There is a new number one seed in the race to the NFC playoffs. As of right now, the NFC road to Super Bowl 60 travels through Chicago, Illinois – home of the 9-3 Bears. I'm not sure too many people would have had money on that at the start of the season.
Chicago – who it rock bottom on Thanksgiving weekend last year and fired then-head coach Matt Eberflus - made another big statement on Black Friday as they marched into Philadelphia and took down the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
I was at Soldier Field the previous Sunday and the Bears won against the Pittsburgh Steelers behind the passing arm of Caleb Williams. In Philadelphia, they bullied what has been one of the league's better defenses in recent seasons; rushing for 281 yards and two touchdowns. It was time for D'Andre Swift and seventh-round rookie Kyle Monongai to take centre stage.
That was impressive. It showed that the Bears – who have now won nine of their last 10 games – can win in different ways. And with just over six minutes remaining, the Bears resisted the temptation to run the ball, kick a field goal and play defense with the clock on their side. Instead, Williams attacked downfield and threw a back-breaking touchdown pass to tight end Cole Kmet. That showed that these Bears are not going to play scared and they have great belief and confidence.
That's a credit to the talent on their team, but also to head coach Ben Johnson. The rookie leader has this team believing and in this season's wide open race to the Super Bowl, that might just be enough for this campaign to have a magical ending for the Bears.
As for the Eagles, what is going on with their offense? It seems way too easy to figure out, very predictable and not at all what you would expect from a team with as much talent on that side of the ball. It is fair to expect much more of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley and I think the failings on offense most definitely took their toll on Philly's defense on Friday.
Who's Hot…
Dak Prescott… I'm not sure you can enjoy a legacy game in Week 13. Legacies are often defined by big wins in the playoffs or by lifting that famous Vince Lombardi Trophy under falling confetti at the end of the Super Bowl. But there was no doubting the fact that the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs was a big deal. And it was a massive stage for Dak Prescott, who has had his share of critics in the past. The Cowboys' quarterback was fantastic in out-dueling Patrick Mahomes in a 31-28 win for the home team. Dak teamed brilliantly with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens and those receivers combined for 200 of the quarterback's 320 passing yards. And with the game on the line and Dallas needing to run out the clock, they went to their strength. Instead of running, punting and playing defense; Dallas attacked through the air and Prescott, Lamb and Pickens iced the game. The Cowboys have now won three in a row and remain alive and dreaming of a late playoff run.
Jordan Love… The Green Bay Packers matched the intensity and boldness (on fourth downs) of the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, leaving the Motor City with a 31-24 victory powered by four Jordan Love touchdown passes. Love was assured and confident throughout and even ended the game with a bold fourth down completion. Love had not thrown a touchdown pass in three of his previous four outings, but he was red hot from the very start in Detroit and his ball placement was excellent in the big division win that has moved the Packers to 8-3-1 on the year. Love does not have to do it alone for the Packers. The defense continues to play at a high level with Micah Parsons leading the way. He had another two and a half sacks on Thursday, taking his season total to 12 ½.
Bryce Young… It's not always easy to work out the form and prospects of Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. Two weeks ago, he threw for more than 440 yards. Then he followed that with a very poor Monday Night Football clash with San Francisco. But he was on fire again on Sunday as he threw three touchdown passes in Carolina's shock 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Young was backed up by a defense that forced three turnovers from a Rams team that normally plays a very clean brand of football, particularly at quarterback with Matthew Stafford at the helm.
Who's Not…
The Pittsburgh Steelers… There were boos and "Fire Tomlin" chants raining down on the Pittsburgh Steelers following their 26-7 home loss to the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked battered and defeated with a bloodied nose and a far-away look in his eyes. There is pressure building on a team that started the season 4-1 but has since lost five of their last seven contests. DK Metcalf has disappeared and I genuinely wonder if this offense would be worse with Mason Rudolph taking over for Rodgers, who turns 42 on Tuesday. That's not meant to serve as click bait, but other teams would be considering serious changes if they lost five of seven and saw their offense fall through the floor like the Steelers. Things aren't much better on defense. Buffalo – who were far from sensational – rushed for 249 yards and a touchdown. How often have we heard those kinds of numbers posted against a Pittsburgh defense? Not very often at all is the answer you're looking for!
The Minnesota Vikings… Sam Darnold had to do very little against the team he starred for in 2024. The former Vikings quarterback threw for just 128 yards and no touchdowns, but his Seattle Seahawks ran out comfortable 26-0 winners against a Minnesota team that fell to 4-8 on the season. Darnold, who led the Vikings to 14 regular season wins a year ago, is now marshalling a 9-3 team heading to the playoffs. The Vikings are left praying JJ McCarthy can be their long-term answer at quarterback. Based on what I've seen so far this season, they have to be wondering if they should have stuck with Darnold. McCarthy may not be "it" and he missed Sunday's loss with a concussion. His replacement, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, was completely out of his depth and threw four interceptions. It's all a world away from the successes of 2024.
The Fast Five…
- Joe Burrow returned to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving Day. At first glance, the 4-8 Bengals look to be in trouble and playoff long-shots. But not if you look at it this way… both Pittsburgh and Baltimore are uninspiring and Cincinnati are just two games back in the AFC North with five to play.
- Baltimore saw their five-game winning streak snapped against the Bengals, undone by five turnovers. But they have bigger problems. Star quarterback Lamar Jackson does not look his usual dynamic self. He is either still feeling the affects of his hamstring injury or it is in the back of his mind.
- Houston stretched their winning run to four games and they are now just one behind the Indianapolis Colts and the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. CJ Stroud returned from a concussion and worked his way into a good game. And he is backed by arguably the best defense in the league. The Texans could be a tough out if they make the playoffs.
- Good on you, Charlie Smyth. The Irish kicker nailed his first career field goal attempt in the New Orleans Saints' narrow loss to the Miami Dolphins. And his first professional kick was no gimme. No bother for Charlie! He landed his 56-yard field goal and it looked like it would have been good from 70. Charlie also successfully executed an onside kick. He's on his way!
- As has been the case quite often this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars turned in a complete performance and their 25-3 win over the Tennessee Titans has moved them to the top of their division. Trevor Lawrence was mistake-free for this week and the defense came up with another two takeaways. Alongside Ben Johnson in Chicago, Liam Coen is a Coach of the Year candidate.
Fact of the Week
The Bills set several notable marks in running all over Pittsburgh on Sunday. It was the third time they topped 200 team rushing yards in a game in 2025. James Cook carried a career-high 32 times, Josh Allen set a new all-time mark for NFL quarterbacks with his 76th rushing touchdown and the 249 gained by Buffalo were the most for a road team in Pittsburgh since 1975 and the most ever in Acrisure Stadium.
Final Thought…
The NFL playoffs don't officially begin until the second weekend of January, but they are already underway for several teams around the league. The Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys cannot really afford another loss. Dallas could maybe drop one but would then be pushing their luck. It means we are in for an intense month of games as several teams fight for survival in the playoff picture. That is the NFL's gift to all of us in this most open of seasons.
