As November reaches its final weeks and the third quarter of the NFL season nears completion, it’s all about building momentum. The top teams in the league seek strong finishes and aim to carry them over into the postseason. Some will try to ride the wave to secure division titles. Others will try to mount charges that will pull them into the thick of playoff races.
As far as hot streaks go, the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos have each won eight straight games. The Patriots aim to extend their run to nine while visiting the Cincinnati Bengals; the Broncos have the week off. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams try to extend their streak to six games, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens are both chasing their fifth consecutive victories. The Chicago Bears will vie for their fourth in a row.
All this and much more coming up in Week 12. Here’s a look at five of the most compelling storylines of the week.
Shedeur’s time to shine
At long last, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make his first NFL start as the Browns go on the road to play the Las Vegas Raiders. The former Colorado star and son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, who endured a draft weekend slide to the fifth round, has spent the season buried on Cleveland’s depth chart. He got his first game action last week when fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel left the Baltimore contest with a concussion. Sanders found himself under pressure often and completed 4 of 16 pass attempts for 47 yards and an interception while getting sacked twice and hit 10 times in a 23-16 loss. This week, however, Sanders got all of the first-team work in preparation for his first start. He’ll try to provide a spark to a Cleveland offense that has struggled with consistency on just about every front and has managed just 257.3 yards and 16.2 points per game.
Cleveland faces a Las Vegas defense that surrenders 326.8 yards and 25.3 points per game while managing just 1.9 sacks per outing (tied for the seventh-fewest). So, perhaps Sanders will have more time to operate. The Browns have lost three straight and the Raiders have dropped four in a row. Usually, a matchup between struggling squads with a combined 4-16 record would draw very little attention. But Sanders is one of the NFL’s most intriguing rookies. How will he fare while becoming the 46th quarterback to start for the Browns since 1990? Can he show enough promise to remain in the starting lineup beyond this week, or will his spot in this role be short-lived? (Browns at Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS)
Kings of the North
Two surprise division leaders face off as the Bears of the NFC North welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers of the AFC North to the Windy City on Sunday afternoon. Both teams need a victory to hold off rivals who are on their heels in division races. Pittsburgh (6-4) has a one-game edge over Baltimore, while Chicago (7-3) has a half-game lead over the Green Bay Packers.
Caleb Williams has displayed much growth under coach Ben Johnson, particularly while directing fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives in each of the last three games. Williams still seeks passing consistency (his 59.7 completion percentage ranked 31st in the NFL entering the week), but he could be primed for a big outing against the Steelers, who allow a league-high 261.7 passing yards per game.
Williams may be in for a shootout with Aaron Rodgers, who owns a 24-5 career record against the Bears and has averaged 240 passing yards and 2.2 touchdowns per contest against Chicago. Rodgers sustained a fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist last week and is questionable, but wants to play. Despite the Steelers’ inconsistencies in the passing department (averaging just less than 200 yards per game), Rodgers is tied for fifth in the league with 19 touchdown passes. But will a Chicago defense that leads the NFL with 15 interceptions hold its old rival in check? (Steelers at Bears, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS)
The Chicago Bears’ ball-hawking defense has recorded 15 interceptions this season. (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Last stand for the Chiefs?
Owners of a 5-5 record and losers of two straight, desperation has set in for the Kansas City Chiefs, who this week welcome the 8-2 Indianapolis Colts. Patrick Mahomes has never lost three regular-season games in a row, and the three-time Super Bowl champion passer and his teammates can’t afford to lose a third straight Sunday. If the season ended today, the Chiefs would miss the playoffs. As things currently stand, Kansas City has only about a 55 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s playoff simulator. If they lose Sunday, their chances plunge to about 38 percent. So, this is as close to a must-win situation as the Andy Reid/Mahomes-led Chiefs have experienced this early in a season.
The Chiefs need Mahomes to rebound from the struggles that have plagued him in each of the last two games, because running the ball will prove challenging for Kansas City as the Colts boast one of the stingiest defensive fronts in football. The Chiefs also need a big day out of their offense, because their defense could struggle against a Colts offense that leads the league with 396.9 yards and 32.1 points per game. Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor, who leads the league with 1,139 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, will be a handful. So will rookie Tyler Warren, who ranks among the leading tight ends with 50 catches for 617 yards and three touchdowns.
This is a great opportunity for Daniel Jones and the Colts to deliver a statement victory and not only put a dent in the Chiefs’ playoff hopes, but also keep pace with the Patriots and Broncos in the race for the top spot in the AFC. The Colts have been among the best surprise stories of the season, but can they maintain this level of play against elite squads as pressure mounts? (Colts at Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS)
NFC playoff preview
For much of the first half of the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the NFL’s the hottest teams. They started 5-1 and quarterback Baker Mayfield looked like a legitimate MVP candidate while directing a prolific offense despite rampant injuries. But the Bucs have hit a midseason snag, losing three of their last four games to the Detroit Lions, Patriots and Buffalo Bills, all potential playoff teams. Now Tampa Bay faces the Rams, who just might be the best team in football.
With five straight wins and six in their last seven, the Rams sit atop the NFC West standings following last week’s victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams boast a well-rounded offense that ranks among the top 10 in yards (360.9) and points (27.2). Meanwhile, L.A.’s defense has held opponents to just 17.2 points per game and entered the week tied for second in the NFL with 18 takeaways.
Look for a classic shootout between Mayfield, who averages 236.5 yards per game and has 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions, and Matthew Stafford, who throws for 255.7 yards per contest and has 27 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. But both defenses will get their licks in as well.
Tampa Bay needs a victory to hold off the Carolina Panthers, who have pulled within a half-game of the NFC South leaders. But the Rams are rolling and boast one of the top red-zone defenses and an offense that seemingly has an answer for whatever a defense throws at it. (Buccaneers at Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC)
Matthew Stafford has been playing at an MVP level with 27 touchdowns against two interceptions. (Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
’Boys and Birds
Despite the constant criticism over perceived underachievement on offense, the 8-2 Eagles remain one of the toughest teams in the league and one of the favorites to emerge from the NFC. With wins over the Rams, Lions, Buccaneers and Packers, they hold the top spot in the conference. Nick Sirianni’s team is about to receive a tough test from the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys, however.
Dallas has an inferior record at 4-5-1 but Brian Schottenheimer’s offense is one of the NFL’s best and will put pressure on the Eagles. The Cowboys rank No. 1 in the NFL with 258.7 passing yards per game and No. 2 with 29.6 points per contest. Philadelphia’s No. 15-ranked pass defense will have to work hard to contain Dak Prescott and his tandem of wide receivers, George Pickens (90.8 yards, seven touchdown catches) and CeeDee Lamb (79.6 yards per game, two touchdown catches).
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense also must be at their best to keep pace with Dallas. Hurts’ effectiveness, A.J. Brown’s fluctuating usage and Saquon Barkley’s decline in production have drawn plenty of scrutiny, but the Eagles have the capability to score with the best of them. These meetings between hated rivals tend to be knock-down-drag-outs. So look for the defensive fronts (both of which received reinforcements at the trade deadline and also got key players back from injury) to wreak havoc.
For all of their inconsistencies, the Eagles seemingly always find a way to win. However, Prescott is undefeated in his last 18 home games against NFC East foes, so don’t count out the Cowboys. (Eagles at Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox)
