Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season began on Thanksgiving with an NFC North clash in which the Packers leaned on quarterback Jordan Love and third-year wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks‘ two touchdowns to beat the Lions. The second game featured a shootout between Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. The nightcap saw quarterback Joe Burrow, in his return from a toe injury, lead the Bengals to a comfortable victory over the Ravens.

On Black Friday, the Bears extended their win streak to five games with a decisive win over the Eagles. Chicago running backs Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift both ran for over 100 yards in the victory.

On Sunday, the Panthers improved to 7-6 with narrow win over the Rams. Carolina quarterback Bryce Young threw two touchdown passes on fourth downs, which were both from over 30 yards away. Meanwhile, the 49ers got closer to the Rams’ NFC West lead with a dominant victory over the Browns.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

Jump to:
SF-CLE | LAR-CAR | CHI-PHI
CIN-BAL | KC-DAL | GB-DET

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

49ers

At 9-4, how well are the 49ers positioned for a playoff push? Sunday’s win was a pivotal one for San Francisco, which needed to go undefeated during a three-game span against Arizona, Carolina and Cleveland to put itself in prime playoff position — and that’s exactly what the 49ers did. With a much-needed week off coming up and a home game against one-win Tennessee, the 49ers have a strong chance to get to 10 wins before Christmas. That is usually enough to make the postseason, but one more win in a difficult stretch (at Indianapolis, at home against Chicago and Seattle) would almost certainly seal it. It’s still difficult to imagine the 49ers (considering their injury situation) being a real threat to win the NFC, but some late-season rest will give them a chance to regroup and potentially make noise in January.

What to make of the QB performance: Coming off a three-interception performance on Monday night, it was fair to wonder how quarterback Brock Purdy would respond in difficult weather conditions against a tough Browns defense. As has often been the case in his career, he bounced back with the type of gritty outing required to get the win. Purdy finished 16-of-29 for 168 yards with a touchdown and a rushing score. Most importantly, he took care of the ball as the Niners had zero giveaways for just the third time this season (all wins). — Nick Wagoner

Next game: vs. Titans (Dec. 14, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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Brock Purdy connects with Jauan Jennings for a TD

Brock Purdy fires a pass to Jauan Jennings to give the 49ers a 23-8 lead over the Browns.

Browns

With another losing season, should coaching changes be considered in Cleveland? The Browns clinched their fourth losing season in six years under coach Kevin Stefanski. Since leading Cleveland to the playoffs in the 2023 season, Stefanski has a 6-23 record. Owner Jimmy Haslam has preached patience with a young roster, but Cleveland has wasted an elite defense this season (see: Myles Garrett and his 19 sacks) with recurring gaffes on special teams and an ineffective offense, the latter of which has been a Stefanski specialty of late.

Turning point: Trailing 10-8 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Browns went for it on fourth-and-1 from their own 33-yard line, but rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. fumbled the center exchange on an attempted sneak. Purdy scored nine plays later to give San Francisco a two-score lead that the Niners would never relinquish. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Panthers

What does the win mean for Carolina’s playoff push? This was a major statement. The banged-up Panthers are keeping pace with the Bucs in the NFC South with an improbable win against the Rams, who entered Week 13 with the NFC’s best record. With four games left after next week’s bye (including two against the Bucs), the Panthers showed they aren’t going away. That’s especially true if quarterback Bryce Young, who had arguably his best game as a pro, proves to be consistent.

Most surprising performance: Running back Chuba Hubbard. Coach Dave Canales said he needed to get Hubbard more involved this week. He did — and then some. Hubbard had 17 carries for 83 yards, plus two catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. He made a case to wrestle back the starting job he lost midseason to Rico Dowdle. — David Newton

Next game: at Saints (Dec. 14, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Rams

What does the loss mean for the Rams’ potential playoff seeding? They entered the game with the NFC’s best record, but this loss drops them behind Chicago, who currently hold the tiebreaker with the better conference record. The Bears have a tough schedule in their final five games of the season, playing the Lions, 49ers and Packers (twice). The Rams lost in tough playoff environments on the road the past two seasons, so they know the importance of playing at home throughout the playoffs. The Rams are still a game up on the 8-4 Eagles, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Los Angeles.

Trend to watch: When the Rams are in the low red zone, keep an eye on wide receiver Davante Adams. He had two receiving touchdowns, one from the 4-yard line and one from the 7. This season, 11 of Adams’ 14 receiving touchdowns have been caught within the 10-yard line, according to ESPN Research. Adams leads the league with those 11 touchdowns, with five more than the next-closest receiver (Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown). — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Bears

How does this win legitimize the 2025 Bears? This was the most important win for the franchise in years and quiets any doubts about the legitimacy of the Bears’ 9-3 record. Chicago went on the road and beat the reigning Super Bowl champions thanks to a dominant rushing attack and defensive performance that forced Philadelphia into uncharacteristic mistakes, such as Jalen Hurts‘ interception and fumble on the tush push. It’s time to start thinking playoffs in Chicago.

Most surprising performance: Chicago ran for 281 yards (second most this season) and was dominant on the ground early on. When the Bears got away from that formula with a series of incompletions by Caleb Williams during a two-minute drive to end the first half, it felt like that began the offense’s sputter. Williams had eight off-target passes in the first half (tied for the most of his career in either half) and finished 17-of-36 for 154 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. It was a tough game for Williams in the efficiency department. His completion percentage (47%) was the second lowest in a game in his career. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: at Packers (Sunday, Dec. 7, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Eagles

Are the Eagles in trouble? It feels like the Eagles have reached the most important moment in their season. A collapse against the Cowboys was followed by a discouraging home loss to the Bears on Friday, when their offense was familiarly listless for most of the game and their defense looked suddenly vulnerable. At 8-4, they’re still the favorites to win the NFC East, and they have a rather friendly closing schedule, with two games against the Commanders and a matchup with the Raiders. But things have felt a little shaky around this team for much of the season. Now is the time for the defending champs to show the ’25 squad has what it takes to make another run.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Eagles’ defense had a very difficult time against misdirection runs. Running backs Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift routinely found cutback lanes that led to chunk gains. This is the first time the Bears have had multiple 100-yard rushers in the same game since November 1985 (Walter Payton and Matt Suhey), per ESPN Research. — Tim McManus

Next game: at Chargers (Monday, Dec. 8, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Bengals

Does Joe Burrow coming back change anything for the Bengals? It seems tantalizing to think about. But the Bengals have absolutely no margin for error. They are 4-8 through 12 games for the second straight season. Last year, the Bengals ripped off five straight wins to close the season with a 9-8 record. That will be tougher this season with games against Buffalo and Baltimore still looming. Cincinnati will need help from the Ravens and Steelers, and they also can’t make any mistakes.

Key stat to know: So much for easing back into things. Burrow became the first player this season to have 40 or more passing attempts through three quarters, per ESPN Research. In fact, his 42 attempts before the final quarter were the most by any QB since … Burrow in 2023, when he had 42 in Week 3 against the Rams. That was his first game after aggravating a strained calf he suffered in the preseason. — Ben Baby

Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Why Stephen A. was annoyed with Zac Taylor after Bengals’ win

Stephen A. Smith rips Zac Taylor for not elevating the Bengals during Joe Burrow’s absence.

Ravens

What is wrong with Lamar Jackson? Even though Jackson refuses to acknowledge it, he has not played the same since dealing with a growing list of injuries this month and was a major reason the Ravens’ five-game winning streak ended. On Thursday night, Jackson continued the worst slump of his career, turning the ball over three times for the first time in four years. This marked only the fifth time he has turned the ball over three or more times in his eight-year career. Jackson fumbled twice — giving the ball to the Bengals twice inside the Baltimore 20-yard line — and was intercepted on a pass batted at the line. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player hasn’t looked like himself since dealing with three different injuries (knee, ankle and toe) over the past three weeks, which has forced him to miss one practice each week. Jackson has not thrown a touchdown pass in three straight games — a career worst — and he couldn’t manage one against a Bengals defense that had allowed an NFL-worst 32.7 points.

Key stat to know: The Ravens allowed over 20 points for the first time since Oct. 5. In its previous six games, Baltimore had been the strength of the team, allowing an average of 14 points. The bigger issue is the health of top cornerback Nate Wiggins, who didn’t play the second half after sustaining a foot injury. This could be a major problem considering Baltimore finishes out the season playing such quarterbacks as Burrow again, Aaron Rodgers (twice), Drake Maye and Jordan Love. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Cowboys

Is it time to take the Cowboys seriously? The Cowboys have beaten the 2024 Super Bowl participants — Chiefs and Eagles — in a span of five days. They have won three straight games, their longest streak since 2023. They are above .500 (6-5-1) for the first time since Week 5 last year. Not many expected the Cowboys would win their first two games of their gauntlet against the Eagles, Chiefs and Detroit Lions (Dec. 4), but here they are with a chance to firmly put themselves in the playoff picture. For the third straight week, the defense held the opposing offense to 21 points or fewer. The offense rode big plays to score at least 30 points at home for the fourth time this season.

What to make of the QB performance: Dak Prescott vs. Patrick Mahomes became a game of anything you can do I can do better. In the fourth quarter, Mahomes threw a go-ahead TD pass on fourth down, but Prescott answered with an eight-play, 68-yard drive to go ahead that had him improvising like Mahomes. Stepping up in the pocket to evade the rush, Prescott flipped a pass to Javonte Williams for the touchdown and then on the 2-point conversion, he spun away to his left and rifled a pass to George Pickens to give the Cowboys a seven-point lead. After a first possession interception, Prescott rebounded with two touchdown passes and mixed the ball to seven different pass catchers. He also threw for more than 300 yards for the fourth time on Thanksgiving to tie Tony Romo and Matthew Stafford for the most in NFL history. — Todd Archer

Next game: at Lions (Thursday, Dec. 4, 8:15 p.m. ET)

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Bart Scott: Cowboys would be ‘most dangerous out’ if they make the playoffs

Bart Scott praises Dak Prescott and details why the Cowboys would be the most dangerous team if they make the playoffs.

Chiefs

Do the Chiefs have any margin for error? No. Here’s the mission, should the Chiefs choose to accept it: Win the final five games of the regular season. That is likely what’s required for them to reach the postseason, perhaps as the seventh and final seed. All five games will be against AFC opponents, too, so every game from this point is essentially a play-in game for coach Andy Reid and Mahomes. In his first NFL start in AT&T Stadium, a little more than 100 miles from his hometown of Tyler, Texas, Mahomes threw four touchdown passes and used his legs to escape the pocket. The issue is that the Chiefs’ defense never sacked Prescott and couldn’t effectively cover his two best receivers, CeeDee Lamb and Pickens.

Trend to watch: Following Thursday’s game, the Chiefs get nine days to rest and recover for their final push. But one troubling trend is that Mahomes finished the game without three of his starting linemen — right guard Trey Smith (right ankle), right tackle Jawaan Taylor (elbow) and rookie left tackle Josh Simmons (left wrist). If the Chiefs want any chance to make the playoffs, Mahomes will likely need his best linemen to return sooner rather than later.

Best quote from the locker room: “You’ve got to win every game now — and hope that’s enough. We’re going to play a lot of good teams coming up. If we’re going to make the playoffs, we’re going to have to win them all. That’s got to be the mindset when we step into the [training facility] when we get back,” Mahomes said. — Nate Taylor

Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Packers

Are the Packers now the favorites to win the NFC North? Green Bay’s two games against Chicago — the first one will be on Dec. 7 at Lambeau Field — will go a long way toward deciding it, but Thursday’s win put the Packers in an advantageous position. According to ESPN Analytics, the Packers had a 66% chance to win the division after beating the Lions on Thursday.

A loss would have dropped that number to 27%. Those numbers will change before the weekend is out in part based on Friday’s Bears-Eagles game. But the Packers (8-3-1) put the Lions (7-5) in their rearview mirror by sweeping the season series. After winning just one NFC North game last season, they’re 3-0 so far.

What to make of the QB performance: This was just the kind of game Jordan Love needed. After throwing just two touchdown passes in the previous four games combined, Love was dialed in against the Lions. He threw four touchdown passes, including two for 15-plus air yards. One of those was a 51-yard bomb to Christian Watson in the third quarter. It was just his third career game with multiple touchdowns on passes for 15-plus air yards. He also had two touchdowns on fourth downs, his first career game with multiple fourth-down touchdown passes. He finished 18-of-30 for 234 yards without an interception.

Best quote from the locker room: Micah Parsons, who had 2½ sacks and four quarterback hits on Jared Goff, reminded the Packers are focused on what’s ahead, saying, “This was a big win for where we want to go, win the division, playoffs. That was a playoff game. We just have to stack these up.” — Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Lions

Should the Lions be concerned about Dan Campbell’s playcalling? The head coach took over playcalling duties entering Week 10, at which point Detroit was averaging 29.9 points per game, but the Lions have now lost two of their past three games and have looked questionable at times with their predictability — notably on the ground. Detroit has struggled on fourth downs but continues to take risks. With two failed conversions against Green Bay, Detroit is 0-for-7 on fourth down since Week 11, which is tied for the most fourth-down attempts in the league, and by far the most attempts without a conversion, per ESPN Research.

Most surprising performance: The short-handed Lions needed a much-needed boost with injuries to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Kalif Raymond and Graham Glasgow on offense. Enter Tom Kennedy, a practice squad veteran, who stepped up to make plays on offense and special teams in their absence Thursday. Kennedy was signed to Detroit’s active roster from the practice squad Wednesday evening and finished with four catches for 36 yards.

Best quote from the locker room: After his Lions dropped to 7-5, Campbell said he told his players, “It’s frustrating, I know. We’ve got a lot to be thankful for even after a loss.” Campbell then expanded on Detroit’s standing as it looks toward Week 14: “We’ve dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, that’s the bottom line. We are in a little bit of a hole, but that’s just what it is. There’s nothing more than that. So, all we’ve got to do is worry about cleaning up this and then getting to the next game and finding a way to win the next one in front of us.” — Eric Woodyard

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET)