Dolphins' path to AFC East title begins against Raiders
Mike McDaniel knows the history: It's rare for a wild-card team to progress all the way through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl.
So now that his Miami Dolphins have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, they want to keep it. The Bills have won the division the past three seasons; the Dolphins haven't won it since 2008.
“The goal is to win the division,” McDaniel said. “That is the only way you ensure that you're, for one, in the playoffs, you have a home game in the playoffs and you set yourself up for a journey, not a game.”
The Dolphins (6-3) are in position to reach that goal. Their offense leads the league in several statistical categories.
The second half of Miami's season starts today when it hosts Las Vegas (5-5), a team two games removed from firing its coach.
Antonio Pierce, the Raiders' interim coach, has appeared to energize the locker room and has Las Vegas on a two-game winning streak with victories over the Giants and Jets.
“The thing that I always notice when it does occur, when you have a coaching change and then have immediate success followed by another game of success, is that the locker room feels some energy,” McDaniel said. “It galvanizes people. It brings people together. No one likes to say bye to people that they know and work with. I don't care what you say. Even if you're going through hard times, it's tough to say goodbye to people.”
The Raiders have a tough task against the Dolphins, who are one of three teams who haven't lost at home this season (Dallas and Philadelphia are the others).
“You got a little bit more of the burden to make sure you're handling your business,” said Davante Adams, who leads the Raiders with 659 yards receiving. “What we did last week is not necessarily going to work on paper against these guys. If our defense goes out and handle their business and we keep coming off the field, that doesn't make it easy.”
STEELERS AT BROWNS
In pursuit of AFC North-leading Baltimore, already a Week 11winner, the Browns and Steelers are leading with defense. That's especially true with Cleveland turning to rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is out for the season after being injured last week. DTR is an electric athlete who makes his second start under better circumstances than the first, a 28-3loss at Baltimore. He learned less than three hours before kickoff against the Ravens that he'd be the first-team QB, and threw three INTs while being sacked four times. Cleveland's defense is built to be a great asset to any quarterback. The Browns are getting their second look at Kenny Pickett and the Steelers, who won the Week 2 matchup 26-22. T.J. Watt's 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was the difference. Each team has won four of its past five games.
BEARS AT LIONS
The Lions play five of their final eight games against their three NFC North rivals, beginning with a home matchup against the last-place Bears on Sunday. The Lions are seeking their first division title since 1993, back when it was known as the Central division and included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “If you aspire to win a division, you have to win your division games,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “That's the bottom line here.” The Lions hold a 11/2-game advantage over Minnesota, which has won five straight games. They'll play the Vikings twice in the last three games of the season. Detroit's task against Chicago might be a little more difficult with the return of QB Justin Fields. He has recovered from a right thumb injury that cost him four games. Detroit's offensive playmakers piled up big numbers in the 41-38thriller over the Chargers last week. QB Jared Goff threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Amor-Ra St. Brown caught eight of those passes for 156 yards and a score. The 1-2 backfield punch of former Bears starter David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 193yards and three touchdowns.
CHARGERS AT PACKERS
Los Angeles is optimistic the playoffs are possible despite losing three of its past five games. The Chargers are coming off a 41-38setback on a last-second field goal to the Lions. Chargers QB Justin Herbert said he and his teammates remain confident. The team scored a season high in points last week, however it also surrendered a season high in points. To catch Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City, the Chargers must slow down Packers quarterback Jordan Love. He passed for 289yards and two touchdowns, and rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed hauled in five catches for 84yards and a score for his best performance of the season. The Packers have a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series.
RAIDERS AT DOLPHINS
The Raiders are 2-0since firing Josh McDaniels and handing the keys to Antonio Pierce, who has quickly energized the squad. The visit to Miami is the only road contest during a six-game stretch for the Raiders. “We were fortunate that my first two games were at home,” Pierce said of the shift since he replaced McDaniels. “Now we are on the road. It's good to go through adversity. (Miami) is a good football team.” Miami leads the AFC East by 11/2 games over the Buffalo Bills and has outscored opponents by averaging 31.7points per game. The Raiders average 17.2points this season. Rookie speedster RB De'Von Achane had seven touchdowns before missing the past four games and could be ready to return from a knee injury. Miami dropped two of its past three games, but the setbacks were to last season's Super Bowl teams (Chiefs and Eagles). Raiders RB Josh Jacobs is rejuvenated under new leadership. He rushed for a then-season-best 98yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6win over the Giants in Pierce's coaching debut and another season high with 116yards in last Sunday's 16-12win over the Jets.
GIANTS AT COMMANDERS
Rookie Tommy DeVito gets the call again for the Giants and he draws the Commanders' defense, which allowed Seattle to score on its final three possessions in a 29-26loss last week after blowing a late lead against the Eagles prior to that. The Commanders went from No. 3in yards allowed in 2022 to the fourth-worst entering Week 11. New York has lost seven of its last eight with the lone win coming at home over Washington, 14-7, on Oct. 22. Despite that defeat, the Commanders are a double-digit favorite for the first time since 2017. Health woes continue to haunt the Giants, who are depending on RB Saquon Barkley to move the chains and keep the offense in the game. Playing behind a patchwork offensive line, DeVito has been sacked 11times the last two weeks.
COWBOYS AT PANTHERS
If an ideal time for 2021first-round CB Jaycee Horn's return from injury existed, this might be that spot. The Cowboys are the lone team in the NFL this season that has reached the 40-point level in three different games. “This past month, we're hitting on all cylinders,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. While Horn (hamstring) coming back from IR isn't certain, the Panthers do expect pass rusher Brian Burns in the lineup on Sunday. But Dak Prescott could be hitting another level. He threw for 404 yards last weekend against the New York Giants, giving him three consecutive games above the 300-yard mark. WRs CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks both eclipsed the 150-yard receiving mark last week, and the Cowboys ran for 168yards. Lamb is the first player in NFL history with three straight games of double-figure catches and 150-plus receiving yards. The Panthers called a reverse at play-caller this week. Head coach Frank Reich will return to calling plays after handing those duties to Thomas Brown last month.
TITANS AT JAGUARS
Jacksonville's five-game winning streak come to a halt with a 34-3dismantling by the San Francisco 49ers last week. Jacksonville surrendered three passing touchdowns to Brock Purdy, while Jaguars' QB Trevor Lawrence tossed a pair of interceptions and was sacked five times. While head coach Doug Pederson said he's sure the team will “bounce back,” he also admitted Lawrence (knee) isn't healthy. The loss to the 49ers marked the first multi-interception game of the season for Lawrence, who has been picked off six times while throwing nine touchdowns through nine games. He's completed 67.3percent of his passes this season 2,120yards. The Titans lost back-to-back road games to the Steelers and Buccaneers, spinning their tires in the running game. Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears combined for just 42rushing yards last week. Rookie Will Levis, in his third start, completed just 19of 39passes for 199yards and an interception.
CARDINALS AT TEXANS
Above-.500in November for the first time since 2019, there's an unrecognizable element in the air in Houston: playoff talk. QB C.J. Stroud has the Texans squarely in the postseason conversation with eight games to play, but head coach DeMeco Ryans said the challenge is to focus on the game in front of them. Up next is a critical fight with the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) on Nov. 26on the Texans' home turf. Stroud leads the NFL with 291.8 passing yards per game and is sixth with a 101.0rating. He is the linchpin of an offense scoring 24.1points per game — 10th in the league — and averaging 372.5yards per game, good enough for sixth. Arizona is better equipped to put up points in Kyler Murray's second game back from his 2022ACL injury. The Cardinals rank 31st in opponent quarterback rating (101.0) and 29th with an opponent completion percentage of 69.1.
BUCCANEERS AT 49ERS
A rematch of the 49ers' 35-7win in the same stadium last December pits a pair of teams that snapped losing streaks last week. The Bucs halted a four-game losing skid with a 20-6triumph over the visiting Tennessee Titans last Sunday. The Buccaneers now find themselves a half-game behind the New Orleans Saints for first place in the mediocre-atbest NFC South. San Francisco, which also played last week's game in the state of Florida, ended a three-game slide with a 34-3rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers remain tied with the Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West.
JETS AT BILLS
Too early to be dubbed an elimination game, but peering ahead at the remaining schedule for both teams might make one wonder. Status quo wasn't working for the Bills, who fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey following a 24-22loss at home to the Broncos that featured four turnovers and a pair of last-minute penalties that set up Denver's gamewinning field goal. The Bills can't afford to stall out, already 11/2 games behind Miami in the division and currently behind the wild-card teams in the AFC. The next five weeks bring games at Philadelphia (8-1), the bye week, at Kansas City (7-2), versus Dallas (6-3) and at the Chargers (4-5). Curbing turnovers — Josh Allen has 15this season — becomes the task of new coordinator Joe Brady. Jets head coach Robert Saleh's defense has clamped down on Allen the way few teams have in recent years. It forced four turnovers in Week 1(three interceptions, one fumble), but New York's offense has gone 36possessions without a TD.
SEAHAWKS AT RAMS
The Rams are coming off a bye and QB Matthew Stafford is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing one game with a sprained ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand. The Rams won the first meeting between NFC West rivals, outscoring Seattle 23-0in the second half in Week 1to win 30-13. The Seahawks are tied atop the division with the 49ers and hoping for more consistent play from QB Geno Smith. Smith was 9of 11on the final two drives against Washington last week but could be without WR Tyler Lockett (hamstring) this week. The Rams have lost three consecutive games. Stafford returns for the Rams after missing a 20-3 loss at Green Bay on Nov. 5, but rookie WR Puka Nacua (knee) might miss his chance for an encore against Seattle. Nacua had 10catches for 119yards in the September matchup.
VIKINGS AT BRONCOS
In the primetime spotlight for the second consecutive week, the Broncos might warrant a little attention thanks to a three-game winning streak including a win over the Chiefs and a pair of two-point wins (Bills, Packers). Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell might be thinking “hold my beer, Sean Payton” as he heads to the Rockies with a five-game winning streak while overcoming the loss of key players including quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring). The Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints (27-19) last Sunday and could get a big boost with Jefferson back from injured reserve. QB Joshua Dobbs, acquired from the Cardinals to replace Cousins, won his first start with the Vikings last week after leading a late rally the week prior at Atlanta. The anticipated Sean Payton Effect might be showing through in Russell Wilson's performance. His 104 passer rating is significantly higher than the 84.4 clip a season ago. Wilson has completed 67.9percent of his passes for 1,806yards, 18touchdowns and four interceptions. The Broncos' running game, another Payton staple, is picking up the pace in the second half of the season. Javonte Williams has led the way with 436rushing yards to go along with 109receiving yards and two touchdowns.