NFL Week 11 preview: Heavyweights face off as playoff race intensifies
Week by week, the 2025 NFL season just keeps giving, and it shows no signs of slowing down as the matchups seem to just keep getting better.
The week 11 round of matchups contains some blockbuster showdowns, which will surely have an impact on postseason action.
Sports News Blitz writer Taylor Stephenson takes a look at the biggest matchups of the week, and predicts his Week 11 winners.
Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams
Rams -3
An NFC West showdown where both quarterbacks are playing MVP-level football. This game could very well end up being the NFC Championship game; that's how good these two teams are playing right now.
Matthew Stafford has looked as good as ever, and his experience could be the deciding factor in this game as he faces off against Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold.
Darnold will be looking for revenge on the Los Angeles Rams after they eliminated him and the Vikings from the playoffs in the wildcard round last season.
Expect a tight game. Both teams have explosive power on offence, so this one could come down to who makes the plays on defence and produces turnovers.
Taylor’s pick - Rams
READ MORE: NFL analysis: Five of the best offensive players so far this season
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos
Chiefs -3.5
Another divisional matchup this time in the AFC West, as the 5-4 Chiefs find themselves in the unfamiliar position of being outside the playoffs and chasing the pack.
This is a huge game for both teams. A loss for the Kansas City Chiefs would be a real blow to their playoff chances, whilst a win for the Denver Broncos delivers a real message to the rest of the league as they continue their charge for the #1 seed in the AFC.
Whilst Denver has one of the best defences in the league this season, Quarterback Bo Nix has been inconsistent so far this season.
Against a Chiefs team coming off a bye week, Nix and the Broncos will have to be at their very best.
The Chiefs have shown they are still the Chiefs this season, and that, combined with Andy Reid’s impressive 22-4 record after coming off a bye week, makes them hard to look past.
Taylor’s Pick - Chiefs
Detroit Lions vs Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles -2.5
A huge game at the top of the NFC, the reigning Super Bowl champs take on the Detroit Lions, who continue to impress each week.
The Philadelphia Eagles don’t look anywhere near the dominant outfit that we saw win the Lombardi last season. They have only won one game by multiple scores, and their defence looks shaky at best.
The Lions, however, possess one of the most exciting offences in the league, with explosive players all over the field. If the Eagles' defence doesn’t show up, this game could get away from them very quickly.
Every time I watch the Eagles, I can’t help but feel they just aren't at the level of some of the other top teams. That said, they are 7-2 for a reason, and the Lions will have to work hard to come out of Philly with a win.
Taylor's pick - Lions
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More from the next round
Outside of the key matchups, here are my week 11 picks:
New York Jets vs New England Patriots
Patriots -12.5
Taylor’s pick - Patriots
Washington Commanders vs Miami Dolphins (Madrid game)
Dolphins -2.5
Taylor’s pick - Dolphins
Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants
Packers -7
Taylor’s pick - Packers
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans
Texans -7
Taylor’s pick - Texans
Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
Falcons -3.5
Taylor’s Pick - Panthers
Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings
Vikings -3
Taylor’s pick - Vikings
Los Angeles Chargers vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Chargers -3
Taylor’s pick - Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Buffalo Bills
Bills -5.5
Taylor’s pick - Bills
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers -5.5
Taylor’s pick - Steelers
San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals
49ers -2.5
Taylor’s pick - 49ers
Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns
Ravens -8
Taylor’s pick - Ravens
Dallas Cowboys vs Las Vegas Raiders
Cowboys -4.5
Taylor’s pick - Cowboys
