Week 11 has come and gone. Some major injuries, a few statements and a couple of teams officially announcing that this ain't going to be their year. So a nice midseason slate of NFL action!
We'll start off our review with your current AFC #1 seed...
Ravens 34- Bengals 20
-Huge win for Baltimore to sustain their lead atop a heated divisional race
-Gus Edwards led the way on the ground, scoring two more times on his 12 carries. He has more touchdowns over the last four games than the New York Jets have this season
-Odafe Oweh looks really fast, he could be a real weapon if he starts finishing sacks more consistently. Jadaveon Clowney's been a fantastic free agent addition for this defense too
-Lamar Jackson looked really efficient passing the ball, relying on OBJ and Zay Flowers to help move the ball through the air. The loss of Mark Andrews though is going to force these two to start producing more consistently
-The Ravens weren't the only ones with a big injury, as the Bengals' Joe Burrow is now set to miss the rest of the year with a torn ligament in his thumb. That leaves them with Jake Browning and AJ McCarron on the depth chart, effectively ending their season
-Joe Mixon was pretty effective on the ground and added a touchdown on a dump off. They're going to ride him hard for these final games
-Ja'Marr Chase had another quiet day, posting a 2/12/1 line. The quarterback change surely didn't help, but he wasn't lighting it up prior
Browns 13- Steelers 10
-Gross.
-Kenny Pickett legitimately sucks. Sample size is big enough, there's decent enough talent around him. He's just a very bad NFL quarterback. Tommy DeVito has more multi-touchdown games then him at this point in both of their careers, for reference
-Back to form Najee Harris, averaging a stout 2.9 YPC. Yet he'll sit and complain to the media postgame about the offense. All while Jaylen Warren racked up 129 on 9 carries and the team's only touchdown. When's that power shift going to officially happen??
-Gritty win for Cleveland with a rookie quarterback. DTR only turned it over once while managing to move the ball enough to put up 13 points. Not an inspiring victory, but one that'll keep them in the hunt
-Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt are going to be seeing a lot of loaded boxes over the next few weeks
-Two more sacks for Myles Garrett, putting him in the lead for the league at 13. The banter between him and Pittsburgh OT Broderick Jones was really amusing-- when Garrett picked up a Steelers helmet to return it, but was basically shooed away by the rookie having seen what the edge rusher's used those helmets for in the past
Lions 31- Bears 26
-Incredible comeback by the Lions. Falling behind 26-14 with 4:15 to go at home versus the Bears isn't a spot you want to find yourself in, but these are the types of wins truly good teams find a way to leave with
-Jared Goff was a big part of the hole that Detroit dug, throwing three interceptions while narrowly escaping what would've easily been pick six on their first scoring drive. He'll need to be sharper come January
-David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are a premier tandem at running back. Each found the end zone while racking up 98 and 95 total yards, respectively. This is a hard team to beat once they get going
-Amon Ra St. Brown is so, so good. He was held under 100 for the first time in a while, but still managed to find pay dirt on one of his 8 catches. He went for 77 yards on the day
-Poor Bears fans, being teased with another quality performance by Justin Fields. The oft-maligned QB was electric, throwing for 169 yards while adding 104 on the ground. He only had seven incompletions and no turnovers. Big decision over the next month and a half regarding their future at the position
-Khalil Herbert was back from injury and immediately resumed the lion's share of the work, outcarrying Roschon Johnson and D'Onta Foreman 16-6-6. The incumbent starter didn't shine though, only managing 2.2 YPC, while Foreman was the one given the goal line work. A clear cut backfield suddenly has become a three-headed..."monster"
-Say what you will about Fields as a passer, but he has demonstrated good chemistry with DJ Moore. The receiver popped with a 7/96/1 stat line
Packers 23- Chargers 20
-How is Brandon Staley still employed? Sure, you can point to the defense, the dropped passes, whatever for who to blame. It ultimately falls on the head coach, who clearly is, and has been, way over his head
-Justin Herbert didn't play MVP-level, but he did more than enough to put LA in a position to leave Lambeau with a win. The kid went 21/36 for 260 and two touchdowns
-Similar to Buffalo, I'll never understand this Chargers team's "strategy" for utilizing the run. Austin Ekeler was averaging 6.4 yards per carry in a game that was never more than one score out of reach, so naturally Herbert led to team in rushing yards. Senseless lack of balance that's derailing potentially elite units
-Keenan Allen was very good, posting a 10/116/1 line, but he dropped a couple of passes that ended up coming back to haunt the team, including what would've been an easy second touchdown in the third quarter
-Quentin Johnston was also guilty of a blatant drop too, however his came in the final minute or so of the game. The speedy rookie burned his defender down the right sideline before failing to secure a dime from Justin Herbert. Just another day at the office for the disappointing first rounder
-How bad is the Chargers secondary you ask? Jordan Love went 27/40 for 322, 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. Any hope fans might've had that this expensive unit could put it together for a late season push were sorely let down
-AJ Dillon out touched Aaron Jones 18 to 5, outgaining him 61 to 17. Just sad production
-Jayden Reed has been a super explosive rookie wideout, but learn the name Dontayvion Wicks too. The 5th rounder from Virginia led Green Bay with 91 receiving yards, topping 49 for the third straight week
Dolphins 20- Raiders 13
-Really disappointing performance by the Dolphins. At home, outgaining Las Vegas by 126 yards but only managing to win by 7. Bad fumbles, a turnover on downs inside the 5 and an interception will do that
-Between all the mishaps, Tua did deal for 325 yards and two scores. Tyreek Hill was his main target (surprise), catching 10 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. So, so fast...
-Jaylen Ramsey had two interceptions, including a magnificent diving one to end the game. He's still a top corner
-Aidan O'Connell made a few plays, but he also had some really bad interceptions. I'd feel better with him than some of the other starting quarterbacks in this league, but he's probably not more than a decent backup
-Long overdue showing from Davante Adams, snagging 7 for 82 and a score. His 46-yard TD bomb was a great throw and catch
-Hunter Renfrow had 5 catches, upping his total to 18 on the year. Maybe worth an eye in deep PPR leagues
Giants 31- Commanders 19
-If you told me Tommy DeVito would have 3 touchdowns, while Sam Howell would finish with 3 interceptions...you can't make these things up
-The Giants were leading going into the 4th quarter despite having 0 rushing yards until the final play of the 3rd. Make that make sense
-The Commanders outgained New York by 111 yards, had 28 first downs compared to 13 and sacked DeVito nine times...but lost by twelve. Six turnovers will do that
-Saquon Barkley finished with 83 rushing and 57 receiving yards, plus two outstanding touchdown receptions. Highlight reel day as he petitions for his next payday
-Isaiah Simmons' pick six was a sick play to put an exclamation point on an impressive divisional win for the G-Men
-Ron Rivera won't be coaching this team for too many more weeks if they keep putting out performances like that
Cowboys 33- Panthers 10
-Everything was underneath for Bryce Young. Not the worst day of his rookie year, but pretty uninspiring
-Like much of the year, it was Adam Thielen or bust for Young. The veteran wideout caught half of his completions for 60% of his passing yards
-The Panthers actually ran the ball! Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders contributed 57 and 50 rushing yards each to the cause, respectively
-Dak Prescott was clean with the ball on a day where he didn't have to do much, throwing for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns
-Tony Pollard rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown, adding 19 through the air. It was his first time in the end zone since week one
-Two outstanding defensive performances: Micah Parsons racked up 2.5 sacks, while DaRon Bland ran back his record tying 4th pick six. The 2nd year, 5th rounder has six total interceptions on the year, really emerging as a top corner for big D
Jaguars 34- Titans 14
-Jaguars needed a bounce back performance like this after last week's drubbing. Travis Etienne was predictably pedestrian against a stout run defense, but the rest of the offense was cooking
-Trevor Lawrence generally looked comfortable in the pocket, completing 2/3's of his passes for 262 yards
-Calvin Ridley was his favorite target, for the first time in a while, catching 7 passes for 103 yards and both of Lawrence's touchdowns
-Bumps in the road for rookie Will Levis. He set the bar high for himself with his debut win over Atlanta, but hasn't been as spectacular since. Like how he attempts to push the ball downfield though, going 13/17 at 9.3 YPA
-Really ineffective game for Derrick Henry, mustering just 38 yards on 10 carries. Jags are a tough D to run against
-Another touchdown bomb for Deandre Hopkins, this time from 42 out. He can't be thrilled with their generally noncompetitive play, but at least he's connecting on some deep shots recently. Instead of whatever was happening with Ryan Tannehill
Texans 21- Cardinals 16
-This game was 21-10 at halftime, with an over/under at 47.5. Felt like an absolute, stone cold lock.
-Then reckless CJ Stroud showed up for the first time in 2023, throwing 3 total interceptions, including 2 on consecutive drives inside the Cardinals' red zone during the second half. Not a trend you want to see tick up for the rookie, though he was dominant outside of those few mistakes, throwing for 336 yards
-Another big day for Devin Singletary, grounding out 112 yards and a score. Doesn't seem like Dameon Pierce is coming back to a job
-Tank Dell went off again too, posting a booming 8/149/1 line. His touchdown catch was highlight reel material. How did he fall to the third round?
-Kyler Murray was very solid once again in his second game back from his ACL recovery, going 20/30 at 7.1 YPA. He also added 51 with his legs, finding the end zone on a first quarter scamper
-Trey McBride and, surprisingly, our boy Greg Dortch, were his most targeted pass catchers. They record 5 and 6 receptions respectively, for a combined 119 yards. Hollywood?
49ers 27- Buccaneers 14
-It's not very common that I drill a prediction, but I was on top of this Brock Purdy explosion. 21/25 for 333 and 3 touchdowns, promptly reentering the MVP discussion
-Christian McCaffery managed a respectable 78 rushing yards against a stingy front seven, not an easy feat. He did make his way back to the end zone on one of his five receptions
-Huge days for Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, further entrenching themselves as the primary targets in this offense. Aiyuk went for 156 while the tight end rumbled for 89 on 8 catches, each finding pay dirt. Outside of those two, CMC and Deebo Samuel, no other 49er caught a ball
-Baker Mayfield was predictably bland Sunday afternoon. By the end of the game, he was taking a few more chances, with varied success. But even with his talented supporting cast, he's simply a limited quarterback
-Nothing else really exciting about this Bucs team. Rachaad White had a rushing touchdown, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combined for just over 80 yards. Uninspired offense with Mayfield under center
Bills 32- Jets 6
-Zach Wilson, sit down. It's over. It wasn't a fun ride
-The former #2 pick went 7/15 for 81 yards before being replaced by Tim Boyle. What a way to go out! He wasn't even demoted to second string either, falling behind Trevor Siemian on the depth chart
-Breece Hall somehow managed 73 total yards and a touchdown
-Probably felt really good for Josh Allen to exorcise some of those Jets demons. He was solid on the evening, going 20/32 for 275, 3 scores and an interception
-Khalil Shakir made some splash plays through the air, leading the team with 115 yards at 38.3 YPC. Dalton Kincaid was the busiest pass catcher, reeling in 6. Stefon Diggs posted a 4/27 line. Wonder when/where the disdain is?
-Not a 400-level assignment here, but dominant showing by the Buffalo defense. They allowed a paltry 155 total yards and had as many sacks as points allowed. Newcomer Rasul Douglas also notched his first two picks with the team
Rams 17- Seahawks 16
-Really bad loss by Seattle. Given the shaky state of the NFC, it won't likely impact their wildcard push. But this all but derails any chance they had at stealing the West
-Geno Smith was alright, finding DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba relatively often. Just another game where he showed he's not in the true top tier of quarterbacks
-Kenneth Walker's set to miss some time with an oblique injury, opening the door for a big time workload increase for Zach Charbonnet
-Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense is really boring, even when they're fully healthy. He's not a bad QB, but definitely on the back nine
-Royce Freeman ended up becoming an admirable running back stream play, taking 17 carries for 73 yards. Given some of the shit available, we'll take it. Surprising discrepancy between his load and Darrell Henderson Jr.'s, though it was Henderson who punched one into the end zone
-Cooper Kupp may be back on the injury report after hurting his ankle. He had a dud of a day, catching one pass for 11 yards while failing to adjust on what would've been a 35-yard touchdown toward the end of the first half
Broncos 21- Vikings 20
-Got a little excited for this game and it didn't disappoint! Really gutsy win for Russell Wilson and the Broncos, taking their streak up to four straight
-In Denver's last four wins, Russell Wilson has completed 74.1% of his passes for 760 yards, 7 touchdowns and not one interception. Whatever he and Sean Payton have schemed up has really been working
-Javonte Williams has been a huge part of that, despite having a pretty average outing Sunday night. The kid is explosive, really softening up opposing front sevens
-Sick catch by Courtland Sutton late in the fourth for the go-ahead score. Dude just went up between two defenders and took what was his
-Really tough break for a Minnesota team that didn't quite deserve to have their own winning streak ended just yet. The good news is there's still plenty of buffer between them and anyone below them in the wildcard chase
-Josh Dobbs was good enough in this one, just didn't have enough juice at the end. TJ Hockenson was once again his go-to man, bringing in 4 of 7 targets for 55 yards. Keep an eye on fellow tight end Josh Oliver, who also caught 4 balls for 47 yards and a score. Could be seeing a few more two tight end sets up North
-Nice showing by Alexander Mattison, especially given that he wasn't even fully cleared from a concussion until the weekend. 18 carries for 81 yards, you take that every week. Ty Chandler though, may be starting to creep into his duties after totaling 110 yards on 14 touches
Eagles 21- Chiefs 17
-Kansas City hasn't scored in the second half for three straight weeks. They're the worst scoring offense in the third and fourth quarter in the entire league, which is a higher bar than most years with some of the putrid quarterback play we've witnessed
-Two red zone turnovers and a Quentin Johnston-esque touchdown drop by Marques Valdes-Scantling doomed Patrick Mahomes and company, a group that's really been shooting themselves in the foot all year
-Isiah Pacheco was one bright spot, handling 19 carries for 89 yards. It was a deliberate display of balance by Andy Reid
-Gritty come from behind win by Philly. They made the right adjustments at halftime, shut down the Chiefs and found a way to put enough points on the board to win. First time an Eagles team had beaten Reid
-Jalen Hurts put up an extremely modest 150 yards on 14/22 passing. Not the day you'd expect from an MVP candidate, even against a top tier defense. He did punch in their final two touchdowns though
-Who thought AJ Brown would lay an egg like this? 1 catch for 8 yards?? Woof...
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@Choppinglines
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