PLAYOFF PUSH BEGINS AS NFL ENTERS WEEK 11

A 43-yard, game-winning touchdown pass with two seconds remaining? That was just the opening act.

Across the NFL, 15 teams have at least six wins, the most such teams in any season through 10 weeks. In any previous campaign, entering Week 11, the most teams with six-or-more wins was 14, in both 1984 and 1986.

Eight of those 15 teams with six-or-more victories were not in the playoffs a year ago. Since 1990, at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. And starting this season, the NFL unveils a 14-team playoff format, with two additional Wild Card teams – one each in the AFC and NFC – qualifying for the postseason.

This week, five games on the Week 11 schedule feature head-to-head matchups of teams with at least six wins:

• Fresh off a thrilling win in Week 10, the ARIZONA CARDINALS (6-3) visit the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-3) to kick off Week 11 on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX/NFLN/Amazon). In Week 7, Arizona outlasted Seattle, 37-34, in overtime.
• The GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-2), one of two NFC teams with seven wins this season, are at the AFC South-leading INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-3) on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX).
• The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8-1) are at the LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6-3) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC). Over their last 18 games, including postseason, the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs have one loss: Earlier this season at home to the Raiders, in Week 5.
• The BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-3) host the TENNESSEE TITANS (6-3) on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), pairing two of the top three rushing offenses in the AFC in a rematch of a 2019 AFC Divisional playoff game.
• And, in a battle of two of the NFL’s top defenses, the LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-3) travel to play the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-3) on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN).

TUA BIDS FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN: Miami’s TUA TAGOVAILOA on Sunday at Denver (4:05 PM, CBS) can accomplish something only one other rookie quarterback has done in the last 40 years: Win his first four NFL starts. Only BEN ROETHLISBERGER, who won his first 13 starts as a rookie in 2004, owns a longer streak in that span.

Tagovailoa, who has five touchdown passes and zero interceptions this season, has won each of his first three career starts and joins CARSON WENTZ (2016) as the only rookie quarterbacks to win their first three starts and throw zero interceptions in the Super Bowl era.

AFC WEST WINNING STREAKS ON THE LINE: The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS host the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS in a showdown atop the AFC West on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC). The teams own two of the six longest active winning streaks in the NFL. Kansas City has won four straight while the Raiders are undefeated in their last three. Only the Steelers (nine), Saints (six) and Dolphins (five) enter Week 11 with longer winning streaks.

• On third down, both the Raiders and Chiefs have excelled. Las Vegas leads the NFL in third-down offense, converting 50.4 percent of its third-down attempts (58 of 115), while Kansas City (50 percent, 60 of 120) is tied for second. Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES leads the NFL with a 139.6 third-down passer rating, while the Raiders’ DEREK CARR (112.9) ranks fourth among qualified passers. The Chiefs’ TRAVIS KELCE and the Raiders’ DARREN WALLER share the NFL lead among tight ends with 15 third-down receptions.
• Mahomes, coming off a bye, passed for 372 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 121.7 rating in the Chiefs’ Week 9 win. He has 101 touchdown passes in 40 career games and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (44 games) as the fastest player to reach 100 career touchdown passes in NFL history. Mahomes also has 19 career games with at least three touchdown passes, surpassing Marino (18 games) for the most such games by a player in his first 40 career games in NFL history.

DEFENSE ON DISPLAY MONDAY NIGHT: When the LOS ANGELES RAMS meet the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS in a key intraconference battle on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), two of the league’s top defenses will be in action. The Rams rank second in both total yards allowed per game (296.4) and points allowed per game (18.7). Tampa Bay ranks third in the league with 300.3 total yards allowed per game and is tied with Pittsburgh for the NFL lead with 17 takeaways.

• In sacks this season, the Buccaneers (32) and Rams (31) rank second and third, respectively, in the NFL. Los Angeles defensive lineman AARON DONALD and Tampa Bay linebacker JASON PIERRE-PAUL are the only two players in the NFL with at least seven sacks in each of the past five seasons.
• Tampa Bay running back RONALD JONES rushed for a career-high 192 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown, in the Buccaneers’ win last week. Jones is the fourth player in NFL history to record a rushing touchdown of at least 98 yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY DORSETT (99 yards in Week 17, 1982), AHMAN GREEN (98 yards in Week 17, 2003) and DERRICK HENRY (99 yards in Week 14, 2018).

SPEAKING OF DEFENSE: The NEW ORLEANS SAINTS enter Sunday’s game against the ATLANTA FALCONS (1:00 PM ET, FOX) having not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 52 consecutive games, the NFL’s longest streak since the 1970 merger. Prior to last week, the longest streak belonged to the DALLAS COWBOYS, who went 51 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher from 1972-76. The Falcons’ offense ranks fifth in total yards per game (396.8) while the Saints allow 308.2 yards per game, fourth in the league this season.

• New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA recorded three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in the Saints’ Week 10 victory. Kamara has 17 career games with at least two touchdowns, tied with CHUCK FOREMAN (17 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history. Only LARRY JOHNSON (18) has more. Kamara has eight career games with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, tied with Foreman (eight) for the second-most such games by a player in his first four seasons in league annals. Only CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (nine) has more.

COMEBACK UPDATE: In Week 10, New Orleans overcame a 10-point deficit to win. There now have been 31 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win this season, the most through Week 10 in NFL history.

Additionally, the 2020 season joins 2015 as the only seasons in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 13 points to win in each of the first 10 weeks of a season in NFL history.

Last week, the ARIZONA CARDINALS overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat Buffalo, 32-30. There have been 11 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 14 points to win this season, tied with the 2014 season (11) for the third-most such games through Week 10 in NFL history. Only the 1987 (14) and 2011 (13) seasons had more.

RODGERS, PACKERS MEET NFL’S TOP DEFENSE: Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS, who leads qualified NFL passers with a 116.4 rating this season, takes the Packers into Indianapolis on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX). Green Bay ranks sixth in the NFL with 395.8 yards per game and third in the league with 30.8 points per contest. The Colts, meanwhile, have allowed the league’s fewest yards per game (290.4) and fourth-fewest points per game (19.7).

• Packers wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS had eight receptions for 66 yards and one touchdown in Green Bay’s Week 10 win. Adams has 61 receptions for 741 yards and nine touchdowns this season and joins Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999) and RANDY MOSS (2007) as the only players with at least 700 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions in their first seven games of a season in the Super Bowl era. His 61 receptions are the fifth-most by a player in his first seven games of a season in NFL history.

PATRIOT PERCH: When New England travels to play the Texans on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Patriots cornerback J.C. JACKSON has an opportunity to intercept a pass in a sixth consecutive game.

• Jackson, who leads the NFL with six interceptions, is the first player with an interception in five straight games since a five-game streak by REGGIE NELSON in 2015. Since the 1970 merger, the NFL’s longest streak is six games (seven times, most recently BRIAN RUSSELL in 2003).
• Signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Jackson is on pace to become the first NFL player with double-digit interceptions since the Chargers’ ANTONIO CROMARTIE had 10 in 2007.
• With 14 interceptions in his first three NFL seasons, Jackson is in rare company. Since the merger in 1970, only three undrafted players have had more interceptions over their first three NFL seasons: EVERSON WALLS (22), HERMAN EDWARDS (16) and BRENARD WILSON (15). Since 1970, MIKE REINFELDT (1979) and Pro Football Hall of Famer EMMITT THOMAS (1974) have the most single-season interceptions by an undrafted player with 12. 
• Jackson’s teammate STEPHON GILMORE shared the NFL lead with six interceptions last season. Since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978, only three teams have had two players capture at least a share of the league lead in interceptions in consecutive seasons: Tampa Bay in 2001-02 (RONDE BARBER and BRIAN KELLY), the St. Louis Rams in 1996-97 (KEITH LYLE and RYAN MCNEIL) and Buffalo in 1992-93 (HENRY JONES and NATE ODOMES). ​

ROOKIES RACKING UP YARDS, POINTS: When Pittsburgh plays at Jacksonville on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), two of the league’s most productive rookies will be in action. Steelers wide receiver CHASE CLAYPOOL leads all rookies and is tied for fifth in the NFL with nine touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jaguars running back JAMES ROBINSON leads all rookies and ranks fourth in the NFL with 917 scrimmage yards (689 rushing, 228 receiving). Several other rookies this season underscore a bright NFL future.

• Minnesota rookie JUSTIN JEFFERSON leads the NFL with an average of 18.1 yards per catch (minimum 40 receptions) and ranks seventh in receiving yards (762). Jefferson and the Vikings host the Cowboys on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX). Dallas rookie wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB leads all rookies with 44 receptions.
• Kansas City running back CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE ranks second among rookies and tied for 11th in the NFL with 810 scrimmage yards (586 rushing, 224 receiving).
• Detroit rookie running back DEANDRE SWIFT, who plays at Carolina on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), had career-high 149 scrimmage yards (81 rush, 68 rec.) and a touchdown reception last week. He leads all rookie running backs in receiving yards (275).
• Washington running back ANTONIO GIBSON, whose team hosts Cincinnati on Sunday (1:00 PM, CBS), leads rookies with seven rushing touchdowns.
• Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT, who hosts the N.Y. Jets on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, CBS) is the first rookie in NFL history with two-or-more touchdown passes in six consecutive games.

SOPHOMORE SENSATIONS: Fingerprints from second-year players are prominent on the NFL’s leaderboards through 10 weeks.

• Arizona quarterback KYLER MURRAY leads all quarterbacks and ranks tied for third in the NFL with 10 touchdowns. He’s also second in the league in rushing touchdowns (10), trailing only DALVIN COOK (12). Murray is the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era and fourth quarterback in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in five consecutive games, and his 10 rushing touchdowns are tied with JOHNNY LUJACK (1950) for the most by a quarterback in his team’s first nine games of a season in league annals.
• Raiders running back JOSH JACOBS ranks fourth with 700 rushing yards, fourth with 849 scrimmage yards and tied for fifth with eight rushing touchdowns.
• Seattle wide receiver DK METCALF ranks third in the league in receiving yards (816) while Washington wide receiver TERRY MCLAURIN ranks fourth with 787 receiving yards. Since 2019, Metcalf (15) and Tennessee wide receiver A.J. BROWN (14) are two of nine players with at least 14 touchdown receptions.
• Among tight ends, Detroit’s T.J. HOCKENSON ranks tied for third with five receiving touchdowns, seventh with 36 receptions and eighth with 373 receiving yards.
• Tampa Bay linebacker DEVIN WHITE ranks fifth with 88 tackles and, with five sacks, is the only player in the league this season with at least 80 tackles and five sacks.
• Las Vegas defensive end MAXX CROSBY ranks tied for seventh with eight tackles for loss.
• Carolina linebacker BRIAN BURNS is tied for third with three forced fumbles.
• Tennessee defensive tackle JEFFERY SIMMONS is tied for first with two opponent fumble recoveries.

MILESTONE WEEKEND: Several players are within reach of statistical single-season landmarks this week.

• Three quarterbacks – RUSSELL WILSON (2,789), MATT RYAN (2,746) and TOM BRADY (2,739) – need less than 300 passing yards this week to reach 3,000 on the season. Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN (2,871), who leads the league in passing yards, is on a bye.
• Two running backs – Minnesota’s DALVIN COOK (954) and Tennessee’s DERRICK HENRY (946) – are within 100 rushing yards of 1,000 on the season.
• Arizona’s DEANDRE HOPKINS (861) is within 150 receiving yards of 1,000 on the season. Buffalo’s STEFON DIGGS (906), who leads the league, is on a bye.

WEEK 11 NFL SCHEDULE THURSDAY, SUNDAY & MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 22-23 (All times Eastern) Thursday, November 19 Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks 8:20 PM FOX/NFLN/Amazon Sunday, November 22 Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM CBS Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers 1:00 PM FOX Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM FOX New England Patriots at Houston Texans 1:00 PM CBS Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars 1:00 PM CBS Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints 1:00 PM FOX Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Football Team 1:00 PM CBS Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos 4:05 PM CBS New York Jets at Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 PM CBS Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts 4:25 PM FOX Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings 4:25 PM FOX Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders 8:20 PM NBC Monday, November 23 Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8:15 PM ESPN   Week 11 Byes: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers

COURTESY NFLmedia.com