With Thanksgiving just days away, the home stretch of the 2024 NFL season is upon us. The playoff picture is shaping up and there are sure to be a few exciting division races that will come down to the wire. Who were the risers and fallers of Week 12? Click here to find out.
1. Detroit Lions (10-1) Previous Week: 1
It’s another week and another win for the best team in football. It might not have been in typical blowout fashion, but it was another dominant win, this time on the road against the Colts. The offense didn’t do anything special, but they completely shut down the Indianapolis offense. They’ll have a short turnaround to Thanksgiving when they host a sinking Chicago Bears team that has lost five games in a row.
2. Buffalo Bills (9-2) Previous Week: 2
It was a much-needed bye week for the Bills in Week 12. With the rest of the top 10 teams playing this weekend, Buffalo held onto the No. 2 spot after Kansas City was taken to the brink by a three-win Carolina team. The race for the No. 1 seed continues over the season’s final six games.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1) Previous Week: 3
Despite being nine games over .500, there’s not a lot of impressive work coming out of Kansas City right now. It took a last-second field goal to beat a three-win Panthers team, and the defense does not look like they are playing great football. There are still six games to get it right, but a three-peat is going to be a challenging task if they continue to play like they have for the majority of this season (10-1) record be damned.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) Previous Week: 4
The Eagles continued to roll on Sunday Night Football after Saquon Barkley’s 255-yard rushing performance. Outside of the Lions, Philadelphia is playing the best football out of any team in a stacked NFC. With Washington’s third loss in a row, the Eagles are cruising for another NFC East divisional crown.
5. Green Bay Packers (8-3) Previous Week: 9
The Packers have won six out of their last seven games and completely dominated a short-handed 49ers team at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The NFC North race is tight, but the path to the playoffs is the most likely through the Wild Card. The final six-game stretch will be fun to watch in this division.
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-4) Previous Week: 7
Baltimore is a half-game back from a tie for first place after a hard-fought win on Monday night. The Ravens’ defense still doesn’t resemble the same unit, but that offense is tough to stop. They scored 30+ points on one of the better defenses in the NFL. The season’s final six games in the AFC North will be fun to watch.
7. Minnesota Vikings (9-2) Previous Week: 6
The Vikings keep on rolling. Despite blowing a 10-point lead in the final two minutes of the game in Chicago, they found a way to secure the overtime victory. Brian Flores’ defense had his hands complete with a rookie quarterback on Sunday, and Justin Jefferson was essentially shut down. Even so, they got their ninth win of the season and are a win or two away from clinching a playoff spot. Oh, and they are just one game back of the division lead.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) Previous Week: 5
Last week, I finally started to give the Steelers some credit despite their quarterback situation. It took one game on a short week to make me look foolish. Yet, here we are. Pittsburgh was the latest AFC North victim to the lowly Browns. I would only consider another change at quarterback if Wilson picks up his play soon.
9. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) Previous Week: 8
Monday night was a sobering moment for the Chargers. For as impressive as they’ve been this season, they faded in the fourth quarter against a superior team. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has this group headed in the right direction, but it might be best to adjust playoff expectations in Year 1 of what appeared to be a re-tool before the start of the season.
10. Denver Broncos (7-5) Previous Week: 13
The upstart Broncos kept on rolling against the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. With the win, head coach Sean Payton exercised some personal demons against his divisional rival. After an incredible run over his last six games, rookie quarterback Bo Nix has firmly planted himself as the front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
11. Atlanta Falcons (6-5) Previous Week: 14
Like the Bills, it was a much-needed late-season bye week for the Falcons, especially after getting blown out against the Broncos just one week ago. The Buccaneers aren’t going away, so they’ll need to put their foot on the gas to secure the division over the season’s final six weeks. That starts in Week 13 at home against the Chargers.
12. Seattle Seahawks (6-5) Previous Week: 17
Just like that, the Seahawks are back atop the NFC West. With the 49ers continuing to struggle and the Cardinals failing to score against their defense, Seattle is now in the driver’s seat for the NFC West crown. It was a massive win at home for Seattle on Sunday.
13. Arizona Cardinals (6-5) Previous Week: 10
Arizona’s youth and lack of meaningful experience in big games showed in a big way on Sunday against the Seahawks for the division lead. No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. continues to disappoint slightly, but this is still a young team with a quality ceiling. How they finish could dictate how we feel about them heading into the offseason.
14. Houston Texans (7-5) Previous Week: 11
Houston’s free fall continued on Sunday against the lowly Titans. I’m unsure what is happening with the Texans, but something doesn’t add up. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has been different, and as a whole, this team is playing with different juice. They’ve got a firm grip on the division, but this differs from how they want to look closer to the playoffs.
15. Washington Commanders (7-5) Previous Week: 12
Kliff Kingsbury’s struggles during the year’s second half have continued as an offensive coordinator. Please make no mistake: the offense has regressed. Although the final score showed 26 points on the board, they were shut down for the first three-plus quarters against a struggling Dallas defense. Their Week 13 bye week will be essential for how they can finish out the season.
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16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6) Previous Week: 18
The Bucs continue to hang around in the NFC playoff race. Although they’ve got a lot of ground to make up in the coming weeks, their offense keeps them in most games. These last six games will mean a lot regarding the future of this coaching staff.
17. Miami Dolphins (5-6) Previous Week: 20
Are the Miami Dolphins back? It sure feels like it! Miami has scored 34 points in back-to-back games and won three in a row. Tua looks fully back, and the defense is playing much better as of late, too. Their road to a playoff spot is steep, but if the Broncos falter down the stretch, Miami could be in a position to capitalize.
18. San Francisco 49ers (5-6) Previous Week: 15
The 49ers’ nightmare season continued in Green Bay. Brock Purdy got hurt during practice this week and missed Sunday’s game. They are now under .500, and their health is just not improving. Despite being just one game out of first place, things are not lining up for a late-season run. No matter the opponent, a 38-10 loss will never be a good look.
19. Los Angeles Rams (5-6) Previous Week: 16
The Rams are playing good football but ran into a buzzsaw on Sunday night. This is a solid football team in a mediocre division, so it’s best not to rule them out, but time is running out for them to string a run of wins together to get into the playoffs. Sunday was a measuring stick in many ways, and the outcome was telling.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) Previous Week: 21
Barring a miracle, the Bengals’ season is all but over. We’ll see how they come out of the bye week, but considering their division and conference record, they are playing for pride over their final five games.
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images
21. Indianapolis Colts (5-7) Previous Week: 19
Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco? It doesn’t matter. The Colts cannot put it all together and string together multiple wins. Richardson had another sub-50% completion rate, and the future isn’t bright. There could be more string of wins down the stretch to steal the division, and it seems increasingly unlikely every week that passes.
22. New Orleans Saints (4-7) Previous Week: 23
The Darren Rizzi effect has been fundamental in New Orleans since taking over for Dennis Allen. At this point, it almost feels like a best-case scenario for him to “earn” the permanent job, but a lot of that will hinge on how they finish out these final six games. Following a Week 12 bye, we’ll see how they respond to their current hot streak.
23. Dallas Cowboys (4-7) Previous Week: 26
Sunday’s win was by no means a season savor, but it was a shock nonetheless. Quarterback Cooper Rush had his best performance of the season, but it’s all too little, too late. How they finish the season could determine whether or not Mike McCarthy gets another year in Dallas. Right now, it feels like it could be more confident.
24. Chicago Bears (4-7) Previous Week: 22
Chicago’s losing streak reached five games on Sunday despite erasing a 10-point deficit over the game’s final two minutes. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has had impressive performances under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. This team seems on the verge of outright quitting on their coach, but it hasn’t happened yet.
25. Carolina Panthers (3-8) Previous Week: 27
Carolina’s two-game winning streak might have ended against the Chiefs, but their progress since the bye week continues to be notable. Quarterback Bryce Young looks like a brand new player, and they gave Kansas City all they could handle. Dave Canales has turned this group around in a hurry and deserves a lot of credit for doing so.
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images
26. New York Jets (3-8) Previous Week: 25
The news from the Jets facility during their bye week was conflicting. The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported that the organization was expected to either bench or place quarterback Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve soon. Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz noted that the reports of friction are overblown and that Rodgers and owner Woody Johnson went to dinner earlier this weekend. Either way, this has been yet another disaster of a season in New York.
27. Tennessee Titans (3-8) Previous Week: 28
The Titans had one of the bigger upsets in Week 12, knocking off the struggling Houston Texans. Their defense is legit, but quarterback Will Level has been quite the rollercoaster. I’m not sure what to make of this team or its future, but despite being a three-win team, they aren’t an easy out.
28. Cleveland Browns (3-8) Previous Week: 29
The Browns continue to be one of the most challenging teams in the league to figure out in 2024. In some games, they look competent. In others, they look like the worst team in the league. On a snowy Thursday night, they upset the division-leading Steelers. If I were a Browns fan, I wouldn’t know how to feel about this season.
29. New England Patriots (3-9) Previous Week: 24
The vibes had been great in New England over the past few weeks, but they hit a speed bump on Sunday. Miami steamrolled them by a 34-15 score, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye struggled most of the day. These games are expected for a rebuilding team, but was Sunday an ugly one…
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) Previous Week: 31
Can we call it a “much-needed” bye week for a team that has already gone up in flames? The only thing that surprised me over the last few weeks is that head coach Doug Pederson is still employed. Don’t be surprised to see a full-on regime change in the coming weeks. This franchise needs another reset.
Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images
31. Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) Previous Week 30
The disaster in Las Vegas continues to get worse. Starting quarterback Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone late in the fourth quarter and is done for the season. The offensive coaching changes have not made much of a difference, and this appears to be a team primed for another head coaching change in January.
32. New York Giants (2-9) Previous Week: 32
The Daniel Jones era is done, and the tank is on. I know that the national narrative seems to be that Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen will keep their jobs for 2025, but I’m not sold on that, especially when talking about Daboll. This is a team that is destined for an ugly finish, and that’s exactly what it appears they are hoping for. With the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select…