NFL WEEK 11
Eight of the NFL Week 11 Sunday’s games came down to one score. Many of those close games came down to the final minutes. The Titans needed overtime to beat the Ravens while the Colts needed overtime to beat the Packers. We have entered the point in the season when some games are epic and some just stink. Why do some games stink? Well, we’ve hit the point where bad teams will play bad teams. Sunday’s action was a reminder that we have to start ignoring some of the games since they have little significance to the season.
Steelers-Jaguars
The Steelers reminded us in Sunday’s game that despite their tendency to play down to opponents, they are one of the best in the NFL. The Steelers have been able to build a team that is good enough that the offense can struggle and they’ll still win games. The defense was what propelled the Steelers to their 10th victory. With four interceptions and holding the Jaguars to only 3 points, the offense didn’t need to do much. This shouldn’t be regarded as impressive when we consider that the Jaguars are currently starting Jake Luton.
The Steelers have shown issues in their recent bottom-feeder games. At this point, they aren’t focused on their schedule, they are looking ahead to the Super Bowl. I still think the Chiefs will be problematic for Pittsburgh and likely knock the Steelers out of the playoffs. The Steelers have to feel good after Sunday’s victory. Not great, but good.
Titans-Ravens
Terrance Williams/Associated Press
Many will point to Lamar Jackson for the struggles. Many will point to the playcalling. The problem with the Ravens starts with the offensive line and it destroys their entire offense. The offense can’t run the ball effectively in the trenches like they did last season. Likewise, Lamar Jackson is taking more deep shots down the field. This is not because he doesn’t want to run the ball, but that deep balls have become their only option. Sunday showed us how a Ravens offense without Ronnie Stanley or Marshal Yanda can go from unstoppable to barely threatening. The Titans chipped into the second-half lead and walk off in overtime on the carries of Derrick Henry. Yet, this game felt like a referendum on the Ravens. A team that was a Super Bowl contender that currently doesn’t look like they will make the playoffs.
Eagles-Browns
I feel this weird nostalgia when I’m watching the Browns in the rain. It’s like a throwback to the 1960s every game with a two-headed monster at running back in Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb. I don’t know why I keep thinking about Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, but it seems to summarize the duo in the recent games. Chubb, like Taylor, would run downhill for 60 yards while Hunt, like Hornung, would have a nose for the goal line. The Kareem Hunt touchdown run essentially ended the mud bowl with his hurdling heroics to put the Browns ahead 19-10.
The Browns defense was without the potential defensive player of the year Myles Garrett. Considering they were playing the Eagles, there wasn’t much worry. The defense scored 9 points on the day and was constantly in the backfield, which as we know, is guaranteed to throw an immobile quarterback like Wentz off.
The Browns have seven wins and the playoffs are within reach. Unfortunately, the Browns still have to play the Steelers, Ravens, and Titans, and only two more home games left on the schedule. They will be close but will need to win one of those games to catapult themselves into the playoffs.
Bengals-Washington
Sunday’s game in DC will only be defined by one play. Joe Burrow suffered a torn ACL to end his incredible rookie season and it might even damage his career. In a season in which the Bengals had only one thing to play for this was a devastating blow. The Bengals were playing out this season with the optimism of Joe Burrow’s progress and improvements to see what next year would look like with possibly one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Now, all hope feels lost. The Bengals have a depleted roster and the injury will force them to play for draft position. I honestly don’t think Washington won this game as much as they got lucky. Burrow looked great in this game and this was going to be a loss for the Football Team, but the NFL can be cruel sometimes.
Lions-Panthers
I still fail to understand how the Lions’ offense couldn’t do anything against one of the worst defenses in the league. The Lions had 40 rushing yards and 178 passing yards on their way to being shutout. The Panthers as a team aren’t good, yet the defense looked superb and PJ Walker looked good enough on Sunday’s action. I don’t know whether Matt Rhule can be crowned a coaching genius after this game but it feels like he’s doing something right when the Panthers win with a USFL quarterback.
This game honestly should be a reminder to the Lions management that they must fire Matt Patricia. It’s hard to think of a head coach that has done less with more (well Freddie Kitchens I suppose). Likewise, the Lions management has to take a serious look at Matthew Stafford. Ask yourself if you are a Lions fan, has Matthew Stafford reached his ceiling? Is Matthew Stafford getting any better anytime soon? If the Lions find themselves with a top ten draft pick should they pounce on the opportunity in a deep quarterback class to take a possible star? Think about these questions as the Lions get carved on Thanksgiving.
Falcons-Saints
Taysom Hill was the starter in New Orleans, frankly, he ain’t a Drew Brees (Hill tossed 233 yards but no turnovers or touchdowns). This game oddly enough proved why the Saints are the best team in the NFC. Hill didn’t need to do much to help the Saints win, but the roster is built to win games anyway. The defense stepped up and blanked the Falcons in the second half, holding Atlanta to only 9 points on the day. Sunday saw the Packers lose so it’s safe to say that the Saints are one game closer to the Super Bowl. It’s easy to forget that they are on a seven-game winning streak but keep that in mind when considering which teams are the best in the NFC.
Patriots-Texans
The Patriots are back to earth. Last week felt like the game that was going to put New England back in a playoff push and to their usual winning ways. We were fooled. The Patriots showed us that this isn’t their year. The defense just doesn’t have the firepower when you consider the stars that opted-out or left in free agency. Cam Newton isn’t the solution at quarterback and there isn’t much support anyway for Newton at the skill positions. Deshaun Watson has been having a great year despite everything wrong in Houston and he had the Patriots beat from the kickoff. Sunday’s game is a nice boost for a Texans team that can start a run with the Lions on Thanksgiving, they can end the season with 6 wins!
Cowboys-Vikings
It feels weird to think about this, but Andy Dalton brings a spark to the Cowboys’ offense. The Cowboys looked different on Sunday and now might be the team to win the division. They were competitive against a red-hot Vikings team the entire game (red-hot on offense at least). It feels weird but the Thanksgiving matchup between the 3-7 Cowboys and 3-7 Football Team might determine the NFC East champion. Sunday’s game gives hope to a Cowboys fan base that they might want considering they aren’t going to land Trevor Lawrence (if the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs, they will have a draft pick in the 5-10 range).
Dolphins-Broncos
This was the trap game for the Miami Dolphins. After winning five games straight, traveling to Denver felt like a cause for decline. The Dolphins have one of the better teams in the AFC but you could tell things were off in Sunday’s game. Tua didn’t take that step that felt natural considering how Tua Tagovalioa has looked in recent games. The defense is built to confuse the opposing quarterback, unfortunately, the Broncos were establishing the run throughout the game and the Dolphins defense was the unit on the ropes. This game is a humbling experience for a Miami team that looked like it was going to steal the AFC East lead from the Bills. I see the Dolphins bouncing back from this game but it’s fair to say that the hype won’t be the same.
Packers-Colts
What ultimately became the game of the day has to also be a wonderment on the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. They came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, and the game was poised to be a blowout with a 28-14 halftime lead. Then the offense just stopped while the defense just let the Colts back into the game. Aaron Rodgers didn’t make a big play until the final minute when he tossed a throw from the goal line to put the Packers in field goal range. Despite the late-game drive, the Packers forced overtime and lost the game there.
Looking back at this game, it’s hard to say that the colt won this game, instead, it felt like the Packers lost one that felt like a given victory. It’s games like these that make us doubt that the Packers can seriously contend for the Super Bowl, they have the talent but just seem to let easy victories slide. Aaron Rodgers will win a playoff game or two, but it’s hard to see this roster making a run at the Super Bowl with these inconsistencies.
Chiefs-Raiders
The Chiefs reminded us why they are the favorite to win the Super Bowl. This was a good if not great Raiders team and they couldn’t have played a better game on Sunday night. The Raiders scored 31 points on the day and 17 of those points came in the first 3 possessions. The Chiefs offense reminded us that they are near-impossible to stop as Patrick Mahomes kept the offense rolling with a touchdown drive in every quarter. The Raiders scored with fewer than two minutes left in the game. Unfortunately for the Raiders, that was more than enough time for the Chiefs to win the game. Kansas City looks poised to win another Lombardi trophy even with a tough schedule ahead. There’s a level of certainty that they will either be the number one or two seed by season’s end.
For the full NFL week 11 box scores, click here.
