Here are 32 insights we gathered from Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season:

1. This Sunday made a strong case for the NFL to designate an official rivalry weekend each year. Several high-stakes matchups highlighted the intense competition between familiar foes.

2. The most significant game so far this regular season featured the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Buffalo Bills, who handed the Chiefs their first defeat of the 2024 season. With this win, the Bills are now just a half-game behind K.C. in the AFC standings and are serious contenders for home-field advantage.

3. We might as well mention the legendary undefeated ’72 Miami Dolphins, although it’s unfortunate that the late Mercury Morris won’t be there to celebrate.

4. Buffalo’s win was powered by QB Josh Allen’s impressive 26-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes. While his stats may not rival those of Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson, Allen’s performance with a team that seemed weakened in the offseason puts him firmly in the running for his first MVP award.

5. In the past seven matchups against the Chiefs, the Bills have won all four regular-season games but lost all three playoff encounters.

6. The fierce rivalry between the Ravens and the Steelers took a heated turn on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium. Could the deciding factor in their 2024 performance be the kickers? Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell enjoyed a significant edge, scoring all of Pittsburgh’s points in their narrow 18-16 victory, including three field goals of over 50 yards. On the other hand, Baltimore’s Justin Tucker struggled, missing two key attempts that could have changed the game in what may be the worst season yet for the future Hall of Famer.

7. Boswell’s accuracy continues to shine, hitting 29 out of 30 field-goal attempts this season and making all 20 attempts under 50 yards. He’s achieved at least four field goals in four separate games, and this was the second occurrence of him scoring six points for the entire team.

8. Interestingly, wasn’t QB Russell Wilson supposed to solve Pittsburgh’s struggles in the red zone? The Steelers found themselves 0-for-4 against the league’s weakest pass defense that day, marking a dismal 3-for-12 ratio in their past three games. Wilson’s streak of 22 games with a touchdown pass — the longest active streak in the NFL — has now come to an end.

8a. Statistically, the Steelers recorded 18 points and 18 first downs, while the Ravens notched 16 points and also 16 first downs.

9. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered a candid take on his 8-2 team, saying: “I love Boz, man. I’m tired of him being named special teams player of the week. He probably earned it again this week—that’s well deserved—but it also highlights areas we need to improve. I’m grateful he’s on our team.”

10. Despite boasting one of the top offenses this season according to the stats, Baltimore managed to score their lowest total yet and accrued only 329 yards against the Steelers.

11. A lackluster performance against Pittsburgh might jeopardize Jackson’s chances at claiming his third MVP title. We’ll see how it unfolds.

12. While Pittsburgh and Baltimore may seem like the NFL’s premier rivalry of the last decade and a half, it’s worth noting that the Steelers have claimed victory in eight out of their last nine encounters.

13. The Tennessee Titans’ struggle with penalties (14 total) was evident in their 23-13 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. The Titans were already leading the league in penalty average with 7.7 per game, making their performance even more concerning.

14. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may not have had a breakout game, but with 81 receiving yards, he now holds the record for the most receiving yards (6,811) in a player’s first five seasons— and with seven more games to add to that tally.

15. The New York Jets, once thought to have one of the league’s best defenses for 2024, have struggled significantly, conceding 23 points in five out of six games since the firing of former coach Robert Saleh after Week 5.

16. The Indianapolis Colts may have made a timely decision by reinstating QB Anthony Richardson, who contributed a 4-yard touchdown run in the final minute, keeping their playoff ambitions alive with a 28-27 victory that could have also dimmed the hopes for the Jets. Richardson’s passer rating of 106.5 was the best of his career for a complete game, and he matched his personal record with three touchdowns (one through the air and two on the ground). His completion rate of 66.7% was also a personal best for games with 15 or more attempts.

17. The revamped Chicago Bears offense, led by newly promoted coordinator Thomas Brown, outperformed their long-standing rivals, the Green Bay Packers, by posting more total yards (391-366), more first downs (23-19), and a substantial advantage in time of possession (nearly 12 minutes). However, the Bears will be frustrated that the Packers managed to score one more point in a nail-biting 20-19 win.

18. With the victory, the Packers have improved their record in this historic rivalry to 108 wins, 95 losses, and 6 ties, marking an 11-game winning streak— the longest in the competitive series.

19. The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a stunning upset against their recent adversaries, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 and effectively pushing the Niners to the bottom of the NFC West standings.

20. The Arizona Cardinals, who had the week off with a 6-4 record,

The division is led by a team just one game ahead of the struggling San Francisco 49ers, who sit at 5-5.

21. The Detroit Lions delivered a staggering 52-6 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking one of the largest blowouts in the NFL, especially notable during this era where competition is tight. This loss is now recorded as the worst in the Jaguars’ 30-year history.

22. The Lions amassed 475 yards, outpacing Jacksonville significantly and scored a touchdown on each of their first seven drives.

23. With a record of 9-1, the Lions are enjoying their best start since achieving a 10-0 record in 1934, the same year they relocated to Detroit after starting as the Portsmouth Spartans in 1930.

24. The current leaders of the NFC have set a league record by scoring at least one rushing touchdown in a consecutive number of games. They achieved three rushing touchdowns against the Jaguars.

25. A heads up for Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams: the NFL is likely to slice up your highlights in the future if you keep celebrating like Marshawn Lynch did, even though they didn’t this Sunday.

25a. This would be disappointing since Williams’ scoring plays are always impressive—seven of his regular-season touchdowns have come from over 30 yards out.

26. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff achieved a perfect passer rating of 158.3 by completing 24 of 29 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns against Jacksonville. This marks only the second time in his nine-year career that Goff has achieved a perfect rating, and he has surpassed 150.0 three times in the last seven games.

27. While it seems likely that Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will be named Offensive Rookie of the Year, don’t overlook Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers just yet. He leads all first-year players with 70 receptions for 706 yards after an impressive performance of 13 receptions for 126 yards in Miami on Sunday.

27a. Bowers’ 13 catches on Sunday set a new single-game record for rookie tight ends.

28. However, Bowers wasn’t the most influential tight end on the field that day, as Miami’s Jonnu Smith had a standout performance with 6 receptions, 101 yards, and 2 touchdowns, helping his team win and stay in the playoff hunt.

29. While it’s almost a given that Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will win the Offensive Rookie of the Year title, keep an eye on Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix as well. In a dominating 38-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Nix threw for over 300 yards for the first time this season and tossed four touchdowns in his NFL debut. Although he may not possess the same talent as Daniels, Nix could make a significant impact as both teams vie for wild-card playoff spots.

30. Could New Orleans Saints quarterback/running back/fullback/tight end/return specialist Taysom Hill be in line for the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award after amassing 188 yards from scrimmage on 15 touches and scoring three touchdowns in a 35-14 win against the Cleveland Browns? He also returned a kickoff for 42 yards.

30a. Or will we hold it against him for throwing an interception and losing a fumble?

31. Regardless of any setbacks, the Saints have won both games since they parted ways with head coach Dennis Allen and are gradually rising in the NFC South standings.

32. Uniform note of the week: The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be embracing their orange pants, which they debuted this season. Sunday night was the first time they paired them with their white jerseys, and the result was underwhelming. Team founder Paul Brown designed the Bengals’ uniforms to echo the Browns’ styles when he established the team in 1968, and his son, current owner Mike Brown, seems to be reviving that “tradition.”

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