NFL: Week 11 Round-Up
Week 11 in the NFL has finished up, and it was another round that saw some shock wins and predictable results. Teams that were flying high crashed back down to earth, and struggling teams pulled off victories.
But who was crowned king of the weekend? Which team had the best result, and who was dealt a possible season-defining blow?
Vikings beat the Packers
One of the biggest surprises of the weekend was the Vikings beating the Packers in Minnesota. The Packers have been going into every game as favorites and are tipped to make a playoff and Super Bowl run.
However, Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and Justin Jefferson had something to say about that. Cousins threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, with Cook and Jefferson running in for three combined. Greg Joseph sealed the game with a kick at the end to give the Vikings the victory.
Colts beat the Bills
Another team that was tipped to go to the Super Bowl is the Buffalo Bills. They came into their game against the Colts at 6-3, looking to bounce back and get their season back on track, and Jonathan Taylor quickly put an end to that.
While Carson Wentz didn’t have a brilliant game at QB, running back Taylor had one of his best games of the season, running in for four TDs. The Colts won 41-15, wiping the floor with the almost mediocre Bills.
Washington beats the Panthers
When Superman Cam returned to the Panthers, Carolina fans were hoping for their team to be revitalized. After comfortably beating the Cardinals last week, a home debut for Cam and a victory over Washington seemed trivial.
Things started well, with Carolina scoring a TD in the first quarter. Carolina would score again in the second quarter, and Washington would score twice. Washington would score again in the third, and six points in the last quarter secured a surprise 27-21 win.
Texans beat the Titans
No team has been flying higher than the Titans lately. They have torn apart teams this season and put themselves in the driver’s seat for a potential Super Bowl birth. However, 2-7 Texans had something to say about the hype.
The Texans scored three in the first quarter, nine in the second, and seven in the third, with the Titans answering with just six points of their own. A fourth-quarter touchdown by Tennessee wasn’t enough to spark a comeback, with the Texans running away with a 22-13 win.
Dolphins beat the Jets
The Dolphins and the Jets are arguably two of the worst teams in the league right now. The Jets came into this game 2-7, with the Dolphins at 3-7. Joe Flacco had an average game at QB for the Jets, with Tua throwing two touchdowns and a customary interception.
Myles Gaskin and Jalen Waddle were standouts for the Dolphins. Both teams scored TDs in the first quarter, went pointless in the second, and matched each other in the third again. However, the 10 points for the Dolphins secured the win for the struggling Miami team.
Eagles beat the Saints
The Saints went into their game with the Eagles with a point to prove. Being beaten by the Falcons and the Titans by 4 points collectively lit a fire underneath them, and they were going to use the Eagles to get their season back on track.
Two TDs in the first quarter put them ahead early, and they scored 13 in the second half compared to the Saints’ 7. The third quarter was quiet, and the fourth quarter saw the Saints rally, scoring 22 to the Eagles 7. It wasn’t enough though, the Eagles won 40-29 and possibly put the nail in the Saint’s coffin.
Bengals beat the Raiders
The Bengals and Raiders are two teams that most people expected more from. The Raiders lost their head coach, as well as Henry Ruggs. Their sunny start to the season has turned into a storm.
The Bengals aren’t fairing much better. Joe Burrow is meant to be a franchise QB, and he is sometimes playing like he wants to be replaced. The Bengals could still pull off the victory, with Burrow throwing for one TD and Mixon scoring two. The final score was 32-13, giving the Bengals a respectful 6-4 record.
Cardinals beat the Seahawks
The Cardinals were the team to beat for much of the early season. Injuries made them lose their unbeaten run, and demolition by the Panthers meant they needed to get back onto victory road against the Seahawks.
Russell Wilson was below par, and Cardinal QB replacement Colt McCoy threw 328 yards and two touchdowns. The Seahawks were just generally disappointing, with this game proving they were never really in playoff contention, let alone Super Bowl contention.
Chargers beat the Steelers
Finally, the game of the weekend in some eyes, Big Ben against Justin Herbert was the battle we expected. The first quarter was all Chargers, scoring seven points to the Steelers three. The second quarter went 10-7 to the Chargers, giving them a 17-10 lead going into halftime.
The third quarter went the way of the Chargers, scoring ten and stopping the Steelers from putting anything on the board. The fourth quarter was when it got interesting, the Steelers scoring 27 points to the 14 of the Chargers. The comeback wasn’t to be; Herbert and the Chargers left SoFi Stadium 41-37 winners.
Final thoughts
While there were also some expected victories, the Bucs beating the Giants, the Chiefs beating the Cowboys, Ravens over the Bears, the Browns over the Lions, and the 49ers over the Jags, the games listed were surprises.
As mentioned in the beginning, these could very possibly be season-defining games, games that have made or broken the Super Bowl run. While we have to wait and see what happens next, it will be interesting to see how the likes of the Panthers, Steelers, and Packers bounce back after their narrow losses.
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While we have to wait and see what happens next, it will be interesting to see how the likes of the Panthers, Steelers, and Packers bounce back after their narrow losses.
© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
