NFL - Week Eleven Review

 

Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship celebrates game winning field goal.

There were plenty of close games and exciting finishes around the NFL this weekend and none more so than the Indianapolis Colts 34-31 victory in overtime against the visiting Green Bay Packers. The Packers (7-3) raced out to a 28-14 halftime lead, but the Colts defense stifled the Packers offense in the second half and forced the OT session, where they came up with a fumble recovery that set up the game winning 39-yard field goal by kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. 

Both (quarterbacks) Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers had three touchdown passes and one interception in the game with turnovers being the key in the Colts win. Green Bay turned it over four times while the Colts (7-3) committed two turnovers.

Another game that went into overtime saw the Tennessee Titans (7-3) beat the host Baltimore Ravens, 30-24 when running back Derrick Henry (28 carries for 133 yards) scored on a 29-yard run. The Titans came back from a 21-10 second half deficit thanks to QB Ryan Tannehill (two TD passes in the game) and three field goals from Stephen Gostkowski. The Ravens (6-4) lost for the third time in four games to drop into third place in the AFC North division. 

In the Thursday night game, the Seattle Seahawks (7-3) held on for a 28-21 victory against the Arizona Cardinals (6-4) with QB Russell Wilson throwing for two scores and RB Carlos Hyde rushing for another touchdown to lead the way. The Seahawks defense held off the Cardinals late in the game to help preserve the win. Arizona QB Kyler Murray had two touchdown passes in defeat. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-0) remained perfect this season with a 27-3 drubbing of the host Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) as their defense intercepted four passes and limited the Jags to just 209 total yards in offense. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for two touchdowns and his team controlled the clock throughout the game. 

In the Sunday night game, the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) defeated the host Las Vegas Raiders, 35-31 with QB Patrick Mahomes (pictured right) throwing his second TD pass of the game to tight end Travis Kelce (eight receptions for 127 yards) from 22 yards with just 28 seconds remaining in the game. Raiders QB Derek Carr had three TD passes, but was intercepted to seal the game in the final seconds. Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Chiefs, as the team totaled 460 yards in total offense.

 

The New Orleans Saints rolled to an NFC best 8-2 record as they beat the visiting Atlanta Falcons, 24-9 with Taysom Hill filling in at quarterback for the injured Drew Brees. Hill scored twice on rushing touchdowns and RB Alvin Kamara added another TD run to pace the win. The Falcons (3-7) managed just three field goals in the loss and QB Matt Ryan was sacked eight times and threw two interceptions. 

The big Monday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Rams (7-3) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4) ended in a 27-24 decision for the visiting Rams as their defense harassed Bucs QB Tom Brady (two TD passes and two INT) into a costly interception as they were driving in the final two minutes of regulation. The Buccaneers totaled just 258 yards in offense, including a meager 42 rushing yards.

Rams QB Jared Goff passed for 376 yards and three touchdowns along with two interceptions while kicker Matt Gay made two field goals, including the deciding boot from 40 yards with just under three minutes to play. 

                                                        Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . .     

The Carolina Panthers (4-7) shutout the Detroit Lions, 20-0 to snap a four-game losing streak as P.J. Walker (258 passing yards, one TD, two INT) made his first start at quarterback. The Lions (4-6) managed just 185 total yards in offense and just ten first downs . . .  The Denver Broncos (4-6) surprised the Miami Dolphins, 20-13, snapping Miami's five-game winning streak. The Denver defense had six QB sacks and limited the Dolphins (6-4) to only 223 total yards in offense while RB Melvin Gordon scored two rushing touchdowns to help make the difference . . .  Dallas (3-7) won 31-28 on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (4-6) as QB Andy Dalton had three TD passes after missing two games due to injury and COVID-19 restrictions. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for three scores in the setback, which snapped the Vikings three-game win streak . . .  The Los Angeles Chargers (3-7) won at home, 34-28 against the New York Jets (0-10) with rookie QB Justin Herbert passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns while wide receiver Keenan Allen had 16 receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown . . .  The Washington football team (3-7) beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-9 with a balanced attack (164 rushing yards and 161 passing yards) to move into a three-way tie for second place in the NFC East. The Bengals dropped to 2-7-1 and lost starting QB Joe Burrow (knee injury) for the remainder of the season . . .  The Cleveland Browns improved to 7-3 with a 22-17 home victory against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-6-1) with running back Nick Chubb rushing for 114 yards and RB Kareem Hunt scoring a rushing TD to help pace the win in bad weather. Eagles QB Carson Wentz had two TD passes along with a pair of interceptions, including a "pick six" that gave Cleveland an early 7-0 lead . . .  The Houston Texans (3-7) outlasted the New England Patriots (4-6) for a 27-20 home win as QB Deshaun Watson had two TD passes and a rushing score along with 344 passing yards to offset 365 passing yards and one TD pass from Pats QB Cam Newton. 

 

Week Eleven Results

Seattle 28, Arizona 21

Carolina 20, Detroit 0

Tennessee 30, Baltimore 24 (OT)

Pittsburgh 27, Jacksonville 3 

Washington 20, Cincinnati 9 

Cleveland 22, Philadelphia 17

Houston 27, New England 20 

New Orleans 24, Atlanta 9

L.A. Chargers 34, N.Y. Jets 28 

Dallas 31, Minnesota 28

Denver 20, Miami 13

Indianapolis 34, Green Bay 31 (OT) 

Kansas City 35, Las Vegas 31

L.A. Rams 27, Tampa Bay 24