Week 13 of the 2015 NFL season saw another MVP performance from Cam Newton, a statement win from the surging Seattle Seahawks and huge days from both the top picks in the 2015 draft and last year’s banner crop of receivers.
The week also gave us a handful of blowouts, a missed opportunity in Chicago and some uncharacteristic mistakes from the defending champions. And don’t forget, another unpredictable week in the NFL begun with one of the craziest collapses of all-time.
Here is the rest of the best and worst from Week 13:
Best
QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Super Cam continues doing MVP-type things.
He almost single-handedly kept the Panthers perfect on Sunday, throwing five touchdowns—including the game-winner to Jericho Cotchery with under two minutes left—as Carolina came from behind to beat the Saints in New Orleans. Through 12 games, Newton has 25 touchdown passes and another seven rushing, plus over 3,200 total yards. He still misses some easy plays, but he counters those mistakes with 45-yard touchdowns off his back foot against a blitz. If the season ended today, Cam would be the league’s MVP.
Seattle Seahawks
Say hello to the team no one wants to play in the NFC playoffs. The Seahawks won their third straight game on Sunday, dismantling the previously 8-3 Vikings in Minnesota by 31 points.
It looked too easy at times. Quarterback Russell Wilson gained 325 total yards and scored four touchdowns, including three passing. Rookie Thomas Rawls rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown, receiver Doug Baldwin caught two more scores and the Seattle defense held Minnesota to just 125 total yards. The Seahawks have now won five of six games since starting 2-4. The reigning conference champions have transformed back into a Super Bowl contender.
Top QB Picks
What a day it was for Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, the top two picks in the 2015 draft.
Winston threw the game-winning score after extending his late drive with a wild 20-yard run on 3rd-and-19, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 23-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Mariota was just as good if not better, throwing for 268 yards and three scores and rushing for 110 yards (including an 87-yard touchdown) to propel the Titans to a 42-39 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Winston’s Buccaneers are 6-6 and in the NFC playoff race, while Mariota’s Titans eclipsed last year’s win total with still four games to play. Now 13 weeks in, it looks like both clubs picked franchise-changing quarterbacks.
Second-Year WRs
Last season’s historic crop of rookie receivers was at it again Sunday.
Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 12 overall pick) had six catches for 139 yards and a 72-yard touchdown, Allen Robinson (61) caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a career-high three scores, Sammy Watkins (4) went over 100 yards receiving for the second straight game, Mike Evans (7) caught the game-winning touchdown for Tampa Bay, John Brown (91) and Brandin Cooks (20) had over 100 receiving yards, Jordan Matthews (42) hauled in a touchdown during Philadelphia’s upset win and Martavis Bryant (118) produced another long score. Add in Thursday night, when Eric Ebron (9) had a score and Davante Adams (53) caught a touchdown to help set up Richard Rodgers’ (98) game-winning Hail Mary, and Week 13 was another showcase for the 2014 class of pass-catchers. Even James White (130), a running back from run-heavy Wisconsin, caught 10 passes with a touchdown for New England.
Philadelphia Eagles/Kansas City Chiefs
Remember when the Eagles were done? Well, Philadelphia went into New England and beat the Patriots. Chip Kelly’s club came back from 14-0 to go ahead 35-14, before holding on late for a 35-28 win. The week’s most improbable win improved the Eagles to 5-7, which is very much alive in the NFC East.
Remember when the Chiefs were done? Well, Kansas City won its sixth straight game on Sunday, using 20 points in the fourth quarter to take down the Raiders in Oakland. Alex Smith threw two touchdowns to Jeremy Maclin, while the Kansas City defense intercepted Derek Carr three times. The Chiefs are now 7-5 after a 1-5 start. Kansas City doesn’t play a team with a winning record over the final four weeks.
Worst
QB Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings had a chance to get a statement win on Sunday, but Minnesota remains incapable of throwing the ball consistently when Adrian Peterson is taken away. The Seahawks held Peterson to just 18 yards, and Bridgewater responded to the challenge with only 118 passing yards on 28 attempts.
He also threw a bad interception late in the first half, which helped Seattle create a 21-0 lead in the first half. The Vikings offense didn’t score; in fact, the furthest Bridgewater’s offense advanced on Sunday was the Seattle 36-yard line. Minnesota is now averaging less than 12 points per game when Peterson rushes for fewer than 98 yards this season. The Vikings are still right in the playoff race, but they’ll need much, much more from their quarterback to make anything of it.
K Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears
Gould’s ugly miss of a chip-shot field goal might cost the Bears a chance to make a postseason run.
After the San Francisco 49ers tied the game at 20 late Sunday, Chicago received a 74-yard kickoff return from Deonte Thompson to set up the Bears with a chance to win the game in regulation. But with two seconds left, Gould missed his 36-yard game-winner wide left. The 49ers went on to win in overtime on a 71-yard touchdown from Blaine Gabbert to Torrey Smith. Gould also missed a 40-yard kick in the third quarter. Th e Bears really should be 6-6. Chicago’s season is now on the brink at 5-7.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns lost for the second time in six days. Sunday didn’t have the excruciating heartbreak of last Monday night, when the Ravens stunned Cleveland with a touchdown return of a blocked field goal as time expired. Instead, the Browns welcomed the Bengals to Cleveland and got rocked by 34 points.
Austin Davis became the team’s 24th different starting quarterback since 1999, but his offense managed just three points. If there’s an upside, it’s that the Browns are now the clear front runner for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft. Another lost season can’t end soon enough.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams are becoming a frequent visitor to this space.
St. Louis hit a new rock bottom on Sunday, allowing 524 yards and gaining just 212 during a 27-3 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Now losers of five straight games, the Rams finished with nine first downs and seven penalties for 104 yards. Arizona held St. Louis to 1-for-12 on third down and possessed the ball for almost 40 minutes. Jeff Fisher’s club has officially flatlined.
Patriots Special Teams
New England has lost back-to-back games for the first time since 2012, and the Patriots can thank their special teams.
The Eagles came back from 14-0 down to rattle off 35 straight points, with seven coming off a punt block returned for a touchdown before the half and another seven via Darren Sproles’ 83-yard punt return for a score in the third quarter. Philadelphia also scored a touchdown off a short field after New England’s attempted drop kick. Meanwhile, the Patriots had three punt returns for three yards and a long kickoff return of just 18 yards. Suddenly, New England is now 10-2 and the third seed in the AFC.
Bonus: Detroit Lions
It’s old news now, but the Lions can’t escape a mention here. Up 20-0 in the third quarter on Thursday night, Detroit blew their lead and a potential fourth straight win, capping off the stunning collapse by allowing one of the most improbable Hail Mary completions in NFL history. Just when the Lions give you an ounce of hope, they crush your soul in new, cruel ways only Detroit can conceive.