Packers Bounceback Game? NFL Week 11 Preview

By Noah Mason

Noah Martin brings you four things to keep an eye on this weekend as the 2025 NFL season hits Week 11:

Potential Bounceback For The Pack?

There is not too much optimism floating around in Green Bay and New York at the moment. For the Giants, this is to be expected-  they are 2-7, their best offensive player (Malik Nabers) was ruled out for the season in the opening weeks, their bright young spark at running back (Cam Skattebo) is also out for the season, and now their young rising star quarterback (Jackson Dart) is ruled out due to a concussion. Yikes. Green Bay, on the other hand, is a far more curious case as they are 6-3-1, which is a very decent return at this point in the season. Green Bay fans’ disgruntlement is directed towards Matt LaFleur and his current ineptitude to coach an exciting offense.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the Giants, though. They have the NFL’s fan-favourite Jameis Winston starting at quarterback for them. This guarantees one thing for viewers of this game: entertainment. Jameis is infamously the only quarterback to have a 30+ touchdown and 30+ interception season. He is the definition of a gun-slinger and will push the ball down the field regardless of whether the situation calls for it or not. When your playoff hopes are over and the players who make you love your team are out injured, all you can ask for is an exciting matchup each week. Jackson Dart was providing the entertainment in the previous weeks, but I am sure Jameis can fulfil this role for at least a week.

Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur are facing extreme levels of criticism for their failing offense, as they’ve only mustered 20 points in the last two weeks. A major concern for Packers fans is LaFleur’s play-calling. Although he doesn’t directly make the offensive play calls, Green Bay often makes conservative choices on key fourth downs, and its offense feels incredibly predictable at times. Predictability is a death sentence against good defenses. Another issue for the Packers is that Jordan Love is not developing the way some people were expecting. He is still making the same mistakes he did as a rookie-  a large number of turnovers and poor decision-making. Jordan and LaFleur are both talented in their respective fields, and I expect them to bounce back from this slump. Not this week, though- I think Jameis Winston upsets the Packers and the Giants grab an unexpected win.

Can the Bengals Stay in the Hunt?

The Bengals should be dead in the water. They have lost their last two games in heartbreaking fashion, throwing away a two-possession lead in the fourth quarter against the Jets and ruining a great comeback due to their defensive fragility. “Defensive fragility” feels generous- their defense reminds me of Drake in the “God’s Plan” music video. There is hope, however – the sort of delusional hope that keeps you loving sport. The AFC North, once the best division in the NFL, is wide open this year with the Steelers leading the race at 5-4. If the Bengals find a way to win this game, there will only be a one-game differential – their record would stand at 4-6 with a win.

The Steelers moved into “win-now” mode this offseason, and the team they have cultivated is pretty much winning at the same rate they have since 2007. The playoffs are gold dust for most NFL franchises, except for the Steelers and Mike Tomlin, who achieve this feat consistently. The problem is elevating to be a Super Bowl contender; however, the level of consistency shown by the Steelers this year is not helping to move this needle. Their offense looks stellar in some games and terrible in others. They’ll probably be looking sharp this weekend, as any team playing the Bengals does, so the onus will be on the defense to stop the Bengals’ frightening offense.

The Bengals have one of the best offenses in the NFL and a historically terrible defense, which makes every game they play a blockbuster. They will feel somewhat rejuvenated this week with the news of Joe Burrow’s potential return for the Thanksgiving divisional game against the Ravens. Bengals fans will hope this motivates a defense that may have lost belief in its abilities after two prior disappointing defeats. Having said this, their two best pass rushers, Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, are both injured, which is a worry for a side that already struggles to get pressure on the quarterback. I believe this will be another high-scoring affair, but I think the Steelers will right the wrongs of the last time these two teams met and come out on top.

Divisional Showdown, Huge Implications

The Rams are taking on the Seahawks this weekend at SoFi Stadium in a game that could have a massive impact on the results of the regular season. I say this because at 7–2 vs 7–2, the winner takes control of the NFC West and the crucial tiebreakers that shape playoff seeding. Both teams are playing terrific football this season, as the Rams’ offense has been in fine form and the Seahawks have won four in a row. This is all you can ask for on a Sunday night game (for us UK fans) – a divisional game between two high-flying offenses.

The key to the Seahawks’ success this season has been Sam Darnold. The once-forgotten, disregarded quarterback has reminded people why he was so highly touted coming out of college and dispelled the murmurs of him being a system quarterback in Minnesota. He already has 17 passing touchdowns on the season and over 2,000 yards-  exceptional. Jackson Smith-Njigba receiving the ball makes Darnold’s life easier; when you have a premier talent like that, the game plan is simple: feed him the ball. He has done this very well, as JSN is torching any cornerback who has the unfortunate job of covering him and lighting up the stat sheet while doing so.

The Seahawks have one of the best run defenses in the league and force sides to throw the ball at one of the highest rates of any side in the league. This is not going to be a problem for Matthew Stafford. I talk frequently in these articles about Stafford’s brilliance, as I am a massive fan of his game and believe he is the most underrated quarterback in the league and belongs in MVP conversations. If the Seahawks struggle to get pressure this Sunday, he will dissect their defense with ease, so the trenches will be a key matchup this weekend. I believe this game will be a shootout, but I have to go with the Rams, as I believe the home advantage will pay dividends.

The Spreadsheet

This section highlights my top 3 betting-related observations for this weekend’s NFL slate. It’s not intended to encourage gambling-  these are purely insights on matchup trends, player performance, and storylines to watch. Think of it as a lens to follow the narratives that could shape key games.

Commanders @ Dolphins

Over 24.5 points for the Dolphins

The Dolphins’ offense looked sublime against the Bills. I see no reason for the train to stop rolling.

Bengals @ Steelers

Jamarr Chase 2+ Touchdowns

Last year against the Ravens, he played two exceptional games, home and away. This year, I believe he will do this to the Steelers, and he is due for another elite performance

Buccaneers @  Bills

Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover

I see this game being a close, scrappy game, and the outcome definitely being within one score. So the Bucs at +5.5 points seems like a good pick to me.

Noah Mason

NFL/CFB Writer

Noah is an aspiring journalist who shares some interesting takes on this great game, whether it be College or the NFL. Born and based in London, but developed a love for American Football in the States, follow Noah on Twitter @NoahMas59721174

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