It wasn't a quiet week in Indianapolis, where Colts owner Jim Irsay made headlines for speaking out about a previous arrest and former star linebacker Shaquille Leonard lamented his abrupt release. It's felt, for a while now, like the former first-rounder is already out the door in New England, but losing his gig to Bailey Zappe for a fourth (!) time this season, against Tommy DeVito and New York of all teams, should do it. The saddest part is anyone could've predicted what would come next: Even with a bad Giants defense in front of him, Jones tossed two ugly picks to warrant yet another benching, this time at halftime. Pittsburgh's still a suspect 'contender,' but their big back should be happier today.īill Belichick refused to name him the starter all week, then trotted him out anyway. 1 wideout Diontae Johnson may or may not have tried to scoop up.

But no one benefitted from the new offense more than Harris, who approached 100 yards and scored on the ground the same day his typically superior counterpart, Jaylen Warren, lost a fumble, which No. Winner: Najee HarrisĪfter a year and a half of slogging along, the Steelers at least moved the ball better in their first game since axing embattled coordinator Matt Canada. Even worse, the fill-in QB was forced to exit late with a head injury, meaning Cleveland's short- and long-term playoff prospects could hinge on an eventual practice squad call-up of Joe Flacco, who just joined the team. Loser: Kevin Stefanskiīeating the resurgent Broncos wasn't going to be a cakewalk with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, making just his third career start at QB, but Stefanski didn't help his own cause with some curious play-calling late against Denver. Just like that, Sean McVay's scrappy contender can't be counted out as a legit factor in the NFC playoff picture. He slung it pretty well himself, too, tossing four scores and spreading the ball all over Jonathan Gannon's defense to lead a rout of the Cardinals. On Sunday, he got Kyren Williams back in the lineup, and Los Angeles' ground game exploded all the way back. In overtime, his 'D' once again crumbled, permitting Philly to log another close, clutch victory.įor weeks, Stafford has been fighting just to survive behind the Rams' shuffling O-line. But then McDermott's defense allowed Jalen Hurts to revert to MVP form in the second half, and his decision to 'ice' Eagles kicker Jake Elliott, then forfeit a potential 20-second offensive drive, at the end of regulation backfired. Loser: Sean McDermottįor a while on Sunday, his Bills looked poised to put the Eagles down handily, which would've been a huge accomplishment for a team looking to fully restore its playoff stride. The team may or may not have the magic to make a difference in January, but the turnaround is commendable nonetheless. Payton's now overseen three straight games of clutch fourth-quarter TDs from Russell Wilson, and his resurgent defense held Cleveland to 12 points. Now they're 6-5, squarely in the AFC playoff race, after cruising past the Browns on Sunday. The Broncos were once 1-5, and Payton inexplicably appeared on track to outdo even Nathaniel Hackett as leader of a hapless Denver program. Which coaches, players and teams deserve the most praise (or criticism) after the weekend? Here are big winners and losers: Winner: Sean Payton Then during Sunday's slate, the Patriots changed quarterbacks yet again, the Falcons took the NFC South lead and the Giants won their second straight with rookie Tommy DeVito under center. The Packers stunned the Lions to spoil Detroit's Thanksgiving. And Week 12 certainly brought its fair share of drama. Another week of NFL action is almost in the books.

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