There are plenty of things you can say about the NFL, but you cannot call it predictable or
boring. Week 11, which was chock-full of high-profile storylines, was proof
positive.
We saw the New Orleans Saints roll over the opposition once
again, but we also saw the Pittsburgh Steelers engineer an incredible
comeback. Andrew Luck led
his team to another huge win, as did Lamar Jackson in his first ever NFL start.
While some teams suffered significant losses on the field, other suffered ones
on the injury front.
One thing is certain: Several teams are likely to look back
on Week 11 as a defining point of the season.
How did your favorite team grade out in Week 11? Let's find
out.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Week 11 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
Result: Won 20-16
Pittsburgh's win over Jacksonville represented a little
revenge, as the Jaguars knocked off the Steelers both in the regular season and
in the playoffs last year. This one was clearly both personal and physical.
"This is one of those games where you get to jawing and
all that stuff and you’re like, 'Damn right, we got that win,'" defensive
end Cam Heyward said, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Getting that win wasn't easy, though, as the Steelers had to
overcome a 16-0 third-quarter deficit. Somehow Ben Roethlisberger and
Co. pulled out some magic in the fourth quarter and got the job done.
Roethlisberger capped the comeback by scrambling for a touchdown with just five
seconds remaining.
Pittsburgh's offense will get most of the credit for the comeback,
but the defense did its part. It held Jacksonville to just 64 yards in the
second half and was the reason the comeback was even possible.
This was a difficult win, but it gets the Steelers to 7-2-1
and in total control of the AFC North.
Week 11 Grade: C+
Season Grade: A-
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Week 11 Opponent: Oakland Raiders
Result: Lost 23-21
Leave it to the Arizona Cardinals to give the Oakland
Raiders their second win of the season and to finally make the Raiders defense
look competent.
Arizona did some positive things—like racking up 154 yards
rushing and 5.0 yards per carry—but the Cards also struggled defensively and
failed to get rookie quarterback Josh Rosen into a rhythm.
Rosen did pass for three touchdowns, but he also completed a
mere nine of 20 pass attempts and had two interceptions.
Even with a sloppy performance, the Cardinals should have
won this game. They looked to take an eight-point lead when David Johnson
ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run, but a holding call turned a score into
3rd-and-26. The defense then allowed the Raiders to drive into field-goal range
from their own 20-yard line with less than two minutes remaining.
The Cardinals are playing for 2019, but if they plan to even
win again this season, they're going to have to play a cleaner and more
consistent brand of football.
Week 11 Grade: D+
Season Grade: D-
ATLANTA FALCONS
Week 11 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
Result: Lost 22-19
After a shameful performance against the Cleveland Browns a
week ago, the Atlanta Falcons defense found a way to rebound. It held the
Dallas Cowboys to just 22 points, which should have been enough to get a win at
home.
Unfortunately, the Falcons offense sputtered. It did amass
354 yards, but Matt Ryan was
picked off once, and Atlanta struggle to finish drives. It twice punted in
Dallas territory in the first half, and that set the tone for the game.
While the Falcons defense did limit Dallas' scoring, it
couldn't stop the Cowboys from controlling the tempo with the run game. Dallas
held the ball for just under 32 minutes of game time. As a result, Atlanta only
had eight possessions, and those two early missed opportunities loomed large.
Atlanta still had a chance to take this one to overtime, but
the defense couldn't stop the Cowboys from getting into field-goal range with
less than two minutes remaining. Ultimately, while the defense showed
improvement, it didn't improve enough to deliver a much-needed win. At 4-6, the
Falcons are likely done for the season.
Week 11 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C-
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Week 11 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Result: Won 24-21
With Joe Flacco nursing a hip injury, the Baltimore Ravens
were forced to turn to rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. While not everything
went perfectly for the rookie, Jackson flashed his talent both running and
passing and did enough to get the win.
The Cincinnati Bengals struggled to contain Baltimore's run
game with Jackson adding a new dimension to it. Jackson rushed for 117 yards,
while Gus Edwards added 115, and the Ravens were able to keep Cincinnati
off-balance all game long.
Jackson also did some damage as a passer, completing 13 of
19 attempts for 150 yards and one interception. He still needs to grow as a
passer, but you could clearly see his potential and understand why the Ravens
believe he is their signal-caller of the future.
The Ravens defense also deserves a lot of credit for this
win. It held Cincinnati to just 255 yards of offense and stopped the Bengals
from scoring twice in the fourth quarter.
This was a huge win, as it gets Baltimore to 5-5 and puts it
in position to make a run at a wild-card berth.
Week 11 Grade: B
Season Grade: C
BUFFALO BILLS
Week 11 Bye
Raise your hand if you actually believed the Buffalo Bills
would drop 41 points last week with journeyman Matt Barkley in at quarterback.
Now put your hand down, because we know you're lying.
Leading up to last week's game, the Bills were largely inept
on offense. They scored a total of 33 points in the four games leading up to
Week 10, and they finally saw enough ineffectiveness from Nathan Peterman to
put the fanbase out of its misery and release him.
Hopefully the 3-7 Bills have used the bye week to
offensively regroup. If so, they may actually be able to make a little noise
down the stretch. Heading into Week 11, the Buffalo defense was allowing an
NFL-low 302.2 yards per game. Fortunately, rookie quarterback Josh Allen
(elbow) is expected to return after the bye. Of course, the Bills
will need Allen to play better than he has been to actually see improvement on
offense.
Allen is completing just 54 percent of his passes and has
two touchdown throws to go with six turnovers.
Season Grade: D+
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Week 11 Opponent: Detroit Lions
Result: Lost 20-19
The Carolina Panthers are trying to stay in the NFC playoff
race, but losses like the one against the Detroit Lions are going to keep them
out if they keep piling up. Silly mistakes and questionable decisions cost
Carolina in this one, and the Panthers drop to 6-4 because of it.
A missed field goal hurt the Panthers. So did an
interception just before the half. One could easily argue, though, that the
decision to not lean on the run—Christian McCaffrey had just 13 carries—was
even more impactful.
It ended up being the Lions who controlled the clock and the
tempo via the run game.
The Panthers had a chance to pull even near the end of regulation
with Cam Newton's
third touchdown pass. However, Coach Ron Rivera decided to go for the two-point
attempt, which failed.
"I was going for the win," Rivera explained, per Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com. "That's the
bottom line."
The point-after decision was certainly questionable, but it
wasn't the only reason Carolina lost here. Another subpar performance on the
road was. Carolina is now 1-4 away from Bank of America Stadium. Now, next
week's home game against the Seattle Seahawks becomes a virtual must-win.
Week 11 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C+
CHICAGO BEARS
Week 11 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Result: Won 25-20
The 2018 Chicago Bears have officially arrived. We've known
they've been dangerous for some time, but the Bears showed the world how
dominant they can be against the Minnesota Vikings while staking their claim on
the division. Yes, they only won by five points, but the game never felt close.
Head coach Matt Nagy has implemented an offensive system
that is versatile, aggressive and explosive. Chicago's defense, which came in allowing
just 19.4 points per game, is capable of smothering opponents, as it did Sunday
night.
With his ability to run and pass at a high level, Mitchell
Trubisky looks like a different quarterback in Nagy's offense, even if his
stats didn't look great in this one.
This wasn't a perfect game by Chicago, but save for a few
bad plays and a pair of interceptions, it was close. The Bears dominated in all
phases, and they're in first place in the NFC North because of it.
Week 11 Grade: B+
Season Grade: B+
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Week 11 Opponent: Baltimore Ravens
Result: Lost 24-21
The Bengals opened the season 4-1 and looked like it could
be the team to beat in the AFC North. Now, Cincinnati has lost two in a row and
is watching its season slip away.
There are two big reasons why the Bengals have hit the slide
zone. The offense is playing without star wide receiver A.J. Green, who is dealing
with a toe injury. The bigger issue is a defense that often looks like it is on
the field merely for cosmetic purposes.
Against the Ravens and rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson,
that defense surrendered 403 yards of offense and 265 yards on the ground. The
Bengals often knew the run was coming and still could do little to
slow it.
Quarterback Andy Dalton isn't
nearly as productive without Green. He forced 11 passes to Tyler Boyd—now his
go-to guy—but completed only four of them. Dalton finished the game
19-of-36. With the Ravens not respecting Dalton, they were able to hold running
back Joe Mixon to just 1.2 yards per carry.
According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, there's a "good chance" Green will return next week against the
Cleveland Browns. If he doesn't and the offense continues to struggle without
him, there's a good chance Cincinnati drops below .500.
Week 11 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Week 11 Bye
Things are looking up for the Cleveland Browns. Yes, they
have a losing record and just fired head coach Hue Jackson a couple weeks ago,
but they also managed to carry momentum into the bye week.
The Browns dominated the Falcons in Week 10, and their win
came courtesy of rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and rookie running back Nick
Chubb. These two—along with Myles Garrett, Joe Schobert, Antonio Callaway and
Denzel Ward—form a terrific young core that Cleveland can build around.
At 3-6-1, Cleveland isn't going to make a playoff push this
season. However, the Browns can string together some wins and build more
momentum to carry into 2019 and beyond.
Season Grade: C-
DALLAS COWBOYS
Week 11 Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Result: Won 22-19
This was exactly the kind of game the Cowboys wanted to
play. New addition Amari Cooper (three catches, 36 yards) didn't have a major
impact, but he didn't need to. Dallas controlled the game on defense and with
the run, and it grounded Atlanta's high-flying offense as a result.
Ezekiel Elliott was once again the centerpiece of the
offense. He finished with 122 yards rushing, 79 yards receiving and a
touchdown. Dak Prescott (22-of-32 for 208 yards) wasn't superb, but he did
protect the football.
Of course, the Dallas defense is the big story of the game.
It pressured Matt Ryan frequently, sacked him three times and picked him off
once. It also held the Falcons just outside of scoring range twice in the first
half, and that proved to be huge in a low-scoring contest.
The win puts Dallas in prime position to take over the NFC
East. The Redskins (6-4) lost quarterback Alex Smith for the
season, and they're next up on the schedule. A win next week would
essentially put Dallas in the driver's seat.
Week 11 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C+
DENVER BRONCOS
Week 11 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Result: Won 23-22
The Denver Broncos didn't win this game cleanly. They didn't
win it decisively. It took a last-second field goal from Brandon McManus to
knock off the Los Angeles Chargers, but this was the biggest win of the
Broncos' season.
After losing the last two games by less than a touchdown,
Denver finally got over the hump and back into the win column. This win didn't
come against a struggling team like wins against the Seahawks, Raiders and
Cardinals earlier in the season. The Chargers were perhaps the hottest team in
the AFC, having won six in a row.
This win largely came because the Broncos were able to win
the turnover battle. Case Keenum passed for just 205 yards and no touchdowns,
but he didn't throw an interception. The Denver defense, meanwhile, picked off
Philip Rivers twice. One of those led to a Broncos touchdown and turned a 12-point
deficit into a five-point one.
At 4-6, the Broncos' playoff hopes are slim, but they are
still alive.
Week 11 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C-
DETROIT LIONS
Week 11 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
Result: Won 20-19
A lot of folks are going to point to Carolina's failed
two-point try as the reason the Lions escaped with a win in Week 11. That's
certainly part of it, but the fact Detroit executed a terrific game plan
shouldn't be overlooked.
Detroit didn't lean exclusively on the run, but it did
utilize it enough to keep the Panthers honest. Kerryon Johnson (87 yards, 5.8
yards per carry) had another good day on the ground, and Carolina was forced to
respect him.
That prevented the Panthers from focusing solely on
pressuring Matthew
Stafford. Though he was playing without wideout Marvin Jones,
Stafford managed to pass for 220 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
Unfortunately, while the Lions won the game, Johnson left
the game with a knee injury. He's set to have an MRI on Monday, but the initial
belief is that it's a knee sprain and not a tear, according to NFL
Network's Ian Rapoport.
Week 11 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C-
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Week 11 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Result: Lost 27-24
The Green Bay Packers dropped to 4-5-1 on Thursday night.
They now face a daunting uphill climb to the playoffs, and there's a very real
chance that losing to the Seattle Seahawks cost the Packers their season.
For a while, though, it looked like this game would save Green
Bay's season. The Packers were rolling early, opening up a 14-3 lead after
recovering a fumble on Seattle's very first play and scoring touchdowns on two
of their next three possessions.
The Packers still held a four-point lead at halftime, but
they were outscored 10-3 in the second half. This was largely due to an
inability to stop the run—Seattle rushed for 173 yards—and offensive
inefficiency. On a 3rd-and-2 late in the fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers missed
an open Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
"It was a gimme out there," Rodgers said,
per Paul Dougherty of Packers News. "It stuck to my
hand."
Even worse than Rodgers' throw was Coach Mike McCarthy's
ensuing decision to punt with a little over four minutes remaining, a lone
timeout and zero signs of his defense being able to stop the run. One Seattle
first down later, and the game was over.
Week 11 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
HOUSTON TEXANS
Week 11 Opponent: Washington Redskins
Result: Won 23-21
It wasn't a pretty game for the Houston Texans, but
they did enough to get the win over the Washington Redskins.
Deshaun Watson, who came in red-hot, struggled against
Washington's defense. He passed for just 208 yards and tossed a pair of
interceptions. He didn't add much on the ground either, totaling just seven
yards on three carries.
The run game itself was better, with Lamar Miller and
Alfred Blue combining for 132 yards. However, this contest was largely won on
defense and luck. Houston sacked Alex Smith and Colt McCoy five times
combined and grabbed a pair of interceptions. It also held Washington to just
278 yards of total offense.
Still, the Texans only escaped with a win because Dustin
Hopkins couldn't connect on a 63-yard field goal near the end of regulation.
Yes, that's an incredibly tall order for any kicker, but the reality is that
Washington did have a chance to win despite losing its starting quarterback
after Smith broke his leg in the third quarter.
A win is a win, though, and at 7-3, Houston remains atop the
AFC South.
Week 11 Grade: C+
Season Grade: B-
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Week 11 Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Result: Won 38-10
Someone put an APB out on the Indianapolis Colts, because
what they did to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday should be illegal. Indianapolis
absolutely dominated its division rival in all phases from start to finish.
Maybe we should have seen it coming—Andrew Luck has never lost to the
Titans—but Tennessee was playing extremely good football coming into this one.
Luck continued what is perhaps the best season of his
career. He passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and he had another
interception-free game. He also joined Dan Marino and Aaron Rodgers as
the only quarterbacks in league history with at least 160
passing touchdowns through their first 80 career games.
Indianapolis didn't dominate on the ground as much as it has
in recent weeks, but it did top the 100-yard mark as a team.
What's truly impressive, though, is the defensive showing
the Colts had. They held the Titans to just 263 total yards and a paltry 87
yards rushing. The Colts defense also grabbed a pair of interceptions.
At 5-5, Indianapolis is very much back in the playoff race,
and when it has a total team performance like this one, it's going to be a very
tough opponent to knock off.
Week 11 Grade: A+
Season Grade: C+
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Week 11 Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Result: Lost 20-16
For most of Sunday's game against the Steelers, the
Jacksonville Jaguars looked like the same team they were in 2017. The ran the
ball well, totaling 179 yards, and the defense shut out the Steelers in the
first half.
The problem is that the Jaguars couldn't get enough out of
their offense to put this game away for good. Despite getting to the Pittsburgh
30-yard line three times in the first half, Jacksonville was forced to settle
for nine points. It added one touchdown in the second half but also had five
three-and-outs. Quarterback Blake Bortles had a disappointing day overall,
throwing for just 104 yards and zero touchdowns.
By not being able to control the clock in the second half,
the Jaguars gave the Steelers too many chances to battle back. Pittsburgh
eventually did, and the worn-down Jaguars defense allowed touchdowns on
Pittsburgh's final two drives.
This was a demoralizing loss, and at 3-7, Jacksonville's
season is all but officially over.
Week 11 Grade: D
Season Grade: D
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 11 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
Result: Lost 54-51
The Kansas City Chiefs defense had shown some signs of
improvement in recent weeks. It was back to being a liability against the Los
Angeles Rams. Of course, it nearly didn't matter because the Chiefs offense was
almost good enough to pull out the win anyway.
Just consider the fact that the Chiefs turned the ball over
five times and still scored 51 points.
Ultimately, though, the poor defense did matter because 51
points weren't enough to get the win. Kansas City did score a defensive
touchdown, but it also couldn't stop the Rams offense most of the game. When
you score 51 points and still lose, your defense is a problem.
The Chiefs have only lost twice this season, and both losses
have come because Kansas City wasn't the team to score last. Patrick Mahomes,
who was brilliant most of the night, gets some of the blame this time, as two
poor decisions led to interceptions on the Chiefs' final two drives.
The Chiefs won't be involved in many games like this one,
but the next time they are, Mahomes will have to remember not to do too much
with the game on the line.
Week 11 Grade: B-
Season Grade: A-
LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Week 11 Opponent: Denver Broncos
Result: Lost 23-22
The Chargers surged into this one on a six-game winning
streak, but the Broncos delivered a gut punch. This was the kind of loss we saw
from L.A. often last season. The Chargers seemed eager to cruise through this
game, and their own mistakes delivered the loss.
The Chargers shouldn't have lost. Philip Rivers carved up
the Denver defense to the tune of 401 yards and two scores. However, he also
threw two interceptions, and one set up a critical third-quarter touchdown for
the Broncos.
The Chargers defense, which blew a 19-7 lead, also deserves
some blame. It couldn't slow Denver's rushing attack, and it failed to get key
stops down the stretch. Penalties—the Chargers had 14 of them—also played a
role.
The Chargers lost the battle at the line of scrimmage on
both sides of the ball, and that let the Broncos keep the game close. Without
mistakes and miscues, though, the Chargers would be sitting at 8-2.
Week 11 Grade: D+
Season Grade: B
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Week 11 Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
Result: Won
54-51
The Rams have a lot
of big names on their defense, but we saw against the Saints earlier this year
that the defense is vulnerable. It showed again against a potent Chiefs offense
on Monday night, though the defense did make enough big plays to deliver the
win.
Obviously, the 455
yards of offense the Rams produced played a big part in this win, but so did
the five turnovers and two scores provided by the defense. This is why pure
statistics are misleading, especially in a game like this. The Rams can afford
to give up a ton of offense as long as it can create extra opportunities for
its own offense.
The Rams gave up 546
yards and 51 points and still got the win.
When Los Angeles
wins the turnover battle, it is difficult to knock off.
Week 11 Grade: B
Season Grade: A
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Week 11 Bye
It's been an up-and-down season for the Miami Dolphins, who
have been forced to play much of it without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(shoulder). Miami hasn't been consistent on either side of the ball. It
certainly hasn't been dominant.
Miami ranks just 26th in scoring (19.9 points per game) and
24th in points allowed (25.6 per game).
What the Dolphins have been able to do, though, is beat the
teams they're supposed to. Because of this, Miami is sitting at 5-5 and remains
in the AFC playoff hunt. If Tannehill can come back healthy and boost the
offense out of the bye, the Dolphins may be able to make some noise.
We'll have to wait to see if Tannehill is back in the lineup
against the Colts next week, but he was able to resume throwing without pain
heading into the bye, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Season Grade: C
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Week 11 Opponent: Chicago Bears
Result: Lost 25-20
This is not the kind of performance the Vikings had in mind
when they inked quarterback Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million deal that
was fully guaranteed. It was the kind of game, sure—a prime-time battle with a
hated rival for first place in the NFC North—but you can bet Minnesota had
visions of Cousins thriving in such a contest.
He finished 30-of-46 for 262 yards with two touchdowns and
two interceptions (including a pick-six).
Of course, Minnesota has to shoulder this loss as a team.
Cousins was consistently under pressure because the offensive line couldn't
pass protect. Receivers struggled to get open, and the defense made some dumb
penalties that gave Chicago additional opportunities. A couple of the worst
throws were certainly on Cousins, but the loss as a whole was not.
Regardless, this one hurts, and Minnesota has a daunting
schedule upcoming: The Packers, Patriots and Seahawks are the next three
opponents.
Week 11 Grade: F
Season Grade: C+
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
Week 11 Bye
The Patriots have not been the same consistent team we've
become accustomed to seeing this season. They also headed into the bye after
getting blown out 34-10 by the Titans in Week 10.
"They ain't going to the Super Bowl," ESPN's
Stephen A. Smith said of the Patriots.
We've seen New England down before, of course, and we've
also seen the club rebound to reach the big game. However, this year feels a
little different. While last season's struggles were almost exclusively on
defense, the Patriots have also flopped offensively at various points.
At 7-3, New England isn't a lock for a first-round playoff
bye. If the Patriots are forced to play a team like the Ravens or Chargers on
Wild Card Weekend, it could make for a short postseason.
Season Grade: B
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 11 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
Result: Won 48-7
Can anyone stop the Saints? The Bengals and the Philadelphia
Eagles would say "no."
A week after beating Cincinnati 51-14, the Saints dominated
the Eagles. Though New Orleans did punt twice in this game—and didn't at all
against the Bengals—this was a more complete-team domination.
The Saints held the Eagles to just 196 yards of offense and
picked off Carson Wentz three times.
Yes, Drew Brees (363
yards, four scores) was again on fire, and Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram both
ran hard (174 combined rushing yards). However, the Saints just handed the
Eagles the biggest loss by a defending Super Bowl champion ever because the
defense never relented.
If the Saints keep playing like this, no one is going to
stop them in 2018.
Week 11 Grade: A+
Season Grade: A
NEW YORK GIANTS
Week 11 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: Won 38-35
Don't look now, but the New York Giants have won two in a
row. Even at 3-7, the Giants aren't completely out of the NFC East race, though
realistically, they're playing for next year.
This was perhaps the first game of the year where the Giants
offense lived up to its potential. Eli Manning passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns
with no turnovers, Saquon Barkley rumbled for 142 yards on the ground (three
total TDs), and the Giants built a 31-14 fourth-quarter lead.
However, while the offense looked strong, the defense did
not. New York's defense allowed backup quarterback Jameis Winston to pull the
Buccaneers within a field goal while surrendering a total of 510 yards.
With weapons like Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr. and Evan Engram
on the offense, Giants fans can find parts of the future to be excited about.
However, there is a lot New York needs to solidify—and not just at the
quarterback position—if the G-Men are going to be title contenders again.
Week 11 Grade: B-
Season Grade: D
NEW YORK JETS
Week 11 Bye
Todd Bowles remains head coach of the Jets through the bye
week. If you think he shouldn't be worried about his job, however, just
consider this: The Jets lost 41-10 to the Bills before the bye, and they had a
terrible excuse for getting embarrassed.
"We thought he was going to play. Obviously, he didn't
play. Obviously, we didn't have a lot of film on Barkley."
Not being prepared for a particular quarterback is no excuse
for losing in embarrassing fashion. It's a sign of poor coaching, and it's a
trend. Adams had similar comments about Browns backup Baker Mayfield after
the Jets blew a 14-0 lead and went on to lose to Cleveland in Week 3. Mayfield
replaced starter Tyrod Taylor just before halftime in that game.
With the team consistently appearing underprepared
and rookie quarterback Sam Darnold showing little growth; it's becoming
clear this isn't the right coaching staff to guide New York's future.
Season Grade: D
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Week 11 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Result: Won 23-21
The Raiders won for the second time in 2018, but don't be
tricked into believing this is a sign of progress. Arizona is a bad football
team, and Oakland only won by the skin of its teeth.
Don't expect this victory to spark a winning streak.
There are positives fans can take away, of course. Derek
Carr didn't throw an interception, and the Raiders defense grabbed two of
them. Doug Martin,
DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard combined for 152 yards on the ground and
4.6 yards per carry. The offense held the ball for over 36 minutes of game
clock.
Still, the Raiders were able to win by playing keep-away
against an inconsistent rookie quarterback and by engineering
a desperation field-goal drive with less than two minutes remaining in
regulation. Winning close games against a terrible team doesn't make you a good
one.
The Raiders are still bad; they don't look quite as inept as
they did a week ago.
Week 11 Grade: C
Season Grade: F
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
Week 11 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
Result: Lost 48-7
The fact that the Eagles lost this game wasn't shocking. The
Saints have looked unstoppable over the last few weeks, and Philadelphia's
secondary was ravaged by injuries. What was alarming, though, was that the
Eagles could not get anything going offensively.
For the eighth time this season, Philadelphia failed to
score in the first quarter. The Eagles managed just 196 yards of offense and a
single touchdown against a Saints defense that is improving but isn't a
shutdown unit.
The Eagles won the Super Bowl last season by being balanced,
but they haven't been balanced this season—they're scoring fewer than 21 points
per game—and they've now lost three of their last four.
At 4-6, they're still alive in the NFC East, and Josh Adams
played well (53 yards on just seven carries). However, this was a horrendous
loss.
Week 11 Grade: F
Season Grade: D+
SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
Week 11 Bye
The San Francisco 49ers entered 2018 with quite a bit of
hype thanks to a five-game winning streak to end last season and the presence
of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Unfortunately, Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL in
Week 3, and the excitement quickly dissipated.
Not everything has been down for San Francisco this season.
The team seems to have found a competent backup quarterback in Nick Mullens,
and offseason acquisition Richard Sherman has played at a high level when
healthy. The backfield duo of Matt Breida and Alfred Morris has
also been good enough after free-agent pickup Jerick McKinnon went down
before the season.
However, the 49ers have just two wins to show for their
season. San Francisco will have a chance to get back into the win column next
week against a struggling Buccaneers team, but its clear fans will have to put
off thoughts of success until after Garoppolo returns.
Season Grade: D
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Week 11 Opponent: Green Bay Packers
Result: Won 27-24
The Seahawks got off to an ugly start on Thursday night.
They fumbled the ball away on the first play from scrimmage, struggled to stop
Rodgers and the Packers passing attack and nearly put themselves into a dire
hole.
If not for a missed field goal, Green Bay would have held a
14-point first-quarter lead.
From late in the second quarter on, however, everything went
Seattle's way. The defense finally settled in, and the run game began to tilt
the tempo in the Seahawks' favor. Seattle held the ball for more than 34
minutes of game time and was regularly able to keep Rodgers and the Packers
offense out of rhythm.
The Seahawks' ground game delivered this win. While Russell Wilson (225
yards, two touchdowns) certainly did his part, the Packers pass rush frequently
pressured him. Had the rushing attack stalled, Green Bay would have been able
to tee off on him even more.
Fortunately, the trio of Chris Carson, Mike Davis and
Rashaad Penny gives the Seahawks a backfield group that can keep delivering
wins this season.
Week 11 Grade: B+
Season Grade: C+
TAMPA BAY
BUCCANEERS
Week 11 Opponent: New York Giants
Result: Lost 38-35
As of now, Dirk Koetter remains head coach of the
Buccaneers. This is unlikely to be the case at the end of the season, if not
sooner. Koetter continues to mismanage his team, and it's led to too many
losses in games Tampa should have won.
Once again, Koetter pulled his starting quarterback in the
middle of a game. Yes, Ryan Fitzpatrick was struggling. Yes, Jameis Winston
provided a spark. If Winston was the superior option, though, why wasn't he
starting in the first place?
Koetter is one half of the tag team dooming the Buccaneers.
The other is a defense that once again collapsed against a subpar opponent. The
Giants racked up 359 yards while opening up a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.
The Buccaneers drop to 3-7 and have zero chance of catching
the Saints in the NFC South. They are playing for the future, and that future
should not involve Koetter.
Week 11 Grade: D
Season Grade: D
TENNESSEE TITANS
Week 11 Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
Result: Lost 38-10
This loss is going to be hard for the Titans to swallow.
Tennessee came in having won two in a row and looking to make it a two-team
race in the AFC South. After getting knocked around, the Titans have
fallen back to .500 and allowed the Colts to stay in the race as well.
This wasn't a game of bad luck either. The Colts simply
seemed to have an answer for everything Tennessee tried to do. And the Titans
had no answers for what Indianapolis did.
It got ugly early, as the Titans had three three-and-outs
and an interception in just the first half. The Colts, meanwhile, scored on
four of five possessions before halftime. This put Tennessee in a massive hole
and made it difficult to justify sticking with Derrick Henry (5.1 yards per
carry) and the run game.
It obviously didn't help that starting quarterback Marcus
Mariota was forced out of the game with another elbow injury, but this one was over before Blaine Gabbert even
took the reins.
Week 11 Grade: F
Season Grade: C+
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Week 11 Opponent: Houston Texans
Result: Lost 23-21
Sunday was an awful day for Washington's 2018 campaign. Not
only did the Cowboys win and the Redskins lose, but Washington also lost
starting quarterback Alex Smith for the season to a broken leg.
"I know it was very painful for [Smith] and
heartbreaking for a lot of people," Coach Jay Gruden said, per NFL.com. "He's a great guy and a hard worker and one of
the key leaders on this football team. These things happen in pro football
unfortunately. You just hate to see them happen to a guy like Alex."
The good news for Washington is that Colt McCoy is one of
the better backups in the league. He actually outperformed Smith in this game,
going 6-of-12 for 54 yards and a touchdown, while Smith went 12-of-27 for 135
yards and two picks. The team's season isn't over just because Smith's is.
The bad news is that the offensive line is still banged up
and a major liability. Washington absolutely must fend off the Cowboys next
week to stay in control of the division, and that's going to be a challenge
with this line.
If Washington cannot beat Dallas, it will face a must-win
the following week against the Eagles.
Week 11 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C+
