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NFL: Biggest winners and losers of Week 11

By Cole Thompson

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after throwing a touchdown late in the second half of the NFL game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 22, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 35-31. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after throwing a touchdown late in the second half of the NFL game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 22, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 35-31. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Not all of the winning and losing that happened in Week 11 was recorded in the box score. 

With Week 11 mostly in the books, we still don’t have a definitive answer of who the Super Bowl favorites are. Ask a Chiefs fan and they’ll refer you to Sunday night’s game tape while flashing their Super Bowl ring. Fans in Pittsburgh will scoff and point to the Steelers’ undefeated record, while those on the bayou will note that the Saints are so good they can start a third-string gunner at quarterback and still produce a blowout victory.

Simply put, we’re almost to the final stretch of the season and we still have no idea what will happen. Isn’t it thrilling?

Before we try to assess what will happen, let’s look back at what did happen in Week 11.

Winners and losers from NFL Week 11

Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

Another week, another game where the 1972 Dolphins have the keep the champagne chilled. Although Mike Tomlin may not have initially been certain about how bad the Jaguars were, he very quickly learned.

Now that a potential trap game is behind them, the Steelers sit at 10-0 for the first time in franchise history. Pittsburgh isn’t a team on a “hot streak”, they’re legit. Offensively, Ben Roethlisberger is finding ways to remain strong despite immense regression. The team has two budding superstars at wide receiver in Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool, while the defense is arguably the best in the NFL. Throw in near flawless coaching from Tomlin and it’s clear why they are the last undefeated team.

The Steelers aren’t out of the woods yet on their way to a perfect season. The Ravens and Colts both should be competitive, but their offenses have struggled the past two weeks, respectively. Overall, they’re the first to double-digit wins and will remain at the top of the AFC standings over Kansas City for another week.

Loser: Miami Dolphins playoff contention

Brian Flores has Miami trending in the right direction, but Sunday’s loss to the Broncos is a tough pill to swallow.

The offense couldn’t get anything going on the ground thanks to strong defensive play from Vic Fangio’s front seven. Meanwhile, rookie sensation Tua Tagovailoa struggled so much Flores turned back to Ryan Fitzpatrick, hoping that Fitzmagic could pull a comeback win out of his hat. Instead, he threw a game-sealing pick to put Miami now two games behind Buffalo in the race for the AFC East.

Tagovailoa threw one touchdown to go along with 83 yards. The run defense allowed both Philip Linsday and Melvin Gordon combined for over 150 yards and two scores. Still in the hunt for a playoff spot, it’s a learning lesson for the young quarterback and the team to find their place among the AFC.

It’s not a sprint, but rather a marathon in rebuilds. Miami’s good, but they’re a one-and-done playoff team.

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