Michael McQuaid of Pro Football Ireland looks at some of the key storylines ahead of the 11th week of the 2025 NFL season, which got underway last night when the Houston Texans defeated the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium.
We're a week away from Thanksgiving in the NFL and the winter weeks are approaching fast. There are some big games on tap this week, but before we look ahead to that, let's examine one of our own.
Game-ball Whelan enters Pro Bowl conversation
Enniskerry’s Daniel Whelan enters Week 12 off the back of a superb performance in the Packers' victory over the New York Giants last weekend.
Last Sunday was a windy day at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, but Whelan excelled in the conditions.
On a day where the Packers struggled offensively, Whelan punted twice late in the fourth quarter, reaching 60 and 61 yards, ensuring that the Giants couldn’t find a way back into it.
His performance was so good that he was presented with a game ball after the win.
Game balls 👀 pic.twitter.com/7nYXG7r4HZ
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 17, 2025
Looking forward at the final stretch of games, the Wicklow man is making a firm run at a potential Pro Bowl selection this year.
The Packers have a tough schedule to come though with fellow NFC North teams on the schedule, along with games against the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos.
No Irish born player has ever been awarded with a Pro Bowl spot.
Is this the year history is made?
Colts look to put squeeze on Chiefs
Right, be honest. Who had the Colts' visit to the Chiefs marked down as one of the games of the season when the schedule came out?
If you did, can we have the lottery numbers for this weekend or Ireland’s World Cup play-off outcome in March, please?
What a year it has been for Daniel Jones and Indianapolis. After a grinding victory secured in Berlin, Indy have benefitted from what can only be described as a luxurious late bye week to rest up and recuperate.
What’s next for Indiana Jones? Patrick Mahomes in Arrowhead.
One really interesting aspect for the Colts is the potential jump that the recently acquired Sauce Gardner could make. We saw flashes of what he is capable of doing two weeks ago in Germany, but could this be his breakout game in arguably the match-up of the week?
Through the first ten games for Indianapolis, Jones has a better quarterback passer rating than at any stage when Andrew Luck was under centre for the Colts. He is playing in a system that suits his style and he clearly has the confidence to get the ball down the field.
Add in a phenom at running back like Jonathan Taylor and the Colts have a legitimate shot of going into Mahomes’ stomping ground on Sunday and making a real statement.
The Chiefs are in a spot that we haven’t seen before in their current era of dominance in the league. After 11 weeks, they sit 5-5 and currently are outside the play-off positions in the AFC, something that would almost have been unthinkable mere months ago.
Even the great teams will struggle from time to time. What sets them apart is the way they can get out of any funk they are in.
Last week, the Chiefs could move the ball against the Denver Broncos, but they struggled when they got down towards the endzone. Towards the end, Denver brought the pressure on Mahomes and the Chiefs' attack; Andy Reid and his side had no answer.
This is a mouth-watering fixture and it is so important in different ways for both teams. The prospect of Kansas City sitting at 5-6 entering Thanksgiving next week seems crazy, but stranger things have happened.
Rodgers farewell in Chicago?
If this is Aaron Rodgers’ last rodeo in the NFL, you just know he wants to go out with a bang.
Last week, the Steelers quarterback exited the game early due to a wrist injury. In recent days, it has been confirmed that it is not a break - and the former Green Bay Packers quarterback is doing all he can to play against a familiar foe in the Chicago Bears.
If Rodgers is not available to play this weekend in the Windy City, the Steelers have a backup that they are used to in Mason Rudolph. He came into the game last weekend and completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 passing yards and a touchdown, as Pittsburgh got a much-needed win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
This is a different opponent, though. The Chicago Bears sit at the top of the NFC North and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has transformed the Bears in such a short period of time. They look like a solid unit and, frankly, they are playing at an elite level.
Through the first 11 weeks of the season, the Bears lead the league with 22 takeaways on the defence. They have generated 77 points off forced areas, which also leads the league.
The reality is that this Bears' defence is turning back the clock in terms of days gone by at Soldier Field. They are allowing Caleb Williams to have more time on the field - and it will take a big effort by the Steelers' defence on Sunday to make sure that the home crowd are stifled.
Rams looking for open pastures
Do we have a moment to talk about the NFC West?
The Rams lead the division at 8-2, with the 49ers (7-3) and Seahawks (7-4) close behind.
As we get deeper into the season, this is something to seriously keep an eye on.
Let's focus on the Rams this week. We know how good they are in terms of their offence, but they did not play to the level expected last week against a Seattle Seahawks' defence that legitimately looks like the real deal.
They will want to bounce back this week. The only issue is that Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming to town on primetime this Sunday evening.
The Bucs are reeling after two close (but highly entertaining) losses against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. They will hope their travel out west will offer the opportunity to turn the page on a campaign which is still very much open for them as the leaders in the NFC South, but they can’t afford many more losses.
While the Bucs lost 44-32 last week, they did get over the hump - scoring more then 30 points, running for over 200 and looking a lot better than Week 10. On the other side, Matthew Stafford has scored 22 touchdowns in his last seven games, with no interceptions. That’s the most passing touchdowns in that period.
Expect points this weekend.
Saints in the City of Love
Finally, it seems that the New Orleans Saints could play in Paris, as early as next year.
Saints team president Dennis Lauscha discussed this at an alumni lunch in New Orleans earlier this week.
"You might hear in the next couple weeks that we might be having a game internationally and that game may be in Paris," Lauscha said.
NFL fans will expect to hear more international news between now and the Super Bowl, which takes place in San Francisco.
While there is no concrete confirmation yet on a game in Dublin in 2026, it has not been ruled out.
Mayobridge man Charlie Smyth is on the Saints practice squad roster. It’s a contract year for the starting kicker Blake Grupe - could we potentially see a Down man playing in the NFL’s first game in France?
Time will tell.
