Honestly, if you took a nap during the 2025 Thanksgiving weekend and woke up to look at the NFL week 13 results, you’d probably think the scoreboard was glitching. It was a chaotic four-day stretch that basically threw the entire playoff picture into a blender. We saw the NFC’s top seed crumble, an MVP frontrunner look human for the first time in months, and a rookie quarterback in Seattle turn a "revenge game" into a total defensive masterclass.
It wasn't just about the wins and losses. It was about the way the power shifted.
The Panthers Shock the World (And Matthew Stafford)
Let’s start with the biggest head-scratcher. The Carolina Panthers, a team most people had written off by Halloween, managed to take down the Los Angeles Rams 31-28. Coming into this game, the Rams were 9-2 and looked like they were on a collision course with a first-round bye. Matthew Stafford had been playing like a man possessed, setting an NFL record with 28 straight touchdowns without an interception.
Then, the rain in Charlotte happened.
Stafford didn't just break his streak; he fell apart. A tipped interception in the end zone was followed by a pick-six that completely flipped the momentum. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Bryce Young was the one looking like the veteran. Young stayed incredibly poised, converting two massive fourth downs into touchdowns. One of those was a strike to Tetairoa McMillan that had the Bank of America Stadium rocking.
It was a classic "trap game" that actually snapped. The Rams' loss didn't just hurt their record—it knocked them out of the No. 1 seed and gave the Chicago Bears a clear path to the top of the NFC.
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Thanksgiving Was Not Kind to the Favorites
The holiday slate set the tone for the madness. Usually, you expect the Detroit Lions to play tough at home on Thanksgiving, but the Green Bay Packers had other plans. Jordan Love looked sharp, leading the Packers to a 31-24 win over a Lions team that suddenly looks a little less "gritty" than they did in September.
Then there was the Cowboys and Chiefs. Dallas usually finds a way to disappoint on the national stage, right? Not this time. They pulled off a 31-28 upset over Kansas City. Javonte Williams was the hero here, finding the end zone in the second half and proving that the Cowboys' rushing attack might actually be sustainable for a December run.
But the real blowout happened in Baltimore. The Bengals, who have been hovering around the basement of the AFC North, walked into M&T Bank Stadium and absolutely dismantled the Ravens 32-14. Joe Burrow made it look easy, while the Ravens' defense—usually their calling card—looked slow and confused by Cincinnat's spread looks.
Friday Night Lights in Philly
We got a rare Black Friday game this year, and it was a statement win for the Chicago Bears. They traveled to Philadelphia and handed the Eagles a 24-15 loss. It was ugly, defensive, and exactly the kind of game Matt Eberflus loves. Saquon Barkley was largely held in check, and Jalen Hurts struggled to find a rhythm against a Bears secondary that is playing as well as anyone in the league right now.
This win, combined with the Rams' loss on Sunday, is what officially moved Chicago into that coveted No. 1 spot in the conference standings.
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The AFC South is a Total Mess
If you enjoy watching three teams fight over a single life raft, the AFC South is the division for you. The NFL week 13 results in this division were pivotal.
The Houston Texans took down the Indianapolis Colts 20-16 in a game that was mostly a defensive slog. DeMeco Ryans has that Texans defense playing with a level of violence that’s hard to ignore. They bottled up Jonathan Taylor, holding him to just enough yardage to keep the Colts' offense behind the sticks all afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars took care of business against a struggling Tennessee Titans squad, winning 25-3. Because of the Colts' loss, Trevor Lawrence and the Jags vaulted back into first place. It’s a slim lead, but in that division, you take what you can get.
Seattle’s Defense Makes a Statement
The most dominant performance of the weekend probably came in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Seahawks hosted the Minnesota Vikings and didn't just win—they deleted them. A 26-0 shutout is rare in the modern NFL, but when you force five turnovers, it's bound to happen.
Minnesota started undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, and the Seahawks' secondary treated him like a scout team QB. Riq Woolen had an easy interception, and the Vikings finished the day with basically zero offensive identity. Seattle is now 9-3, breathing down the neck of the Rams in the NFC West. If the Seahawks can keep this defensive pressure up, they are a terrifying out in January.
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AFC Playoff Picture: The Patriots are Cruising
While everyone else was tripping over themselves, the New England Patriots just kept winning. They capped off the week with a 33-15 victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Drake Maye looked every bit like the franchise savior, throwing for 282 yards and finding Hunter Henry consistently.
The Patriots now sit at 11-2. They have a 2.5-game lead in the AFC East over the Buffalo Bills, who also won their Week 13 matchup against the Steelers.
Buffalo's 26-7 win over Pittsburgh was notable for two reasons:
- Josh Allen broke the all-time record for quarterback rushing touchdowns, passing Cam Newton.
- The Bills' defense, led by Joey Bosa and Christian Benford, looked elite. Benford had a strip-sack return for a touchdown that effectively ended the game in the third quarter.
Actionable Insights for the Final Stretch
The NFL week 13 results tell us that the "safe" bets are gone. If you're looking at the standings, here is what you need to actually watch for as we head into December:
- The NFC No. 1 Seed Race: It is officially a three-way tie in terms of losses between the Bears, Rams, and Seahawks (all at 3 losses). The Bears hold the tiebreaker for now, but the Rams and Seahawks still have to play each other again. That game will likely decide who gets the week off in January.
- The "In the Hunt" Teams: Don't sleep on the Houston Texans. Their defense is top-five in DVOA, and C.J. Stroud is getting healthier. They are only one game behind the Colts and Jaguars.
- Injury Report: Keep a close eye on Justin Herbert’s hand. He finished the game against the Raiders, but the Chargers' playoff hopes live and die with his ability to throw the deep ball.
- The AFC North Chaos: With the Ravens losing to the Bengals and the Steelers falling to the Bills, the division is wide open. Baltimore still leads at 6-6, but it’s the only division in football where every team feels like they're trending downward simultaneously.
The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting narrow. Week 13 proved that being a favorite doesn't mean anything if you can't handle the rain in Carolina or a hungry defense in Seattle.
If you're tracking your playoff bracket, make sure to update the NFC West and AFC South columns—everything we thought we knew a week ago has officially changed. Focus on the turnover margins for these top teams; as Stafford and the Rams found out, that's the fastest way to lose a grip on the season.