Week 11 delivered significant shifts in the league hierarchy, headlined by a major upset in the NFC and a clutch victory between the AFC’s two premier teams. The Green Bay Packers stretched their formidable winning streak to a league-best nine games, solidifying their 9-1-0 record at the top of the NFC North1. They stand alongside the Philadelphia Eagles (9-1-0) and the Buffalo Bills (10-1-0) as the league’s elite2.
Upset Special: Cleveland Stuns Saints; Chiefs Fall to Bills
The story of the week belongs to the Cleveland Browns (2-8-0), who handed the once-surging New Orleans Saints (9-2-0) a shocking 20-14 defeat, snapping the Saints’ lengthy win streak333. Cleveland’s defense and time-of-possession advantage (33:44) stifled the Saints’ attack4. The Browns’ offense was led by a strong effort from Nick Chubb, who ran for 70 yards and scored a touchdown5.
Meanwhile, the battle between the AFC’s top two teams was an instant classic. The Buffalo Bills emerged victorious over the Kansas City Chiefs in a thrilling 14-13 contest6. Buffalo’s crowd-pleasing fourth-quarter comeback sealed the win, improving the Bills’ record to 10-1-0777. For the Chiefs, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw 47 times for 264 yards, but the offense could not convert, suffering a tough loss and seeing their win streak snapped888.
In other competitive matchups:
- The Green Bay Packers overcame an early deficit to beat the rival Chicago Bears 27-179999.
- The San Francisco 49ers outlasted the Seattle Seahawks 33-25 in a back-and-forth affair that saw six lead changes10101010.
- The Miami Dolphins edged out the Las Vegas Raiders 28-21, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing two touchdowns and scoring the game-winning touchdown run in the final two minutes11.
Week 11 Player Dominance Report
Individual performances across the league were highlighted by dominant efforts on the ground and through the air:
| Category | Player, Team | Statistic | Highlight |
| Receiving Yards/TDs | Justin Jefferson, Minnesota | 188 yards, 11 catches, 3 TDs | Jefferson delivered a massive outing, including a 55-yard touchdown just before halftime to shift momentum1212121212. |
| Rushing Yards | Jordan Mason, San Francisco | 172 yards (18 attempts) | Mason led all rushers, helping the 49ers control the ground game (201 total yards) against Seattle13131313. |
| Rushing Touchdowns | Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis | 3 TDs (125 yards) | Taylor was unstoppable for the Indianapolis Colts in their 31-24 victory over the New York AFC Jets14141414. |
| Passing Yards | Sam Darnold, Minnesota | 328 yards, 3 TDs | Darnold fueled the Vikings’ blowout 38-14 win over Tennessee1515151515151515. |
| Passing Touchdowns | Five Players Tied | 3 TDs | Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles NFC), Dak Prescott (Dallas), Bo Nix (Denver), Sam Darnold (Minnesota), and Brock Purdy (San Francisco) all topped the week1616. |
| Sacks | Julian Love, Seattle | 3 sacks | Love led the defensive effort in the Seattle-San Francisco divisional clash1717. |
In other top offensive news, Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos threw for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons18181818. The Pittsburgh Steelers benefited from a dual-threat performance by Najee Harris, who ran for 108 yards and added 104 receiving yards, including a touchdown, in a 34-14 rout of the Baltimore Ravens19191919. The Detroit Lions received a major boost from a jaw-dropping 80-yard punt return touchdown by K. Raymond in their 35-18 defeat of the Jacksonville Jaguars20.
Divisional Race Tightens
The race for the playoffs continued to heat up, particularly in the AFC West where the Denver Broncos (7-4-0) have climbed within one game of the division-leading Chiefs (8-2-0)21. In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions (8-2-0) and Chicago Bears (8-2-0) are hot on the heels of the Green Bay Packers (9-1-0), setting the stage for a dramatic end to the season22.