Taking a quick rundown of the Sunday NFL games with a fantasy perspective.
IND 41, BUF 15
The Bills look great against bad teams but just cannot hang with above-average opponents. Jonathan Taylor had a career and a record day, turning 32 carries into 185 yards and four touchdowns, and he caught three passes for 19 yards and a fifth touchdown as a receiver. No other Colt did anything because they didn’t need to with Taylor’s career game. Carson Wentz only threw for 106 yards and the score to Taylor who handled the ball more than all other teammates combined. The Colts rise to 6-5 and host the Buccaneers this week.
The Bills at home trailed throughout this beatdown, and it casts serious questions about how playoff-worthy this team really is. The backfield was as anemic as ever aside from a couple of runs by Matt Breida, who isn’t even a starter. Josh Allen faced the No. 30-ranked defense and passed for 209 yards and two scores to Stefon Diggs (4-23). Dawson Knox (6-80) was the only receiver with more than 27 yards. The Bills defense just had no answer for Jonathan Taylor and couldn’t throw much against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. That drops the Bill 6-4, and they now trail the Patriots by a half-game hit the road to play in New Orleans for Week 12.
WAS 27, CAR 21
The Cam Newton reunion fell flat when the Washington Football Team played just enough offense to secure this road win. Antonio Gibson ran for 95 yards on 19 carries while Taylor Heinicke threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Terry McLaurin, naturally, led the team with 103 yards and a score on five catches while no other receivers gained more than 30 yards. Solid efforts by Gibson and McLaurin were enough to take the win along with two field goals in the final four minutes. The 4-6 Football Team hosts the Seahawks this week.
The Panthers stayed close throughout this game that they should have won but just didn’t have enough to keep up against one of the worst defenses in the league. Christian McCaffrey only ran ten times for 59 yards but added seven catches for 60 yards and one score as a receiver. D.J. Moore (5-50, TD) had one of his better efforts of late, and even Robbie Anderson (5-30) was busier than usual. But Newton ran for 46 yards and a score on ten carries, same as McCaffrey and a sign that the backfield is more of a committee now. It was a disappointing start for Newton, but the loss was more on the defense than the offense. The Panthers fall to 5-6 and head to Miami for Week 12.
BAL 16, CHI 13
Not exactly the most exciting matchup on Sunday. The score was 9-7 entering the fourth quarter, and the Bears scored a touchdown on a 49-yard pass to Marquise Goodwin with 1:48 left to play to lead 13-9. But Tyler Huntley reached the third-and-12 with 33 seconds left and found a very open Sammy Watkins for a 29-yard gain to the CHI 3-yard line and then Devonta Freeman scored with 22 seconds left to break the Bears heart but also to help unify all the fans in chanting “Fire Na-Gy,”clap, clap, clap-clap-clap
The Ravens were without Lamar Jackson who was visibly ill on the sideline. Tyler Huntley threw for 219 yards and one interception with Mark Andrews (8-73) and Sammy Watkins (3-48) as the best receivers. Devonta Freeman ran for 49 yards and a score on 16 runs and added six receptions for 31 yards. Latavius Murray returned and handled ten carries for 32 yards but only caught two passes for one yard. Playing without Jackson or Marquise Brown left the Ravens offense sluggish but good enough to win and rise to 7-3 on the season and hosting the Browns an important divisional matchup this week.
Justin Fields left with a rib injury, and Andy Dalton threw for 201 yards and two scores in just a quarter and a half. The profound difference between quarterbacks saw both Darnell Mooney (5-121, TD) and Marquise Goodwin (4-104, TD) shine while Allen Robinson was out. David Montgomery ran for 58 yards on 14 carries but only caught one pass for nine yards. This fifth-straight loss drops the Bears to 3-7 could be the point where Nagy’s redemption is impossible, and the Bears need to make coaching changes at the end of the year at the latest. They play at Detroit for Thanksgiving.
DET 10, CLE 13
Yet another snooze-fest from Sunday. The Lions may have finally gained a little appreciation for Jared Goff when he did not play and Tim Boyle threw for 77 yards and two interceptions and a 34.1 QB rating. D’Andre Swift ran for 136 yards on 14 carries that included a 57-yard scoring run. That was about the extent of the Lions’ offense other than T.J. Hockenson with six catches for 51 yards. The Lions fall to 0-9-1 and host the Bears for Thanksgiving.
Baker Mayfield is little more than a weekly crash dummy with new bruises and aches, and he only needed to throw for 176 yards and one score with two interceptions. Nick Chubb (22-130) added two catches for 14 yards and the lone receiving touchdown while Jarvis Landy (4-26) ran in the only rushing touchdown. Austin Hooper led the receivers with four catches for 53 yards but the primary running back for each team were the only notable fantasy players in this low-scoring matchup. The 6-5 Browns head to Baltimore for a critical AFC North meeting.
SF 30, JAC 10
Finally – a game with points and the favored team won handily. The 49ers backfield was without Elijah Mitchell but still accounted for 161 rush yards and a score using a combination of Deebo Samuel (8-79, TD), Jeff Wilson (19-50), and Trey Sermon (10-32). Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t need to throw much and ended with 176 yards and two touchdowns that were split between Brandon Aiyuk (7-85, TD) and George Kittle (4-34, TD). Samuel only caught one pass for 15 yards but did his damage as a rusher. The 49ers rise to 5-5 and host the Vikings this week.
As usual, the Jaguars’ offense did little while playing against one of the better defenses. Trevor Lawrence only passed for 158 yards with Marvin Jones (4-52) and Laviska Shenault (5-50) as the only receivers with more than 18 yards. James Robinson ran for 29 yards and a score on 12 carries but no aspect of the offense could get on track, and Lawrence has now gone three games without throwing a touchdown. The 2-8 Jaguars host the Falcons for Week 12.
MIA 24, NYJ 17
The Dolphins took the close win with a ten-point fourth-quarter while holding the Jets scoreless until a field goal in the final 15 seconds. Tua Tagovailoa did nothing as a runner but passed for 273 yards and two scores that included a 65-yard touchdown to Mack Hollins. Jaylen Waddle (8-65) and Mike Gesicki (5-50) were the next best receivers to Hollins (2-72, TD). Myles Gaskin ran for 89 yards on 23 carries which was actually one of the better efforts for the Jets’ defense. Waddle scored a rare rushing touchdown on his only carry. The win sends the 4-7 Dolphins back home to host the Panthers.
The Jets played one of their better games but fell short later in the game. Michael Carter (9-63) was effective but left with an ankle injury. Tevin Coleman (5-16) stayed but was ineffective. Joe Flacco passed for 291 yards and two scores with the rookie Elijah Moore (8-141, TD) blowing up and even Jamison Crowder (6-44, TD) had one of his best games of the season. Flacco lost a fumble, but he added much more to the offense than Zach Wilson had provided. The loss sends the 2-8 Jets to Houston for Week 12.
NO 29, PHI 40
This game was never close, and the Eagles led throughout. Mark Ingram took over the backfield with Alvin Kamara out, and he gained 88 yards on 16 carries plus caught six passes for 25 yards. But Trevor Siemian only threw for 214 yards and his three touchdowns were balanced by two interceptions. Adam Trautman (5-58, TD) and Marquez Callaway (1-26, TD) both scored and Tre’Quan Smith (5-64) were the top receivers. But the Saints trailed 33-7 in the third quarter before the Eagles dropped back into the prevent. The loss sends the 5-5 Saints back home to host the Bills for Week 12.
Jalen Hurts only passed for 147 yards but he ran for 69 yards and three touchdowns on 18 rushes as the teams leading runner. Miles Sanders was back and gained 94 yards on his 16 carries while Jordan Howard (10-63) was also productive in a game that featured 50 rushes by the Eagles. Dallas Goedert (5-62) and DeVonta Smith (4-61) were the leading receivers but the run was plenty to win this game. The 5-6 Eagles head to New York to play the Giants for this week.
HOU 22, TEN 13
This was one of those games that the box score suggests would have been a Titans blowout win. Except for one stat. Ryan Tannehill threw for 323 yards and one score but also tossed four interceptions. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (7-107) produced his first 100-yard effort, but no other receiver was better than A.J. Brown (5-48), who was roughed up for most of the game. The Titans backfield was once home to the biggest workhorse in the NFL, but now splits the work out with Adrian Peterson (9-40), Dontrell Hilliard (7-35), and D’Onta Foreman (7-25). Hilliard added eight catches for 47 yards and yes, that was his first game of the year and a complete surprise. The Titans tried to mail this in and got caught, even in a home game. They fall to 8-3 and head to New England for a much tougher challenge than the visiting Texans.
The only notable Texan was Tyrod Taylor and not as a passer since he only threw for 107 yards and no scores. But he ran in two touchdowns on his six rushes for 28 yards. Rex Burkhead (18-40) and David Johnson (13-18) had plenty of chances and yet did little as rushers. Chris Conley (4-37) was the only receiver with more than 20 yards. As hard as it is to say out loud, but the Texans defense won this trap game. The 2-8 Texans end an eight-game losing streak on the road by beating the best record in the AFC. So yeah, that kind of week. The Texans host the Jets this week, so there could be a winning streak in the making.
CIN 32, LV 13
Joe Mixon was the difference in the game. He rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries while Joe Burrow only threw for 148 yards and one touchdown. Ja’Marr Chase (3-32, TD) turned in his contractually obligated weekly touchdown while Tyler Boyd (6-49) was the top receiver. From the second quarter onward, the Bengals outscored the Raiders 29-7 by just handing the ball off to Mixon more than they passed. The win ends a two-game losing streak and the 6-4 Bengals remain very much alive in the AFC North. They host the Steelers in a very big divisional matchup this weekend.
The Raiders couldn’t get the offense in gear and just played flat again. Derek Carr threw for 215 yards and one touchdown but most of that went to Darren Waller (7-116) and no other receiver gained more than 30 yards and only second-string tight end Frank Moreau (1-19, TD) caught a touchdown. Josh Jacobs (9-37) and Kenyan Drake (5-23) never had enough volume to produce much though Jacobs added 24 yards on five catches. It was a team-wide sluggish performance against an average defense and while at home. The loss drops the Raiders to 5-5 and they head to Dallas for Week 12.
DAL 9, KC 19
Well, this was NOT a shootout and, therefore, a disappointment in fantasy terms. The Cowboys entered the game without Amari Cooper and then lost CeeDee Lamb who wasn’t doing much anyway. Dak Prescott only threw for 216 yards and two interceptions. Dalton Schultz (6-53) and Michael Gallup (5-44) were the top receivers but the Cowboys were dropping passes most of the night. Ezekiel Elliott had his ankle rolled but remained in the game with just nine carries for 32 yards and six catches for 36 yards. Tony Pollard (7-50) was the more effective running back that also gained 20 yards on his two receptions. There were offensive linemen missing and both starting wideouts, but the Cowboys entered with the highest-scoring offense and left with just three field goals. The 7-3 Cowboys host the Raiders for Week 12.
The Chiefs weren’t up to their offensive standard as well, with Patrick Mahomes throwing for 260 yards and no touchdowns. Tyreek Hill (9-77) and Travis Kelce (5-74) were the top receivers but Kelce also added the rare rushing touchdown. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (12-63, TD) was a bright spot in his first game since Week 5. He also added two receptions for 13 yards while Damien Williams was held to five runs for 15 yards. The 7-4 Chiefs win their fourth game in a row and head onto their bye.
ARI 23, SEA 13
The Cardinals got back on track after losing in Week 10 to the Panthers. Colt McCoy was back to form with 328 yards and two touchdowns even though DeAndre Hopkins and Chase Edmonds were out. Zach Ertz (8-88, 2 TD) was the primary weapon, but A.J. Green (4-78) and Rondale Moore (11-51) both were more productive than usual. James Conner (21-62, TD) was busy as the primary back though less effective, and Eno Benjamin (6-15) fared no better. McCoy was able to take advantage of the Seahawk’s secondary to notch the win for the 9-2 Cardinals who land on their bye this week.
The Seahawks drop another game with a minimum of offense and a secondary that makes even second-string quarterbacks look good. Russell Wilson passed for just 207 yards and no scores while Tyler Lockett (4-115) was the lone Seattle star thanks to catching a 48-yard pass. DK Metcalf was held to only 31 yards on four catches. Placing Chris Carson on season-ending injured reserve means the backfield is already as good as it gets. Alex Collins (10-36) led the rushing effort but Deejay Dallas (4-25, TD) stole the only touchdown and the pregame hype that Rashaad Penny was to be more involved meant he had two rushes for 19 yards. The 3-7 Seahawks are getting worse and travel to Washington for this week.
GB 31, MIN 34
Yet another upset of a top team in Week 11. The Packers fell behind 16-3 in the second quarter but finally took a 24-23 lead midway in the fourth quarter. The Vikings led 31-24 with 2:17 left to play, kicked off, and Aaron Rodgers only needed one play to throw a 75-yard score to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 31-31 tie with 2:08 left to play. But the Vikes only needed five plays to reach the Packers’ 19-yard line and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.
With Aaron Jones out, AJ Dillon had the backfield to himself but only rushed for 53 yards on 11 rushes and added six catches for 44 yards. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (4-123, TD) and Davante Adams (7-115, 2 TD) both broke the century mark but no other receivers topped 45 yards. Aaron Rodgers is hobbled with a bad toe but still passed for 385 yards and four touchdowns in the loss that drops the Packers to 8-3. They host the Rams this week.
Dalvin Cook ran for 86 yards and a score on 22 rushes and added three catches for 39 yards. Kirk Cousins threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns that was split between Justin Jefferson (8-169, 2 TD) and Adam Thielen (8-82, TD) with no other receivers gaining more than 35 yards. Jefferson turned in his best game of the year, and the win gives the Vikings a 5-5 record. They play in San Francisco this week.
The Game-o-the-Week
PIT 37, LAC 41
Saving the best for last. The late game on Sunday had an over/under of 48 points, not the 78 points that actually were scored. The Chargers led 34-20 midway through the fourth quarter but the Steelers drove the field and scored a touchdown with 4:54 left. Two plays later, they intercept Justin Herbert on the LAC 15-yard line and score again to tie the score 34-34 with 4:28 left. With 3:48 left, the Chargers go for it on fourth down from their own 34-yard line and fail. The Steelers take the 37-34 lead with a 45-yard field with 3:29 left.
Down by four, the Chargers take over at their 25-yard line and reached their 47-yard line where Herbert connected with Mike Williams for a game-winning 53-yard touchdown. The Steelers never got a first down and lost a game when they had all the momentum and the lead but didn’t cover Mike Williams.
Najee Harris ran fo4 39 yards and a score on 12 rushes but suffered a head injury. He later returned and also totaled five catches for 20 yards. Ben Roethlisberger ended with one of his best games, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Diontae Johnson (7-101, TD) and Chase Claypool (5-93) were the leading receivers while both tight ends caught a touchdown. The Chargers’ defense is weak versus running backs but stopped Harris. They are strong versus wideouts which is what the Steelers mostly used. The Steelers fall to 5-4-1 and play in a big divisional game in Cincinnati this week.
This game was a major bounce back for the Chargers who lost to the visiting Vikings last week. Austin Ekeler turned in a career-best game with 11 carries for 50 yards and two scores, plus six receptions for 65 yards and two more touchdowns. Justin Herbert rushed for 90 yards on nine runs, and threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns. Keenan Allen (9-112) and Mike Williams (5-97, TD) were the only notable receivers other than Ekeler. The win lifts the Chargers to 6-4 just one game behind the Chiefs. They head to Denver for Week 12.