Whoever coined the “No Fun League” moniker for the National Football League (NFL) obviously didn’t consider Week 11 of the 2024/25 regular season, particularly the events in the American Football Conference (AFC) that provided the most thrills and spills.

The previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, with a season filled mostly with nail-biting game endings, were taken down a notch by conference rivals, the Buffalo Bills. A situation not unusual for quarterback (QB) Josh Allen and the Bills in the regular season, but the postseason is where they have stumbled against the Chiefs. Despite the 21-30 loss, the Chiefs still hold the number one seed in the AFC playoff picture but have been relegated by JustBet to the second-favourite position to win the Super Bowl, with the Detroit Lions now elevated to most favoured.

The win gave the Bills their sixth consecutive victory and they sit out this weekend on their bye, but they have very consequential matchups in the weeks ahead against the San Francisco 49ers (5-5) in Week 12, followed by back-to-back road games against the Los Angeles Rams (5-5) and Lions (9-1). The Chiefs (9-1) visit Bank of America Stadium this Sunday to tackle the Carolina Panthers (3-7) where the experts are predicting a total dominance by the defending champions.

The Cincinnati Bengals almost pulled off the biggest second-half comeback in franchise history last Sunday night, against the Los Angeles Chargers, in another AFC highlight matchup. After opening the game scorching hot and taking his team into the half-time break with a 20-6 lead, Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert froze for most of the second half, going 5-for-18 in pass completion at one point. However, Herbert connected with receiver Ladd McConkey for 28 and 27 yards, respectively, in the final minute, to escape with a 34-27 win in a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere and put the Chargers on the path to a near-certain wild-card berth.

The Bengals enjoy their bye this weekend but return in Week 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers who dispatched the high-flying Baltimore Ravens last Sunday afternoon in a matchup of the top teams in the AFC North. Playing true to form, Baltimore is now 1-8 over the last nine games in this heated division rivalry, with each low-scoring encounter being decided by a single score, and Sunday’s 18-16 scoreline was no different.

The Ravens were guilty of the same self-imposed wounds that resulted in the three previous losses. They had 12 penalties plus three turnovers that led to half of the Steelers’ points and Justin Tucker’s two missed field goals all played a role in the deflating defeat. Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson was made to look human in one of his worst performances in recent memory and his worst statistical performance of the season, but the most shocking facts about the loss surrounded the much-lauded Baltimore run-game.

The Ravens are averaging 30.7 rushing attempts per game, including last Sunday, but they only had 19 rushing attempts against the Steelers, their lowest of the season. Running back Derrick Henry had only 13 rushing attempts, his second lowest of the season – tied with the Week 1 loss to Kansas City and two more than in the Week 8 loss to the Cleveland Browns – and his 65 rushing yards was the second lowest since the Week 1 defeat, in which he logged only 46 yards.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, Henry had no touches in the fourth quarter, and on the last play of the game, which was a two-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game, the league’s leading rusher was a mere spectator. A mistake that cannot be repeated this weekend if they hope to fortify their postseason ambitions, but that is easier said than done.

Jackson is still on top of the league statistically. He is the leader in passer rating (117.1) and is second in passing yards (2,876), touchdowns (25), and quarterback rating (75). All that will be battle tested on Monday night in the Week 12 closer, when the Ravens (7-4) visit SoFi Stadium to take on the Chargers (7-3) in another AFC humdinger. The contest, billed as the third “Harbaugh Bowl” – the first being a Ravens 16-6 victory over the 49ers in 2011 and the second in Super Bowl XLVII (2013) when the Ravens again beat the 49ers 34-31– will pit head coaching brothers Jim (Chargers) and John (Ravens) Harbaugh against each other in a rare battle of wits and wills.

John is 2-0 over Jim in his NFL coaching career and the younger Harbaugh will be seeking his first win against his older brother. Both teams are in second place in their respective divisions and the Chargers are currently the number five seed in the AFC, with the Ravens one spot below. The Chargers are riding a four-game win streak that has seen them outscoring their opponents by 52 points in that run, while the Ravens are second in the league in points scored (334), second only to the Detroit Lions (336).

Jackson and Henry are formidable opponents for anyone and the Chargers’ defence has seen few, if any, like them this year. But the Chargers’ defence has been stout this season, allowing 20 or more points for only the second time last weekend against the Bengals. Baltimore boasts a strong run defence but struggles against the pass, and they will be up against an offence that is very capable of airing it out, making the matchup all the more enticing.

The Ravens lead the league in total yards per game (430.1), while the Chargers lead the league in points allowed per game (14.5). A show of strength and exploitation of weaknesses will be the order of the day as both teams seek to solidify their playoff aspirations. A display of brotherly rivalry – 12 seasons after the last one – strategising to outmanoeuvre one another in an intersection of football and personal dynamics. This could never be more compelling. Are you ready for some football?

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