The NFL season is more than halfway over now. The storylines are building, the playoff and divisional races are heating up, and it feels like the road to the Super Bowl is open for many teams. This week validated the greatness of a rookie for another week, affirmed that one week of great play for a recently acquired journeyman wasn’t a fluke, saw one team return to elite form, and last second win in the best division in football.
Stroud and Texans Continue Rise
Do we need to stop talking about C.J. Stroud in rookie terms and just start putting him in the same conversation with top 10 current NFL quarterbacks? After another impressive performance in which Stroud threw for 356 yards and a touchdown while earning a 30-27 road win against the previously smoking hot Cincinnati Bengals, it might just be that time.
Stroud has thrown for over 900 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception in his past two games and the rookie of the year award is all but over. The thing that’s crazy about Stroud is that if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was on his second NFL contract. In a game where Joe Burrow, a quarterback who has played in the Super Bowl and is widely viewed as one of the league’s best was playing across the field, Stroud held his own and you wouldn’t be able to tell which player was a rookie. Stroud is also doing this without an elite level receiver. Rookie Tank Dell looks like he could potentially fill that void, but still has a long way to go. This is clearly a case of Stroud making his receivers better.
Stroud and the Texans offense had a field day with the Bengals. Houston posted 544 yards of total offense and a whopping 28 first downs. Stroud and the passing game also finally received from help from the running game in which Devin Singletary ran for 150 yards.
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense held their own against the Texans. Burrow threw for nearly 350 yards and two touchdowns himself, but he also had two interceptions. The Bengals inability to earn a fifth straight win was more a case of Cincinnati unable to get a stop as opposed to the Bengals not being able to provide enough offense.
The win for Houston now put the Texans in front of the Bengals in the AFC playoff picture. The Bengals now find themselves as the only team in their own division not in a current playoff seed. With Houston having a much easier schedule due to a last place schedule and just an easier division than most teams, the Texans now find themselves with a path to essentially control their own destiny.
Cincinnati’s next three could potentially make or break their season. They play at Baltimore, Pittsburgh at home, and then travel to Jacksonville. All three teams are currently holding playoff seeds so those games will play a heavy factor in whether the Bengals rise or fall in the AFC standings. Buckle up, the AFC is going to be wild the rest of the season.
Cleveland Steals Victory from Baltimore
The wild and crazy AFC North might have had the wildest and craziest ending to a game this season. Down 31-17 with just under nine minutes to go, the Cleveland Browns came back to earn a 33-31 win over division leading Baltimore.
The comeback began when Deshaun Watson connected with Elijah Moore for a touchdown just after the nine minute mark. Two plays after the next kickoff, Greg Newsome II picked off Lamar Jackson and ran the ball back 34 yards for a touchdown, but Dustin Hopkins would miss the extra point kick. Cleveland would then force a Baltimore punt after just six plays. That next drive would last the remaining 4:55 in the game and end with a game winning Hopkins 40 yard field goal.
On a Sunday where Cincinnati already lost, the Ravens could’ve created even more separation from the Bengals and Ravens. Now things are incredibly tight in the AFC North with the Baltimore loss and wins by both Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Each team is about .500 and although Cincinnati finds themselves in last place, they are only two wins back of Baltimore with the matchup coming next week.
Maybe the biggest enigma to the AFC North is this Cleveland team. The defense has been good, even great at times, but this is a team that lost Nick Chubb for the season and has seen mostly terrible play be Deshaun Watson or backup quarterback P.J. Walker. Where Pittsburgh’s offense isn’t great at times, they have the unknown of youth on their side. The Browns are a ragtag bunch of veterans and the underwhelming Watson. It’s very reminiscent of last season’s Minnesota Vikings team, but with an actually legitimate unit in the Cleveland defense.
With all four AFC North teams battling next week, the landscape of the division is far from over. This feels like the one division in the NFL that could change position combinations each week the rest of the season. There’s also a legitimate chance that all four teams could find themselves in the post season.
San Fran Returns to Win Column in Dominating Way
Rule of thumb: If you want the world to forget about your team playing three straight weeks of losing football and only scoring 17 points each game, go ahead and beat the living piss out of a 6-2 football team on the road.
That’s exactly what the San Francisco 49ers did to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It may seem unfair to claim that one 34-3 win against the Jaguars can convince the football world that the 49ers are back to being one the NFL’s elite, but considering San Fran looked just as strong earlier this season when they opened with five victories, it’s probably safe to say it will be more likely to see this team before at the level they played Sunday.
Of course, it always helps when your defense sacks the opposing quarterback five times and only allows a field goal, but the Niners offense looked like it returned to form in Jacksonville. This, while not getting a touchdown by Christian McCaffrey, ending his record streak of consecutive games with a touchdown at 17 games. San Francisco did spread the ball around though. Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, and Deebo Samuel who returned from injury all found the end zone. Samuel, who had been out with a shoulder injury for several weeks, may have been a huge factor in turning up the offensive output with his WR/RB versatility.
In the end, this San Francisco season may be a prisoner to Brocky Purdy’s performances. Sunday was one of his best, throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns. If Purdy can get protection and not feel constant pressure, he’s proven he can hit short to medium routes with consistency. With an offense with so many weapons, more times than not there should be somebody open.
This NFL season hasn’t had one team clearly set themselves apart from the rest of the league. Even Kansas City and Philadelphia, who have the best records, have looked very beatable at times. It may seem crazy after how the 49ers have looked in recent weeks, but when they play like they did against Jacksonville and several other teams earlier in the season, I don’t think there is a better team in football.
The Passtronaut Leads Vikings to Another Win
I guess the game against Atlanta wasn’t a fluke. Of course I’m referencing recently acquired Minnesota Vikings quaertback Joshua Dobbs, who put together his second great game in as many weeks for his brand new team. Dobbs, who was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals, played like he had been playing in the Vikings system for years in Minnesota’s 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Dobbs finished the game throwing for 268 yards and one touchdown with a 101.1 quarterback rating. Dobbs also had eight rushes for 44 yards and a touchdown as well in a game where at moments he looked like a pro bowl level quarterback. The way Dobbs has played as a back up role is reminiscent of the Vikings team in 2017 which was quarterbacked by Case Keenum, or the team that ended that team’s season, the Philadelphia Eagles who won the Super Bowl with Nick Foles after Carson Wentz’s season ended prematurely.
Now impressive games against NFC South teams does not make for a Super Bowl run, but Dobbs has been able to maintain what was an already impressive offense without Justin Jefferson in the mix. Dobbs has also added an escapability level that was one of Kirk Cousins’ few weaknesses. If Dobbs continues to play at this level, it’s hard to imagine how great the offense could become when Jefferson is back in the next week or two.
It’s not all about Dobbs and offense in Minnesota though. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores has completely transformed a Vikings defense that was a laughing stock last year. The Vikings are a top half team in defensive DVOA and have combined for 27 sacks this season, a drastic improvement from what was a large Achilles’ heel last season.
Minnesota now has five straight wins with their upcoming three games coming against Denver, Chicago, and Las Vegas which look like very winnable games on paper. A season that looked like it was being flushed down the toilet incredibly quickly has now turned into one with plenty of potential. How long the Vikings can keep this winning streak and how long their season lasts may have a lot to do with how long Joshua Dobbs can maintain these types of performances.
Mistakes Cost Bills MNF Game and Maybe More
If shooting yourself in your own foot was a stat, the Buffalo Bills might lead the league. Monday Night Football brought more bad turnovers and one unbelievably costly penalty to bring the Bills record to 5-5.
Buffalo had four turnovers in their 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos. James Cook lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage of the game. Josh Allen continues to pile up his turnovers, throwing two interceptions and dropping a handoff to Cook before the running back had even put his hands on the ball. Allen’s care for the ball continues to be a concern, with his interception total now up to 11 on the season.
As bad as the turnovers were, Buffalo saved the worst for last. After taking their first lead of the game with just about three minutes remaining, the Buffalo defense allowed Russell Wilson to lead the Broncos offense into field goal range with much thanks to a 28 yard Taron Johnson pass interference call. The Broncos then burned the clock down to the final seconds and with no timeouts remaining, ran the special teams unit out on the field for a Will Lutz field goal as time expired. Lutz, who had already missed one extra point and was unable to kick another due to a fumbled snap, missed the field goal wide right. In another inept Bills moment, Buffalo had 12 defenders on the field, allowing Lutz another kick which went right through the uprights for the win.
Buffalo has been an AFC favorite for several years, but the Bills have now lost three of four with games on the road against Philadelphia, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, and Miami left to play. They also have a home game against Dallas, New England, and the New York Jets. The Bills have already lost games to the Jets and Patriots. This Buffalo team might not, correct that, probably won’t be a playoff team when all is said and done.
Denver does deserve some credit of its own. The Broncos are not the most pleasing team to watch, but they have been playing better football compared to the first couple weeks of the season. Russell Wilson is playing much better and the defense has improved over time. It’s hard to imagine Denver working their way all the way back into the postseason conversation, but there must be a sigh of relief in the Mile High City to see a positive trajectory.
Week 11 Game Watchability Rankings
Teams on Bye: Falcons, Colts, Patriots, Saints
14. Cowboys vs Panthers: It’s really hard to watch Carolina, specifically Bryce Young. It’s much like in the movies when there is the orphan looking for a family, or the kid who just wants some friends to play with. Young just wants some receiver depth and offensive support. Carolina will have trouble enough winning another game this year, but this Dallas game seems like a foregone conclusion. Sure, Dallas lost earlier this season to Arizona, but usually the Cowboys beat up on bad teams like they did against the New York Giants for the second time this season.
13. Bears vs Lions: For years the Detroit Lions have been one of the laughing stocks of the NFC North and the NFL. Not this year. The Lions have the second best record in the NFL with a balanced offense and very good defensive pash rush. Detroit is for real. Chicago is also for real, but in a different direction. Don’t get confused with the Thursday Night Football win over Carolina, which may be go down as one of the worst five games of the season. The Bears are no good and will have an incredibly tough time pulling out a victory in Detroit.
12. Giants vs Commanders: Two NFC East teams whose coaches are feeling their seats getting hotter and hotter as the weeks go by. The New York Giants are worth watching every week if you get enjoyment in seeing Brian Daboll lose his fucking mind. Ron Rivera plays it much cooler, but his team let another close game go the other way. The Commanders could be a team above .500, but every loss could’ve been prevented if it wasn’t for that interception, bad defensive series, or that missed throw. Once those things pile up every week you go from a team that isn’t closing on opportunities to just a bad team.
11. Chargers vs Packers: In a loaded AFC, the Los Angeles Chargers can feel their playoff hopes slipping away once again. With the talent on the Chargers, there should be hope that they can fix things down the stretch, but it already seems like a foregone conclusion that Brandon Staley will be looking for a new job next season. If the season and Staley’s job is to be saved, they can’t lose to this Green Bay team. The Packers have about a quarter per game where they look like something resembling a competitive team, but make plenty of mistakes throughout the remainder of the game. One of the biggest issues with Green Bay this year has been Christian Watson. After a handful of productive games last year, there was plenty of hype behind Watson’s sophomore season. Unfortunately for Green Bay, he has only one touchdown on the season, hasn’t had a game with more than three receptions, and has only gained more than 40 receiving yards one time this season.
10. Titans vs Jaguars: Two AFC South teams coming off rough matchups in Week 10 and both have to be mindful of the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts. The AFC South is much like the AFC North, but with much less impressive team. The Jags will be looking to erase the memory of San Francisco pounding them in their own stadium, while Tennessee will be hoping Will Levis continues to develop.
9. Seahawks vs Rams: In week one, Seattle was surprisingly crushed at home by a Los Angeles Rams team without Cooper Kupp, 30-13. With Kupp back from injury, but no Matthew Stafford, it might be even more surprising if the Rams can pull off another win, even if it is at home. Seattle is a borderline top 10 team, losing to some of the elite, but beating up on every poor team they play. With no Stafford, the Rams are one of those poor teams.
8. Cardinals vs Texans: C.J. Stroud’s season just continues to build and build, most recently leading the Texans to a win over the previously red hot Cincinnati Bengals. Stroud’s quick development and the leadership of first year coach DeMeco Ryans have been huge components in one of the league’s biggest one season turnarounds. Even Jacksonville needs to keep an eye out for the Texans. Arizona is also coming off a rare win and although I won’t go as far to call them a good team, they are much more fun to watch with Kyler Murray back running around the field. Watch for Stroud, but also enjoy watching Murray scramble around the field.
7. Raiders vs Dolphins: Las Vegas has won two straight since Josh McDaniels was fired and although they have a long way to go to be back in legit playoff conversation, they seem like a much happier team with Antonio Pierce as head coach. Miami will be a much more difficult test for the Raiders though. The Dolphins are coming off a bye and a loss to Kansas City. Miami will likely be ready to let their offense let loose with a returning De’Von Achane.
6. Vikings vs Broncos: After Week Three it would’ve been hard to imagine this being a very enjoyable game. Now both Minnesota and Denver have seemed to turn a corner. The Vikings and Broncos have looked much better in recent weeks. For Minnesota, their defense has improved and Joshua Dobbs continues to play well. It’s possible that the Sean Payton effect is finally happing in Denver. Russell Wilson does look like a new quarterback compared to what we saw last year. A win in this game for either team would put them in a really good position.
5. Buccaneers vs 49ers: San Francisco made a big return to dominance in Week 10 after obliterating Jacksonville on the road, 34-3. The 49ers also saw the return of Deebo Samuel which brings just another versatile facet to their offense. The Niners had their struggles for several weeks, but when they are humming they are just as good as anyone. They will play a Tampa Bay team who just gave a pounding of their own to the Tennessee Titans. The Bucs are still in the mix to win the NFC South, which isn’t saying much. There may not be a good team in that division, but the Bucs might just be the closest to one.
4. Jets vs Bills: The Patriots are undoubtedly the clown show of the AFC East, but both New York and Buffalo are trying to make claims as well. It’s unbelievable that the Jets keep rolling out Zach Wilson each week. He hasn’t been good and has been costing this otherwise talented team wins week after week. Buffalo might as well be the Los Angeles Chargers of the East as they just continue to turn the ball over or have costly mistakes like the 12 men on the field penalty on Monday night that cause them to lose games. This is a game between two incredibly frustrating teams that have lots of very good to elite talent.
3. Steelers vs Browns: Two of four teams in the best division in football, this will be Pittsburgh and Cleveland’s second meeting of the season. Pittsburgh took the first one at home, but both teams have been thriving since thanks to their great defensive units. With both of these teams standing at 6-3 and the Cincinnati Bengals chasing right behind them, the entire AFC North could reach the playoffs. If that doesn’t happen, these divisional games will likely decide which teams’ seasons will carry into January. This one may be ugly, even unwatchable at times, but holds as much importance as just about any other game in Week 11.
2. Bengals vs Ravens: Cincinnati and Baltimore may be the two AFC North teams coming off losses, but these still remain the two favorites to be on top of the division when all is said and done. They are also the two most enjoyable teams in the division to watch, thanks much to both Pittsburgh and Cleveland’s often hideous offenses. The Ravens pulled out a three point road victory over the Bengals way back in Week Two, but this Cincinnati team has improved greatly, along with Joe Burrow’s health.
1. Eagles vs Chiefs: There are some really fun matchups in Week 11, but we all know this is the obvious top game of the week. A rematch of last season’s Super Bowl and one of the most likely matchups for Super Bowl LVIII in February. The records are great and both Philadelphia and Kansas City find ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best, characteristics of great teams. Maybe the best part of this game is that both teams have had struggles this season despite adding up wins. How these teams handle those things against a fellow elite team on a Monday Night Football stage will be incredible to watch.
The Brewball NFL Power Rankings
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
- Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)
- Detroit Lions (7-2)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
- Miami Dolphins (6-3)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
- Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)
- Cleveland Browns (6-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-4)
- Houston Texans (5-4)
- Buffalo Bills (5-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (4-5)
- New Orleans Saints (5-5)
- Denver Broncos (4-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
- Las Vegas Raiders (5-5)
- Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
- New York Jets (4-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
- Tennessee Titans (3-6)
- Washington Commanders (4-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
- Green Bay Packers (3-6)
- Chicago Bears (3-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (2-8)
- New England Patriots (2-8)
- New York Giants (2-8)
- Carolina Panthers (1-8)