NFL 2023 Week 11: Biggest questions, risers and takeaways

Stock up after the win: The defense. It kept the team in the game, holding Seattle to four field goals after allowing an opening-drive touchdown. The Seahawks scored just three points in the second half.

Stock down after the win: Third-down offense. The Rams’ offense went 2-for-9 on third down (and 0-for-1 on fourth down). — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Seahawks

Will Geno Smith miss any time because of his elbow injury? Smith returned for the final drive after hurting his elbow late in the third quarter and got Seattle in position for the winning field goal that Jason Myers missed. Some with the Seahawks have been eager to see what they have in quarterback Drew Lock after only one brief appearance in his season and a half with Seattle. But no one wanted to see it under these circumstances — an injury to Smith in a tight game and right before a brutal four-game stretch that includes two against the 49ers and one apiece against the Cowboys and Eagles. Smith was having a strong game before he went down, then nearly led the Seahawks on a miraculous game-winning drive. Lock finished 2-of-6 for 3 yards and a pick. Smith, who missed two full possessions, went 22-of-34 for 233 yards and a touchdown.

Stock up after the loss: WR DK Metcalf. With Tyler Lockett on an apparent snap count because of a hamstring injury, Metcalf led the Seahawks with 94 yards and a touchdown on five catches (nine targets). He hauled in a 21-yard catch over the middle, hanging on through contact, to set up Myers’ final kick. That was Metcalf’s 38th career TD, passing Joey Galloway for fifth most in team history.

Stock down after the loss: Team discipline. The Seahawks committed 12 penalties for 130 yards. The yardage was the most in the NFL this season and Seattle’s most since 2018, according to ESPN Stats & Information. — Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. 49ers (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

49ers

Stock up after the win: WR Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk has been productive all season but seems to be rounding into form at a good time, with a career-best 156 yards on five catches with one touchdown Sunday.

Stock down after the win: Red zone offense. The Niners were fourth in the league in red zone efficiency in the first six weeks but have converted just 6-of-14 chances since Week 7, a 42% conversion rate that ranks 26th in the NFL. They went 2-for-4 Sunday. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: at Seahawks (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

Do the Bucs have enough to make a push in the NFC South? The Bucs’ defense on Sunday surrendered 413 total yards on defense, with 293 through the air, but managed to score twice on offense and make a game of it in the second half after falling behind 27-7. Quarterback Baker Mayfield turned the ball over twice — on a lost fumble and a red zone interception — so that was a step backward. But Mayfield fought hard to make it somewhat competitive at the end and completed 29-of-45 passes for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception. With the Saints and Falcons both on a bye week, the Bucs’ 4-6 record drops them to a tie with the Falcons for second place. The Bucs are in position to make a run, but injuries are a concern. The Bucs had four starters (CBs Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis III, LB Lavonte David and OT Tristan Wirfs) leave Sunday’s game because of injuries.

Stock up after the loss: OLB Yaya Diaby. The rookie might still be limited in the number of actual pass-rush moves he has outside of his bull rush, but pound for pound, he’s showing he’s one of the team’s most physically powerful linebackers. Diaby sacked Purdy twice Sunday and has four sacks in his past four games.

Stock down after the loss: The pass defense. Like last week, the Bucs continued to play more man coverage than zone, which should play to the team’s strengths. But Dean surrendered a 77-yard touchdown and Davis a 37-yard completion — both to Aiyuk — and linebacker Devin White was out of position on a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffrey. — Jenna Laine

Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Brock Purdy throws 3 TDs in 49ers’ win

Brock Purdy shines with three touchdown passes, leading the 49ers to a win over Tampa.

Packers

Stock up after the win: WRs Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Reed scored on a 32-yard end-around and finished with three rushes for 46 yards and four catches for 46 yards, while Wicks caught three passes for 91 yards, including a 35-yard catch and run to set up the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Stock down after the win: S Dallin Leavitt. The Packers’ special teamer showed exactly how not to start a game. He was called for holding on the opening kickoff return then became so animated in protest that he also drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that forced the Packers to start at their 8-yard line on a possession that ended with a failed fourth-down try at the 50. — Rob Demovsky

Next game: at Lions (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Chargers

Will the Chargers stick with Brandon Staley? The Chargers have big-name players: Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, Derwin James Jr. and Khalil Mack, to name a few. But that talent hasn’t turned into wins in three seasons under Staley. Instead, Staley, hired for his defensive prowess, has fielded a defense that consistently ranks among the worst in the league. Sunday was another example, as quarterback Jordan Love had the best game of his career (322 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions). The Chargers have fired only one coach at midseason: Kevin Gilbride in 1998. With the Chargers sitting at 4-6, their playoff chances are slim. Could Staley be the second?

Stock up after the loss: LB Khalil Mack. The Chargers outside linebacker was disruptive throughout the game, securing two sacks, forcing a fumble and leading the team with seven quarterback pressures. His two sacks moved him to 11 on the season, his most since 2018.

Stock down after the loss: The red zone offense. The Chargers came into this game scoring a touchdown on 72% of their red zone drives, the second-best rate in the NFL. On Sunday, they were 0-for-3 in the red zone, including a dropped pass in the end zone by wide receiver Keenan Allen. — Kris Rhim

Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Lions

Should the Lions be worried about their NFC North lead? The Lions have been favored all season to win their first divisional crown since 1993, and while that goal seemed vulnerable at times Sunday with four turnovers, the Lions found a way to win. They still have four divisional games, including one vs. the Packers, two against the Vikings and one more against Chicago. The Lions’ path won’t be easy if they don’t clean it up on both sides of the ball going forward. Still, Detroit is the only team this season to win after trailing by at least 10 with 4 minutes remaining. Teams were 0-83 before Sunday.

Stock up after the win: RB Jahmyr Gibbs. The No. 12 overall pick continues to grow more comfortable with each game. He has scored a rushing touchdown (five total) in his past four games, tying Kevin Jones (2004) and Barry Sanders (1989) for the longest streak by a Detroit rookie.

Stock down after the win: QB Jared Goff. He struggled to deal with pressure from the Bears’ defense, throwing three interceptions in a game for just the third time in his career and the first time since 2019, when he was still a member of the Los Angeles Rams. It wasn’t the greatest performance for Goff to say the least, but he did end the fourth quarter strong. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: vs. Packers (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Bears

What did we learn about Justin Fields in his return from injury? Fields was terrific in his first game since dislocating his right thumb on Oct. 15. He finished 16-of-23 for 169 yards and a touchdown. He was as dominant with his deep ball — a 39-yard TD strike to DJ Moore that was his best throw of the season — as he was with his legs (14 of his 18 rushing attempts for 104 yards were designed runs). But the Bears’ failure to score off multiple first-half turnovers and conservative decision-making in the fourth quarter spoiled Fields’ comeback.

Stock up after the loss: CB Tyrique Stevenson. After an up-and-down start to his rookie season, the 23-year-old corner notched two takeaways, including his first NFL interception. Stevenson forced a fumble on a third-quarter kickoff that allowed Chicago to regain the lead.

Stock down after the loss: CB Jaylon Johnson. The Bears cornerback, who is playing for a new contract, dropped an interception one play before Detroit’s first touchdown and was a step behind on another pass in the fourth quarter. If Johnson wants to command a top-of-market contract in the offseason, he needs to come away with those game-altering plays. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: at Vikings (Monday, Nov. 27, 8:15 p.m. ET)

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Detroit erupts after Lions score go-ahead TD and 2-point conversion

David Montgomery punches it in, then Jared Goff finds an open Sam LaPorta for a late Lions lead.

Dolphins

What’s more likely to stick — the Dolphins’ offensive performance over their past two games, or their defensive performance? Miami’s defense has been trending up for weeks, forcing turnovers in four straight games. It’s a good thing, too, because the Dolphins have been inefficient on the other side of the ball. Sunday’s game featured three turnovers, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs. They eclipsed 400 yards of offense for the fifth time this season but were held to just 20 points and didn’t score a touchdown in the second half. Miami’s offense is more likely to get back on track than its defense is to fall off, but it was a disappointing performance Sunday for the 14-point favorites.

Stock up after the win: CB Jalen Ramsey. Miami’s marquee offseason acquisition recorded his second and third interceptions in his third game back — including the game-clincher with 22 seconds left. He allowed just two catches for 23 yards on seven targets.

Stock down after the win: The rushing attack. Rookie sensation De’Von Achane played just three snaps before leaving with a knee injury, and Miami averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: at Jets (Friday, 3 p.m. ET)

Raiders

How will the Raiders react to the adversity of their first loss under interim coach Antonio Pierce after a pair of feel-good wins? The Raiders won’t have to dig deep to get up with the Chiefs coming to town, not with so many bad feelings between the long-time rivals. But they cannot rely simply on emotions in facing the defending Super Bowl champions, who have won 14 of their past 16 meetings. The Raiders need their offensive proficiency to match their defensive intensity to have a chance against the Chiefs.

Stock up after the loss: The defense. With three takeaways — fumble recoveries by safety Marcus Epps and cornerback Nate Hobbs and an interception by safety Isaiah Pola-Mao — and a fourth-down stop, the defense kept the game within striking distance for the Raiders despite giving up 422 yards.

Stock down after the loss: The offense. It resembled a unit headed by a first-time playcaller (Bo Hardegree) under the direction of an interim coach with a rookie quarterback (Aidan O’Connell) under center. The offense didn’t get a first down in the second or third quarters and played conservatively, almost as if it was playing not to lose — aside from the 46-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams in the first-quarter. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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Jalen Ramsey snags his second INT to cap off Dolphins’ win

Jalen Ramsey gets up to catch his second interception of the game, capping off a 20-13 win vs. the Raiders.

Texans

Stock up after the win: CB Derek Stingley Jr. He had an interception and pass breakup in his second game back after a hamstring injury.

Stock down after the win: The red zone offense. The Texans went 1-for-4, highlighted by Stroud’s two interceptions. — DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Cardinals

What’s a reasonable finish for the Cardinals? The Cardinals could realistically be looking at two more wins this season — next week against the Rams and then on Christmas Eve against the Bears. That would give them four on the season. With games against the 49ers, Seahawks and Steelers left, and Kyler Murray under center, Arizona could potentially steal another one, maybe two. But after losing to the Texans, a 4-13 record seems realistic.

Stock up after the loss: DT Leki Fotu. Before he left the game with a hand injury, Fotu had a sack, four tackles, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.

Stock down after the loss: CB Marco Wilson. He was targeted 11 times and gave up eight passes for a total of 145 yards — an average of 18.1 per catch — and two touchdowns. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Giants

What does this win mean for the Giants? This should calm things down a bit after New York lost the previous two games by 56 points and had multiple sideline incidents. The pressure was on Brian Daboll and the Giants to avoid splintering. This helps. Not only did they win but they did it behind Tommy DeVito, who threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns despite being sacked nine times. It does put the Giants currently out of the coveted top two picks in next year’s draft, however.

Stock up after the win: The defense. Wink Martindale’s unit forced five turnovers and received strong performances from its best players (Dexter Lawrence II, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Bobby Okereke and Xavier McKinney). Much better after two straight duds.

Stock down after the win: The running game. The Giants rushed for 0 yards until the final play of the third quarter. Saquon Barkley had minus-2 yards until that 36-yard gain. This team needs more consistency from Barkley and the running attack. — Jordan Raanan

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Commanders

Is this the end for Ron Rivera? Washington has lost seven of its past nine games and has shown no reason to think it could finish strong to save his job. Owner Josh Harris has said he wanted to give everyone the season to fully evaluate the situation. But Washington has not progressed. The Commanders are 1-4 at home, despite all being sellouts, and have lost twice to the Giants and once to the Bears, who entered Sunday with five combined wins.

Stock up after the loss: The pass rush. Washington sacked DeVito nine times, one shy of the franchise record, as seven players posted at least one sack apiece. Not bad for a team that traded its top two defensive ends — Chase Young and Montez Sweat — at the trade deadline.

Stock down after the loss: The pass coverage. Washington’s secondary continued its poor play by allowing DeVito (246 passing yards) to throw big completions on third-and-long, as well as three touchdown passes. — John Keim

Next game: at Cowboys (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

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Tommy DeVito goes deep to Darius Slayton for a TD

Tommy DeVito airs it out for a 40-yard Giants touchdown to Darius Slayton.

Browns

Can this version of the Browns make the playoffs? No Nick Chubb. And no Deshaun Watson. Still, these Browns continue to find ways to win games. The Browns’ defense once again was magnificent, giving the offense a chance to stage the game-winning drive. Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson made the plays when he needed to down the stretch, despite a rough second half. And special teams, namely kicker Dustin Hopkins, was clutch, with the game-winning field goal. At 7-3, these Browns just keep barreling ahead for the postseason. This definitely looks like a playoff team.

Stock up after the win: QB Thompson-Robinson. DTR didn’t light up the stat sheet, but his four completions on the final drive proved to be the difference.

Stock down after the win: Big plays on offense. The Browns are not going to outscore anyone going forward, but they still have a formula to win games. — Jake Trotter

Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Steelers

Can the Steelers capitalize on season-altering injuries to the rest of the AFC North? The Steelers scoff at the idea that they’re winning with smoke and mirrors, but it’s hard to find a consistent rhyme or reason why they’re in the AFC playoff picture when the offense is being outgained every week. And while the defense saved the day in their last two games, they couldn’t find the magic for the third week in a row. The first-half Steelers were nothing short of abysmal, and the offense stunk it up in the fourth quarter, too. Though the offense sputtered outside of Jaylen Warren ‘s massive 74-yard touchdown, the defense regrouped at halftime and was a much more stout unit in the second half. But as has been the case all season, the defense didn’t get any help from its offense. The Steelers forced five second-half punts and had an interception. But after a quick three-and-out on a Diontae Johnson drop and two bad throws from Kenny Pickett gave the Browns the ball back with 1:38 to go, Browns rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson led Cleveland on a game-winning drive.

Stock up after the loss: Warren. Fresh off his first 100-yard game, Warren got the bulk of his yardage on a 74-yard touchdown run to open the second half. Then in the fourth quarter, he had a 21-yard carry to put the Steelers in field goal range to tie the game.

Stock down after the loss:Pickett. Through three quarters, Pickett was 8-of-16 for 53 yards, after going 12-of-18 for 118 yards through the same point a week ago. The Browns’ defense was all over Pickett from the Steelers’ opening snap, but Pickett, who played his worst game of the season, exacerbated its impact by throwing too many errant passes at critical times and holding on to the ball too long. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Cowboys

Will the Cowboys be 9-3 after home games the next two weeks? They’d better be. This is the 14th time they’ve been 7-3 or better since 1989, and they made the playoffs 12 of the previous 13 times. The Cowboys host Washington and Seattle before taking on Philadelphia. The Cowboys already need some help from the 8-1 Eagles to stay in the division race. They don’t need to give the Eagles any help of their own with losses to the Commanders or Seahawks.

Stock down after the win: Defensive line. The defensive front was not at its best against the run. This is always going to be a concern for the Dallas defense, so allowing two runners to have more than 50 yards is concerning, especially with better running teams coming up in Philadelphia, Miami and Detroit. — Todd Archer

Next game: vs. Commanders (Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Panthers

Are the Panthers starting to find their identity offensively? It looked positive when quarterback Bryce Young engineered a patient and balanced 17-play, 70-yard third-quarter drive that resulted in Carolina’s first touchdown since the third quarter against Indianapolis two games ago. Using a lot of 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR), it was impressive. Then, immediately after a Dallas offensive touchdown, Young threw his third pick-six of the season. So the identity remains inconsistent.

Stock up after the loss: RB Miles Sanders. The running back lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard a month ago but showed glimpses of what the Panthers hoped he would be — when they gave him a four-year, $25 million deal during the offseason — with his most productive outing (11 carries for 50 yards) since Week 1.

Stock down after the loss: LBBrian Burns. The Pro Bowl outside linebacker didn’t have a sack for the second straight game and has only one in his past four, likely driving his price tag down as negotiations for a new deal remain on hold. — David Newton

Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Jaguars

Is Trevor Lawrence rolling again? Lawrence threw two touchdowns and ran for two more — becoming the first player in franchise history to do that in a game — but more importantly, he showed that he’s no longer bothered by his strained left knee. The Jaguars rolled him out, which they hadn’t done since he got hurt on Oct. 15. He also pushed off his left leg when he dove for his first rushing touchdown with no issue. Sunday marked Lawrence’s fourth-best passer rating of his career (119.5) one week after finishing with his third lowest (48.8).

Stock up after the win: WR Calvin Ridley. He caught a pair of touchdowns and ended up with his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. His first-quarter TD catch snapped a streak of five games without one, which was the longest of his career.

Stock down after the win: The red zone offense. The Jaguars came into the game with the fourth-worst red zone offense (44%) and went 1-for-3 in the first half. It’s an area that coach Doug Pederson pegged as a major issue for the second half of the season. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans

Will the Titans win a road game this season? The Titans’ offense has been lifeless on the road this season. The defense has done much better, especially when it comes to impacting the quarterback and creating turnovers. But in total, the Titans have been outscored 140-70. With their final two road games against the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans, it’s very possible the Titans will go 0-8 on the road.

Stock up after the loss: P Ryan Stonehouse. Stonehouse punted four times for a 53.5-yard average.

Stock down after the loss: The secondary. Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense played an easy game of pitch-and-catch as the receivers ran wide open against the Titans’ zone defense and beat them at times in man as well. — Turron Davenport

Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Lawrence and Ridley team up for 2nd TD of game

Trevor Lawrence finds Calvin Ridley from 20 yards out to increase the Jaguars’ lead over the Titans.

Thursday

Ravens

Who fills the void left by Mark Andrews’ likely season-ending injury? The obvious candidate is Isaiah Likely, who will replace Andrews as Baltimore’s starting tight end, but he has been a nonfactor as a receiver (nine catches in 11 games) and had no catches Thursday on 21 routes. The player who could benefit the most is WR Odell Beckham Jr. In the final three quarters, he was targeted on six of Lamar Jackson’s 18 passes and finished with 116 yards, topping 100 yards for the first time in 39 games.

Stock up after the win: RB Gus Edwards. He has scored nine touchdowns over the past five games, which is the most receiving and rushing touchdowns in a five-game span in team history.

Stock down after the win: RB Justice Hill. With the emergence of rookie Keaton Mitchell, Hill has dropped to become the team’s No. 3 running back and received a season-low one carry on 17 snaps. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Chargers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Bengals

Can the Bengals win without Joe Burrow? There’s a belief in the locker room that backup QB Jake Browning can lead an effective offense with Burrow out for the season with a wrist injury. Browning had weeks of quality reps in training camp while Burrow dealt with his strained right calf and was 8-of-14 for 68 yards and a touchdown Thursday. Afterward, WR Tyler Boyd said teams have won with backups, and they need to find a way to position themselves as best as possible without Burrow.

Stock up after the loss: TE Tanner Hudson. The former practice squad receiver led the Bengals in catches (four) and receiving yards (49) Thursday. In his first four games of the season, he had 14 catches for 126 yards.

Stock down after the loss: The outside cornerbacks. DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt allowed a combined plus-35.8% completion percentage over expectation as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. — Ben Baby

Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)