2024 NFL Season: Football food for thought in Week 11

Down the stretch they come. Every team in the National Football League has played at least nine games. The latter includes the undefeated Chiefs. This week, the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks return to action after a week off. All four of those clubs lost the last time they took the field.

Last week, exactly half of the 14 games in the league were decided by three points or less. Home teams were a dismal 6-8. Get ready for another week of welcomed unpredictability.

Off: Arizona, Carolina, N.Y. Giants, Tampa Bay

Thursday, Nov. 14

Washington (7-3) at Philadelphia (7-2): The Commanders come off just their third loss of the season, quite the turnaround from a team that finished 4-13 a year ago. The Birds are in the midst of a five-game winning streak and while the team has its warts, Philadelphia’s pass defense is much-improved from a year ago. The Eagles have prevailed in five of the last six meeting between the clubs dating back to 2021.

Sunday, Nov. 17

Green Bay (6-3) at Chicago (4-5): Matt LaFleur’s club returns from its off week and needs to seize the moment. The Packers are already 0-2 vs. their divisional rivals, with home losses to the Vikings and Lions. Meanwhile, this is the first game vs. an NFC North neighbor in 2024 for the Bears, who dumped offensive coordinator Shane Waldron earlier this week. Chicago has scored zero touchdowns in its last two games.

Jacksonville (2-8) at Detroit (8-1): Doug Pederson’s club is in the midst of a three-game losing streak and owns the worst record in the AFC. The Jaguars held Minnesota without a touchdown last week and still found a way to lose. Meanwhile, the Lions proved they can play a sloppy game and still manage a win, stunning the Texans at Houston. Jacksonville’s defense is giving up the most yards per game in the league.

Las Vegas (2-7) at Miami (3-6): A lot has gone wrong for the Silver and Black, mired in a five-game losing streak after splitting their first four contests. They head east to face a Dolphins’ team that came up big at SoFi Stadium on Monday night, limiting the Rams to five field goals. Mike McDaniel’s team hasn’t won two games in a row all season. Las Vegas has turned over the football an NFL-high 19 times in nine games.

L.A. Rams (4-5) at New England (3-7): That was a mystifying effort by Sean McVay’s team on Monday night at home. Thought to be on a roll, the Rams saw a three-game winning streak end at the flippers of the Dolphins. Meanwhile, the Patriots went on the road and extended the Bears’ recent misery. Matthew Stafford was sacked four times by Miami, and the Pats came up with nine QB traps last Sunday at Chicago.

Cleveland (2-7) at New Orleans (3-7): The well-rested Browns make their way south to the Superdome, and have dropped all four games vs. NFC teams this season. The Saints snapped a seven-game losing streak last Sunday by surprising the first-place Falcons under interim head coach Darren Rizzi. Veteran running back Alvin Kamara is having a big year, totaling 1,136 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns.

Indianapolis (4-6) at N.Y. Jets (3-7): Two of the Jets’ three wins have come via AFC South teams. If Aaron Rodgers and company play like they did last week, it could be a long day for the Green and White. The Colts’ shoddy defense should present some opportunities for the Jets. Give and take? Indianapolis has just as many turnovers as takeaways (17). Anthony Richardson returns as the Colts’ starting quarterback.

Baltimore (7-3) at Pittsburgh (7-2): While the Steelers’ 7-1 record vs. the Ravens since 2020 is notable. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson has played in only six of the 12 games during that stretch, making just four starts, but he has had his issues with the Steelers’ defense. A year ago, the Ravens allowed 30-plus points just twice in 19 total contests. That’s already happened three times in 10 games in 2024.

Minnesota (7-2) at Tennessee (2-7): The Purple Gang faces an AFC South club for the third straight week, and is on the second leg of a three-game road trip. The Vikings survived a three-pick outing by Sam Darnold at Jacksonville, and Minnesota’s quarterback has turned over the ball six times in the club’s last two games. The Titans have been outscored 106-45 in three losses to NFC North teams this season.

Atlanta (6-4) at Denver (5-5): Raheem Morris’s club hits the road for the second straight week, visiting the Mile High City for the first time since 2016. The NFC South leaders, one win away from equaling last season’s victory total, look to rebound after being upset at the Superdome last week. Meanwhile, Sean Payton owned an impressive 21-9 record vs. the Falcons in the 15 seasons he was on the Saints’ sidelines.

Seattle (4-5) at San Francisco (5-4): From a 3-0 start, to five losses in six games. The Seahawks now stand with a 4-5 record, and have already dropped their first two games (both at home) to NFC West rivals. It’s the second meeting of the season with the Niners, who have won six in a row vs. the ‘Hawks (including playoffs) dating back to 2022—including a 36-24 Thursday night victory win back in Week 6 at Seattle.

Kansas City (9-0) at Buffalo (8-2): Both of these perennial AFC playoff teams are on a roll these days. The reigning Super Bowl champions haven’t lost since Christmas of 2023 (15 straight, including playoffs). The Bills have won five in a row, and have not lost at home this season (4-0). It’s the eighth overall meeting between the clubs since 2020, the third at Buffalo. The Chiefs are 4-3 in the seven games, 2-0 on the road.

Sunday night

Cincinnati (4-6) at L.A. Chargers (6-3): This game was flexed into Sunday night and if the Bengals’ defense lives up to billing and it’s 2024 performance, it could be a big night for Jim Harbaugh’s less-than-explosive attack. The Chargers have already won one more game than they did during all of 2023. Cincinnati’s offense has already produced 32 touchdowns, but you don’t win much when you allow 31 offensive TDs.

Monday, Nov. 18

Houston (6-4) at Dallas (3-6): These are indeed tough times in the Lone Star State. Disappointing Dallas has dropped four straight games and are winless in their own building this season (0-4). The visiting Texans got off to a 5-1 start this season, but DeMeco Ryans’s first-place club has dropped three of their last four contests. They squandered a 23-7 third-quarter lead last Sunday night at home against the Lions.