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This biggest game of the eleventh week featured the Rams versus the Seattle Seahawks. Both squads entered with matching 7-2 records, appearing evenly matched with powerful offenses and stingy defenses. Finally, it was a low-scoring affair won by the Rams, 21-19, by the slimmest of margins.

Seattle's signal-caller Sam Darnold, previously playing at a elite caliber for much of the campaign, struggled mightily. Darnold tied his career high with four picks, connecting on 29 of 44 attempts for 279 yards, no touchdowns, and a dismal QB rating of 45.5.

Previously Darnold faced the Rams was in last season's playoffs as a member of the Vikings, where he endured a tough outing. In that defeat, he was tackled behind the line nine times, hurried an staggering 25 times, and ended with a QB rating of 77.6.

On Sunday, it was not primarily the pass rush that doomed Darnold, but rather the Rams sitting back in zones. Previously Darnold had four interceptions in a game was in 2019, when he was miked up and uttered his now-famous quote about "seeing phantom defenders." Interestingly, Darnold avoided being sacked a single time in this game, but the interceptions proved costlier than any sack would have been.

The Rams' defensive unit avoided blitzing heavily because it didn't need to. Instead, defensive coordinator Chris Shula instructed his unit sitting back in zones six and seven at a time, confusing Darnold's reads and compelling him to think at a pace above his usual standard.

How then were the Seahawks still in the contest until the final whistle? Seattle's defense played marvelously, limiting potential MVP Matthew Stafford to only 15 passes on 28 throws for 130 yards, two touchdowns, zero picks, and a passer rating of 89.9. However when facing a squad of such quality, turning the ball over frequently is a sure path to defeat.

That said, if not for the punter's long kick that pinned the Seahawks behind their own one-yard line with 1:50 left, Darnold and the Seahawks could have pulled off a victory. The Seahawks drove to the Los Angeles 49-yard line with little time left, setting up a 61-yard field goal attempt by placekicker Jason Myers that was unsuccessful.

The two NFC West opponents will meet again in Seattle on 18 December, and we expect that matchup to garner similar "must-see" buzz. Because on an off day, these are elite these teams are, supernatural intervention aside.

MVP of the Weekend

Myles Garrett, edge, Cleveland Browns. Yes, the Cleveland lost 23-16 to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, mainly because Cleveland had Dillon Gabriel (until he suffered a concussion) and then another reserve at quarterback. But if there's one player who can be named MVP on a defeated team it's Garrett, the most dominant defender in the game. Without him, the Browns would have been far from a position to win. Garrett performed what he typically does – he shredded every blocking scheme, and made the signal-caller's life miserable. In this case, the quarterback was Lamar Jackson – hardly an easy guy to bring down – whom he tackled on four occasions, recording one quarterback hit and three pressures in 27 pass-rushing snaps.

During his previous three outings, he has a remarkable 10 sacks and 17 overall hurries, which adds up to an historic runs for a defensive end in history. Just two other players to equal his sack total in a three-game period are Hall of Famer Richard Dent in 1984, and Derrick Thomas in 1997-1998. Dent and Thomas are in the Hall of Fame, and he may as well begin having his gold jacket tailored.

On Sunday, Garrett also became the sole individual in NFL history with 12 or more sacks in six consecutive years since the quarterback sack became an official NFL statistic in 1982.

Play of the Week

Let's discuss the vagaries of Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy's overall game in a moment, but one interceptions he threw in Minnesota's narrow defeat to the Bears had an heartfelt backstory. With under a minute left in the first half, McCarthy tried to find receiver Jordan Addison in the end zone, but Chicago cornerback Nahshon Wright was having none of it.

Fantastic leaping grab by the cornerback for the INT on JJ McCarthy!

What made Nahshon Wright so moved after the interception? Since John Beam, his leader at Laney College in 2018 before he moved to Oregon State, was shot and killed recently. Obviously, his mentor made a lasting impact in all the right ways.

Number of the Week

Three and three. The group of signal-callers who have had three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in the same game is exclusive. In fact just two have done so in the full annals of the league. Legendary Otto Graham of the Browns against the Lions in 1954 to win the NFL championship in a 56-10 rout, and Buffalo's Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills … who has now accomplished the milestone on two occasions. His first came the previous year against the Rams in a high-scoring Bills defeat. And he repeated it on Sunday in the Bills' 44-32 win over the Buccaneers, a triumph that maintained the seven-and-three Bills within striking range of the nine-and-two New England Patriots in the division.

When struggling, the Bills' offense relies too much on Josh Allen, while the rest of the team waits around to contribute. But when you have a talent like him, and you're eager to succeed, you tend to throw aesthetics aside. His showing was particularly crucial because the Bills elected to make receiver Keon Coleman, the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 draft, a healthy scratch because he skipped a team meeting this week. Coleman was supposed to be the missing piece in Buffalo's attack as a big deep threat, but when he's off missing other things, the squad have to use the one weapon they are sure they can rely on. In the game, Allen also matched Cam Newton for the highest number of regular-season rushing touchdowns by a QB in league the record books, with 75.

Elsewhere From the NFL

• Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell may be wondering about his offseason quarterback strategy. The Vikings drafted JJ McCarthy with the first-round selection last year, and they're still waiting to see on the field what they envisioned in the evaluation period. His college tape often suggested a second- or third-round grade to experts, but as O'Connell is perhaps the league's pre-eminent QB guru, most were inclined to give him – and the young QB – the benefit of the doubt. He missed the previous campaign with a knee injury, which gave the coach the chance to {resuscitate