NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Steelers and Eagles Make Quiet Advances
As we dive into Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season, here are the latest power rankings (previous ranking in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Despite having the smallest point differential for a 9-0 team at +58, they will gladly take it. A win in Buffalo this Sunday would give them a significant advantage over the Bills, Ravens, and Chargers in the chase for the AFC’s top seed, as it would mean victories over each of those teams.
2. Detroit Lions (2): Not only have they demonstrated resilience by clinching their first win with HC Dan Campbell after trailing by double digits, but they also made history as the first team in a dozen years to win despite their quarterback throwing five interceptions.
3. Baltimore Ravens (3): In a bizarre turn of events, a kneel-down play during Thursday’s win capped their rushing yards at just 99, ending a remarkable streak of 42 games with over 100 rushing yards—one game shy of the league record. It’s all good, guys.
4. Buffalo Bills (4): Currently riding a five-game winning streak and sitting at 8-2 for the first time in 30 years, the Bills are expected to welcome back LB Matt Milano from a torn biceps and could also see LB Tyrel Dodson return after being released by Seattle.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (10): QB Jalen Hurts is on fire just as the team regains the lead in the NFC East. During a five-game winning streak, his lowest passer rating has been 115.0, marking him as the first quarterback in history to rush for at least 10 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (8): This Sunday, they will be the last AFC team to play a divisional game this season. QB Russell Wilson is on track to throw a touchdown pass for the league-best 23rd consecutive game, aiming against a struggling Baltimore pass defense.
7. Washington Commanders (5): There’s a buzz around QB Jayden Daniels, but it hasn’t stopped teams like the Steelers from enjoying home games at Northwest Stadium.
8. Minnesota Vikings (6): They’ve become the first team in 18 years to win despite committing three turnovers and failing to score a touchdown. Unfortunately, they don’t play in the AFC South, where they have excelled by beating teams by an average of 13.3 points; they aim to sweep the division this Sunday in Nashville.
9. Green Bay Packers (7): Following the unexpected trade of OLB Preston Smith, it’s time for 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness to step up, especially since he has yet to start in the NFL and hasn’t played more than 50% of the snaps in either season.
10. Arizona Cardinals (11): Their defense may lack big names, but it has kept opponents from scoring touchdowns in three straight home games, spanning all of October and November.
11. San Francisco 49ers (16): Since their bye week in 2024 (with RB Christian McCaffrey), they hold a record of 1-0, and since 2021, they’ve gone 31-9 after byes.
12. Houston Texans (12): Despite their challenges partly due to injuries at receiver, it was uplifting to see WR John Metchie III score his first NFL touchdown, more than two years after his professional journey was paused for leukemia treatment.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (17): Their defense is currently the best in the league, allowing no more than 20 points in any game, but will face tough opponents with the Bengals and Ravens visiting in the next two weeks for key matchups.
14. Atlanta Falcons (9): Struggling to generate a pass rush in recent times, Atlanta has yet to see any defender reach 20 pressures this season, according to PFF.
15. Cincinnati Bengals (18): WR Ja’Marr Chase has made history as the only player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) with multiple games featuring at least 250 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Cincinnati’s record is 1-1 in those games.
16. Denver Broncos (19): Keep an eye on rookie Audric Estime, who has an impressive average of 5.1 yards per carry, especially considering he recorded a 4.7 40-yard dash at this year’s scouting combine, which has seemingly secured him the RB1 position moving forward.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13): After losing four straight games against likely playoff contenders, Baker Mayfield made an incredible play on Sunday, evading Niners DE Nick Bosa while throwing a completion on the run.
18. Miami Dolphins (23): Despite being underwhelming by his usual standards, WR3 Odell Beckham Jr. is gradually integrating into the offense, having caught all five of his targets over the past two games as the team inches closer to the wild card race.
19. Los Angeles Rams (15): Facing a challenging stretch with four road games over the next six weeks—two on the East Coast and with two in prime time—making a playoff resurgence will be tough.
20. Seattle Seahawks (22): Under rookie HC Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks are having a difficult time figuring out their defense as they face seven of their last eight games against NFC North or NFC West opponents. Tough road ahead.
21. Indianapolis Colts (21): There’s not much to get excited about here, especially with CB Kenny Moore II calling out the team’s effort. However, rookie WR Adonai Mitchell stood out with his best performance yet, catching six passes for 71 yards last Sunday.
22. New England Patriots (27): With their next three games against teams below .500, could the Patriots actually find themselves in playoff contention?
23. Chicago Bears (14): Rookie QB Caleb Williams has been taken down 15 times in the past two weeks, and he now finds himself in a challenging situation .
23. Los Angeles Chargers (23): This team has been taken down a league-high 38 times. They need to give Swift the ball more often.
24. New York Jets (20): Wouldn’t it ease the strain on struggling QB Aaron Rodgers, both physically and mentally, if they increased their dismal average of 21.5 attempts per game? Alas, that’s a moot point.
25. Carolina Panthers (28): The latest sign of progress for this team is sophomore QB Bryce Young achieving back-to-back wins for the first time in his career.
26. Cleveland Browns (24): Currently, none of their players is on track to reach 800 scrimmage yards this season.
27. New Orleans Saints (31): Is RB Alvin Kamara destined for the Hall of Fame? As the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, he now holds the record for most games (24) with at least 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, second only to HOFer Marshall Faulk (41) and Christian McCaffrey (30).
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (25): On defense, they are allowing the most yards in the league, while on offense, they’ve committed eight turnovers in the past three weeks. Things don’t look promising as they prepare to face Detroit this Sunday.
29. Dallas Cowboys (26): It’s unusual for a team to part ways with a player both too early and too late, but the Cowboys managed that with RB Ezekiel Elliott, who they should never have re-signed. He’s currently averaging just 3.2 yards per carry — if he’s even on the field.
30. Tennessee Titans (30): No team in NFL history has given up as many points (26.7 per game) while also ranking first in total defense.
31. New York Giants (29): Their loss on Sunday in Germany marked their first defeat in an international game, though they remain undefeated in Great Britain — perhaps QB Daniel Jones should consider applying for citizenship there.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (32): Can the Turners revive this struggling offense? They currently lead the league in turnovers and have the fewest rushing yards, so the only direction left is up, right?
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