PFF Grades and Data: Everything you need to know for every NFL Week 12 game

• The Steelers defense has excelled at shutting down deep passing attacks: Pittsburgh has allowed just a 42.2 passer rating on throws of 20 or more yards downfield — the second-lowest mark in the NFL this season.

• Drake Maye is finding a way: Since taking over as the Patriots‘ starting quarterback in Week 6, Drake Maye has established himself as one of the league's top scrambling threats. His 14 first downs and touchdowns on scrambles since Week 6 are four more than any other quarterback

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Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

For 17 years, PFF has built the most detailed football database in the world, analyzing every player on every play across the NFL, college football and beyond. Trusted by all 32 NFL teams and countless others, PFF provides the data that helps uncover the real story behind every game.

Ahead of NFL Week 12, our media team has dived deep into the numbers to deliver key insights for every NFL matchup, highlighting the hidden storylines and standout performances that shape each game.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

The Steelers‘ defense has excelled at shutting down deep passing attacks, allowing just a 42.2 passer rating on throws of 20 or more yards downfield—the second-lowest mark in the NFL this season. This unit will face a significant challenge against Jameis Winston, whose five touchdown passes of 20-plus yards since Week 8 rank second in the league.

Since coming off the bench, Winston has consistently tested defenses downfield. His 10.7 average depth of target since Week 8 is the second-highest in the NFL, and 48% of his attempts have traveled beyond the first-down marker, the third-highest rate over the past four weeks.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

The Titans‘ defense has been exceptional on third down, holding opponents to a 33% conversion rate—the second-lowest in the league. Conversely, C.J. Stroud has been heavily utilized on third down, leading all players with 134 dropbacks and 108 pass attempts. He has completed 63% of those attempts with a 92.0 passer rating.

Additionally, the Texans‘ offense allows pressure on 41% of third-down plays, the 10th-highest rate in the NFL this season.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

Since taking over as the Patriots‘ starting quarterback in Week 6, Drake Maye has established himself as one of the league's top scrambling threats. His 14 first downs and touchdowns on scrambles since Week 6 are four more than any other quarterback, and his 13 scrambles of 10-plus yards are six more than the next closest player.

Jonnu Smith has emerged as a reliable receiving option at tight end for the Dolphins this season. His 10 receptions of 15-plus yards are tied for fourth among tight ends, while his 115.7 passer rating when targeted ranks ninth among tight ends with at least 25 targets.

Detroit Lions @ Indianapolis Colts

Jared Goff has taken 57% of his snaps from under center this season, the highest rate in the league, and his 1,318 passing yards are also the most among all quarterbacks in such situations. Goff’s 132.7 passer rating from under center ranks third at the position, and he will face a Colts defense that has allowed an 80% completion rate and a 112.9 passer rating to quarterbacks under center this season.

Josh Downs continues to emerge as a reliable receiving threat, particularly from the slot. His 471 receiving yards from the slot rank third most in the NFL, while his 24 first-down conversions are tied for the second most among all players.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Sam Darnold‘s 11 touchdown passes on play-action lead all players this season and mark the most in a single season of his career. Before this year, Darnold had thrown just 10 touchdown passes off play-action in his entire career.

On third down last week, Caleb Williams posted a passing grade of 82.6—the highest for a single game in his rookie season. He completed 8 of 10 pass attempts for a 101.3 passer rating, also his best mark on third downs this year. The game also marked the first time Williams wasn’t sacked on a third-down dropback.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Carolina Panthers

Last week in Buffalo, the Chiefs‘ defense struggled with an uncharacteristic number of missed tackles against the Bills‘ offense. Their 19 total missed tackles were not only a season-high but also the most in a game during Steve Spagnuolo’s tenure as defensive coordinator, which began in 2019.

Xavier Legette has been outstanding on contested targets this season. He has secured nine catches on 11 contested opportunities, giving him an 82% contested catch rate—the second-highest among wide receivers with a minimum of five contested targets.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New York Giants

Mike Evans is trending toward playing this Sunday against the Giants, but his pursuit of another 1,000-yard receiving season appears daunting. Even before his injury, his 12.9 yards per reception was on pace to be a career low.

Tommy DeVito is set to take over as the Giants‘ starting quarterback. During his stretch as the Giants‘ starter last season from Weeks 9 to 15, he ranked 11th in passer rating (94.5) and 8th in completion percentage (66.0%).

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders

Micah Parsons has been nothing short of elite, boasting a 94.1 pass-rushing grade since entering the league. Since 2021, he has been one of only four edge defenders with a win rate above 20%, and his 226 total pressures rank seventh at the position.

Washington generates pressure through a deep rotation of contributors on defense. The Commanders feature eight players with 10 or more total pressures, led by Dante Fowler Jr.‘s 31.

Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders

Denver’s defense is tied for the league lead with 79 tackles for loss or no gain. The Broncos have recorded 63 such tackles on designed run plays, the most among all teams. Zach Allen leads the way with 11 tackles for loss or no gain against the run, anchoring a defensive unit that has communicated effectively to stifle opposing offenses.

The Raiders have showcased reliable hands this season, posting the second-lowest drop rate in the league at 2.4%. This marks a significant improvement from their 7.6% drop rate in 2023, which ranked fourth highest.

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Marvin Harrison Jr. has dominated one-on-one matchups this season, earning a 92.8 receiving grade against single coverage, the fourth-best in the NFL. He has also hauled in four receiving touchdowns in such situations, tied for third most. Meanwhile, the Seahawks secondary has excelled in single coverage, allowing just 6.7 yards per target—the sixth-lowest mark among defenses.

Geno Smith has been clutch in end-of-half situations, leading the league with 779 passing yards and five touchdown passes during the two-minute drill. On the other side, the Cardinals‘ defense has yet to allow a passing touchdown in the two-minute drill, and their 64.4 passer rating allowed in those situations ranks seventh-best.

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers

Brock Purdy has emerged as a legitimate running threat this season. His 258 rushing yards on scrambles rank third in the league, and his 37 attempts in 2024 have already surpassed his total of 24 from last season, including the playoffs. Conversely, Green Bay had been effective at limiting scrambling quarterbacks until last week when they allowed 49 rushing yards to Caleb Williams.

Against Chicago last week, Green Bay posted a 36% play-action rate, their highest in a single game this season. Since entering the league in 2021, including postseason play, Jordan Love has recorded a 116.0 passer rating with play action—the third-best mark in the NFL. This week, Love’s counterpart, Brock Purdy, leads all passers in that same span with a 127.3 passer rating off play action.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Rams

Defenses know what’s coming when they face the Eagles in short-yardage situations, but that hasn’t made stopping them any easier. Jalen Hurts leads the NFL with eight rushing touchdowns and 23 total rushing conversions on plays with one yard or less to go. In contrast, the Rams defense has struggled in short-yardage scenarios, allowing a league-high 79% conversion rate on plays with one yard or less.

Matthew Stafford has thrived when working outside the pocket, earning an 86.6 passing grade and throwing six touchdown passes—both second-best among qualifying quarterbacks. However, the Eagles defense has effectively limited such opportunities, facing just 49 dropbacks outside the pocket, the third-fewest in the league. When quarterbacks do escape, though, Philadelphia has struggled, allowing a 136.5 passer rating—the fourth worst in the NFL.

Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers

At 56%, the Chargers have one of the league's lowest pass-play rates, the seventh-lowest in the NFL. However, when they do pass, they generate plenty of big plays, as they rank fourth in the league in pass plays that gain 15 or more yards (17%). This week, they face a Ravens defense that has allowed 87 explosive pass plays — 14 more than any other team.

Lamar Jackson has excelled when operating from a clean pocket, leading qualifying quarterbacks in yards per attempt (10.1) and passer rating (125.7).

Conversely, the Chargers defense has been effective even without creating pressure, allowing just 6.3 yards per play when quarterbacks are kept clean — the second-best mark in the league.