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NFL Week 12 talking points: Surging Rams host Bucs in NFC tilt, Eagles vs. potent Cowboys offense
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are hot, riding a four-game win streak and right on the heels of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. They’ll host the struggling New York Jets and aim to go over the .500 level for the first time since September.
But there are way bigger games on the docket in the NFL for Week 12, led by Matthew Stafford and the surging Los Angeles Rams hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a big NFC tilt on Sunday Night Football.
Plus, the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles visit the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC East matchup, while Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs look to stay alive in the playoff race and snap their two-game skid when they invite the Indianapolis Colts to Arrowhead Stadium.
All that and more as DAZN News’ Mark Lelinwalla tackles five storylines to keep an eye on for Week 12.
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Davis Mills and the Texans eye a TNF upset of Buffalo
Fresh off a terrible loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins in Week 10, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills more than bounced back with the league’s reigning MVP tossing three touchdowns and rushing for three more in a ridiculous six-TD outing via the Bills’ 44-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend.
For this Thursday Night Football matchup, Allen’s Bills (7-3) rumble into NRG Stadium against the Houston Texans (5-5), who are winners of their last two games with backup quarterback Davis Mills at the helm.
The Texans are still without starting QB C.J. Stroud, who still hasn’t cleared concussion protocol. In his absence, Mills has aired it out for 566 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another score.
Wideout Nico Collins, who came out of the same 2021 NFL Draft class as Mills, has been a big target for the backup QB with 228 receiving yards and a touchdown.
They might need all the offense they can muster against a high-octane scoring threat guided by Allen.
That said, the Texans’ defense has limited teams to 16.3 points per game this season — an NFL best. Will they be able to hinder Allen in Houston? We are about to find out.
Chiefs host Jonathan Taylor's Colts, look to keep up in playoff race
Just when it looked like Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs were fighting their way back into the season with a three-game winning streak, they’ve hit a snag, being edged out in their past two games against the Bills and Denver Broncos.
The biggest fall from grace for the once mighty Chiefs? Mahomes and KC are 0-5 in one-score games, marking a glaring reversal from their 12-0 mark in such situations last season.
Making matters tougher is that they have the Indianapolis Colts (8-2) coming into town with one of the best records in the NFL and well-rested off a bye.
The Chiefs will have to deal with Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor, who is leading all rushers with 1,139 yards on the ground this season, including the 244 yards and three TDs he piled up in an Indy overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10.
Dak Prescott, Cowboys try to avoid season sweep by Eagles
When the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys met in the NFL season-opener in early September, the defending Super Bowl champion produced a 24-20 home win behind Jalen Hurts’ two rushing touchdowns.
Now, the Cowboys, at home, look to avoid being swept by their NFC East rival.
Dallas (4-5-1) snapped a two-game skid with a desperately-needed 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week.
Dak Prescott went off with 268 yards and four touchdown passes on the Monday Night Football matchup and will be counted on to return the Cowboys to .500 in what has been an inconsistent season void of a single win streak.
Meanwhile, the Eagles (8-2) will try to swoop down on their fifth straight win.
The Rams are really rolling, host the Bucs next
This is what you call a tough stretch of the season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4).
Not only have they lost the past two weeks to the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, respectively, but they visit a Los Angeles Rams squad (8-2) peaking on both sides of the field.
Last week, in a battle for first place in the NFC West, Matthew Stafford tossed two touchdowns, rusher Kyren Williams ran for a score, and the Rams’ defense recorded four interceptions to edge the Seattle Seahawks, 21-19, for their fifth straight victory.
Stafford is leading the NFL in touchdown passes this season with 27 and has two big weapons at wideout in Davante Adams (10 touchdowns) and Puka Nacua (850 receiving yards).
The Bucs’ defense and Baker Mayfield might need huge performances to snap the Rams’ streak and keep the Bucs from suffering their third straight loss.
Bryce Young must keep it rolling on MNF vs 49ers
What can Bryce Young do to possibly top his insane 448 passing yards and three-touchdown performance last week in a Carolina Panthers’ overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons?
Well, leading the Panthers (6-5) to a road victory over the San Francisco 49ers (7-4) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, under the lone spotlight of Monday Night Football might do the trick.
A Panthers' win, coupled with a Buccaneers loss, would move Carolina into first place in the NFC South.
To do that, though, the Panthers will need a solution for stopping Christian McCaffrey, especially considering they just allowed Bijan Robinson to tally 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 11.
