CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns opened Week 12 by beating the Steelers in the snow on Thursday night, 24-19. But there was plenty going on in the NFL after that game.
Every week, we’ll go through the biggest storylines and examine narratives from around the NFL.
To help us examine these storylines and narratives, we’re following in the footsteps of the 1990s show, “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction,” which you may know better from the memes of host Jonathan Frakes.
In an homage to Frakes, we will decide every week whether several of the top storylines from around the league are fact or fiction.
Here are this week’s five biggest storylines:
CHUBB. SIX. @BROWNS LEAD WITH 57 SECONDS LEFT!#PITvsCLE on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/kP6KMO7Aq6— NFL (@NFL) November 22, 2024
1. The Browns proved the Steelers are not a real Super Bowl contender
Verdict: Fact.
The Browns have beaten both top teams in the AFC North this season at home, following up their Week 8 win vs. the Ravens by knocking off the Steelers on Thursday night. In both cases, the wins stopped five-game winning streaks by their opponents.
But while I thought the loss to Cleveland didn’t really mean anything as far as Baltimore’s chances to get to the Super Bowl, I don’t feel the same about the Steelers.
You can say the weather did have some impact in how the game played out. But the Steelers lost despite Russell Wilson completing 75% of his passes (21 of 28) for 270 yards and a touchdown, not giving up a third-down conversion until late in the fourth quarter and being plus-two in turnover margin.
The Steelers have one of the game’s best defenses. But they because the second team to give up 20-plus points to the Browns. The Ravens are the other, but their defense hasn’t been good all season.
To be fair to the Steelers, divisional games by nature are just very weird, particularly in the AFC North. And yes, they came off a physical win vs. the Ravens.
But the Browns came off a 21-point loss to the Saints following their bye week and there were questions about the future of the front office and coaching staff.
The Steelers looked primed to extend the misery of the Browns. Instead, the loss prompted the same concerns about the Steelers that there had been all season.
They have one of the best defenses in football, but they are 1-3 when their opponent scores 20 points or more.
Wilson has more passing yards and TDs in five starts than Fields does in six, and the Steelers have been a higher-scoring offense with Wilson. But despite what the eye test says, Wilson’s QB rating is only better than Fields by 5.3 points.
They also rank 30th in red zone offense (17 TDs on 38 attempts).
It would still be a stunner if the Steelers don’t make the playoffs at the bare minimum, and they still have a great chance to win the division. But there are still some serious warts that I’m not sure they can overcome if they want to get through an AFC that features Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
Bucs force the red zone fumble!
📺: #TBvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/YYsQkxzBYE— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
2. The Giants now need Shedeur Sanders more than anyone
Verdict: Fact.
The Daniel Jones era ended on Friday when the team agreed to grant Jones his release from the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2019 and signed him to a four-year extension worth $160 million.
In came Tommy DeVito as the starting quarterback, but he and the Giants couldn’t do anything on offense against a slumping Buccaneers team. The Giants were blown out at home, 30-7, and they didn’t score until the fourth quarter against a Tampa Bay team that came into the day ranked 27th in scoring defense (26.6 points per game).
The loss sank the Giants to 2-9, tied with the Jaguars and Raiders for the worst record in the NFL. Outside of a visit from the Saints in Week 14, it’s hard to envision a realistic chance for a win.
That could put them in the position to draft Shedeur Sanders in April, and honestly, there may not be a team that needs him more right now.
The Titans also have a big need at quarterback, but Will Levis showed vs. the Texans on Sunday that he can still play at a good enough level to win games. They also have needs all over the roster.
It’s hard to gauge what direction the Raiders will go in with nine figures of cap space for 2025. However, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported that Gardner Minshew’s season is over due to a broken collarbone. That could make the Raiders the biggest threat to the Giants for Sanders.
We’ll get to the Panthers shortly.
But the Giants simply don’t have a viable option at quarterback between DeVito and Drew Lock.
With the pressure on GM Joe Schoen in that market, especially considering what Jayden Daniels has done to jumpstart the Commanders, he might have no choice but to do everything in his power to get Sanders.
Bryce Young converts the 4th down to Adam Thielen!
Panthers looking to tie it up at the two-minute warning.
📺: #KCvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/Ta9EfK2T6L— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
3. Bryce Young is the guy in Carolina after all
Verdict: Fiction.
Maybe we wrote off Bryce Young a little too early.
He was benched two games into this season in favor of Andy Dalton. Young got the call again in Week 9 vs. the Saints, and he rattled off two straight wins.
He then followed it up by throwing for 263 yards and a touchdown in a 30-27 loss at home to the Chiefs.
Moral victories don’t count in the NFL, but it’s at least a sign that Young might be finally figuring things out in the NFL.
Whether he is the guy or not in Carolina, it’s too early to say.
Development is not linear in real life, and it’s clear that Young has taken a step forward since he was benched.
Has it been enough to dissuade the Panthers from trying hard to get another quarterback this upcoming offseason?
I don’t think so.
Has it been enough to warrant more of a look to see if Young can be the guy?
Certainly.
KaVontae Turpin goes 99 yards for the TD 🔥
📺: #DALvsWAS on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/IiHNVZAnt5— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
4. The Washington Commanders should be panicking after losing to the Cowboys
Verdict: Fiction.
The good times in Washington are starting to look bleaker after the Commanders lost to the Cowboys, 34-26, on Sunday to drop their third game in a row. The Commanders had three turnovers, including two Jayden Daniels interceptions.
The special teams in particular let them down as Austin Seibert missed a game-tying extra point in the final minute, and they have up two touchdowns on kickoff returns in the fourth quarter alone.
But feels more like the ups and downs a team that’s learning how to win consistently has to deal with ore than anything.
Also, like I said about the Browns and the Steelers, divisional rivalry games are always weird. It doesn’t get much weirder than the Cowboys and Commanders combining for 41 points in the fourth quarter after scoring only 19 between them up to that point.
Washington also took on the Steelers and Eagles, two more veteran teams, in the leadup to Sunday’s visit from the Cowboys.
With the Titans coming up followed by their bye week and a trip to New Orleans in the next three weeks, the Commanders have no reason to panic.
If they lose to Tennessee, however, the mood could and probably will change.
Achane has another TD!
📺: #NEvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/H6ASnKUABz— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
5. The Dolphins are a legitimate threat to steal an AFC playoff spot
Verdict: Fact.
Don’t look now, but the Dolphins are back in the mix in the AFC playoff picture.
After blowing out the Patriots on Sunday, 34-15, the Dolphins are 5-6 and have won three in a row.
They sit in eighth place in the AFC playoff picture, 1.5 behind the Broncos for the third and final wild card spot.
Teams like the Broncos and whoever loses on Monday night between the Chargers and Ravens should be worried about the Dolphins potentially taking their spot.
Tua Tagovailoa is healthy again and the Dolphins are starting to string wins together at an important time in their season.
If the Dolphins can win at Green Bay on Thanksgiving, they become a real threat for the wild card.
But they might also be the only team outside the picture in position to steal a spot. The Colts fell to 5-7 on Sunday and the 4-7 Bengals were on their bye.
The Dolphins deserve credit for fighting their way back into the mix despite their 2-6 start. They still have a lot of work to do to get into the playoffs, but if anyone is going to steal a spot in the AFC, the best bet is on the Dolphins.
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