NFL Week 12 Takeaways: Biggest Storylines for Every Team from Sunday's Games

In Week 12, we saw a glimpse of a potential rivalry that could go on for more than a decade. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars battled for first place in the AFC South, and their matchup came down to the final seconds in a nerve-wracking finish.

In a division matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers accomplished something they had not done under former offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

On the sour side of Sunday's action, multiple front-office executives may have come to the realization that they have more questions than answers on the offensive side of the ball.

Bleacher Report analysts Brent Sobleski and Moe Moton delve into these topics and the main takeaways from all of Sunday's action.

Giants Need to Feed Jalin Hyatt More Targets

Whether quarterback Tyrod Taylor (ribs) returns to action to take over for Tommy DeVito or not, the New York Giants should feature rookie third-round wide receiver Jalin Hyatt in their offense.

At 4-8, the Giants must evaluate their roster from top to bottom, especially the wide receiver group. Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are the only other wideouts under contract with the team beyond the 2023 campaign.

In Sunday's 10-7 victory over the New England Patriots, Hyatt had the best outing of his young career, hauling in five passes for 109 yards. He has racked up 75-plus receiving yards in three out of 12 contests this season.

Hyatt, the speedy deep threat out of Tennessee, could be a big playmaker who opens up the Giants offense for the next several years.

Mac Jones May Have Played His Last Game For the Patriots

On Sunday, the Patriots benched quarterback Mac Jones for the fourth time this season. He's had more than three strikes and turned the ball over at an alarming rate amid his struggles under center.

The Patriots may have seen enough from Jones for the remainder of the campaign. Bailey Zappe took over for Jones in the third quarter, but he also threw an interception.

For the season, Jones has thrown 10 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions, turning the ball over in all but two games. Zappe has 158 passing yards and two interceptions in four appearances.

Clearly, the Patriots don't have their franchise quarterback on the roster. At 2-9, they will likely finish with a top-five pick, which puts them in position to select a signal-caller in the first round of the 2024 draft.

In all likelihood, a rookie signal-caller will get a shot to start right away in New England, which clouds Jones' NFL future.

Signs of Life Emanate From Pittsburgh Steelers Offense After Matt Canada Firing

After 58 straight games without eclipsing 400 yards of total offense, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally passed that mark with new play-caller Mike Sullivan orchestrating the scheme during Sunday's 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Technically, running backs coach Eddie Faulkner had been elevated as interim offensive coordinator after Matt Canada's dismissal. But Sullivan is the voice in Pickett's ear calling the plays. Their first collaboration turned out relatively well after the unit averaged 280.1 yards through Pittsburgh's initial 10 games.

The remaining staff knew they had to be better.

"It's a little bit bittersweet in that way because when you sit back and you see all that goes on, and all that's being said about him and the offense, we all—and I'm speaking for the offense when I say this to staff—we all felt that we're all part of that," Faulkner told reporters. Nobody's absolving themselves from anything that's happened in that regard. We feel like we let him down."

In total, the Steelers accumulated 421 yards. The effort wasn't perfect by any means, though. They still scored only 16 points, converted 47.1 percent of their third-down attempts and turned one of four red-zone trips into a touchdown.

Even so, some differences were evident. They were far more willing to work the middle of the field in the passing game, specifically with tight end Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth made big catch after big catch, finishing with a team-leading nine receptions for 120 yards. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the tight end generated 32 receiving yards over expected.

The continued usage of both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, with Freiermuth being a much bigger part of the offense, is a formula to be more consistent and potent overall.

Jake Browning Doesn't Give Cincinnati Bengals Chance to Save Season

The 85-year-old Tom Moore has been around the NFL a long, long time. His description of what happens when a franchise quarterback goes down best encapsulates what the Cincinnati Bengals are currently experiencing.

"Fellas, if [Peyton Manning] goes down, we're f--ked. And we don't practice f--ked."

Well, the Bengals' Joe Burrow is out for the season with a wrist injury, and you know the rest.

Jake Browning isn't positioned to be successful. No backup quarterback truly is. The NFL is all about the starter behind center and how the team can build around him. The league doesn't have enough quality starters, let alone backups who can come in and keep the trains running on time.

Unsurprisingly, Browning experienced his share of struggles, including an interception and two others that could have been picked yet fortuitously landed in Ja'Marr Chase's awaiting hands.

At 5-6, Cincinnati finds itself firmly entrenched in the AFC North's cellar and two games behind every other team in the division. Every remaining opponent on the Bengals' schedule currently holds a winning record. There's no reason to think the season can be saved.

Jaguars Are the Team to Beat in AFC South, But They Have a Comparable Rival

The Jacksonville Jaguars created some separation in the AFC South, beating the Houston Texans 24-21 in a nail-biter that came down a missed field-goal attempt from 58 yards.

Jacksonville avenged a Week 3 blowout loss to Houston but nearly squandered a 10-point second-half lead. The Jaguars will see the Texans again in big games.

If these clubs don't cross paths in the playoffs, we're sure to get Jaguars-Texans matchups in prime-time slots in the near future.

Jacksonville could claim back-to-back division titles with Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson, and Trevor Lawrence is a household name because of his draft pedigree as a No. 1 overall pick. Houston has already exceeded expectations with quarterback C.J. Stroud, who's well on his way to the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year honor.

Following the first lopsided game between these teams, we saw what this AFC South rivalry may look like for a decade and beyond.

Texans Must Develop a Ground Game to Support C.J. Stroud

In the crucial moments of a game, Stroud has come through with some big-time completions to keep the Texans within a score or pull out victories. At some point this season, most football fans have been in awe of the rookie's poise and precision late in contests.

On the flip side, the Texans need to help Stroud in crunch time.

Although Stroud almost engineered his third game-winning drive of the season, he had to do it without any help from the ground attack. In fact, Stroud led Houston with 47 rushing yards in Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. Coming into Week 12, the Texans ranked 23rd in rushing yards per contest.

More times than not, Stroud will keep the Texans competitive, but he could take an absurd amount of hits with a high dropback rate, which may eventually wear him down. Stroud took four sacks on Sunday.

Running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary have to make more contributions for the Texans to continue their ascension in the AFC.

Steichen, Ebukam Main Reasons Why Indianapolis Colts Own Winning Record

Two of the Indianapolis Colts' biggest offseason moves are working out quite well. Both became apparent during Sunday's 27-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The hire of head coach Shane Steichen was a major organizational decision after last year's disaster of a season that resulted in the hiring of Jeff Saturday straight out of the TV studio to serve as interim coach. The Colts were in complete disarray throughout the 2022 campaign.

Right now, they're 6-5, playing hard and look far more disciplined on both sides of the ball. Their effort, including an ongoing three-game winning streak, speaks to how well Steichen and his staff have the team prepared each week despite obvious limitations at quarterback and in the secondary.

Steichen doubles at the offensive play-caller. He's been in his bag all season. But it was never more apparent than when the Colts led by only three points with 9:11 left to play in the fourth quarter and Indianapolis faced a critical 4th-and-1.

Instead of slamming Jonathan Taylor or Zack Moss into the line of scrimmage, Steichen called a play-action pass to sneak Mo Alie-Cox behind the defense for a monstrous 30-yard reception that eventually led to the game-deciding touchdown.

In order to secure the victory, defensive end Samson Ebukam came up big. On two different occasions, Ebukam clearly beat arguably the league's best pass-blocking left tackle in Tristan Wirfs. But the second was a fantastic effort and clean win that resulted in a strip-sack and the victory-clinching fumble and subsequent recovery.

Ebukam registered two sacks, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

Even without fourth overall draft pick Anthony Richardson in the lineup, the Colts are somehow in the playoff mix, and they have plenty of winnable games left on their schedule.

Despite Latest Loss to Colts, Buccaneers' Playoff Hopes Still Alive

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now lost six of their last seven games, including two in a row. Although they're now 4-7, all is not lost. Quite the opposite, actually.

The futility of the NFC South provides Tampa Bay an opportunity to potentially snag a division title and sneak into the postseason.

Currently, the Buccaneers are only one game behind the 5-6 New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. They still have two games against the 1-10 Carolina Panthers and meetings with the Falcons and Saints still on the docket. The Falcons currently have the best divisional record, but that could change if the Bucs handle their business.

A more disciplined approach with fewer mistakes will be the goal moving forward, because Tampa Bay has enough talent to win. It opened the season 3-1 before its bye week and the backslide began.

Some positives did appear against the Colts, specifically Rachaad White registering 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.

As disappointing as Sunday's outcome is, the silver lining for the Buccaneers is that they play in the NFL's worst division.

Falcons Can Win with Ground Game Despite Desmond Ridder's Turnovers

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has to simplify the game plan to get the most out of his offense.

This season, second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder has struggled with turnovers, specifically in the red zone. In a 24-15 win over the New Orleans Saints, he threw two interceptions, including one within 10 yards of the goal line.

If the Falcons plan to start Ridder over Taylor Heinicke for the remainder of the season, they should put training wheels on him, limiting him to short, high-percentage throws in the red zone. Once Atlanta advances the ball inside the opponent's 20-yard line, running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier should take over on the ground.

Although Ridder gave the ball away twice, the Falcons dominated the Saints at the line of scrimmage with their run game, racking up 228 yards on 5.6 yards per carry.

If Smith sticks with what works on the ground, the Falcons could hold on to first place in the NFC South.

Saints' Inefficient Offense Won't Overcome Mounting Injuries

In the loss to Atlanta, New Orleans lost multiple key players on one drive. On top of that, big-play wide receiver Rashid Shaheed suffered a thigh injury and didn't return to the game. Keep in mind that New Orleans placed wideout Michael Thomas (knee) on injured reserve earlier in the week.

The Saints just came out of their bye week, and they may have to move forward without key offensive starters for a short stretch.

With that said, we can't look at injuries as the sole reason why the Saints only scored 15 points against the Falcons on Sunday. Derek Carr threw a pick-six, and Taysom Hill fumbled in the red zone.

New Orleans has fielded an inconsistent offense that ranked 21st on the third down and 23rd in red-zone touchdown scoring before Sunday's game. Because of injuries on that side of the ball, the Saints will likely continue to struggle to put points on the board in a crucial late-season stretch if they're shorthanded across their offensive line and within the pass-catching group.

Titans' Sluggish Offense Needs a Complete Makeover

In October, the Tennessee Titans transitioned from veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill to rookie signal-caller Will Levis to spark the offense, but they're still heavily reliant on running back Derrick Henry.

In Sunday's 17-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, Henry recorded 18 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Levis threw for 185 yards.

Despite a win to improve to 4-7, the Titans don't have much of a shot to make the playoffs with an offense that ranked 27th in scoring and total yards heading into Week 12. They still have to face the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans (twice) and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Henry had a strong run between the 2018 and 2022 campaigns, but he needs a stronger supporting cast with the tread on his legs over the past few years.

Tennessee must rebuild its offensive line to help clear lanes for Henry, add another wide receiver to complete DeAndre Hopkins and make an aggressive move for a quarterback to compete with Levis for the starting job in 2024.

Frank Reich Is Coaching for His Job

Sobleski introduced the thought that Frank Reich could be a "one-and-done" head coach for the Carolina Panthers in his Week 11 takeaways. He might have been onto something.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Panthers will evaluate Reich in the offseason.

Although most teams evaluate the performance of the coaching staff and overall team after a season, the Panthers have an abysmal 1-10 record, and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young hasn't made much improvement through the first two-thirds of the campaign.

Reich has an offensive background as a play-caller. Young's struggles under center reflect poorly on the Panthers' head coach, who has handled play-calling duties for most of the season.

Unless the Panthers make moderate offensive strides in December and January, Reich may have to look for a new job this offseason.

Denver Broncos Defense Continues to Dominate During Resurgence

Two months ago, the Denver Broncos were run off the field and became the laughingstock of the NFL when they surrendered 70 points and 726 yards to the Miami Dolphins. Nobody's laughing at Denver's defense now, though.

After making some personnel changes and getting healthy in a couple of key spots, the turnaround began. Right now, the Broncos are in the midst of a five-game winning streak after Sunday's 29-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

"It takes time to find the right players and find the right scheme for your players," defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told reporters two weeks ago. "It's all about players first. Obviously coming back and keeping some things they did well last year and bringing some things in, it took time to kind of mesh it all—the communication and finding the right players and having some guys down for the first couple weeks, that hurt us also."

Some will look at Denver's latest opponent and point out the Browns don't have quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Nick Chubb or left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. in the lineup. Both backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and wide receiver Amari Cooper also left Sunday's game because of injuries.

Still, Denver allowed just 269 yards of offense. It's the lowest total allowed during the current winning streak. Overall, the unit has surrendered 324.6 yards per game since the last full week of October.

Where the defense truly excels is creating turnovers. Just over the last four games, Denver forced 15 takeaways. The Broncos aren't just playing with better urgency and more physicality; they're making plays on the ball.

The Browns offense isn't good right now. An improving Broncos defense did exactly what it should do by dominating when it was on the field.

Is It Joe Flacco Time for the Cleveland Browns?

The Browns have longed for average quarterback play all season to complement an extremely talented roster at pretty much every other position, particularly the NFL's top-ranked defense. They haven't received it with any consistency.

Based on Sunday's outcome, Cleveland may turn to its fourth quarterback this season.

Thompson-Robinson left the contest with a bloodied lip and a possible concussion after being hit by Baron Browning in what was called unnecessary roughness. P.J. Walker entered the contest, and everything went downhill from that point. Walker already had his opportunity to start this year and proved he's incapable of proving what the Browns need.

Six days ago, the Browns signed 38-year-old veteran Joe Flacco to the practice squad. He might become Cleveland's starter a week later.

"To a certain extent, [football] is all I know," Flacco said during his introductory press conference. "I still have a lot of fun doing it, I do feel like I have a stuff left in the tank. I owe it to myself to try and push forward and play the game that i love until I really feel like I can't do it anymore."

The longtime Baltimore Ravens starter probably didn't expect he'd be in a position where the Browns need someone of his ilk to stabilize the offense.

To be fair, a lot will be asked of Flacco if he's named the starter. He's learning yet another offense, and it's one that doesn't particularly suit his skill set. He hasn't really worked with any of his targets. The Browns still have postseason hopes since they own a 7-4 record.

While Flacco might not have too much left after a long career, his experience and a calming presence may be enough to settle the Browns offense in the short term.

Kyren Williams Returns from Injured Reserve, Looks like Featured Back

The Los Angeles Rams didn't want to place a heavy load on running back Kyren Williams after being activated from injured reserve a day earlier. Williams decided he'd produce like a lead back despite limited reps.

During the Rams' 37-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Williams ran for 142 yards on 16 carries and added 61 yards with two touchdowns as a receiver. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the second-year back set career highs with 71 rush yards over expected and 35 receiving yards over expected.

Still, veteran Royce Freeman got 13 carries and averaged 5.7 yards per tote. Expectations should change over time.

Williams has been electric when he's on the field. In fact, he became the first running back during the McVay era to run for 143 or more yards in back-to-back appearances, according to J.B. Long of Rams Revealed.

Head coach Sean McVay should utilize Williams as the focal point of the offense now that he showed he's capable of handling the load after his ankle injury. The coach clearly loves him as part of the offense.

"He's got a play energy, and he's got just such a good charisma and presence," McVay told reporters leading up to the game. "That play energy, I think, is one of the better ways that I could describe it in terms of he elevates guys around him, he's so engaged, he's so coachable.

"This is a guy that ... he loves the game. He loves to compete. I think you guys have seen that when he's out there and his teammates love playing with him, and I thought he's had a really good week and it's good to be able to get him back."

Different Offensive Approach Upcoming for Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon knows something different is necessary after Arizona lost its 10th game of the season.

Kyler Murray can always create something out of nothing. But his creativity inside and outside the pocket shouldn't be the basis for the entire offense.

Arizona managed only 292 yards of offense against the Rams, with no ball-carrier getting more than six carries.

"We gotta get in rhythm and get some first downs so we can sustain drives and we can get plays off that are good, that accentuate our guys," Gannon told reporters after the game. "It's hard when you're going three-and-out and then the scoreboard is ticking on the other side. That's deflating.

"We've just gotta find a better balance of getting in rhythm with the run and pass game and making sure we're staying on the field a little bit to give ourselves a chance to score points."

To Gannon's point, the Cardinals went three-and-out on four different occasions. Overall, the Rams nearly held a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.

In the coming weeks, a heavier dose of James Conner and Michael Carter should be expected.

Rashee Rice Has Clearly Established Himself as Chiefs' No. 2 Pass-Catcher

Following a Monday Night Football loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, critics put the Kansas City Chiefs' receiving group under a microscope. After 11 weeks, Kansas City's wideouts led the league with 26 drops. Last Monday, Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped a go-ahead touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.

In Sunday's 31-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, rookie second-rounder Rashee Rice led the Chiefs in catches (eight), receiving yards (107) and scored a touchdown.

Coming into Sunday's game, Rice ranked second on the team across most pass-catching categories, but he had a modest stretch over the past few weeks, catching 10 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown in his last three outings before Sunday.

Against the Raiders, Rice had a breakout performance that should put the rest of the league on notice and garner quarterback Patrick Mahomes' trust. If Travis Kelce has a quiet outing, look for Rice to move the chains on key drives.

Raiders Are a Well-Prepared Team But Struggle with In-Game Adjustments

After consecutive wins, the Raiders have lost back-to-back games under interim head coach Antonio Pierce. Even in defeat, they've shown the ability to compete with top-tier teams in the first half.

In Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins, the Raiders scored 10 points in the first quarter, but they lost 20-13. On Sunday, Las Vegas jumped out to a 14-0 lead over Kansas City but lost 31-17.

Clearly, the Raiders have come out against playoff-caliber opponents with an effective game plan, but their inexperience at the head coach and offensive coordinator positions may be the reason why they fail to make in-game adjustments to sustain their solid play.

On top of that, Las Vegas has a rookie quarterback in Aidan O'Connell who's made strides but needs high-level play-calling, a stout offensive line and a complementary ground attack around him. He's a pocket-passing quarterback with limited mobility.

During the Raiders' Week 13 bye, Pierce and offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree have to put their heads together and figure out the second gear of the offense. What can they do when the run game isn't chewing up four yards per carry? What if the offensive line struggles to protect O'Connell?

They have enough time to come up with answers to those questions.

Jalen Hurts Continues to Make MVP Case With Overtime Thriller Against Buffalo Bills

As it currently stands, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the 2023 NFL MVP. He strengthened his case Sunday during a 37-34 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills.

The Eagles may own the league's best record at 10-1, but they haven't been firing on all cylinders this season. Even during Sunday's contest, the Bills basically controlled the first 40 minutes of the game. Then, Hurts and Co. came alive.

From that point forward, the Eagles outscored the Bills by 30-17. Throughout that span, Hurts threw for three scores and ran for the game-winner in overtime. The final score is indicative of the confidence Philadelphia has in its starting signal-caller.

On 1st-and-10 from the Bills' 12-yard line, the Eagles called a quarterback draw. Hurts called game as he sauntered into the end zone. Even when the offense isn't at full strength, which it wasn't Sunday without right tackle Lane Johnson in the lineup, the Eagles count on Hurts to make plays. Typically, he does.

Furthermore, Hurts' attitude infects the entire team. He's not just a play-maker. He's the team leader. His attitude carries the Eagles and their approach.

"Never a doubt," Hurts told CBS' Tracy Wolfson about his approach to overtimes. "By any means, we will find a way."

The quarterback now has 29 total touchdowns while leading the league's best squad. It's easy to make his MVP case.

Josh Allen Isn't the Problem In Buffalo, But He's Not Providing the Solution, Either

Here we are again talking about how the Bills lost yet another overtime contest with quarterback Josh Allen in the lineup. The Bills are now 0-6 in extra time with Allen leading the way.

Just last week, the Bills felt they were back on track after a dominant 32-6 victory over the rival New York Jets. During that contest, Buffalo managed 393 yards of offense.

"Every season, man, has its ups and downs," Allen said afterward. "You're going to have adversity. It's how you bounce back from the adversity. And sometimes it takes a spark like this to ignite your team."

But it's easy to get derailed in the NFL, especially against a team as good as the Eagles. The emphasis will once again be placed on Allen, though it's entirely undeserved.

Head coach Sean McDermott decided to kneel out the clock instead of trying to make a play in the fourth quarter with 20 seconds remaining. In overtime, Gabe Davis saw the coverage incorrectly, which created a miscommunication between him and Allen. However, the Bills still kicked a field goal to take the lead.

The Eagles proceeded to march the ball 75 yards in just over three minutes to win the game.

McDermott let the Bills down. Those around Allen let the team down. The defense didn't step up when necessary.

Frankly, the Bills are a mediocre team with a talented quarterback. That's all they are at this point.