NFL Week 11: What's at Stake for Teams, Players This Weekend?

The NFL landscape evolves on a weekly basis. How your team is viewed is directly tied to the previous week. That puts a big emphasis on what’s at stake for teams and players every game.

Some games are decided directly by particular matchups. The better, more talented team doesn’t always win because of the importance of style and the ability to adjust. But that is often overlooked because winning is really what matters in the big picture.

For teams that have started slowly out of the gate, they have little time to turn things around. Unless, of course, if the entire division has struggled. The AFC South and NFC East come to mind immediately, but the teams in those divisions need the wheels to start turning, or else they won’t peak at the right time.

We’ve highlighted seven key storylines on the following slides that will determine whether or not these teams are successful in Week 11. Several critical divisional matchups could put certain franchises at great risk of being eliminated from the playoffs earlier than imagined. That doesn’t mean Week 11’s results will end a season, but it could set up particular teams for a big hill to climb.

Oakland Raiders: Keep Fighting for the Wild Card

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After an exhilarating 4-3 start to the season filled with exciting, nail-biting finishes, the Oakland Raiders have been on the negative side the last two weeks. Still in the thick of the playoff race, they must care of business in Week 11. The 2-7 Detroit Lions are arguably the worst team in the NFL, which means this is a good opportunity for Oakland.

Oakland has several stars on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Derek Carr is protected by one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and his playmaker corps has been terrific. Not to mention, Carr is playing well and feeding his receivers when they have space to make plays after the catch.

Defensively, Charles Woodson probably deserves consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. He’s an ageless wonder who is still playing terrific football at one of the most difficult and influential positions on the field. Pass-rushers Khalil Mack and Mario Edwards Jr. have also been impressive.

Chuck Pagano: Take Control of Your Job Security

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There are strong arguments on both sides about the job status of Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. On one hand, he has not lived up to his reputation as a defensive guru despite his experience with the Baltimore Ravens. But the pro-Pagano side will say the talent he’s been given is below-average.

Both sides are right, and that leaves Pagano in a can’t-win situation. To compound the issue, quarterback Andrew Luck is out for the next few games. The Colts are only in the playoff race because the AFC South is horrendous.

For Pagano to put himself in the position to return to Indianapolis next season, he must dig deep and maximize the limited talent on his roster. A win against the Atlanta Falcons is a good start. The Colts play numerous mediocre opponents down the final stretch, so they must take advantage in order to push for the playoffs.

Dan Quinn: Stop the Slide

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Despite a hot 5-0 start to the season, the Atlanta Falcons have dropped back into the pack after losing three of their last four games. Atlanta has all of the traits of a mediocre team. Its recent losses have been to bad teams, which is reason to be concerned about the rest of the campaign.

Of their final seven games, the Falcons’ schedule ramps up with key matchups against the Vikings and Panthers, twice. They’ll also play two teams they’ve already lost to in Tampa Bay and New Orleans. Head coach Dan Quinn must take control of the Falcons if he wants this season to extend into the playoffs.

The biggest issue for the Falcons has been on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Matt Ryan has not been his usual self, in part to his limited receiving corps. As good as offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is, he’s tasked with rebooting Ryan’s season and maximizing this offense. Quinn must emphasize this, as the Falcons have been one of the stronger defenses this season.

Bill O’Brien: Continue the Positive Momentum

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Since being pulverized in Week 8 by the Miami Dolphins 44-26, the Houston Texans have played eight good quarters of football. Maybe Bill O’Brien’s messages have been getting through since the eye-opening defeat. Whatever the reason, the Texans’ prime-time win against the Cincinnati Bengals was as impressive as any win this season by any team thus far.

Houston’s defense has the talent to be one of the best in the NFL. The secondary has struggled at times, most notably Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph, but has been looking more confident in the last two weeks. It helps that rookie linebacker Benardrick McKinney has been an impactful performer in his limited snaps.

The big question mark with Houston is the offense. Brian Hoyer’s numbers seem nice (13 touchdowns, four interceptions), but his accuracy and overall impact are far too poor for a playoff-caliber quarterback. When considering Houston’s injury issues at running back, O’Brien must be creative to get more production from this unit.

Brock Osweiler: Prove the Future Is Now

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The Denver Broncos are in an interesting situation. A difficult plantar fasciitis injury to Peyton Manning has basically rendered him ineffective, especially on top of his previous regression. Now, the Broncos are hoping backup Brock Osweiler is ready for a playoff push.

Whether Osweiler remains the starter throughout the rest of the season, and into the future, largely hinges on the next few games. With just 54 passes on his resume, Osweiler needs to show that he is worth re-investing into, this time at a greater financial cost. He’s being put into the pressure cooker for the 7-2 Broncos.

Of all the teams to play in your first start, the Chicago Bears aren't an overwhelming foe. Denver’s defense should keep the score down, and points will be at a premium. But Osweiler must get more help from the running game than what Manning saw, or else the offense could be too limited and predictable for the backup to find success.

Kirk Cousins: Perform Well Against Better Competition

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If you had a prop bet that Kirk Cousins would win two NFC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season, you probably would be quite well off after cashing in. He has picked apart two of the worst defenses in the NFL in the last three weeks. He’s coming off the most impressive statistical game of his career against the ghastly New Orleans defense, where he amassed 324 yards and four touchdowns.

This was great stat-padding by Cousins and his playmakers. But the numbers are misleading as well. For example, he received credit for Matt Jones’ 78-yard touchdown off a screen pass. Some of this production was simply the product of the worst defense in the NFL being completely inept.

Cousins has shown more consistency lately, though. He has just one interception in the last three games. As the Washington Redskins gear up to face the undefeated Carolina Panthers, this is a massive test for Cousins. With his contract expiring after this season, this front office must decide whether to retain him as a starter or let him become competition for someone else.

Minnesota Vikings: Put a Stranglehold on the Division

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The NFC North has a massive showdown taking place in Week 11. The division leaders, the Minnesota Vikings, are on a five-game win streak and sit at 7-2 overall. They host the Green Bay Packers, who are reeling after injuries have decimated their offense but are 6-3 and could swing this race significantly with a win.

Minnesota has many traits that you want to see from a Super Bowl contender. A great running game, an efficient quarterback, superb defense and a solid coaching staff are what drive this team. The Vikings are a real threat to go deep into the playoffs.

If the Vikings win this week, they are in firm control of their future with a two-game lead on the Packers. The two teams finish the season in Lambeau, but if Minnesota continues its momentum, it may not have to win that matchup to make the playoffs. But a win this week is necessary to make that a possibility.

All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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