5 biggest surprises from NFL Week 12 games 

While it probably has nothing on the ongoing chaos invading the collegiate level, Week 12 of the NFL season had its share of shocks and surprises.

Here's the biggest ones from Week 12:

Which Week 12 games produced the NFL's biggest surprises?

Watt (90) attempts to apply pressure during Sunday's loss in Cincinnati (Photo: Getty)

#5 - Low Watt Loss for Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Steelers fans that tried to attach an asterisk next to their 24-10 loss to the resurgent Cincinnati Bengals back in Week 3 often used a lack of T.J. Watt as their primary defense.

That excuse was rendered null and void on Sunday, when Watt was limited to two tackles (no sacks) in a 41-10 defeat in the rematch at Paul Brown Stadium. To make matters worse for the increasingly desperate Steelers (5-5-1), Watt tested positive for COVID-19 and will likely miss another crucial divisional showdown, this one coming against Baltimore on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

Cincinnati's one-sided win creates a seismic shift in the NFL playoff picture: on a personal level, they earned their first season sweep of the Steelers since 2009 and their healthiest victory over the Steel Curtain in over three decades.

The Bengals (7-4) also remain in the thick of the AFC North's divisional title hunt after they dropped consecutive games to the Jets and Browns. Meanwhile, the Steelers are winless in their last three and might face an early elimination game against the top-seeded Ravens.

Patrick Surtain II (2) was a major part of Denver's crucial victory (Photo: Getty)

#4 - California Screamin'

The Denver Broncos' status as one of the NFL's last undefeated candidates seems like ancient history with all that's happened since their 3-0 start. Many expected Denver to fade once Kansas City Chiefs regained their footing, but the Broncos put up a shocking statement win on Sunday at home.

Anchored by two interceptions from Patrick Surtain II and solid game management from Teddy Bridgewater, the Broncos (6-5) put up a healthy 28-13 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, keeping pace not only in the AFC's wild card logjam (they're currently locked in a three-way tie with divisional brethren from Los Angeles and Las Vegas) but the AFC West title race.

Denver has a big chance to prove they're ready to end one of the NFL's longest playoff droughts as they'll partake in a Sunday night showdown with the Chiefs this weekend (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).

Davante Adams (17) flees from Rams CB Jalen Ramsey (5) and Dont'e Deayon (21) in Sunday's showdown between the Packers and Rams (Photo: Getty)

#3 - November Pain

The Los Angeles Rams made no secret of going all-in on Super Bowl glory when they shocked the NFL world by adding both Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller.

Yet they somehow managed to end November with a worse record than the winless Detroit Lions (0-2-1 during the month after their traditional Thanksgiving defeat). Beckham finally visited the end zone on a long touchdown grab on Sunday, but it did nothing to hide the fact that they've accomplished nothing of note since their all-out commitment to Super Bowl LVI.

No one in the NFL has more to lose than the Rams, who capped off the month with a relatively listless 36-28 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. The Rams (7-4) mortgaged their future for an NFL championship taste and they have yet to yield anything meaningful from it.

Even a mere divisional title is fading from view, as the Arizona Cardinals own a two-game lead and the tiebreaker. The NFL has offered a reprieve of sorts on Sunday, as the lowly Jaguars come to visit (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox).

A dejected Baker Mayfield leaves the field after Cleveland's 13-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday night (Photo: Getty)

#2 - Cleveland Frowns

It was, perhaps, all too appropriate that the Cleveland Browns (6-6) wore their throwback uniforms for their appearance in the NFL's Sunday night marquee tilt against the Ravens: their performance was all too reminiscent of the star-crossed, pre-2020 Browns.

Anyone with even a passing interest in the NFL's last-season proceedings knows about the Browns' offensive struggles, particularly those of franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield. But for the team to completely fail to capitalize on four Lamar Jackson turnovers was shocking in all the worst ways and has cast a dour note on their quest to create consecutive playoff berths for the first time since a five-year stretch in the mid-to-late 1980s.

The powers that be in the NFL appear to be somewhat forgiving: while the Browns are on the wrong end of nearly every wild card tiebreaker, they have another meeting with the Ravens when they return from a late bye. They're defensively sound. Myles Garrett is on the precipice of league history thanks to his sack total and they've allowed 16 points or less in five of their last six games. But the offensive regression is an ugly surprise, especially at this point of the year.

Taylor Heinicke (4) escapes from Seattle pressure during Monday night's prime time showdown (Photo: Getty)

#1- Fail to the Seahawks

Nothing defined the dilution the extra wild cards have brought to the NFL playoff picture better than the Monday night showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Football Team, as a battle between squads with a combined 7-13 record entering would have the inside edge on an NFL playoff berth. But a further subplot shows just how far the Seahawks have fallen and of a potentially arduous road that lies ahead.

It took Seattle 58 minutes of game time (as well as an injury to Washington kicker Joey Slye) to get things rolling before they fell in a bizarre 17-15 final.

Each passing week gives little reason for Russell Wilson to stay in the Pacific Northwest, setting the stage for offseason dramatics for the rest of the NFL. Not only are the Seahawks (3-8) dangerously close to their first losing record in a decade, but they don't even have the consolation of an early NFL Draft pick to keep them company: that selection now lies in New York...where the Jets managed to match Seattle's win total with a comeback victory over Houston.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags