The Big Story for every NFL team

— -- NFL Nation reporters detail the biggest storylines -- and what they mean going forward -- for every team coming out of Week 11. 

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills (5-5)

The Bills snapped their three-game losing streak with a 16-12 win Sunday over the Bengals, but the victory did little to inspire confidence that Buffalo can make the playoffs. The Bills still have to win five of their final six games to finish with a 10-6 record and have a realistic shot at the postseason. With RB LeSean McCoy (thumb) and WR Robert Woods (knee) exiting Sunday's game, the Bills don't seem to be healthy enough to mount a late-season winning streak. -- Mike Rodak

Week 12: vs. Jacksonville, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Miami Dolphins (6-4)

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill is suddenly developing a clutch gene at the right time. Tannehill has had three game-winning or game-tying touchdown drives during Miami's five-game winning streak, including Sunday's touchdown throw to receiver DeVante Parker in a 14-10 win over the Rams. This bodes well for Miami (6-4), which is in the thick of the playoff race with six games remaining. -- James Walker

Week 12: vs. San Francisco, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

New England Patriots (8-2)

A rainbow formed over Levi's Stadium as Tom Brady was kneeling on the ball to close out a 30-17 victory over the 49ers. The win capped off Brady's happy homecoming on a day when a notable Patriots road crowd chanted "Brady!" at various points during the action. Brady was once again the key by making two remarkable plays on his third and fourth TD throws, but if the Patriots are to discover the pot of gold at the end of the season in the form of a Super Bowl championship, they know their still-in-transition defense will need to play more consistently. -- Mike Reiss

Week 12: at New York Jets, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

New York Jets (3-7)

On Monday, Todd Bowles will announce his quarterback decision: Ryan Fitzpatrick or Bryce Petty. Fitzpatrick gives them the best chance to beat the Patriots on Sunday, if his sprained knee is OK. Petty needs time to audition for the 2017 job. The Jets are out of contention, so it makes sense to play Petty. But Bowles could be stubborn, trying to squeeze every win he can out of this season. -- Rich Cimini

Week 12: vs. New England, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens (5-5)

The Ravens are going to need CB Jimmy Smith to return from a back injury in order to make a strong playoff run. In six full quarters without Smith, Baltimore has allowed quarterbacks to produce a 126.9 passer rating, and teams have completed 75 percent of their passes for five touchdowns and one interception. The Ravens might get a break Sunday against the Bengals, who could be without receiver A.J. Green (hamstring). "If we're going to fight for our playoff lives, you want your biggest horses running the Kentucky Derby," Terrell Suggs said of getting back Smith. -- Jamison Hensley

Week 12: vs. Cincinnati, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Cincinnati Bengals (3-6-1)

With A.J. Green potentially out for the season with a hamstring injury, the Bengals' outlook on offense looks bleak. They're still mathematically in the playoff hunt after the Ravens lost on Sunday, but their offense must take a giant step forward if they want to have any shot at the AFC North. Green is their best playmaker, so it's hard to imagine they would be able to right the ship without him. -- Katherine Terrell

Week 12: at Baltimore, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Cleveland Browns (0-11)

Cody Kessler's second concussion in five games makes the rest of his season iffy. The Browns likely will go back to Josh McCown as the starter Sunday against the Giants. Robert Griffin III has yet to be cleared for full contact. -- Pat McManamon

Week 12: vs. New York Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5)

The Steelers found something on offense that will translate on the road: pound the ball with Le'Veon Bell, starting Thursday night against the Colts. Pittsburgh controlled the pace against the Browns with Bell's 28 carries for 146 yards. "We need to finish drives and we need to get the ball in the hands of No. 26," said right tackle  Marcus Gilbert. The Steelers still need a consistent No. 2 receiving option behind Antonio Brown, but Bell's 201 total yards plus the defense's eight sacks equals a good day for the Steelers, who got their first win in 42 days. -- Jeremy Fowler

Week 12: at Indianapolis, Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans (6-3)

Heading into the Texans' Monday night game against the Raiders, all eyes will be on QB Brock Osweiler. In order to beat the 7-2 Raiders, Osweiler will likely need to play better than he did last week, when he threw for just 99 yards. -- Sarah Barshop

Week 12: vs. San Diego, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Indianapolis Colts (5-5)

The Colts have a short week to prepare for a Pittsburgh team that has embarrassed them in the past two meetings, when the Steelers beat them by a combined 52 points. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was 64-of-88 for 886 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in those games. -- Mike Wells

Week 12: vs.  Pittsburgh, Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8)

The Jaguars varied the script on Sunday, but they still ended up in the same place: with another loss. They forced turnovers for the first time since Week 4, played with a lead in the fourth quarter for the first time since Week 6 and held Detroit to just 14 yards rushing. But a pick-six -- Blake Bortles' 10th of the season -- a punt return for a TD and Sen'Derrick Marks jumping offside on fourth down sealed their 20th loss in their past 22 road games. -- Mike DiRocco

Week 12: at Buffalo, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Tennessee Titans (5-6)

The Titans shift from a familiar opponent to an unfamiliar opponent -- after losing to to the Colts, Tennessee travels to Chicago. If the Titans can pressure Jay Cutler the way they pressured Andrew Luck -- on nearly half his dropbacks -- they would figure to have far better defensive success. They also need to work on flat starts on offense, which really hurt them in their most recent losses at San Diego and at Indianapolis. -- Paul Kuharsky

Week 12: at Chicago, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos (7-3)

The Broncos return to work Monday after their bye and will be as healthy as they were in September, but on the field, they have to find an answer for the offensive line. They haven't protected QB Trevor Siemian well enough, and their 3.7 yards per carry was near the bottom of the league when this weekend's games began. One of the solutions they have considered is whether to rotate players, especially at guard during games. The Broncos like to put seven offensive linemen in uniform on game days and have given some thought to moving players in and out of the lineup during games to try and find the combinations that work best. If they can play even slightly better than before, the Broncos can keep themselves in the race for their sixth consecutive division title. -- Jeff Legwold

Week 12: vs. Kansas City, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET 

Kansas City Chiefs (7-3)

The loss to the Buccaneers is something new, but the Chiefs' problems on Sunday included an underachieving offense and a defense that struggled to get the opponent off the field, both of which have been ongoing for some time. Kansas City won its two previous games despite playing the same way, and now it has caught up to them. The Chiefs have a lot to fix before next Sunday night's matchup against the Broncos in Denver. The list is so long it's reasonable to wonder whether they can pull everything in a week's time. -- Adam Teicher

Week 12: at Denver, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET 

Oakland Raiders (7-2)

Los Malosos estan en Mexico City. Translation: The Bad Boys are in Mexico City. But you already knew that, right? The Raiders jump right out of their bye week, which began after a prime-time beating of the defending champion Broncos, and into another nationally televised affair -- this time on ESPN's Monday Night Football against the Texans. Estadio Azteca sits more than 7,300 feet above sea level, so altitude will be a concern for both teams -- as if they won't be breathless enough from watching civil rights icon Tommie Smith light the Al Davis Torch before the game. Smith's raised-fist salute in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics transcended sport. -- Paul Gutierrez

Week 12: vs. Carolina, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET 

San Diego Chargers (4-6)

After giving his players the week off, Chargers head coach Mike McCoy will hold practice at Chargers Park on Monday. McCoy is hopeful to get a handful of players back this week from injury, including WR Travis Benjamin (knee) and S Jahleel Addae (clavicle). San Diego also will hit the road to face the Texans on a short week. Houston plays the Raiders in Mexico City on Monday Night Football. -- Eric D. Williams

Week 12: at Houston, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys (9-1)

There is little time for the Cowboys to celebrate Sunday's win over the Ravens; Dallas hosts Washington on Thanksgiving. In his opening statement, coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys have to put the win "to bed quickly" and move on to Washington. The Cowboys will hold walkthrough practices Monday through Wednesday. There's another reason to put the game to bed quickly: Even with a nine-game winning streak, the Cowboys (9-1) have not been able to separate much from the New York Giants (7-3). -- Todd Archer

Week 12: vs. Washington, Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET

New York Giants (7-3)

It might be time to take the Giants seriously. They won their fifth straight game Sunday, a 22-10 victory over the Bears. With the Browns on deck, the Giants have 8-3 in their sights. Between improvement in their running attack and pass rush, and Eli Manning and the offense not turning the ball over, the Giants are proving to be contenders in the NFC. -- Jordan Raanan

Week 12: at Cleveland, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Philadelphia Eagles (5-5)

The Eagles have little margin for error following a 26-15 loss to the Seahawks. Sitting at 5-5 and at the bottom of the NFC East, they'll have to be near perfect over the final six games in order to make the postseason. The offense in particular has been anything but perfect, and with injuries beginning to pile up, the Eagles have an uphill climb to turn around their fortunes. The next test comes at home on Monday Night Football against the Packers. -- Tim McManus

Week 12: vs. Green Bay, Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Washington Redskins (6-3-1)

The Redskins don't get much time to celebrate their big win over the Packers, playing four days later in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. The big question now: Can the Redskins they keep their offense rolling? Quarterback Kirk Cousins is coming off yet another strong game, with 375 yards and three touchdowns. He continues to play one good game after another, but he'll now have to outduel rookie QB Dak Prescott. The big key this week will be hoping the defense can do a better job; if it can't stop the run, Prescott and the Cowboys will have a big game. -- John Keim

Week 12: at Dallas, Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears (2-8)

Sure, the Bears were upset after another tough loss, but the players were equally concerned about the health of rookie Leonard Floyd, who was taken to a local hospital after he suffered a neck injury. "That's one of our young bucks," said linebacker Pernell McPhee. "That's one of our playmakers. He's a guy who we depend on." Floyd's initial outlook is positive, but the injury could derail his promising rookie season. Floyd has played well for several weeks -- he is second on the team with five sacks -- and he recorded a tackle for loss against the Giants before the neck injury occurred. If Floyd misses time, he'll be the fourth former first-round pick to suffer a significant injury in 2016.  Kevin White, Kyle Fuller and Kyle Long are all on injured reserve.-- Jeff Dickerson

Week 12: vs. Tennessee, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET 

Detroit Lions (6-4)

The Lions have been playing this cardiac style of football all season. They've trailed in the fourth quarter in every game they've played, but unlike the winless Browns, Detroit is atop its division at 6-4. And the Lions, who admit they'd prefer to win more comfortably, have appeared to embrace that this is who they are. "You have to accept that and find a way to win," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. Detroit has, and if it can pull off another win Thursday against Minnesota, the Lions would give themselves some breathing room where it matters most: the race for the divisional title. -- Michael Rothstein

Week 12: vs. Minnesota, Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET

Green Bay Packers (4-6)

Can anyone bear to watch the Packers' defense anymore? You'll get six more opportunities this season, but chances are it will be more of what you saw in Sunday's loss at Washington. The Packers haven't held a team under 30 points in a month and have allowed more than 40 points each of the past two weeks. Tune in next week on Monday Night Football to see how many points the Eagles score. -- Rob Demovsky

Week 12: at Philadelphia, Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Minnesota Vikings (6-4)

After winning for the first time in more than a month, the Vikings won't get much time to enjoy the victory. The NFC North lead will be on the line Thanksgiving Day, when the Vikings travel to Detroit to face the Lions. Coach Mike Zimmer said he gave himself a "victory 10 minutes" after their 30-24 win over the Cardinals on Sunday and told himself the Vikings had to start moving on to the Lions, who beat Minnesota in overtime earlier this month. -- Ben Goessling

Week 12: at Detroit, Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

One of the big topics to keep an eye on is the status of Pro Bowl CB Desmond Trufant as he continues to recover from a shoulder/pectoral injury. Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Trufant is expected to be back at some point this season, maybe even during practice this week heading into Sunday's Arizona game. The Falcons certainly need their best defensive player on the field for the stretch run after giving up 35 pass plays of 20-plus yards through the first 10 games. It could come down to how much pain Trufant is able to deal with as a result of the injury. -- Vaughn McClure

Week 12: vs. Arizona, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Carolina Panthers (4-6)

Luke Kuechly's status is up in the air after the three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker suffered a concussion in Thursday's win over New Orleans. But there's no questioning the Panthers have found themselves defensively. Heading into Sunday's games, their 18 sacks were the most over the past four games and their 17.5 points a game rank fourth during that span -- they allowed 29.8 over the first six games. Carolina has won three of its past four to get back into playoff contention, and if the Panthers are to remain there, defense will be the key regardless of Kuechly's status. -- David Newton

Week 12: at Oakland, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

New Orleans Saints (4-6)

Special teams have become priority No. 1 for the 4-6 Saints, who have had blocked kicks or botched kick returns (or both) contribute to four of their losses this season. FOX's Jay Glazer reported that the Saints plan to bring in an additional special-teams coach to help address the problem during this nine-day break between games. The Saints have two home games in a row coming up against the Rams and Lions to try and salvage the season. -- Mike Triplett

Week 12: vs. Los Angeles, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)

The Bucs beat the Chiefs in Kansas City, 19-17, improving to 5-5 and taking sole possession of second place in the NFC South. Head coach Dirk Koetter was thrilled with the way his young QB played against one of the league's top defenses, even though the Bucs were just 1-of-5 in the red zone. " Jameis Winston was 'out of sight' today," Koetter said. "That's as good of quarterback play of however many years I've been in the league now. Jameis was awesome all day." Kicker Roberto Aguayo was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals. Koetter said, "He had his best day as a pro. Roberto was clutch today." -- Jenna Laine

Week 12: vs. Seattle, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals (4-5-1)

Some Cardinals players said they're "desperate" after a 30-24 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. With another tough road game coming up next week in Atlanta, the Cardinals need to correct their self-inflicted mistakes, of which there were many. Throughout the locker room, a common message was finding a way to win, but next week won't be any easier for the Cardinals. -- Josh Weinfuss

Week 12: at Atlanta, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Rams (4-6)

Rams QB Jared Goff didn't set the world on fire in his NFL debut, but the rookie out of Cal was mostly assignment correct and didn't turn the ball over against an aggressive Dolphins defensive front. Goff didn't throw a touchdown, finishing with 134 passing yards. He was sacked once. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said his offense played things close to the vest because of the unusually wet weather but will loosen things up a bit next week for Goff. His second start comes on the road against the Saints. -- Eric D. Williams

Week 12: at Los Angeles, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

San Francisco 49ers (1-9)

The 49ers lost their ninth consecutive game Sunday and again had a chance to pull off an upset, but couldn't because they failed to perform in the second half. Safety Antoine Bethea said the second-half struggles have been a perpetual problem all season and referred to it as "laying an egg" after solid first-half performances. At 1-9 with a long trip to Miami next, then a weeklong stay in Orlando and a trip to Chicago coming up, the Niners have an uphill climb to find their second win -- especially if they can't find a way to finish. -- Nick Wagoner

Week 12: at Miami, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Seattle Seahawks (7-2-1)

Thomas Rawls returned from a fibula injury vs. the Eagles, and he will now be counted on to carry the Seahawks' rushing attack going forward. That's because C.J. Prosise suffered a scapula injury and will be "out for a while," according to coach Pete Carroll. Rawls carried 14 times for 57 yards Sunday in his first action since Week 2. Last week, the Seahawks waived Christine Michael, and on Sunday, running back Troymaine Pope suffered a high ankle sprain against the Eagles. The good news for the Seahawks: They ran for a season-high 152 yards vs. the Eagles. Carroll wants balance, and even though the Seahawks' strength has been the passing attack, Rawls will play a big role down the stretch. -- Sheil Kapadia

Week 12: at Tampa Bay, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET