Packers are really off and running

The NFC is back, but a few coaches might not be. Meanwhile, Buffalo is hoping to pull off a stunner on national TV.

Ten things to look for in Week 11 of the NFL:

Ground Bay

1. The Green Bay Packers got off to a great start on the strength of their passing game. But with Ryan Grant’s 119 yards rushing against Minnesota, the league got a glimpse of how dangerous Green Bay can be with a balanced attack. And Grant’s performance came against a defense that’s one of the NFL’s best against the run. Next up at Lambeau: Carolina, which is ranked 18th at stopping the run and in the last three weeks has yielded 100-yard games to Indianapolis’ Joseph Addai and Tennessee’s LenDale White.

Chargers spark

2. He’s almost always the smallest guy on the field, but 5-foot-6, 181-pound returner Darren Sproles can provide big results. He ran back the opening kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in San Diego’s victory over Indianapolis, and Sunday will face some respectable coverage teams at Jacksonville. Teams avoid kicking to Chicago’s Devin Hester -- although the Oakland Raiders did so with success -- and they’re starting to feel that way about Sproles too.

Saint elsewhere

3. Some people in Houston still think the Texans blew it by passing on Reggie Bush in the 2006 draft to take defensive end Mario Williams. The two will play against each other for the first time Sunday when the teams meet at Reliant Stadium. Both have been underachievers. Bush has yet to rush for 100 yards this season and Williams has four sacks but only one in the last four games.

Big D as in drama

4. Finally, the NFC is the more intriguing conference. Dallas and Green Bay, both 8-1, are on track for a Nov. 29 showdown in Dallas that could determine which team gets home-field advantage. The Cowboys appear to have the scheduling edge with their next three games at home. After playing host to Carolina on Sunday, the Packers hit the road for four of their next five.

Bye bye, Billick?

5. The Baltimore Ravens have lost three in a row and looked terrible in their six-turnover outing against Cincinnati. It’s clear that Brian Billick’s job could be hanging in the balance. That heightens the intrigue of Sunday’s matchup between the new Cleveland Browns and the old ones. Cleveland, coming off a three-point loss to Pittsburgh, has shown its strong start was no fluke. And they’re led by quarterback Derek Anderson, who was snapped up by the Browns after -- who else? -- the Ravens tried to put him on their practice squad.

Sparring partners

6. Like a heavyweight gearing up for the fight of his life, Pittsburgh has a chance to beat up on some tomato cans before its Dec. 9 showdown with New England. The Steelers’ next three games are against the New York Jets (1-8), Miami (0-9) and Cincinnati (3-6). If anything, those games will test Pittsburgh’s focus and ability to steer clear of the hype that inevitably will continue to build around the team. Now that Indianapolis has taken a step back, the Steelers have emerged as the AFC’s second-best team.

Overdue Bills

7. On the surface, it doesn’t look as if Buffalo has a prayer against New England. After all, the Bills struggled to hold off winless Miami on Sunday, squeaking out a 13-10 victory. But strange things can happen in night games at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Just ask the Cowboys, who nearly lost a stunner there earlier this season and needed consecutive 53-yard field goals to stagger away with a victory. Don’t forget, the Bills have won four in a row.

Wild one

8. The New York Giants play at Detroit, and a potential wild-card berth hangs in the balance. In the last two seasons, the Giants have gone wobbly after 6-2 starts. Now, they’ve got a chance to show they can slam the door as dramatically as they kicked it open. Sunday’s game won’t be easy, not against a Lions team coming off an embarrassing defeat at Arizona.

Feeling the fire

9. So how much goodwill does winning a Super Bowl build? Jon Gruden is finding out. He’s coaching for his job in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers have a one-game lead in the NFC South and next will play at Atlanta. Gruden, whose contract will expire at the end of the 2008 season, has a 44-45 regular-season record with the Buccaneers. The Glazers, who own the team, fired Tony Dungy even after he made the playoffs in four of his final five seasons.

Not dead yet

10. Didn’t you just know Denver would come back and make a season of it? A week after a humiliating loss at Detroit, the Broncos recovered with a 27-11 victory at Kansas City. On Monday, they have a chance to redeem themselves in front of a national TV audience with a home game against Tennessee. The long-range forecast calls for showers and a low of 39 degrees. But in Denver, any day the Broncos win is a beautiful one.

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sam.farmer@latimes.com