🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

🦃 Who is ready for a full day of football on Thanksgiving?!

🏈 Entertaining Week 12

The new-look Cowboys came back to beat the Eagles, erasing a 21-0 lead with 24 unanswered points as Dak Prescott still hasn’t lost a home divisional start since 2017. Philadelphia looked primed to run away with this one on the road, with a fast start by disgruntled WR A.J. Brown. But Dallas ultimately bounced back from a sloppy first half, shut down Saquon Barkley (10 carries for 22 yards), and got yet another monster day from WR George Pickens (9/146/1) before Brandon Aubrey’s game-winning FG as time expired. The turnaround was sparked by a great hustle play by Alijah Clark to force a fumble on a PR.

The Chiefs had their backs against the wall, but they also pulled off a comeback win—erasing the Colts’ 20-9 lead in the fourth quarter to win in OT and improve to 6-5. Indy was taking advantage of KC’s mistakes and also got key stops, but Steve Spagnuolo’s defense turned on the heat in a major way with four straight three-and-outs as Patrick Mahomes and the offense got going to avoid below-.500 ahead of a Thanksgiving matchup at Dallas.

The Lions survived the Jameis Winston experience, with Jahmyr Gibbs ripping off a 69-yard TD run immediately to start OT before Aidan Hutchinson finally came through with Detroit’s first sack to seal the win on the Giants’ possession. Some decisions that were questioned many—from star WR Malik Nabers to the President of the United States—helped the Lions have an opportunity for OT on Jake Bates’ clutch 59-yard FG, and the Giants are the first team eliminated from playoff contention in 2025.

Are the Bears the most under-the-radar 8-3 team in recent memory? After Steelers star T.J. Watt got a strip sack—coincidentally passing his brother J.J., who was calling the game for CBS, in career sacks—recovered for a TD by Nate Herbig, Bears QB Caleb Williams played excellent, mistake-free football in a 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. WR DJ Moore caught two TDs in the victory, and Chicago now heads to Philly for a Black Friday matchup.

To kick off Week 12, the Texans shut down a beat-up Bills offense and sacked Josh Allen eight times—while allowing zero sacks to Buffalo. The Bills somehow had a chance in the end for a game-winning TD, including with a hook-and-ladder play that worked, but the degree of difficulty was far too high for the group with their QB under relentless pressure from Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, and the pass rush all night.

Other Week 12 results:

• Rams 34, Buccaneers 7 (SNF): Led by All-Pro WR Davante Adams being unstoppable in scoring territory, Matthew Stafford and the Rams are on a heater—and a dominant effort versus the Bucs and other Sunday results puts them in position for the top seed in the NFC.

• Packers 23, Vikings 6: The Packers had five sacks and three takeaways in a divisional rout at Lambeau Field, with the early struggles of QB J.J. McCarthy (now in the concussion protocol) continuing for Minnesota.

• Browns 24, Raiders 10: A very confident Shedeur Sanders (“This one week of practice. So imagine what a full offseason looks like.”) won his first NFL start, with his highlight being a great deep ball to Isaiah Bond setting up one of two wildcat TD runs by Quinshon Judkins. Cleveland named Shedeur their Week 13 starter.

• 49ers 20, Panthers 9 (MNF): Carolina intercepted Brock Purdy three times in the first half, but a questionable offensive approach couldn’t capitalize; RB Christian McCaffrey scored in the win over his former team.

• Patriots 26, Bengals 20: The Cincy defense actually had some very stingy stops and forced Drake Maye into his worst game in a while, but New England won their ninth straight to improve to 10-2.

• Ravens 23, Jets 10: Derrick Henry scored twice and the Baltimore defense quietly remained hot for their fifth straight win to get to 6-5 in a tie atop the AFC North with the Steelers.

• Jaguars 27, Cardinals 24 (OT): The Jaguars overcame four Trevor Lawrence turnovers to win in OT for a 7-4 record in the crowded AFC.

• Falcons 24, Saints 10: Kirk Cousins hit WR Darnell Mooney for a deep ball TD in the fourth quarter to help Atlanta separate and snap a five-game losing streak.

• Seahawks 30, Titans 24: Star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught two TDs including a 63-yard dime from Sam Darnold and set a single-season franchise record in receiving yardage already (1,313).

🩼 The latest with injuries

There was again plenty of injury news to track from the past week, including how Bengals QB Joe Burrow was not activated ahead of Week 12—but with the expectation is that he will play versus the Ravens on Thanksgiving Night.

Seasons likely over: Lions TE Sam LaPorta had a back procedure and is unlikely to play again this year; and Texans RB Joe Mixon, who has not played this season due to a mysterious injury, is reportedly not expected to play.

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.’s knee injury from Week 11 was revealed to be a torn ACL. Also, CB Billy Bowman Jr. suffered a torn Achilles in practice.

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield left Sunday Night Football with a left shoulder injury, but appears likely to play this Sunday against the Panthers. More injuries from Week 12:

• Chiefs All-Pro G Trey Smith (both high- and low-ankle sprains) and OT Tyler Guyton (high-ankle sprain) are both set to miss time and not play on Thanksgiving.

• Patriots OT Will Campbell (MCL sprain, expected back this season but could be out at least four games on IR) and G Jared Wilson (high-ankle sprain, four-to-six weeks).

• Bengals WR Tee Higgins is in the concussion protocol and will not play on Thanksgiving.

• Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee sprain, likely to miss time).

• Eagles S Andrew Mukuba (ankle fracture) out indefinitely.

More injury news from before Week 12: Rams S Quentin Lake had elbow surgery but is hopeful to return this season, and he was placed on IR along with TE Tyler Higbee and OL Rob Havenstein; Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt (foot) and Seahawks WR Tory Horton (shin) were placed on IR.

📰 More NFL news and notes

From highest-paid OC to fired: The Raiders fired OC Chip Kelly, an apparent scapegoat for the struggles of QB Geno Smith and the offensive line, for 2-9 Vegas’ second coordinator firing in Year 1 under Pete Carroll.

The Giants fired DC Shane Bowen after another blown lead in the loss at Detroit.

“It takes a lot to get your contract voided.” 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan revealed that WR Brandon Aiyuk had the guarantees in his contract voided. Aiyuk has not played since his 2024 knee injury.

Contract news: The Rams extended LB Nate Landman on a three-year, $22.5 million deal; Browns DE Alex Wright signed a three-year, $33 million extension; the Broncos locked up clutch K Wil Lutz through 2028.

The Chiefs are signing RB Dameon Pierce, who was recently waived by the Texans. The Cowboys waived former Bills first-round CB Kaiir Elam.

In Season Hard Knocks trailer gives early look at season featuring the NFC East, premiering December 2 on HBO Max.

Netflix revealed their on-air crews for their two Christmas Day NFL games.

Other Sports Updates

🏈 With one week left to play in the regular season, last week’s college football games included No. 8 Oklahoma getting a slugfest win over No. 22 Missouri, No. 7 Oregon topping No. 15 USC in a new-look Big 10 battle, and No. 12 Utah surviving a crazy shootout versus Kansas State.

🏹 Florida State is retaining HC Mike Norvell, the school announced.

⚾️ The MLB announced new three-year media deals with Netflix, NBC, and ESPN starting in 2026.

🏟️ Oklahoma is renovating its football stadium with what they are calling “The Palace Project".

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com

• Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings (🔒)

• Week 13 Waiver Wire Rankings (🔒)

• Week 13 Rest-of-Season Rankings (🔒)

• Week 12 Fantasy Football Awards

• Heisman Watch: Week 14