Which NFL teams have a bye this week?
It almost didn't happen thanks to a COVID-19 outbreak and an inclement weather scare, but the NFL did pull off an entirely full slate of games in Week 12.
The game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens that was originally scheduled for the NFL's Thanksgiving Thursday was pushed back again ... and again ... and again ... before finally being played six days later on Wednesday.
For the first time since Week 3, no NFL teams had a bye in Week 12.
In Week 13, two teams are on a bye: The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
NFL: Buccaneers, Panthers get time off in Week 13
Both NFC South franchises could use a week to rest and recuperate. The Buccaneers came into this season with Super Bowl expectations, and last week they were in a close contest (on the scoreboard) that was billed as a Super Bowl preview. However, Tampa Bay's 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs wasn't really as close as the score indicated; the Chiefs went up 17-0 in the first quarter and the Bucs were playing catch-up the rest of the way.
While the Buccaneers are arguably the most talented team in the NFL on paper, they have been inconsistent in 2020. They've lost three of their last four games. After this week's bye, the Buccaneers play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14.
Even their Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady hasn't looked like himself at times. Brady ranks No. 2 in the NFL in passing yards (3,300) and fourth in touchdowns (28), but his 11 interceptions are tied for second in the NFL, and he ranks 13th in Adjusted QBR. Brady is lower on the QBR list than Ryan Fitzpatrick and Derek Carr, to name a few.
One quarterback who surprisingly ranks higher than Tom Brady in QBR this season is Carolina's Teddy Bridgewater.
Stepping into the big shoes of Cam Newton as the Panthers' new QB, Bridgewater has proven that he's all the way back from the gruesome leg injury he suffered in 2016. Back then, Bridgewater was the Vikings' young franchise quarterback, seemingly a star in the making. After the injury, he had to rebuild his body and his career, battling his way up from backup status with the New Orleans Saints last season to being a starter with the Panthers.
The Panthers are 4-8, which isn't good, but actually better than a lot of experts predicted for them going into this season. Not only were the Panthers replacing former NFL MVP Newton at QB, they had a new head coach in Matt Rhule, and then early in the season, star running back Christian McCaffrey got hurt.
The Panthers have lost six of their last seven games, and could use a break before their Week 14 matchup with the Denver Broncos.