I've asked this question before, but in doing more reading for my TL on an alternate Barbarossa, I've come across more information that I believe changes the discussion we had last time.
By late October it was clear the things were peetering out in front of Moscow with the rains, but the generals insisted on having another go at the city before winter arrived; what if Hitler vetoed that request and ordered AG-Center to go on the defensive for the winter in late October once the mud set in?
The Soviets were in no position to go on the offensive until December, as they were still forming the units they would use to attack after the 5th, so the Germans would have all of November to prepare defenses and make tactical retreats as necessary to shore up the lines, not to mention bring up winter clothes. IOTL the attacks in November wore down the Germans proportionally more than the Soviets and left them wrong footed for the Soviet counter offensives.
So how would the Soviet counter offensives then play out against a prepared German force that wasn't as far forward and had made tactical retreats prior to the December Soviet attacks?