Around the NFL: Chiefs’ 2025 might really be cooked after Thanksgiving Day falter

Around the AFC Chiefs cooked Kansas City went to Dallas with hopes of a second straight win and a late-season run Instead Patrick Mahomes crew came up short yet again and fell to - on the season Not only is K C s run of nine straight AFC West titles coming to an end but Andy Reid and company don t have a ton of margin left in terms of making the playoffs From here they ve likely got to win four of five at a minimum to ensure they make the dance Hello operator Can you give me No Joe Burrow returned and promptly notched a big win leading Cincinnati to a blowout of Baltimore and throwing for yards and two TDs The Bengals are just - now but they re not quite dead yet in the AFC North Almost but not quite Their next two are at Buffalo and at home against Baltimore Find a way to win those and Cincinnati closes with Miami Arizona and Cleveland Huh Half Charge Last we saw Jim Harbaugh s association it was getting absolutely waxed at Jacksonville In the process Los Angeles fell two games behind the Broncos in the division They ve got a chance to get right Sunday at home against Las Vegas though And they need to in order to keep pace with Denver and to keep the Chiefs solidly in the rearview mirror Los Angeles is closer to getting rookie running back Omarion Hampton back from an early-season ankle injury which should be considerable help to quarterback Justin Herbert and company Around the NFC Northern exposure Don t look now but Green Bay s won three straight since back-to-back losses to Carolina and Philadelphia The Packers are - - notched a season sweep of Detroit with a gutsy win at Ford Field on Thanksgiving and now set up a massive portion of the schedule They ve got a pair of games against Chicago sandwiched around a trip to Denver Those Bears matchups just might decide the NFC North though plus the Lions are playoff contenders Record watch for JSN The best receiver in football this year isn t even a fair fight Jaxon Smith-Njigba has catches for yards through games in Seattle That puts him on pace for on the season which would best Calvin Johnson s all-time record of JSN just keeps getting better for the Seahawks who look like Super Bowl contenders too He had eight catches for and two TDs last week Niners hanging tough San Francisco s dealt with major injuries all year including to quarterback Brock Purdy They re playing in a division that has perhaps the NFC s two best teams in Seattle and the Rams And yet Kyle Shanahan s got his gang at - and in the mix If they can get into a long-awaited bye week with nine wins after playing Cleveland this weekend they ll be in great shape Piece of advice Make sure to block Myles Garrett Battle of the Week Buffalo at Pittsburgh The Bills and Steelers are both trying to keep pace with surging teams in their respective divisions Josh Allen and company just haven t quite unveiled high gear so far this season and they ve watched as New England s reeled off nine straight victories The Steelers meanwhile are in first place after Baltimore s Thanksgiving night clunker Aaron Rodgers has a broken left wrist but is expected to play Both of these teams have the horses to get hot and press their division rivals But neither at this point looks like a true Super Bowl contender Those factors alone to say nothing of the QB matchup make this a massive battle Then consider both head coaches Sean McDermott in Buffalo and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh have been consistent winners but neither has had a particularly smooth ride over the past year-plus and both have groups that are underperforming so far this season Bills Steelers Lock of the Week L A Rams at Carolina After the field looked wide open for the better part of three months the stretch run arrives with the Rams looking like clear Super Bowl favorites They ve won six straight and they re playing dominant football both offensively and defensively Quarterback Matthew Stafford who had to retreat into a taco-truck-looking bus for back restoration throughout training camp has thrown touchdowns without an interception and is - for the season The Panthers have improved this season but this is a different level of challenge Consider the Rams enviable skill talent in receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams plus running back Kyren Williams and a bevy of tight ends and then remember their defense might be better than their offense Rams Panthers Related Articles Keeler CU Buffs Deion Sanders changed the contest But can he win without Shedeur at QB Renck vs Keeler Projections pin Broncos for victories Taking the over or under Around the NFL Shedeur Sanders in the end gets practice reps with Browns and shot at redemption in Las Vegas Grading The Week Broncos Avs Wil Lutz CU soccer DU soccer giving Denver fans reasons to be thankful Renck File Michael Porter Jr exchange a bust for Nuggets Not yet Deal is about Cam Johnson and Aaron Gordon Upset of the Week Houston at Indianapolis Alright so there aren t a ton of good upset options on the board this week with the shortened Sunday slate The Colts are in the hunt for the No seed they re still in control of the division and they re -point home favorites against the Texans They re in pretty good shape At the same time however the Texans defense is on a mega heater and Indy quarterback Daniel Jones reportedly has a fracture in his fibula For a long time Shane Steichen s association looked like it might waltz to the AFC South title If Houston definitely pulls an upset on the road that changes the equation in a big way Oh and it would be good for Denver s chances at the No seed too Texans Colts Want more sports news Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver s teams