Takeaways From Week Thirteen In The NFL

A new No. 1 emerged as the New Orleans Saints fell on Thursday night. That wasn't the only thing that happened in the NFL this week, though!

• The Dallas Cowboys Aren't Just Shooting For The NFC East: A stout defense that held Drew Brees and crew to only ten points and 176 total yards (along with Brees being held to a 16.3 QBR for that game) strengthened Dallas's grip on the NFC East. A defense with DeMarcus Lawrence swarming around may also prove to be disruptive come playoff time. Teams like the 2011 New York Giants had a destructive front seven en route to a Super Bowl title.
• Watch For The Denver Broncos: Quietly, the Denver Broncos are sneaking up on the competition for the final playoff spot in the AFC. Phillip Lindsay ran for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Denver caused three turnovers as the Broncos upended the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-10. Losing Chris Harris Jr. in the game will hurt, but Denver's last four games are actually favorable: they play the 49ers, the Browns, and the Raiders before playing their last game at home against the Chargers.
• Lamar Jackson May Lead The Ravens To The Last Playoff Spot: Denver may have some stiff competition thanks to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. The rookie quarterback ran the ball 17 times for 75 yards and a touchdown as the Ravens beat the Atlanta Falcons, 26-16. The Ravens also held the Falcons to 131 total yards and the Falcons only had possession for 20:21, compared to the Ravens and 39:39 of possession.

Top Five (At The Moment):

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. New England Patriots
5. Pittsburgh Steelers