X-Factors For Each Week 12 NFL Game

Some NFL fans might argue that Week 12 is the best of the season. Considering that three games are featured on a holiday intimately linked with football, and that we have another game on Black Friday this year, there’s a strong case to be made. We’ll take a look at a few turkeys that might shift the edge to their teams’ favor.

The Thanksgiving festivities start with an NFC North clash. This is a rematch of a game played earlier this season, that Detroit won. In that contest, Jacobs had two interceptions of Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love. To put it kindly, Love’s connection with his receivers has been shaky at best, which means Jacobs may have a chance to come down with another turnover on Thursday.

Dallas’ linebacker corps took a hit as the talented Leighton Vander Esch will not play again this season due to a neck injury. The Cowboys defense remains one of the best in the league, but are now a little softer in the middle of the field, at least on paper. Robinson has come on as a receiver in each of the last two games, which is something Washington may try to exploit in Vander Esch’s absence.

Seattle took a swing at the trade deadline to fortify their standing as a playoff team. Bringing Williams in was meant to bolster their defensive line, and there’s arguably no tougher matchup in the trenches than San Francisco. Williams needs to have a standout game by pushing back the 49ers’ offensive line if the Seahawks have any chance to win the game.

As New York has turned the page from Zach Wilson, their offensive line play will be under additional scrutiny as reserve signal caller Tim Boyle starts against Miami. Becton is dealing with an ankle injury, but is hoping to gut it out on Friday. Whether he can play and whether he’s effective are two different things, but the Jets sorely need him against an emerging Dolphins pass rush.

 It’ll be a race against time for New Orleans quarterback Derek Carr to clear concussion protocol ahead of Sunday, which means Jameis Winston might be in line to start for the Saints. Winston loves to push the ball down the field, which will test Atlanta’s corners early and often. Okudah will need to be up to the task of slowing down Chris Olave.

It seems like Steelers players and fans alike got their holiday wish when the organization decided to part ways with embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Pickens was visibly and audibly frustrated with his role in recent weeks. Look for the squeaky wheel to be greased against a reeling Cincinnati team.

Houston has been a pleasant surprise so far this season, and Dell’s performance as a rookie has been a large reason why. He exploded against Jacksonville the first time these teams played, and had a big game last week as well. With recent history and familiarity on his side, Dell could very well be the star of this contest.

Many around the NFL were intrigued by Indianapolis’ decision to cut former star linebacker Shaq Leonard this week. It’s apparent that they feel injuries took their toll on him, but the move also signifies confidence in their current unit. In the wake of this news, Franklin will be under the microscope, but is in a good position to play well against Tampa Bay.

New England head coach Bill Belichick is notorious for taking away the thing that offenses do well. In the case of the Giants, Barkley’s ability and production might be the only thing they do well. It’ll be incumbent upon the Giants to find a way to get him clean looks, while also giving the Patriots looks that they didn’t account for.

It feels like a misprint, but Henry has not gone over 100 yards rushing in any of his last three games. He hasn’t even eclipsed 75 yards on the ground in that time frame. Perhaps father time is catching up, but Tennessee cannot afford to have the engine of their offense stalled this significantly. Carolina is a good matchup for Henry to get back on the right track.

It’s been a little surprising just how quickly Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray has reacclimated himself to the NFL after tearing his ACL a year ago. The trademark mobility that gives him an edge each week doesn’t appear to be compromised, which is a problem for defenses. Jones will need to keep an eye on Murray so that he doesn’t dart out of the pocket for large gains.

Cleveland is rolling with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson again for Week 12’s tilt, and his receivers will need to help him out. It stands to reason that standout Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II will follow Browns number one wide out Amari Cooper. Moore will need to step up and provide his young signal caller with an outlet.

The future Hall of Famer has set an extremely high bar for himself, but even Kelce would probably admit that he hasn’t been as effective in recent weeks. It’s hard to believe that he won’t break out at some point, and it might come against Las Vegas. The last time the Chiefs played the Raiders in a game that mattered in October 2022, Kelce caught four touchdowns.

Buffalo notched a much needed victory against the New York Jets last week, but will have a challenge on their hands against Philadelphia. In the Eagles’ victory on Monday night, wide receiver A.J. Brown was limited to eight yards on one catch. There’s no way he’s going to have two subpar games in a row, which means Douglas will need to be ready for a plethora of targets.

Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley has been under fire the past few days for his handling of the defense, but it might be time to expect a little bit more from Herbert. Granted, he was victimized by a couple of killer drops last week against Green Bay, but as one of the guys tabbed as “the next great quarterback”, he’ll need to win some games that come down to the wire.

Minnesota tried to upgrade its reserve running back slot by trading for Cam Akers, but it’s becoming apparent that Chandler might have been the best option all along. He’s shown a ton of burst since receiving more carries in recent weeks. It doesn’t appear like he’s going to unseat starter Alexander Mattison, but he’ll probably be a mainstay of the offense moving forward.