Key events
Giants 7-6 Packers 12:44, 2nd quarter
Even sadder news for the Packers. Star running back Josh Jacobs left the field due to injury and joined QB Jordan Love.
TOUCHDOWN! Score 14-10 Buccaneers 8:52 2nd quarter
What a shot from the reining MVP. On third down at midfield, Allen starts dancing around the pocket to buy time and just keeps shuffling back and forth until he sees Tyrell Shavers open deep in the left corner of the end zone. The receiver drops to his left and just hangs on, bringing the score to 43 yards.
TOUCHDOWN! Falcons 14-7 Panthers 7:51, 2nd quarter
Bijan Robinson scores his second touchdown of the day at the goal line. There is no one better in this position. Fantasy owners rejoice!
TOUCHDOWN! Giants 7-6 Packers 13:54, 2nd quarter
Big news in the Big Apple. Jordan Love is missing for the Packers, but don't fear Malik Willis is here. The reserve hits a one-yard strike to Christian Watson to level the score. Additional point floats right to right
TOUCHDOWN! Scores 7–10 pirates 12:00, 2nd quarter
The Bucs play sweetly in the red zone on first down and lose four yards on a plane sweep. Baker then uses a scramble to regain the lost yards. On third down, Rachaad White throws a short pass, scrambles for dear life and almost misses the target. Inches left to go to 4th place. Baker holds it… TOUCHDOWN. He leaps over a defender and flies forward to score. Thug.
Vikings – Bears 3-0 1:08, 1st quarter
The Bears are struggling on offense. They fumble the ball back, losing 15 yards, and are almost in their end zone. Luckily, on the very next play, Caleb Williams finds Rome Odunze for a 24-yard deep ball. 3rd and one incoming.
TOUCHDOWN! Jaguars 7-3 Chargers 0:48, 1st quarter
Bhaishul Tuten ran for four yards to give the Jags the lead as they try to come back from the Texans' shocking punt last week.
Bills 7-3 Pirates 0:45, 1st quarter
Baker Mayfield is delighted. He lunges forward at the keeper and runs into the defender with what I think is a lot of flexibility after running out from 13 yards out. The Beeches had 25 yards to go.
This is good! Vikings 3-0 Bears 2:10, 1st quarter
So unlucky! McCarthy just beat Jefferson to third and his man still misses the opportunity once… twice, but just can't hold on. Will Reichard kicks in from 31 yards.
Vikings 0-0 Bears 4:11, 1st quarter
Minnesota rides again and ends up in enemy territory. A good run by Aaron Jones results in an 18-yard pass to Justin Jefferson. They are in the red zone.
TOUCHDOWN! Bills 7-3 Pirates 4:09, 1st quarter
Buffalo takes back the lead. Davis is back in the game at the goal line, but this time misses a very similar quick pass in traffic. Allen says, “Whatever,” tucks it in, and charges forward to wake up the home fans.
TOUCHDOWN! Falcons 7-7 Panthers 3:33, 1st quarter
Bijan Robinson quickly returned the kick, helping Atlanta tie the game with the Falcons with a four-yard rush.
Bills 0-3 Buccaneers 7:13, 1st quarter
Buffalo would go for it on 4th and get it after Allen nearly turned it over again. Great catch in traffic from the less visible Gabe Davis to move the chains.
TOUCHDOWN! Steelers 7-6 Bengals 5:19 1st quarter
Joe Flacco hits favorite receiver Tee Higgins with a deep shot for a 28-yard touchdown. Another shootout brewing? Cinci took him earlier in the 33-31 season when Flacco made his debut for the Bengals.
Vikings 0-0 Bears 8:00, 1st quarter
Another deep passing play went awry for the Vikings as Jordan Addison threw a perfect pass that could have been a run-opportunity touchdown. Punt.
TOUCHDOWN! Falcons 0-7 Panthers 5:25, 1st quarter
Tetairoa McMillan intercepted the ball from Bryce Young from seven yards out to set the Panthers on the road against their rivals.
This is good! Bills 0-3 Buccaneers 9:45, 1st quarter
The Buffalo defense bailed out Allen with great coverage and denied Emeka Egbuka a touchdown on third down. Chase McLaughlin hits the chip 23 yards to give the Bucs the lead.
CHOOSE! Bills 0-0 Buccaneers 9:51, 1st quarter
Huge early moment in Buffalo when Josh Allen throws a pass to the chest from his own end zone and gets picked off. What a play on the pass that forced Allen to make an error and then Jacob Parrish to intercept it. Bux – first and goal!!!
TOUCHDOWN! Giants 7-0 Packers 10:35, 1st quarter
Devin Singletary gives the Giants the lead with a five-yard touchdown run. Good.
TOUCHDOWN! Steelers – Bengals 7-0 10:12 1st quarter
In the AFC North, Aaron Rodgers throws the ball to Kenneth Gainwell for an 11-yard touchdown.
Vikings 0-0 Bears 10:26, 1st quarter
McCarthy misses the target even more on third-and-3 as he misses Justin Jefferson badly. The receiver was open again. Some of the QB's early nerves showed in his fifth start. Punt.
Vikings 0-0 Bears 11:08 1st quarter
“You want to get the juices flowing,” Tom Brady says of JJ McCarthy, who seamlessly transitions into Minnesota's offense when the QB throws a short pass. They make some plays but McCarthy misses the mark as he throws deep to an open Jordan Addison.
Bills 0-0 Buccaneers 12:13, 1st quarter
We're on our way to Buffalo! Tampa runs it on first and third, then moves those chains again on the next play as Rachaad White rushes for 12 yards. You'd think there would be a lot more after Miami gained 197 yards on the ground against the Bills last week.
Preamble
Hello and welcome Football fans are in week 11! The best day of the week is back, only this time… it's personal. Yes, they know what they've done and the score is already due, so get ready for the ultimate score-settling marathon. We have eight matches across the slate (four in this window) between division rivals* starting at 12:00 CST/1:00 PM EST/6:00 PM GMT (home teams listed first) with:
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(3-6) Atlanta Falcons v Carolina Panthers (5-5)*
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(6-3) Buffalo Bills v Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)
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(5-4) Jacksonville Jaguars v Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
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(4-5) Minnesota Vikings – Chicago Bears (6-3)*
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(2-8) New York Giants v Green Bay Packers (5-3-1)
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(5-4) Pittsburgh Steelers v Cincinnati Bengals (3-6)*
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(1-8) Tennessee Titans v Houston Texans (4-5)*
The highlight will be the NFC North showdown between Minnesota and Chicago. The Bears enter the top seed in town, hoping for their first playoff appearance since the 2020 season, while the Vikings need a win to stay in contention.
Earlier this season, the two ended the first week of Monday Night Football as JJ McCarthy did very little in his first week. NFL started until he didn't do much in the final quarter, leading Minnesota's epic 17-6 comeback to win 27-24. If the sophomore quarterback can find his niche a little earlier in home competition, Minnesota's tough defense will hope they can finish the job with a vital win for their own playoff hopes.
Elsewhere, the SQC (Quarterback Club) is holding its annual general meeting in Orchard Park this weekend, so naturally the Bills and Bucs are going to host it in Western New York. The QBs in question, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield, lead teams looking to make deep runs in January, although both will be looking to bounce back from painful losses last week. Expect Tampa to test Buffalo's subpar defense early.
Let's go!
