Sportsnaut
NFL Week 11 saw quite a few close games, including a pair of overtime victories and game-winning scores in the closing moments. Sunday’s slate also delivered some huge matchups between playoff contenders and Super Bowl hopefuls that will be the topic of discussion for the next few days.
Let’s dive into our NFL power rankings after Sunday’s Week 11 games. We’ll have further updates after Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football.
A statement win for the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford wasn’t particularly effective in this one, but he didn’t need to be. Kyren Williams (91 yards and 1 touchdown on 12 carries) was outstanding against a top-three run defense, carrying the Rams offense. Meanwhile, Los Angeles returned to its familiar game plan against Sam Darnold and turned it into 4 takeaways and a 25 percent red-zone conversion rate allowed. The Rams are 8-2 on the year and look like the best team in the NFL right now.
Some view the New England Patriots as a fluke, a team destined to lose when it steps onto center stage and faces a top opponent. The thing is, though, you can find blemishes on the résumés of the best teams in the AFC (Chiefs, Bills, and Colts) this season that are even worse than New England’s marks. What matters right now is that the Patriots are 9-2, and the rest of their schedule gives Drake Maye and company a path to home-field advantage and a first-round bye come playoff time.
In his last two games before the Week 11 bye, quarterback Daniel Jones had a 76.5 QB rating with seven total turnovers. The Indianapolis Colts have to hope it’s not a sign of the former first-round pick regressing closer to the player we saw for the majority of his NFL career. What Shane Steichen can do is put this offense on Jonathan Taylor’s shoulders, with the OPOY candidate averaging 140 scrimmage yards per game with 17 total touchdowns. Just as important, this Colts defense will hopefully get Charvarius Ward back sometime soon to pair with Sauce Gardner.
Dan Campbell picked the perfect time to take over play-calling, orchestrating a clinic against a historically bad Commanders defense last week. The real test comes on Sunday Night Football versus an Eagles defense that has been outstanding over the past month and just shut down Green Bay. Losing Sam LaPorta (IR) is a real blow for this Lions offense, but we’re still looking at one of the most well-coached teams and most talented rosters in the NFL right now.
This Sunday Night Football game feels like the real barometer of where the Philadelphia Eagles measure up against Super Bowl contenders. Vic Fangio is certainly orchestrating a championship-caliber defense once again, but Philadelphia’s offense still feels a bit off-kilter. A win would send a message that the Eagles...
