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2021 NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Packers take top spot, Cowboys rebound

By Randy Gurzi

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 14: Preston Smith #91 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after forcing a sack against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field on November 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 14: Preston Smith #91 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after forcing a sack against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field on November 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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2021 NFL Power Rankings
NFL Power Rankings: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls a play in the huddle in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field on November 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

. Previous: 11th. Pittsburgh Steelers. 12. team. 55.

Did anyone want to win in this game? The Pittsburgh Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger who tested positive for COVID-19 and that meant Mason Rudolph would get the nod. Rudolph is at least a capable player and they were hosting the winless Detroit Lions, so it should have been easy, right?

Wrong. Pittsburgh and Detroit played in a low-scoring game that was tied at the half at 10. The Lions then took a 16-13 lead into the final quarter before the Steelers tied it up at 16 with 11:31 left in the final quarter. And that proved to be the final score.

Neither team could move the ball after that as there were five consecutive punts to end the fourth quarter. Then in overtime, the Steelers twice fumbled the game away. The first was after their defense forced a punt when Diontae Johnson coughed it up following a 39-yard game that could have led to a win. The second was on their next possession when rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth fumbled at the Detroit 39 when they again could have gone for the win.

Detroit wasn’t much better as they missed a 48-yarder that could have won it for them. As bad as it was for the Lions to miss out on their first win of the season, the Steelers messed up a shot at getting into first place in the AFC North. That was a gift for Baltimore.

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