NFL Week 12 storylines to watch: Upstart Broncos face Browns; Bills get big chance vs. Eagles - The Athletic

NFL Week 12 got off to a roaring start with a Thanksgiving tripleheader, followed by the league’s first Black Friday game.

Things are quite interesting after Thursday’s results: The Cowboys and Packers helped their playoff positioning with impressive victories over the Commanders and Lions, respectively, and the 49ers strengthened their standing atop the NFC West by beating the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, desperation is setting in for struggling teams. Two more coordinators, Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada and Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, were fired this week. Will these last-ditch efforts change anything over the next six weeks?

Buckle up for another round of intense competition. Here are five of the most compelling storylines to follow for the remainder of this weekend’s action. (Find the NFL Week 12 schedule here.)

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1. Hotly contested divisional battles

Six of the week’s remaining 12 games are divisional showdowns, including Saints at Falcons, Steelers at Bengals, Rams at Cardinals, Chiefs at Raiders and Bears at Vikings. But perhaps the most intriguing divisional matchup is in Houston, where the Texans host the Jaguars.

Jacksonville leads the AFC South with a 7-3 record, but the 6-4 Texans can take a significant — and surprising — step toward a division crown with a victory on Sunday. They already shocked the Jaguars in Week 3 with a 37-17 victory, and a season sweep would move them into a tie with Jacksonville for first in the division with six games remaining. The Texans would, however, hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Meanwhile, a Jaguars win would put the Texans two games back, and Houston wouldn’t have any key tiebreakers.

The Texans enter this game riding a three-game losing streak, but the odds-makers were projecting them as 1.5-point home underdogs. Can DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud and company continue their impressive march? Or will Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars rise to the occasion? (Jaguars at Texans, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)

Don’t look now, but the Broncos (5-5) are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, riding a four-game winning streak as they enter Sunday’s matchup with the visiting Browns. The Browns (7-3) are offensively challenged because of Deshaun Watson’s season-ending shoulder surgery, but they do still boast one of the most dominant defenses in the league. That means Russell Wilson and Sean Payton’s offense will receive a very tough test.

This will serve as a good measuring stick for the Broncos, because if they’re able to still operate effectively against this Cleveland defense, we’ll know that Wilson (seven touchdowns, zero interceptions during this four-game win streak) is indeed back, and that Denver’s playoff hopes are legit. The Broncos would have a long way to go, but a victory would represent another huge step in the right direction. (Browns at Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday.)

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3. Another measuring stick game

Bills–Eagles looked like a potential Super Bowl preview when the schedule came out in May, but at 6-5, it’s hard to view Buffalo as a top-level contender. A win over the 9-1 Eagles — perhaps the most well-rounded team in the league — would help restore the Bills’ billing as one of the favorites to compete for a Lombardi Trophy.

Beating Philadelphia will be challenging. The Eagles boast a balanced offensive attack and a deep and versatile defense. The Bills tend to get off to slow starts (averaging 12.6 points per first half) and that could put even greater pressure on quarterback Josh Allen, who leads the NFL in touchdown passes (22) but also has thrown a season-high 12 interceptions. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles aren’t flawless, but they are resilient and can quickly change the tone of the games with their big-play capability. They just delivered an impressive comeback victory over the Chiefs, and another statement victory over a projected AFC power could strengthen their case as Super Bowl favorites. (Bills at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.)

4. Chargers’ tall task

After yet another disappointing defeat, Chargers coach Brandon Staley got testy when asked whether he would turn over defensive play-calling duties to an assistant. The Chargers, who are 4-6 and in last place in the AFC West, are ranked 31st in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed. With each defeat, it appears it’s a matter of when, and not if, Staley will be fired.

Staley can, however, earn himself some temporary relief if he can find a way to beat the AFC-leading Ravens. Staley’s defense will have to stop MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, who ranks among the league leaders in completion percentage and passer rating while also averaging 9.2 yards per rushing attempt. Jackson will be without his top target, tight end Mark Andrews, who is likely done for the season with a cracked fibula. Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor and tight end Isaiah Likely will have to step up. (Ravens at Chargers, 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday.)

5. Playoff picture

With November drawing to a close, the playoff race is shaping up to be a tense fight to the finish in both the AFC and the NFC. If the season ended this week, the NFC seeding would look like this: 1. Philadelphia, 2. San Francisco, 3. Detroit, 4. New Orleans, 5. Dallas, 6. Minnesota, 7. Seattle. The AFC field would feature 1. Miami, 2. Baltimore, 3. Kansas City, 4. Jacksonville, 5. Cleveland, 6. Houston, 7. Pittsburgh.

But this weekend’s outcomes could shake up the order. The Saints lead the NFC South but, at 5-5, find themselves on shaky ground, especially if the Falcons (who have turned back to Desmond Ridder at QB) pull off the win in their rivalry matchup this week. The 4-6 Rams, who face the Cardinals this week, are close. Can they force their way into the thick of things?

As mentioned, Houston could overtake Jacksonville with a win. And Denver could launch itself into the AFC picture with another victory.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland are among the AFC teams with the most unsure footing. The Browns’ quarterback situation (will rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson remain the starter, or will newly signed Joe Flacco knock off enough rust to save the season?) could doom their hopes. The Steelers hope Canada’s firing gives Kenny Pickett and his teammates a jolt.

(Photos of Josh Allen, Myles Garrett and Russell Wilson: Maddie Meyer, Nick Cammett and Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)

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