Five [Opfer's Take]aways from NFL Week 11

5. Eleven nuggets from week 11

The New Orleans Saints are the first team in the Super Bowl era to win eight straight games after starting the season 0-2 (NFL)…

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to one of the best starts in franchise history after winning eight in a row - of the previous 67 teams to start a season 9-1 or better in the Super Bowl era, 100 percent made the playoffs, 72 percent won a playoff game, 49 percent reached the Super Bowl, and 25 percent won it all (ESPN)…

The winless Browns still have a chance to make the playoffs. Wait, what? Aside from winning out, all they need is 47 other scenarios to happen…

Bills’ QB Nathan Peterman (see below) threw more interceptions in one half than the Patriots, Rams and Cowboys (Dak would later throw 3 against Philly) have thrown all season (ESPN)...

The Chargers scored 31 points off turnovers, which is more than they had recorded in their first nine games combined (28). The last time a team scored at least 31 points off turnovers was in 2014, Giants at Redskins (ESPN)…

With their victory over the Rams, the Vikings matched their win total from all of last season (8-2)…

Atlanta’s Matt Ryan passed Johnny Unitas for 18^th on the all-time passing (yards) list (ESPN)…

Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell leads the league in rushing with 886 yards, but ranks 30th in yards per carry (3.8) - that would be lowest average by a player to win the rushing title since the merger (NFL) ...

In the two games without Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have yet to score a point in the second half - they’ve been outscored 47-0 (NFL)…

The Bills have been outscored 135-55 while giving up an average of 212.7 rushing yards in their last three contests…

The Saints and Rams - who square off this weekend - are 2 of the 3 teams with a top 10 rushing offense and passing offense this season. Last season, only two teams finished in the top 10 in both categories: Falcons & Patriots, who met in Super Bowl LI (NFL). 

4. Disastrous Decision

When was the last time a team that was 5-4, in the middle of a playoff race, benched their ‘franchise’ quarterback in favor of a fifth round rookie? Probably never. Buffalo’s first year head coach Sean McDermott made the switch to Nathan Peterman for week 11, benching three year starter Tyrod Taylor, and it backfired in a big way. Peterman was so bad on Sunday, that he only lasted a half, paving the way for Taylor to return to the lineup. The rookie nearly had more completions to the opposing Chargers (5) than he did his own team (6). This is one of the more questionable decisions a coaching staff has made in recent years, and it ultimately may cost the Bills a playoff spot.

It was that kind of day for Peterman in his first career start (chargerswire.com). 

3. Time to panic in KC?

After starting the season 5-0, including two impressive wins against the Pats and Eagles, the Chiefs were looking like the team to beat in the AFC. Since then, things have taken a turn for the worse, as they’ve lost four out of their last five, including this past week at home to the (previously) 1-8 Giants – a team in complete disarray. A major concern is Kansas City’s inability to score: in their last five, they’ve averaged just 19.6 points per game (compared to 32.8 in their first five). A deeper dive shows the reason may be due to the team’s inability to run the football. Kareem Hunt’s production has slowed tremendously in his past five, as he has accounted for just 264 yards on 76 carries (3.5 YPC), including zero touchdowns (the team as a whole has tallied 403 - 80 yards/game). Keep in mind, this is a team that led the league in rushing through the first five weeks of the season. Andy Reid’s offense is predicated on running the football effectively, and right now KC is struggling to fit that bill.

In a lousy AFC and division, the Chiefs are still in position to make the postseason (the rest of the AFC West is 4-6 or worse), but fixing the issues at hand will be imperative in making a run.

2. Don’t sleep on the Falcons

Everyone has been wanting to write this team off with each passing week. With as sluggish as they’ve been, it’s no surprise. But the dirty birds are quietly starting to heat up and it starts with the improved play of their franchise QB. Over his last five contests, Matt Ryan has thrown nine touchdowns to two interceptions, with a rating of 104.9 (in his first five games, he had six TD’s to six INT’s, and a passer rating of 87.3). The defense is also starting to round into shape - in their last four, they’ve tallied 15 sacks and seven takeaways.

To make a playoff run, the Falcons must do so at the expense of its division rivals. Sitting just two games back, five of Atlanta’s last six games are within the division, including two against current South leader New Orleans. It won’t be easy, but the Birds have the pieces, and experience, to do so. Don’t count out the Falcons just yet.   

1. SKOL! SKOL! SKOL!

Being in attendance, it’s only fitting to put this here!

       

Watching a game in this building is a must for any NFL fan. The Super Bowl is in for a treat. 

One streak ended, while another continued. Minnesota extended their winning streak to six by disposing of the highest scoring team in the league (Rams) in convincing fashion, 24-7. A team that came in averaging 32.9 points per contest, it looked like LA was well on its way to putting up a similar point total when it drove the length of the field on its opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. That’s all they could manage however, as the Vikes held the Goff led offense to its lowest point total of the season – seven. It was an impressive performance for a team flying under the radar. 

The Minneapolis skyline creates the perfect backdrop to this state-of-the-art facility.

Three things that stood out as an observer:

1)     Case Keenum – For all the flack this guy gets, he is quietly becoming a great signal caller for the Vikings. He dazzled again, completing 27-of-38 for 280 yards and a score (no turnovers), and made one of the plays of the year (for QBs at least) escaping two would-be tacklers for a sack and finding Thielen for a first down. No doubt, there will definitely be some questionable decisions from time to time, but his effort will never go unquestioned. Bridgewater may be the long-term answer, but Keenum deserves the short-term.

2)     Adam Thielen – the homegrown talent continues to establish himself as one of the best up-and-coming receivers in the game. He caught six passes for 123 yards, and turned a 5-yard hitch into a 65-yard TD. He currently ranks fifth among pass catchers in receptions (62) and second in yards (916).

3)    The crowd – the state-of-the-art facility is one thing. The crowd was another. It has to be one of the best and most underrated atmosphere’s to watch a game. Before the opening kickoff, the entire crowd joins together in a ‘skol, skol, skol’ chant (in the form of the slow clap) and then a designated person (often a former player) blows the Gjallarhorn and the entire place erupts! Even more, at least 90 percent of the fans were wearing yellow and purple, and they made their presence felt throughout, making it tough on the Rams offense.     

Until next week, Happy Thanksgiving!