Our plate was filled to the brim in Week 13, which is fitting as the action coincided with the Thanksgiving holiday. Beginning on Thursday, the NFL took us on a wild ride, chock-full of upsets no matter which way you looked.
The Thanksgiving/Black Friday slate not only featured underdogs keeping games within the spread, but all four pulled off outright upsets. As we migrated to the Sunday slate, the upsets didn’t subside as the Carolina Panthers pulled off a stunning win at home over the Los Angeles Rams, and the New York Jets kicked a game-winning field goal to edge out the Atlanta Falcons. Pure pandemonium.
Given all of these surprising results, there are naturally going to be some major takeaways from Week 13. Below, we’re going to examine some of the top storylines from this Sunday slate and determine which we need to take seriously and which we can cast aside as an overreaction.
Overreactions or reality: Overreaction
Stafford came into Week 13 as the betting favorite to win NFL MVP, as the Rams quarterback had been on an absolute tear. He had thrown 28 straight touchdowns without an interception, which was the longest streak in NFL history. However, that streak was snapped with a first-quarter interception, which began a downward spiral for Los Angeles that resulted in them falling to the Carolina Panthers. In all, Stafford had three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) in the losing effort. Stafford’s second interception was returned 48 yards by corner Mike Jackson for a touchdown, and his fourth-quarter fumble following a sack effectively iced the game for Carolina.
Naturally, this puts a dent into Stafford’s MVP bid and could cost him his standing as the betting favorite. However, it’d be a step too far to say that his pursuit is over. Los Angeles is still 9-3 on the season and very much still in play for the top seed in the NFC. If Stafford bounces back with strong performances over the next few weeks against opponents like the Lions (Week 15) and Seahawks (Week 16), his stock could be back up.
2025 NFL playoff picture: Who’s in, who’s out and who’s in the hunt after Colts and Rams go down in Week 13
Cody Benjamin
Texans are the team to beat in the AFC South
Overreactions or reality: Reality
The Houston Texans may not be atop the AFC South at the moment, but they are a force to be reckoned with. Houston went into Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday and handed the then-first-place Colts a 20-16 defeat. That pushed Indy out of first place in the division and helped launch the Jaguars (who beat the Titans) to the top spot. However, the Texans are now in spitting distance as they are a game out in the loss column to both the Jaguars and Colts for first place.
After splitting the season series with Jacksonville, the next tiebreaker between those two would be division record, which the Texans currently have the advantage (4-1 vs. 2-1). When it comes to leaping over the Colts, they could complete the season sweep in Week 18 when they host them at NRG Stadium. That creates a viable path for the Texans, especially after getting C.J. Stroud back this week to pair with arguably the best defense in the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders played his way out of extended look
Overreactions or reality: Overreaction
Cleveland’s offense managed just eight points in a double-digit loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Sanders’ second career start. The rookie quarterback completed 16 of his 25 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t a performance that’ll knock anyone’s socks off, so some may take this opportunity to suggest that Sanders no longer deserves a longer look under center by Cleveland. That’d be a silly step to take at this juncture. There’s still more to examine with Sanders as the Browns starting quarterback, and he did have some encouraging moments in Week 13, particularly his 34-yard touchdown to Harold Fannin Jr. in the second quarter. It’d be wise for Kevin Stefanski to continue riding it out with Sanders so that the franchise can get a crystal clear view of what they have in him, and the head coach has already announced they’ll give him the start next week against Tennessee.
Panthers are the biggest surprise team of 2025
Overreactions or reality: Reality
In a season where the Chicago Bears are the No. 1 seed in the NFC at the end of Week 13, and Daniel Jones has resurrected his career in Indianapolis, there are plenty of teams you can point to as the biggest surprise of 2025. However, none hold a candle to the Carolina Panthers. No one expected this team to do much of anything in 2025, but they are suddenly in the thick of the NFC playoff conversation entering their Week 14 bye. After beginning the year at 1-3, Carolina has ripped off a 6-3 record, which includes a stunning upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. At 7-6, the Panthers are hot on the heels of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) for first place in the NFC South with both head-to-head matchups still on the horizon (Week 16 in Carolina and Week 18 at Tampa). They are also just two games back in the loss column for a wild-card spot. Again, nobody had this on their 2025 bingo card, which is a credit to Dave Canales and Bryce Young.
Steelers are going to miss the playoffs
Overreactions or reality: Overreaction
The Steelers are once again on the outside looking in on the playoffs after their loss to the Buffalo Bills. They burned a golden opportunity to create some breathing room between themselves and the Baltimore Ravens, who fell to the Bengals on Thanksgiving. Instead, Baltimore jumps back up to first place in the AFC North and as the No. 4 seed in the AFC, while the Steelers are the No. 9 seed. Yes, things aren’t exactly rosy at the moment, but this isn’t a death sentence just yet. The Ravens — specifically Lamar Jackson — have looked shaky in recent weeks, making them ripe for the picking down the stretch. Moreover, the Steelers host the Ravens next week in the first of two matchups over the final five weeks of the season. If Pittsburgh can hold up, the playoffs are still very much on the table.
J.J. McCarthy’s job as Vikings QB1 for 2025 is safe
Overreactions or reality: Reality
Well, any thought of a potential quarterback controversy in Minnesota went out the window real fast. Coming into Week 13, there was a line of thinking that the Vikings could be thrust into a controversy under center if backup Max Brosmer played well while J.J. McCarthy was sidelined due to a concussion. While McCarthy hasn’t impressed in his time as Minnesota’s starter, Brosmer couldn’t heat up his seat whatsoever. The undrafted rookie recorded four interceptions in a 26-0 loss to the Seahawks. This effectively ends any idea that McCarthy’s job in 2025 is at risk. If he’s healthy, he should be the starter for the rest of the year with no true threat anywhere on the roster. As for beyond 2025, that’s a different question entirely.
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