The Sunday of Week 13 is in the books. Here is how each team that played on Sunday graded out.
The Sunday of Week 13 is in the books. It saw some teams rise to the occasion, while other teams saw their season essentially come to an end.
These grades don’t just take into account how a team played and the final score. It factors in things like expectations, short and long-term goals of the franchise, injuries, and other factors. It’s a long season, and the grade is about more than just who won and who lost. The big picture has to be kept in mind.
Los Angeles Chargers: A
17-13 (W) @ Falcons
The Los Angeles Chargers don’t play the most appealing brand of football. The offense was pretty pedestrian on Sunday, and they were significantly outgained by the Falcons. But, playing on short rest across the country, the Chargers found a way to win. They won due to picking off Kirk Cousins a whopping four times, frequently turning away the Falcons after they’d drove into Chargers territory.
Atlanta Falcons: D-
17-13 (L) Vs. Chargers
Once again, the Atlanta Falcons laid an egg in a winnable home game against a west coast opponent, just like they did against the Seahawks a few weeks ago. Frankly, Kirk Cousins cost them the game. It’s nearly impossible to win when a quarterback throws four interceptions, and they were costly ones, too. They’re now tied with the Buccaneers in the NFC South, though they do own the tiebreaker. That being said, you can’t feel good about the direction this one is going in.
Pittsburgh Steelers: A
44-38 (W) @ Bengals
If you would’ve told me the Steelers would give up 38 points to the Bengals on Sunday, I would’ve said they likely lost in blowout fashion. But, this offense exploded for 44 points, as Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards and got a ton of skill positions involved. The fact that they can win a shootout should make Steelers fans feel very optimistic about how the rest of the season will go.
Cincinnati Bengals: F
44-38 (L) Vs. Steelers
Joe Burrow continues to play MVP-caliber football. The Bengals continue to lose. At 4-8, their season is over, and it’s a terrible disappointment, given how well Burrow has played. Big changes should be coming this offseason.
Arizona Cardinals: C-
23-22 (L) @ Vikings
The good news for the Cardinals is that they played a good football game on the road against a quality opponent. The bad news is that they let a winnable game slip through their fingers to fall back to .500. Winning those kinds of games consistently is the next step for this young team.
Minnesota Vikings: B+
23-22 (W) Vs. Cardinals
Sam Darnold led a fantastic drive when the Vikings needed it, and they won yet another close game. But, it is concerning that they needed a late drive to beat a team they’re much better than at home. Is this a redux of the 2022 Minnesota Vikings that won a bunch of close games in the regular season, only to lay an egg in the playoffs? It very well could be.
Indianapolis Colts: B+
25-24 (W) @ Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts needed to win on Sunday, and they did, thanks in part to a late drive and Shane Steichen’s gutsy choice to go for two. Their playoff hopes remain alive. But, Anthony Richardson struggled through the air once again. It’s hard to see them making a run unless that changes.
New England Patriots: B
25-24 (L) Vs. Colts
The Patriots did lose, in part because Jerod Mayo continues to be a poor head coach. But, losses are good for draft position, and Drake Maye was fantastic again. Get him an upgrade or two on the offensive line and a true number-one wide receiver, and the Patriots could be in business next year if they fire Jerod Mayo.
Seattle Seahawks: A-
26-21 (W) @ Jets
Special teams were a disaster, and they got off to a terrible start. But, once they woke up, they significantly outplayed the Jets. Geno Smith played turnover-free football. When he does that, the Seahawks usually win. They now lead the NFC West by a game.
New York Jets: F
26-21 (L) Vs. Seahawks
The Jets season has been a total failure, and Sunday was no different. Aaron Rodgers threw a terrible pick-six right after missing Garrett Wilson for a wide open touchdown to go up 28-7, and they blew an early lead. They continue to be an embarrassment each and every week.
Tennessee Titans: D
42-19 (L) @ Commanders
The titans quickly fell behind 28-0, and never recovered. Will Levis didn’t turn the ball over, which is about the end of the positives, outside of better draft position.
Washington Commanders: A+
42-19 (W) Vs. Titans
After three straight losses including a real clunker against Dallas last week, the Commanders needed a get-right game. That’s exactly what they got. Jayden Daniels was terrific, the defense played well, and they got out to a quick 28-0 lead and never looked back. They’re back to being a safe bet to make the postseason.
Houston Texans: B
23-20 (W) @ Jaguars
Yes, the Texans got a win. But, a three-point win in a game where they played against Mac Jones for most of it is another subpar performance from this squad. Why were they playing against Mac Jones, you ask? Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair hit Lawrence with a brutal cheap shot. He’s likely to be suspended.
Jacksonville Jaguars: D-
23-20 (L) Vs. Texans
First off, credit to the Jaguars for continuing to play hard after they lost Trevor Lawrence to one of the worst cheap shots we’ve seen in years in the NFL. But, long-term, you wonder about how a hit like that will affect Lawrence. That’s the big concern here, and that’s why this is a D- grade.
Los Angeles Rams: A-
21-14 (W) @ Saints
It wasn’t pretty, as they got off to a slow start and trailed 6-0 at halftime. Eventually they did figure it out on both sides, and they ran the ball especially well. But, you’d like to see them play a better game for four quarters against a weak opponent like the Saints.
New Orleans Saints: D
21-14 (L) Vs. Rams
The Saints continue to play hard for interim Darren Rizzi. That’s something, I guess. But, Taysom Hill, an integral piece for them going forward, suffered a serious knee injury. It’s not his first knee injury, and he may never be the same player. That’s a huge blow for a franchise that needs all hands on deck next year given their cap situation.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
26-23 (W) @ Panthers
Finally, after spending the entire season finding a way to lose close games, the Buccaneers found a way to win one. Baker Mayfield led a a great drive with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter, and they forced a fumble when all hope looked lost in overtime. It shouldn’t have come to that, given the opponent. But, finally, this team won a close game.
Carolina Panthers: B+
26-23 (L) Vs. Buccaneers
A B+ is the highest grade I’ve ever given to a losing team. But, they deserve it, and it’s because of Bryce Young. His great stretch of play is not a fluke. He was mangificent on Sunday, and his team is rallying around him. A franchise that seemed lost just a month ago may indeed have a franchise quarterback in Bryce Young after all. That’s worthy of a high grade.
Philadelphia Eagles: A+
24-19 (W) @ Ravens
Everyone should be on the Eagles bandwagon at this point. A road win in Baltimore was quite the statement. Saquon Barkley was great again, but the defense stole the show. Vic Fangio has his unit playing like the best defense in the league. They are bona fide Super Bowl contenders.
Baltimore Ravens: D-
24-19 (L) Vs. Eagles
We all think that the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender. Is the product that they’re putting on the field matching that? They’re now 8-5, the offense struggles against good defenses, and the defense is very inconsistent. This was a game they should’ve won, especially since they got out to a 9-0 lead. Justin Tucker is absolutely a problem that needs addressed. Now, they’re once again two games back of the Steelers in the AFC North.
Buffalo Bills: A+
35-10 (W) Vs. 49ers
No team had more fun than the Buffalo Bills this week. They turned a snowy Highmark Stadium into a winter wonderland. Buffalo rolled the 49ers, capped off by a play that saw Josh Allen tally both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Buffalo is rolling, folks.
San Francisco 49ers: F
35-10 (L) @ Buffalo
A nightmare season somehow got even worse on Sunday. Not only were the 49ers completely dominated to drop to 5-7, but Christian McCaffrey is likely out for the season after suffering an injury to his PCL. It’s a shame, because prior to the injury McCaffrey had shown quite a bit of burst Sunday night. It’s getting close to a lost season for the 49ers.