NFL Week 11 picks include Bills, Texans, Cowboys
Lorenzo Reyes shares his predictions and best bets for Week 11.
- Patriots quarterback Drake Maye continued his strong season, throwing for 281 yards and one touchdown.
- The Jets’ loss moves them closer to securing the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
- The Patriots’ victory temporarily moved them to the top of the AFC standings.
While it probably wasn’t the walkover some had imagined, the New England Patriots had a fairly stress-free night Thursday night, defeating their AFC East rival New York Jets 27-14.
While most of the night was uneventful as it took place on the field, it could have implications for both teams, some clubs beyond Foxboro’s boundaries, and some players, including perhaps even players beyond Foxboro’s boundaries, for the rest of the season and beyond.
So while the Patriots were the big winners on the “Thursday Night Football” scoreboard, we all know there’s a lot more to the margins of any given game. And they are:
winner
Pats playoff outlook
The win vaults New England to the top of the AFC standings for now. The Patriots haven’t won the AFC East since 2019 and haven’t been a No. 1 seed since the 2017 season. There are still a lot of games left before they start approaching the caliber of Brady Belichick’s team, but this season under first-year coach Mike Vrabel has been quite the turnaround for fans who have been brutally starved for almost five years.
drake may
New England’s second-year quarterback continued to refine his MVP credentials with a near-perfect night, but he didn’t have to put in more than an efficient performance against the Jets — going 25-of-34 for 281 yards and a TD, giving him a gaudy 71.9 percent completion rate for the 2025 season.
nick falk
It’s been a perfect season for the Jets kicker, who hit two extra-point tries on Thursday. Faulk has now made all 19 of his field goal attempts and all 14 of his PATs in 2025.
treveillon henderson
The emergence of the Pats’ rookie tailback, wearing an alternate uniform meant to glorify the fog, continued to gain momentum. Henderson had a somewhat modest 93 yards from scrimmage against the Jets, but he did find the end zone three times and scored five touchdowns in five days. Who was the last Patriots rookie to score 3 TDs in one game? Former tight end Rob Gronkowski signed a one-day contract to retire in New England on Wednesday.
jet of the future
Trust the process, guys. With cornerback Sauce Gardner and DT Quinnen Williams not traded at the trade deadline, the second game brought NYJ to within a half-game of the Tennessee Titans for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. The Jets are scheduled to acquire five first-round picks and three second-round picks in the next two drafts.
winner? loser?
Patriots “Nor’easter” uniforms
Huh? The New England version of Nike’s “Rivals” uniform was conceptually interesting, tying the fashion to the region’s maritime nature and weather. But you don’t know if they popped out between the lines once? Not a fail, but not a failure either.
loser
current jet aircraft
It’s kind of remarkable that they won two games despite releasing their top two defensemen and having wide receiver Garrett Wilson on injured reserve with a knee injury. Looks like it’s going to be a long and winding road until NYJ finally wins…Super Bowl 65?
jets offense
New York opened the game with a promising 14-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard TD run by QB Justin Fields. This gave them a point and kept May and the others off the field for the first eight minutes of the game. But what’s the problem? NYJ went 3-and-out on their next three possessions and found themselves in a 14-point hole from which they never recovered.
al michaels
The Jets enter the game as 13-point dogs, according to BetMGM, so Prime Video’s play-by-play man didn’t seem to have a clever way to signal a push…he likes to slyly play little side-actions on the results to the viewers.
Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts
For now, both teams are behind the Patriots in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Colts are on a bye, so they won’t be able to catch up this weekend. However, Denver could move into first place if they defeat the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and a win would move the Broncos to 9-2 and force them into a tiebreaker due to their strong performance in AFC play.
Justin Fields
It was another tough night for the Jets’ current QB1. Other than the opening march, he largely disappeared, throwing for 116 yards that night and adding a late TD pass that had little bearing on the outcome. Manager Aaron Glenn has been reluctant to name Fields the starter until the last two games, but it will be interesting to see if veteran Tyrod Taylor starts New York’s next game. Either way, the Jets’ trade deadline sell-off suggests their future quarterback could be in Austin, Texas, Eugene, Oregon, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Bloomington, Indiana, or elsewhere.
All your NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th Monday Newsletter.
