Tag: game

Week 11 of the NFL season kicked off Thursday with quarterback Jalen Hurts leading the Philadelphia Eagles past the Washington Commanders.

Around the NFL on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers earned a statement win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Detroit Lions overpowered the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints look like they are headed in the right direction after posting their second consecutive wins.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

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Rams

Can the Rams’ offense sustain this success as they attempt a playoff run? After the Rams didn’t score a touchdown against Miami, coach Sean McVay called the offense “inconsistent.” While the Rams scored 28 points against the Patriots, they did it all in the second and third quarters. The Rams did not turn the ball over for the first time since Week 3. They’ll face a tougher test in Week 12 against a Philadelphia defense ranked seventh in DVOA. The Rams have won three out of four games after a 1-4 start and now have a playoff probability of 14%, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Eye-popping stat: Matthew Stafford’s second-quarter touchdown pass to wide receiver Puka Nacua had a completion probability of 13.5%, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s Stafford’s lowest completion probability on any passing touchdown since 2017, when NGS began tracking that stat. The play gave the Rams a lead they never relinquished.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Another slow start offensively. For the seventh time in 10 games, the Rams failed to score in the first quarter. They have been outscored by 50 points in first quarters this season, which is the worst in the NFL, according to ESPN Research. When asked last week whether they could pinpoint the reason for the early scoring struggles, both Stafford and McVay said it’s the result of poor execution. — Sarah Barshop

Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Patriots

Does first-year coach Jerod Mayo need to be more aggressive with his playcalling? Mayo has referred to himself as a “defensive head coach,” and some of his decision-making reflected that. He didn’t attempt a 54-yard field goal (tough wind in that direction); he settled for a field goal on fourth-and-3 from the Rams’ 13 late in the second quarter; and he called for a PAT instead of a two-point conversion while trailing 28-19 early in the fourth quarter (it was blocked). Such decisions are always easy to second guess, but none worked out for the Patriots. Mayo has said he’s taking notes throughout his first season and plans to learn from his experience. This game presented multiple decisions from which he can learn.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Aligning correctly along the offensive line. The Patriots led 7-0 and appeared to convert on third-and-8 on a 17-yard connection from quarterback Drake Maye to tight end Hunter Henry. But an illegal formation penalty called on left tackle Vederian Lowe — which might have been a result of how deep left guard Michael Jordan aligned next to him — negated the play. It was a turning point in the game.

Most surprising performance: Pass coverage. It certainly didn’t help that the Patriots couldn’t generate a consistent rush, but the secondary — which is a strength of the defense — didn’t have many answers for the potent combination of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Nacua had six receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Kupp had two touchdowns, and the latter was a backbreaking 69-yarder early in the third quarter. — Mike Reiss

Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Vikings

Was this a bounce-back game for quarterback Sam Darnold? Absolutely. The game began inauspiciously when, on the third play of the Vikings’ first possession, Darnold’s pitch to running back Aaron Jones hit the ground and was recovered by the Titans. But after committing six turnovers in the previous two games, Darnold held on to the ball for the rest of the game while throwing two touchdown passes and running for a third. That was no small feat given the heavy pressure (38% of offensive snaps) he endured from the Titans’ defensive front, which was active even after the Vikings gave right guard Dalton Risner — a strong pass blocker — his first start of the season.

Describe the game in two words: Penalty buffet. The Vikings had two touchdown drives extended by penalties against the Titans, including one on a fourth down incompletion. Penalties sometimes cancel out over the course of a game, but the Vikings held a big advantage throughout and ended up with three for 35 yards compared to the Titans’ 13 for 91 yards.

Most surprising performance: Backup linebacker Pat Jones II pressured Titans quarterback Will Levis throughout the game, finishing with two sacks. They were his first sacks since Week 4, but he already has a career-high seven on the season. — Kevin Seifert

Next game: at Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Titans

Can quarterback Will Levis’ big plays boost him for the rest of the season? Levis showed glimpses of the deep passer he was last season. It started with a beautifully thrown pass from his own end zone to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 98-yard touchdown. Levis’ deep strike to Calvin Ridley for 51 yards on a post the next series was another well-placed pass, but an illegal formation penalty called it back. Those two passes seemed to do something for Levis. With seven games left in the season, he can build upon his season-high 295 passing yards in his quest to prove he’s Tennessee’s future at QB.

Describe the game in two words: Uphill battle. The Titans knew they were going to be attacked by Brian Flores’ defense. Minnesota did just that against the Titans’ offensive line, resulting in five sacks. The Titans also didn’t get the benefit of the whistle. The biggest penalty they committed was against safety Mike Brown, who was called for a personal foul after he broke up a pass on fourth down.

Early prediction for next week: The Titans have allowed quarterbacks to rush for a touchdown in each of their past two games, and Darnold managed to escape multiple would-be sacks and deliver the ball downfield for big plays. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud could rush for his first touchdown of the year next week. — Turron Davenport

Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Packers

Is this what quarterback Jordan Love needed to get rolling? On a day when the Packers signal-caller threw his 11th interception to match his season total from last year, he and the offense left Soldier Field knowing that if they need a game-winning drive, they can get one. Trailing 19-14, Love, who was effective all game when throwing deep, hit receiver Christian Watson for a 60-yard catch-and-run. That set up the go-ahead score with 2:59 left in the game.

Describe the game in two words: Lucky win. The Packers got away with a flat performance for the first 3½ quarters and only their last drive — and Karl Brooks blocking a 46-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the game — saved them from embarrassment. The Packers were fortunate not to lose any more ground in the NFC North.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Red zone decisions. The Packers threw the ball on second-and-1 from the Bears’ 5-yard line and got flagged for an ineligible man downfield. Two plays later, on third-and-11 from the 15, Love threw his 11th interception of the season. Later, coach Matt LaFleur went for it on fourth-and-goal instead of settling for a field goal that would have cut the Bears’ lead to 19-17. — Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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Bears

How did the offensive coordinator change affect the Bears’ offense? New OC Thomas Brown’ game plan led to more decisiveness from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who held the ball less (2.3 seconds, the lowest of his career) and made short, quick throws to combat the Packers’ pass rush. The Bears leaned heavily on the run, including a career-high 70 rushing yards from Williams, got their top playmakers involved (17 total catches for wide receivers DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen) and had more third-down conversions (eight) than they did the previous three weeks combined (six).

Describe the game in two words: Gut punch. Chicago was playing its best complementary football since before its recent four-game losing streak. After cornerback Terell Smith picked off Jordan Love in the red zone, the Bears ended their streak of 25 straight drives without a touchdown. But Cairo Santos had a 46-yard field goal blocked as time expired, which would have given Chicago its first win over Green Bay in 11 meetings.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Bears need to play better along the defensive line. They pressured Love on only three of his 17 dropbacks (3-of-3, 72 passing yards) and running back Josh Jacobs went untouched into the end zone on Green Bay’s lone third-quarter drive. With nose tackle Andrew Billings (pectoral) out for the season, Chicago’s D-line needs to find solutions for their porous run defense. Quickly. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Saints

Is the bye coming at the right time for the Saints? New Orleans is finally picking up some positive momentum with its first win streak since Week 2, potentially putting the bye at an inopportune time. But it’s been a long season for the Saints, who fired coach Dennis Allen after a seven-game losing streak and promoted Darren Rizzi to interim coach. The Saints have dealt with a laundry list of injuries, and this could be a good opportunity for players such as Erik McCoy and Pete Werner to heal injuries they have been playing through. They face the Rams and Giants after the bye.

Describe the game in two words: Taysom Time. The Saints got the full Taysom Hill experience against the Browns — he was a blocker, receiver, quarterback and running back. He scored three times but was also picked off throwing deep and fumbled near the end zone. Per ESPN Research, Taysom Hill is the first player with three rushing touchdowns, 50 receiving yards and one pass completion in a game since the Chiefs’ Ed Podolak in 1971.

Most surprising performance: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Valdes-Scantling joined the team only a month ago but has already proved he can be the team’s explosive element with Rashid Shaheed out for the season. Valdes-Scantling has now scored three touchdowns in two games, tying the team lead in receiving touchdowns. He had a 71-yard touchdown in the first half Sunday. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: vs. Rams (Dec. 1, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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Browns

Do the Browns have a wide receiver corps they can build around? Jerry Jeudy had his best game of the season with a 142-yard performance (his first 100-plus-yard game since 2022). Elijah Moore delivered an acrobatic touchdown catch. And wide receiver Cedric Tillman chipped in with 47 yards. All three players are 25 or younger and have stepped up since the trade of Amari Cooper, giving the Browns something to be bullish on as they inch closer to their third losing season since Kevin Stefanski became head coach in 2020.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Not placing more attention on Taysom Hill. The Browns talked about how mindful they would have to be of Hill and his multifaceted role. But time and time again, they lost track of or couldn’t bring down Hill, who recorded a career-high eight catches, completed a pass and ran into the end zone three times.

Most surprising performance: Kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a pair of field goals, including a 27-yard attempt as time expired in the first half. Another missed kick was negated by a holding penalty. It was just the second time in Hopkins’ 134-game career that he missed two field goal attempts in a game. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: vs. Steelers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Steelers

Was this a bad game or a bad sign for Russell Wilson? Despite a stout defensive effort to force three turnovers and two rare misses from Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, the Steelers’ offense managed only nine points on the ensuing drives — and it nearly cost them in Sunday’s 18-16 win. Wilson completed 1 of 8 attempts for minus-1 yards with an interception and four sacks when pressured. And in the the red zone, he completed just 2 of 9 attempts for 7 yards and an interception. He papered over an inefficient performance a week ago against the Commanders with a rebound fourth quarter and a game-winning moon ball to Mike Williams. But Wilson couldn’t do the same against a statistically weaker Ravens defense.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Not getting more from the Steelers’ wide receivers. Against the league’s worst pass defense, receivers not named George Pickens struggled to get open. Pickens led all receivers with eight catches on 12 targets for 89 yards, but the rest of the receivers combined for two catches on four targets for 3 yards. At halftime, the Steelers had just 52 net passing yards.

Most surprising performance: Chris Boswell. With the offense struggling to convert in the red zone, Boswell came through with six field goals, including three of 50 or more yards. Sunday marked Boswell’s fourth game with four or more field goals this season, matching his own franchise record set in 2017. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Browns (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

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Ravens

How much does this loss put a dent in the Ravens’ chances to win the AFC North? This is a major setback for the Ravens in their pursuit to become back-to-back AFC North champions. Baltimore’s chances to win the division dropped to 37%, according to ESPN Analytics. It’s difficult to believe the Ravens can overtake the Steelers when quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to struggle against them. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player is now 1-4 against Pittsburgh after completing a season-worst 48.4% of his passes (16-of-33), which doesn’t include his desperation toss on a failed two-point conversion.

Describe the game in two words: Uncharacteristic mistakes. The Ravens turned the ball over three times after not committing a turnover in their previous three games. The most glaring one was an interception im which Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson wrestled the ball away from running back Justice Hill. That ended a streak of 161 passes without a pick for Jackson. Two fumbles were converted into two field goals, which was the difference in the game.

Most surprising performance: Justin Tucker. The NFL’s most accurate kicker was full of surprises. Tucker missed field goals from 47 and 50 yards in the first quarter, which marked the first time since 2022 that he had failed to convert on back-to-back attempts. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Chargers (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Colts

Did quarterback Anthony Richardson show progress in his return to the lineup? It was not perfect, but Richardson took a step in the right direction after two weeks on the bench. He was more rhythmic in his passing, more accurate with his throws and more in command of the offense. His final numbers — 20-of-30 for 272 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions — were a mixed bag. But he didn’t turn the ball over, which had plagued him earlier in the season. The other variable of note was coach Shane Steichen’s adjusted playcalling. The offensive play selection seemed to mesh better with Richardson’s skills, including a significant increase in designed quarterback runs.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Colts repeatedly tried and failed to generate rushing success. The Colts could not come up with more creative run schemes to beat the Jets’ defensive front. Running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 31 yards on seven carries in the first quarter, but he was limited to 26 yards on 17 attempts the rest of the way.

Describe the game in two words: Good enough. The Colts had lost three straight and go home to face the red-hot Lions next week. With their playoff hopes dimming and a long week of debate over their quarterback situation looming, the Colts managed to take advantage of a bad Jets team. Indianapolis still has an eye on the postseason. — Stephen Holder

Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Jets

What happened to the Jets’ once-formidable defense? The Jets top the 25-point mark for the first time this season and what happens? Their defense, once their pride and joy, chokes it away in the final two minutes. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson marched 70 yards on six plays for the winning touchdown. The Jets looked lost on the final drive. Ditto, their final offensive possession, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers made poor decisions as time ran out. It was a brutal ending.

Most surprising performance: For the first time in his career, running back Breece Hall scored a rushing touchdown and a receiving TD in the same game. That’s a surprise, considering he has been such a productive receiver. The offense is a lot better when Hall is heavily involved. He produced 121 yards from scrimmage, including two explosive plays — 29 yards (receiving TD) and 18 yards (running TD).

Describe the game in two words: Fourth kicker. Anders Carlson was the Jets’ fourth kicker in four games — a franchise first. And he did OK, making both field goal attempts, including a career-long 58-yarder. He wasn’t supposed to be their kicker this week, but Spencer Shrader was unexpectedly poached from the practice squad by the Chiefs on Thursday. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Seahawks (Dec. 1, 1 p.m. ET)

Dolphins

Are the Dolphins officially back? With Sunday’s win over the Raiders, Miami has recorded four straight improved performances since QB Tua Tagovailoa’s return from injured reserve. Their 34 points are their most since Dec. 3 of last season. The Dolphins rank eighth in offensive expected points added over the past four weeks after ranking 31st without Tagovailoa from Weeks 3-7. If they can string two more wins together over the next two weeks, they’ll be back at .500 and firmly in the AFC playoff picture.

Describe the game in two words: Spark lit. To paraphrase what the Dolphins have said for the past two weeks, all it takes is a spark to light a fire. With their second straight win and a favorable matchup against the Patriots coming next week, they’re on the cusp of a season-saving win streak entering the final stretch of the season.

Early prediction for next week: Another massive workload for running back De’Von Achane. After failing to record a carry in Week 10, Raheem Mostert ran the ball three times for minus-2 yards Sunday. Meanwhile, Achane recorded 17 carries for 73 yards, as well as 32 receiving yards. Mostert’s ball security issues paved the way for Achane to take an even greater share of the backfield workload, which doesn’t appear to be changing soon. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Raiders

Can the Raiders’ offense be more efficient to better protect its overworked defense? It had better. Sure, the Raiders looked better under new interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner as he called plays from the press box. But a certain lack of efficiency in stretches taxed the defense, which could not enforce physicality and get off the field against the speedy Dolphins. Familiarity should breed success for Las Vegas’ offense and there were enough glimpses of more imaginative playcalling to give the Raiders hope for the immediate future.

Describe the game in two words: Deja-vu. The Raiders’ seemingly season-long script — a slow start followed by a rapid descent — reared its head for the umpteenth time this season. The Raiders had actually outgained Miami in total yardage in the first half before a late Dolphins flurry. And then after getting nothing to start the second half, the Dolphins scored to start their second-half surge.

Most surprising performance: Tight end Brock Bowers going off with Michael Mayer’s return. With Mayer playing for the first time since Week 3, targets to tight ends would seemingly be at a premium, right? No. Bowers continued his Pro Bowl-level season with a career-high 13 catches for 124 yards. That was his first triple-digit receiving yards game, which included a 23-yard touchdown. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Lions

Can the Lions keep overcoming injuries to key players? So far, yes. It’s next man up in Detroit. Lions captain Alex Anzalone was ruled out with a forearm injury at the start of the second half, but Detroit still dominated in his absence, scoring 50-plus points in multiple games in a season for the first time in franchise history. The Lions also lost Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aidan Hutchinson to a leg injury earlier this season, but traded for Za’Darius Smith last week, who recorded a sack in his Lions debut against Jacksonville. This Lions team has plenty of depth and has proved to be a resilient group.

Describe the game in two words: Home dominance. Surprisingly, the Lions scored their first opening drive touchdown at home this season with a goal-line rush by David Montgomery. They never looked back. Detroit used a balanced attack to score a touchdown on seven consecutive offensive drives. The Lions are also currently outscoring opponents plus-99 (188-89) at home this season, which is the most by any team in the NFL.

Most surprising performance: Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Typically, Goff isn’t viewed as a mobile quarterback. He’s known for efficiency and pinpoint accuracy, but his mobility was on display against Jacksonville as he rushed for 21 yards off four carries. Goff hadn’t rushed for 20 or more yards in a game since Sept. 20, 2021, at Green Bay, when he had 46. He also became the first quarterback in NFL history to have multiple games with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and 400 passing yards. He also accomplished that feat in 2018 with the Rams. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Jaguars

Was this coach Doug Pederson’s last game with the Jaguars? If owner Shad Khan decides to fire Pederson and doesn’t want to wait until after the season ends, this week would be the logical time to do it. The Jaguars are 2-9 after Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Lions — and have lost 14 of their past 17 games — entering their bye week. Quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy was a coach with the San Diego Chargers from 2013-16, so he would be the logical choice as an interim for the remainder of the season.

Describe the game in two words: Different directions. The Jags and Lions appeared to be on similar trajectories following the 2022 season when both teams went 9-8. Jacksonville has gone in the opposite direction after an 8-3 start in 2023, and there are major holes to fill along the offensive line, at cornerback, linebacker and receiver, as well as adding another pass rusher. The talent gap between the two franchises was evident.

Eye-popping stat: The Jaguars gave up 644 yards to the Lions, the second-most in a single game in their 30-year franchise history. Trailing only the 653 yards they allowed to Houston in 2012. Quarterback Jared Goff’s 412 passing yards is tied for the fifth-most allowed in a game in franchise history. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: vs. Texans (Dec. 1, 1 p.m. ET)

Eagles

What is the Eagles’ ceiling at this point? It’s time to start viewing them as title contenders. Their past five wins were over teams with sub-.500 records, but they took down a quality Washington team on Thursday to extend their lead in the NFC East to 1½ games. The Eagles have positioned themselves to challenge the Lions for the top seed in the conference. There are tests remaining on the schedule, including tilts with the Ravens and Steelers, but the bulk of their travel is over: next week’s trip to play in Los Angeles against the Rams will be the Eagles’ last plane ride of the regular season. Philadelphia heads into the final stretch red-hot and largely healthy.

Eye-popping stat: Rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell allowed zero receptions on one target in 32 coverage snaps as the nearest defender in coverage, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Mitchell, who was often pitted against Terry McLaurin, Washington’s top receiver, is allowing 0.9 yards per coverage snap this season, the sixth best of 44 cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2024.

Most surprising performance: The normally reliable Jake Elliott had a subpar night, missing field goal attempts from 44 and 51 yards in the first half. He followed up with a missed extra point early in the fourth quarter after the Eagles went ahead. Elliott entered the game tied for the second-highest field goal percentage (90.9%) since 2021 among NFL kickers with 80-plus attempts but has now missed five field goals this season. — Tim McManus

Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Commanders

What has gone wrong with the offense? Coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels insist the rookie signal-caller is fine physically after hurting his ribs in Week 7, but the passing game has been inconsistent the past three games. Washington has played two of the league’s best defenses in the past two games in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and the Commanders might not have enough playmakers to challenge top units. The Steelers and Eagles generated more pressure on Daniels, perhaps speeding him up and forcing him to be less accurate than he was earlier in the season. They’ve also done a good job taking away his running ability, as Daniels has rushed for 18 combined yards in the past two games.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The inability to get the wide receivers involved, notably Terry McLaurin. McLaurin was not targeted until the third quarter — only the second time in his six-year career that he did not have a first-half target — and finished with only one catch for 10 yards. The receivers combined for four catches and 28 yards overall. Without their involvement, the offense isn’t explosive.

Describe the game in two words: Not yet. The Commanders played tough for three quarters for the second consecutive game but surrendered a four-point lead to the Eagles in the fourth quarter on Thursday after squandering a 10-point lead to the Steelers in the final period on Sunday. Washington’s next evolutionary step is learning to close out games versus good teams. — John Keim

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)