Monday Morning NFL Top 10 Rankings: Eagles, Patriots Hold Firm; Rams, Broncos Climb

The Patriots and Broncos continue their upward trend in Week 11. Each team has won eight straight games. Eagles and Rams remain steadfast, while the Bills made a statement with their win. Let’s take a look at where everyone is after Week 11 before the Cowboys vs Raiders game on Monday. The defending champions are forming into a defensive powerhouse that can neutralize any opponent. Jaelan Graham and Brandon Graham’s recent acquisitions have helped Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and the rest of the defensive front to impose themselves on the interior. The Eagles are able to win even if their offense is not firing on all cylinders. This is because defensive back Cooper DeJean, among others, provides sticky coverage that shrinks the field of play for the opposing quarterbacks. The Patriots should be included in the conversation of the top contenders, now that New England is on an eight-game winning streak. Drake Maye & Co. have discovered their offensive identity as a ball control offense with pop, as rookie TreVeyon Henderson settles into his role as RB1. The Patriots’ efficient offensive balance enables Mike Vrabel to control the game like a puppeteer, tying together the three phases (offense, defense, special teams) to frustrate opponents while employing clever clock and game management strategies. The Rams showed their defensive skills by defeating a rival division on Sunday. Their pass rush, and their coverage, completely disrupted Seahawks QB Sam Darnold’s rhythm and timing. He entered the match playing at an MVP-level. The Rams’ defensive versatility, combined with a ball-control offense that can lean into the running game when it matters, gives them a chance to knock off any opponent at home or on the road. Moreover, the team’s overall balance and diversity give the Rams the opportunity to excel as a chameleon, capable of winning in any environment. Broncos games are never pretty. They’re always gritty. Despite offensive guru Sean Payton’s best intentions, this team relies on a stingy defense and opportunistic offense to win one-score games weekly. Although second-year QB Bo Nix has become a late-game master, with five game-winning drives already on his 2025 résumé, the Broncos will need more offensive consistency to handle the league’s heavyweights in the postseason tournament. The bye week should help trade deadline acquisition Sauce Gardner acclimate to the Colts’ defensive scheme. Indianapolis relies on the All Pro cornerback to blanket opponents No. The week before should have given defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo ample time to experiment and try out different lineups and strategies to come up with a strategy that will help the Colts to get in a groove for the final stretch. Josh Allen’s superpowers were on display in an impressive victory over the Buccaneers. With his dynamic running and arm talents, the reigning MVP continues terrorizing opponents as a double-threat playermaker. Allen is known for his aggressive turnovers but the Bills need to have their franchise quarterback keep the cape to be able to go deep in the postseason. Sam Darnold’s disappointing Week 11 performance raises concerns about the quarterback’s ability to lead the Seahawks on a title chase. His four interceptions in the Rams game continue a streak of poor performances under pressure. Although head coach Mike Macdonald may dismiss this performance as an anomaly, defensive coordinators across the league will be paying close attention to the strategies that led to the journeyman’s poor performance. The Packers have not been playing to their standards heading into the final stretch. Despite QB Jordan Love’s late-game heroics, the offense has not hit its stride with an injury-ravaged lineup. Although the defense’s strong play will buy the offense some time to find its way, it will be a challenge for the Packers to navigate a challenging playoff field with a one-dimensional approach. Dan Campbell’s playcalling wizardry fell flat against the defending champs, but the Lions’ offensive firepower still makes them a legitimate threat to win it all at season’s end. Detroit can punish the aggressive tactics of opponents with its perimeter playmakers if Campbell manages to keep Jared Goff calm in the pocket, even amid chaos created by blitzes. Given Goff’s impact and the Lions’ recent performance, the head coach’s top priority is to get his franchise quarterback back on track after losing for the third time in five games. Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach has turned the Bears from a mediocre team into a fun-loving smash-mouth outfit with playoff potential. The offensive genius has combined an old-school strategy with some creative ones that keep the defensive coordinators guessing in crucial moments. The Bears have emerged as a dark horse in the NFC after their defense consistently creates turnovers and makes splash plays.  Bucky Brooks works as an NFL analyst at FOX Sports. He also analyzes the game for NFL Network as well as co-hosting the podcast, “Moving the Sticks.” Follow him on twitter @BuckyBrooks. Want the best stories delivered to your mailbox? Sign up for a FOX Sports account or create one. Follow leagues, players and teams to receive daily personalized emails.
2025-11-17 14:02:35