on track to start Sunday after a shoulder issue forced him to miss last week’s loss to the Packers but obviously won’t be 100 percent. That will make it tough to match blows with Josh Allen and the Bills, winners of six straight and fresh off their bye, especially with 49ers left tackle Trent Williams out again with a bone bruise in his heel. Left guard Aaron Banks didn’t practice at this week and remains in the concussion protocol. Defensive end Nick Bosa and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir won’t play, either. And there may be snow to contend with as well.
A loss Sunday could essentially kill San Francisco’s hopes of a late-season surge and deep playoff march. All four NFC West teams remain separated by only a game, but a San Francisco loss and wins by Seattle and/or Arizona could keep both just beyond the Niners, who are last in the division. (49ers at Bills, 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday.)
(Top photo of Derrick Henry: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
