Thanksgiving, COVID-related disruptions and star quarterbacks dominated the headlines in Week 12 of the 2020 NFL Season. Divisional and Wild Card races are starting to more fully develop. The home stretch of the season is about to come into the picture, and each game is ever more critical for teams in contention.
The Los Angeles Chargers fell to 3-8 Sunday with a 27-17 loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. Even in defeat, safety Rayshawn Jenkins had a team-high 11 tackles, including one and a half for a loss. Teammate and linebacker Denzel Perryman had four total tackles. Kicker Michael Badgley made a 27-yard field goal for LA but missed an extra point. For Buffalo, safety Jaquan Johnson had a single tackle.
One of Sunday’s closest games featured the Carolina Panthers at the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota won 28-27, keeping hopes for the postseason alive. But Panthers cornerback Corn Elder made five tackles on the afternoon, including one for a loss of yardage.
Nothing is going right for the New York Jets, who are now 0-11. But running back Frank Gore once again led the Jets in rushing with 74 yards on 18 carries—albeit in a 20-3 loss at home to the Miami Dolphins. Gore also had three catches for 12 yards. Wide receiver Braxton Berrios netted six yards on one kick return.
The Chicago Bears lost too—41-25 at the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. But tight end Jimmy Graham had three catches for 32 yards, while Pat O’Donnell punted twice, averaged 44 yards per punt and pinned the Packer offense inside their own 20-yard line once.
Running back Duke Johnson led the Houston Texans in rushing in a 41-25 Thanksgiving Day win at Detroit. He had 37 yards on nine carries. Johnson also snagged three receptions for 43 yards, and caught a 33-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Linebacker Anthony Chickillo had one tackle for the Denver Broncos, who struggled without a real quarterback in a 31-3 loss at home to New Orleans. Falcons defensive end Allen Bailey had a single tackle in a 43-6 blowout win over the Raiders at home.
His DE counterpart on the Indianapolis Colts—Al-Quadin Muhammad—logged five tackles as the Colts were blown out at home, 46-26 to the Tennessee Titans. And DE Oliver Vernon had two tackles for the 8-3 Cleveland Browns on their way to a 27-25 win at Jacksonville.