NFL Week 11: What We Learned from each Sunday game

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• REWATCH: Packers-Bears on NFL+

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 at 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. Thomas 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 7 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 2005-2006.

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• REWATCH: Jaguars-Lions on NFL+
• 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 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+

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 firing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, 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. The running game still struggled, though, as 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 Tua 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 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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• REWATCH: Rams-Patriots on NFL+

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 the 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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• REWATCH: Browns-Saints on NFL+

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 Sunday (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 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 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. 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+

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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• REWATCH: Vikings-Titans on NFL+

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+

Analysis to come from Kevin Patra

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Analysis to come from Eric Edholm

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Analysis to come from Nick Shook

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Analysis to come from Kevin Patra

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Analysis to come from Grant Gordon