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Christian D'Andrea

The Texans’ young defensive stars, NFL MVP (?) Tyreek Hill and the best, worst of Week 13

Tyreek Hill NFL Texans Derek Stingley Jr Gardner Minshew Will Anderson USA TODAY Sports Chargers Christian DAndrea Justin Herbert

Week 13 was, all things considered, a bit of a letdown.

Thursday night’s showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks ended anticlimactically with a head-scratching fourth-and-two call from Pete Carroll. Sunday’s massive game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers was a blowout that game us a bunch of Deebo Samuel touchdowns, a confrontation between linebacker and the Eagles’ head of security and not much else. The New York Jets swapped out Tim Boyle for Trevor Siemian at quarterback, which is the football equivalent of deciding between fertilizers in a garden that will never, ever produce more than a few rotten onions each harvest.

This does not mean there weren’t great moments to be found — or embarrassing ones teams and players may hope we’d forget. So let’s talk about the best and worst of Week 13.

Best: Will Anderson's breakthrough game against the Broncos

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Texans traded away a future first round draft pick in order to select Anderson third overall last spring. That’s a risky proposition for any team, but especially so for one that had won 11 total games the last three seasons.

Fortunately, the pick currently owned by the Arizona Cardinals has depreciated in value. C.J. Stroud’s composure and performance as a rookie has been a massive reason for that, but Anderson had quietly bided his time before a breakout Week 13 performance against the Denver Broncos. The rookie defensive end was a persistent thorn in Russell Wilson’s side, bullying the veteran quarterback into his worst game of 2023 with near constant pressure.

Anderson had career bests with two sacks and four quarterback hits to go along with a tackle for loss and a pass knocked down. Even better: that deflection led to Derek Stingley Jr.’s first interception of the game — and it showed his quickness tracking back to the ball to disrupt a passing lane.

Anderson had been a steady contributor but his impact didn’t carry over to the stat sheet before Sunday. In Week 13 he was a massive reason the Broncos’ win streak stopped at five games and the Texans’ playoff probability rose to 69 percent with five weeks left in the regular season.

Best: Derek Stingley Jr., baiting Russell Wilson and using his closing speed to ruin the Broncos

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Stingley’s first interception Sunday was the result of solid placement and the ability to adjust to Anderson’s tipped ball. His second, however, was a masterclass in understanding his own strengths and ability on the field. Watch as he loops behind Courtland Sutton to entice Wilson into a deep throw downfield, only to use his elite closing speed to turn what looked like a big Denver gain into a turnover.

Granted, there’s a big risk/reward ratio there. But that ball isn’t underthrown and Stingley still gets there in time to get two hands on it and probably could have broken it up even if he was a half-step slower. That’s something he can do with 6-foot-4 Courtland Sutton, who had 4.54-second 40 speed back in 2018 but a much more difficult sell against, say, Tyreek Hill or Calvin Ridley if they get a free release off the line.

Still, Week 13’s two-pick performance was yet another statement in a comeback season for the cornerback picked ahead of Sauce Gardner in 2022. Stingley can play sticky man coverage, but there’s a little Deion Sanders in his ability to play possum as a route develops, only to spring to life and thoroughly ruin an opposing quarterback’s day.

Worst: Jameson Williams' borderline concussive touchdown celebration

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Mannnnnnnnn (/loudly sucks air over teeth).

Williams was fine, but hoooo buddy did he aggressively fail to make that plunge pay off. For comparison’s sake, here’s what it’s supposed to look like against the Saints.

Remember: back, not head.

Best: Gardner Minshew, who has made a lot of money this season

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

It was easy to get swept up in Joshua Dobbs’ whirlwind of excellence, first with Arizona and then as a Minnesota Viking who didn’t yet know the playbook. But the bloom has come off that onion twice over, leaving him as a viable backup quarterback with a defined ceiling as a starter.

Meanwhile, Minshew has quietly established his name as a steady, reliable quarterback capable of rising up in big moments to deliver wins. Week 13 marked the Indianapolis Colts’ fourth straight victory and third by seven points or fewer. With the game on the line, trailing in overtime, Minshew revealed he saved his best for last:

It wasn’t against the stiffest competition, but Minshew’s deep ball proved to be the difference between winning and losing in Nashville. He attempted five passes that traveled at least 25 yards downfield against the San Francisco 49ers and completed four of them — including a 36-yard touchdown strike to Alec Pierce to start Indy’s scoring and the 55-yard rainbow shown above to set up the game-winner.

via nextgenstats.nfl.com

Minshew is a high variance quarterback. He’s had a passer rating under 70.0 each of the last two weeks. But he’s made the plays Indianapolis needs him to make and shown up under duress. That should at least be enough to pencil him in as a Baker Mayfield-caliber starter somewhere in 2024.

Worst: A 6-0 NFL game

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots were so enamored with Kirk Ferentz’ 2023 Iowa team that they decided to become them. But while the Hawkeyes were able to drag opponents into their quicksand and smother them in the muck, the Patriots haven’t been able to benefit from their thoroughly unwatchable games. Behold, uh, this:

via ESPN

The New England defense has given up only 26 points the last three weeks. For comparison, three different teams came into Week 13 allowing more than 26 points per game. For their efforts, that unit has three losses because the Patriots’ offense has scored exactly one touchdown in that span. Whether it’s been Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe, this team has been a disaster notable only for its failure on the field and rising 2024 NFL Draft stock off it.

This week, that vortex of suck dragged Justin Herbert and the league’s eighth-best scoring offense to new lows. Herbert’s side failed to find the end zone on a rainy day, making it the first time all season the Chargers had failed to find the end zone. These two teams combined for 498 total yards — more than 200 fewer than the Miami Dolphins rolled up on the Denver Broncos back in Week 3 on their own.

This game was unwatchable. Of course, it could have featured a little more scoring if not for…

Worst: Quentin Johnston, once again crushing the Chargers in a massive situation

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Two weeks ago, Johnston dropped what could have been a game-winning deep ball from Herbert against the Green Bay Packers. His bobble Sunday in New England wasn’t nearly as damaging, but was similarly frustrating.

Johnston was drafted ahead of Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison in the first round. Players like Tank Dell, Josh Downs, Jayden Reed, Rashee Rice and Puka Nacua followed on Days 2 and 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. While it feels like a near certainty Brandon Staley would have found a way to waste their talents on a perpetually doomed team, it would at the very least give Chargers fans one less thing about which to complain.

Best: Tyreek Hill, doing his damnedest to force his way into MVP consideration

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

This was Miami’s second passing play of the game:

Midway through the second quarter he was already at 133 receiving yards. This was on three receptions and one of them went for a loss of six. Third and seven? Hell, Tyreek’s down there somewhere.

He finished his day with 157 receiving yards and two touchdowns on just five receptions. He’s on pace for 132 catches (which would be the sixth most all-time), 2,098 yards (an NFL single season record by more than 100 yards) and 17 touchdowns (tied for sixth).

This is all very interesting. Non-quarterbacks rarely have a shot at a regular season MVP award, but there are exceptions. The last time this happened was when Adrian Peterson had a historic, 2,097-yard season on the ground in a year without a clear-cut quarterback candidate.

Welp, this year’s crop of quarterbacks is fine but flawed. Would Hill’s 2,000-yard performance be enough to push him past Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy or Patrick Mahomes? Would voters roll with a wide receiver even though the position has fewer MVPs than kickers do (the count is one to nothing). There’s still enough time for Hill or whomever to tilt the vote in their favor; Week 13 was the Miami wideout declaring his candicacy is legit.

Worst: A Washington Commanders offense without Terry McLaurin

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Howell has become the king of empty calorie quarterbacking for the Commanders. A schedule filled with early deficits has led to a ton of dropbacks and, coming into Week 13, a league-high 3,339 passing yards.

It’s also led to a 4-9 record in what’s likely to be head coach Ron Rivera’s final season with the club. That’s been punctuated with a four-game losing streak in which Washington has lost each game by an average margin of 20 points.

There’s been one factor curiously absent in that stretch. Terry McLaurin was once the only reliable piece of the Washington offense, giving the world the production on par with a 1,100-yard season despite playing with quarterbacks like Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, Kyle Allen, late stage Carson Wentz, late stage Alex Smith and Dwayne Haskins. But over his last four games he’s had just 126 total receiving yards.

On Sunday he was shut out on only three targets — something that didn’t escape in him his postgame reflection.

McLaurin’s lack of production speaks to a greater frustration with Howell’s inability to generate consistent offense from his wideouts. Curtis Samuel was the only wide receiver with more than 23 receiving yards Sunday. Former first round pick Jahan Dotson was supposed to turn a corner in 2023 but is averaging only 35 receiving yards per game in his second season in the pros. That would be understandable in a low-wattage, run-heavy offense but that’s absolutely not what Washington, who throws the ball more than anyone, is.

There’s obviously more to the equation than just getting McLaurin (and Dotson) involved. That pairing will be a selling point to whomever succeeds Rivera as play-caller. But Howell’s inability to get his most talented players the ball speaks to what may be a fatal flaw for a young quarterback. It’s worth keeping an eye on.

Best: Will Levis' John Elway impersonation

The Tennessean

Levis is a man who eats bananas with the peel on. He’s attempted to convince us he enjoys coffee with mayonnaise in it. He is a genuine lunatic and plays as such.

Needless to say, the guy thrilled to fling himself face first into danger has some strong opinions. And when 11-year veteran DeAndre Hopkins expressed his frustration with a Levis deep ball that sailed over his head and out of bounds, well, that’s when the rookie decided it was time for polite discourse over the state of his quarterbacking Sunday.

There was no actual rift between the two. Hopkins remained the only viable target the Titans had at wideout (five catches and 75 yards when no other receiver had more than one) and Levis was fine, if unspectacular through the air. He finished his day with 224 yards and a touchdown, albeit while completing less than half his passes in a 30-27 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Worst: Alex Singleton, costing the Broncos four points they could not afford to lose

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Facing fourth-and-2 deep inside Broncos territory, the Texans lined up to go for it. Except, whoops, a false start meant they were suddenly looking at fourth-and-seven and now staring down a field goal try.

Instead, that false start ended with a fresh set of downs and eventual Houston touchdown because Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton felt it necessary to measure his pride against C.J. Stroud’s.

Two shoves is all it takes to earn a 15-yard personal foul flag, negating the false start and giving the Texans first-and-goal at the Denver three-yard line. Two plays later, Dameon Pierce crashed into the end zone and what would likely have been a 6-0 Denver deficit became a 10-0 one.

This was important! The Broncos later drove deep into Houston territory in a 22-17 game but couldn’t score a game-winning touchdown before Wilson’s third interception of the day ended this one. Instead of being able to settle for a chip shot field goal, the four-point swing enabled by Singleton’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty helped create a touchdown-or-bust situation Denver couldn’t overcome.

Best, then worst: Joe Flacco, who is making a case for a starter-closer situation in the NFL

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Look, I’m not saying Flacco is *good.* I’m just saying he’s better than whatever garbage the New York Jets may be trotting out any given week. Through 50 minutes he’d thrown for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the latter of which should have tied Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams at 20-all (Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point).

Granted, the degree of difficulty wasn’t the highest, but this was good! In those 50 minutes he was responsible for 4.1 expected points added (EPA). Comparatively, Tim Boyle’s EPA Sunday for the Jets was -3.2 and Trevor Siemian’s was -6.6.

Of course, this did not last. Over Cleveland’s final three drives Flacco had more sacks taken (two) than completed passes. He had more interceptions (one) than completed passes. He had more safeties taken (one) than completed passes. He was responsible for -12.6 EPA in less than 10 minutes of game time.

As a result, the Browns lost their second straight game with a showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars looming. And while P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson aren’t likely an improvement, maybe there’s some value to warming them up late in games should the wheels come off again.

Best: Aaron Donald, still very strong.

Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports

Joel Bitonio is one of the best interior linemen in the NFL. He’s been an All-Pro each of the last five seasons. He’s one of the most important pieces of one of the best blocking units in the league.

Anyway, here’s Aaron Donald picking him up and moving him like a traffic cone en route to a sack and safety of Flacco late in Los Angeles Sunday evening.

Donald has suffered through a fairly non-descript season by his own standards. He’s on pace for only nine sacks, which would be his lowest full-season total since 2016. But he’s also on pace for 31 quarterback hits, which would be more than he had in Defensive Player of the Year campaigns in 2017 and 2020. So while he may not be on the leaderboards when it comes to counting stats, he remains a mythical beast in the trenches — and now he’s got the Los Angeles Rams in position for an unexpected playoff push.

Best: Isiah Pacheco, made of adamantium

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Early in the third quarter, Isiah Pacheco fumbled the ball. This was understandable, as he was being put through some extremely involuntary yoga at the time. The second-year running back was briefly turned into a broken camping chair by a cadre of Packers defenders.

He stayed on the field briefly before walking to the sideline. Then, two plays later, he was back in the lineup … and running for 11 yards in his return to the field. Six plays after getting twisted into a pretzel, he found his way into the end zone for six points:

Pacheco plays every down like he’s mad at the ground. He pumps his legs like every step is a punishment toward a universe that’s let him down. Of course he’s the toughest man in the world. This guy rules.

Best: Jordan Love, the embodiment of a freewheeling Packer quarterback

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Watch the clip below. Don’t even look at the uniform number. Just look at the pass. Look at the outcome. Look at the colors and the logo on the helmet and tell me who’s throwing this pass.

That’s Jordan Love. It could be Aaron Rodgers. It could be Brett Favre. The ratio of nonsense to production is absurd and somehow expected.

Seriously, nothing about this should work. But it does and it’s not surprising, because it’s the same thing we’ve been seeing from Green Bay quarterbacks for the last three decades.

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