Another Sunday, another full schedule of NFL action almost in the books. And Week 13 has been full of drama, from the Minnesota Vikings surviving another close game to reach 10 wins to the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Cincinnati Bengals in a high-scoring shootout to stay atop the AFC North.
Here’s a look at some of Sunday’s biggest winners and losers:
The Pittsburgh Steelers are guaranteed an 18th consecutive undefeated season under Mike Tomlin, thanks in large part to their feisty defense, but Wilson was fresh and confident in crunch time against Cincinnati, outdueling Joe Burrow to confirm the rejuvenation of his career in black and gold.
The NFC South isn’t a juggernaut, but the Atlanta Falcons aren’t getting away with the division, and their expensive new quarterback was the main culprit on Sunday, as his four interceptions, including an atrocious pick six, against the Los Angeles Chargers . dropped the team to .500.
Winner: Kevin O’Connell
For the second time in his three seasons leading the Vikings, O’Connell is off to a 10-2 start, turning Minnesota into a surprising force outside the NFC. It’s debatable whether his close wins and opportunistic defense are sustainable, but he’s once again maximizing makeshift pieces under center.
Losing is nothing new for the 2024 Jets, who already said goodbye to their head coach and general manager. Sunday at least got a win early, with Aaron Rodgers and company up 21-7 against the Seattle Seahawks, only to blow the lead and ex-Seahawk DJ Reed blaming the referees after the fact.
Winner: Kliff Kingsbury
Maligned by the Washington Commanders’ recent offensive streak, the coordinator put together a fluid attack for Jayden Daniels, Brian Robinson Jr. and the rest of the team in a loss to the Tennessee Titans, who actually came in with a relatively stingy defense. Washington is not dead yet.
Loser: Lou Anarumo
Zac Taylor may deserve more criticism as the head coach of a talented Bengals team without a shred of defensive prowess, but the longtime coordinator, once heralded as one of the NFL’s best defensive schemers, once again fails. had answers, this time against a sometimes unpredictable Steelers offense.
Winner: Vic Fangio
The Baltimore Ravens not long ago had one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL. On Sunday, in arguably the most anticipated game of the week, the Philadelphia Eagles proved themselves superior, repeatedly pressuring Lamar Jackson to separate themselves from AFC foes in a potential run-up to the Super Bowl.
Loser: The Ravens’ shot at the AFC North
Baltimore fell to 8-5 with its loss to the physical Eagles on the same day Pittsburgh moved to 9-3. While the two teams will meet once again during the regular season, the Steelers are the safest bet to enter the postseason as division champions, which could put Baltimore on track for a road playoff run.
Winner: Bryce Young
Benched earlier this year, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick suddenly looks good, and on Sunday he took the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers to overtime with a heroic finish. While the Carolina Panthers didn’t end the day with the “W,” their young signal caller has come on in leaps and bounds for basically a month straight.
