Another week of NFL action is upon us. And Week 11 was already full of unlikely headlines: The Bears and Raiders nearly pulled off an upset against perceived contenders, the Browns remained atop the AFC North with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center, and the Giants scored six takeaways to defeat the Commanders .
Which players, coaches and teams deserve the most praise (or criticism)? Here are the big winners and losers from Week 11:
Winner: Brock Purdy
Remember when everyone said he was “figured out”? Give us a break. No, the Buccaneers are not world champions, but they are not nobodies on defense either. And Purdy marched over them, giving him three touchdowns without picks for the second straight week. The 49ers aren’t a perfect competitor, but they have a talented young signal-caller leading their offense.
Loser: Robert Saleh
It was bad enough that he waited so long to pull the plug on Zach Wilson’s “experiment.” But that Wilson literally ran over him on the sideline in the middle of an ugly blowout loss to the rival Bills and then, trailing 29-6 and facing a steeper decline below .500 while Aaron Rodgers took it all in, finally does Tim Boyle turn? What is the actual direction here? The Jets’ mismanagement at QB has been evident for weeks – even months – but was very evident in their decisive loss to Buffalo.
Everyone’s talking about Micah Parsons, but not enough people are talking about Bland, who read Bryce Young like a book on Sunday, breaking the NFL record for pick-sixes in a single season and scoring on an interception for the fourth time this year. Bland’s ballhawking is a crucial part of a defense that delivered Dallas another stunning victory and improved “America’s Team” to 7-3 on the season.
Pittsburgh remained on the win list for most of 2023 despite continually being outrebounded on offense. The chickens finally came home to roost on Sunday, with a Browns team led by Dorian Thompson-Robinson outdoing Kenny Pickett and Co. in the clutch. You can only ask so little of your QB over a period of time. Even the Steelers’ best weapon, Jaylen Warren, recalled how often the team instead relied on the sluggish Najee Harris, who managed a whopping 2.9 yards per carry in Sunday’s loss.
He and the Packers had been largely written off before Sunday’s game, and it remains to be seen whether their pairing will be successful in the long run. But against a seemingly desperate Chargers team that was missing Aaron Jones for much of the day, the struggling young quarterback asserted himself with confidence, especially in the final stages. His 322 yards and two scores put Green Bay back in the “W” column, but more importantly, gave him back some confidence in his future.
Loser: Chargers
While Jordan Love and the Packers answered the call, Brandon Staley and the Bolts flopped when it counted, which is not surprising but completely disappointing. A seemingly perfect last-minute goal from Justin Herbert was the epitome of the season, with rookie Quentin Johnston scoring a potentially game-winning goal. The mistake was an indictment of the team brass for the way the lineup was constructed, an indictment of Staley for another game that was closer than necessary, an indictment of the entire organization.
It’s fair to doubt the impact of a nearly 30-year-old cornerback coming off a lengthy absence due to injury. But without Ramsey, the Dolphins probably won’t survive the struggling Raiders. His first pick of the day, a bouncing error from an Aidan O’Connell dart, brought Miami back to life. And his second strike, a diving shot into the end zone on a deep shot, prevented a comeback in Las Vegas. The Dolphins obviously have some issues as they eye a playoff berth, but Ramsey’s ball skills keep them combative in the backcourt.
Loser: Frank Reich
Just weeks after Reich handed over the reins to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, he abruptly took over Week 11 duties, and yet the Panthers managed just 10 points in a resounding loss to Dallas on Sunday. The Cowboys are a different team at a different stage of the competition, but with Panthers team owner David Tepper already impatient and QB Bryce Young once again struggling to control the ball, Reich’s job security could be even thinner.
Standout rookie CJ Stroud threw more picks against the Cardinals (3) than he had all season, and yet DeMeco Ryans’ team still escaped with a 21-16 win to improve to 6-4 on the year. That’s the sign of a resilient franchise – and certainly a different one than we’re used to in Houston. Again, while Ryan’s club is still a year away from achieving legitimate success, Stroud, Tank Dell and all the other young players on board cannot be overlooked.