Each week, Yardbarker highlights the most important people leading into the week’s NFL games.
From players to coaches and beyond, here are the 10 most important people to keep an eye on in Week 12.
QB Tommy DeVito | New York Giants
Earlier this week, New York benched Daniel Jones and elevated DeVito to starting quarterback. A North Jersey product, the undrafted free agent intends to avoid all the hoopla that came with his promotion to starting QB last season.
“The external stuff will be on pause,” DeVito said, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com “I already had talks with everybody around me, my inner circle. Want it to stay very tight and make sure that everything is about production on Sunday.”
In 2023, Devito started six games, tossing eight touchdowns and three interceptions and going 3-3.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said the spark DeVito gave the team last season was important in the decision-making to bench Jones and make DeVito QB1 over backup Drew Lock.
The Giants (2-8) will play at home Sunday against Tampa Bay (4-6).
Owner Jerry Jones | Dallas Cowboys
Dallas’ season is spiraling out of control. Injured QB Dak Prescott won’t play the rest of the season, sheet metal fell from AT&T Stadium, DB Trevon Diggs got chippy with the media and Jones went on a diatribe about the impact of natural light in his home palace.
The de facto GM is bound to make more eyebrow-raising comments during a hopeless season for the Cowboys (3-7), who play at Washington (7-3) on Sunday.
QB Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins (4-6) have won two straight because of Tagovailoa, who has played well since coming back from a concussion suffered earlier in the season. In a Week 11 win over the awful Raiders, he completed 28-of-36 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns.
Miami, which ESPN gives a 15 percent chance of making the playoffs, must keep winning to make the postseason for the third straight season. On Sunday, the Dolphins play host to New England Patriots (3-8).
RB Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley, who is No. 2 in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,137, led the league in rushing yards in Week 11 with 146 in a 26-18 win over the Washington Commanders. The addition of Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles are 8-2 heading into a matchup at the Los Angeles Rams (5-5).
A “different beast,” Rams rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse called Barkley, per The Orange County Register.
QB Bo Nix | Denver Broncos
After starting slowly, rookie Nix has done a 180 and looks like a veteran. In a Week 11 thumping of Atlanta, he went 28-of-33 for 307 yards with four touchdown passes. Expect another dominant performance on the road Sunday against the terrible Las Vegas Raiders (2-8).
The 6-5 Broncos are No. 7 in the AFC playoff hierarchy, good for the last wild-card berth, and have a 51 percent chance to make the postseason, per ESPN.
HC Matt Eberflus | Chicago Bears
The Bears started 4-2 but are now 4-6.
“It’s almost comical,” Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said of the team’s recent losses, per ESPN. “The luck of the damn draw at this point. We’ve got to figure it out, how to be better.”
The Bears fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy recently, replacing him with Thomas Brown. If Eberflus doesn’t get things turned around, he’ll be next out the door, perhaps following a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit, which will be a big favorite.
Next up for the Bears is a home game Sunday against Minnesota (8-2).
QB Jared Goff | Detroit Lions
After throwing five interceptions in Week 10, Goff threw for 412 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11. If he continues with performances like that, he could become a dark horse MVP candidate.
Per FanDuel as of Thursday (Nov. 21), Goff has the third-best odds of winning MVP (+800).
The Lions (9-1) will look to stay hot Sunday at Indianapolis (5-6).
QB Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers (7-3) have won four games in a row. Much of the credit for the streak is due to Herbert, who has played highly efficiently (13 TD passes, one interception). Per Pro Football Focus, he has an above-average 93.6 grade from a clean pocket this season, tops among QBs.
Herbert and the Chargers must be at their best Sunday at home against Baltimore (7-4), which has the NFL’s worst pass defense (284.5 YPG) but second-best rush defense (77.5).
RB Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey, who made his season debut in Week 10, has rushed 32 times the past two weeks for 118 yards (3.7-yard average) and made 10 receptions for 95 yards. He either has rust to knock off or he’s still bothered by the injuries that kept him out most of the season. Or both.
At 5-5, the 49ers must get McCaffrey going to have a shot at making the playoffs and defending their NFC title. On Sunday, San Francisco — which has a 27 percent chance of making the postseason, per ESPN — will play at Green Bay (7-3).
QB Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders
The Commanders (7-4) are poised to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season, but they’ve lost two in a row and are second in the NFC East behind the Eagles (8-2).
Daniels is No. 5 in ESPN’s Total QBR (67.6) but has lost some steam lately, throwing for just one touchdown the past two games. Perhaps his rib injury is more serious than we know.
Daniels and the Commanders will try to get back in the win column Sunday at home against the awful Cowboys (3-7).
