[• Biggest riser: Pittsburgh Steelers (up four spots since Week 11)
• Biggest faller: Cincinnati Bengals (down nine spots since Week 11)
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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
NFL Week 13 Power Rankings
NFL WEEK 12 TAKEAWAYS
The Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich after their 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans. During Reich's tenure, the Panthers ranked 30th in team offense grade and 26th in team defense grade.
The Cowboys earned their highest team offense grade of the season (92.0) in their win over the Commanders. They also posted the highest offensive success rate at 48%.
The Bills committed 11 penalties during their overtime loss to the Eagles, the most in the league in Week 12. As you can see below, Sean McDermott's team has struggled with penalties this season.
After their win over the Buccaneers, the Colts have now won three games in a row. They have the sixth-easiest remaining schedule and a 41% chance of making the playoffs.
Biggest Riser: Pittsburgh Steelers
In Game 1 of the post-Matt Canada era, the Steelers finally eclipsed 400 yards of offense, a feat they had not been able to accomplish with Canada calling the plays.
Kenny Pickett was very efficient, generating 0.27 expected points added (EPA) per play, and he re-established his great connection with tight end Pat Freiermuth, who caught nine passes for 120 yards.
Pickett also targeted the middle of the field much more often in this game compared to games with Canada as offensive coordinator.
Biggest Faller: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals were always going to struggle without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, but the team as a whole has not played up to the level we’re accustomed to.
The team hasn't suffered many major injuries on the defensive side of the ball, but they have allowed explosive plays at a very high rate, and their pass rush has struggled at times outside of Trey Hendrickson.
There’s a realistic possibility this team could be picking around the top 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft. It could be wise to take advantage of the down year, secure a top draft pick and come out swinging with a healthy Burrow next season.
WAR Lost to Injuries
Notable offensive injuries this week include Saints wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, Eagles tackle Lane Johnson, Texans guard Tytus Howard and Browns receiver Amari Cooper.
Olave and Shaheed have combined for almost 40% of the Saints' targets and almost half their receiving touchdowns. Their absence was definitely felt against the Falcons, as the team didn't score a touchdown for the first time since Week 4.
The Eagles offensive line managed to hold up without Lane Johnson, finishing with a 76.1 pass-blocking grade that ranked seventh among offensive lines. They allowed no sacks or quarterback hits.
Notable defensive injuries this week include Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox and linebacker Zach Cunningham, Browns edge defender Myles Garrett and Raiders safety Marcus Epps.
Late-Down Decision-Making
The Steelers ultimately prevailed against the Bengals, but they lost the most in win probability by kicking on fourth down. They could have extended their lead earlier in the game had they been more aggressive. The Steelers and Bengals combined for 10 punts in Week 12.
The Giants and Titans punted seven times this week, and the Patriots’ weren’t far behind them with six punts.
The Saints attempted six field goals in Week 12, half of which were inside the 25-yard line.
Game Finishers
The Eagles and Bills went into overtime in a nail-biter. The Eagles finished fifth in the league in team offense grade (81.5) over the second half and overtime this week, but they led the league in EPA per play (0.32).
The Bengals struggled in the second half, earning the league's worst team offense grade (51.8). They ranked 29th in conversion rate in the second half (21.7%).
The Giants offense has not been able to get much offense going — no matter the half. They finished 32nd in the NFL in conversion rate in the second half (9.5%) of their Week 12 game, moving the chains just twice over the final 30 minutes.
The Trenches
The Falcons offensive line earned a league-best 92.7 PFF grade in Week 12, with Chris Lindstrom (92.8) and Matthew Bergeron (94.9) finishing as the two highest-graded offensive linemen. As a unit, they didn't allow a sack and gave up pressure on just 12.5% of their pass-blocking snaps, the third-best rate in the league.
The Patriots offensive line allowed a season-best 16.2% pressure rate against the Giants. The Lions offensive line allowed its highest pressure rate of the season (50.0%) in their game against the Packers.
Defensive Success
The Ravens fielded the highest-graded defense this week (90.7) and finished third in EPA allowed per play (-0.31). They were incredibly stout in coverage, allowing only one touchdown and forcing an incompletion on 15.4% of pass attempts.
The 49ers' pass rush feasted on Thanksgiving, producing nine sacks, three hits and 13 hurries from 36 pass-rush snaps. They led the league in team pass-rush grade (81.0) and pass-rush win rate (68.4%).
Solidifying Drives on Offense
The best teams at avoiding three-and-outs all have good offenses, and we also see teams with good playcallers, such as the Packers and Vikings, near the top despite not having great quarterbacks.
