Week 14 Takeaways for the 2025 NFL Season
One team’s misfortune can be another team’s triumph. Cincinnati and Buffalo played a thrilling shootout in the snow, but only the Bills have a realistic shot at the playoffs as a result. Chicago and Baltimore had agonizing finishes to their games, but Pittsburgh and Green Bay relished taking over first place in their respective divisions. There are always winners and losers (and whatever the Eagles and Chargers are), but the meaning is magnified as this season enters its twilight. We’re going to be eyeing all of the action related to the playoff race moving forward, and hopefully my week 14 takeaways will help you sort everything out!
TNF: Lions’ Offense Reappears in Critical Win Over Cowboys
In case the advertising for this game didn’t make it clear, we had a crucial matchup for TNF this week. Both Dallas and Detroit would be out of the playoffs today, but they’re each within striking distance. The winner of this game would hold a crucial tiebreaker and notch another win in their column. Maybe that explains how Lions WR Amon-Ra St Brown, fresh off an ankle sprain suffered last Thursday, suited up for this game. He not only started: he balled. St Brown (6/92) caught the very first pass of the game and looked like his normal self. With him came the rest of the Detroit offense, which finally played to its potential.
The engine of the offense has become RB Jahmyr Gibbs (12/43/3; 7/77 receiving). He struggled to find room as a rusher, but he scored thrice and topped 100 scrimmage yards. Fellow RB David Montgomery (Knuckles for the uninitiated) has seen his role diminished as a result. He took just 6 carries in this game but earned 60 yards and a TD with them. Given all of the TE injuries the Lions are dealing with (they’re down to their 4th option already), I’d love to see more two-back sets. Perhaps split-back formations would be good. It’s clear to me that Gibbs and Montgomery are two of Detroit’s best players, and both need to get on the field.
Dallas had a mixed offensive performance. WR CeeDee Lamb (6/121) was starring, but he left with a concussion. George Pickens (5/37) drew a ton of attention as a result, but Ryan Flournoy (9/115) really stepped up. However, the Cowboys had 3 turnovers: a Jake Ferguson (5/58) fumble and two INTs from QB Dak Prescott (31/47, 376 yards, TD). Dallas also really struggled once they got into scoring range. On the plus side, that let us see a kicking clinic from K Brandon Aubrey. The NFL’s best went 5/5, hitting from 55, 57, and 63. That last one was ridiculous because it seemed so easy for him. I love these UFL kickers (Jake Bates is one too!).
While Dallas’ defense has been much better lately, that didn’t hold here. Rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr in particular got really abused by Lions wideouts, but the entire secondary got picked apart. Detroit, who can’t stay healthy on that side of the ball, earned 5 sacks, 3 of which came from DE Al-Quadin Muhammad. The pressure helped mask the injury-addled secondary at key moments. Neither defense was spectacular, as evidenced by the 44-30 final score, but Detroit’s did just enough. They’re now back in the race for a wild card or NFC North title. Dallas needs to hope the Eagles continue to implode or they’re cooked.
Four Teams Lose Their QBs to Injuries…and All Lose Their Games
It was a bad day to be a starting QB in the NFL. Four of them left their games on Sunday with injuries and did not return. A few probably don’t matter aside from me caring about their health. In the first quarter of their game against Miami, the Jets watched Tyrod Taylor (1/4, 6 yards, INT) with a groin injury, giving way to UDFA rookie Brady Cook (14/30, 163 yards, 2 INTs). Thanks to the Dolphins’ rocket start, New York was down 21-0 before Cook played a snap. Injuries have sadly become a refrain in Taylor’s career. Meanwhile, Cook looked way overmatched in his NFL debut. He fought valiantly, but he never stood a chance.
In another depressing showing, Washington got QB Jayden Daniels back from an elbow injury this week to face the Vikings…only to see him exit in the third quarter due to re-injuring that elbow. Daniels (9/20, 78 yards, INT; 4/16 rushing) did not look like himself, constantly throwing off-target under pressure and seeming hesitant to run. His last play was an INT, and Marcus Mariota (2/4, 30 yards, INT) came in and immediately threw another. The Commanders lost 31-0, somehow made JJ McCarthy look competent, and watched TE Zach Ertz tear his ACL. Can NFL teams opt out of games like college squads are suddenly doing?
It’s no secret that the Raiders have the worst offensive line in the NFL. The unit has gotten QB Geno Smith killed all year, so the Broncos aren’t exactly a team you want to play if you can’t block. Smith (13/21, 116 yards, TD) actually played decently against Denver, but he again took 3 sacks and plenty of hits. He suffered a right hand injury in the first half before exiting in the third quarter with a right shoulder ailment. Kenny Pickett (8/11, 97 yards, TD) came in and looked surprisingly competent, but it didn’t really matter because the LV defense had no teeth. There are very few bright spots remaining for this team.
Finally, we have the most consequential QB injury. In a battle for first place in the AFC South, Daniel Jones (5/7, 60 yards, INT) and the Colts went to Jacksonville. Jones has been playing through a fractured fibula in recent weeks, and it has hindered him. Against the Jags, Jones went down untouched after a pass and slammed his helmet in frustration: he knew he had popped his Achilles tendon in his other leg. Former 6th-rounder Riley Leonard (18/29, 145 yards, INT, rush TD) came in and did a few good things but mostly looked as though the game was too fast for him. Jacksonville cruised to a 36-19 victory over the battered Colts.
This injury is significant on multiple levels. First, Indy lost the game, so Jacksonville retains first place in the division while the Colts drop out of playoff positioning altogether. Next, Jones is done for the year and might not be back in time for the start of the 2026 season. Based on what we’ve seen from Leonard and (when back from his own injury) Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis is done. They feasted on the easy part of their schedule but knew that their big tests came down the stretch. Now, they won’t have a competent QB to lead them. The Colts’ season is spiraling at an inopportune time, and I don’t think it can be saved.
Ravens, Bucs, and Bears Lose Their Grips on Division Leads
Several teams had their division leads on the line in week 14. In the early Sunday window, Baltimore hosted Pittsburgh with a tiebreaker giving them an edge in the AFC North despite identical 6-6 records. The Ravens stubbed their toe yet again. QB Lamar Jackson (19/35, 219 yards, TD, INT; 7/43/1 rushing) still looks off, but he at least ran more this week. Nobody but WR Zay Flowers (8/124) and RB Derrick Henry (25/94) stepped up to help him. The Ravens had so many chances to win this game, but they couldn’t take advantage of them. Baltimore gave up 0 fourth-quarter points and still couldn’t mount a comeback.
Pittsburgh couldn’t run the ball, but the passing game took off. QB Aaron Rodgers (23/34, 284 yards, TD, rush TD) found his deep ball, much to the joy of WR DK Metcalf (7/148). The unit stalled out after 3 quarters, but they put enough points on the board to let an opportunistic defense do its job. It’s becoming clear that the AFC North is probably sending just one team to the playoffs. Whoever wins this division will be that one team. Pittsburgh now has the advantage, but a week 18 rematch looms large. For all the angst over HC Mike Tomlin, the Steelers are staring down another winning season and a playoff chance.
Tampa Bay’s season is growing very concerning. They’ve struggled mightily after a 5-1 start, but losses to the Lions, Rams, and Bills aren’t shameful. Dropping a home game against the Saints is VERY troubling. The offense is getting healthier, with both RB Bucky Irving (81 scrimmage yards, TD) and WR Chris Godwin (5/55) contributing. And yet, 122 passing yards and 20 points aren’t good enough. Even worse, the defense allowed New Orleans to run for 139 yards and 3 TDs without start RB Alvin Kamara. The loss drops TB into a tie with Carolina, who they’ll play twice in the final 4 weeks. I can’t believe the NFC South is so much in doubt.
Our headliner of the week was 9-3 Chicago at 8-3-1 Green Bay for first place in the NFC North. The Packers have owned the poor Bears, and by halftime, that seemed like it would continue. Bears QB Caleb Williams (19/35, 186 yards, 2 TDs, INT) could barely complete a pass in the first two halves. The return of Packers WR Jayden Reed (4/31; 2/22 rushing) helped unlock the offense, especially for Christian Watson (4/89/2). As they have all year though, Chicago mounted a comeback. They managed to tie the game at 21 before a Josh Jacobs (20/86/1) TD run put the Pack back up by 7. The Bears would get 1 last opportunity.
With 3:32 left in the game, Chicago could take their time. They reached the GB 23 by the 2-minute warning, at which point I saw shades of former coach Matt Eberflus. Chicago badly mismanaged the game, picking up 9 yards in 1:25 before getting stuffed on 3rd and 1 with 27 seconds left. Williams threw up an end zone INT to lose the game instead of picking up the 1 yard with 2 timeouts remaining. This result shifts the Bears from the #1 seed all the way to #7 and gives Green Bay the inside track to the division crown. Bears fans will feel the string from this one, as the loss was really their own doing, an unforced error.
Titans Upend Race for #1 Draft Pick by Beating Browns
A beautiful thing about the NFL, unlike the NBA for example, is that teams at the bottom of the standings don’t have too much incentive to tank. High draft picks are lovely, but what good are they to the people in the building? If you’re a bad team, the GM might not be around to make the picks, the coach may not be developing them, and the players must be losing their jobs to said draftees. As a result, most struggling squads try their best all the way through week 18. For draft intrigue and the joy of football, I’m happy to say that the Titans competed their hearts out and finally got another win to show for it.
Their opponents, the 3-9 Browns, aren’t exactly good either. However, their defense is often great, so they can hang their hat on something. For those wondering, DE Myles Garrett did record a sack (#20 on the year). Somehow, Tennessee picked THAT defense to score a season-high 31 points against. If you’re looking for a breakthrough game out of #1 pick Cam Ward (14/28, 117 yards, 2 TDs, INT), this wasn’t it. He threw a pair of TDs, but he struggled a lot and completed just 50% of his passes. Surprisingly, it was the Titans’ long-dormant running game that came to life, as RB Tony Pollard (25/161/2) had his best game of the season.
Even more stunning was the fact that Tennessee won what was pretty much a shootout. Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders (23/42, 364 yards, 3 TDs, INT; 3/29/1 rushing) stuffed the stat sheet. He did a lot of good things, including a great touch TD pass to TE Harold Fannin Jr (8/114/1). Those two rookies already have a great connection. Sanders also did some things that weren’t as good. He threw an INT while drifting back and firing a prayer over the middle, a no-no in the NFL. It led directly to a Tennessee touchdown. Overall though, this was a nice step forward for the young signal caller. I still see potential here.
Actually, the biggest error was made by Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, not Sanders. Down 31-17 in the 4th, Sanders ran for a TD. Stefanski opted for the stupid analytics play of going for 2 instead of kicking the PAT. He called a wildcat play that went absolutely nowhere. Sanders did lead another TD drive, but that 2-point try (now extremely necessary), also came up empty. The Titans celebrated their 31-29 win, but ownership might not have been thrilled. If the season ended today, Las Vegas would be picking first in the draft. I don’t see a likely win left on the Raiders’ schedule, so this win might’ve cost TEN the top selection.
Chiefs’ Reign Over AFC West Ends with Loss to Texans
I can’t believe this is where we are in the season, but the following statement is true: KC was fighting for their playoff lives against the Texans on Sunday Night Football. Sitting at a middling 6-6, the Chiefs are running out of room for error. Unfortunately for them, they made their full allotment of errors against Houston. Some things weren’t their fault. For example, KC was missing 3 OL starters coming into the game, and replacement LT Wanya Morris got hurt on the very first play. Additionally, they couldn’t help the fact that Houston’s defense is just ridiculous. They’ve made more dangerous offenses look limp this year.
As always, the refs tried to help Kansas City. On Houston’s second drive, CJ Stroud threw a TD to TE Dalton Schultz (3/22), but it got called back for an illegal motion penalty. The officials said that two Texans were moving at once and did not get set. I saw only one moving at the snap, while the other was set for more than a full second. Then, on 4th-and-1, Houston got called for an offside penalty on a tush push. It was clearly a Chief who was lined up in the neutral zone, not a Texan. That forced Houston to settle for a field goal. A phantom facemask was also called on the Texans, extending a stalled Chiefs drive.
Nobody needed to help the Houston offense struggle. Stroud felt like he was back in week 1. The protection constantly failed him, sending him scrambling on almost every play. Though Stroud’s numbers (15/31, 203 yards, TD) don’t look all that impressive, he actually played well. Chiefs DT Chris Jones was a menace, breaking through the Houston front repeatedly. The Texans took a 10-0 halftime lead but went 3-and-out on their first four second-half possessions. It didn’t end up mattering though because the Houston defense was so spectacular and the Chiefs made so many uncharacteristic mistakes.
QB Patrick Mahomes (14/33, 160 yards, 3 INTs; 7/59 rushing) tried to be a hero. He led his team in rushing and kept firing behind a patchwork offensive line. Pressure from the Texans forced him into 2 picks, and his teammates let him down. Usually-reliable K Harrison Butker missed a 43-yard FG to preserve Houston’s first-half shutout. RB Kareem Hunt (12/30/1) dropped a 3rd-down pass that would’ve moved the chains. WR Rashee Rice (4/34) dropped a 4th-and-1 pass at KC’s own 31, which allowed a struggling Texans offense to take a 17-10 lead after KC had tied the game at 10. Rice would drop another important pass as well.
People may remember TE Travis Kelce and his drops most of all. The man who had 0 first-half catches got targeted twice on a drive late in the 4th quarter. He dropped them both, with the second bouncing to LB Azeez Al-Shaair for Mahomes’ 3rd INT. Houston kicked a game-sealing FG and won 20-10. It’s time to face the truth: the Chiefs are who they are at this point, and it’s not the juggernaut that dominated the last decade. Nobody is afraid of them anymore, and they are in serious danger of missing the playoffs. Conversely, Houston has surged into the 7 seed. I’m still waiting for a complete offense, but look out if they find one.