National Football League

8 things we learned in NFL Week 12: Cowboys' offensive leap, Patriots' new low

Published Nov. 27, 2023 2:48 p.m. ET

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FOX Sports NFL Staff

What have we learned thus far in Week 7? FOX Sports' staff of NFL writers joined forces to deliver insight and analysis from around the league. 

In this weekly story, we'll tell you what we noticed, what we heard and what to keep an eye on next.

Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott have the Cowboys offense on a roll

There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with the Dallas Cowboys' offense at the start of the season, but even they knew that things weren't exactly right. "I think we looked like a first-year offense a little bit," coach Mike McCarthy conceded.

They are performing like a well-oiled machine now.

The Cowboys' offense has come roaring out of their bye week with the kind of production they hoped they'd have right from the start of year. In their last five games they've averaged 435 yards — over 100 more than they averaged in their six games before the bye week (329.8). And the Cowboys are scoring 38.6 points per game since the bye, up nearly two touchdowns since their first six games (25.6).

"I don't know that I could just put my finger right on it and say ‘this is the why,'" quarterback Dak Prescott said. "As much as I've talked about the new system and the new play calling, we know what we want to do, you know what I mean? We know how we want to attack."

They've always known, which was the point Mike McCarthy made after their 45-10 Thanksgiving humiliation of the Washington Commanders. There have been no major changes to an offense he installed over the summer, or to his play-calling. It just took some time for everyone to get used to what he was calling and what they were doing.

And whatever issues they were having, they're clearly gone now.

"We're not a create-the-wheel system approach. I don't believe in that," McCarthy said. "I mean, we don't chase new ideas and concepts. If there's a wrinkle that we feel helps us, it's a variation of what we've already done. We have so many invested reps in the spring and training camp and that's the foundation of who we are. Because you know it takes time to get the timing and efficiency where you want it each and every year."

Dak Prescott, Cowboys shut down Sam Howell, Commanders

Clearly, they have it now — and no one has it more than Prescott, who is making a strong case to enter the MVP conversation. Prescott didn't have a 300-yard passing game before the bye, but he's averaged 320.4 yards since. He has a total of 17 touchdowns and two interceptions in his last five games. He's thrown four touchdowns in three of them.

In other words, they're not being carried by their defense anymore.

"I think the complementary football is coming together and you're going to need it," Prescott said. "If you want to be a good team in this league, in my opinion, you have to have it. If you want to win a championship, that's the only way you can get there." —Ralph Vacchiano

Sure, he turns the ball over. But Bills QB Josh Allen remains one of NFL's best players

The Bills are a 6-6 team and he's thrown interceptions in eight straight games, but Sunday's overtime thriller against the Eagles was a reminder of how good Josh Allen can be.

Allen threw for 331 yards and rushed for 81, with two touchdowns passing and another two scores running the ball. A 300/80/2/2 game has happened only one other time in NFL history — Michael Vick with the Eagles in a 2010 win over Washington.

Allen didn't have a turnover until the fourth quarter, and James Bradberry's interception set the Eagles up for a short field and a go-ahead touchdown, but Allen still rallied the Bills back. He lost only because of an incredible field goal from Eagles kicker Jake Elliott — and because Jalen Hurts had one more touchdown in him in overtime, his five trumping Allen's four.

Take away the touchdowns, and just a 300/80 game is exceedingly rare in today's NFL. When Allen did so Sunday, it was the first time for any NFL player in more than a year, since … Allen, who now has three of the last four such games in the league. What's wilder still, all three came in overtime losses: to the Eagles on Sunday, to the Vikings last year and the Bucs in 2021.

The 10-1 Eagles stage comeback to defeat Bills in OT

Turnovers aside, Allen is on pace for 4,443 yards — about 100 off his career high — and 34 touchdown passes, one off last year's total. He's already matched his rushing touchdown total of last year with seven with five games left to play.

The Bills and Allen are 6-6 and a half-game out of the AFC's last wild card. After their bye, their next two are against the Chiefs and Cowboys, and they close out the year in Miami against the Dolphins, so there will be a playoff-like urgency to Buffalo's last five games. —Greg Auman

The Patriots have reached a new low. They need a true reset 

This Patriots season has reached such a low that their 10-7 loss on the road against the Giants – kicker Chad Ryland missed the game-tying, 35-yard field goal in the final seconds — was really a win. It improved their chances for the No. 1 overall pick. New England (2-9) is currently slated to have the No. 3 pick, behind the Bears (who own the Panthers' selection) and Cardinals, respectively. 

Wherever the Patriots land in the final draft order, it feels all but guaranteed that it will be a quarterback; possibly USC's Caleb Williams or UNC's Drake Maye. Mac Jones' days in New England are clearly numbered. After throwing two ugly first-half interceptions against the Giants, he was benched for the fourth time (!) this season in favor of Bailey Zappe, who isn't a long-term solution. It really doesn't matter who will be the starting quarterback for the Patriots the rest of this season, even as Belichick has been noncommittal publicly. 

But the big question remains Belichick's future. Even with his cemented status as one of the best coaches of all time, could owner Robert Kraft stick with him in good conscience? Recent results should answer that for him. 

Mac Jones reportedly lost 'vast majority' of Patriots locker room

The Patriots on Sunday secured a third losing season in the last four years. Doubling as general manager, Belichick has missed way too often on personnel over the years — which was punctuated Sunday with the potential game-tying field goal from short distance missed by Ryland, a rookie kicker selected in the fourth round who has been one of the worst at his position in the league. He's hit just 66.7% of his field goals this season (12 of 18), the second-worst rate in the league. —Ben Arthur

Ahead of schedule last season, Seahawks' rebuild is going backward in 2023

After moving on from Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks surprisingly reached the postseason in 2022 behind the rebirth of the team's replacement in quarterback Geno Smith.

The Seahawks re-signed Smith to a three-year, $75 million deal after his Pro Bowl performance in his first year as Seattle's starter.

And they built the team around Smith.

Defensively, Seattle brought back veteran players and tone setters in linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive tackle Jarran Reed, signed defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones and safety Julian Love in free agency.

The Seahawks also selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round of this year's draft and traded second- and fifth-round picks for defensive lineman Leonard Williams last month at the trade deadline.

But instead of challenging the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, the Seahawks regressed this year. They face a tough three-game stretch that includes road contests against the Dallas Cowboys and 49ers, with a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles sandwiched in between.

49ers force two turnovers, sack Geno Smith six times in 31-13 win vs. Seahawks

At 6-5, Seattle would still be a playoff team if the postseason started today. However, the Seahawks have lost two in a row, and three of their last four.

And the Seahawks can't beat the team they were chasing in the offseason, having lost four in a row to the San Francisco 49ers, including an embarrassing 31-13 loss at home on Thanksgiving Day.

Seattle's blueprint for success since the start of Pete Carroll's tenure has been running, taking care of the football and creating turnovers on defense. However, the Seahawks have struggled in situational football on offense, including third down and in the red zone.

The Seahawks are No. 30 in the NFL in third-down percentage (31.3 %) and tied for No. 26 in red-zone percentage (47.2 %). Seattle's offense has scored one offensive touchdown in the last two games – that's 20 possessions without getting into the end zone.

"For myself, I get caught up in trying to do too much sometimes instead of just doing my job," said receiver DK Metcalf, who has just three touchdowns on the year. "That's one thing I'm going to focus on this week is just doing my job and trying to execute the play to the best of my ability."

One of the issues for Seattle has been the team's inability to run the ball and set up big-play  opportunities for playmakers like Tyler Lockett, Metcalf and Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks are averaging just 96 rushing yards per game, No. 26 in the league.

Carroll would like to see some diversity in the scheme from offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who's taken some criticism for Seattle's struggles on his side of the ball.

"We've got guys in different areas of our game that can do stuff better," Carroll told reporters. "Our tight ends can be used better than we've used them in the last couple of weeks. We need to get that going again.

"We have some real positives. We just have to make them come to life. I think that has the best chance at moving us ahead and making us go forward. Just looking at what's happened in the past here." —Eric D. Williams

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Derrick Henry is (still) one of the NFL's biggest outliers

Derrick Henry has continued to show his greatness in a rough season for the Titans (4-7), who are in last place in the AFC South. 

In Sunday's win over Carolina, the star running back became the eighth player in NFL history to reach 9,000 rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns before his 30th birthday, joining Adrian Peterson, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, LaDainian Tomlinson, Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk — all of whom are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame except Peterson, who's not yet eligible. 

Pending the results of Monday Night Football, among the 35 running backs with at least 100 carries, Henry ranks fifth in rushing yards (739), is tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (6) and tied for seventh in rushing yards per game (67.2). It's all the more impressive considering the Titans' offensive line woes. Most notably, the group has struggled in pass protection — the Titans are allowing a 39.4% pressure rate, sixth-worst in the league — but Tennessee hasn't been able to consistently give Henry space to operate either. 

Henry has just two 100-yard rushing games so far this season. He's currently averaging just 4.2 rushing yards per game, which is pacing to be his worst mark since 2017, his second year in the NFL. He's averaging just 0.6 yards before contact per carry, which ranks 30th of the 35 running backs with at least 100 carries this season, per NGS. 

What that tells you is that defensive players are getting through blockers and right to him. But he's been able to overcome it because he's still a sledgehammer, averaging 3.6 yards after contact per carry, which is tied for first among qualified running backs, according to Next Gen Stats. 

This may be Henry's last season in Nashville (his contract expires after this season), but he's put himself in the rare class of bell cow running backs who still find a way to be productive late in their careers  —Arthur

Lions’ pass defense could be their Achilles’ heel

We covered how impressive Jordan Love’s latest outing was for the Packers; he had his best game (268 yards, three touchdowns) on national television in hostile territory. The flipside of that coin is that the Detroit Lions’ defense allowed it.

When the offense scores 40 points a game, it’s not as noticeable. But in the last two weeks, Detroit’s offense — and quarterback Jared Goff in particular — hasn’t been as reliable. Goff and the Lions offense turned the ball over four times against Chicago and three times against Green Bay. The Lions got away with it in Week 11 because the Chicago Bears are, well, the Chicago Bears. But against a team that has started to figure it out in recent weeks and has an upward trajectory, the shortcomings on defense in Detroit were glaring.

The Lions gave up chunk plays, many of which went to struggling Packers wide receiver Christian Watson, who had his best game of the season. Watson caught five passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, which included a 53-yard bomb on the very first play of the game. The Packers had eight plays of 15 yards or more.

They attacked Detroit’s nonexistent defensive-back rotation. Both starting corners, Cam Sutton and Jerry Jacobs, played 100% of the team’s defensive snaps. Their starting safeties, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, were also on the field for the entire game. All four are good players, some even great in Branch’s case, but even great players need a break. Because of key injuries sustained early on, Detroit’s backfield doesn’t at all look like it was supposed to. 

Jordan Love, Packers shock Lions on Thanksgiving

There’s no timetable for C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s return (no matter what he says on a livestream). Emmanuel Moseley is out for the year. The Lions have slipped to the 20th-ranked pass defense in the league. Detroit ranks ninth in total defense, averaging 318.8 total yards allowed. But on a per-play basis, they rank 21st, allowing 5.32 yards per play. 

What’s even more disheartening is that there isn’t much the Lions can do in the way of adding quality depth to get a better rotation for the defensive backfield. The time to do that was a month ago before the trade deadline. Now, all they can do is hope that Gardner-Johnson can return before the postseason. If he doesn’t, the Lions could be looking at yet another early playoff exit. —Carmen Vitali

Sean Payton, Russell Wilson find chemistry in Broncos' turnaround

It didn't look good early, as they started the season 1-5, but the Denver Broncos have finally found rhythm on offense, which has led them nudging into the playoffs conversation heading into the backstretch of the season.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton led the Broncos to their fifth straight victory, a 29-12 win over the Cleveland Browns over the weekend. With the same record as Russell Wilson's former team in Seattle at 6-5 overall, the Broncos are just two games behind the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs (8-3).

Wilson playing cleaner, more efficient football has been at the heart of Denver's turnaround. The former Seattle quarterback is taking what defenses are giving him and using his legs to get out jams.

Wilson has completed 71.6 % of his passes for 894 yards, with eight touchdowns and no interceptions during his team's winning streak for a 109.5 passer rating. Wilson has also rushed for 266 yards this season, which ranks eighth among quarterbacks.

Sean Payton on finding success with Broncos in first season

The Broncos have leaned on the running game to take some pressure off Wilson. Denver's 635 rushing yards since Week 7 is No. 10 in the NFL. Wilson also is getting the ball out quicker and taking fewer sacks. He's been sacked 14 times during his team's five-game winning streak. He was sacked 19 times through the first six games.

The Broncos are also winning the turnover battle. After turning the ball over 11 times through the first six games, the Broncos have turned it over just three times during the team's win streak. In that time, they've forced 16 turnovers from opposing teams.

Defensively, after giving up an embarrassing 70 points in a Week 3 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Denver's defense has stabilized under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. During the five-game winning streak, the Broncos have held opponents to just 14 points per game. —Williams

Saints' red-zone offense continues to limit their success

The Saints have shown they can pile up offensive yards, ranking 12th in the NFL in total offense, but their inability to close drives with touchdowns continues to be a weak spot.

Sunday's 24-15 loss to the Falcons made that painfully clear. They took five trips inside the red zone and scored no offensive touchdowns, with those trips yielding three field goals, and worse yet, two turnovers; one a 92-yard pick-six by Atlanta safety Jessie Bates.

"I think this game really boiled down to our ability down there in the red area, two penalties, two turnovers, one went for a pick-six, and then obviously defensively our inability to stop the run," Saints coach Dennis Allen said.

New Orleans was short-handed at receiver — Michael Thomas was already on injured reserve, Rashid Shaheed left early, Chris Olave later with a concussion — such that they got a combined 99 snaps at receiver from rookie A.T. Perry and veteran Lynn Bowden, who had three catches all year entering the game. Allen said that "makes it much more challenging," but the problems started with Rasheed and Olave still in the game.

Derek Carr has struggled near the goal line, and on Sunday, he went 2-for-5 for 7 yards in the red zone with a sack and the Bates interception. For the year, his red-zone completion percentage of 45 percent ranks 31st out of 33 NFL quarterbacks with at least 15 red-zone pass attempts. The Saints rank 29th in red-zone conversions, and 28th in goal-to-go situations.

And Sunday's 0-for-5 showing came immediately off a bye week, when teams can self-evaluate and try to improve in problem areas.

"Penalties, that hurts. Not taking care of the ball, that hurts," Allen said. "Those are challenging things, and yet again, I thought we moved the ball well. We've got to keep working on the red area and try to find ways that we can protect the ball better, and we can't have the penalties."

Sunday marked the third time this season the Saints had 400-plus yards of total offense and still lost. No other team in the NFL has played as many such games. Struggling when the offense means the most near the goal line is part of why the Saints are 5-6 — and why they're not taking advantage of playing in the NFL's worst division. —Auman

This story was compiled by:

AFC South reporter Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)
NFC South reporter Greg Auman (@gregauman)
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks)
NFC West reporter Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)
NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)
NFC North reporter Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV)

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National Football League

Tennessee Titans

Derrick Henry

New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr

Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott

CeeDee Lamb

Brandin Cooks

Detroit Lions

Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith

New England Patriots

Denver Broncos

Russell Wilson

Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen

Ben Arthur

Greg Auman

Carmen Vitali

Ralph Vacchiano

Eric Williams

Bucky Brooks