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A look at night of revival for the San Diego Chargers:

What it means: The streak is over. The Chargers slapped around the Jaguars to end a six-game losing streak, the team’s longest losing in 10 years. San Diego is now 5-7 and tied with Kansas City in the AFC West. Both teams are two games behind Denver and Oakland, both 7-5.

The difference: The Chargers could have easily won all seven of their losses. But they made crucial mistakes late in games to blow it. San Diego coach Norv Turner told ESPN his team hadn’t been a “well-oiled machine.” Monday, the Chargers were the team we’ve been expecting to see all season. This was perhaps San Diego’s best overall game of the season.

Welcome back, Philip: San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers had his best game of the season. He was the typically aggressive Rivers who excelled with the deep pass. Rivers completed 22 of 28 passes for 294 yards with three touchdown passes. Most importantly, Rivers was not intercepted. Three days before his 30th birthday, Rivers showed he is still an upper-echelon quarterback.

Healthy weapons: It helped that he had healthy receiving weapons. Malcom Floyd was back after missing a month with a hip injury. Rivers hit Floyd, receiver Vincent Jackson and tight end Antonio Gates a combined 14 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Injuries mount: The banged-up Chargers did not leave Florida without adding to their long injury list. Standout center Nick Hardwick and young linebacker Donald Butler both left the game for periods of time.

Is it enough to save jobs? Did the Chargers’ strong effort help coach Norv Turner save his job? No. The only way Turner likely stays is if the Chargers somehow make the playoffs — and their road is still very difficult with just a quarter of the season remaining. General manager A.J. Smith is also reportedly on the hot seat.

Gaither starts: Because of major issues on San Diego’s offensive line, newly claimed left tackle Jared Gaither started. He was waived by Kansas City last week. Rivers was not sacked — a great effort by a makeshift line.

Mathews looks good: San Diego second-year running back Ryan Mathews showed his great ability as he ran for 112 yards on 13 carries. He had a 31-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Defense withstands pressure: The Jaguars took a 14-10 lead in the second quarter with touchdowns on consecutive drives. But San Diego’s defense buckled down and took the Jacksonville offense out of the game.

What’s next: The Chargers will try to keep the momentum going at home against the struggling Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

A few thoughts on a closer-than-expected game at the Superdome:

What it means: The Detroit Lions have now lost five of their last seven games, all to teams in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, to fall to 7-5. Sunday night's loss clinched the NFC North for the Green Bay Packers and left the Lions in the seventh seed of the NFC's six-team playoff field.

Costly penalties: Ndamukong Suh's teammates didn't seem to get the message sent by his two-game suspension. They had at least three inexcusable post-whistle personal fouls. Receiver Titus Young cost his team a goal-line opportunity and forced it to settle for a field goal. Kick returner Stefan Logan threw the ball at the Saints' Will Herring after a return, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew was penalized for trying to kick and trip Saints safety Roman Harper. That was 45 lost yards right there. Scrutiny will increasingly turn to Lions coach Jim Schwartz to get this team under control.

StaffordWatch: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford put together a whale of a game, completing 31 of 44 passes for 408 yards and did not throw an interception until the Lions were in desperation mode late in the fourth quarter. It's probably not a coincidence that Stafford wasn't wearing gloves to protect a fractured right index finger. He had thrown nine interceptions in three previous games while wearing the gloves.

Undermanned: The Lions couldn't have been too upset with the way their defense played without Suh, safety Louis Delmas and cornerback Chris Houston. They actually held the Saints 10 points below their average for home games this season.

What's next: The Lions will host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday at Ford Field.

Thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals' performance during their game against the Dallas Cowboys at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 13:

What it means: The Cardinals can feel better about quarterback Kevin Kolb and their defense after Kolb's 52-yard scoring pass to LaRod Stephens-Howling in overtime. Kolb was back in the lineup for the first time since Oct. 30. He struggled early, but a strong second half and overtime gave him something to build around heading into the final month of the season. That was important for Kolb and the team. Arizona's defensive improvement has been ongoing. This was another step forward on that front.

What I liked: The Arizona defense played well enough to keep the Cardinals in the game while the Arizona offense struggled. Kolb bounced back to lead the Cardinals on two scoring drives to open the second half. He did a good job getting Andre Roberts involved, a change from earlier in the season. Kolb played with more awareness in the pocket, including when he peeked over his shoulder before rolling right and finding Larry Fitzgerald for a near-reception (Fitzgerald did not get both feet down). The Cardinals' defense got pressure on Tony Romo, including in key situations. There were also times when Romo could find no receivers open downfield, inviting sacks.

What I didn't like: The Cardinals got nothing going offensively in the first half. That changed to open the second half, but a false-start penalty against right tackle Brandon Keith derailed an attempt to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Another false-start penalty, this one against Daryn Colledge, set back a fourth-quarter drive when the score was tied and Arizona needed to rally. There were lots of Cowboys fans at University of Phoenix Stadium. Crowd noise seemed to be a factor on the false-start penalty against Colledge. Early Doucet, reliable on third down to this point in the season, dropped a third-down pass when the Cardinals were deep in their own territory with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

Quotebook: The score was tied 13-13 midway through the fourth quarter when Fox analyst John Lynch said, "This Cardinals defense is for real." Those words seemed most unlikely when that same defense was struggling early in the season. The recent progress on defense has come since the team gave more playing time to Sam Acho and, to a lesser extent, O'Brien Schofield. Players have also had more time to learn the scheme coordinator Ray Horton installed beginning in August.

What's next: The Cardinals are home against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14.

Thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens 24-10 victory at the Cleveland Browns:

What it means: Even though the performance was as sloppy as the weather at times, the Ravens showed they had the focus to put away a team with a losing record on the road. Baltimore improves to 9-3, which is tied for the best record in the AFC, and remains tied with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North (although the Ravens own the tiebreaker). The Browns (4-8) lost for the fifth time in six weeks and secured another non-winning season.

Running it up: The Ravens exposed one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, gaining 290 yards on the ground (191 yards more than their per-game average) on a franchise-record 52 attempts. Ray Rice ran for 204 yards and one touchdown.

Running one back: The Ravens' Lardarius Webb sealed the victory with a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It marked the Ravens' first punt return for a score since 2007.

Poor passing: Colt McCoy was 17-of-35 for 192 yards, but his biggest mistake came at the end of the first half. He was picked off by Ravens rookie Jimmy Smith, whose turnover led to a field goal late in the second quarter. The Ravens' Joe Flacco didn't a great day either. He was 10-of-23 for 158 yards.

Kicking concern: The Ravens' Billy Cundiff missed two more field goals, failing on attempts from 34 and 41 yards. He has eight misses this year, although five have come from 50 yards or longer.

What's next: The Browns have to make the short drive down to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night game. The Ravens return home to play another last-place team, the Indianapolis Colts, on Sunday.

Thoughts on the Colts’ 31-24 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium:

What it means: The Colts are 0-12, but get some credit for fighting back from a 31-3 deficit to get within a touchdown at the end. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky's final line -- 30-of-37 for 353 yards, two touchdowns and an interception -- gave him a 113.2 passer rating, less than 3 points off Tom Brady’s. But the bulk of Orlovsky’s completions and yards came after the Patriots had built a significant cushion.

What I didn’t like: The Patriots top two passing targets had their way with the Colts. Wes Welker was targeted by Brady 11 times and caught the pass all 11 times. Tight end Rob Gronkowski had two receiving touchdowns and one on what was judged to be a lateral. The Patriots scored on four touchdowns and a field goal on five of their first six possessions. On offense, running back Delone Carter lost a fumble, and such moments negate whatever confidence he’s built up during the week in practice from the coaching staff.

What I liked: Again, take it in the context of New England’s big early lead, but the Colts allowed on 3.0 yards per carry, converted 10 of 15 third downs and gained 437 net yards.

What’s next: The Colts travel to Baltimore for another very difficult AFC matchup that in recent years has typically had big playoff implications.

A look at an impressive 10-3 win for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Chicago Bears:

What it means: The Chiefs are now 5-7. They trail Denver and Oakland, both 7-5, by two games in the AFC West race. They lead San Diego, 4—7, by a half game. San Diego plays at Jacksonville on Monday night. The win snapped a four-game Kansas City losing streak. Maybe the Chiefs’ strange season trend will continue. The Chiefs have been a team of streaks all season. They started the season, 0-3, then won four straight games and then lost four straight games.

Big play: The lone touchdown of the game was on a crazy 38-yard pass from Tyler Palko to Dexter McCluster at the end of the first half. It was deflected twice.

Palko gets first win: Palko got his first NFL win. He was 0-2 in his first two starts. Palko was 17 of 30 for 157 yards. Most importantly, he did not throw an interception. He was picked off six times in his first two NFL starts.

Short stint for Orton: Quarterback Kyle Orton spelled Palko for one play. He hurt his finger on his first and only pass as a Chief. Kansas City coach Todd Haley had no update on Orton’s injury after the game. With Orton dealing with an injury and Palko coming off a win, I could see Palko getting more time.

Houston, we don’t have a problem: Kansas City rookie Justin Houston was spectacular as he had three sacks. Kansas City had seven sacks on the day.

Good defense: The Kansas City defense has played well recently and it had another big day with three interceptions Sunday. Give defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel credit for putting together a strong group.

What’s next: The Chiefs, who entered Week 13 tied for the toughest remaining schedule in the league, play at the New York Jets on Sunday.

Thoughts on the Titans’ 23-17 win over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium:

What it means: The Titans improved to 7-5 and won two straight for the first time since Week 3 and 4. They’re still two games behind Houston in the AFC South, but at the very least they’ve got reasonable hopes about a wild card playoff berth. Losses for Oakland and Cincinnati certainly helped the cause.

What I liked: Chris Johnson had a monster game for the second week in a row with 23 carries for 153 yards and two touchdowns. It’s taken too long, but this is what the Titans expected to look like -- a run-first team, with Matt Hasselbeck making some key throws and a defense that can get the ball back for them.

Who I like: Rookie middle linebacker Colin McCarthy continues to shine. He had a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries and led the team in tackles with nine. The Titans had a good draft, but he's not a guy that was expected to make an immediate defensive impact. No one’s making the contribution he is right now.

What I didn’t like: The Titans won despite converting just two of 11 third downs, while allowing the Bills to move the chains seven times on 16 third downs. But Tennessee did match Buffalo with 18 total first downs, so the Titans were getting them on first and second down. Running back C.J. Spiller averaged 5.9 yards a carry.

What’s next: The Titans host high-powered New Orleans at LP Field in a game that may provide as big a challenge for the defense as its seen all season.

A look at another thrilling Denver win, this time 35-32 over the Minnesota Vikings:

What it means: Denver is now tied with Oakland for first place in the AFC West at 7-5. Denver has won five straight games and has won six of quarterback Tim Tebow’s seven starts this season. The Broncos are a major factor in the AFC West playoff race after starting the season 1-4.

Tomorrow’s talker: Tebow is getting better as a passer. Denver -- which scored 28 points in the second half -- is still not comfortable enough to make Tebow a pure pocket passer, but he is making major strides. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 202 yards. He made several key completions and his passes continue to get more aesthetically pleasing. After running a record 22 times last week, he ran only four times for 13 yards

Winning close games: It was Denver’s third straight last-minute victory and the fourth since Tebow took over.

Thomas helping: Tebow is building a rapport with fellow 2010 first-round pick Demaryius Thomas. Thomas had four catches for 144 yards and the two nearly connected on a touchdown late in the game before Denver tied the score with a field goal. Eric Decker had been Tebow’s favorite target. He had 25 yards on two catches.

Defense comes through: The Vikings got their yardage, but Denver’s defense came up with three turnovers. An interception by cornerback Andre Goodman with less than two minutes to go set up the win. This was a hard-fought game by the Denver defense. It was on the field for 37 minutes, 51 seconds and nearly 22 minutes in the first half. But it buckled down when it needed to.

Haggan has big game: Denver veteran linebacker Mario Haggan had a terrific game as he spelled rookie star Von Miller, who was out with ligament damage to his thumb. Haggan had a team-high 12 tackles and an interception return for a score.

McGahee makes big runs: At the age of 30, Denver running back Willis McGahee continued to shine. He had 111 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, on 20 carries. Denver, the leading rushing team in the NFL, had 150 rushing yards on 32 carries.

What’s next: Denver hosts the Jay Cutler-less Bears next week as they hope to continue their unlikely march toward the playoffs.

A few thoughts on a wild game at the Metrodome with the Broncos winning 35-32:

What it means: In shades of their early-season struggles, the Minnesota Vikings lost another halftime lead and found a way to lose this game at the end. They are 2-10 and the best news is that they maintained their position near the top of the 2012 draft.

PonderWatch: We saw the best and worst of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder, who threw for 381 yards and three scores but also had two game-defining interceptions. Part of me wants to give Ponder credit for that kind of production in the absence of tailback Adrian Peterson. Ponder also appeared to be playing on a gimpy leg. But he threw his first interception into the hands of Mario Haggan, resulting in a 16-yard return for a score. And his second put the Broncos in position for Matt Prater's game-winning 23-yard field goal as time expired.

HarvinWatch: Receiver Percy Harvin, who missed practice Friday because of an illness, was the Vikings' big playmaker in the absence of Peterson. Harvin turned two short passes into long touchdown plays in the second half and finished with 156 receiving yards. He also took another five carries out of the backfield. I like the way the Vikings are using Harvin on offense under new coordinator Bill Musgrave.

Secondary woes: When Tim Tebow completes 10 of 15 passes against you for 202 yards and two scores, and isn't intercepted, you know you've got some issues in your secondary. Rookies Brandon Burton and Mistral Raymond saw plenty of action and, not surprisingly, struggled at times. The biggest insult: The Broncos offense scored 28 points using basically a traditional offense. They didn't need to resort to the option and Tebow had only four carries.

Highlight reel: Rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph gave fans something to think about for the future by reaching over safety Quinton Carter to haul in a 19-yard touchdown reception. You can't ask more from a tight end in the red zone than to render the defender helpless with his size.

What's next: The Vikings will play at the Detroit Lions next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Some thoughts on the Washington Redskins' home loss to the New York Jets on Sunday:

What it means: The result of this game means the Redskins will not have a winning record this season. They are 4-8 with four games left to play. Other than that, it doesn't mean a whole lot, since any reasonable expectation of a playoff appearance for Washington this year went out the window during its six-game losing streak.

Swan Song for Fred and Trent: In what appears as though it will be his final game of the season, Redskins tight end Fred Davis caught six passes for 99 yards. He has been the most reliable and important receiving target for the Redskins this year regardless of which quarterback has been under center. But since he and left tackle Trent Williams have been suspended for drug violations for the final four games of the season, neither will play again in 2011. The Redskins will seriously struggle to score points in the season's final months without their very good second-year left tackle and their breakout fourth-year tight end.

Fourth-quarter collapse: The Redskins took a 16-13 lead with 7:52 left in the game, but things completely fell apart after that. A nice kick return set the Jets up at midfield, and Santonio Holmes got behind the defense for a 30-yard touchdown catch from Mark Sanchez. On the following Redskins possession, Rex Grossman took a third-down sack and fumbled the ball away on his own 9-yard line, and Shonn Greene ran in for a touchdown two plays later. Then, after a Graham Gano field goal cut the lead to 27-19, the Redskins flubbed the onside kick attempt and Greene ran in from 25 yards out for the clincher. All that remained was the obligatory Grossman interception, which came on his last pass of the game and extended his streak to eight straight games with at least one.

What's next: The Redskins play another home game against another AFC East team Sunday, this time against the first-place New England Patriots (9-3), who have won four games in a row and have outscored their opponents by an average of 9.5 points per game this season.

Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons 17-10 loss against the Houston Texas on Sunday at Reliant Stadium.

What it means: This one’s not going to help Atlanta’s chances of getting to the playoffs or catching the Saints in the NFC South. They’re 7-5 and could fall two games behind the Saints in the win column if New Orleans wins on Sunday night against Detroit.

What I didn’t like: The Falcons came out and tried to be very aggressive on offense early on. Nothing wrong with that. But Matt Ryan and his receivers weren’t in sync, and that got Atlanta off to a rough start. Ryan was intercepted twice in the first half. The Falcons never really got running back Michael Turner and the running game on track.

Wasted opportunities: The Falcons had two 12-play drives in the second half that didn’t result in any points. The defense played a decent game, but wasn’t able to force many mistakes by rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, who was making his first NFL start.

The streak is over: The Falcons had a streak of 14 consecutive games without allowing a running back to rush for 100 yards. That’s over. Arian Foster rushed for 111 yards.

Festival of flags: The Falcons were their own worst enemy. They had two apparent defensive touchdowns wiped out by penalties. They also weren’t able to get a play off before the play-clock expired on a fourth down in the fourth quarter. Rookie Julio Jones also had a critical penalty late in the game as he made an apparent catch that was wiped out because he went out of bounds and came back inbounds.

What’s next: The Falcons travel to Carolina to play the Panthers next Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.

Here are some thoughts on the Tennessee Titans' 23-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

What it means: The Bills' playoff hopes were hanging by a thread entering this weekend. Now, they are virtually over. Buffalo (5-7) lost for the seventh time in nine game. What's even more worrisome is the Bills haven't been competitive in most of those losses. Meanwhile, the Titans improved to 7-5 and remain in the AFC wild-card race.

What I like: Buffalo 2010 first-round pick C.J. Spiller showed flashes of being a lead running back Sunday. Spiller rushed for a career-high 83 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. This is a good opportunity for Spiller to showcase his talents with starting running back Fred Jackson (leg) out for the season.

What I didn’t like: Buffalo's defense needs to consider changes in the offseason. It's been, by far, the Bills' weakest link the entire season. Buffalo's front seven can't stop the run. Titans tailback Chris Johnson ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. And Buffalo doesn’t rush the passer well. There is really nothing the Bills do consistently on defense and that needs to change.

FitzWatch: Buffalo starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick put up decent numbers, but it wasn't enough. Fitzpatrick tried to rally a late comeback and threw for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also lost a fumble. But with the touchdown, Fitzpatrick reached 20 passing touchdowns for the second consecutive seasons.

What's next: The Bills will travel to play the San Diego Chargers next week.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers 38-19 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

What it means: Both teams are 4-8, but that’s about the only thing the teams have in common these days. This was a big step for the Panthers. It marked the first time they’ve put together back-to-back wins since the arrival of coach Ron Rivera. The Panthers seem to be building some positive momentum that might carry over into next season. This was a low point for the Bucs as they lost their sixth straight game. The previous five came against good teams. The Panthers don’t quite fit that profile. But the Panthers clearly have moved ahead of the Bucs at the bottom of the NFC South.

What I liked: Carolina’s defense. This unit has been having major problems all season. But the Panthers stepped up and played perhaps their best defensive game of the season. The Bucs were forced to settle for four first-half field goals. Carolina’s run defense has struggled all season. But the Panthers did a very nice job keeping LeGarrette Blount under control.

What I didn’t like: Tampa Bay’s offense. Let’s not give all the credit to Carolina’s defense. Tampa Bay’s offense was playing without starting quarterback Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson started in his place. Blount is the kind of physical runner who has given the Panthers fits all season, but he never got on track and wasn’t much of a factor after the Panthers built a big lead.

What’s next: The Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. The Buccaneers travel to Jacksonville next Sunday.

Some thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles' latest new low -- an uninspired 31-14 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night in Seattle that ended their mathematical chances at even a winning season:

What does it mean?: The Eagles are losers. It's as simple as that. One more loss will ensure a losing record for a team that does nothing as well as it does losing. There was absolutely no excuse for the defense to come out the way it did in this game, playing soft, missing tackles and watching Marshawn Lynch, who it knew was Seattle's only real weapon, run over it at will. There was no excuse for DeSean Jackson, who's still moping about his contract after insisting he wouldn't, to be giving up on deep routes when he's the only deep threat the team has. There was no excuse for the Eagles' penalties, for not calling timeout after a third-down stop with a minute left in the first half, for sending 12 men onto the field for a punt return and having to call a timeout when they were still in the game and looked as though they might need their timeouts. These are the careless, lazy, undisciplined acts of losing players and losing teams, and whatever the Eagles might have been or should have been, this is what they are. They are 4-8. They are the most disappointing flop of a team in the entire league. They are losers.

How much can Andy Reid weather? In spite of rampant fan dissatisfaction and local media fatigue, there has to this point been no indication that the Eagles' front office intends to hold this one horrible season against Reid and fire him in spite of the previous 12 years of success. But if they keep losing -- as in, if they lose all the rest of their games and finish 4-12, which is possible given the effort they're putting forth right now -- you have to wonder whether that will change. And Reid is coaching like a guy who either doesn't know what to do or is trying to get himself run out of town. I still can't figure out why a guy who's legitimately trying to win a game wouldn't call that timeout with a minute left in the half.

Vince Young is not a good quarterback: Look, I'll allow that he was one of the few Eagles players who actually looked as though he cared. He wanted to win this game. He was out there making the best throws he could. He threw a killer block that helped LeSean McCoy pick up a first down. And he hit some receivers (Clay Harbor, Riley Cooper) in the hands a couple of times and saw them just drop the ball. But two of the four interceptions -- including the fourth-quarter backbreaker -- were the result of awful decision-making. He nearly threw another in the end zone earlier in the game because he took too long to throw the ball. He's not accurate or smooth or reliable, and this whole idea that some people were spouting a couple of weeks ago that the Eagles would be better off with him than with Michael Vick has been proved false and foolish.

However: With all now lost and no chance left at the playoffs, you have to wonder whether the Eagles might just shut down Vick and let him come back fully healthy and well rested for 2012. He puts himself at risk when he plays, and they certainly can milk the broken-ribs thing for four more games if they decide the best course of action for the future of their franchise is to protect Vick from injury in the final month of a lost season. Ditto guys such as Jeremy Maclin, Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and others who have been grappling with injuries that have limited them or prevented them from playing. With nothing left to play for, why rush back from an injury and play at less than 100 percent? We could be seeing a lot of these backups the rest of the way.

Injury bummer: Eagles special teams star Colt Anderson, who had legitimate Pro Bowl hopes and a ton of friends and family in the stands for this game, tore the ACL in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season. Anderson is the heart and soul of the Eagles' coverage units, and one of the few on the team who played consistently hard all season. It's sad for him that he won't get to finish it.

What's next? The Eagles will travel to Miami and play the Dolphins a week from Sunday. The Dolphins are another team that has eight losses, like the Eagles do. The Dolphins could have nine by then, but regardless, if you can't stop Tarvaris Jackson and Golden Tate, you're probably not going to stop Matt Moore and Brandon Marshall, either.