The eleventh week of the 2025 National Football League season is now in the books. Here are the four teams that won games that were not expected to win.
For the sixth time this season the Carolina Panthers have been an underdog, and won. Their latest win may be a little bit of a surprise that they were an underdog to begin with. That is because they defeated their Sunday opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, 30-0 in week three. In Week 11, the Panthers and Falcons were playing again. This time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game was much closer. However despite being an underdog by 3.5 points, the Panthers still won 30-27 in overtime thanks to a game-winning 28-yard field goal by Panthers rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald of Coolidge, Georgia. The Panthers's two stars were quarterback Bryce Young of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania and rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan of Waimanalo, Hawaii. Young had 448 yards passing and three touchdown passes, while McMillan had eight catches for 130 yards receiving and two major scores.
The Bears were a three point underdog on Sunday, but beat the Minnesota Vikings 19-17 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was a defensive battle, with Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy of Evanston, Illinois once again looking unimpressive as the Minnesota quarterback. McCarthy only completed 16 of 32 passes for 150 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Bears superstar was Cairo Santos of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Bears placekicker made a 48 yard field goal on the final play of the game in the two point Chicago win.
The Jaguars were a three point underdog against the Los Angeles Chargers, but smoked L.A. 35-6. I am not sure what was more surprising-the fact that the Chargers scored only six points or the fact that they gave up 35 points. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert only had 81 passing yards the whole game. The Jaguars's top player was running back Travis Etienne Jr. of Jennings, Louisiana, who had 19 carries for 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns. With the win, the Jaguars improved to a record of six wins and four losses, and are second in the AFC South.
Despite leading the AFC West, the Denver Broncos were a 3.5 point underdog Sunday afternoon against the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. It was Denver that came out with a 22-19 victory thanks to five field goals by Will Lutz of Newnan, Georgia. Two of Lutz's field goals came in the final five minutes. He had a 54 yard field goal to tie the game, and a 35 yard field goal to win the game.