We had 13 games yesterday with 26 teams in action. Some organizations made statement wins, while others suffered incredibly frustrating losses. With everything that happened on Sunday, let's review some of the biggest takeaways that we came away with from yesterday.
6. The Miami Dolphins aren't out of it yet.
As bad as things looked early in the season, when the 'Phins were 1-6, Miami has seemingly turned things around. They're 3-1 in their last four games and have a signature win over the Buffalo Bills, who are still a threat to go all the way in the AFC. Over the next four weeks, the Dolphins have a shot to actually improve and get above .500.
First, they'll have to take care of the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. That shouldn't be too difficult, considering those teams have a combined record of 4-16. After that, they'll face tougher tests against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is dealing with a slightly broken wrist, which could sideline him for a few weeks. If he can't play on December 15th, the 'Phins have a good shot at winning that game. From there, they need to beat a Bengals squad that is ranked last in defense (33.4 points per game allowed). Should the 'Phins win that game, they'll be 8-7 with two more matchups against the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Obviously, none of these games is guaranteed. But there is a world where the Dolphins not only finish the year with a winning record but maybe even make the playoffs. They'll need a few balls to bounce in their favor, but crazier things have happened in the National Football League.
5. The Los Angeles Chargers dropped the ball.
The Chargers got their doors blown off yesterday by a depleted Jacksonville Jaguars team, 35-6. LA failed on multiple fronts. The defense allowed Jacksonville to pick up 30 first downs, nine more than they usually average in a game. The rushing attack was held to 2.6 yards per carry, while the passing game was limited to 93 total yards. There wasn't one good or redeeming thing for the Chargers in yesterday's game.
There are several reasons why the loss to Jacksonville stings a little bit more than usual. First, that defeat makes it that much harder for Los Angeles to catch the Denver Broncos, who have a commanding lead in the AFC West. More importantly, the Jaguars are in direct competition with LA for a spot in the AFC Playoffs. If the Jags can finish the season strong with layup games against the Arizona Cardinals, the New York Jets, and the Tennessee Titans twice, they could end up knocking the Chargers out of the playoff picture.
The Chargers only have a half-game lead over the Jaguars for the sixth seed in the AFC. If the Jags were to overtake them, then LA would fall to the seventh seed and have to compete with teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, and Pittsburgh Steelers for the final spot in the AFC Playoffs. With games still scheduled against the Philadelphia Eagles, Chiefs, Texans, and Broncos, yesterday could end up being very costly for the Chargers in the grand scheme of things.
4. Josh Allen is still an MVP candidate.
The best players in the NFL always respond well when their backs are against the wall. Tom Brady always did it. Peyton Manning always did it. And yesterday, Josh Allen did it when he led the Buffalo Bills to a dominant win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 44-32, to improve to 7-3 on the season.
On Sunday, Josh Allen showed everybody that he is still one of the best football players in the world with an all-time great performance. He threw for 312 passing yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another three TDs on the ground. With that performance, Allen became the only player in NFL history with multiple games of 3+ passing touchdowns and 3+ rushing touchdowns. Keep in mind, he put up those numbers with two wide receivers making their regular-season debuts for Buffalo.
After Week 11, Josh Allen now leads the NFL in total touchdowns scored this season (28). He has more passing TDs than Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, and Sam Darnold. He also ranks third in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (10), with more ground TDs than Jahmyr Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley. By definition, nobody is more valuable to their franchise than Josh Allen, who put the team on his back yesterday and willed the Bills to a win over a Buccaneers team that will probably make the playoffs. For that reason alone, he should still be considered an MVP candidate.
3. The Chicago Bears are going to the playoffs, but they might not win a game.
Obviously, it hasn't been pretty, but the Bears are 7-1 in their last eight games and have taken sole possession of first place in the NFC North, which is arguably the most competitive division in the NFL. When it looked like Chicago's two-game winning streak was about to come to an end, the Bears found a way to kick a field goal as time expired to down the Minnesota Vikings on the road, 19-17.
Chicago has demonstrated excellent offensive balance under new head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears are fourth in yards per game (373.8), second in rushing (146.6 yards per game), and 13th in passing (227.2 yards per game). They also lead the league in turnover differential (+16) with an NFL-high 22 takeaways compared to just six giveaways, which is tied for the second-fewest in the NFL this season. The Chicago Bears look like winners and are a near-lock to make the NFC Playoffs. Unfortunately, they could come crashing back down to Earth at a moment's notice.
They're the only division leader who has allowed more points than they have scored this season (258 points for vs. 264 points allowed). The 2022-23 Minnesota Vikings were the last team to reach the postseason with a negative point differential, and they lost in the first round of the playoffs. Before that, the 2020-21 Washington Commanders made the postseason despite having a negative point differential, and they lost in the playoffs even though they were playing at home against the Buccaneers.
Every team is different, and the Chicago Bears will not simply lose in the playoffs because they have allowed more points than they have scored through the first 11 weeks of the regular season. But if they can't fix that issue and get on the right side of the scoring differential, it feels like Chicago is destined for an early exit in the 2026 NFL Playoffs.
2. The Philadelphia Eagles have the best defense in the NFL.
We have been trying to figure out what the Eagles' identity is for weeks. Are they a strong running team like last year? Clearly, they're not because they rank 17th in rushing yards per game (115.2). They're also not ballhawks since they have only forced ten takeaways this season. Philly also isn't a strong passing team, considering they're 28th in that category (184.9 passing yards per game). Now, though, we know that this is a punch-you-in-the-mouth team that beats you with aggressive defense in low-scoring affairs.
Philly doesn't let up many points, as proven by their eighth-ranked scoring defense (20.1 points per game allowed). Against two of the best scoring offenses in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers (13th) and the Detroit Lions (fifth), the Eagles allowed 16 points, which equates to only eight points per game. In Philly's last four games, they have only allowed opponents to average 302.8 yards, which would be good for tenth in the NFL this season. During that stretch, the defense is allowed 83.8 rushing yards per game, which would make them the best run-defending team in the league this season. By taking away the run, opponents are forced to throw the ball a lot, which plays into the secondary's strength since Philly has the lowest completion percentage allowed in the NFL (56.6%).
This is the formula that the Eagles need to embrace if they want to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Stop the run and make your opponents one-dimensional. From there, the defense can pin its ears back and focus on defending the pass and limiting opposing teams from completing passes. If Philly can do that, they're going to be a nightmare for anybody they face because this unit is only going to improve as Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, and Nolan Smith continue to get more reps on defense.
1. The Los Angeles Rams are the team to beat in the NFC.
Last week, I said that the Seattle Seahawks looked like the best team in the NFC and maybe the entire NFL. On Sunday, I was proven wrong after the Los Angeles Rams beat the Seahawks, 21-19. After that game, it is now very obvious that the Rams are the team to beat in the National Football Conference.
Against arguably the hottest teams in the NFL, the Rams controlled the game from beginning to end. It started with an interception on Sam Darnold's second pass of the game, and it ended with a badly missed field goal attempt by Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. On a day when the Rams were completely outplayed, they still found a way to beat a really good divisional opponent, even though they had fewer passing yards, rushing yards, first downs, and third-down conversions than Seattle. LA won because they forced turnovers and effectively threw the football, which has been their recipe for success most of the season. Matthew Stafford extended his league lead in touchdown passes to 27 with two more TDs on the afternoon. They also intercepted Sam Darnold four times, bringing their total takeaways on the season to 18, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL.
As things currently stand, the Rams stand alone atop the NFC West divisional standings. If the season ended today, they would be the number-two seed in the NFC behind only the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams are in a position to potentially overtake Philly. Four of LA's last seven games are against the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and the streaky Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, Philadelphia still has to go against the Cowboys, Bears, Chargers, and Bills. Taking all of those factors into consideration, it feels like the Rams are destined to be the number-one seed in the NFC.
