Man, what a weekend. If you stepped away from your TV for even twenty minutes during the late window of Week 12, you probably missed three lead changes and at least one franchise-altering injury. Honestly, the Week 12 NFL results from this 2025 season felt more like a January playoff slate than a random Sunday in November. We had three overtime thrillers, a 21-point comeback in the biggest rivalry in sports, and a rookie quarterback finally getting his feet wet in the most "Browns" way possible.
The league is upside down right now. The New England Patriots are sitting at 10-2, becoming the first team to double-digit wins this year. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are fighting for their lives just to stay at .500. If you’re trying to make sense of the playoff picture, good luck. It’s a mess, but it’s a fun mess.
The Cardiac Kids and Overtime Chaos
Let's talk about the Detroit Lions for a second. They almost blew it. Like, really almost blew it against a New York Giants team that is basically held together by duct tape and Jameis Winston's vibes at this point. Winston threw for 366 yards and actually caught a touchdown pass on a trick play. The Giants pulled out every desperate trick in the playbook. But then overtime hit, and Jahmyr Gibbs reminded everyone why he’s a nightmare to tackle.
Gibbs took the first play of OT 69 yards to the house. It was a "blink and you miss it" moment that saved Detroit’s season, moving them to 7-4.
Then you’ve got the Kansas City Chiefs. They were down 11 points to the Colts in the fourth quarter. It looked over. Patrick Mahomes was frustrated, and the offense was sputtering. But then Mahomes did that Mahomes thing where he just refuses to lose. He dragged them down the field, Harrison Butker nailed a kick to force OT, and they escaped with a 23-20 win. It keeps them at 6-5, which is low for them, but they’re still in the hunt.
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- Lions 34, Giants 27 (OT): Gibbs was the hero with 219 rushing yards.
- Chiefs 23, Colts 20 (OT): Mahomes threw for 352 yards to save the season.
- Jaguars 27, Cardinals 24 (OT): Trevor Lawrence had three picks but still won. Weird game.
Dallas Shocks the World (and Philly)
The game of the year? Probably. The Philadelphia Eagles were up 21-0. In Philly. Against the Cowboys. Usually, that’s when Dallas fans start looking at mock drafts, but Dak Prescott and George Pickens had other plans. Pickens went absolutely nuclear, hauling in 146 yards.
The comeback was slow, then sudden. A couple of Eagles turnovers in the fourth quarter—including a brutal fumble by Saquon Barkley—opened the door. Brandon Aubrey eventually iced it with a 42-yard walk-off field goal. Final score: 24-21. It doesn't totally fix the Cowboys' 5-5-1 record, but it definitely ruined the Eagles' week.
The Shedeur Sanders Era Begins
In Cleveland, all eyes were on Shedeur Sanders. With Dillon Gabriel out with a concussion, the rookie got his first start against the Raiders. It wasn't exactly a shootout. Sanders went 11-of-20 for 209 yards and his first career TD pass, but the Browns' defense was the real story. They sacked Geno Smith 10 times. Yes, ten.
Cleveland won 24-10. It’s probably too late for them to make a real run, but Sanders looked composed enough to give that fan base a little bit of hope, which is a rare commodity in Northeast Ohio.
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Massive Injuries That Actually Matter
We can't ignore the carnage. The injury report from Week 12 looks like a CVS receipt.
- Tee Higgins (Bengals): Suffered a nasty concussion and was carted off. Cincinnati is basically done at 3-8.
- Baker Mayfield (Bucs): Went down with a left shoulder injury in a blowout loss to the Rams. Tampa is still leading the NFC South, but for how long?
- Alvin Kamara (Saints): A knee injury took him out against the Falcons. The Saints look like they’re headed for a Top 5 pick.
- Will Campbell (Patriots): The rookie tackle was carted off with a knee injury. That’s a huge blow to a New England O-line that has been surprisingly solid.
Why the NFC North is the Best Division in Football
If you like smash-mouth football and high stakes, the NFC North is your home. The Chicago Bears are 8-3 after beating the Steelers 31-28. Caleb Williams looked like a veteran, throwing three touchdowns. But they can’t breathe because the Packers are right behind them at 7-3-1 after a 23-6 dismantling of the Vikings.
Poor J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings rookie had a rough day, getting sacked five times and throwing two interceptions. Green Bay's defense is legit. Between the Bears, Packers, and Lions, that division is going to be a bloodbath for the next six weeks.
The Playoff Picture: Who’s Actually Safe?
The New England Patriots are the only team that can probably start printing playoff tickets. At 10-2, they’re the class of the AFC. Drake Maye isn't playing perfect football, but he’s doing exactly what is needed to win.
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In the NFC, the Rams look like the most dangerous team. They just embarrassed the Buccaneers 34-7 and have won six in a row. Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level again. If the playoffs started today, nobody would want to go to SoFi Stadium.
Week 12 Scoreboard Wrap-up
- Ravens 23, Jets 10: Baltimore is 6-5 and somehow in first place in the North.
- Patriots 26, Bengals 20: New England is officially the team to beat.
- Falcons 24, Saints 10: Kirk Cousins did just enough in the "post-Penix" era.
- Seahawks 30, Titans 24: Seattle stays in the hunt at 8-3.
- Bears 31, Steelers 28: Chicago survives a Mason Rudolph comeback attempt.
What You Should Do Next
The Week 12 NFL results shifted the betting lines for the Super Bowl significantly. If you’re looking at the board, the Rams at +500 feels like a steal given their current momentum.
Keep a close eye on the waiver wire in your fantasy leagues, especially for backup running backs in Tampa and New Orleans. With Kamara and potentially Mayfield's status up in the air, the touches are going to shift. Also, check the Wednesday injury reports for Aaron Rodgers—the Steelers need him back if they want to stop their slide.
Lastly, get ready for Thanksgiving. We’ve got Lions vs. Packers and Ravens vs. Bengals. Based on what we saw this week, those games are going to be absolute chaos.