NFL Week 11 grades from around the league

After Brandon Aiyuk and Elijah Mitchell racked up yards against the Chargers, the 49ers (6-4) showcased their All-Pro trio in Mexico City. Not many quarterbacks throughout NFL history have had an All-Pro running back, wideout and tight end at their disposal, and the 49ers' versatile Christian McCaffrey-Deebo Samuel-George Kittle armada -- expertly deployed by Kyle Shanahan -- keyed one of Jimmy Garoppolo's finest outings. CMC, Samuel and Kittle combined for 284 scrimmage yards in Garoppolo's four-TD game, making 49ers-friendly Estadio Azteca the site of a Shanahan-era highpoint. Injury risks come with these three stars, but while they are all available, this is an appointment-viewing team and a full-on Super Bowl threat.

49ERS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: vs. Saints (Sun.)

The "Monday Night Countdown" crew surprisingly shredded Kyler Murray before Colt McCoy's second start of the season, and the Cardinals (4-7) then laid down for a more talented and better-coached 49ers outfit. Overmatched with McCoy against a menacing defense -- despite the veteran QB2 leading an upset in San Francisco last season -- the Cardinals ushering in 49ers backups midway through the fourth quarter presents a tough visual for Kingsbury. We may soon find out if the ex-college coach has Matt Rhule-like offset language in his through-2027 extension -- agreed to in March. Kingsbury is positioned as the fall guy for a Cards team that is inconsistent on offense and correctly labeled as dysfunctional. 

CARDINALS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Chargers (Sun.)

In a year in which few reliable quarterbacks have distinguished themselves, Patrick Mahomes is moving back onto a private perch atop the league. The Chiefs' 75-yard drive that ousted the Chargers was not difficult to foresee; they are back in position as the AFC's most bankable team. The Chiefs (8-2) needed to sweat a bit to down an again-wounded Chargers team provides some concern, but the Mahomes-Travis Kelce connection -- one rising up the historical ranks, now that Tyreek Hill is in Miami -- made this finish look easy. Kelce, whose 33rd 100-yard receiving game set an all-time tight end record, has combined for 16 receptions, 297 yards and three TDs -- a walk-off and a game-winner -- in his past two SoFi Stadium tilts.

CHIEFS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. Rams (Sun.)

The absences of Joey Bosa, Rashawn Slater and others, along with Mike Williams' midgame reinjury, cloud this latest Chargers near-miss against the AFC West kingpins. While Keenan Allen's re-emergence helped ignite Justin Herbert -- a much better Herbert version surfaced compared after last week's second-half dud in San Francisco -- the Bolts (5-5) have now failed in three straight nationally televised spots to KO the Chiefs. This one did not feature Brandon Staley fourth-down excuses, but Los Angeles' defense rolling out the red carpet during a 69-second drive -- following Herbert's quality salvo -- is emblematic of the Staley era. 

CHARGERS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Cardinals (Sun.)

Not unlike Mark Ingram in Alvin Kamara's early days or Thomas Jones when the Chiefs were slow-playing their Jamaal Charles hand, Ezekiel Elliott is now serving as a starter/sidekick. Pollard keeps driving up his extension price against NFC North opposition following his Bears blowup with a stampede over the Vikings (career-high 189 scrimmage yards). The face of the Cowboys' biggest road blowout in their 63-season history, the former fourth-round pick is becoming an X-factor in the NFC title race and is looking like a player Dallas (7-3) must retain in free agency. Elliott keeping Pollard's mileage down (559 touches -- 28th since 2019) will work in the backup's favor as the Cowboys consider replacing one high-end running back deal with another.

COWBOYS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: vs. Giants (Thu.)

While this essentially qualifies as another Kirk Cousins national TV letdown, seeing as CBS showed this game everywhere, but the Rust Belt (before a blowout-induced midgame cutaway), Minnesota's offensive line had nothing for Dallas' acclaimed pass rush. After his first career game without a pressure, Micah Parsons generated a career-high 10 (per Next Gen Stats) and started his onslaught before Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw left the game. Minnesota (8-2) is the only team starting five homegrown first- or second-round picks up front. The Cowboys' seven-sack performance provided one of the swiftest falls from grace in recent NFL history, forcing an immediate re-evaluation of the Vikes after their Bills conquest.

VIKINGS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Patriots (Thu.)

The Jets forced seven Patriots punts and went toe-to-toe with their nemeses in this low-octane duel. New York's Quinnen Williams-fronted defense is legit, but it has no chance of big-picture relevance with Wilson this season. Not long after forcing Wilson into three panic INTs in New Jersey, the Pats limited the erratic passer to a ghastly 9-for-22, 77-yard showing in Foxborough. Facing clean pockets, Wilson was 5 of 16 -- the NFL's worst outing this season in those circumstances, per ESPN -- to key the Jets' 10-punt game. As the Jets (6-4) wait on the former No. 2 overall pick, their batch of highly touted wideouts is irrelevant and their vastly improved defense will not be enough to compensate for the team's central problem.

JETS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: vs. Bears (Sun.)

Performing a decent knockoff of the Broncos' 2022 game script, the Jets and Patriots were headed toward a 3-3 overtime period. Instead, the youngest of the Pats' three DB Joneses (Marcus) offered a strong DeSean Jackson routine. A rookie third-rounder, Jones ranked second in punt-return yardage at Houston last season. While he notched the NFL's first punt-return score this season, it is his third since 2021. New England (6-4) does not deserve as much blame for this AFC East slog, considering Mac Jones averaged 9.1 yards per attempt to Wilson's 3.5. The Pats' defense held Jets running backs to 33 rushing yards. This Pats' formula probably cannot move them past a second-tier contender, but Bill Belichick's team clawing back in this fashion is fascinating.

PATRIOTS GRADE: B | NEXT: at Vikings (Thu.)

Adding Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph to a mix already housing numerous acclaimed veterans, the Eagles (9-1) have assembled one of the highest-profile defensive lines in modern NFL history. The group came through to avoid a damaging defeat. Haason Reddick's third-down sack of Matt Ryan kept the Colts from a potentially insurmountable two-score lead in the fourth quarter, and Brandon Graham's first sack since Week 3 walled off Indianapolis' upset bid. Well-built to protect leads, Philly's D-line -- a unit also including Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Josh Sweat, and Robert Quinn -- helped the team survive a shaky performance. With the Vikings losing, these clutch sacks gave the Eagles a two-game home-field advantage lead.

EAGLES GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Packers (Sun.)

This Colts campaign will obviously be better remembered for the Frank Reich-for-Jeff Saturday swap and, to a lesser extent, Matt Ryan and offensive line turbulence. But Indianapolis' defense held Philadelphia's potent attack in check for much of the team's upset bid, only to see the league's 31st-ranked offense render it moot. The Broncos are the 2022 kings of wasting defensive talent, but the Colts (4-6-1) have veterans either squarely in their primes ( DeForest Buckner, Yannick Ngakoue, Bobby Okereke) or on the back end (Stephon Gilmore, Rodney McLeod). This is not an up-and-coming group. Indy's defense, Jalen Hurts' comfy game-winning scramble aside, displayed its readiness Sunday in a two-turnover showing and has done well despite Shaq Leonard's lost year. 

COLTS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Steelers (Mon.)

After restricting the Bills' offense for most of the first half, the Browns' defense reverted to form in Sunday's relocated NFL event. Josh Allen found an uncovered Stefon Diggs for a go-ahead TD, and the Browns let a Bills team generally uninterested in establishing the run do so (171 yards). Featuring Myles Garrett and mostly other first- and second-round picks, Joe Woods' defense has underachieved. The Browns (3-7) are 31st in points allowed. After Cleveland replaces Woods, the front office's autopsy on its defensive tackle situation will not look good, either. That oddly undermanned contingent has been at the crux of these ground-game letdowns all season, undermining -- to some degree, as this is an all-around poor defense -- the talent at other spots

BROWNS GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. Buccaneers (Sun.)

Chubb's push for a first-team All-Pro nod took a hit in Detroit. Buffalo's run defense, perhaps the team's weakest link since Josh Allen's superstar turn, held the Cleveland dynamo to 19 yards on 14 carries. Chubb's 1.4-yard average was by far a career-low figure, and it contributed to the Bills (7-3) having more opportunities on the ground. The Devin Singletary-James Cook backfield is not close to the Chubb-Kareem Hunt tier, but that duo's 172-51 win in this tag-team match of sorts went a long way toward allowing the Bills -- who are still missing half their defensive starters -- to bounce back from their Week 10 debacle. 

BILLS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Lions (Thu.)

Rushing touchdowns are not a great indicator of a running back's value; Barry Sanders did not top 11 in any of his final seven seasons. But Jamaal Williams' new total deserves attention. Previously known as an annoyance to Aaron Jones fantasy GMs and a maniacal Hard Knocks presence, Williams gashed the Giants for three TDs. He now has an NFL-high 12. While he is now a menace to D'Andre Swift fantasy investors, Williams is overdelivering on a two-year, $6 million contract. FYI, Williams trails only Sanders and Billy Sims for rushing TDs in a Lions season. The former fourth-round pick is four away from Sanders' 31-year-old franchise record. On a three-game run, the Lions may not be a Thanksgiving pushover. 

LIONS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Bills (Thu.)

More a product of their coaching than roster talent, the Giants saw Daniel Jones' run of turnover-free ball end with a two-INT day. These were the one-time turnover force's first picks since Week 3. Considering Jones' long-suspect receiving situation, this was bound to happen. An Odell Beckham Jr. reunion would make for a feel-good subplot, given the Giants' arc and the circumstances behind his exit, but Big Blue (7-3) should not be penciled into a wild-card spot just yet. Eight teams have gone from 7-2 to a playoff absence since the six-team playoff era began in 1990. Suddenly, the two upcoming Giants-Commanders games are set to be an important chapter in a long-dormant rivalry.

GIANTS GRADE: D | NEXT: at Cowboys (Thu.)

Recent Broncos games have rarely featured many Patrick Surtain II visuals; teams have avoided challenging the All-Pro candidate. Surtain bested Adams during the Las Vegas leg of this rivalry, but the Green Bay import shook him on a 35-yard game-winner Sunday. The All-Pro wideout -- after a seven-catch, 141-yard, two-TD day -- may be playing out the string on a disappointing team, but he now joins only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, and Cris Carter as receivers with at least six 10-touchdown seasons. Even if the Raiders (3-7) are underwhelming, they are making the most of the Adams acquisition.

RAIDERS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Seahawks (Sun.)

The Broncos will almost certainly make Nathaniel Hackett this century's 14th one-and-done coach. Hackett's decision to throw on a late-game third-and-10, rather than drain the clock to worsen the timeout-less Raiders' comeback odds, reminded of his ill-fated pass call that likely cost the Broncos (3-7) a Week 5 win over the Colts. But will Russell Wilson recover from this bad-dream sequence? Wilson's 2023 will determine if the Broncos made a woeful trade or if Hackett's offense is more responsible for this disaster. Hackett giving up play-calling and the Broncos, despite Wilson faring decently with an injury-riddled offense, still running into their usual second-half wall points to significant structural flaws. Those might not be easy to overcome for a QB so accustomed to success.

BRONCOS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: at Panthers (Sun.)

The Steelers have now given up 35 points three times since Week 5. Cincinnati's 37-point outburst marks Pittsburgh's seventh such outing since Week 11 last season. Despite the Steelers (3-7) having T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick on the field together for the first time since Week 1, the team could not stop a Bengals squad playing without Ja'Marr Chase and having lost Joe Mixon to a concussion. The Steelers skimping at cornerback continues to cost them; that choice is undercutting a talented edge-rushing duo. Still, a team that had re-established itself as a strong defense after the "Killer B's" era has taken a major step back despite changing D-coordinators. Teryl Austin's unit has fallen to 28th.

STEELERS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: at Colts (Mon.)

The Bengals supplemented Mixon's $12 million-per-year contract with Perine's two-year, $3.3M deal in 2021. While the team took heat for giving Perine a third-down carry on Super Bowl LVI's final drive, the veteran came through with his best game as a Bengal on Sunday. Perine took three Joe Burrow passes to the house, posting his first three-touchdown game since October 2015, when he and Mixon combined for six in an Oklahoma rout of Texas Tech. Perine did well to show value as an outlet option, as he is not regarded as one of the NFL's top backup options, during a game in which he averaged 2.7 yards per carry. Cincinnati (6-4) remains in the thick of a wild-card race involving the Chargers and three AFC East teams. 

BENGALS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Titans (Sun.)

The Bears enjoyed a few nice moments in the passing game in Atlanta -- Cole Kmet's one-handed grab, Darnell Mooney's TD and a Fields-to-David Montgomery sideline drop-in -- but the team needs more on this front. Chicago could not launch a drive to counter Younghoe Koo's go-ahead field goal. For all the deserved praise surrounding Fields' midseason play, the Bears (3-8) are 1-4 since the Foxborough trip unveiled the designed QB runs that have ignited the formerly scuffling first-rounder. Fields also left Atlanta with a left shoulder injury. Even as Fields drives a No. 1-ranked ground game, upgrades will be necessary for Chicago's offense in 2023. He cannot be expected to sustain this pace.

BEARS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: at Jets (Sun.)

Authoring one of the modern NFL's most unique careers, Cordarrelle Patterson has gone from receiver bust to 31-year-old running back starter. But the skill that sustained his career during his failure in the Vikings' offense will be his NFL legacy. Patterson reminded the football-following masses of his kick-return brilliance again, and the former first-round pick's 103-yard score doubled as the ninth of his career. Patterson moved past Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington and stands alone atop the kick-return TD list. Devin Hester's NFL-record 19 return TDs came mostly on punt returns (14). Patterson also converted a fourth-and-2 on Atlanta's final drive. This 2021 value signing keeps delivering for a Falcons team (5-6) that refuses to fade.

FALCONS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Commanders (Sun.)

Baker Mayfield is headed toward a 2023 offseason in which he might be lucky to land in a training camp starter competition, and the Panthers' defense could not hold up after the offense provided three points. The Ravens preyed on former top-10 pick C.J. Henderson, targeting the cornerback relentlessly as he struggled against Baltimore WR3 Demarcus Robinson, who went off for 128 yards on nine receptions. Carolina (3-8) holding Baltimore to three points until midway through the fourth quarter reveals a solid defensive foundation, but given the missteps at other areas in this organization, it will take a strong offseason to move that nucleus to relevance. 

PANTHERS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: vs. Broncos (Sun.)

D'Onta Foreman's Falcons box scores revealed the Panthers' route to success against the Ravens, but an improving Baltimore defense paused Foreman's latest fill-in surge. Christian McCaffrey's replacement finished with 24 yards on 11 carries, forcing Mayfield into an uphill battle. The Ravens' newly formed Queen-Smith tandem led this charge, combining for 19 tackles in a game in which each registered a sack as well. The Ravens (7-3) were not much better offensively, and going into the fourth quarter in a 3-all tie with the Panthers is not a good look for a Super Bowl threat. But Mike Macdonald's defense, armed with veteran talent at every spot, is improving after its early-season run of collapses.

RAVENS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Jaguars (Sun.)

The Rams (per usual) not having their first-round pick in the upcoming draft makes this miserable season much worse, but how good of a draft choice the Lions receive should not matter in the reigning champions' approach. The player they sent those two first-rounders for, Stafford, is playing behind an O-line starting three players who were not on the team to start the season. That makeshift quintet lost its left tackle, Ty Nsekhe -- the team's third blindside option this year -- against the Saints. Sean McVay said Stafford shutdown talk is premature; it isn't. Stafford's new $40 million-per-year extension runs through 2026. The team must prioritize future years with its 34-year-old passer, as this one could not be going worse.

RAMS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Chiefs (Sun.)

With Michael Thomas perhaps done in a Saints uniform, the organization's complex route to obtaining Olave may be justified. The Saints (4-7) moved up twice for Olave, via their confounding-in-the-moment pre-draft swap with the Eagles and a five-spot climb on draft night via the Commanders. After rampant receiver problems during the 2020s, New Orleans looks to have a long-term piece. Olave beating the Rams on midrange routes buoyed Andy Dalton's 21-for-25 rebound day, and the first-round talent zooming past Jalen Ramsey for a 52-yard TD provided one of Week 11's eye-opening moments. Olave (760 yards) is on pace to top Thomas' 2016 rookie season, though the Saints will need to determine how his sidekick array will look come 2023.

SAINTS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at 49ers (Sun.)

Chase Young received the most credit for helping Washington's 2020 defensive line into the elite stratum, but Allen has been at this the longest. The 2017 first-round pick is now compensating for Young's year-long absence. Despite being an interior D-lineman, Allen leads the Commanders (6-5) with 14 QB hits and is tied with Montez Sweat with 6.5 sacks. Allen smothered the Texans, totaling two sacks and three TFLs in a game in which Washington shut down Dameon Pierce (10 totes, eight yards). The only member of Washington's quartet of first-round D-linemen to have signed an extension, Allen is living up to his 2021 accord. It is safe to call the Commanders a contender after their exploits this week.

COMMANDERS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. Falcons (Sun.)

As the Commanders shut down Pierce, they also rendered Davis Mills a non-threat. The Texans (1-8-1) picked up one first-half first down. As the other teams in clear rebuilds coming into the season -- the Bears, Giants, Lions and Falcons -- have submitted intriguing stretches that indicate hints of long-term promise, the Texans are moseying along in the NFL's basement. With no more two-win teams, Houston has a commanding lead for the No. 1 overall pick. This Mills audition has probably produced a verdict, leading to either the No. 1 slot or the Browns-obtained choice -- or a trade-up from the latter point -- being used to address the team's central need.

TEXANS GRADE: F | NEXT: at Dolphins (Sun.)

The Titans (7-3) racked up season highs in points (27) and total yards (408) in a fairly tough spot -- a Thursday-night clash in Green Bay -- and Downing's unit led the way. His DUI arrest coming within two hours of the team's plane landing certainly invites questions about the timing of the offensive coordinator's alcohol consumption. The Titans gave Downing a second chance after he bombed as Raiders OC in 2017, and they still rank 29th in total yardage (albeit a post-A.J. Brown team that was forced to start an unready QB in two games). This arrest and NFL investigation will likely not be a footnote during Tennessee's latest quality season.

TITANS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Bengals (Sun.)

As the Packers have not come close to filling the Davante Adams void, the Titans entered Thursday missing Brown dearly. This bowl of befuddling receiver situations went to the Titans, who received the first 100-yard game from Brown replacement Treylon Burks. The Packers (4-7) have many problems, but even with 2021 first-round cornerback Eric Stokes out of the picture, the team giving up 333 yards to Ryan Tannehill's limited air corps churned out the latest in this season's sobering chapters. Green Bay created this tightrope this offseason, and while its own passing attack has been a letdown, Thursday's failure to build on Week 10's momentum effectively moves the Packers toward planning for a high-stakes offseason.

PACKERS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: at Eagles (Sun.)