Divisional showdowns. Playoff previews. One-score thrillers.
An eight-pack slate in the early window of Week 11 provided plenty of intrigue for NFL fans. Some teams saw their postseason hopes slip away, while others jumped back into contention.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday's Week 11 action:
WINNER: Rivalry games
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Two of the NFL's greatest rivalries delivered classic games on Sunday.
First, in Chicago, the Packers defeated the Bears 20-19 on a blocked kick at the buzzer. Cairo Santos had a chance to win it for the Bears with a 46-yard field goal, but it was batted down by Karl Brooks as the Packers celebrated at Soldier Field for an 11th straight win over their rivals.
Elsewhere in Pittsburgh, the Steelers held on for a monster win over the Ravens. With the Ravens at 7-3 and the Steelers at 7-2 entering the game, this contest had heightened importance. Pittsburgh's defense came to play, holding Baltimore to just 10 points before a late touchdown and failed 2-point conversion to preserve an 18-16 lead. Najee Harris converted a third down to ice the game, and the Steelers now control their own destiny in the AFC North.
NFL
LOSER: Jets keep falling apart
Inventing new ways to lose has been the story of the New York Jets' season.
Another chapter was submitted against the Indianapolis Colts, when Anthony Richardson returned to the lineup and led Indy to a 28-27 win at MetLife Stadium.
The Jets fell behind 13-0 in the first half before battling back to lead 24-16 in the fourth quarter on Aaron Rodgers' second touchdown of the day. But the defense allowed two touchdown drives in the final two possessions to seal the loss.
While Rodgers' stats looked solid (22 of 29, two touchdowns), the veteran is clearly uncomfortable in the offense whenever he's faced with pressure. On the other side, Richardson's return from the bench provided some hope that he's figuring things out -- 20 of 30, 272 yards, three total touchdowns.
WINNER: Taysom Hill does it all
The New Orleans Saints are now 2-0 under interim coach Darren Rizzi, and it's largely due to Taysom Hill.
The do-it-all weapon was all over the field on Sunday. Take a look at what he did in the 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns:
- 1 for 2 passing, 18 yards, 1 interception
- 7 carries, 138 yards, 3 touchdowns, fumble lost
- 8 catches, 50 yards
Now 4-7, the Saints are suddenly back in the mix to steal a wild card spot in the NFC with their bye next week.
LOSER: Kickers
It was a bad day to be an NFL kicker.
From Dustin Hopkins to Joshua Karty and even Justin Tucker, no kickers were safe in Week 11. Early on Sunday, the Browns' Hopkins missed a 27-yarder and the Rams' Karty missed a 26-yarder within seconds of each other. Tucker, widely regarded as having one of the best legs in history, missed from 47 and 50 yards for the Ravens.
WINNER: Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive
With Tua Tagovailoa healthy, the Miami Dolphins are sensing an opportunity.
The Dolphins have won two straight after beating the Las Vegas Raiders 34-19. Tagovailoa was 28 of 36 for 288 yards and three touchdowns, with tight end Jonnu Smith catching two of the scores.
Miami (4-6) is fully capable of making a run to the postseason if everyone can stay healthy -- but mainly Tagovailoa. Mike McDaniel's offense goes from inept to elite with him in the lineup.
LOSER: Jaguars don't show up
The Jacksonville Jaguars' worst loss in franchise history couldn't have come at a worse time for Doug Pederson.
With rumors swirling about his job security, Pederson's team failed to show up in a blowout 52-6 loss to the Lions in Detroit. The Jags took a 3-0 lead before allowing a touchdown on seven straight possessions. Detroit didn't punt in the entire game, while backup QB Mac Jones had just 138 yards in the loss.
Jared Goff quickly forgot his five-interception performance from a week ago. He had four scores and completed 24 of 29 passes for 412 yards in the victory as the Lions improved to 9-1 on the season.
WINNER: Matthew Stafford puts on a clinic
The veteran outdueled the rookie in Foxboro.
Matthew Stafford led the Los Angeles Rams to a 28-22 win over Drake Maye and the New England Patriots, and he was nearly flawless in the victory. Stafford went 18 of 27 for 295 yards and four touchdowns while taking zero sacks. Maye, meanwhile, completed 30 of 40 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns and a game-sealing interception on the final drive.
The Rams are now 5-5 and could still challenge to win the NFC West. They've won four the their last five games to pull within one loss of the division-leading Arizona Cardinals.
