Week 13 brought several significant developments in the NFL. With a star performance by Deshaun Watson, the Houston Texans upset the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football. New England’s loss turned the first seed in the AFC over to the Baltimore Ravens, who outlasted the San Francisco 49ers in a clash of giants.
With a win on Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings, the Seattle Seahawks moved past the 49ers for the top seed in the NFC West. The two teams are tied at 10-2, but the Seahawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The divisional rivals play again in Week 17.
There will not be an 0-16 team this season. The Cincinnati Bengals picked up a win in Andy Dalton’s return as the starter at the cost of the New York Jets. Those were the biggest highlights of the weekend.
With four starting quarterback changes taking place in Week 13, there are NFL teams still looking for stability. Gardner Minshew also saw action as he replaced Nick Foles for Jacksonville. The quarterback position is plagued by injuries and poor play this season.
1. Lamar Jackson 14/23 105 yards, one touchdown, 101 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 1
The Ravens and 49ers threw everything they had at each other. Neither offense has a huge day, but Jackson did it all for Baltimore. His big day on the ground put the Ravens over the top. Both teams are now 10-2.
2. Russell Wilson 21/31 240 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 2
While the Seahawks relied heavily on their ground game against the Vikings, Wilson still put together a good performance. If not for an oddly tipped pass attempt, he wouldn’t have thrown an interception. While the Seahawks continue to win, Wilson has thrown interceptions in three consecutive games.
3. Patrick Mahomes 15/29 175 yards, one touchdown, one rushing touchdown
Last week’s ranking: 3
The reigning MVP completed 51.72% of his pass attempts and posted an 81.8 passer rating as the Kansas City Chiefs wrecked the Oakland Raiders 40-9. Even though it was a mediocre week, the Chiefs got a significant win over a division rival and advanced to 7-3.
4. Deshaun Watson 18/25 234 yards, three touchdowns, one receiving touchdown
Last week’s ranking: 5
With their upset win over the Patriots on Sunday Night Football, the Texans advanced to 8-4 and retained their lead over the AFC South. Watson posted a 140.7 passer rating and caught the first touchdown of his career.
5. Drew Brees 18/30 184 yards, one touchdown
Last week’s ranking: 4
While Brees didn’t have a standout game individually and the Atlanta Falcons came within one score of the New Orleans Saints, the Saints are the second NFC team to reach ten wins. This marks the team’s third straight ten-win season.
6. Tom Brady 24/47 326 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 6
Sunday night was one of Brady’s better games since Week 5. The Patriots got behind the Texans early and never recovered, falling to 10-2. Brady, who has an 88.2 passer rating this season, may finally be going through some regression at age 42.
7. Kirk Cousins 22/38 276 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 7
Minnesota got no help from their usually reliable running game on Monday night. Cousins kept the Vikings in the game but a weird interception that Stefon Diggs was partially responsible for put Minnesota behind for good.
8. Aaron Rodgers 21/33 243 yards, four touchdowns
Last week’s ranking: 10
The former MVP’s play has been erratic this season, but he dominated the New York Giants on Sunday. It was Rodgers’ second game with at least four passing touchdowns this season. The Green Bay Packers advanced to 9-3.
9. Dak Prescott 32/49 355 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 8
The Mississippi St. product can rack up as many yards as he wants, but the Dallas Cowboys are still winless against teams with winning records. Getting stomped by the Buffalo Bills in the second half was just another testament to how far Dallas has left to go.
10. Ryan Tannehill 17/22 182 yards, two touchdowns, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 9
With their win against the Indianapolis Colts, the Tennessee Titans advanced to 7-5 on the season and 5-1 with Tannehill as the starter. The Titans are hunting the AFC South division title. Depending on how this season ends, Tannehill could be in for a huge payday this offseason.
11. Josh Allen 19/24 231 yards, one touchdown, 43 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Last week’s ranking: 16
In the past seven games, the Bills are 5-2. Allen has thrown 11 touchdowns, just one interception, and five rushing touchdowns during that time. While he’s still raw in some areas of his game, Allen is a dangerous weapon for the 9-3 Bills.
12. Jimmy Garoppolo 15/21 165 yards, one touchdown, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 13
While he completed 71.43% of his pass attempts, harsh weather and Baltimore’s defense limited Garoppolo. He had an efficient day, but San Francisco’s offense didn’t do enough to beat Baltimore.
13. Carson Wentz 28/46 310 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 15
While I am running out of patience with Wentz, he didn’t have a bad game against the Miami Dolphins. The Philadelphia Eagles allowed 37 points to one of the worst teams in the NFL. Ordinarily, the 31 points Philly scored would be enough for a win.
14. Derek Carr 20/30 222 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions
Last week’s ranking: 11
Do you hear that? It’s the sound of Oakland’s playoff hopes being flushed down the toilet. Carr was pacing a Pro Bowl season earlier this year, but he has thrown four interceptions and just two touchdowns in the last three weeks. Oakland is 6-6.
15. Kyler Murray 19/34 163 yards, one interception, one rushing touchdown
Last week’s ranking: 12
The rookie, who was trending up this list in previous weeks, suffered a setback against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams sacked Murray six times, and he never found his footing. The Arizona Cardinals fell to 3-8-1 in a landslide defeat.
16. Andy Dalton 22/37 243 yards, one touchdown
Last week’s ranking: Unranked (DNP)
With his one touchdown pass on Sunday, Dalton passed Ken Anderson for the most passing touchdowns in franchise history. Dalton relieved Ryan Finley in time to prevent a winless season for the Bengals. The team is now 1-11.
17. Matt Ryan 35/50 312 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 14
If not for costly turnovers, the Falcons may have defeated the Saints. Even with Ryan’s three turnovers, the Falcons came within eight points of New Orleans. The Saints sacked Ryan nine times on Thursday night.
18. Jameis Winston 21/33 268 yards, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 20
Week 13 was Winston’s first game this year without a passing touchdown. However, Tampa Bay’s defense buoyed the Buccaneers. Winston completed 63.64% of his pass attempts and posted an 89.0 passer rating in the 28-11 win.
19. Ryan Fitzpatrick 27/39 365 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 23
Last week, Philadelphia’s secondary gave Russell Wilson and Seattle fits. However, Fitzpatrick carved the Eagles up like they were turkeys on Sunday. Save for the interception, Fitzpatrick dominated the Eagles in a 37-31 win.
20. Jared Goff 32/43 424 yards, two touchdowns
Last week’s ranking: 25
There’s nothing like playing one of the worst defenses in football to set your season straight. Goff, who threw five interceptions and zero touchdowns in Weeks 10-12, dominated the Cardinals. The Rams advanced to 7-5 with their massive 34-7 win.
21. Kyle Allen 27/46 278 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one rushing touchdown, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 21
Even though he turned the ball over twice, Allen put in a decent performance against the Washington Redskins. Carolina’s loss falls more on the team’s inability to run the ball and the defense failing to stop the run. Washington ran for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
22. Philip Rivers 20/29 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 24
Amid talks that the Los Angeles Chargers might bench Rivers in favor of Tyrod Taylor, the veteran gave his team a fighting chance against the Denver Broncos. However, a late Denver field goal sealed yet another heartbreaking defeat. The Chargers are 4-8.
23. Baker Mayfield 18/32 196 yards, one touchdown, one interception, one fumble lost
Last week’s ranking: 17
An injury to his throwing hand may have effected Mayfield in the second half of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, that shouldn’t excuse the Cleveland Browns and Mayfield losing to Pittsburgh’s crippled offense.
24. Jacoby Brissett 25/40 319 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions
Last week’s ranking: 19
Brissett struggled again on Sunday. He hasn’t been the same since returning from injury in Week 11. Over that three-game stretch, Brissett has two touchdown passes and three interceptions. His passer rating is below 77.0 during that stretch.
25. Drew Lock 18/28 134 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: Unranked (DNP)
Denver’s third starter this season, Lock got off to a hot start on Sunday. He cooled off as the game went on, but flashed potential and a strong connection with Courtland Sutton. Denver’s season is over, but they can at least hope Lock can be the starter moving forward.
26. Sam Darnold 28/48 239 yards
Last week’s ranking: 18
Who are the New York Jets? One week they’re destroying the Raiders by 31 points, the next they’re losing to a previously 0-11 team. The Jets scored just six points against the Bengals. They are the only team in NFL history to lose to two teams with at least 0-7 records in the same season.
27. Mitchell Trubisky 29/38 338 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 27
The struggling third-year quarterback posted his first 300-yard passing game on Thanksgiving, but the Chicago Bears still only beat the Detroit Lions by four points. Trubisky can play serviceably against terrible defenses, but he’s got nothing against even average defenses.
28. David Blough 22/38 280 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Last week’s ranking: Unranked (DNP)
The undrafted rookie took the internet by storm on Thanksgiving by taking the Bears to the wire. The Purdue product posted an 87.6 passer rating. Blough is no Matthew Stafford, but he’s certainly a suitable replacement for Jeff Driskel.
29. Gardner Minshew II 16/27 147 yards, one touchdown, one interception
Last week’s ranking: Unranked (DNP)
After a terrible first half by Foles, the Jacksonville Jaguars reinstated their mustached rookie at the helm of their struggling offense. Overall, Minshew didn’t fare much better. Jacksonville’s nightmare season continues.
30. Daniel Jones 20/37 240 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions
Last week’s ranking: 22
The sixth overall pick does not have a lot of offensive weapons right now and his offensive line is underperforming, but that doesn’t justify throwing three interceptions. Jones has thrown 11 interceptions this season and fumbled 15 times.
31. Devlin Hodges 14/21 212 yards, one touchdown, one interception
Last week’s ranking: 29
The duck caller is 2-0 as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback. The rookie undrafted free agent didn’t have an outstanding day, but he was a noticeable step up from Mason Rudolph. Hodges completed 66.67% of his pass attempts and posted a 95.7 passer rating.
32. Nick Foles 7/14 93 yards, one interception, two fumbles lost
Last week’s ranking: 26
The highlight of Foles’ season was the touchdown he threw in Week 1 as his collarbone broke. The last three weeks have been horrendous for the former Super Bowl MVP. The Jaguars benched Foles in favor of Minshew in the second half against Tennessee.
33. Dwayne Haskins 13/25 147 yards
Last week’s ranking: 32
The 15th overall pick needs to buy his running backs some gifts because his second win as Washington’s starter was all thanks to the ground game. Derrius Guice ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Adrian Peterson ran for 99 yards and a score of his own.
Played sparingly
Blake Bortles 1/2 three yards
Last week’s ranking: Unranked (DNP)
The former Jaguar saw some action late in Los Angeles’ 34-7 thrashing of Arizona. Bortles signed a one-year deal with the Rams this past offseason. Considering some of the quarterback play we’ve seen this season, he could be starting somewhere in 2020.
