Chris Simms' Team-by-Team Grades for NFL Week 12

Listen up if you want to tell the top place-kickers from the rest of the pack. 

No, I'm serious. Footballs sound different coming off the foot of a Rob Bironas or a Matt Prater—two of my former teammates with league-best legs. Just try warming up as a quarterback and hearing the equivalent to 20 home runs cracking off a kicker's foot. It's jarring.

It's also damn impressive when they do it in live action. I was on the Buccaneers sidelines when now-Falcons kicker Matt Bryant cracked a 62-yarder to beat the Eagles. Jon Gruden didn't even call for him; Bryant trotted confidently out like he expected to make that kick. I appreciated that swagger as a quarterback almost as much as I appreciated Bryant's ability to win us games.

Justin Tucker is the only kicker who makes me feel like that anymore. He's as big an offensive weapon for Baltimore as Steve Smith or Breshad Perriman. And trust me: Joe Flacco appreciates the fact he can cross midfield and points are guaranteed.

So listen up again: Baltimore doesn't get a passing grade this week without its star kicker. I don't want to hear about missed extra points or pushed field goals; Tucker proves there is no leaguewide kicking problem.

Dallas Cowboys

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Offense: It's rare to see a winning offense that's out-possessed (33:24 to 26:36) and outgained (505 to 353). Then again, Dallas has the NFL's unicorn offense—it's one of a kind. Kirk Cousins and that exploding Redskins offense never had a chance to get the lead in the second half because this Cowboys line wouldn't allow them to.

Defense: Should I tip my hat to Washington's offense or start expressing concern for Big D? Both. Dallas' defense couldn't get to Cousins once in 53 pass attempts. It doesn't have any impact cornerbacks to prevent a 449-yard passing day from happening again. But it did shut down the Redskins' running game with 56 yards allowed.

Grade: B+

Philadelphia Eagles

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Offense: Carson Wentz could've entered a shootout with Aaron Rodgers. The 10 other Eagles in Wentz's huddle? Probably not. Philadelphia lacks the firepower to take advantage of a defense that surrendered 47 and 42 points over its last two games, respectively. That's tough to overcome.

Defense: Rodgers had one comfortable cushion to work with Monday night. Eagles cornerbacks failed to challenge Packers wideouts, instead opting for free releases and zone coverage. Rodgers carved that up with quick throws that gained five yards before any Eagle came close.

Grade: C

New York Giants

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Offense: Ben McAdoo rolled out the most conservative-aggressive game plan in Week 12. Yes, Eli Manning took shots at Odell Beckham Jr. and others downfield. But McAdoo's offense never seemed in panic mode. That calm mindset helped Big Blue avoid the mistake (zero offensive turnovers) that could've led to embarrassment.

Defense: Terrelle Pryor made a few nice catches. Corey Coleman did, too. But when this Giants defense clamps down, it clamps down hard. Jason Pierre-Paul (three sacks) led the way on a seven-sack tour of the Browns backfield. And the man with the one good hand won New York a game with a huge defensive score.

Grade: B

Washington Redskins

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Offense: Kirk Cousins threw for 449 yards, and that's not a good thing. Don't get me wrong: Dallas had no answer for the soon-to-be $20 million-a-year passer, especially on downfield throws. Some semblance of a running game might've helped the 'Skins when they got in close, though. Cousins and Co. went 2-of-5 in the red zone on Thanksgiving.

Defense: Before Week 12, I said the key to a Washington upset hinged on Josh Norman's play. And I was right. The high-priced free-agent acquisition came out on the short end against Dez Bryant. That he couldn't be relied on in single coverage meant one more D.C. help defender taken away in run support.

Grade: B-

Buffalo Bills

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Offense: Sammy Watkins put on a refresher course for anyone who forgot what a downfield threat he can be. The Bills' top receiver played in less than half of Buffalo's total snaps (25-of-55, per Pro Football Focus) but still found room behind Jalen Ramsey on a 62-yard go route. That set the table for a Tyrod Taylor touchdown run (and a potential Bills playoff push).

Defense: Ronald Darby's absence (concussion) sent shock waves all over Rex Ryan's defense. For instance, cornerback Corey White struggled in spot duty opposite Stephon Gilmore. And White's replacement at safety, Jonathan Meeks, struggled just as mightily in coverage. The good news? Marcell Dareus (two sacks) looks like his old self.

Grade: B-

Miami Dolphins

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Offense: Not so fast, Ryan Tannehill haters. Miami's franchise quarterback had his signature game—a 285-yard, three-touchdown performance against a 49ers defense that played much, much better. Oh, and he did it behind a line missing three starters and without much help from Jay Ajayi (45 yards rushing).

Defense: What happened to the Dolphins defense? Jet lag. This veteran group has been back and forth between Los Angeles, San Diego and back to Miami. I'll let it off the hook for a 475-yard outing against a Colin Kaepernick-led offense...so long as Kiko Alonso is there to clean up on fourth downs.

Grade: B+

New York Jets

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Offense: Ryan Fitzpatrick outplayed the defense that has ruled the AFC East for a decade and change. Then, with five minutes left, he fell back into the good-sucky cycle that has plagued every Jets passer since Chad Pennington. He could not—I repeat, could not—take an intentional grounding call with under six minutes to play and expect to win.

Defense: Todd Bowles is conservative on the wrong side of the ball. It's on defense, not offense, where the Jets flourish by playing close to the vest. Bowles rushed no more than three or four against Tom Brady. The end result? A 4-of-14 outing on third down for New England.

Grade: B-

New England Patriots

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Offense: Tom Brady is allowed a senior moment or two in his 17th professional season. Josh McDaniels' offense needs to do a better job picking up the slack than it did in Week 12. LeGarrette Blount had 11 rushing attempts? Give me a break.

Defense: No one told me Todd Bowles coaxed an in-his-prime Peyton Manning back out of retirement. Wait, that was Ryan Fitzpatrick? The guy who probably shouldn't be starting for a 3-8 team? New England's pass defense is in trouble. It tallied one sack all game and needed two huge forced fumbles to prevent a big upset.

Grade: B-

Chicago Bears

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Offense: John Fox had to trot out his fourth-string quarterback at Soldier Field on Sunday. All that guy did was throw for over 300 yards against a tough Titans defense. Matt Barkley showed me a little somethin'. He would've been the winning quarterback if not for a dropped game-deciding touchdown.

Defense: Eddie Goldman and Leonard Floyd are two ships passing in the night. The Bears got the former back from an ankle injury to plug DeMarco Murray's running lanes (43 yards on 17 carries). But they could've used their injured first-round linebacker to apply a single hit on Marcus Mariota. Chicago's defense won't be scary until both take the field.

Grade: B

Detroit Lions

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Offense: Praise Matthew Stafford's right arm till the cows come home. Just make sure you watch out for his legs, too. Detroit's MVP candidate scrambled his way downfield on Thanksgiving. His biggest run: a 15-yard pickup on 3rd-and-15 to keep a third-quarter drive alive. The Lions tied it on the next possession...

Defense: ...Until Darius Slay effectively untied it. Credit coordinator Teryl Austin for tipping off his secondary to all the Vikings' passing tells—a three-step drop followed by a quick curl, crossing route or in-cut. Slay sat on a late Sam Bradford throw and set up Detroit for another late comeback.

Grade: B+

Green Bay Packers

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Offense: I can throw every superlative in the book at Aaron Rodgers. But I can also praise the play of the five guys in front of him. Credit Green Bay's offensive line for handling business against a scary Philadelphia front. By affording its quarterback an eternity to throw, it turned Monday Night Football into a game of "How will Rodgers beat this defense?"

Defense: Mike McCarthy didn't want to move Clay Matthews back inside. Credit Green Bay's head coach for doing it anyway. His team needed the tackling help inside, and it made a difference. So did Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's interception on Philly's first possession of the second half.

Grade: A+

Minnesota Vikings

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Offense: Credit general manager Rick Spielman for having the cojones to even try to swing a Sam Bradford trade. But the deal that looked so promising in Weeks 1 through 5 has unraveled; this Vikings offense can't control the football with any regularity. Case in point: Minnesota took the lead with 12:38 left in the fourth quarter but ran only nine plays for 33 yards after that. The final two? An illegal formation penalty and a game-sealing interception.

Defense: Matthew Stafford has this group's number. He converted third downs at a 43 percent clip—including two soul-crushing scrambles. And when the Vikings defense had Stafford pinned back at his 2-yard line, he mounted a 68-yard drive to tie it up. This guy is Minnesota's kryptonite.

Grade: C+

Cincinnati Bengals

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Offense: Forget receiver or running back. Cincinnati's problem spot is at right tackle, where 24-year-old starter Cedric Ogbuehi rotates with veteran Eric Winston. The former was beaten by Terrell Suggs for a sack, and the latter was smoked on a game-clinching strip by Elvis Dumervil. The Bengals can start there when they retool this roster.

Defense: Cincinnati's defense lost this game by—and I'm not exaggerating here—two inches. A second-quarter pass to Mike Wallace would've ended up in Vontaze Burfict's hands had it not been perfectly placed. Same goes for an early first-quarter touch pass from Joe Flacco to Breshad Perriman. What a tough way to essentially end your season.

Grade: C

Cleveland Browns

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Offense: Whatever quarterback inherits this Browns offense next is going to love his two top targets. Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman are in place; locking down an offensive line capable of blocking a line like that of the Giants is next. That next quarterback can't take seven sacks like Josh McCown did.

Defense: Joe Haden is the worst best cornerback in football. His problem? He doesn't possess the game-breaking speed required to hang with an Odell Beckham Jr. on a straight shallow cross. OBJ smoked him and really brought his coverage issues to the forefront. And the problem is that he's Cleveland's best option back there.

Grade: C-

Baltimore Ravens

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Offense: Baltimore's offense is almost unwatchable once it goes off script. Take Week 12 as a prime example: Joe Flacco drove 75 yards on 11 plays and then…nothing. No run game. No Breshad Perriman streaking to the corner of the end zone. Just Justin Tucker's right leg.

Defense: Two stats illustrate how dominant Baltimore's defense was. Stat 1? Cincinnati entered the red zone five times in Week 12 with only one touchdown to show for it. Stat 2? Andy Dalton rifled off nine throws in a last-ditch attempt to get the Bengals back in it, but nearly half of them were batted away. Dean Pees' defense is big and strong and will fight when backed into a corner.

Grade: B

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Offense: Look for Ladarius Green on my All-22 Team this week. The San Diego import brought an added dimension to Ben Roethlisberger's arsenal, catching two throws for 67 yards. He can be a Heath Miller type for the Steelers, waiting as Big Ben keeps the play alive and sitting in zone. But he's far more explosive and agile after the catch.

Defense: Two fourth-down stops tell me the band's getting back together in the Steel City. Ryan Shazier is healthy and playing. Stephon Tuitt is setting up shop in the backfield. Sprinkle in some impressive rookies (see: Javon Hargrave, Sean Davis and Artie Burns), and there's potential here.

Grade: B+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Offense: Tampa Bay is one of the few teams that can unabashedly throw at Richard Sherman. Why? Mike Evans. The 6'5" receiver was to Sherman what the 6'3" Sherman is to smaller receivers—a physical mismatch. Throw in some Doug Martin rushes to keep a defense honest, and you have one scary unit.

Defense: Remember the Buccaneers who surrendered over 600 yards to Oakland in October? Neither does this team. Tampa Bay brought the fight to Seattle; Noah Spence, Gerald McCoy and Ryan Russell all teed off on Russell Wilson. And hats off to the secondary! It seems like someone is picking off a huge throw every week down in North Florida.

Grade: A

Atlanta Falcons

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Offense: Everything looked good, but two things really stood out. First off, Atlanta's offense looked faster (I'm looking at you, future All-22er Taylor Gabriel). Penalties were almost as important. A lesser offense would've stumped sloppily out of its bye. Atlanta wasn't flagged until 2:06 left in the third quarter, and that was on the defense. Kyle Shanahan's head coaching resume looks better by the week.

Defense: Dan Quinn doesn't get enough credit for what he's building in the ATL. Consider his pieces: Vic Beasley, De'Vondre Campbell, Jalen Collins, Deion Jones, etc. Those four players have six seasons of NFL experience combined yet held David Johnson to fewer than 60 yards rushing (win) and forced a big turnover (double win).

Grade: A

Carolina Panthers

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Offense: Mike Shula's nightmare came to life in the first half. His quarterback—the focal point of everything Carolina's offensive coordinator calls—was completely off, throwing an ugly pick-six to Khalil Mack and misfiring on other throws. Cam Newton needs to be Superman for this team to win. He wasn't, and it lost.

Defense: Carolina ticked most of the defensive boxes it needed to in order to win. It slowed Latavius Murray (45 yards on the ground) and the Raiders' rushing attack. It handled Amari Cooper (22 yards on four catches). And it still lost. That speaks to a lack of talent and cohesion in this once-proud group.

Grade: C+

New Orleans Saints

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Offense: Sean Payton and Gregg Williams must not have parted on the best of terms. The two coaches involved in Bountygate were enemies in Week 12; Payton's unit torched Williams' to the tune of 555 yards. The best part? The Saints can now run the ball at will, even against a line with Aaron Donald on it. Willie Snead's gadget 50-yard touchdown was a little extra salt in Williams' wound.

Defense: Jared Goff looked good in the first quarter but had minimal completions the rest of the way. The defensive turnaround is on in NOLA; Dennis Allen deserves a little recognition for what he's done to create turnovers (one forced fumble, one interception) and a pass rush (three sacks).

Grade: A

Indianapolis Colts

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Offense: Can someone help a backup quarterback out? Scott Tolzien played well enough to win in Week 12—if not for a few glaring errors elsewhere. For instance, Phillip Dorsett and T.Y. Hilton both dropped surefire touchdowns. And head coach Chuck Pagano sent Tolzien out to attempt not one, but two 4th-and-goals. Six points there would've been helpful.

Defense: Vontae Davis' early exit due to a groin injury opened the floodgates. Antonio Brown twerked right through them. All three of his touchdowns came against corners who replaced Davis. That vertical threat loosened everything up underneath for Le'Veon Bell to dissect.

Grade: C+

Jacksonville Jaguars

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Offense: Blake Bortles is dangerous…when he's not trying to throw the football. New coordinator Nathaniel Hackett wisely got his athletic passer on the outskirts of Buffalo's defense and found 81 rushing yards for him. The downside? All the running neglected Allen Robinson (two catches, 24 yards) in the passing game.

Defense: I look at Jacksonville and see a roster that needs a few more Thanksgivings. Buffalo was its physical superior from the moment LeSean McCoy sprung a 75-yarder in the third quarter. A few 320-pounders would've helped eat up some space and blocks—crucial against a scrambler like Tyrod Taylor.

Grade: C+

Houston Texans

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Offense: Don't pin all of the Texans' woes on Brock Osweiler's shoulders. Lamar Miller's huge fumble interrupted a red-zone trip. Houston's offensive line couldn't contain Joey Bosa. Still, everyone knows Osweiler had to throw well to keep his offense going, and he did not do that.

Defense: Romeo Crennel is playing too much quarters coverage down in H-Town. Quarters is good against run-first teams because it preaches aggressive safety play and easy run fits. But that same aggression bit the defense Crennel quarterbacks in the ass on a few throws—like the fake in-cut Dontrelle Inman walked in for a Chargers score. Mix it up, Romeo.

Grade: C

Tennessee Titans

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Offense: Considering the way he's brought Marcus Mariota along, Mike Mularkey could be a Coach of the Year dark horse. His latest masterpiece: a seam-attacking plan that countered Chicago's two-deep zone to perfection. Delanie Walker and Rishard Matthews both got down the rail for big gains. We don't give him enough credit for this passing game's turnaround.

Defense: Tennessee's defense reminds me so much of the 2015 Raiders. Why? Because there's a system in place. There are parts that scare you, like Brian Orakpo or Derrick Morgan. It just lacks a killer instinct to shut teams out. That's why a team quarterbacked by Matt Barkley can hang around so long.

Grade: B

San Francisco 49ers

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Offense: Colin Kaepernick threw for at least 250 yards and ran for at least 100 yards. So he's in elite company; only four other quarterbacks have accomplished that feat since 1970. It feels like Chip Kelly's offense is finally sinking in, with Kaepernick and Carlos Hyde (95 total yards) going off.

Defense: San Francisco traded one defensive issue for another. Its historically bad run defense looked airtight against Jay Ajayi (45 yards on 18 carries). The pass defense (which was also pretty bad) just made Ryan Tannehill look like Dan Marino.

Grade: B-

Arizona Cardinals

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Offense: Sit back and soak in David Johnson. He's on a historic yardage tear; the Cardinals ball-carrier has hit the 100-yard mark in 11 consecutive games. Imagine what he could do with, I don't know, an actual offensive line in front of him. Or a quarterback who can air out a defense and make safeties respect the pass.

Defense: Is the Cardinals defense stat-padding? It sure feels like it after watching both of Taylor Gabriel's end-zone trips on film. I saw plenty of guys either A) way out of their gap assignment or B) trying to do another player's job. That lack of discipline leaked over, where dropped interceptions and procedure penalties sunk Arizona.

Grade: D-

Los Angeles Rams

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Offense: Jeff Fisher knew what he was getting his rookie quarterback into; why else would Jared Goff sit so long on a playoff-contending team? Now we see the truth. Goff is out there moving the offense with arm talent and guts. There is no running game or pass protection. Eventually, the Saints defense closed in.

Defense: I half-expected to see wild assignment malfunctions when I turned on the Rams tape. That wasn't the case. Instead, Los Angeles lost with good old-fashioned hat-on-hat blocking. Aaron Donald broke through a few times as usual, but not enough to deter Drew Brees from roasting the secondary. The blockers in front of Saints back Mark Ingram took care of their man all game, too.

Grade: C

Seattle Seahawks

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Offense: Two interceptions. One lost fumble. Seven punts. And a field goal. That's how Seattle spent the 11 possessions it had in Tampa Bay last Sunday. It's not back to the drawing board for coordinator Darrell Bevell; his offense is regressing to early-season levels.

Defense: Jameis Winston's two early touchdown throws don't concern me. But I'll push the panic button on what took place for the final three quarters. Winston sat pretty behind a line that hasn't blocked an opponent cleanly all season. Michael Bennett's return should help matters, but he won't magically fix what ailed Cliff Avril and Frank Clark in Week 12.

Grade: F

Denver Broncos

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Offense: I openly questioned Trevor Siemian's ability to play at an above-replacement level a few weeks back. That feels silly now. Siemian put on a quarterbacking clinic against one of the NFL's toughest secondaries. He dropped a long throw to Emmanuel Sanders right in the breadbasket. He recognized an all-out blitz and nailed Bennie Fowler on another score. He just couldn't avoid a safety or move 10 extra yards in an overtime thriller to help out Brandon McManus.

Defense: Von Miller and friends were amazing again—except when Denver needed them most. The NFL's best defense should not allow a 13-play, 75-yard drive to end regulation (and the overtime-forcing two-point play), period. That's doubly true when you're as familiar with an opposing quarterback as the Broncos are with Alex Smith.

Grade: B

San Diego Chargers

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Offense: Let's take a moment to recognize Antonio Gates' greatness. Sunday marked the first time in 77 games he failed to register a reception. Everyone else seemed to get in on the pass-catching action, though. Philip Rivers finds a new favorite target every week. This week's winner was Dontrelle Inman (119 yards, TD on six catches). Everyone helped topple the Texans, who were undefeated at home.

Defense: Joey Bosa is the headliner here. But San Diego's defense finds more no-name contributors than any other team in football. I'll give you two. Linebacker Korey Toomer found room to plug Lamar Miller's lanes without big Brandon Mebane (torn biceps) anchoring everything. Fellow no-namer Damion Square filled that job admirably instead.

Grade: B+

Kansas City Chiefs

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Offense: Go ahead and Google Tyreek Hill's name. You'll find I was on his bandwagon long before your average football pundit. Games like Sunday night's show you why. Hill is the first player since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to record a receiving, rushing and kick return touchdown in a single game. He's no gadget player; Alex Smith looked Hill's way on a do-or-die fourth-down play in the fourth quarter. Kid's a stud.

Defense: Ten tackles. Three sacks. Offenses better head for the hills because Justin Houston is back. His return to the edge of Kansas City's defense transforms the team from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender. And remember: Houston didn't have breakout pass-rusher Dee Ford (hamstring) as his bookend against the Broncos. He'll be back, too.

Grade: A-

Oakland Raiders

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Offense: My thoughts on Derek Carr's MVP candidacy have already gone public. Let's focus on another banged-up Raider who came up big in Week 12. Michael Crabtree's ankle didn't stop him from chopping up the Panthers secondary on Oakland's final drive. When he's on, no defender can hang with Crab.

Defense: A glance at the box score and you'd assume Oakland's defense stumbled again. Not quite. Carolina surged to erase a 17-point first-half deficit. That lead was so large because Khalil Mack is a football-playing force who grabbed a Cam Newton throw and brought it back for six. That's some Charles Woodson stuff right there.

Grade: B+