Every single week in the NFL, teams are desperate for wins.
These athletes work so hard to succeed in a sport where there are many statistics, but the most important, by far, is winning.
With that being said, in Week 12 of the 2021 season, there are three teams who are absolutely desperate to get a win this weekend.
Spoiler alert: two of them share a stadium, and two of them share a player who appeared on both of their rosters in 2021.
Without further adieu, they are as follows:
1. Los Angeles Rams, Record: 7-3
😤 Sunday can't come soon enough 😤 pic.twitter.com/GUlxsnSoC2
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 27, 2021
The Rams have cooled down.
They came out smoking hot in 2021 with Matthew Stafford looking like a perfect fit with his new team.
Cooper Kupp caught touchdown after touchdown and was dominant.
The Rams need a win for multiple reasons.
Most importantly, they are chasing the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West division.
The Cardinals are 9-2.
Second, they want to show the world that signing Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 10 makes them a better team.
This win will not be easy.
The Rams are traveling to Lambeau Field to take on the Packers.
Those beach boys will be dealing with extremely cold weather at kickoff.
Temperature is expected to be 35 degrees with 16 mile per hour winds.
2. Cleveland Browns: Record 6-5
These are the games that count. Not the wins over the Lions, Bears, Vikings. The Ravens have owned the Browns. Lamar Jackson has killed us since he’s been in the league. We are going to learn about Woods, Stefanski, Baker Mayfield, and this defense. Is it the same ole #Browns
— Garrett Bush (@Gbush91) November 27, 2021
The Browns are in a very tight race in the AFC North.
In Week 12, they travel to Baltimore to take on the division leading Ravens who are 7-3.
The Browns have not beaten the Ravens since September 2019.
For the Browns to stay in the playoff hunt, they need a win.
A win will also curtail all of the off-the-field drama that has ensued this season since Odell Beckham Jr.’s departure.
One more thing a win will do for the Browns is lead them into a quiet bye week.
The Browns bye is Week 13, and without a Ravens victory, the rumblings about Baker Mayfield and his future status as the franchise quarterback of the team will continue at an incessant pace.
3. Los Angeles Chargers: Record 6-4
Justin Herbert going into week 12:
2927 yards
292 ypg
261 completions
22 TDs
8 INT
207 rushing yards
2 rushing TDs
98.4 qbr“SoPhoMoRe sLuMp” 😎⚡️⚡️ #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/cHN3fk1kzq
— Jules • PalmerSZN (@JoshPalmerSZN) November 26, 2021
Justin Herbert is an outstanding quarterback; however, this team has run into roadblocks.
The Chargers are trailing the resurging Kansas City Chiefs who are 7-4 and in first place in the AFC West.
In Week 12, they take on their division rival, the 5-5 Denver Broncos for the first time this season.
Besides the AFC North, the AFC West is the tightest division in football.
Conclusion
The Browns and the Chargers are in a more dire situation given how tight the AFC is.
12 of the 16 teams have five or more wins.
That means the fight for wild card spots is going to be intense.
With a 17 game season and all the strange things that have happened in the NFL this season, it is anyone’s guess how things will turn out when the playoffs roll around.
In the meantime, keep an eye on how the Rams, Browns, and Chargers fare in Week 12.
NEXT: 3 College Coaches Who Could Jump To The NFL In 2022
