Top 10 NFL Teams Heading Into Week 11
The Top Three: Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens
The biggest difference between these three teams and all of the teams below them is the man starting at the quarterback position. The Ravens are coming off another narrow but gritty victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that saw Lamar Jackson accumulate 323 total yards and four passing touchdowns. With Jackson playing at an MVP level once again, the Ravens are certainly a very dangerous team for any opponent. Josh Allen has also been playing at an MVP level and currently has the Buffalo Bills sitting second in the AFC with an 8-2 record. This could finally be the year that he is able to dethrone Patrick Mahomes and lead the Bills to the promised land. Speaking of the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to an undefeated record of 9-0 without many of their key offensive pieces due to injury. With some of those pieces returning in the second half of the season, a three-peat is very much in play for Kansas City.
Contenders: Lions, Eagles, Steelers, and Commanders
These four teams have proven through 10 weeks of NFL football that they are good enough to compete with any other team in the league on any given Sunday. The Lions have a prolific offense that is currently averaging 31.6 points per game, which is second in the league and have recently just traded for Za'Darius Smith to improve their defense. The Eagles’ offense has been taken to a new level due to the addition of Saquon Barkley, and they also look primed for a playoff berth, either in a Wild Card spot or via an NFC East Division title. As for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders, both teams went through a change at the quarterback position over the offseason and have benefited tremendously as a result. These two faced each other over the weekend and were dead even for the majority of the matchup, however, Pittsburgh came out on top 28-27 after drawing a Washington defender offside on a critical fourth down on the last drive of the game. Both the Commanders and Steelers should be threats come playoff time.
Playoff Teams: Vikings, Packers, and Texans
All three of these teams have the talent to compete with anyone in the league, however, all three also have had some concerning performances over the course of the season. The Vikings especially have had a few disappointing offensive performances after starting the season red-hot. Minnesota’s defense has been one of the best in the league and they will need to continue to be if the Vikings are going to make a playoff run. The Green Bay Packers have one of the most well-balanced rosters in the NFL but there are a few looming questions regarding quarterback Jordan Love. For one, Love currently leads the league in interceptions while only playing in seven of the team’s nine games. Love will need to work on his ball security if the Packers want to win games in the playoffs, but Love also needs to stay healthy for Green Bay to be competitive. Jordan Love has dealt with a multitude of injuries to his lower body this season and he needs to be careful with his recovery and not put his season at risk by returning before his body is ready. The Texans have unfortunately dealt with injuries to multiple different receivers this season, as they saw their new addition Stefon Diggs go down for the season with a torn ACL and have been without star wide receiver Nico Collins for a majority of the season now. Collins is expected to return to the lineup for Week 11, but the offense hasn’t looked the same without him, so hopefully his return will get Houston back on track. Regardless, the Texans have a stronghold on the AFC South at the moment so their playoff hopes are very much alive.
