One thing we learned about each NFL team in Week 12: Dak Prescott looks like MVP, Chiefs fix biggest weakness

The NFL is set to flip the calendar to December with wild playoff races taking center stage. Three teams are tied for the final spot in the AFC race with four teams separated by a half game. In the NFC, three teams are a half game behind the Vikings for the final spot, making the stretch run even more interesting than usual. 

The Eagles can take full command of home-field advantage in the NFC this week while the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC is coming down to four teams. Then there’s the NFC South, where every team has a losing record. 

As the playoff races heat up, this is what we learned about each team in the Week 12 slate of games (no team had a bye this week). 

Run defense even worse than usual: The Cardinals allowed a season-high 228 yards on the ground in Sunday’s loss to the Rams, a performance even more abysmal than their run defense has been all year. Arizona allows 140.1 yards per game this season (30th in NFL) and 4.5 yards per carry (25th in NFL). The unit hasn’t allowed under 100 yards rushing in seven straight weeks and has allowed 174.3 yards per game over the last three weeks. Arizona has no chance of winning games with this run defense. 

Their identity returned: The Falcons were a run-first team with their quarterback situation last year, using their excellent run-blocking offensive line to gain yards and win games. That disappeared for much of this year, but Atlanta rushed for 228 yards (on 41 carries and averaged 5.6 yards per carry) in Sunday’s win. This was a season-high in rushing yards, as Atlanta got 91 from Bijan Robinson, 64 from Tyler Allgeier, and 43 from Cordarrelle Patterson. This is how the Falcons can win the poor NFC South, and they should stick to it. 

The offense is setting records for having the lead: It’s amazing that the Ravens have lost three games when realizing how much they had the lead through 12 games. Baltimore has held the lead…

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Author : Jeff Kerr

Publish date : 2023-11-28 18:32:54

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