NFL Week 11: What We Learned from each Sunday game

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Brooks’ blocked field goal saved Packers at buzzer. Green Bay has now won 11 straight against Chicago, but the streak was in serious doubt until the final few seconds of Sunday’s game at Soldier Field. The Bears converted improbable third- and fourth-down throws to move the ball into field-goal range, trailing 20-19, setting up a game-winning kick and a huge sigh of relief for the harried Bears. Except … Karl Brooks penetrated right through the A-gap on Cairo Santos’ kick and got just enough of it for the try to come up well short. It was another gutting loss for the Bears -- both in this series and this season -- and a triumphant moment for the Packers, who were staring a second straight NFC North loss in the face. The Packers defense didn’t have a great game, but Jordan Love and Christian Watson led a big drive to give Green Bay the late lead, and the Packers’ maligned special teams came up with the game-saving play at the very end.
2. Williams stands tall in new Thomas Brown-led offense. It was another long week at Halas Hall after the dismissal of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron following the Bears’ fourth straight loss last week. Brown took over play-calling Sunday, and it appeared that he put an emphasis on running the ball -- 34 runs, 34 dropbacks -- and getting the ball out of Caleb Williams’ hands quicker. The results were promising. In perhaps his cleanest and best showing of the season, Williams completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards and scrambled for a season-best 70 yards, leading what should have been a game-winning drive. After taking his second and third sacks of the game and facing a third-and-19, Williams hit Rome Odunze for 16 yards, then 21 more yards on fourth-and-3. The Packers all-out blitzed Williams on the next play, yet he hit Keenan Allen for 12 yards to set up the final, fateful field-goal try. But you can’t blame Williams or Brown, who both executed well Sunday, even with some missed opportunities. The Bears were more on schedule with the steady run game, and Williams navigated pressure well most of the day, even if it ended with yet another loss.
3. Watson, Love delivered for Packers in key moments. Christian Watson entered Sunday with only 27 targets this season, but his four catches for 150 yards provided the big-play spark the Packers needed in beating the Bears. He’s been a mystery wrapped in an enigma most of his Packers career, but there's no doubting Watson’s ability to impact games. He hauled in catches of 25 and 48 yards in the second half, setting up the Packers inside the Bears’ 10-yard line on both. The first one led to the Packers taking a 14-13 lead, and he helped set up the go-ahead TD near game’s end -- a diving 60-yard catch and run (which held up on replay) to the Chicago 14-yard line. Love finished that drive with a QB sneak from the 1 after a dramatic 13-yard scramble near the goal line. Although Love threw a bad pick at the Bears’ 1-yard line in the first half and was stopped short on a second-half scramble that resulted in a turnover on downs, he came up big more than once in this game, even when some of his targets were taken away. His connections with Watson had been pretty hit or miss this season, but Love trusted Watson in big spots and was rewarded.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Packers-Bears (via NFL Pro): Jordan Love completed every one of his six passes over 10 air yards for 182 yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against the Bears. Love completed seven of 11 passes under 10 air yards for 79 yards and an interception. Love recorded a season-long average time to throw of 3.31 seconds and completed every one of his three passes under pressure for 72 yards while taking one sack.

NFL Research: Jordan Love has been intercepted in all eight games he has played in 2024. He’s the first QB with one or more interception in each of his first eight games since the Broncos’ Case Keenum did it in 2018 and the first Packers QB to do that since Irv Comp in 1944. Love’s eight consecutive games with an INT is the longest streak at any point in a season(s) for a Packers QB since Brett Favre, who threw picks in 12 straight games from 2005-06.

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• READ: Pederson on job status after Jags' loss: 'I can't control that'

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Lions gobble up a franchise-best 645 yards, trounce Jags. We could point out Jared Goff's perfect 158.3 passer rating with 412 yards and four touchdowns. We could extoll the efforts of Sonic and Knuckles, with Jahmyr Gibbs generating 123 scrimmage yards with a TD and David Montgomery earning 75 yards and two scores. We could point out Amon-Ra St. Brown was uncoverable, catching all 11 of his targets for 161 yards and two TDs. We could highlight Jameson Williams exploding for a 64-yard TD and going for 124 receiving yards. Instead, give the big boys some love for Detroit scoring touchdowns on seven consecutive drives to open the game. Dan Campbell's club didn't punt on the day. The Lions' offensive line absolutely dominated the contest. It looked like a 7-on-7 practice for Detroit. Goff had all day to pick apart Jacksonville's defense, pressured on just six dropbacks -- of which he completed four passes for 135 yards and two TDs. The trenches highlighted the biggest difference between Jacksonville and Detroit. One is built to mash in the trenches. The other remains wanting.  
2. Jags limping toward the finish of Doug Pederson era. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that another regime change could come following Sunday's game in Detroit. The Jags gave Shad Khan every reason to make a change following a franchise-worst 46-point loss. Settling for an opening drive 59-yard field goal felt like an early moral victory. For the rest of the game, the Jags were outclassed in every phase. The defense offered zero resistance. It marked the second time this season Ryan Nielsen's D allowed at least five consecutive touchdown drives to open a game (Week 3 in Buffalo). The offense generated little on the ground, and Mac Jones was scattershot, missing badly down the sideline. Sans Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville had little chance against the high-powered Lions. However, Sunday showed just how yawning the gap is between the clubs. Week 11 was an organizational failure. Heading into the bye week, expect significant changes. 
3. Smith adds immediate pop to Lions front. Trade deadline acquisition Za'Darius Smith led the Lions with four QB pressures and was involved in Detroit's only sack of the game (while rushing from the interior). Playing 36 snaps (76.6 %), Smith's production should improve as he gets more acquainted with the defense. The Lions still struggled to generate consistent pressure, and their blitzes don't always get home. However, a smothering secondary makes up for the lack of QB takedowns. Once again, Kerby Joseph came up with a red zone interception, and Brian Branch was all over the field. The young tandem is fun to watch. One big injury to watch: Linebacker Alex Anzalone is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a broken forearm. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jaguars-Lions (via NFL Pro): Amon-Ra St. Brown caught all 11 of his targets for a season-high 161 yards and two touchdowns (+2.9 receptions over expected), including eight receptions for a season-high 121 yards and one touchdown against off coverage (5+ yards of cushion).

NFL Research: Detroit became the first team since the 2007 Patriots to score a touchdown on each of its first seven drives of a game. The Lions are also the first club since the 2014 Rams to score seven-plus touchdowns and allow zero TDs in a game.

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• REWATCH: Raiders-Dolphins on NFL+ Premium
• READ: TE Brock Bowers stacks up more accolades despite loss 

Christian Gonzales' takeaways:

1. Tua, Dolphins playmakers hit their strides. Miami’s offense was rolling, recording a touchdown or a field goal on five out of its seven drives on Sunday afternoon. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had his best performance of the season, completing 28 of 36 passes for 288 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Mike McDaniel’s playbook was deep enough that the Dolphins’ first four scoring drives included 10 or more plays and were at least five minutes. The run game and passing game got whatever they wanted with touchdowns from De'Von Achane, Tyreek Hill and Jonnu Smith, respectively. Miami took advantage of Las Vegas’ defense and its penalties. A holding call from the Raiders led to Smith’s 57-yard fourth quarter TD, which sealed the game for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins continue to keep their playoff hopes alive with the dominant win at Hard Rock. Miami now rides a two-game winning streak going into next week's AFC East showdown against the New England Patriots. 
2. Raiders offense looks better under Turner. In the first game since offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was fired, Las Vegas’ offense flowed much better under interim OC Scott Turner. Quarterback Gardner Minshew led the team to two scoring drives to begin the game and Turner’s offense involved six different players getting a chance to rush the ball in the first half. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers chipped in his best outing as a pro so far with a career-high 126 receiving yards on 13 catches and had a touchdown. Bowers also saw a career-high 16 targets. Turner’s offense involved Bowers heavily and the rookie did what he could, but Las Vegas’ running game couldn’t get going. Running backs Alexander Mattison and Zamir White were each held to under 20 rushing yards, and both got banged up with injuries. Las Vegas has some positives to take away from Sunday’s game, but the Raiders could be without their top two RBs in Week 12 as the club seeks its first win since Sept. 29.
3. Dolphins tight end goes has impressive outing. One of the best moments in Sunday’s afternoon slate was Jonnu Smith’s 57-yard touchdown. The eight-year veteran TE was the X-factor in Miami’s win, getting open in the middle of the field and being a reliable target for Tagovailoa. Smith finished the game with six catches for a season-high 101 yards and two touchdowns. It was Smith’s first 100-receiving yard game since Week 9 of the 2023 season. It appears that Smith has found his footing in Mike McDaniel’s offense and his emergence in a talented Miami unit makes the Dolphins a dangerous team down the stretch.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Raiders-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 28 of his 36 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns in Week 11 against the Raiders and was pressured on a season-low 16.2% of his dropbacks.

NFL Research: Raiders TE Brock Bowers (706) has passed Kyle Pitts for the second-most receiving yards in NFL history among tight ends in their first 10 games of their rookie season. Bowers is now only behind Hall of Fame TE Mike Ditka (869).

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. After slow start, Stafford was dealing for the Rams. Perhaps he heard the obituaries written about the Rams’ season or the whispers that he might be heading toward the twilight of his career. Whatever the case, Matthew Stafford was dialed in Sunday against a Patriots defense coming off the best showing of its 2024 season, throwing four touchdown passes and 295 yards, converting a key third-down sneak and playing a turnover-free game in a must-win game for the Rams. Stafford completed only one pass in the game’s first 17-plus minutes but was able to get Puka Nacua going early, with 117 first-half yards and his first TD reception of the season. But Stafford wasn’t about to ignore his other main man, Cooper Kupp, who had six big catches for 106 yards and two scores, including a 69-yard catch and run against a Patriots’ all-out blitz. This was a big improvement over last Monday’s loss to the Dolphins, when the Rams were held out of the end zone. Sean McVay clearly felt Stafford was in the zone, incorporating some aggressive play-calling as the Rams tried to run out the clock. He wasn’t perfect, missing a few throws, but Stafford delivered nearly the remainder of the game.
2. Maye once again showed big promise, even with late INT. There’s a theme emerging for the Patriots this season: They’re far from a great team, but they appear to have solved their post-Tom Brady QB problems. Drake Maye completed 30 of 40 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, and those numbers come with an asterisk. The Patriots’ pass catchers not only dropped several passes (two by Kayshon Boutte) but also were not on the same page as their QB. On Maye’s game-sealing interception with just under two minutes left, it appeared he expected Demario Douglas to look back for the ball sooner, with Maye under heavy pressure. Had Douglas done so, perhaps he might have ripped off a 75-yard, go-ahead TD. Maye was mostly good under pressure against the Rams prior to that, but a few critical penalties harmed the Patriots’ chances. Vederian Lowe’s illegal formation penalty wiped out a Hunter Henry catch into the red zone in the first half, and with five minutes remaining -- down two scores -- Ja'Lynn Polk’s false start on fourth-and-1 forced the Patriots to kick the field goal.
3. Does McVay trust his rookie kicker? Rookie kicker Joshua Karty connected on five of his six field-goal attempts in Monday’s loss to the Dolphins, hitting a career-best 55-yard field goal in that game. He’d had some shakiness earlier in the season but appeared to have worked his way through them. However, just before halftime on Sunday, Karty badly shanked his 26-yard FG attempt that would have given the Rams a 17-10 lead going into the break. The Rams scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half, but the Patriots kept within range with a touchdown and field goal of their own and had the ball with a shot to win it in the final minutes. The reason they got the ball back, down 28-22, was because Sean McVay opted not to send Karty out there with a chance to make it a two-score game. The Rams forwent a 54-yard field-goal try, instead punting from the New England 35-yard line with 2:14 remaining. Was that playing it safe or a lack of trust in Karty after the earlier miss? Either way, the kicking game held them back Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Patriots (via NFL Pro): The Rams pressured Drake Maye on 47.8% of his dropbacks, with 11 defenders generating at least one pressure. Jared Verse generated a team-leading five pressures, with four of the pressures coming in less than 2.5 seconds. Maye was 11 of 18 for 96 yards, one touchdown, and one interception when pressured. 

NFL Research: Drake Maye has a run of 15 yards or longer in each of his six NFL starts.

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• READ: ‘Ageless’ Taysom Hill runs wild with three touchdowns

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Taysom carries the day. We'd seen Taysom Hill's role in New Orleans evolve since the departure of Sean Payton, so much that he wasn't attempting passes anymore and was used more as a runner and/or blocker than anything else. That meant Sunday was the perfect situation for the Saints to deploy Hill in a number of roles against a notoriously aggressive Jim Schwartz-directed defense and watch Hill work. The Swiss Army knife did a little bit of everything, piling up a career-high 138 rushing yards on seven carries and scoring on the ground three times. He chipped in eight catches for 50 yards, marking the first time he's broken 100 yards rushing and 50 yards receiving in a game in his career. And he even threw an interception, which didn't end up mattering to anything other than the full Taysom Hill Experience. Have a day, vet.
2. Browns defense disintegrates. Yes, the Browns broke 400 yards of offense and only managed to score 14 points. Yes, Dustin Hopkins missed two field goals (three, if you count the miss nullified by a defensive holding penalty). But the ugliest part of Cleveland's latest loss came on the defensive side, where Browns defenders could be seen flailing all over the field in vain (or in the case of Juan Thornhill, trailing a long touchdown pass by jogging his way to the end zone). The Browns led the NFL in arm tackles Sunday, becoming nothing more than Taysom Hill's roadkill on his three rushing scores. Despite forcing two turnovers, Cleveland crumbled in the fourth quarter, allowing Derek Carr to lead three touchdown drives, including two of 77 or more yards. It was disheartening to say the least amid a massively disappointing campaign, and while this game alone won't prompt any changes, it certainly isn't a good example in this staff's case to retain its jobs entering 2025.
3. Saints offense rediscovers its rhythm. It truly began with the return of Derek Carr two weeks ago, but Sunday marked the first time in which New Orleans got back to basics to establish a foundation, then mixed in all kinds of wrinkles to get the job done consistently over four quarters. Taysom Hill obviously played a big part, but so too did an early outburst on the ground from Alvin Kamara, as well as a catch-and-run touchdown scored by Marquez Valdes-Scantling (his third in two games). Carr was sharp and avoided taking significant risks while completing 21 of 27 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The Saints ran the ball well, remained unpredictable and utilized a bevy of pass catchers, creating a very strong unit that helped New Orleans put together their best performance since way back in Week 2. Because of their 4-7 record, it doesn't mean much in the long run, but it was nice to see the team that calls the Big Easy home have a fun Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Browns-Saints (via NFL Pro): Derek Carr carved up the Browns on Sunday, going a perfect 5 for 5 for 117 yards and two touchdowns against the blitz, and a perfect 8 for 8 on attempts against man coverage for 58 yards, a touchdown and a +22.9 completion percentage over expected.

NFL Research: With Sunday's victory, Darren Rizzi became the first Saints interim coach to win two games in a season, and also became the second coach in franchise history to win his first two games at the helm, joining Sean Payton, who started 3-0 in 2006.

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• REWATCH: Ravens-Steelers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Queen's big day vs. old team helps Steelers slow down Ravens

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Steelers grind out ugly win. It wouldn't be Steelers-Ravens if it didn't include a low point total and a close finish. That was clearly on the menu from the very start of this game, as Pittsburgh forced an early Baltimore turnover and only got three points out of it. That possession alone set the tone on a day in which the Steelers failed to reach the end zone, but were fortunate to rely on kicker Chris Boswell for all 18 of their points. They needed all of them, too, considering they were rather ineffective on third down (4 for 16) and stalled despite entering Baltimore's red zone on four different possessions. These are the games, though, that teach contenders like the Steelers how to succeed. Their defense played with consistent energy and aggression all afternoon, forcing a key turnover late and bowing up on Baltimore's two-point conversion attempt, which never had a chance once Lamar Jackson rolled left into a wall of Steelers defenders. If we learned one thing from this game, it's simply this: We can't wait for the rematch.
2. Ravens stumble all afternoon. John Harbaugh's Ravens will likely be kicking themselves the whole way back to Baltimore after this loss. In a predictably low-scoring affair, Justin Tucker missed two field goals in the first half. Lamar Jackson had an incredibly difficult time throwing the ball for most of the game, struggling to decipher Pittsburgh's coverage and connecting with receivers just twice before their final offensive possession. Derrick Henry fumbled away possession on his second carry, and 12 penalties accepted against the Ravens constantly undercut their ambitions on both sides of the ball. They outgained the Steelers but lost the time of possession battle by more than 12 minutes and faltered on third down, finishing 4 for 11. By all accounts, this was the Ravens' worst offensive showing of the year -- typical of a matchup with the AFC North-rival Steelers. But for a team that was looking to score a big win in a tight division battle, this was not how Baltimore wanted to perform, especially offensively. It reminded me of the Ravens' showing in the AFC Championship Game last season, a low point I thought they'd buried in 2024, as evidenced by their many explosive outings. We all learned they're not impervious to a good defensive game plan and still have work to do.
3. Steelers fans receive the full Wilson experience. Wilson has exceeded all expectations as the Steelers' starter this season, but those who watch every down of Pittsburgh's games know it hasn't been incredibly consistent. There have been some misses scattered among the highlights, and the same remained true Sunday. Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes, but most of those completions were on underneath targets. He was decisive, firing rockets to open targets in the intermediate area and occasionally finding a pass catcher open over the middle for more substantial gains. Fittingly, a heave to George Pickens ended up being Wilson's best throw, a moon ball lofted down the sideline amid a closing pass rush. Wilson dropped it in a perfect place for Pickens to haul in with late hands, setting up a key field goal to make it a 15-10 game. Steelers fans were also treated to a vintage Wilson interception, which he also released out of desperation with the hopes his taller target might make a play on the ball. Instead, it ended in a turnover, but luckily for the Steelers, they have a defense capable of limiting the damage. Pittsburgh will take the good with the occasional bad from Wilson, who largely avoided hurting them again. Because of his performance, the Steelers are 8-2 and just defeated their closest rival on their road to the postseason.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Ravens-Steelers (via NFL Pro): Russell Wilson was most effective on passes under 10 air yards in the Steelers' win over the Ravens, completing 20 of 24 such passes for 126 yards (3/8, 79 yards, INT over 10 air yards).

NFL Research: Chris Boswell converted six field goals in Sunday's win over the Ravens, tying his career-high mark for most field goals made in a single game in his career. The six makes are also the most ever converted in a game at Acrisure Stadium, and the most field goals made by a kicker playing in Pittsburgh since Gary Andersen converted six attempts at Three Rivers Stadium in Week 8 of the 1988 season.

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Coral Smith's takeaways:

1. Vikings QB back on track. The last few weeks, Sam Darnold's play has regressed a bit by giving the ball away at a league-leading rate. Last week, he had three interceptions, and the Vikings were unable to record a touchdown in their win. This week started off with worry of more of the same after Minnesota’s first drive saw him commit another turnover, muffing a pitch to Aaron Jones. But Darnold turned things around from that point forward. He did not throw an interception after throwing five the last two weeks. Darnold slipped away from sack attempts on multiple occasions, either scrambling to salvage the play or managing to find a receiver for a gain, such as when he found Trent Sherfield for 16 yards on third down in the opening quarter. He took advantage of opportunities via penalties by the Tennessee defense, and had plays of at least 21 yards to three different players, including a 47-yard TD throw to Jordan Addison. The first drive might have caused some nervousness at the prospect of another sloppy game of giveaways, but, instead, Darnold (246 passing yards, three total TDs, no interceptions) settled in to lead his team to the win.
2. Penalties cost Tennessee dearly. The Titans defense has struggled to hold strong in key moments throughout the year, allowing one of the worst red zone percentages and scoring defenses in the league. And those mistakes continued to pop up this week, namely in the form of incredibly costly penalties on both sides of the ball. The defense’s mistakes repeatedly extended Vikings drives, directly leading to scoring opportunities. First, a third-down stop in the first quarter was negated by a pass interference call, and on the next play the defense let Jordan Addison get wide open for his long touchdown. The next drive, the Titans twice appeared to get fourth-down stops within the red zone, something they haven’t been able to do all season, but an offside penalty and then a controversial unnecessary roughness call gave fresh sets of downs, letting Minnesota rush for the score. In all, the Titans allowed the Vikings to get seven first downs via penalty, the most any team has had this year. Offensive line woes also had an impact. The offensive line, which struggled throughout the game with pass protection assignments, allowing five sacks, also accounted for huge penalties, including three illegal formation flags by Isaiah Prince, one of which negated a 51-yard touchdown catch by Calvin Ridley, and another nullifying a 23-yard catch by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. In total, the Titans had a season-high 13 penalties that turned the tide in this matchup.
3. Vikings defensive effort again a highlight. The Minnesota defense has made a name for itself this season through its blitz-heavy scheme and a propensity for takeaways. Neither of those two signatures were quite as prevalent on Sunday, but it didn’t matter, as the Vikings defense nevertheless made its presence felt. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ play-calling utilizes the highest blitz percentage in the league, but with the struggles of the Titans’ offensive line, rushing more than four often wasn’t necessary. They blitzed on only 28.2% of Will Levis’ dropbacks, but still managed five sacks, including back-to-back takedowns by Andrew Van Ginkel in the second quarter and later a fourth-down sack by Pat Jones II that stopped the Titans’ attempt to close the gap late in the game. After five straight weeks of games forcing multiple takeaways, the Vikings had only a single interception this Sunday, albeit a big one as Harrison Smith iced the game with less than two minutes left. Outside of a single 98-yard touchdown that accounted for a third of Tennessee’s total yardage, the Minnesota D was in control for most of the afternoon.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Vikings-Titans (via NFL Pro): Sam Darnold was most productive on dropbacks over 2.5 seconds in Week 11 against the Titans, completing 13 of 19 such attempts for 219 yards and a touchdown. Darnold has attempted 70.3 percent of his pass attempts over 2.5 seconds, the highest rate in the NFL entering the Week 11 afternoon slate.

NFL Research: With Justin Jefferson’s 81 receiving yards in Sunday’s win, he now has 6,811 career receiving yards, passing Torry Holt (6,784) for the most in NFL history in a player’s first five seasons.

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• REWATCH: Colts-Jets on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Richardson keys 'great victory' as he leads Colts in QB1 return

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Richardson leads comeback win in return to starting lineup. The Colts had every chance to give up the ghost, but Anthony Richardson refused. It's not always pretty, but the second-year quarterback proved a difference-maker. After sprinting to a 13-0 lead, the Indy offense hit a rut in the middle of the game, which included a Richardson fumble. The lull allowed the Jets to take the lead and open up an eight-point fourth-quarter margin. Then the QB led back-to-back touchdown drives -- one capped off with a dart to Josh Downs and another with a powering run to give the Colts the victory. Richardson generated a career-high 272 passing yards and two passing touchdowns (tied for his career best). He also tied his career high with two rushing TDs (10 carries, 32 rushing yards). After two weeks on the bench, Richardson played his best game of the season. He used his legs as a bulldozing force in the red zone. And his accuracy was as good as we've seen (66.7% is by far his season best in a game with five-plus passes). There are still some shaky throws, but his lasers over the middle won all day. This is the type of performance the Colts envisioned in 2024.
2. Jets start out awful, end awful. This is how the Jets end, not with a bang but a whimper. Paraphrasing The Hollow Man is appropriate, given that's how the Jets performed. Hollow. Aaron Rodgers and Co. got off to an abysmal start, generating a whopping 9 first-quarter yards. It took into the sixth possession for Gang Green to earn a first down. New York finally kicked it into gear, getting Breece Hall in space and surging for 17 unanswered points over the second and third quarters. Even when Indy retook the lead, Rodgers answered, looking more mobile than in weeks on the play-action boot pass. However, when it mattered down the stretch, both the defense and offense came up small. The offense had a chance to go up two possessions but puttered out in the red zone, kicking a field goal and leaving the door open. Then Rodgers and the offense went backward with 46 seconds left down one point. Ending the game on a QB sack was a fitting way to fall to 3-8 and effectively out of the hunt.
3. Colts snap three-game skid to stay in AFC race. Shane Steichen's club desperately needed a victory. Following the failed Joe Flacco experiment, Indy needed Richardson to return with a win to keep its postseason hopes alive. At 5-6, the Colts pulled into the No. 8 seed following the early Sunday window. Indy also cut into the 6-4 Texans' division lead ahead of Monday night. In a muddled wild-card race, the victory helped Indy from spiraling ahead of a big matchup with the high-powered Detroit Lions in Week 12. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Colts-Jets (via NFL Pro): Anthony Richardson completed nine of 12 attempts of 10+ air yards for a career-high 185 yards, including 2 of 2 for 56 yards on downfield passes on the Colts' game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter.

NFL Research: The Colts became the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to have their first 11 games decided by 10 or fewer points, joining the 2020 Chargers, 2016 Lions, 2015 Ravens and 1994 Lions. The 2015 Ravens are the only team in NFL history to have each of the first 12 games decided by 10 or fewer (no team has done so in the first 13 games).

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Nix making a run at Offensive Rookie of the Year. It might be heretical to some, but after a great outing Sunday, Bo Nix might be able to sneak up on Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels. Look, we’re not quite there yet, but Nix was very good Sunday, throwing for a season-high 307 yards and four touchdowns. Nix manipulated Atlanta’s zones all day, and his confidence appeared to grow with every big throw. And when the offense sputtered here and there early, Sean Payton often dialed up clever and effective play calls to generate momentum. Nix threw a risky third-quarter ball that could have been trouble, and he was the beneficiary of a very friendly overturned call for a huge fourth-down conversion to Lil'Jordan Humphrey. But when I saw Garett Bolles getting a penalty while protecting his QB, as Matt Judon and Nix were tangled up, I knew this team had his back. Why can’t Nix make a run at Daniels, who has leveled off lately? Nix now has a four-TD lead on Daniels, is only 63 passing yards behind Daniels, and they’re even on rushing TDs (four each). Now, numbers aren’t everything, and Daniels remains the favorite, but don’t dismiss Nix’s chances.
2. Falcons offense was stuck in neutral, as Penix replaced Cousins late. Atlanta’s first drive was its most promising of a long, tough afternoon, driving to the Denver 1-yard line -- twice -- but Bijan Robinson’s run was called back, as was Drake London’s 19-yarder. They settled for a 41-yard field goal. Two drives later, a similar red-zone collapse ensued. It set the tone for a dismal day offensively for the Falcons, who went from bad to worse in the second half. Everything just seemed off-kilter and out of rhythm. The pass protection and communication were not simpatico. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney (hamstring) was one of several offensive players (and a few on defense) who were injured during the game. Perhaps for safety’s sake, Michael Penix Jr. replaced Kirk Cousins with nine minutes left and the game out of hand. But there would be no stealing Nix’s thunder on this day. Penix ripped a few pretty passes, but his one real scoring chance ended with a big tackle for loss and a busted play on third-and-18. This offense needs to carry this team, which is suddenly in real peril after it looked like the division could be sewn up. 
3. Broncos defense is legit. The Broncos were already a top 10 defense in many major categories, and they only improved their rankings with a dominant performance Sunday against a Falcons offense that has humbled a few teams this season. The pressure was consistent throughout, sacking Cousins three times and Penix once for good measure, as Nik Bonitto was a terror off the edge. Granted, the Falcons were their own worst enemies at times Sunday, with several costly penalties and mistakes, but that shouldn’t take away from an impressive Denver defense that hasn’t always received the credit it deserves. They didn’t let Bijan Robinson get going. Patrick Surtain II kept Drake London under wraps. Cornerbacks Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian tackled well in space. Kyle Pitts was a non-factor. The Broncos didn’t do anything fancy, playing mostly zone and mixing in a little Cover 1, but it had the Falcons stuck in the mud all game.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Falcons-Broncos (via NFL Pro): Bo Nix completed 28 of 33 pass attempts for a season-high 307 passing yards and four touchdowns in the Broncos’ Week 11 victory, while also recording his highest completion percentage over expected (+7.3%) and most EPA per dropback (+0.61) in a game this season. 

NFL Research: Bo Nix is the first rookie in NFL history to have a game with 80% completions, four or more passing TDs and 300 or more pass yards.

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• READ: Geno Smith channels Curry, leads 'Hawks past 49ers

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Geno authors memorable performance. This game essentially captured the story of Geno Smith's career over a four-quarter sample. He made some excellent throws through tight windows, took a range of risks that produced impressive completions or an ugly interception (on a throw sailed over the head of Jaxon Smith-Njigba), and when the Seahawks had to score a touchdown late, Smith calmly led them down the field, capping the final drive with a 13-yard scramble for a go-ahead touchdown. When Smith reached the sideline, he mimicked Stephen Curry's famous nap time celebration, directing it at fans of the team he just put to bed. As Smith has noted, many folks put his career to bed years ago, but he's ignored the doubt. While he's been inconsistent at times in 2024, that confidence in himself showed Sunday, finishing 25 of 32 for 221 yards, an interception and the game's most important rushing score. That's the value of a veteran quarterback with the physical tools to lead a team to victory.
2. Jennings steps up in a big spot. San Francisco already lost Brandon Aiyuk to injury and didn't have George Kittle available on Sunday, leaving them with a limited group of weapons for Brock Purdy to target. Jauan Jennings understood his assignment, playing with a physical style that won in one-on-one matchups, giving Purdy a capable receiver to target 11 times on the day. On one key drive, Jennings won a wrestling match with Devon Witherspoon, gaining inside leverage for Purdy to fire a pass between defenders to Jennings for a first down. Later that drive, Jennings caught a pass short of the sticks on third down and with his legs driving relentlessly, pushed a pile of humanity that included multiple Seahawks beyond the line to gain. He ended that drive with a receiving touchdown from three yards out, almost willing the 49ers into the end zone on the 14-play march, and finished the day with 10 catches for 91 yards and the score. He's done this when the 49ers have needed him to step up throughout much of this season, and had the result been different, Jennings would've headed into Sunday night as a hero. Niners fans should appreciate his contributions regardless.
3. Seahawks fight back into messy NFC West race. Things got chippy in Santa Clara relatively early Sunday, and for good reason. The 49ers, while the dominant team in the division in recent years, are no longer big brother. Seattle knew if it was to get into the scrum that is the battle for the top spot, it needed to win Sunday and do so with emphasis. It took until the final drive to produce the desired result, but the Seahawks definitely played inspired football Sunday, limiting San Francisco's offense with a defense that seemed to be operating with increased energy. When the Seahawks turned it over on downs in 49ers territory, they needed Mike Macdonald's defense to get a stop. And once that stop was achieved, they needed Smith to lead them to victory. It's been an up-and-down season for the Seahawks, who are strangely bad at home and haven't done themselves many favors. Wins like Sunday's, however, can change the entire course of a campaign. We'll see if this is the start of a playoff push or just one happy Sunday for the 12s.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Seahawks-49ers (via NFL Pro): Geno Smith completed 25 of his 32 passes for 221 yards and an interception, translating to a +16.3% completion percentage over expected (CPOE), his highest in a game since Week 2, 2023 against the Lions (+16.4%).

NFL Research: Geno Smith's game-winning drive was his seventh since 2023, the most in the NFL. Sunday's win also marked his first victory over San Francisco since joining Seattle.

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• REWATCH: Chiefs-Bills on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battista: Bills hand Chiefs first loss but focus remains on winning in postseason

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Allen, Bills keep regular season streak alive vs. Chiefs. Facing a fourth-and-2 from the Chiefs' 26-yard-line, Sean McDermott wasn't kicking a field goal to go up five points against Patrick Mahomes. Someone else can play with that fire. Buffalo put the ball in its MVP candidate's hands. Josh Allen rewarded his coach with a rumbling 26-yard touchdown run that put the Bills up two scores. That's how you beat Mahomes: Give him no chance. Buffalo played keep away from Mahomes, with four drives of nine-plus plays, including the game-clinching 12-play, 70-yard TD march. Allen missed a few throws on the night but made the plays that mattered. He splashed a couple of shots to Amari Cooper, rifled darts to Khalil Shakir and consistently found his outlet. When Steve Spagnuolo's defense smothered his targets, Allen did damage with his legs. The Bills are the first team to put up 30-plus points on K.C. since Super Bowl LVII (February 2023). Buffalo's victory was the fourth consecutive regular-season win over the Chiefs.
2. Chiefs' perfect season ends in Orchard Park. Time for Andy Reid and Co. to start another streak. For the first time since Christmas Day 2023, Kansas City came up short. Like that last loss, the offense couldn't do enough. Unlike every other game this year, the defense couldn't compensate for those shortcomings. The Chiefs were outgained by 107 yards and lost the turnover battle, 2-1. Mahomes' first-drive interception set the stage for a back-and-forth tussle before the Bills pulled away in the fourth quarter. Outside of one drive, the passing attack couldn't find consistency. Xavier Worthy caught four passes for 61 yards and a TD on the third possession of the game. He didn't have a catch the rest of the way. DeAndre Hopkins had just three grabs for 29 yards, while Travis Kelce had two for 8 yards. Against Allen and the Bills, they needed more. The Chiefs had not allowed 28-plus points in a regular-season game since Week 4, 2022, at Tampa Bay (a 41-31 win) -- the 38-game streak was the longest by any team since 2005-07 Patriots (39 games). It's incredible that Spags' D has held up this consistently this long.
3. Collision course for the playoffs? Even with the loss, the 9-1 Chiefs kept the No. 1 seed atop the AFC ahead of the 9-2 Bills and 8-2 Steelers. For now. It's shaping up as a three-horse race to the finish line. K.C. can take solace in the fact that despite dropping four straight regular-season games to the Bills, it's bested Buffalo three consecutive times in the postseason. If they are on a fated path to meet once again in January, Sunday's victory could go a long way to determining whether that bout is played in Orchard Park or Kansas City. No looking too far ahead, but the Chiefs face the Steelers on Christmas Day in Pittsburgh, while Buffalo still has the 9-1 Lions on the docket next month. Buckle up.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chiefs-Bills (via NFL Pro): Gregory Rousseau generated a team-high five pressures on 28 pass rushes (17.9% pressure rate) in Week 11 against the Chiefs, with two of his pressures coming on unblocked pass rushes.

NFL Research: The Bills scored 30+ points for the fifth consecutive game, marking the longest active streak in NFL.

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• REWATCH: Bengals-Chargers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Chargers prove they’re ‘different team’ under Harbaugh

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Herbert, Chargers avoid Chargering in dramatic win. Los Angeles survived one on Sunday night, thanks to a stellar first half from Justin Herbert, the inaccuracy of Bengals kicker Evan McPherson and a 29-yard run from an AP Comeback Player of the Year front runner. In the first half, Herbert’s right arm was a flame thrower that wouldn’t be extinguished and his fleet feet carried him to some massive gains on the ground. Following a 26-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston, Herbert was a scorching 6 of 6 for 123 yards with two touchdowns and the Bolts were just beginning a 20-point run to take a seemingly comfortable 27-6 halftime lead. All was well for a boisterous home crowd at SoFi Stadium. Then the Chargers of old -- along with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the fellas on Cincy -- crashed the party. L.A. allowed Cincinnati to claw all the way back from a 21-point deficit. Had the Bengals won, it would have been the biggest comeback of the NFL season. But the Chargers, whose offense went stagnant in the second half, hung tough and got lucky, thanks in large part to two missed go-ahead FGs from McPherson. Herbert, with the game tied at 27, took over on the L.A. 16-yard line with 46 second left, having gone ice cold in the second half. He sparked the game-winning drive, though, finding Ladd McConkey for 28- and 27-yard gains to get into field-goal territory. J.K. Dobbins wasn’t having any of that. He broke loose for a 29-yard game-winning touchdown, leaping into the end zone to put an exclamation point on a second half that was as chaotic as it was dramatic. For all the phenomenal changes brought about when Jim Harbaugh took over the Chargers, fans on Sunday were likely pulling their hair out, having nightmarish recall of all the Chargering of yesteryear. Los Angeles avoided a collapse in this one, but there are still plenty of Chargers demons to exorcise this season. 
2. Burrow, Bengals rack up another agonizing loss. Down by 21 at the half, Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense were getting largely bullied by a very good Chargers defense. In the second half, though, Burrow, Chase, Tee Higgins and the squad roared back, flirting with the biggest comeback of the season only to lose another heartbreaker. Burrow had another monster stat line with 356 yards and three touchdowns. Higgins returned from a quad injury to haul in nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Chase added two scores. In the end, though, special teams, defense, a 5-of-17 outing on third down and a 2-of-4 mark in the red zone added up to the team’s sixth one-possession loss. Cincinnati is 4-7 and 10th in the AFC playoff picture. Burrow is playing MVP-caliber ball and Chase should be an All-Pro. Unfortunately, it’s equaled painful losses more often than not in a trying season. 
3. Dobbins leaps into CPOTY conversation. J.K. Dobbins, through nine games this season, has a career-high 152 carries, 726 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. Two of those TDs and 56 of those yards came Sunday against the Bengals. It was his 29-yard game-winner that will loom largest of course. Dobbins took the snap with 18 seconds to go, darted in and out, broke a tackle along the sideline and leaped in for six. Maybe he should’ve stopped short of the end zone to ensure a game-winning field goal try with no time remaining for a Bengals miracle. In the end, it didn’t matter. This was another big one on Dobbins’ comeback tour. He’s showed his worth as the Chargers’ lead back this season -- though Herbert’s 65 rushing yards led the Bolts -- and next week, when so much attention will be paid to Jim Harbaugh facing off against brother John, Dobbins will play his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, on Monday night. Dobbins enters the game having already surpassed the 542 rushing yards he totaled in two injury-riddled seasons with Baltimore from 2022-23. He has a very good shot of passing his rookie career-best of 805 yards next week. Dobbins will no doubt be running on high for that one, certainly after his Sunday showing. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bengals-Chargers (via NFL Pro): Justin Herbert reached a max speed of 20.5 mph on his 30-yard scramble in the first half, which is his second-fastest speed as a ball carrier during his career and the third-fastest speed this year by a quarterback.

NFL Research: Ja’Marr Chase’s 4-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was the 40th of his career, making him just the third player in NFL history with 40 or more receiving TDs before age 25. Chase, 24, joined Hall of Famer Randy Moss (53 TDs before 25) and Rob Gronkowski (42) and now has 41 in his career.