Play-action is at the core of the Colts' offense; they use it on 33% of dropbacks, second most in the NFL. And it might be a particularly potent lever in Week 12, because the Chiefs -- while generally a solid defense that ranks 13th in EPA allowed per dropback -- have struggled mightily against play-action. They rank dead last in EPA allowed per play-action play (0.38) and have allowed a 62% success rate against play-action, second worst among all defenses.
In Week 12, college football said, "You're going to miss me when I'm gone." The results were consequential enough: No. 4 Alabama went down at home in the funkiest fashion imaginable, No. 5 Georgia pulled off a statement win and plenty of aspiring College Football Playoff contenders -- No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 16 Georgia Tech, No. 17 USC, No. 18 Michigan -- narrowly avoided disaster.
Oklahoma, its playoff hopes on the brink, rode into Tuscaloosa and exposed the flaws in Alabama's seemingly impenetrable armor with a relentless defense that tormented Ty Simpson and nabbed a trio of takeaways. Florida, having shed the weight of a coach forever on the hot seat, went to Oxford with sights set on an upset, pushing Ole Miss well into the fourth quarter.