32 things we learned in NFL Week 13: Division races set to heat up

The 32 things we learned from Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season:

0. The jersey number of Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair, whose shamelessly reckless, dangerous, egregious and – insert any other appropriate adjective – dirty hit on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence concussed the fourth-year quarterback, ending his day early in a scary turn of events, one that also set off an on-field brawl while giving the Texans a competitive advantage in a game they needed to win. Thankfully, the officials immediately threw out Al-Shaair, who (for some reason) is a Texans team captain despite a growing résumé of questionable on-field conduct. Zero is an appropriate identifier for the sixth-year player, who did apologize to Lawrence on Monday ... but otherwise cast himself as the victim.

1. The spot where Lawrence was selected atop a now star-crossed – at least as it pertains to quarterbacks – 2021 NFL draft. While the Jags’ QB1 has yet to live up to the Peyton Manning- or John Elway-level impact that was forecast for him coming out of Clemson, Lawrence sure has shown a high quotient of toughness. He started Sunday after missing a month with a serious injury to his non-throwing shoulder – despite how easy it would have been to shut it down amid a season when Jacksonville is going nowhere fast. Give him deserved credit – and take note at his teammates’ instant reaction and retaliation as soon as he was knocked out by Al-Shaair. It says a lot for Lawrence.

2. Otherwise, just another day in the AFC South – pretty clearly the league’s worst division, its futility why a team like the Tennessee Titans (3-9), who were embarrassed 42-19 by the Washington Commanders on Sunday, still has a mathematical path to the division crown.

3. Though the Indianapolis Colts deserve a tip of the cap after a hard-fought 25-24 win over the Patriots in New England – the victory secured when HC Shane Steichen (successfully) went for the two-point conversion with 12 seconds to go, revitalized QB Anthony Richardson running it in after throwing the pivotal TD pass to WR Alec Pierce. The Colts (6-7) have already been swept by the Texans (8-5) but do have a very favorable closing stretch that includes meetings with the Titans, New York Giants and Jaguars.

4. The number of teams eliminated from playoff contention: The Giants, Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots.

5. Miserable as the AFC South is, the 2024 NFC North might emerge as one of the better divisions in league history. The Detroit Lions are 11-1 for the first time in their 95-season history, yet have almost no room to spare with the Minnesota Vikings (10-2) and Green Bay Packers (9-3) breathing down their manes – and don’t forget what a fight the, yes, talented (but still hibernating) Chicago Bears put up in Motown on Thanksgiving … until they didn’t.

5a. Huge game upcoming, when the Packers and Lions will again play on Thursday, meeting this week in Detroit. The Pack could become the division’s third 10-win team, while the NFC-leading Lions will hope to lock up the conference’s first playoff slot in Week 14.

6. The Vikes’ five-game winning streak is the league’s third longest right now, unsightly as it has been at times. Minnesota was largely outplayed Sunday by the Arizona Cardinals but won 23-22 thanks to the Cards’ pair of turnovers, pile of penalties (10) and failure to score a touchdown in five of their six red-zone penetrations.

6a. With a 99-yard game, Minnesota WR Justin Jefferson became the fourth player ever to post 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first five seasons. He joins Mike Evans, A.J. Green and Vikings legend and Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

7. Congrats to Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith, who helped hand the Jets another loss Sunday in his first start in the New York area against the team that drafted him 11 years ago before eventually giving up on him.

8. Number of snaps the Seahawks had inside the Jets’ 5-yard line on their first drive of the second half … but failed to score after Smith was sacked for a 15-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Yet another remarkable aspect of Seattle’s comeback in a consequential 26-21 victory.

9. And congrats to Seahawks DE Leonard Williams, another ex-Jet who was their No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 draft. The “Big Cat,” who had a pair of sacks, earned his first win against Gang Green by personally wrecking a game the Jets led 21-7 before halftime and nearly put out of reach – until Williams’ 92-yard interception return of Aaron Rodgers completely reversed the momentum.

9a. Williams’ pick-six was the longest in league history by a player weighing at least 300 pounds.

10. Number of sacks, the fewest in the league, the Atlanta Falcons began Sunday with … before bagging Los Angeles QB Justin Herbert five times.

11. That was just one component of a game the (nominal) NFC South leaders largely won on the stat sheet – the Falcons had 14 more first downs than the Bolts and outgained them by 163 yards – but were ultimately undone by QB Kirk Cousins tying his career high with four interceptions.

12. But, hey, it seemed like Michigan had no business beating Ohio State on Saturday – why shouldn’t coach Jim Harbaugh’s current team also be hailed as victors despite unfavorable circumstances?

13. Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have won the NFC South every year since 2021, beat the Carolina Panthers in overtime – and matched the Falcons with a 6-6 record atop the division. But, having suffered a season sweep to the Falcons, the Bucs will need to win one more game than Atlanta to keep their reign intact.

14. Penix time in ATL? Falcons HC Raheem Morris says no, but expect the hue and cry to get louder around a team that's dropped three in a row.

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15. In a highly entertaining 44-38 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers were fueled by QB Russell Wilson, who passed for a season-best 414 yards and three touchdowns. It was Wilson’s first 400-yard game in five years and third of his career.

16. The last Pittsburgh passer to crack 400 yards was Ben Roethlisberger … six years ago.

17. Talk about ball distribution – 10 different Steelers caught a pass, and nine of them had at least 20 receiving yards – though none surpassed 75.

18. But maybe we need to start crediting Pittsburgh QB2 Justin Fields with saves to Wilson's wins. Fields' 7-yard run in the final two minutes provided the first down that allowed the Steelers to kill the clock.

19. A game with constant fireworks also included both the Steelers and Bengals getting penalized for more than 100 yards apiece.

20. The victory also ensured coach Pittsburgh Mike Tomlin, who was hired in 2007, has yet to taste a losing campaign.

21. The number of consecutive seasons the Steelers have not had a losing record, matching Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys (1965-85) for the longest run in league history at .500 or better.

22. The Titans rushed the ball 11 times for 35 yards Sunday ... and were penalized 12 times for 93 yards. Not a team anyone will want to remember.

23. The number of times Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has beaten NFC teams. But after going down to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, he’s now lost to the other conference twice.

23a. Both of Jackson’s interconference losses have occurred against opponents featuring RB Saquon Barkley.

24. If Sunday was a referendum on the league’s best running back – All-Pro honors and perhaps Offensive Player of the Year recognition potentially at stake – Barkley might’ve gotten the best of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, outgaining him by 6 yards and (more importantly) scoring a backbreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter of Philly’s 24-19 win.

24a. Quite fortuitous that San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey signed that (deserved) two-year, $38 million extension in June. Unfortunate he was injured again Sunday night and is so far removed from the bouquets being tossed at Barkley and Henry.

25. Twelve contests in Week 13 were decided by no more than seven points – tied for the most in a single week in NFL history.

26. A number the Lions couldn't reach, their streak of consecutive games (playoffs included) with a rushing touchdown ending at 25 after the Bears kept them out of the end zone – on the ground anyway – on Thanksgiving.

27. Bad as it's been for Chicago, let's not write off rookie QB Caleb Williams prematurely. He's throwing 232 passes (and counting) without an interception −a new rookie record.

28. Uniform note of the week: The Denver Broncos were victorious while debuting their newest white helmet on Monday night.

29. Never change, Mack Hollins.

29a. The barefooted Hollins was the perfect prelude to a night when the Bills were ice cold ... but also on fire, smoking the Niners 35-10 in the snow to win the AFC East for the fifth consecutive season while securing the first home playoff game of the 2024 campaign.

29b. And perceived MVP frontrunner Josh Allen even did something no quarterback ever had in NFL history, producing TDs via air, land and hands in the same game.

30. Congrats to one of the players we respect the most, Commanders LB Bobby Wagner. Never like to make assumptions, but let's just call him a future Hall of Famer – in part because he's now registered at least 100 tackles in all 13 of his spectacular NFL seasons.

31. Even for the most jaded of NFL observers, the league’s annual “My Cause My Cleats” initiative is one of its best promotions – marrying stylish kicks and philanthropy.

32. Dearest mother – it warms our hearts this Holiday season to finally once again reference a post from the far too dormant @CaptAndrewLuck X account, which surfaced to celebrate the former Colts star’s hiring as the general manager of Stanford’s football program. Yes, you read that correctly. Best of luck, good sir. (And we’d bet Captain Andrew will thrive in the role and in the environs where he seemed to derive, by far, his most football joy.)

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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 13 takeaways: Division races taking shape in playoff push