NFL scores, Week 12: Live coverage, highlights & more

Control of the NFC North comes down to a pivotal Thanksgiving showdown between the Lions and Vikings. Our experts aren’t giving Minnesota much of a chance to enjoy a postgame turkey dinner.

All but one of our NFL writers predicted that Detroit would defend its home turf in Week 12 and take sole possession of first place in the division. They did! The Lions have now swept the Vikings for the season, and they did it with another fourth-quarter comeback, their seventh.

Andrew Luck won’t play in a pivotal Thanksgiving showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers after being placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Luck suffered the injury late in last week’s victory over the Tennessee Titans.

Indianapolis had prepared to start backup Scott Tolzien during practices this week after learning about Luck’s condition.

It’s our obligation to remind you that these strong takes are presented as PARODY. For the literal-minded football fans, there’s the door. Sorry, not sorry. All spelling errors are intentional, we think. -Ed.

You know, usualy when you hear Rachel Nichols talk about the Long Brothers she’s probably just reading her OK Cupid preferences out loud, but this weekend she spent her time gushing over Chris and Kyle. These guys are your classic road graders folks they’ve got motors that wont quit and you werent allowed to play with them when you were a kid because they’re too dangerous.

Cause of Death: Campbell’s fumble was but one of four Cleveland turnovers, and the defense wasn’t able to counter with any takeaways of their own. Part of why the Browns were able to start 3-2 was by winning the turnover battle (or at least not losing it badly), with a plus-1 margin over that stretch. And part of why the Browns have gone 1-5 since then is that their turnover margin has plummeted to minus-7 in those six games. At least they’re tanking again? I guess?

Cause of Death: What does it take to blow a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter? If you’re the Vikings, nothing particularly exotic like a pick six or a muffed punt. No, you just get out-gained 173 yards to 34 and gain less than three yards a play after taking that lead.

• NFL Debrief: Seeking consistency and taking the wind

• Takeaways: Underdogs rule NFL Sunday

Belichick probably doesn’t listen to the Eagles. Or music (not during the season). Even if he did, none of that SoCal, LoCal stuff for him. This isn’t a man who likes to drift with the wind. This is a man who wants to control the wind. That’s Motorhead territory.

We didn’t dislike replacement refs for their Clouseau-esque officiating. At least there was an element of hilarity to that. The problem with the scab refs was their inconsistency, week to week, quarter to quarter, drive to drive. Rules work best, or at all, when they’re applied consistently. And by that standard, it’s been a rough stretch of season for NFL officiating.

The youngster has only been able to practice for the last three weeks, so even if he plays it is uncertain how much of the field he would see. Coach Jim Harbaugh could try to ease him back in or go full-throttle with the playoffs very much in question for the 49ers.

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

Week 12 NFL content sidebar:

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

Campbell will go through the NFL protocol for concussions, putting him through a battery of tests. His status for next week will not be determined for at least a few days.

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

Both will be undergoing MRI tests on Monday to determine the severity of the injuries.

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

Weeden went 13 of 30 for 209 yards with an interception and a touchdown late.

Over at Dawgs By Nature, Chris Pokorny summed up the feelings of most Browns fans after the defeat:

Unexpected results in Week 12 both simplified and complicated the league’s total playoff picture. The NFC is becoming a case of the haves and have-nots, where there is a fairly clear deliniation between the elite teams in the picture and those struggling outside. However the AFC isn’t so simple. Outside of the top few teams there’s a great wash of mediocrity. A total of 11 teams have losing records in the conference and some of these will hold playoff spots.

Here’s what we learned on Sunday in the NFL.

Overtime started with the wind. It proceeded to get weirder from there.

The AFC race just got interesting:

King in Canada [12:28 AM]:

“Denver determined to make next week for all the marbles, did what was necessary to stay even with 9-2 Chiefs”

Keep on keeping on, NFL.

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

If Week 12 taught us anything, it’s that this December is lining up to be one more of the more exciting closing months in recent NFL history. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if division and wild card leads changed more often over the next five weeks than the score changed in Kansas City on Sunday. Things shifted quite a bit this week, and there are still implications left to be decided with the games on Sunday and Monday night.

Contenders: 49ers 6-4, Bears 6-5, Eagles 6-5, Packers 5-5-1

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

• Uffsides: Offbeat Week 12 NFL previews | NFL expert picks for Week 12

The loss drops the Raiders to 4-7.

Fitzpatrick rewarded owners with 320 yards and two scores, though Chris Johnson disappointed with just 73 yards rushing and no touchdowns. Both Hunter and Wright each had six catches for over one hundred yards and a touchdown.

No notable injuries were reported in this game.

The Colts were favored by three points, according to Oddsshark. They failed to cover by losing big.

In college, a player is down when they hit the ground, even if no defensive player touches them. In the NFL, a player has to be touched when they’re down.

The Dallas Cowboys play in the NFL.

• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

• Uffsides: Offbeat Week 12 NFL previews | NFL expert picks for Week 12

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• NFL Week 12 updates, GIFs and news | Live scores

A three-play sequence best summed up Weeden’s current place in the NFL. The first was his patented missed dump-off throw to back Chris Ogbonnaya. It was of the “quick, pound it into the turf” variety:

Next was Weeden coughing one up as he attempted to avoid the Steelers’ pass rush. Aside from the lengthy reel of terrible throws, Weeden is perhaps most criticized for being a statue, completely unable to get rid of the ball and evade anyone moving at moderate speed towards him. He had no chance getting away here, but also left the ball out there for the nice and easy turnover.

Fitzgerald is now No. 29 on the all-time receiving list with 11,013 yards and is No. 5 among still-active receivers, with Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez leading the pack with 14,879 career receiving yards.

Fitzgerald also has two touchdowns for the Cardinals in the first half of their game against the Colts.

This isn’t the first time Jean-Francois has done that dance.

(via kae629)