Fields threw for 223 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 58 yards on 12 carries.

It might be time to worry about the Lions.

After needing a furious rally to beat the Bears in Week 11, Detroit then lost handedly to the Packers on Thanksgiving before narrowly escaping with a win over the lackluster Saints in the Superdome.

On Sunday, Detroit once again looked out of sorts, losing 28–13 to Chicago at Soldier Field.

Detroit (8–5) still has control of the NFC North, but that grip is loosening. If the Packers win on Monday night, they would close to within a game of the Lions.

Meanwhile, the late window gives us a great matchup in the AFC with the Chiefs hosting the Bills in what could be an elimination game for Buffalo. Meanwhile, Kansas City is playing for the No. 1 seed. A victory would put the Chiefs in excellent position with four winnable games ahead.

The Cowboys and Eagles will wrap up Week 14 on Sunday Night Football, squaring off at AT&T Stadium, with the winner holding the NFC East lead. The game is important for both but more so for Dallas, which has a brutal schedule ahead, including games with the Bills, Dolphins and Lions.

(This story will be updated throughout the day.)

Sunday

Bears 28, Lions 13

• What it means for Lions: Detroit has serious problems on defense. Yes, the offense was underwhelming, scoring 13 points. But the defense permitted 28 points, 326 yards and 19 first downs. While the Lions continue to falter, they still have an excellent shot to be the NFC’s third seed. But that won’t happen if the defense doesn’t start playing better. Over the last seven weeks, the unit has given up 29.1 points per game.
• What it means for Bears: Chicago (5–8) is playing better, making a case for Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields to stay in their current posts. While it’s been far from perfect, the Bears have won three of their last four games. There’s still ample work ahead to truly argue for Eberflus and Fields as pillars, but a few wins in their last four games, and the conversation could be interesting. 

Buccaneers 29, Falcons 25

• What it means for Buccaneers: Tampa Bay (6–7) lost six of seven in the middle of the season, and yet is tied for the NFC South lead after a wild win over the Falcons. The Buccaneers were outgained 434–290 by Atlanta, but Tampa Bay won and now has a division record of 3–1, with games against the Panthers (road) and Saints (home) remaining. The NFC South has been awful, so anything is possible, including the possibility of the Buccaneers hosting a playoff game.
• What it means for Falcons: The Falcons (6–7) got a huge game from Desmond Ridder, who threw for 347 yards, helping Atlanta go up and down the field all afternoon. Still, the defense allowed 17 points over Tampa Bay’s final four drives, keeping the Falcons from winning and taking control of the division. The good news? If Ridder continues to play this way, Atlanta has a good chance to win the division title.

Bengals 34, Colts 14

• What it means for Colts: Indianapolis (7–6) was due for a stinker, and it certainly had one in Cincinnati. The Colts saw their five-game winning streak snapped in decisive fashion, with the defense allowing 385 yards while Gardner Minshew threw for 240 yards on a measly 6.4 yards per attempt. Despite the loss, Indianapolis still has a shot at the playoffs, likely needing three more wins. The remaining schedule has three home games with the Steelers, Raiders and Texans.
• What it means for Bengals: Cincinnati (7–6) is still in the hunt. The Bengals have games against the Vikings and Steelers the next two weeks, before going to Kansas City and then finishing the regular-season slate with the Browns at Paycor Stadium. With Jake Browning playing excellent football (18-of-24, 275 yards), the big question is whether the defense can stiffen after being one of the league’s worst all year. Regardless, Cincinnati is alive despite losing Joe Burrow for the season.

Saints 28, Panthers 6

• What it means for Panthers: No team is in a worse spot. Carolina (1–12) doesn’t have its first-round pick, and the quarterback it traded a fortune for has been awful. This weekend was no exception, with Bryce Young throwing for 137 yards while completing just 13-of-36 attempts. When owner David Tepper goes searching for a coach this winter, he’ll have a tough time selling positives about the job.
• What it means for Saints: It’s time to start thinking up ways to move off Derek Carr long term. On Sunday, Carr had another putrid game, throwing for 119 yards on 26 attempts (4.6 YPA). His contract essentially locks him into New Orleans for 2024 but after that, the Saints (6–7) can move forward. It wouldn’t be the worst idea for general manager Mickey Loomis to use his first-round pick on a quarterback, something the franchise hasn’t done since nabbing Archie Manning in 1971.

Jets 30, Texans 6

• What it means for Texans: Houston (7–6) got a huge win last week over the Broncos, and then followed it up with a hideous loss. The question is whether this is the result of losing rookie receiver Tank Dell last week and Sunday’s calf injury to Nico Collins. C.J. Stroud had the worst day of his young career, going 10-of-23 for 91 yards before being knocked out in the fourth quarter. The Texans play the Titans twice, and the Browns and Colts moving forward, so the playoffs remain a possibility, but Houston needs to regain its form in short order.
• What it means for Jets: The win is good news for coach Robert Saleh, who has been embroiled in quarterback controversies the past couple of weeks. Zach Wilson had one of his best games, throwing for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the defense was spectacular, limiting Stroud while sacking him four times. While the Jets (5–8) aren’t going anywhere, this effort shows Saleh hasn’t lost the team.

Thursday

Patriots 21, Steelers 18

• What it means for Patriots: New England (3–10) made the right move going to Bailey Zappe, but also hurt its draft position. Yes, the team is always trying to win and Zappe gives them their best chance. However, the Patriots have to find a quarterback in the draft and if they had lost, they would have been in position to land either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Perhaps that still happens, but New England put itself in a bit of peril for the draft.
• What it means for Steelers: It’s over for Pittsburgh (7–6). The Steelers were 7–4 with home games coming against the Cardinals and Patriots, who had a combined four wins entering Acrisure Stadium. However, two consecutive losses combined with Kenny Pickett being sidelined have Pittsburgh on life support, needing to likely win at least three of its final four games. Good luck.