NFL Week 11 Power Rankings: A New Team Takes the Top Spot
Josh Frey
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I would say it was a weird week of football, but that just seems to be the norm in this 2021 season. We saw mutliple 30+ point blowouts, some one possession nail-biters, and even a tie in week 10. After all that, here is where things line up around the league.
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1. Tennessee Titans
Last Week: 23-21 win vs NO
Trending: +1
This Week: 11/21 vs HOU
The Titans just keep on winning. They came away with their sixth victory in a row this week, sneaking out a win against the New Orleans Saints in the final minutes of the game. Sure, if the Saints kicker didn’t miss his extra points, we may be having a different conversation, but it happened. Tennessee is legit, and they are now in pole position.
2. Green Bay Packers
Last Week: 17-0 win vs SEA
Trending: +3
This Week: 11/21 @ MIN
Aaron Rodgers’ return to the field was a bit underwhelming, but luckily for the Packers, their defense made up for it. They held Russell Wilson’s Seahawks scoreless as the Seattle QB made his own return to the field, and AJ Dillon helped carry the load offensively. Aaron Jones’ injury may be significant moving forward, though.
3. New England Patriots
Last Week: 45-7 win vs CLE
Trending: +5
This Week: 11/18 @ ATL
Look out, AFC. The Patriots are steamrolling their way through the schedule right now, with Cleveland just being the latest victim of their torrential stretch. Not only is the offense led by Mac Jones fantastic, but the defense has also stepped up in big situations. This is a red hot team that everyone should be scared to play in January.
4. Arizona Cardinals
Last Week: 10-34 loss vs CAR
Trending: -3
This Week: 11/21 @ SEA
Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins both missed this game, and it was clear that Arizona missed them on offense. Defensively, the unit did not look nearly as strong as they did early in the year. Things will likely turn around when Murray and Hopkins return, but the Cardinals feel much more vulnerable than they did a month ago.
5. Buffalo Bills
Last Week: 45-17 win @ NYJ
Trending: +6
This Week: 11/21 vs IND
The Bills were embarrassed by losing to the Jags last week, and they clearly took that pent up frustration out on the Jets this week. Josh Allen played one of his better games of the season, and the defense was exquisite, forcing five turnovers. It was a great bounceback win.
6. Dallas Cowboys
Last Week: 43-3 win vs ATL
Trending: +4
This Week: 11/18 vs NE
Admit it, you got a little nervous when Dallas went up 28-3 over Atlanta, right? Well, apparently the Cowboys did not because they just plowed ahead and scored an additional 15 points en route to a rout of the Falcons. After trailing last week to the Broncos 30-0 at one point, this created a new balance in the universe.
7. Los Angeles Rams
Last Week: 10-31 loss @ SF
Trending: —
This Week: Bye
Two Matthew Stafford interceptions early in this one seemed to deflate the Rams this week. The score is ugly in this one, but just about everyone has some really weird losses this year, so it doesn’t seem like a time to really overreact. LA has a bye week to get things back together.
8. Baltimore Ravens
Last Week: 10-22 loss @ MIA
Trending: -5
This Week: 11/21 @ CHI
The weird results from week 9 carried into the first game of week 10. That’s all I’m really chalking this Ravens loss up to. Lamar Jackson had a pretty horrible performance, and the defense is clearly a weakness for this group. We’ll see if they can get back to their winning ways in Chicago.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Week: 19-29 loss @ WSH
Trending: -3
This Week: 11/22 vs NYG
Tom Brady might be human after all. The QB threw another pair of interceptions this week, and Washington jumped out to an early lead that they just never relinquished. Tampa’s team is a little beat up right now, so they need to get healthy before we can really consider them a Super Bowl team.
10. Kansas City Chiefs
Last Week: 41-14 win @ LV
Trending: +4
This Week: 11/21 vs DAL
This might have been the get-right game that Kansas City has been looking for all year, or it may have been the result of a Las Vegas collapse under the weight of far too many off field incidents. Patrick Mahomes looked much closer to the version of Patrick Mahomes that we’ve seen in back-to-back Super Bowls, so this may have been something to build on.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last Week: 16-16 tie vs DET
Trending: -2
This Week: 11/21 @ LAC
Ben Reothlisberger was diagnosed with COVID-19 over the weekend, leaving him out for this weekend’s game in Detroit. That meant Mason Rudolph had to suit up to play at the last minute. Rudolph looked quite unprepared for this game, and it was an ugly performance from start to finish for the offense outside of Najee Harris.
12. Cleveland Browns
Last Week: 7-45 loss @ NE
Trending: -8
This Week: 11/21 vs DET
A week after having one of the better games of his career, Baker Mayfield played quite terribly and added another injury to the already long list of things he’s dealing with. It was also clear that the Browns were missing some big pieces in the running game, so this game seemed doomed from the jump.
13. New Orleans Saints
Last Week: 21-23 loss @ TEN
Trending: —
This Week: 11/21 @ PHI
Trevor Siemian and Mark Ingram did their best to lead the Saints offense, but it’s becoming clear they just don’t have a ton of offensive weapons to work with. Insult was added to injury when Adam Trautman committed a false start on what could have been a game-tying two-point conversion. The Saints better hope that Alvin Kamara is back soon, or their season may be coming to a screeching halt.
14. Indianapolis Colts
Last Week: 23-17 win vs JAX
Trending: +3
This Week: 11/21 @ BUF
The Indianapolis Colts were carried once again by a stellar Jonathan Taylor performance. Carson Wentz had a very average performance, and the defense held the Jags offense in check fairly easily. We’ll see how real this rejuvenated Colts group is when they head to Buffalo this weekend.
15. Minnesota Vikings
Last Week: 27-20 win @ LAC
Trending: +5
This Week: 11/21 vs GB
Minnesota got a massive win this week to keep contact in the playoff race. It was led by a terrific game from Justin Jefferson after a couple weeks of very quiet performances. If the Vikings can find ways to keep their stars involved, they could steal a game against a banged up Green Bay team.
16. Los Angeles Chargers
Last Week: 20-27 loss vs MIN
Trending: -4
This Week: 11/21 vs PIT
At the end of the day, the Chargers just made a couple too many mistakes to win this game. Justin Herbert threw a pick, and the secondary made a couple plays a little too easy down the stretch for Vikings receivers. Maybe they can get back on track against a weakened Pittsburgh Steelers team.
17. San Francisco 49ers
Last Week: 31-10 win vs LAR
Trending: +1
This Week: 11/21 @ JAX
A pair of early turnovers that led dircetly to touchdowns put San Fran on top early, and the combination of Deebo Samuel and George Kittle was unstoppable all night long. The Niners need to string a few of these wins together in order to prove its legit.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week: Bye
Trending: -2
This Week: 11/21 @ LV
The Bengals got to rest up this week, and now they get a favorable matchup against a floundering Raiders team. With all the other AFC North teams going winless this week, consider this bye as a massive win for Cincy.
19. Philadelphia Eagles
Last Week: 30-13 win @ DEN
Trending: +2
This Week: 11/21 vs NO
The Eagles rode a hot start all the way to the finish line in Denver, and it was capped off by a fumble recovery in the end zone by Darius Slay. Devonta Smith also had a terrific game, catching two touchdowns from Jalen Hurts.
20. Denver Broncos
Last Week: 13-30 loss vs PHI
Trending: -5
This Week: Bye
After a terrific win against Dallas, this loss to Philly is almost equally bad. A victory could have put them securely in the AFC playoff picture, but this loss may be the final nail in the coffin for a team that just refuses to consistently play good football.
21. Carolina Panthers
Last Week: 34-10 win @ ARI
Trending: +4
This Week: 11/21 vs WSH
The Panthers brought back their former MVP quarterback, Cam Newton, this week in the wake of Sam Darnold’s injury. He didn’t play a ton, but he managed to contribute to two touchdowns in a big win over a Kyler Murray-less Cardinals. This was a big win for Carolina.
22. Washington Football Team
Last Week: 29-19 win vs TB
Trending: +2
This Week: 11/21 @ CAR
Taylor Heinicke has now entered Eli Manning-esque territory versus Tom Brady. He has now played easily his best two games of his career against the Buccaneers QB, and Washington was able to pull off a big upset. A negative from this week is Chase Young’s torn ACL, and that cannot be overlooked moving forward.
23. Seattle Seahawks
Last Week: 0-17 loss @ GB
Trending: -4
This Week: 11/21 vs ARI
Russell Wilson’s self-hyped return to the football field, weeks earlier than initially anticipated, did not go very well. It became apparent his finger was not healthy enough to take snaps under center. The Seahawks scored zero points, and now they have to get a win next week against Arizona.
24. Las Vegas Raiders
Last Week: 14-41 loss vs KC
Trending: -2
This Week: 11/21 vs CIN
This might just be what the Raiders are moving forward. Their hot start seemed a bit fluky to begin with, and now with the cesspool of off field occurrences haunting this team, it may be finally making an effect. Allowing a struggling Chiefs team to dominate you like that at home is not good.
25. Atlanta Falcons
Last Week: 3-43 loss @ DAL
Trending: -2
This Week: 11/18 vs NE
Yikes, that was ugly. Matt Ryan has had a habit of playing either up to good competition and down to bad competition, but this week no such thing took place.
26. Miami Dolphins
Last Week: 22-10 win vs BAL
Trending: +3
This Week: 11/21 @ NYJ
Jacoby Brissett went down with an injury, and Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t extremely impressive by any means, but he did just enough to get Miami another win. The defense also held Lamar Jackson to one of his worst performances in recent memory.
27. Chicago Bears
Last Week: Bye
Trending: —
This Week: 11/21 vs BAL
Chicago lost ground in the NFC North on their bye, but they are rested up for a matchup with, despite their disappointing loss, a tough Baltimore Ravens squad.
28. New York Giants
Last Week: Bye
Trending: —
This Week: 11/22 @ TB
The Giants have been Tom Brady’s nemesis, and we’ll see if they can continue giving him fits this week coming off their bye.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week: 17-23 @ IND
Trending: -3
This Week: 11/21 vs SF
It was a difficult day for Trevor Lawrence and Co. this week. Their defense allowed Jonathan Taylor to get whatever he wanted all day long, and there was not much of a response on the other side of the ball.
30. New York Jets
Last Week: 17-45 loss vs BUF
Trending: —
This Week: 11/21 vs MIA
The era of Mike “effing” White may be over, but hey, maybe now begins the 2.0 version of the Joe Flacco era. There’s not much else to say about this game for the Jets.
31. Detroit Lions
Last Week: 16-16 tie @ PIT
Trending: +1
This Week: 11/21 @ CLE
Congratulations to the Detroit Lions on ending their losing streak! This was quite a strange game, and it all culminated in a quite chaotic overtime filled with drops, missed field goals, and fumbles. Next week, we’ll see if they can keep this newfound momentum against the Browns.
32. Houston Texans
Last Week: Bye
Trending: -1
This Week: 11/21 @ TEN
Houston comes off a bye and now begins a stretch of difficult football. FIrst up, the 8-2 Tennessee Titans this weekend.