The highly anticipated Week 11 slate did not disappoint, with several stars and teams delivering standout performances.

Catching up, the Kansas City Chiefs finally suffered their first loss of the season, falling to the Buffalo Bills in another memorable chapter of their rivalry. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions have not only established themselves as the best team in the NFL, but they may have also sparked massive personnel changes in Jacksonville.

Here are some gut reactions from Week 11 of the NFL season:

Bills QB Josh Allen is in the driver’s seat for MVP honors

While Allen wasn’t perfect, he played when it mattered most to help the previously undefeated Chiefs experience their first loss since Christmas 2023 in the thrilling Buffalo game. 30-21 victory at home on Sunday. The two-time Pro Bowler completed 27 of 40 passes for 262 yards, a touchdown and an interception while rushing for 55 yards, including 26 on a 4th and 2 TD run that sealed the game.

While it was a decisive win for Buffalo, it may not completely change perceptions regarding its Super Bowl prospects since the team has yet to beat Kansas City in the playoffs. Still, Allen’s heroic performance should at least put him at the top of the MVP standings.

In addition to leading Buffalo to an AFC East-leading 9-2 record, Allen ranks fourth among quarterbacks in total yards (2,859) and touchdowns (23) while leading the third-ranked offense. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson might have slightly better stats and a head-to-head win over Allen, but Buffalo wouldn’t be close to the position it’s in without him.

Offense could be concerning, but Steelers show they’re Super Bowl contenders

Pittsburgh won its fifth straight game on Sunday, earning a 18-16 home victory against the Baltimore Ravens in a battle for first place in the AFC North. It was a lackluster performance from the offense, which scored no touchdowns, while quarterback Russell Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 205 yards and an interception against the NFL’s worst pass defense. However, the outstanding performance of the Steelers defense against Baltimore’s explosive offense was telling.

The Ravens, who entered Sunday’s action with the league’s highest-scoring offense, found the end zone just once in the first 58 minutes of the contest and recorded three turnovers unusual. Jackson’s MVP candidacy also took a major hit, with the three-time Pro Bowler completing just 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

There is no doubt that the Steelers offense needs to be more productive than it was against Baltimore. If the unit can perform more like the one that averaged 30.3 points in Wilson’s first three starts, Pittsburgh should be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After all, the Steelers have one of the best minds in the NFL in HC Mike Tomlin leading the way, as well as a defense that allows the second-fewest points among teams (16.2).

It’s safe to say we’ve finally reached the end of the Doug Pederson era in Jacksonville.

SATURDAY, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the Jaguars may sever ties with HC Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke “pending the results of Sunday’s game against the Lions.” Considering that Jacksonville suffered its most lopsided loss in franchise history during the 52-6 In Detroit’s hands, it seems inevitable that owner Shahid Khan will make massive personnel changes in the team’s Week 12.

Overall, Pederson has led the Jaguars to a 20-25 record and a playoff berth in less than three seasons, and a change is needed as the team has now lost 14 of the last few seasons. 17 games. Despite this, it is imperative that the team part ways with Baalke, who is 23-39 in four seasons as Jacksonville’s general manager and has made several poor draft picks. Once Pederson and Baalke are out of the picture, all eyes will be on quarterback Trevor Lawrence to see if he finally makes a jump or if Jacksonville has to undergo another full-scale rebuild.

Bo Nix is ​​the second best rookie quarterback and is proving to be the future in Denver

Nix, the sixth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, has made strides in each start this season and officially cemented himself as the second-best rookie signal-caller on Sunday. During a 38-6 In the home drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons, Nix completed 84.8% of his passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns, all of which were career highs. According to DNVR Sports’ Zac StevensNix tied the NFL rookie record for games with at least 70 percent completion, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions (four).

Through 11 games, Nix ranks 11th among quarterbacks in total yards (2,572) and tied for 10th in touchdowns (15). With his accuracy, balance, and athleticism, the Oregon product fits perfectly into HC Sean Payton’s system, and he’s showing real signs of being a franchise quarterback. In an era where older players lacking preternatural physical traits are often undervalued in the draft, perhaps the success of the 24-year-old Nix will change the way teams approach the scouting process.

Justin Tucker struggles put Ravens in tough position

The Ravens were sloppy and undercoached in their road loss to Pittsburgh, but they probably would have come away with a victory if Tucker had made all of his field goal attempts. The 34-year-old is going through the worst season of his career and saw his struggles continue Sunday, missing two field goals in the first quarter, one from 47 yards and another from 50 yards.

Tucker has now missed more field goals in 11 games (six) that he missed the entire 2023 season (five) and converts to only 72.7% of his field goal attempts, the fifth worst mark in the NFL.

Although Tucker is Baltimore’s all-time leader in scoring, any other kicker who performed similarly poorly for a team with a realistic chance of winning a Super Bowl likely would have already been eliminated. Given his resume, the Ravens will likely stick with Tucker, but if he continues to lack makeable kicks, they shouldn’t jeopardize their championship hopes by continuing to roster him.

A last place in the NFC West becomes a reality for the 49ers

San Francisco fell to 5-5 on Sunday, squandering a fourth-quarter lead en route to a 20-17 home loss to Seattle, in which quarterback Geno Smith scored the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in regulation. With only a 31% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to NFL.com projectionThe 49ers’ season is in jeopardy as they approach their toughest stretch of games.

The odds are undoubtedly stacked against San Francisco, so much so that it’s more likely the team finishes in last place in the NFC West. According to TankathonThe 49ers have the fourth-toughest remaining schedule among teams and will face teams like Detroit, Buffalo and Green Bay. There’s no doubt that injuries contributed to San Francisco’s disappointing season, but if the team finishes in last place, the team may need to re-evaluate its future under HC Kyle Shanahan.

Firing OC Shane Waldron was the right move by the Bears, although more changes are needed after the heartbreaking loss to the Packers.

After cutting ties with Waldron last week, the Bears offense finally showed signs of life in Sunday’s crushing. 20-19 home loss to Green Bay. The unit racked up 391 total yards while quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 231 yards and added a career-high 70 yards rushing. Williams also connected with fellow rookie Rome Odunze on two decisive shots to help set up a potential game-winning field goal, only for Cairo Santos’ attempt to be blocked.

While it’s clear the team shouldn’t panic about Williams and the future of the offense just yet, HC Matt Eberflus’ poor decision-making is proving costly. On Sunday, Eberflus, who still had a timeout, could have made another play to give Santos a chance for a shorter basket, but chose not to, which could have made all the difference in the outcome of the match.

As pointed out by The Athletic’s Kevin FishbainChicago is 101-24-2 since 1940 when not turning the ball over on offense and creating an out on defense. Three of those losses came in the team’s last three games. Eberflus’ fate is all but sealed, and while the Bears might have been against a coaching change mid-season, the front office should consider such a move to improve team morale.