Another week of NFL action is almost in the books. And Week 11 has already been chock-full of improbable headlines: The Bears and Raiders nearly pulled off upsets against perceived contenders, the Browns stayed atop the AFC North with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center, and the Giants racked up six takeaways to rout the Commanders.
Which players, coaches and teams deserve the most praise (or criticism)? Here are Week 11's big winners and losers:
Winner: Brock Purdy
Remember when everyone said he was "figured out"? Give us a break. No, the Buccaneers aren't world-beaters, but they're not nobodies on defense, either. And Purdy marched all over them, giving him three TDs with no picks for a second straight week. The 49ers are not a perfect contender, but boy do they have a polished young signal-caller at the helm of their offense.
Loser: Robert Saleh
It was bad enough that he waited so long to pull the plug on the Zach Wilson "experiment." But to have Wilson literally run him over on the sidelines in the middle of an ugly blowout loss to the rival Bills, and then, trailing 29-6 and facing a steeper fall below .500 as Aaron Rodgers soaks it all in, finally turn to Tim Boyle? What is the actual direction here? The Jets' mismanagement at QB has been evident for weeks -- months, even -- but it showed very clearly in their critical defeat to Buffalo.
Everyone talks about Micah Parsons, but not enough people talk about Bland, who read Bryce Young like a book on Sunday to tie the NFL's single-season record for pick-sixes, scoring on an interception for the fourth time this year. Bland's ballhawking is a pivotal piece of a defense that gave Dallas another blowout win, boosting "America's Team" to 7-3 on the season.
Pittsburgh has stayed in the win column for much of 2023, despite consistently being outdone on the offensive side of the ball. On Sunday, the chickens finally came home to roost, with a Dorian Thompson-Robinson-led Browns team outdoing Kenny Pickett and Co. in the clutch. You can only ask so little of your QB for so long. Even the Steelers' best weapon, Jaylen Warren, was a reminder of how often the team has instead leaned on the sluggish Najee Harris, who managed all of 2.9 yards per carry in Sunday's defeat.
He and the Packers had mostly been written off before Sunday's game, and it remains to be seen whether their pairing will thrive in the long run. But against a seemingly desperate Chargers team, missing Aaron Jones for a big chunk of the day, the embattled young QB slung with confidence, especially down the stretch. His 322 yards and two scores got Green Bay back in the "W" column but, more importantly, restored some faith in his future.
Loser: Chargers
Whereas Jordan Love and the Packers answered the call, Brandon Staley and the Bolts flopped when it mattered most, which isn't surprising but wholly deflating. A seemingly perfect last-minute strike from Justin Herbert epitomized the season, with rookie Quentin Johnston dropping a would-be game-sealer. The miscue was an indictment on team brass for the lineup construction, an indictment on Staley for another game that was closer than it needed to be, an indictment on the whole organization.
It's fair to doubt the impact of a nearly 30-year-old cornerback fresh off an extended injury-related absence. But without Ramsey, the Dolphins probably don't survive the scrappy Raiders. His first pick of the day, a diving snag of an Aidan O'Connell dart, gave Miami new life. And his second, a leaping end-zone swipe on a deep shot, prevented a Las Vegas comeback. The Dolphins clearly have some issues as they eye a playoff run, but Ramsey's ball skills are keeping them scrappy on the back end.
Loser: Frank Reich
Just weeks after turning play-calling over to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, Reich abruptly reclaimed the duties for Week 11, and yet the Panthers managed just 10 points in a blowout loss to Dallas on Sunday. The Cowboys are a different team in a different stage of contention, 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 C.J. Stroud threw more picks against the Cardinals (3) than he had all season prior, and yet DeMeco Ryans' squad stood tall to come away with a 21-16 win, improving to 6-4 on the year. That's the mark of a resilient franchise -- and certainly a far different one than we've grown accustomed to in Houston. Again, Ryans' club may be a year away from making a legitimate run, but Stroud, Tank Dell and all the other youngsters onboard cannot be counted out.
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