Week 13 in the NFL had some great games with incredibly exciting finishes. There were also some games that weren’t as competitive due to poor performances and sloppy play. Here is the report card grade for every AFC team that played Sunday in Week 13, based on how they played, combined with what their expectations were and who their opponents were.
AFC East:
Buffalo Bills: A
The Bills went into Pittsburgh and laid a beatdown on the Steelers, winning 26-7 behind a big day from James Cook and Josh Allen. The most impressive part of their win might have been the run defense, which has been an issue for them this season, as they held the Steelers to under 60 total yards on the ground.
New York Jets: B+
It has become pretty clear that the Jets’ offense is better with Tyrod Taylor than they are with Justin Fields. They scored 27 points against a pretty good Falcons defense, rushing for over 100 yards, and they got a huge game from AD Mitchell, who had over 100 yards and a touchdown.
Miami Dolphins: B
Running back De’Von Achane was the Miami offense in this game, as he rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown. The Miami defense stepped up in a big way in this victory over the Saints, allowing just 17 points, while racking up 4 sacks and forcing two turnovers.
New England Patriots: MNF
AFC South:
Jacksonville Jaguars: A-
Although they were going up against a much inferior opponent, the Jags deserve a lot of credit for their dominant performance in Week 13. Trevor Lawrence threw for two touchdown passes, and Jakobi Meyers turned into the WR1 that the Jags needed. The Defense held the Titans to just three points and held Cam Ward to only 141 passing yards.
Houston Texans: B+
The Texans won yet again and are suddenly in a position to steal the AFC South division away from both the Colts and Jags. CJ Stroud returned from injury and had a solid game, and the defense continues to be one of the best units in the entire league. They also got solid production from the run game, which is something that has lacked for much of the season.
Tennessee Titans: D
The defense wasn’t good, the offense was even worse, and the Titans continue to play like the worst team in the NFL. There are already talks about Cam Ward being a bust, while others question why they didn’t make more of an effort to get more playmakers around him. Either way, this was another poor performance from one of the worst teams in football.
Indianapolis Colts: B-
The Colts didn’t play a bad game on Sunday; they were just outplayed by their opponent. It also seems like, unless they get a monster performance every week from Jonathan Taylor, their offense is inconsistent. This loss puts their division championship hopes at risk and bumps them into a wild-card spot as well.
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens: C-
The Ravens came into this game on a big win streak and in control of the AFC North, but they put up a dud against a Bengals team that has struggled for most of the season. The offense only scored 14 points against one of the worst defenses in the league, and they allowed 32 points. The biggest concern is that Lamar Jackson has not been his MVP-caliber self since returning from injury.
Pittsburgh Steelers: D+
We all expected better things from the Steelers at home in Week 13. They were completely dominated by the Bills in every facet of the game. They failed to exploit the Bills’ horrendous run defense, and they couldn’t slow down James Cook in either the run game or the passing game.
Cleveland Browns: C-
The Browns were not expected to compete in this game, so the fact that the first half was tight is a tribute to their great defense. In the second half, though, they let the 49ers pull away and couldn’t score any points of their own.
Cincinnati Bengals: A
The defense played one of their best games of the year, holding a high-powered Ravens offense to only 14 points on the road in Baltimore. The offense looked much more in control as well with the return of Joe Burrow, who threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns.
AFC West:
Kansas City Chiefs: B
The Chiefs were in a must-win situation this week, and although the offense played pretty well, particularly Mahomes and Rice, the defense allowed over 30 points to the Cowboys, and now the Chiefs find themselves at 6-6 and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in the Mahomes era.
Las Vegas Raiders: C
The only positive in this game at all for the Raiders was that Brock Bowers looked healthy again and dominant. The defense did make some plays early on 4th down stops, but they couldn’t slow the Chargers down in the second half, and they eventually lost in blowout fashion.
Denver Broncos: B+
A win is a win, and right now, that is all the Broncos really care about. Still, the game was much tighter than it should have been against a Washington team that has played poorly most of the season. The Broncos defense, which is considered one of the best units in the league, allowed for a late score to force overtime, and then could have lost had Washington converted the two-point conversion in overtime.
Los Angeles Chargers: A-
The offense couldn’t convert in big moments in the first half, but the defense played great, and allowed the offense time to get going and break things open in the second half. Kimani Vidal had a big game, and Justin Herbert was excellent before he got injured.
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