NFL Week 13 Winners and Losers

The first weekend of December eliminated teams from playoff contention and solidified division leaders. The postseason is near and most teams are getting ready for either the offseason or for home-field advantage. Time to break down who’s closer to wildcard weekend and who’s ready for a top five position in the draft.

Winners: De’Von Achane’s return for Miami

While the Dolphins cruised to an easy win in Washington D.C. with historical performances by receiver Tyreek Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, viewers should pay attention to rookie runningback De’Von Achane’s solid performance.

Achane picked up where he left off almost two months ago, running 17 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. He had the highest yards per rush for any Miami runner. While his two scores came in the second half of a blowout win, Achane looked comfortable easing back into a key role.

The main criticism towards the Dolphins before week one was who the main runningback threat would be when Tagovailoa wasn’t throwing deep passes to receivers. De’Von Achane appeared to be the answer before his knee injury, and most believe this will continue with five games remaining in the regular season. His health could determine how far Miami advances in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis was one of three NFL teams to win every game played in November. Sunday was a litmus test for rookie coach Shane Stechen against a division rival the Colts hadn’t swept since 2018.

It was an ugly start as the Titans led by ten at one point in the first half. Then Tennessee botched back-to-back punts leading to Indianapolis grabbing a lead. Yet the Colts allowed their rivals to stick around long enough to force overtime. Kicker Nick Folk got the lead back for the Titans but Gardner Minshew II had the last laugh, throwing a four yard touchdown to Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis is tied for second in the AFC South and is one of a half dozen teams fighting for a wild-card spot. The defense is top ten in both sacks and interceptions while the offense is eighth in points per game. Refreshing ideas and schemes from a new head coach working on player development is paying off for a franchise many believed was one of the worst when the season began.

Mike Evans

There are only two receivers in NFL history who have recorded ten straight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards. They are Jerry Rice and Mike Evans. The latter is the only one to accomplish this in his first ten seasons.

Tampa’s franchise leader in career catches, receiving yards, touchdown receptions, overall touchdowns and 100-yard receiving games had another breakout game against the division rival Panthers on Sunday. His seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown gave the Buccaneers their second lead of the day late in the third quarter. The 75 yard score dented Carolina’s hope of winning their second game of the year.

Evans’ career has been quiet despite the decade long production and how the league has eased defensive rules, giving receivers more attention and media spotlight. It’s unlikely Tampa’s all-time best receiver retires anytime soon. Mike Evans has a great chance to threaten some records of all-time great Jerry Rice and is likely to be viewed as a top three wide receiver whenever he retires.

Losers: Whoever thought the Denver Broncos were back in the playoff discussion

The Broncos had won their last five games after an awful loss in Kansas City. Many believed there was a return to relevance for Denver after their Monday night win in Buffalo a few weeks ago. Sunday was a test for head coach Sean Payton’s team to see how they’d fare against a playoff-caliber team featuring a solid defense and a great quarterback. It didn’t go well.

Quarterback Russell Wilson came up short on several possessions despite a close score. His 186 yards, three interceptions and three sacks held Denver back from closing the first place gap with Kansas City. While the Broncos defense forced Houston to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns, the offense didn’t score their first points until the last minute of the first half. The one time Denver came close to threatening a lead change was the last possession of the game. Wilson then threw his third interception to seal Houston’s seventh win.

A good number of viewers will say it’s an off-week especially when Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud IV has been one of the most exciting players this season. The rookie played hurt a good part of the game and still outplayed Wilson when it mattered most. The Broncos offense is still bottom five in the league in passing yards. The defense is last against the rush and third to last in total yards given up. It’s not like their last five wins came against healthy teams with no issues. Denver has improved but they won’t go on a postseason run.

Anyone who thought the AFC east would have more than one team in the postseason

A fun yet frustrating part of covering the NFL is how objective, pre-season predictions can be derailed around Thanksgiving. The AFC east divisional race is a perfect example of how bold or conservative predictions can get shredded by the start of December.

The Dolphins are a lock to make the playoffs unless there are season ending injuries to star players. Outside of Miami, there won’t be another team sniffing the playoffs. New England has given up an average of eight points their last three games while scoring an average of four. Predictably, those resulted in losses and the Patriots are the worst team in the conference.

New York isn’t much better. They had to make another change at quarterback after Tim Boyle floundered in a home loss to Atlanta. Like New England, the defense keeps the Jets in close games, but inept quarterback play (with Aaron Rodgers officially ruled out for the season) dooms any chance of a playoff spot.

Then there’s the .500 Bills, who have four of their remaining five games against heavy playoff favorites with better defenses. Quarterback Josh Allen is regressing and the running game is non-existent. The injuries to star defensive players like Mike Milano show Buffalo will fizzle out by Christmas.

Many fans and analysts had at least two teams from the AFC east making the postseason. It’s bizarre the division isn’t close to competitive as Miami inches closer to clinching the division. At least it makes the sport more fun and unpredictable.

Jalen Hurts

For most of the season, Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts has played well. Hurts hasn’t replicated his 2022 numbers but he’s led Philadelphia to the league’s best record. Sunday’s nationally televised home thumping by San Francisco was a reality check.

Statistically, Jalen Hurts had a solid game completing 26 of 45 passes, 298 yards and one touchdown. He also ran seven times for 20 yards and an additional score. The problem was Hurts couldn’t lead the Eagles downfield consistently against a defense he had an easier time with in last year’s NFC championship game. While he was concussed late in the third quarter, Hurts looked overwhelmed and had no answers before that hit.

The performance puts a dent in his MVP chances but more importantly questions what’s been different in his style of play since the Super Bowl loss. It appears opposing defenses have caught onto his reads faster and interrupt certain routes when he least expects it. We’ll find out more next Sunday night if this remains a problem against a similar defense.