Are you a contender, or are you a pretender? It’s the question that is on the mind of football fans after another week of exhilarating action in the NFL. Week 11 was another litmus test that proved a few teams are pretenders. For instance, the Jets had a glimmer of hope to make the playoffs before their trip to Buffalo. However, the offense continued its struggles while their tired defense got gashed for 32 points. Another team that had a flicker of hope that got extinguished are the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers fell 24-20 to a Green Bay Packers team struggling offensively, with Jordan Love having his best game of the season by completing 27 of 40 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The loss puts Coach Brandon Staley on the hot seat because it was the sixth one-score loss for the Chargers this season. The Jets and Chargers are now 4-6, and week 11 proved they are pretenders. In this article, we discuss the four biggest questions after a wild week 11.
1. After trouncing the Jets, are the Bills contenders again?
The Bills looked like a team searching for answers after a disastrous Monday Night Football loss to the Denver Broncos. The team was reeling after losing three of the last four games, and at 5-5, their season was teetering with cries that their championship window had ended. Doug McDermott took decisive action to fire offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoted Joe Brady to offensive play-calling duties. The change worked like a charm against a Jets defense that entered the game as one of the best units in the league. The Bills offense impressed because there was a commitment to the running game with 130 rushing yards. Josh Allen looked impressive by completing 20 of his 32 passes for 275 yards, three touchdowns despite one interception. After a resounding victory, are the Bills real contenders? I think they will likely make the playoffs as a wild card, but I have a hard time viewing them as a championship contender. They have a difficult schedule with games against the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cowboys in the next three weeks. They will need to win at least one or two of those games, but they cannot afford to go 0-3. I think they will win one to stay alive.
2. Are the Cowboys the team to beat in the NFC?
In week 11, the Cowboys traveled to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers. Dak Prescott and company picked up where they left off last week by winning comfortably by a 33-10 margin. Dak continued his resurgence completing 25 of 38 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Daron Bland had his fourth interception returned for a touchdown this season to tie the record. At 7-3, the Cowboys are behind the Eagles in the race for the NFC East. However, it is hard to nominate the Cowboys as the best team in the conference because the Cowboys’ wins have been against the Chargers, Patriots, Jets, Raiders, Rams, and Giants twice, who are teams all under .500. Two of their three losses have been against 49ers and the Eagles. The Cowboys have to prove they can beat good teams, and I will wait to see how they fair against the Eagles, Bills, Dolphins, and Lions. Nonetheless, they are my preseason pick to make the Super Bowl.
3. Can the Browns, Steelers, and Bengals make the playoffs with struggling offenses?
There was a lot of bad offensive football in week 11 by teams in the AFC North. The Browns and Steelers played out a tight defensive battle with Cleveland grabbing a win thanks to a game-winning field goal as time expired. However, both teams will be searching for answers on offense. The Browns won the game despite putting DeShaun Watson on injured reserve earlier in the week. The team is 7-3, but questions will linger whether Dorian Thompson-Robinson can deliver when they need it in a tight game. On the opposite sideline, the Steelers have a healthy quarterback and offensive squad but have struggled to produce sustained drives. Mike Tomlin needs to figure out how to get the best out of Kenny Pickett and block for Najee Harris to run the football. At 6-4, the Steelers still have a shot to make the playoffs, but a change in Offensive Coordinator is one option. The Bengals are in trouble after losing quarterback Joe Burow to a season-ending wrist injury. The absence of Burrow pushed Jake Browning into action against the Ravens, and the backup QB could not lead a comeback. I think the Bengals are out of the playoff scenario, and only one from the Steelers or Browns will make one slot.
4. After the rematch, who is more likely to make it to the Super Bowl?
The Eagles got their revenge for their defeat in Super Bowl 57 on Monday Night. The City of Brotherly Love franchise looked like they would lose the matchup down 17-7 at halftime. However, Jalen Hurts and former Heisman winner DeVonta Smith made the big plays when it mattered in the second half to push them into the lead. The defense also pitched a shut-out and deserves some credit for the win. However, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes will have nightmares reliving those five drops passes by their receivers and a fumble by Travis Kelce. The worst of the lot was by Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who dropped a wide-open 51-yard touchdown with less than 2 minutes to play. The Chiefs will be concerned by the play of their Wide Receivers, and the loss puts their number one seed into jeopardy in a tie with the Ravens. The NFC contenders would have been hoping for an Eagles loss because they now sit atop the conference. As last season proved, it will be difficult for any opponent to go to Lincoln Financial to beat the hometown birds. Also, the Eagle’s path is easier because they will have only two main competitors, the 49ers and Cowboys, compared to the wide-open AFC.