NFL Week 13: What We Learned from Thanksgiving Day tripleheader

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• REWATCH: Bears-Lions on NFL+
• READ: Eberflus, Williams explain botched final play in loss

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Uncharacteristic Lions get lucky. Detroit delivered a beatdown everywhere but the scoreboard in the first half, as Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 141 rushing yards with the offense moving at will to the tune of 279 yards. The Lions offense, ranked first in scoring entering the day, continually stalled in the red zone, though, with four first-half trips resulting in a field goal, touchdown, field goal and fumble. That fumble, a Gibbs mishap at the end of what looked like a possible run for six in the final minute of the second quarter, proved the turning point. Chicago gained some momentum on the ensuing possession and carried it into the second half down just 16-0 despite being thoroughly outplayed. Meanwhile, the Lions completely lost their mojo outside of a third-quarter TD. Gibbs and Monty contributed just 34 more rushing yards on the other side of the half, Jared Goff managed only 76 more passing yards and the defense gave up a whole lot more (248). Detroit, head-scratchingly lackluster, would normally put games like this away early. The Lions still hung on to win as good teams do, but that was as much a credit to the Bears being a bad team and self-sabotaging.
2. Bears turn around abysmal start to lose self-inflicted heartbreaker. Against all odds, Chicago found another way to crush its fans. Caleb Williams overcame a disastrous start, flipping a switch in the second half to throw for 256 passing yards and three touchdowns. He looked spectacular more often than not, while Keenan Allen kept up a late-season revival with two of those scores. And the defense was clutch despite giving up over 400 yards. It repeatedly tightened in the red zone during the first half before tightening overall in the fourth, allowing Detroit just 48 total yards in the final frame. Those silver linings, which gave Chicago a shot to complete a possible 16-point comeback, won’t mean much after what took place. Down three points, the Bears drove from their 1-yard line into Detroit territory, but following a sack near midfield with 32 seconds left, inexplicably failed to snap the ball again until six seconds remained. Williams then sailed a desperate heave into the ground near the end zone, and it was over. They had a timeout to use either before or after that play had they showed appropriate urgency. Even before that, the Bears committed three bad penalties during the possession. Chicago is now losers of six in a row, a streak this includes a failed Hail Mary defense against the Commanders, a blocked game-winning field-goal attempt against the Packers, an overtime loss to the Vikings and now this.
3. Detroit barely gets the monkey (turkey?) off its back. It had been seven long years since the Lions were able to enjoy a victory on Thanksgiving. That’s a losing streak that predated the arrival of Dan Campbell and Jared Goff, but the coach-QB duo still contributed to it by going 0-3 in past attempts. On Thursday, they finally got off the schneid, giving them a reason to celebrate even if they’ll be far more happy with the result than the process. Despite leading wire to wire, Campbell’s crew was strangely sloppy on offense and allowed their first second-half points (20) since Week 9. After five of their first six drives went nine or more plays, their final three failed to eclipse five. Nonetheless, the Lions have now won their 10th game in a row while toppling another torturous statistic on losing. They were far from their best, but the history-busting run dating back to last season continues as Detroit seeks to turn its new narrative into an eventual Super Bowl-winning one.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Bears-Lions (via NFL Pro): Caleb Williams completed 15 of 24 passes in the second half for 222 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came while under pressure.

NFL Research: The Lions’ 11-1 start is their best in team history, fueled by their first 10-game winning streak in a season since 1934.

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• REWATCH: Giants-Cowboys on NFL+
• READ: Cowboys eye improbable playoff run: 'Why not us?'

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. DeMarvion Overshown overdelivers on Thanksgiving Day. The Cowboys' second-year linebacker has been enjoying a breakout season in his first year as a starter, and he's poised to garner more appreciation following a stellar performance on the Thanksgiving stage. The 24-year-old was everywhere for the Cowboys defense, highlighting his day with a spectacular pick-six in the second quarter. Overshown snuffed out a Giants' screen play on the interception, dutifully shedding a block before getting a hand on the pass and popping it high up in the air. He caught it in stride and went 23 yards for the Cowboys' first touchdown of the game, securing a lead Dallas wouldn't squander the rest of the way. Overshown added to that effort in the third quarter, recovering a fumble after an Eric Kendricks strip-sack, and the heads-up play resulted in another seven points for Dallas. The Cowboys defense enjoyed a great game as a whole, holding the Giants to 247 yards and totaling six sacks. Micah Parsons (1.5 sacks, four QB hits, six pressures) was his usual self, motoring the pass rush and he earned the inaugural Madden Thanksgiving MVP award, but Overshown's evening (nine tackles, INT, PD, FR) still earned him a piece of the postgame Turducken. 
2. Different quarterback, same issues for Giants. Drew Lock got the nod with Tommy DeVito not healthy enough to start, but the Giants offense remained beset with familiar issues. It started out fine as Lock orchestrated a 13-play, 70-yard scoring drive on their opening possession, but New York's offensive woes would soon rear their head. Lock's pick-six came on the first play of their second possession, and it began a slog that produced six points within the Giants' next eight drives, including Lock's aforementioned fumble. A stagnant rushing attack rendered the Giants offense predictable during that span, allowing the Cowboys pass rushers to pin their ears back freely and harass Lock all game. When he did have time to throw, Lock keyed in on Malik Nabers (eight receptions, 69 yards) and Theo Johnson (5/54) down the stretch, but there were no splash plays from the Giants, as Lock, who led the team with 57 rushing yards, provided the team's biggest play of the night (a 28-yard scramble). Lock found the end zone with his legs to make it a one-score game late, but the Giants' all-around miscues, particularly with penalties (13 for 98 yards), prevented the G-Men from ruining Dallas' Thanksgiving. 
3. Rico Dowdle powers Cowboys' first home win of 2024. It wasn't a walk in the park for the Cooper Rush-led offense, but the Cowboys' lead running back countered those struggles as the unit's reliable force against the Giants. Dowdle was as consistent as they come rushing the ball, using his blocks efficiently while breaking tackles in the moments where lanes weren't provided. Scoring his first rushing TD of the season in the third quarter to extend the Cowboys' lead to 17, Dowdle finished with 112 rushing yards off 22 carries (5.1 YPC) to break a 25-game streak without a Cowboys RB surpassing the 100-yard mark. Rush did his part behind an offensive line that allowed no sacks, completing 21 of 36 passes for 195 yards with one TD and no INTs. The backup QB did come up clutch when needing to ice the game on the final possession, finding Brandin Cooks for the game's final first down, but Dallas wouldn't have been in such a favored position without Dowdle in this one. 

Next Gen Stats Insight from Giants-Cowboys (via NFL Pro): Rico Dowdle rushed for a career-high 112 yards on 22 carries against the Giants on Thanksgiving, recording a career-high +44 rushing yards over expected. Dowdle saw most of his production rushing inside the tackles, gaining 74 yards and a touchdown on 10 such carries (+41 rushing yards over expected). Dowdle also forced a career-high nine missed tackles in Week 13 (40.0% MTF rate, career-high).

NFL Research: DeMarvion Overshown is the first Cowboys player to have a pick-six and a fumble recovery in a single game since Roy Williams in Week 17, 2002 (fifth player to do so in Dallas franchise history). Overshown is also the first Cowboys player to record five-plus sacks and a pick-six in a season since Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware (2006).

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• REWATCH: Dolphins-Packers on NFL+

Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:

1. Packers pile it on early, pack it in late. Green Bay's third win in a row came easy from the start. After a three-and-out spoiled a major return from Keisean Nixon, the Packers immediately recovered a fumbled punt inside the Dolphins' 10-yard line. Three plays later, Jayden Reed was in the end zone -- for the first of two times on the night -- and the first-half rout was on. Paced by Josh Jacobs on the ground, Green Bay racked up 102 rushing yards in the first half and reached the end zone thrice. When the Dolphins dug themselves holes in the Lambeau pitch with penalties, the Packers made them pay. Jordan Love was feeling it, spreading the ball for 274 yards around a receiving corps missing the injured Romeo Doubs; three pass catchers had at least 67 receiving yards, and five had at least four targets. On defense, the Packers hurried Tua Tagovailoa all night; five players earned at least three QB pressures, and four tallied sacks. Green Bay has yet to allow 20 points since its bye. All in all, it was par for the course for Matt LaFleur's Packers, a well-coached outfit that can and will beat you a number of ways.
2. Dolphins' comeback goes cold at Lambeau. After rolling into Green Bay on a three-game hot streak, Miami froze up in the Frozen Tundra. Dolphins special teams gifted the Packers a lead out of the gate, allowing a big kickoff return and muffing a punt in the red zone in the span of six plays. Miami played from behind for the rest of the game, falling into a 27-3 hole before thawing out and showing some life in the second half. Tagovailoa was efficient on the evening (37-of-46, 365 yards), finding success on quick second-level throws in the final two frames. The Dolphins pulled within two scores thanks to an 80-yard TD drive and had a chance to cut it to one possession after stopping the Packers on the ensuing march. But Miami couldn't cash in after marching 70 yards to the Packers' 1-yard line. De'Von Achane was stuffed on second down, and Tua's following two dropbacks resulted in a pass breakup in the flat and a coverage sack. The Dolphins' dream of pulling off a Thanksgiving miracle -- and pulling fully back in the AFC playoff race -- died there. Miami's not out of it with five weeks left, and an NFC loss isn't the worst thing, but at 5-7, the Dolphins are now back with the Colts, two games behind the Chargers and Broncos in the win column. The AFC East may be Buffalo's by the time Miami next takes the field against the Jets.
3. NFC North grudge match looms large. Green Bay's Thanksgiving win over Miami may have felt like the final course of a long Thursday of football, but it was really just an appetizer for the main dish that is next week's Packers-Lions showdown. Five weeks after falling 24-14 to Detroit at home, it will be Green Bay's turn to try and play spoiler against its NFC North rivals and the current No. 1 seed in the conference when the teams face off at Ford Field next Thursday night. At 9-3, the Packers would be leaders in almost any other division by Week 13's end. But in the ultra-competitive North, they're two games behind the Lions (11-1) and even a half-game behind the over-achieving Vikings (9-2). With a week to prepare, Green Bay can get healthy, perhaps welcoming back Jaire Alexander and Romeo Doubs for the must-win matchup. A win over Detroit would even the season series and give the Packers a better, albeit slight, chance at nabbing their first NFC North title since 2021. A loss would almost assure Green Bay of an away game on Super Wild Card Weekend, at best.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Dolphins-Packers (via NFL Pro): The Packers offense forced 20 missed tackles on Thursday evening, including four players forcing multiple missed tackles (Josh Jacobs, 10; Jayden Reed, 4; Tucker Kraft, 2; Dontayvion Wicks, 2). The Packers' skill players excelled at gaining extra yards, accumulating season-highs in yards after contact per carry (6.1) and yards after the catch (188).

NFL Research: Josh Jacobs had his fifth straight game with 100-plus scrimmage yards in the win over Miami. Jacobs' run is the longest such streak by a Green Bay player since Eddie Lacy in 2014 (nine straight games) and is tied with Atlanta's Bijan Robinson for the longest such streak by a player in 2024.