2024 NFL Week 11: Winners and Losers Reveal Surprising Trends
Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season brought a rollercoaster of emotions for fans, players, and teams across the league. After an intense Sunday with plenty of twists and turns, it becomes clear who rose to the occasion and who tumbled into disappointment. Let’s break down the biggest winners and losers from this pivotal week. There’s always a lot to dissect, and Week 11 certainly lived up to the hype.
The Week 11 Winners
The NFL is all about momentum, teams proving themselves to be complete powerhouses, and players exhibiting their superstar potential. Some squads stepped up and showed that they’ve got the goods, providing reasons to believe they could make deep playoff runs. Here’s a look at the winners of Week 11.
1. Detroit Lions: A Force to Be Reckoned With
The Detroit Lions have been on a mission all season long, and Week 11 was no exception. They’ve transformed from an underachieving franchise into one of the most dangerous teams in the entire league. Their dominance was on full display in Week 11 when they crushed their opponent, cementing their status as a legitimate threat in the NFC.
Quarterback Jared Goff is playing at an MVP level, and the entire offense is firing on all cylinders. To add to that, the defense has stepped up massively, becoming a tough, gritty unit that’s on the verge of becoming elite. This balance of high-octane offense and sturdy defense is turning the Lions into one of the most complete teams in the NFL – a far cry from where they were just a few short years ago. With their impressive win this week, the Lions are not only playoff-bound but could turn into a Super Bowl contender if they keep this pace up.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: A Well-Oiled Machine
The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers may not be the flashiest team, but they are perhaps the most balanced squad in the league right now. In Week 11, the Steelers put it all together, with few miscues and nearly flawless execution both offensively and defensively. This isn’t the typical boom-or-bust squad; this is a team that plays methodical football, executing the game plan with precision and discipline.
Rookie sensation Najee Harris continues to impress, running with power and vision, while quarterback Kenny Pickett has emerged as a solid game manager who delivers when it matters most. Their defense? It’s as relentless and unforgiving as ever, suffocating opposing offenses. This Steelers team has gotten better every week, and they’re unquestionably one of the most complete teams in the NFL. Playoff hopefuls should be terrified to face Pittsburgh.
3. Brock Purdy: Establishing Himself as a Top QB
Is Brock Purdy working his way into the conversation of elite quarterbacks? Yes, and Week 11 was more proof of that. The 49ers quarterback has gone from “Mr. Irrelevant” in his draft class to one of the most reliable and efficient QBs in the league.
This week, Purdy was on fire, threading passes in tight windows and shredding defenses with his poise and accuracy. His 333-yard, three-touchdown performance not only solidified his place as a top-tier quarterback but also pushed the 49ers to 7-3 and solidified them as a Super Bowl favorite.
NFL analysts have been raving about Brock Purdy’s development, and if he continues at this pace, he might just lead San Francisco deep into the playoffs. If you’re asking yourself whether Purdy truly belongs in the upper echelon of QBs, look no further than his consistent body of work this season, especially after Week 11.
The Week 11 Losers
But where there are winners, there are also losers, and boy, did Week 11 have its fair share of massive letdowns. Certain teams were expected to perform at much higher levels this week and instead faltered spectacularly. It wasn’t pretty, and there’s serious trouble brewing for some of these organizations.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Total Collapse
What is going on with the Jacksonville Jaguars? This team had big expectations coming into the 2024 season, but they’re imploding at a time when they should be surging. Week 11 was the exclamation point on what has become a series of ugly performances.
Against a team they should have beaten, the Jaguars sputtered, and their defense was completely flattened. More concerning is that Trevor Lawrence, who was lauded as a generational talent, seemed sluggish and flat-out bad in Week 11. He threw costly interceptions, couldn’t handle the pass rush, and looked downright lost at times.
- Trevor Lawrence: combined for three turnovers
- Defense: allowed over 400 yards and couldn’t stop big plays
- Offensive Coordinator: doesn’t seem to have answers for anything
We could go on, but the story is the same: the Jaguars were supposed to ascend in 2024, but Week 11 showed us that this team is far more broken than anyone thought.
2. New York Jets: Punchless and Powerless
The quarterback carousel for the Jets continues, but none of the riders have been able to steer the team in the right direction. In Week 11, New York Jets fans saw more of the same frustration that’s defined this season – a team with no offensive creativity and a dearth of consistency. And it’s not just the quarterback position that’s failing – the entire Jets offense is flat.
Zach Wilson’s struggles have been well-documented, but let’s talk about the supporting cast, too. The offensive line has struggled to protect, and receivers too often seem out of sync. The result? Another dismal offensive showing that resulted in barely any points on the board. A 1-4 showing in their last five games leaves the Jets reeling, and the playoffs now feel like a distant dream.
3. Buffalo Bills: Missed Opportunities
There are far too many “what could have been” moments surrounding the Buffalo Bills in 2024, and Week 11 was no different. A team that’s bursting with talent can’t seem to string together consistent wins, and once again, they dropped a winnable game after multiple breakdowns on the field.
Josh Allen threw two costly interceptions that completely derailed drives, and the Bills defense had no answer for the explosiveness of their opposition. Week 11 proved to be another question mark for a team that should, by all accounts, be contending for a top seed in the AFC. Instead, they’re stumbling into mediocrity.
Buffalo Bills fans must be exasperated at this point, as the team sits at 5-5. Simple fixes just haven’t come – and time is running out before these losses start piling up too deep to save. Can they bounce back? Yes, but Week 11 showed once again that their margin for error is shrinking.
The Big Conclusions from Week 11
Week 11 of the NFL delivered plenty of memorable moments, but it also laid bare where some teams stand. The Lions and Steelers look like well-rounded, tough teams that are peaking at the right time, with everything clicking on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, the Jaguars and Jets are among those whose seasons are teetering on full collapse, unable to find their form after several weeks of disappointment. With the latter part of the season now upon us, it’s clear who is in prime position and who has a lot of soul-searching to do.
This late in the season, teams can either dig themselves out of the hole they’re in or fall deeper into the abyss. Week 12 will tell us more as rivalries heat up, playoff races intensify, and every game becomes crucial.
Originally Written by: John Breech
