The highly anticipated Week 11 slate did not disappoint, with several stars and teams delivering exceptional performances.
Catching up on the action, the Kansas City Chiefs finally suffered their first loss of the season, falling to the Buffalo Bills in another memorable chapter of their rivalry. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions not only established themselves as the best team in the NFL, but they may also have triggered some massive personnel changes in Jacksonville.
Here are some knee-jerk reactions from Week 11 of the NFL season:
Bills QB Josh Allen is in the driver’s seat for MVP honors
Although Allen wasn’t flawless, he made plays when it mattered most to help hand the previously undefeated Chiefs their first loss since Christmas 2023 during Buffalo’s thrilling 30-21 home win on Sunday. The two-time Pro Bowler finished 27-of-40 passing for 262 yards, one touchdown and an interception while rushing for 55 yards, 26 of which came on a game-sealing 4th-and-2 TD run.
While this was a statement win for Buffalo, it might not completely change perceptions surrounding its Super Bowl outlook since the team hasn’t beaten Kansas City in the playoffs yet. Nevertheless, at the very least, Allen’s heroic performance should put him at the top of the MVP leaderboard.
In addition to leading Buffalo to an AFC East-leading 9-2 record, Allen ranks fourth among quarterbacks in total yards (2,859) and touchdowns (23) while leading the third-ranked scoring offense. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson might have slightly better stats and a head-to-head victory over Allen, but Buffalo wouldn’t be close to the position it’s in without him.
The offense could be a concern, but the Steelers show they are Super Bowl contenders
Pittsburgh won its fifth consecutive game on Sunday, earning an 18-16 home win over the Baltimore Ravens in a battle for first place in the AFC North. It was a lackluster showing by the offense, which didn’t score any touchdowns, while QB Russell Wilson finished 23-of-36 passing for 205 yards and one interception against the NFL’s worst pass defense. However, the Steelers defense’s stellar showing against the explosive Baltimore offense was eye-opening.
The Ravens, who entered Sunday’s action boasting the highest-scoring offense in the league, only found the end zone once through the contest’s first 58 minutes and had an uncharacteristic three turnovers. Jackson’s MVP candidacy also took a significant hit, with the three-time Pro Bowler completing just 16 of his 33 passes for 207 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
There’s no debate that the Steelers offense must be more productive than it was against Baltimore. If the unit can perform more like the one that averaged 30.3 points across Wilson’s first three starts, Pittsburgh should be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After all, the Steelers have one of the NFL’s best minds in HC Mike Tomlin leading the way, along with a defense that is allowing the second-fewest points among teams (16.2).
It’s safe to say we’ve finally reached the end of the Doug Pederson era in Jacksonville
On Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the Jaguars could cut ties with HC Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke “pending the results of Sunday’s game against the Lions.” Considering Jacksonville suffered its most lopsided loss in franchise history during the 52-6 road thrashing at the hands of Detroit, it seems inevitable that owner Shahid Khan will make massive personnel changes during the team’s Week 12 bye.
Overall, Pederson has led the Jaguars to a 20-25 record and a playoff berth in under three seasons, and change is necessary with the team now having lost 14 of the last 17 games. Even so, it’s imperative that the team parts ways with Baalke, who is 23-39 in four seasons as Jacksonville’s general manager and has made several poor draft picks. Once Pederson and Baalke are out of the picture, all eyes will be on QB Trevor Lawrence to see whether he finally makes a leap or if Jacksonville needs to undergo another full-scale rebuild.
Bo Nix is the second-best rookie quarterback and proving to be the future in Denver
Nix, the sixth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, has made strides throughout each start this season and officially solidified himself as the second-best rookie signal-caller on Sunday. During a 38-6 home drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons, Nix completed 84.8% of his passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns, all of which were career highs. According to DNVR Sports’ Zac Stevens, Nix has tied the NFL rookie record for games with at least 70% completion, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions (four).
Through 11 games, Nix ranks 11th among quarterbacks in total yards (2,572) and tied for 10th in touchdowns (15). With his accuracy, poise and athleticism, the Oregon product has been a perfect fit for HC Sean Payton’s system, and he’s showing true signs of being a franchise quarterback. In an age where older players lacking otherworldly physical traits are often undervalued in the draft, perhaps the 24-year-old Nix’s success will change how teams approach the scouting process.
Justin Tucker’s struggles are putting the Ravens in a difficult position
The Ravens were sloppy and outcoached during their road loss to Pittsburgh but probably would’ve walked away with a victory if Tucker connected on all of his field goal attempts. The 34-year-old is amidst the worst season of his career and saw his struggles persist on Sunday, missing two first-quarter field goals, one from 47 yards out and another from 50 yards.
Tucker has now missed more field goals in 11 games (six) than he missed the entire 2023 season (five) and is converting on just 72.7% of his field goal attempts, the fifth-worst mark in the NFL.
While Tucker is Baltimore’s all-time leader in points, any other kicker who has performed this poorly for a team with a realistic chance of winning a Super Bowl would likely have been cut by now. Given his resume, the Ravens will likely stick with Tucker, but if he continues to miss makeable kicks, they shouldn’t put their championship hopes at risk by continuing to roster him.
A last-place finish in the NFC West is becoming a reality for 49ers
San Francisco fell to 5-5 on Sunday, squandering a fourth-quarter lead en route to a 20-17 home loss to Seattle, during which QB Geno Smith scored the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in regulation. With only a 31% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to NFL.com’s projection, the 49ers’ season is in jeopardy as they approach their most challenging stretch of games.
The odds are undoubtedly stacked against San Francisco, so much so that it might be more likely that the team finishes in last place in the NFC West. As per Tankathon, the 49ers have the fourth-most difficult remaining schedule among teams and will face the likes of Detroit, Buffalo and Green Bay. There’s no doubt that injuries have contributed to San Francisco’s disappointing season, but if it finishes in last place, the team may have to re-evaluate its future under HC Kyle Shanahan.
Firing OC Shane Waldron was the right decision by Bears, though more changes are needed following gut-wrenching loss to Packers
After cutting ties with Waldron last week, the Bears offense finally showed signs of life during Sunday’s crushing 20-19 home loss to Green Bay. The unit racked up 391 total yards while QB Caleb Williams threw for 231 yards and added a career-high 70 yards on the ground. Williams also connected with fellow rookie Rome Odunze on two clutch throws to help set up a potential game-winning field goal, only for Cairo Santos’ attempt to be blocked.
Even though it’s clear that the team shouldn’t panic button about Williams and the offense’s future just yet, HC Matt Eberflus’ poor decision-making is proving costly. On Sunday, Eberflus, who had one timeout left, could’ve run another play to give Santos a chance to kick a shorter field goal but chose not to, which might’ve made all the difference in the game’s outcome.
As pointed out by The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, Chicago is 101-24-2 since 1940 when it doesn’t turn the ball over on offense and creates a takeaway on defense. Three of those losses have come in the team’s last three games. Eberflus’ fate is all but sealed, and while the Bears might have been against an in-season coaching change, the front office should consider such a move to help the team’s morale.
