What We Learned From Week 12 in the N.F.L.

Tom Brady has help in Tampa Bay, the Bengals are forcing the issue in the A.F.C. North race, and the Dolphins have a winning streak.

Here we go again.

As long as Tom Brady is eating his avocado ice cream and throwing a football, his team will be peaking heading into December.

It did not look as if that would be the case this year, though, as the Buccaneers were ravaged by injuries to their secondary — making Tampa Bay one of the worst defenses against the pass — and among Brady’s favorite targets, tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Antonio Brown.