With Thanksgiving on our doorstep and remarkably just seven weeks left in the regular season, every moment is critical from here on out in the NFL. That said, Week 12 feels especially like an inflection point for the 2025 regular season. 

Several teams are teetering as we enter this slate, and the results from this week could begin to reveal which teams are starting to gain momentum down the home stretch and which ones are likely to start falling by the wayside. There are also developments for teams well outside of the playoff race, particularly at key positions like head coach and quarterback. 

Below, we're going to highlight some of the pivotal games in Week 12 and detail the ramifications/chain reactions they could have depending on the result, as well as what they could mean for clubs going forward. 

8. Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders

You may not have expected to see this game included in this bunch, but this contest has serious potential ripple effects, depending on the outcome, even if it has no bearing on the playoff picture. We'll refrain from highlighting the possibilities in the event of a Raiders win, as it really won't make much of a dent in the overall big picture. The other possible results, however, are fascinating.

If the Browns win: A Shedeur Sanders coronation? While there are ways that Cleveland can win this football game without Sanders needing to do much of the heavy lifting, if he can help contribute to a win on Sunday, he'd have as many wins as the Browns starter as both Joe Flacco (now with the Bengals) and Dillon Gabriel this season. You better believe that the Sanders hype train will be running full steam under this scenario, and maybe they look to ride him the rest of the way. 

If the Raiders lose: On the other side of this hypothetical, this would be a devastating loss for Las Vegas. Losing to Shedeur Sanders -- a fifth-round rookie the Browns are reluctantly starting -- would be rock bottom for a club that would be looking at its fifth-straight loss and sitting at 2-9 on the season. It's that kind of defeat that would put Pete Carroll in the crosshairs of a conversation, wondering if he'll be a one-and-done coach. 

If the Browns lose: The clock could strike midnight of the Shedeur Sanders era before it even gets off the ground. With Maxx Crosby screaming off the edge for the Raiders, there's a world where Sanders is under siege throughout this Week 12 contest. In his brief showing last week, coming in under duress, the game looked too fast for Sanders, and the rookie didn't play well. If that's the case, again with a full game sample and after a week of practicing with the first-team offense, it could paint a definitive picture that he's not a viable option as Cleveland's future at quarterback. 

7. New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens 

From a Jets perspective, there isn't much here. Yes, the team is moving to Tyrod Taylor as its starting quarterback, but a win would merely be a moral boost for the organization, not a sign of a turning of the tide. A loss would continue to put them in contention for the No. 1 pick at the 2026 NFL Draft, at least. Really, this game is all about the Ravens. 

If the Ravens win: Suddenly, Baltimore would be above .500 for the first time this season at 6-5, and winners of five straight games. That would keep them hot on the heels of the Steelers in the AFC North race. Moreover, if Pittsburgh were to lose its Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears on the road, the Ravens would knot themselves up with them atop the division with both head-to-head matchups still on deck later this season. The Ravens would also be within striking range of the final wild-card spot in the conference.

If the Ravens lose: Talk about a potential gut punch. The wind would be knocked out of the sails of the Ravens if they were to suffer what would be an extraordinary upset loss to the Jets at home. They'd be back under .500, pushing them further behind in the wild-card race, and would desperately need Pittsburgh to fall off to keep them within range in the division. 

6. Jacksonville Jaguars at Arizona Cardinals

Similar to the Jets-Ravens matchup above, this one really has more weight on one side when looking at the rest of the season from a big-picture standpoint. While Arizona isn't eliminated from playoff contention, they have a massive uphill climb at 3-7, and a fourth win against an AFC opponent would move the needle just slightly. On the flip side, this is a big weekend for Jacksonville, which enters Week 12 clinging to the No. 7 seed at 6-4. 

If the Jaguars win: A victory would push Jacksonville to 7-4 on the year, and give them a bit of breathing room in the AFC playoff picture. Thanks to their blowout win over the Chargers in Week 11, they'd jump over Los Angeles (on the bye in Week 12) in the standings as they currently sit as the No. 6 seed in the conference. Meanwhile, they'd sneakily remain within range of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South race. Indy comes into Week 12 at 8-2 on the year, but is are underdog on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs. If that contest plays out like the oddsmakers believe it will, Jacksonville would be a mere one game behind the Colts for first place with both head-to-head matchups upcoming in Week 14 and Week 17. 

If the Jaguars lose: This is where things could get dicey for the Jags. A loss in Arizona then drops the club to 6-5 on the year and exposes them to the potential of falling out of the playoff picture (at least momentarily). Behind them, there are three AFC teams at 5-5 (Houston, Baltimore, and Kansas City). 

5. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

If the Eagles win: Philly would essentially lock up the NFC East. A victory over Dallas would complete the season sweep against the club that is their next biggest threat, even though it sits in second place at just 4-5-1 entering Week 12. A win here would go beyond just unofficially securing the division, however, as it'd move them to 9-2 on the year and -- maybe just as important -- give them an 8-2 record in the conference. With the head-to-head tiebreaker already in place over the Los Angeles Rams (thanks to a Week 3 win), this elite conference record (the next tiebreaker) would have them in a prime position to secure the No. 1 seed. 

If the Cowboys lose: Any fleeting thought of a second-half rally that makes them NFC East champions would die on the vine in this scenario. Even more dire, however, is that Dallas would drop to 4-6-1, which gives them a massive hole to dig out of if they want to sniff the playoffs. With games against Kansas City (Thanksgiving) and Detroit over the next two weeks, this could be the first nail in the coffin. 

If the Cowboys win: Yes, Jerry Jones will dream about winning the NFC East, but that's still mostly out of the realm of possibility. More realistically, the Cowboys can aim for one of the final wild-card spots. A win would put them at 5-5-1, and give them some much-needed momentum as they gear up for one of the toughest stretches of the season, playing three consecutive standalone games. If they can go at least 2-1 over that stretch (two games at AT&T Stadium), you're looking at a 7-6-1 team with three games to go. 

If the Eagles lose: This really won't have much impact on the NFC East race as Philly maintains a strong lead in the win-loss column, so their playoff position remains on firm ground. However, where they end up from a seeding perspective could change. A loss would put the Eagles at 8-3 on the season. If the Rams and Bears (both 7-3 entering Week 12) can win their respective matchups, you're looking at a three-way tie record-wise atop the NFC. The Eagles still have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams, while the Black Friday showdown against Chicago takes on an even bigger level of importance. 

4. Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears

If the Steelers win: Pittsburgh comes into Week 12 atop the AFC North and as the No. 4 seed in the conference. A win in Chicago would keep the status quo, holding off the Baltimore Ravens no matter the outcome of their matchup against the Jets. The Steelers enter Week 12 behind the Colts (8-2) and Patriots (9-2) for the No. 3 and No. 2 seed, respectively. However, a win keeps pace in that jockeying for seeding, and Pittsburgh does own head-to-head tiebreakers over both of them, which could prove noteworthy if they were to draw even down the stretch. 

If the Bears lose: The NFC North gets razor-thin. Both the Lions (6-4) and Packers (6-3-1) are favored to win their Week 12 matchups. If that comes to fruition and the Bears fall to Pittsburgh, Green Bay jumps back atop the division and Chicago also falls behind the Lions due to the head-to-head tiebreaker, possibly thrusting them out of the playoff picture altogether once the dust settles on the slate. 

If the Steelers lose: In this scenario, things get uneasy in the Steel City. With Aaron Rodgers' status up in the air, there's a real possibility of the Steelers dropping to 6-5 on the season. If the Ravens take care of business against the Jets, you're looking at a tie atop the division with two head-to-head matchups still scheduled for later in the year. Because Baltimore is 2-0 in the division, they'd temporarily hold first place, potentially leaving Pittsburgh out of the playoff picture entirely, especially if the Jaguars also beat Arizona to put them at 7-4. 

If the Bears win: Chicago would remarkably reach Thanksgiving in sole possession of first place in the NFC North at 8-3. It'd also set up a potential scenario where the Black Friday game against the Philadelphia Eagles could propel the Bears to the No. 1 seed in the NFC after securing the head-to-head tiebreaker.  

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams

If the Buccaneers win: Tampa Bay moves to 7-4 and keeps its hold of the NFC South. A win would also give them a valuable head-to-head tiebreaker over Los Angeles, which they can slot next to their tiebreakers over the 49ers and Seahawks as well. 

If the Rams lose: A loss would still see the Rams sit in first place in the NFC West, no matter if both the Seahawks and 49ers win. However, it'd close the gap even more in a division race where tiebreakers feel like an inevitable factor. Not only would a loss drop L.A. to 8-3, but it'd give them just a 3-3 record in the NFC, which could loom large in seeding/tiebreaker scenarios. 

If the Buccaneers lose: A Bucs loss possibly opens the door for Carolina, who visit the 49ers on Monday night. If they can pull off that upset, you're looking at an NFC South with the 7-5 Panthers leading over the 6-5 Buccaneers coming out of Week 12. On top of potentially losing ground in the division, a loss could thrust Tampa Bay into a tight wild-card race in the NFC as well.

If the Rams win: L.A. would gain a valuable head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers and keep the rest of the NFC West at arm's length, at least for the moment. 

2. Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers

If the Panthers win: A 7-5 Carolina Panthers team at Thanksgiving would be something very few (if any) saw coming. Of course, they'd need to upset the 49ers in Santa Clara to get there, but Carolina does have six upset wins this season already, so they've shown they are capable of pulling it off. That head-to-head win over the 49ers would help thrust them even further into the wild-card conversation. Moreover, if the Rams take down the Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, the Panthers would find themselves in first place in the division after Week 12.  

If the 49ers lose: Both Seattle and Los Angeles are favorites in Week 12, and if that follows through on Sunday, San Francisco loses ground in the division race. Even worse, they'd hand Carolina a key head-to-head tiebreaker, which pushes them to the brink in the wild-card race. Coming into Week 12, the Niners are the No. 7 seed at 7-4 with teams like the Lions (6-4) and Panthers (6-5) hot on their heels. 

If the Panthers lose: This would put a dent in Carolina's surprising playoff push, sending them back to .500 on the year. While it doesn't eliminate them in the NFC South race whatsoever (still two games to go against the Bucs), Tampa Bay would still have some wiggle room no matter the outcome of its game. 

If the 49ers win: This is where things get interesting. The 49ers are the No. 7 seed at 7-4, and a win may not move the needle much in Week 12, particularly if their division rivals hold serve and win this weekend. However, a victory would give San Francisco another notch in its already stellar conference record of 7-2. If they were to jump to 8-2 in the conference, they'd put them in a position to slingshot up the standings, especially with a tiebreaker over both Seattle and Los Angeles, currently. The only team with a better conference record at the moment is the Eagles (7-1). That sneakily creates a potential lane toward the No. 1 seed for San Francisco down the stretch if those other clubs slip up just a touch. 

1. Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs

If the Colts win: The Colts keep their hand firmly on the AFC South if they move to 9-2, ensuring at least a two-game lead over the second-place Jaguars even if they defeat the Cardinals. A 7-1 conference record with a win over Kansas City could also prove valuable, with both Denver and New England (both 9-2 entering Week 12) owning two losses each in the conference. 

If the Chiefs lose: If Kansas City loses, they are at serious risk of missing the playoffs. According to SportsLine's projections entering Week 12, the Chiefs would have just a 36.3% of making the playoffs if they lose to Indianapolis. They'd be under .500 at 5-6, own a 2-5 conference record, and are on the wrong side of head-to-head, the tiebreaker with the Jaguars, who enter Week 12 as the No. 7 seed. 

If the Colts lose: Indy would keep the Jaguars in the AFC South race with a loss. Jacksonville is favored on the road over the Cardinals, and if they pull off that road win and the Colts lose, Indianapolis has a one-game lead with two head-to-head matchups on the docket. Suddenly, they'd go from eyeing the No. 1 seed to a potential wild-card entry.

If the Chiefs win: K.C. gets back over .500, moving to 6-5. While that doesn't instantly thrust them into the playoff picture, it keeps them within striking range. It also helps them keep pace with a surging Ravens team as they also look to climb back into the playoff conversation. Kansas City owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Baltimore thanks to a win in Week 4.