With the playoff picture continuing to solidify itself, many things have changed with the playoff landscape. Some teams’ seasons (Commanders and Texans) have hit a rough patch. But let’s highlight the ones that turned their seasons around for the better.
LA Chargers
November solidified the Chargers’ place as playoff contenders in their first year under Jim Harbaugh. Entering the month 4-3, LA won three straight games, including a Sunday Night thriller against Cincinnati in which they overcame a blown 21-point lead. Though they lost to Baltimore, they managed to keep the game close, showing their potential to make a good run in the playoffs should they finish the season strong.
Minnesota Vikings
After consecutive losses to the Lions and the Rams, some thought the Vikings’ 5-0 start would not translate to the rest of the year (the last time Minnesota started 5-0 was 2016, when they then fell to 8-8 and missed the postseason). Sam Darnold’s men went about killing that narrative and did so in style, going 4-0 in November despite Darnold’s turnover tendency returning. All the games were close; even the Tennessee Titans managed to put up a challenge. But the Vikings consistently prevailed and have confirmed they are strong playoff contenders.
Seattle Seahawks
This team only won 2 of 3 games in November, but in doing so, turned its division’s race on its head. The Seahawks’ first game in November resulted in an overtime loss to the Rams. After their Week 10 bye, Seattle had to face San Francisco on the road, a game many believed they would lose considering previous results in the rivalry. However, Geno Smith led a game-winning touchdown drive to upset San Francisco. One week later, the Seattle defense stifled a hot Arizona Cardinals team, holding them to just six points and jumping ahead of them in the division. In just two weeks, Seattle rose from 4th to 1st place in the NFC West and have all the momentum in their favor.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles went unbeaten again in November, winning all four games comfortably thanks to some elite performances from Saquon Barkley. The free agent acquisition from New York dominated all opposition (except Dallas, who the defense swept aside in a 34-6 Eagles win), rushing for 140+ yards three times, including a 255-yard outing against the Rams. With the way the Eagles are playing, it is hard to see them losing another game.
Detroit Lions
Detroit just keeps winning. The grit in this football team is like no other team before them. Detroit held the strong Packers offense to 14 points, erased a 16-point deficit in a win over Houston, and held off a late Bears rally on Thanksgiving, finishing November 5-0. The deadly duo of running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery has continued to thrive, and the defense has improved greatly. At this point, a Lions vs Eagles NFC Championship game would be no surprise.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills pulled off the biggest victory in all of the NFL during November on their way to finishing the month 3-0; they pulled off a 30-21 victory over the then-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Josh Allen continued his heroics during that game, scoring an iconic 26-yard touchdown run that sealed the deal. Despite increased turnovers on Allen’s part, the Bills have continued to show resilience, overcoming those turnovers to pull off key wins against Miami and, of course, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
