Week 11 takeaways: Steelers make AFC North statement and more

Week 11 of the NFL season kicked off Thursday with quarterback Jalen Hurts leading the Philadelphia Eagles past the Washington Commanders.

Around the NFL on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers earned a statement win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Detroit Lions overpowered the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints look like they are headed in the right direction after second-consecutive wins.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

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Saints

Is the bye coming at the right time for the Saints? New Orleans is finally picking up some positive momentum with its first win streak since Week 2, potentially putting the bye at an inopportune time. But it’s been a long season for the Saints, who fired coach Dennis Allen after a seven-game losing streak and promoted Darren Rizzi to interim coach. The Saints have dealt with a laundry list of injuries, and this could be a good opportunity for players like Erik McCoy and Pete Werner to try to heal injuries they’re playing through. They face the Rams and Giants out of the bye.

Describe the game in two words: Taysom Time. The Saints got the full Taysom Hill experience against the Browns — he was a blocker, receiver, quarterback and running back. He scored three times but was also picked off throwing deep and fumbled near the end zone. Per ESPN Research, Hill is the first player with three rushing touchdowns, 50 receiving yards and one pass completion in a game since the Chiefs’ Ed Podolak in 1971.

Most surprising performance: Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Valdes-Scantling joined the team only a month ago but has already proved he can be the team’s explosive element with Rashid Shaheed (knee) out for the season. He has now scored three touchdowns in two games, tying the team lead in receiving touchdowns. He had a 71-yard touchdown in the first half Sunday. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: vs. Rams (Dec. 1, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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Browns

Do the Browns have a wide receiver corps they can build around? Jerry Jeudy had his best game of the season with a 142-yard performance (his first 100-plus-yard game since 2022). Elijah Moore delivered an acrobatic touchdown catch. And wide receiver Cedric Tillman chipped in with 47 yards. All three players are 25 or younger and have stepped up since the trade of Amari Cooper, giving the Browns something to be bullish on as they inch closer to their third losing season since Kevin Stefanski became coach in 2020.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Not placing more attention on Taysom Hill. The Browns talked about how mindful they would have to be of Hill and his multi-faceted role. But time and time again, they lost track of or couldn’t bring down Hill, who recorded a career-high eight catches, completed a pass and ran into the end zone three times.

Most surprising performance: Kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a pair of field goals, including a 27-yard attempt as time expired in the first half. Another kick was negated by a holding penalty. It was just the second time in Hopkins’ 134-game career that he missed two field goal attempts in a game. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: vs. Steelers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Steelers

Was this a bad game or a bad sign for quarterback Russell Wilson? Despite a stout defensive effort to force three turnovers and two rare misses from kicker Justin Tucker, the Steelers offense managed only nine points on the ensuing drives — and it nearly cost them in Sunday’s close win. Wilson completed 1-of-8 attempts for minus-1 yards with an interception and four sacks when pressured. And in the the red zone, he completed just 2-of-9 attempts for seven yards and an interception. He papered over an inefficient performance a week ago against the Commanders with a rebound fourth quarter and a game-winning moon ball to wide receiver Mike Williams. But Wilson couldn’t do the same against a statistically weaker Ravens defense.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Not getting more from the wide receivers. Against the league’s worst pass defense, Steelers receivers not named George Pickens struggled to get open. Pickens led all receivers with eight catches on 12 targets for 89 yards, but the rest of the receivers combined for two catches on four targets for three yards. At halftime, the Steelers had just 52 net passing yards.

Most surprising performance: Kicker Chris Boswell. With the offense struggling to convert in the red zone, Boswell came through with six field goals, including three of 50 or more yards. Sunday marked Boswell’s fourth game with four or more field goals this season, matching the franchise record he set in 2017. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Browns (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

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Ravens

How much does this loss put a dent in Ravens’ chances to win the AFC North? This is a major setback for the Ravens in their pursuit to become back-to-back AFC North champions. Baltimore’s chances to win the division dropped to 37%, according to ESPN Analytics. It’s difficult to believe the Ravens can overtake the Steelers when quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to struggle against them. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player is now 1-4 against Pittsburgh after completing a season-worst 48.4% of his passes (16-of-33), which doesn’t include his desperation toss on a failed two-point conversion.

Describe the game in two words: Uncharacteristic mistakes. The Ravens turned the ball over three times after not committing a turnover in their previous three games. The most glaring one was an interception where Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson wrestled the ball away from running back Justice Hill. That ended a streak of 161 passes without a pick for Jackson. Two fumbles were converted into two field goals, which was the difference in the game.

Most surprising performance: Kicker Justin Tucker. The NFL’s most accurate kicker was full of surprises. Tucker hit a 54-yard field goal in the third quarter after a rough start. He missed field goals from 47 and 50 yards in the first quarter, which marked the first time since 2022 that he had failed to convert on back-to-back attempts. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Chargers (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Colts

Did quarterback Anthony Richardson show progress in his return to the lineup? It was not perfect, but Richardson took a step in the right direction after two weeks on the bench. He was more rhythmic in his passing, more accurate with his throws and looked more in command of the offense. His final numbers — 20-of-30 for 272 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions — were a mixed bag. But he didn’t turn the ball over, which had plagued him earlier in the season. The other variable of note was coach Shane Steichen’s adjusted playcalling. The offensive play selection seemed to mesh better with Richardson’s skills, including a significant increase in designed quarterback runs.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Colts repeatedly tried and failed to generate some rushing success. The Colts could not come up with more creative run schemes to beat the Jets’ defensive front. Running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 31 yards on seven carries in the first quarter, but he was limited to 26 yards on 17 attempts the rest of the way.

Describe the game in two words: Good enough. The Colts had lost two straight and go home to face the red-hot Lions next week. With their playoff hopes dimming and a long week of debate over their quarterback situation, the Colts managed to take advantage of a bad Jets team. Indianapolis still has an eye on the postseason. — Stephen Holder

Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Jets

What happened to the Jets’ once-formidable defense? The Jets topped the 25-point mark for the first time this season and what happens? Their defense, once their pride and joy, choked it away in the final two minutes. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson marched 70 yards on six plays for the game-winning touchdown. The Jets looked lost on the final drive. Ditto, their final offensive possession, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers made poor decisions as time ran out. It was a brutal ending.

Most surprising performance: For the first time in his career, running back Breece Hall scored a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. That’s a surprise, considering he’s been such a productive receiver. The offense is a lot better when Hall is heavily involved. He produced 121 total yards from scrimmage, including two explosive plays — 29 yards (receiving TD) and 18 yards (TD run).

Describe the game in two words: Fourth kicker. Anders Carlson was the Jets’ fourth kicker in four games — a franchise first. And he did OK, making both field-goal attempts, including a career-long 58-yarder. He wasn’t supposed to be their kicker this week, but Spencer Shrader was unexpectedly poached from the practice squad by the Chiefs on Thursday. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Seahawks (Dec. 1, 1 p.m. ET)

Dolphins

Are the Dolphins officially back? With Sunday’s win over the Raiders, Miami has recorded four straight improved performances since QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s return from injured reserve. The 34 points they scored is their most since December 3 of last season. The Dolphins rank eighth in offensive expected points added over the past four weeks after ranking 31st without Tagovailoa from Weeks 3-7. If they can string two more wins together over the next two weeks, they’ll be back at .500 and firmly in the AFC playoff picture.

Describe the game in two words: Spark lit. To paraphrase what the Dolphins have said for the past two weeks, all it takes is a spark to light a fire. With their second straight win and a favorable matchup against the Patriots coming next week, they’re on the cusp of a season-saving win streak entering the final half of the season.

Early prediction for next week: Another massive workload for running back De’Von Achane. After failing to record a carry in Week 10, Raheem Mostert ran the ball three times for minus-2 yards Sunday. Meanwhile, Achane recorded 17 carries for 73 yards, as well as 32 receiving yards. Mostert’s ball security issues paved the way for Achane to take an even stronger hold on this backfield, which doesn’t appear to be changing soon. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Raiders

Can the Raiders’ offense be more efficient to better protect its overworked defense? It better. Sure, the Raiders looked improved under new interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner as he called plays from the press box. But a certain lack of efficiency in stretches taxed the defense, which could not enforce physicality and get off the field against the speedy Dolphins. Familiarity should breed success for Las Vegas’ offense, and there were enough glimpses of more imaginative playcalling to give the Raiders hope for the immediate future.

Describe the game in two words: Deja-vu again. The Raiders’ seemingly season-long script — a slow start followed by a rapid descent — reared its head for the umpteenth time this season. The Raiders had actually outgained Miami in total yardage in the first half before a late Dolphins flurry.

Most surprising performance: Tight end Brock Bowers going off with Michael Mayer‘s return. With Mayer playing for the first time since Week 3, targets to tight ends would seemingly be at a premium, right? No. Bowers continued his Pro Bowl-level season with a career-high 13 catches for 124 yards. That was his first triple-digit receiving yardage NFL game, including a 23-yard touchdown. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Lions

Can the Lions keep overcoming injuries to key players? So far, yes. It’s next man up in Detroit. Lions captain Alex Anzalone was ruled out with a forearm injury at the start of the second half, but Detroit still dominated in his absence, scoring 50-plus points in multiple games in a season for the first time in franchise history. The Lions also lost Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aidan Hutchinson to a leg injury earlier this season, but traded for Za’Darius Smith last week, who recorded a sack in his Lions debut on Sunday. This Lions team has plenty of depth and has proven to be a resilient group.

Describe the game in two words: Home dominance. Surprisingly, the Lions scored their first opening drive touchdown at home this season with a goal-line rush by David Montgomery. They never looked back. Detroit used a balance attack to score a touchdown on seven consecutive offensive drives. The Lions are also currently outscoring opponents plus-99 (188-89) at home this season, which is the most by any team in the NFL.

Most surprising performance: Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Typically, Goff isn’t viewed as a mobile quarterback. He’s known for efficiency and pinpoint accuracy, but his mobility was on display against Jacksonville as he rushed for 21 yards off four carries. Goff hadn’t rushed for 20 or more yards in a game since Sept. 20, 2021, at Green Bay, when he had 46. He also became the first QB in NFL history to have multiple games with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and 400 passing yards. He also accomplished that feat in 2018 with the Rams. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Jaguars

Was this coach Doug Pederson’s last game with the Jaguars? If owner Shad Khan decides to fire Pederson and doesn’t want to wait until the after season ends, this week would be the logical time to do it. The Jaguars are 2-9 after Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Lions — and have lost 14 of their past 17 games — entering their bye week. Quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy was a coach with the San Diego Chargers from 2013-16, so he would be the logical choice as an interim for the remainder of the season.

Describe the game in two words: Different directions. The Jags and Lions appeared to be on similar trajectories following the 2022 season when both teams went 9-8. Jacksonville has gone in the opposite direction after an 8-3 start in 2023, and there are major holes to fill along the offensive line, at cornerback, linebacker and receiver, as well as adding another pass rusher. The talent gap between the two franchises was evident.

Eye-popping stat: The Jaguars gave up 644 yards to the Lions, the second-most in a single game in their 30-year franchise history, trailing only the 653 yards they allowed to Houston in 2012. Quarterback Jared Goff’s 412 passing yards is tied for the fifth-most allowed in a game in franchise history. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: vs. Texans (Dec. 1, 1 p.m. ET)

Eagles

What is the Eagles’ ceiling at this point? It’s time to start viewing them as title contenders. Their past five wins were over teams with sub-.500 records, but they took down a quality Washington team on Thursday to extend their lead in the NFC East to 1½ games. The Eagles have positioned themselves to challenge the Lions for the top seed in the conference. There are tests remaining on the schedule, including tilts with the Ravens and Steelers, but the bulk of their travel is over: next week’s trip to play in Los Angeles against the Rams will be the Eagles’ last plane ride of the regular season. Philadelphia heads into the final stretch red-hot and largely healthy.

Eye-popping stat: Rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell allowed zero receptions on one target in 32 coverage snaps as the nearest defender in coverage, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Mitchell, who was often pitted against Terry McLaurin, Washington’s top receiver, is allowing 0.9 yards per coverage snap this season, the sixth best of 44 cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2024.

Most surprising performance: The normally reliable Jake Elliott had a subpar night, missing field goal attempts from 44 and 51 yards in the first half. He followed up with a missed extra point early in the fourth quarter after the Eagles went ahead. Elliott entered the game tied for the second-highest field goal percentage (90.9%) since 2021 among NFL kickers with 80-plus attempts but has now missed five field goals this season. — Tim McManus

Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Commanders

What’s gone wrong with the offense? Coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels insist the rookie signal-caller is fine physically after hurting his ribs in Week 7, but the passing game has been inconsistent the past three games. Washington has played two of the league’s best defenses in the past two games in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and the Commanders might not have enough playmakers to challenge top units. The Steelers and Eagles generated more pressure on Daniels, perhaps speeding him up and forcing him to be less accurate than he was earlier in the season. They’ve also done a good job taking away his running ability, as Daniels has rushed for 18 combined yards in the past two games.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The inability to get the wide receivers involved, notably Terry McLaurin. McLaurin was not targeted until the third quarter — only the second time in his six-year career that he did not have a first-half target — and finished with only one catch for 10 yards. The receivers combined for four catches and 28 yards overall. Without their involvement, the offense isn’t explosive.

Describe the game in two words: Not yet. The Commanders played tough for three quarters for the second consecutive game but surrendered a four-point lead to the Eagles in the fourth quarter on Thursday after squandering a 10-point lead to the Steelers in the final period on Sunday. Washington’s next evolutionary step is learning to close out games versus good teams. — John Keim

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)