NFL Week 12 Recap 2025
Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off with a matchup between the Bills and the Texans on Thursday night. Houston’s defense dominated Buffalo’s offense, forcing three turnovers that allowed backup quarterback Davis Mills to secure the victory. In Sunday afternoon’s games, Packers’ running back Micah Parsons recorded two sacks in an easy victory over the Vikings. In the NFC North, the Lions came back from a double-digit deficit to beat the Giants in overtime. The Chiefs also needed overtime to overcome the Colts. Meanwhile, the Ravens went above .500 for the first time this season after defeating the Jets. The Steelers, with backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, were unable to overcome the Bears. In the afternoon games, Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders defeated the Raiders in his first start. It was the first time a Browns quarterback had won his first start in the NFL since Eric Zeier in 1995. The Falcons also rallied, defeating the Saints with Kirk Cousins at the helm. The Jaguars won in overtime against the Cardinals, while the Cowboys scored 24 unanswered points to beat the Eagles. The Eagles’ defeat opened the door for the Rams, who dominated the Buccaneers from the start to move up to first place in the NFC. For Tampa Bay, quarterback Baker Mayfield did not return in the second half after suffering a shoulder injury. Here’s a detailed analysis of each encounter:Rams vs. Buccaneers
L.A. Rams 34, Tampa Bay 7Rams Analysis: Will the Rams be able to maintain the top spot in the NFC? After the Eagles’ loss on Sunday afternoon, the Rams’ victory over the Buccaneers put them ahead of Philadelphia at the top of the conference. The Rams (9-2) are favored in each of their remaining six games, including matchups against the Lions (7-4) and the Seahawks (8-3). Staying ahead of the Eagles in the standings could be crucial, as Philadelphia has the direct tiebreaker after their Week 3 victory.Quarterback Performance: Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level. On Sunday night, Stafford added to his 2025 resume, completing 25 of 35 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Stafford has thrown 27 consecutive touchdowns without an interception, the longest streak for any player since play-by-play data has been tracked in 1978. Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Buccaneers Analysis: Will the Buccaneers be able to reverse their losing streak? Tampa Bay’s losing streak extended to three games in Los Angeles. Hope faded early as the Rams took a quick 21-0 lead, and the 31-7 halftime deficit was the Bucs’ largest since 2022 against the 49ers (28-0). Things should be easier with the Cardinals (3-8) and Saints (2-9) next, but the big question will be about Baker Mayfield’s health after he didn’t play in the second half due to a shoulder injury. The loss leaves the Bucs tied with the Carolina Panthers (6-5) for first place in the NFC South, and Tampa Bay could end up in second place when the final whistle blows on “Monday Night Football” between the Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers.Quarterback Performance: Mayfield took some hard hits trying to carry his team on his shoulders, as he has done so many times this season. But the hits added up, and he completed 9 of 19 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions before leaving. He also had four carries for 19 yards. Teddy Bridgewater came in, and the results were similar, as he finished with 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Both quarterbacks were sacked twice by a tenacious Rams defense that suffocated Tampa Bay all night. Mayfield’s pick-six in the first quarter was the first he’s thrown since joining the Buccaneers in 2023 and the first since 2022, when he played for the Panthers. Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Eagles vs. Cowboys
Dallas 24, Philadelphia 21Cowboys Analysis: Will the Cowboys be able to get into the playoff race? Losing 21-0 at the beginning of the second quarter, the Cowboys didn’t look good. However, they managed the victory, improving to 5-5-1 before the Chiefs’ visit on Thanksgiving. Sunday’s comeback tied the largest in team history. Despite splitting the season with the Eagles, Dallas faces a tough task to get back in the divisional race, but this is the kind of win that can generate momentum. The offense failed on two opportunities at the end, including coach Brian Schottenheimer’s decision to bypass an easy field goal attempt with 3:46 left to play, but Dak Prescott appeared in the last minute with passes of 19 and 24 yards to tight end Jake Ferguson and wide receiver George Pickens, respectively.Key stat: Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb might be happy to not see the Eagles again this season. After officially dropping three passes (and maybe a fourth) in the season opener in Philadelphia, Lamb dropped three more on Sunday, including a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter that would have given the Cowboys the lead. He has eight drops this season, the most he’s had in a full season in his career. Next game: vs. Chiefs (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)Eagles Analysis: How did it all fall apart for the Eagles? They scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions to go up 21-0. It looked like a beatdown was in the works. Instead, the offense went silent, allowing Prescott to lead a Cowboys charge against a defense that lost several key players to injury. Saquon Barkley’s fumble in Dallas territory with the score tied midway through the final quarter proved costly, as did Xavier Gipson’s turnover on a punt return with 5:09 remaining. Philadelphia still dominates the NFC East, but this was a painful, avoidable, and penalty-filled loss that could affect the Eagles’ pursuit of the top seed in the NFC. They will need to recover on a short week before facing the NFC North leader.Quarterback Performance: After a week of reports about internal frustration directed at quarterback Jalen Hurts over the handling of the offense, he seemed to be on his way to another performance that would silence critics. He added three touchdowns in the first half while taking advantage of the zone coverage, which has given him problems at times this season. Then, the offense cooled down. There will be a lot of blame to go around, but what seemed to be a game for Hurts and the offense to recover turned into a performance that will only welcome more scrutiny. Next game: vs. Bears (Friday, 3 p.m. ET)Jaguars vs. Cardinals
Jacksonville 27, Arizona 24 (OT)Jaguars Analysis: Is it time to take the Jaguars seriously as AFC South contenders? It was a sloppy win over the Cardinals, and there’s a lot to clean up, but at 7-4, the Jaguars are legitimate contenders. The Colts’ loss to Kansas City cut their division lead to one game; the Jaguars play the Titans (1-10) next week, while the Colts play the Texans and their top-ranked defense. If the Jaguars beat the Titans, that will set up a huge Week 14 matchup with the Colts in Jacksonville. Indy last won there in 2014.Decisive moment: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence recovered from his third interception to lead the Jaguars on a six-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Parker Washington. Lawrence released the ball before Washington turned his head in the end zone and made a sliding catch behind cornerback Garrett Williams. That put the Jaguars ahead 24-21.
Best quote from the locker room: The Jaguars had lost 18 of their last 23 games before the 2025 season, so they don’t feel bad about winning in an ugly way. “I never apologize for [winning the way we won], and people can watch the tape and make their own judgments and I’ll do the same,” Lawrence said. “There were some tough plays out there. Those guys make good plays too.”
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Cardinals Analysis: When will Arizona win again? It could be a couple of weeks before the team can win again. After holding the lead against Jacksonville until the second quarter, the Cardinals lost their third straight game and their eighth of their last nine. With a trip to face the Buccaneers (who are first in the NFC South) and a home game against the Rams (who are first in the NFC West), Arizona may not win until Week 15 against the Texans or Week 16 against the Falcons.
Trend to watch: Michael Wilson has embraced his WR1 role with another impressive performance, catching 10 passes for 118 yards a week after collecting 185 yards on 15 receptions. Whenever Marvin Harrison Jr. returns from appendicitis surgery, Wilson will be another important option for quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Falcons vs. Saints
Atlanta 24, New Orleans 10Falcons Analysis: How does Sunday’s victory shape what success means for the rest of the season? The Falcons are 4-7, so talking about the playoffs doesn’t seem wise. Even with Sunday’s win, Atlanta has a 2% chance of making the postseason, according to ESPN’s football power index and regardless of other results. Expectations are low without quarterback Michael Penix Jr., although Kirk Cousins completed 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Rookie edge rushers Jalon Walker (1.0 sack on Sunday) and James Pearce Jr. (1.5) continue to play well, and their development is an important key.Quarterback Performance: Considering he didn’t have star wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., who let him down with drops, Cousins played the best he has played since the Falcons started 6-3 last season with him as the starter. Somehow, he made it work with a little-recognized receiving unit that included David Sills V, Dylan Drummond, and tight end Charlie Woerner. Next game: at Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Saints Analysis: Should the Saints move forward with kicker Blake Grupe? The Saints have already begun to look towards the future at several offensive positions, including wide receiver and quarterback. But they have remained loyal to Grupe despite his misses, which increased to eight this season. Grupe missed two field goals on Sunday and was heavily booed by Saints fans. With Charlie Smyth on the practice squad for the second year in a row, the Saints have an option at the kicker position.Biggest hole in the game plan: The red zone. The Saints looked inept whenever they got close to the goal line. They were at Atlanta’s 1-yard line twice and came away with three points. On a fourth-and-1, Taysom Hill’s pass was not completed. On another play, the Saints were practically on the goal line, but threw the ball over Hill’s head. He picked it up and threw it, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty and a field goal attempt. Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Browns vs. Raiders
Cleveland 24, Las Vegas 10Browns Analysis: Did Shedeur Sanders show enough to remain the Browns’ starting quarterback? With a week of practice repetitions, Sanders showed marked improvement in his first start. He threw an early interception due to a bad decision, but also showed his characteristic accuracy on long passes. On a 52-yard connection with rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Sanders evaded a free rusher and rolled to his right to buy time. Coach Kevin Stefanski previously said that rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel would start once he cleared concussion protocol, but the Browns’ passing game showed bursts of explosiveness on Sunday that we haven’t seen all season.Key statistic: With three sacks, edge rusher Myles Garrett set a single-season personal best and a Browns franchise record with 18, surpassing the mark he had set twice before. The NFL single-season record is 22.5; Garrett has six more games to surpass that mark set by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021). Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Raiders Analysis: Is the clock ticking on Geno Smith’s time in Las Vegas? At 2-9, this is a fair question. It hasn’t helped that Smith has played behind a bad offensive line. Against the Browns, he was sacked 10 times and pressured 20. Aside from that, his performance wasn’t bad (30 of 44, 285 yards and a touchdown), but the offense still struggled to find a rhythm with him under center. Las Vegas is far from a playoff contender and could be in the midst of significant changes in the offseason, which could start with the quarterback, as Smith hasn’t done enough to prove he’s the franchise guy.Turning point: Down by 14 in the second quarter, the Raiders failed to turn the game around twice. Las Vegas reached Cleveland’s 27-yard line, but the Raiders ultimately attempted a 48-yard field goal that kicker Daniel Carlson missed. Then, Las Vegas cornerback Charles Snowden intercepted Sanders’ pass and returned it to Cleveland’s 26-yard line. The Raiders couldn’t reach the end zone once more and had to settle for a field goal.
Next game: at Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)Chiefs vs. Colts
Kansas City 23, Indianapolis 20 (OT)Chiefs Analysis: Did this comeback victory save the Chiefs’ season? Finally, in their sixth attempt this season, the Chiefs won a game by one point. Before Sunday, the Chiefs’ biggest comeback was from a seven-point deficit in the first quarter against the Ravens in Week 4. In the last two quarters on Sunday, the Chiefs looked like the version of the team they believed they could be. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was excellent on critical plays and the offensive line did a lot for running back Kareem Hunt, who finished with 104 rushing yards. The defense, led by longtime coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, pressured Colts quarterback Daniel Jones effectively to force four consecutive three-and-out series.Most surprising performance: In the first half, the Colts’ defense essentially eliminated wide receiver Rashee Rice as an option, limiting him to only three receptions for 9 yards. One of the most important reasons the Chiefs came back from an 11-point deficit, beyond Mahomes’ excellence in the final quarter, was that Rice finished with 111 yards on four receptions. He had a 47-yard gain and a critical catch on fourth-and-3 from the Colts’ 43-yard line to set up Harrison Butker’s field goal that tied the game.Best quote from the locker room: “This is exactly what we needed, to win against a really good team and the game not going your way,” Mahomes said. “You could have folded in that situation, and kind of the rest of the season, but the guys responded. … It was kind of a life or death thing. The guys made plays.” Next game: at Cowboys (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)Colts Analysis: What happened to the Colts’ offense? They have many questions to ponder after one of their most disappointing performances of the season. The unit fell apart in the second half after thriving early on, and Indianapolis had few answers in response to the Chiefs’ defensive success. The Colts produced only five combined first downs in the second half and overtime. They completed 2 of 8 attempts on third down, constantly facing long-distance situations. The Colts’ last first down in the game came with 2:58 remaining in the third quarter.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Indianapolis became extremely reliant on the pass in the second half, and coach Shane Steichen didn’t give Jonathan Taylor his usual opportunities. Taylor had 16 carries for 58 yards on a day when the Chiefs made running the ball particularly difficult. But quick passes and frequent inaccuracies also made things difficult for the Indianapolis defense, which had to quickly return to the field after four consecutive three-and-outs (including one in overtime).
Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)Lions vs. Giants
Detroit 34, N.Y. Giants 27 (OT)Lions Analysis: What does a hard-fought victory like this say about the Lions? Very concerning. On paper, this game shouldn’t have been close, as the Giants entered Ford Field with a 2-9 record and led Detroit for much of the game. Detroit continued to struggle on offense and defense for most of this game, which has occurred during a tough stretch in November. That was until kicker Jake Bates kicked a 59-yard field goal at the end of regulation to tie the game at 27, and then running back Jahmyr Gibbs saved the game with a 69-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive in overtime. Gibbs was spectacular, finishing with three touchdowns, including 15 carries for 219 rushing yards and 11 receptions for 45 receiving yards.Trend to watch: Lions’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown dropped two passes, including his first target in the first quarter. He now has a career-high four drops this season. St. Brown had one drop on 152 targets all of last season, which came in the divisional round loss to the Commanders. On the other hand, his catch with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter was the 500th of his career. He finished with nine receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. Next game: vs. Packers (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET)Giants Analysis: Why do the Giants keep losing in such a heartbreaking way? The Giants simply can’t finish. This was their fifth loss this season in a game where they had a double-digit lead. All were on the road, and that ties an NFL record. They couldn’t get into the end zone despite reaching the 2-yard line in a seven-minute drive late in the fourth quarter. Then, they couldn’t prevent the Lions from kicking the tying field goal with less than a minute to play or bring down Gibbs on his touchdown run in overtime. It doesn’t matter if it’s Mike Kafka or Brian Daboll as head coach. The Giants’ inability to make big plays at crucial moments and close out games remains a problem.Most surprising performance: Wide receiver Wan’Dale
