NFL Week 13 breakdown: Bengals get statement win; 49ers' Super Bowl hopes take a hit
NFL Week 13 is (almost) complete. Here are some of the biggest developments from Sunday's action:
- The Bengals had a statement win in the AFC championship game rematch.
- The 49ers' Super Bowl hopes took a hit with Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending injury.
- For the first time since 1921, a franchise other than the Chicago Bears leads the NFL's all-time wins list.
- These would be the playoff teams ... if the season ended today.
Biggest moments of NFL Week 13
- 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury against the Dolphins. He was replaced by Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL draft, Brock Purdy.
- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson left Sunday's win over the Broncos with a knee injury that head coach John Harbaugh said was not season-ending.
- Packers QB Aaron Rodgers took a moment to salute the fans he "owns" after a come-from-behind win against the Bears.
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence minced no words after his team got routed by the Lions.
- Rams QB John Wolford threw an embarrassingly bad interception on the final play during Sunday's loss to the Seahawks.
Key storylines from NFL Week 13
- Winners and losers: While the 49ers might be equipped to still win with third-string QB Brock Purdy, the Chargers are wasting Justin Herbert's rookie contract.
- 32 things we learned: While Jalen Hurts continues to lead Eagles and an MVP chase, the Ravens and 49ers could have playoff hopes dented by quarterback injuries.
- Playoff picture: This would be the NFL postseason field if the season ended right now.
- First-round draft order: The Texans are cruising toward owning the No. 1 overall selection.
- 49ers' push for Super Bowl takes massive hit: San Francisco's title hopes now ride on Brock Purdy after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot in Sunday's win over the Dolphins, Safid Deen writes.
- Bengals remind AFC they are defending conference champs: The Bengals might’ve had a sluggish start to the year, but they have since found their groove, Tyler Dragon writes.
- Rookie QB's learning curve to replace Big Ben just beginning: Kenny Pickett and the Steelers are 5-7, but the rookie quarterback is showing progress, writes Jarrett Bell.
NFL Week 13 results
- Cowboys 54, Colts 19: A 33-point fourth quarter helped the Cowboys drop a 50-burger on the Colts.
- Bengals 27, Chiefs 24: Joe Burrow out-dueled Patrick Mahomes in this AFC championship game rematch.
- Raiders 27, Chargers 20: The Derek Carr-Davante Adams connection helped deliver a crushing blow to the Chargers' playoff hopes.
- Seahawks 27, Rams 23: A big day for Geno Smith sent the defending Super Bowl champions to a sixth consecutive defeat.
- 49ers 33, Dolphins 17: San Francisco's Super Bowl hopes and dreams now ride on the 49ers' QB3, Brock Purdy.
- Ravens 10, Broncos 9: The Ravens overcame an injury to Lamar Jackson to pull off this win over the hapless Broncos.
- Commanders 20, Giants 20: This deadlock could have playoff picture implications down the line.
- Browns 27, Texans 14: Playing in his first game since the 2020 NFL season, Deshaun Watson was #notgreat against his former team.
- Eagles 35, Titans 10: Philadelphia can beat you by land or by air. One week after rushing for 363 yards against the Packers, the Eagles threw for 386 against the Titans.
- Lions 40, Jaguars 14: For the second time in three weeks, the Lions administered the type of butt-kicking they’ve been on the wrong end of too many times in recent years.
- Vikings 27, Jets 22: The Vikings completed a sweep of the AFC East with a real nail-biter against the Jets.
- Steelers 19, Falcons 16: For the first time this season, the Steelers have a winning streak.
- Packers 28, Bears 19: Despite all of their struggles this season, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers continue to own the Bears. Completing a season sweep of their ancient rivals while also claiming the most wins in NFL history.
- Bills 24, Patriots 10 (Thursday): The final score makes this one look closer than it actually was. The Bills dominated the game, while the Patriots offense was abysmal. At least the Patriots looked awesome in their throwback uniforms.
The week ahead in the NFL
Monday: Week 13 wraps up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN2). The Saints lost to the Buccaneers at home in Week 2, however New Orleans has won seven of the past eight regular-season meetings.
Tuesday: Paste BN Sports' Nate Davis offers his power rankings for all 32 NFL teams after Week 13.
Thursday: Week 14 kicks off with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium (8:20 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video). Before the game, make sure to check out our expert predictions for every Week 14 game.
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