Welcome to another installment of my weekly NFL Column. My goal is to watch everything so that you don’t have to. I will present to you the best games to watch back; the craziest moments; the best individual performances and the season-long stat leaders and records. I will also be previewing the upcoming gameweek, too.
If that sounds like something you’re interested in, check in each week.
Not everybody in the UK has the ability to watch almost 20 hours of live NFL every week, but I’ll make sure you don’t miss anything you’d wish you didn’t. Without further delay…
This is what happened This Week in the NFL.
Game of the Week
If you can only watch one full game in its entirety, watch this one:
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
This is not the game I was expecting to recommend this week, I’ll be honest. But, this game was good fun. Two divisional rivals from opposite ends of the NFC North facing off in Detroit. The Lions have aspirations for playing well into the new year, and the Bears – well, they also have their eyes on next year, but with their focus on April. And yet somehow this game ended up being not only competitive but genuinely exciting.
Other games to watch back
Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs
Upset of the Week
New York Giants 31 – 19 Washington Commanders
The New York Giants have been absolutely terrible lately. While they struggle, the majority of Giants fans had likely reserved themselves to the difficult place where you are rooting for your team to lose out and get a higher draft pick. Which ironically means this upset win might not be worth celebrating! But, nonetheless, the players on that football field are always trying to win. And a Tommy DeVito-led New York team did just that on Sunday.
The Commanders have made their own moves to lean more in the direction of draft position over wins, but they still have their starting QB Sam Howell and were the favourites heading into this one at home. Tommy DeVito actually played quite well and managed to topple Washington, with the help of a game-sealing pick-six in the last few minutes.
Winners and Losers
Winners
Baltimore Ravens (8-3)
Cleveland Browns (7-3)
Detroit Lions (8-2)
Green Bay Packers (4-6)
Miami Dolphins (7-3)
New York Giants (3-8)
Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3)
Houston Texans (6-4)
San Francisco 49ers (7-3)
Buffalo Bills (6-5)
Los Angeles Rams (4-6)
Denver Broncos (5-5)
Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
Losers
Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
Chicago Bears (3-8)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)
Las Vegas Raiders (5-6)
Washington Commanders (4-7)
Carolina Panthers (1-9)
Tennessee Titans (3-7)
Arizona Cardinals (2-9)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6)
New York Jets (4-6)
Seattle Seahawks (6-4)
Minnesota Vikings (6-5)
Kansas City Chiefs (7-3)
Bye Week
Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
New England Patriots (2-8)
New Orleans Saints (5-5)
Standout Individual Performers
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
84% completion rate, 333 passing yards and 3 TD’s, for a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
Only 66 players in NFL history have finished an NFL game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. One of those players, the 66th of them, is Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers. He earned this rare stat in a comfortable win over the Buccaneers, making just 25 pass attempts. He completed 21 of them (84%) for 333 passing yards, throwing 3 TD’s and 0 INT’s. This performance is the 80th ever worthy of the elusive 158.3.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
5 receptions on 6 targets for 156 receiving yards and a 76-yard TD.
One of the benefactors of Purdy’s fantastic performance was Brandon Aiyuk. The shifty Niners wide receiver was targeted 6 times, catching 5 of them. His efficiency was impressive, turning those 5 catches into 156 receiving yards and a TD. Aiyuk had a huge 76-yard touchdown down the sideline early in the third quarter, which contributed almost half of his big day on one play.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
9 rush attempts for 129 rushing yards and a 74-yard TD, plus 3 receptions for 16 yards.
Early in the year, it was a worthy discussion as to who the Steelers should give the ball to in their backfield. Najee Harris hadn’t impressed that much since his rookie campaign and Jaylen Warren only had 77 carries in his rookie season in 2022, so neither had a real claim to the RB1 spot. This week was an example of why that conversation should be over now. Harris rushed the ball 12 times and had 35 yards. Warren on the other hand turned just 9 carries into 129 rushing yards and a TD. He showed his breakaway speed with a 74-yard TD, and also got involved in the passing game with 3 catches for 16 yards.
Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans
8 receptions on 10 targets for 149 receiving yards and a TD.
I am starting to become a real fan of Tank Dell. His connection with an elite young QB in C.J. Stroud helps add to my excitement for him, but he’s a star in the making in his own right. The savvy and technique he runs his routes with is impressive for a rookie and his change of direction doesn’t come at the expense of speed. This week he balled out yet again with 149 yards on 8 receptions. He found the end zone on a gorgeous route, finishing strong with a great catch after putting the defensive back in a blender.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
10 receptions on 11 targets for 146 receiving yards and a TD.
One of the most terrifying players in the entire league right now, Tyreek Hill is poised to explode on any given week. Cheetah saw 11 targets this week as he returned fresh off a bye, catching 10 of them and putting up 146 yards against a mediocre Raiders defense. The play that blew my mind came on his single touchdown reception, where he caught the ball near enough surrounded by Raiders, all within 5 yards of him, and casually burst through to the end zone.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
7 receptions on 9 targets for 103 receiving yards and 2 TD’s.
Undoubtedly a very talented WR, Calvin Ridley has been inconsistent this year. He entered this week with the same amount of games with over 100 yards as he’d had 20 yards or less. This week, though, he put down by far his best performance since returning to NFL action. Seeing 9 targets from Trevor Lawrence, he pulled in 7 receptions for 103 receiving yards as well as two touchdowns.
Khalil Mack, DE, Los Angeles Chargers
8 solo tackles, including 2.0 Sacks and a forced fumble.
You don’t often get to see Khalil Mack bringing back flashes of his prime, but whenever you do it is a pleasure to watch. Once a dominant force off the edge, he returned to old form this week. He looked like a tackle monster, wrangling 8 solo tackles, including 2.0 Sacks on Jordan Love. Mack also forced a fumble but couldn’t quite recover it.
Blake Cashman, LB, Houston Texans
13 solo tackles and 6 assists, including 1.0 Sacks.
It would be rude to use the phrase tackle monster and not show some love to Blake Cashman after his heroic efforts this week. As Houston defeated the Cardinals, their linebacker was all over the field. He made a whopping 19 combined tackles, 13 of which were solo efforts. One such tackle came in the form of a sack.
Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys
2 solo tackles and 4 assists, including 2.5 Sacks.
One of the premier talents in the league, right now, Micah Parsons was back to his destructive ways this week. During Dallas’ comfortable win in Carolina, he made 2 solo tackles and 4 assists. He also added 2.5 Sacks to his total, putting him on 10 for the season so far, in as many games.
Stat Leaders Through Week 11
Passing Yards – Sam Howell WAS, 3038
Passing TD’s – Josh Allen BUF, 22
Rushing Yards – Christian McCaffrey SF, 825
Rushing TD’s – Raheem Mostert MIA, 11
Receiving Yards – Tyreek Hill MIA, 1222
Receiving TD’s – Tyreek Hill MIA, 9
Total TD’s – Christian McCaffrey SF, 14
Tackles (combined) – T.J. Edwards CHI, 121
Sacks – Myles Garrett CLE, 13.0
Interceptions – DaRon Bland DAL, 6
Week 12 Preview – What to watch
Thanksgiving Thursday!
Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates. And Happy Thanksgiving Thursday to all of you NFL fans in the UK, who get two games that you can watch at a reasonable time on a weekday!
5:30pm – Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
9:30pm – Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys
1:20am – San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
The NFL’s Inaugural Black Friday Game!
Now this is epic. For the first time in NFL history, there is a Friday Night game following Thanksgiving Thursday. The inaugural Black Friday game, available live on Amazon Prime Video.
Black Friday – 8pm – Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Week 12 Best Games
Buffalo Bills @ Philadelphia Eagles, 9:25pm
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks, TNF
Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders, 9:25pm
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
Tyler’s Bold Week 12 Prediction
The Cincinnati Bengals will defend home turf against the Steelers, even without Joe Burrow.
Week 12 Storylines
Three games on Thursday!! Happy Thanksgiving, NFL fans.
The first-ever ‘Black Friday game’! Dolphins @ Jets, 8pm Friday
One of the more spicy rivalries in the NFL right now. 49ers @ Seahawks, TNF
Pittsburgh’s first game after firing their OC, visiting a Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati. Steelers @ Bengals, 6pm
Two teams with talented young QB’s trying to maintain their positive starts to the season. Jaguars @ Texans, 6pm
Can Las Vegas upset their visiting divisional rivals who are on a short week? Chiefs @ Raiders, 9:25pm
A potential Super Bowl matchup, as Buffalo look to get on a roll on the road. Bills @ Eagles, 9:25pm
Two exciting offenses battling on prime time in LA. Ravens @ Chargers, SNF
