For NFL Week 11, the league is suddenly in for an attack of the killer backup quarterbacks!

It’s an invasion!

Run for your lives! 

Save yourselves!

Only, when we say “killer”, it is unknown whether that is slang for “great” or just another means of saying a momentum destroyer.

In this injury-riddled 2015 season, a number of key players are on the mend, leaving a lengthy list of second-stringers to sharpen their cleats and trade in those glossy clipboards for a football.

Among the names to be front and center include Mark Sanchez (Eagles), Brock Osweiler (Broncos) and Case Keenum (Rams)Matt Hasselbeck (Colts) is also set to see more playing time, while Geno Smith (Jets) could make an appearance if Ryan Fitzpatrick has issues with his surgically-repaired thumb.

Let’s not forget Johnny Manziel, who is Cleveland’s starter for the rest of the season.

kindergarten-cop-screaming-arnold

NFL Week 11: Ahhh! Not another backup quarterback! (Image: Arnold Schwarzenegger – ‘Kindergarten Cop’)

Ahhhh! 

Will the madness ever end?

That’s quite the list which in turn will have a significant impact on the outcomes of games.  It therefore makes for a bit of a prognostication challenge in the NFL spreads department, as well as in Fantasy Football leagues and DFS lineups.

Head coaches certainly could care less about any of this, but it doesn’t make it any easier for us, the fans – and we’re what matter, right?

Week 10:

I can’t.  I just can’t.  Don’t worry, I’m sure the SportsChump will gladly share last week’s results, but they weren’t pretty (at least, not for me)

It’s once again time to “Pick Your Knows” – the only time it’s not a disgusting habit – and here are the NFL Week 11 games (with spreads as they appeared through CBS Sports on 11/17/15).

brock-osweiler-broncos-qb

NFL Week 11: Brock Osweiler and the killer backup QB’s are coming to a stadium near you!

KP’s “Pick Your Knows”: 2015 NFL Week 11 Picks

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5)

These two teams have combined to go 5-13, yet each is still very much in the chase for a division title.  Normally, I would label this as a “BB Game”, as in “Bring Beer”, to make it more entertaining.  Yet, Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles are both fun to watch and very much the future of the NFL at the quarterback position – at least, it appears that way.  The Titans are 3rd in pass defense (213.8 ypg), leaving an interesting matchup between the aforementioned Bortles and the Allen-WR-duo of Robinson and Hurns.  Both teams have trouble protecting the QB, but Tennessee is 5th in sacks (27) and may have more success getting to Bortles.  Toss in Mariota’s mobility and playmaking ability and I’ll take the Titans to keep this at a FG, or even win it outright.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Tennessee Titans

St. Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-1.5)

The Ravens continue to find ways to lose games (yes, we’re looking at you, Elvis Dumervil).  Home or away, it doesn’t matter for Baltimore this season.  St. Louis, meanwhile, will continue to rely heavily on RB Todd Gurley and its 5th ranked rushing offense (130.9 ypg).  The Rams have benched Nick Foles and will go with Case Keenum, while Baltimore continues to roll out QB Joe Flacco.  Flacco has struggled with a lack of offensive weapons, thanks to the injury bug that struck this team all season.  The Ravens protect Flacco well, but will be facing a St. Louis defense that has the 3rd most sacks in the NFL (29).  In the end, this pick goes to the best player on the field and in this case, that’s Todd Gurley.  The Rams get back on track with a key road victory.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: St. Louis Rams

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5)

psycho-movie-scream

Andrew Luck is out? Ahhhh! (Image: ‘Psycho’ – 1960)

Both teams are coming off a bye and have had plenty of time for rest and preparation.  The Colts will be without Andrew Luck and will need another steady performance from veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck.  The Falcons, meanwhile, are floundering offensively, scoring 67 total points over its last four games.  Neither team has been able to get significant pressure on opposing QB’s (Colts – 13 sacks, 30th, Falcons – 10 sacks, 32nd).  Atlanta’s offensive ineptness seems to be tied to the absence of Leonard Hankerson (hamstring) – at least, his absence hasn’t helped.  Hankerson has been a limited participant in practice this week and his return would help take the focus off Julio Jones.  In the end, it looks like a tall order for Hasselbeck and the Colts to consistently fend off Atlanta’s weapons, especially on the road.  Give me the Falcons at home by a touchdown.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Atlanta Falcons

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers (-7.5)

Kirk Cousins stuck it to his critics again, posting a perfect passer rating performance against the Saints last week.  Still, that’s a performance against a horrid defense that recently dismissed its DC (Rob Ryan).  This is a road contest against the undefeated Panthers and a much stronger defensive unit.  Then again, only four of Carolina’s nine wins were by double digits and Washington certainly has the talent to keep the game close.  The Redskins, however, are 26th in sacks (14) and giving Cam Newton time is simply not a good idea.  Let’s not forget how Cousins is on the road (4 TD, 7 INT), compared to how he performs at home (10 TD, 2 INT).  That’s the most glaring stat of all and for that reason alone, I’ll take Cam Newton and the Panthers to cover at home.

KP’s Pick: Carolina Panthers

New York Jets at Houston Texans (+2.5)

Quarterback play is a question mark in this game, with Ryan Fitzpatrick coming off surgery (and currently questionable), while Brian Hoyer is likely to miss the game due to a concussion.  Houston backup T.J. Yates filled in admirably, engineering a clutch drive and upset of the Bengals on Monday night.  There’s that fact, too… the Texans playing on short rest, while the Jets had extra time, following a disappointing Thursday night loss to Rex Ryan and the Bills.  There’s also New York’s top-ranked rush defense (88.1 ypg), which is likely to make the Texans one-dimensional on offense.  That puts more pressure on Yates and assuming that Fitzpatrick is healthy enough to go, I like New York to cover on the road.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5)

home-alone-screaming-kevin

A butt-fumbling backup? Noooo! (Image: Macaulay Culkin – ‘Home Alone’)

Mark Sanchez is expected to start for the Eagles and that means you should wash that beer or shot glass and prepare yourself for a few “butt fumble” drinking games.  Either that, or prepare for a matchup between two of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL this season.  Last week, Tampa Bay survived to snag an ugly victory against Dallas, while the Eagles fumbled away too many missed opportunities against the Dolphins.  The Eagles are likely to be without Ryan Mathews (concussion), which is another hit to its offense.  Combine that with the ever-growing chemistry between Jameis Winston and Mike Evans and I like the Bucs to keep this one close.  Give me Tampa Bay and the points.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions (+2.5)

The Lions were a flubbed Mason Crosby FG attempt away from blowing a large lead in Green Bay last week, further showing that this team is very much a work in progress.  Oakland will pose a challenge, especially offensively, with a talented group that features QB Derek Carr, RB Latavius Murray, WR Michael Crabtree and WR Amari Cooper.  The Raiders are 31st against the pass, which also likely means a big day from QB Matthew Stafford, WR Calvin Johnson and WR Golden Tate.  This game just screams “Shootout!” doesn’t it?  When focusing on shootouts, it’s smart to focus on the more consistent team, assuming it can engineer a late 4th quarter drive.  With that in mind, give me Oakland on the road.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Oakland Raiders

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (+.5)

Dallas fans have been waiting to hear these words for weeks: Tony Romo is back.  Romo is expected to toss aside that crownie recipe and practice in full as early as today (Thursday).  While he’s likely to be rusty, the return of Romo should mean big benefits for the likes of WR Dez Bryant and RB Darren McFadden.  It overall means a boost for the entire Dallas roster.  Throw in a Cowboys pass defense that has allowed just 9 TD in nine games and I’ll take Dallas to finally get back into the win column.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (+2.5)

Peyton Manning is injured, paving the way for Brock Osweiler to get the start.  Osweiler has plenty of weapons to push him towards success, although former coaches Adam Gase and John Fox are in Chicago and will be familiar with both his strengths and weaknesses.  Jay Cutler, meanwhile, was great last week against St. Louis, but will be facing a Denver defense that is 1st against the pass (182.8 ypg), with 9 INT and just 8 TD’s allowed.  The Broncos also have the most sacks in the NFL with 32.  Everyone knows how great Cutler can be, but also how bad he can be.  Facing a defense like Denver has, I’m banking on multiple Cutler mistakes, while Brock Osweiler does just enough to lead the Broncos to victory.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+3.5)

The Chargers are coming off a bye while the Chiefs are fresh off a huge victory against the Broncos.  Many will focus on how strong K.C. was last week, but it must be noted just how injured Peyton Manning was, along with the fact that it was Andy Reid’s bye week follow-up.  The Chargers have the NFL’s top-ranked pass offense (328.6 ypg) and home field advantage.  The Chiefs’ secondary is beatable and will give up big throws and plenty of points to Philip Rivers.  Kansas City will hope Charcandrick West will have plenty of success against San Diego’s 27th-ranked run defense.  But with the previous thoughts in mind, give me the Chargers and the points in a close game.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: San Diego Chargers

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-11.5)

Blaine Gabbert proved me wrong in Week 9, faring quite well against the Falcons.  Coming off a bye, Gabbert has had extra time with the first string offense.  The Seahawks, meanwhile, are not the same team in 2015 – we all know that.  But this is still a game in front of the 12th man, with a Niners team that has lost three road games by 3 or more TD’s this season.  Toss in the fact that San Francisco lost 20-3 to these Seahawks in Week 7.  Fool me once, Blaine, shame on you.  Fool me twice… nah, ‘Hawks cover.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-.5)

What the heck is going on in Green Bay?  A month ago, we were talking about the undefeated Packers and this week, it’s a risk of falling to 6-4 and being two games behind the Vikes in the division chase. For the first two losses, it was Green Bay’s defense.  Last week, it was the offense and this week, Aaron Rodgers is questionable with a shoulder injury.  Expect Aaron to play and face a tough Minnesota defense that is ranked 8th against the pass (228.0 ypg).  More notable is how Green Bay’s 24th-ranked run D will handle Adrian Peterson and Minnesota’s top-ranked rushing offense (147.2 ypg).  While all signs point to the Vikings, this just isn’t the type of game (or moment) that Aaron Rodgers falters in.  Green Bay has its back against the wall and this is where #12 shines.  Give me the Pack, albeit reluctantly.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Green Bay Packers

Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

The Bengals were shut down by Houston’s defense on Monday night and now face yet another aggressive unit on the road.  The offensive matchup between Caron Palmer and Andy Dalton is an intriguing one, but balance will be the bigger factor and that advantage goes to the Cardinals, who have had more success running the ball with Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington and David Johnson.  Jeremy Hill has been a bust, to say the least, while Giovani Bernard has only had moments.  When you combine offensive balance with smart Arians play calling and aggressive D, I like the Cards to cover at home.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-7.5)

The Patriots avoided a blemish last week, thanks to poor game management (by the Giants) and the NFL’s confusing catch rule.  While most critics scratch their heads and question what a catch is, the rest move on and wonder how the Patriots will perform without Julian Edelman.  The answer is “just fine” and that’s not a knock on Edelman, who is certainly a huge loss for this offense.  As it has always been with the Belichick era, it’s about the next man up.  Expect opportunities (and success) for the likes of Aaron Dobson, Keshawn Martin and Danny Amendola.  Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Rex Ryan will mostly be focusing on the next thing to say at his press conference.  Rex will eat up the national MNF spotlight, but only until New England goes up by two touchdowns – and cruises to victory.  Pats cover at home.

KP’s NFL Week 11 Pick: New England Patriots

Bye Week: Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers

 

THE WIFE

She HATES sports, but will pick teams in hopes of leading to your embarrassment (and there was plenty of that last year).  No blurb, just her selection, and we’re lucky to get that much!

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5) – Jaguars

St. Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-1.5) – Rams

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5) – Falcons

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers (-7.5) – Panthers

New York Jets at Houston Texans (+2.5) – Texans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5) – Buccaneers

Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions (+2.5) – Raiders

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (+.5) – Dolphins

Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (+2.5) – Bears

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+3.5) – Chargers

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-11.5) – Seahawks

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-.5) – Packers

Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5) – Bengals

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-7.5) – Patriots

 

COIN FLIP NFL Week 11 Picks

This quarter refuses to be referred to as “Chump change”… see what I did there?  Oh, and by the way, HEADS equals the HOME team, and TAILS is a vote for the AWAY team.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5) – Jaguars

St. Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-1.5) – Ravens

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5) – Colts

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers (-7.5) – Redskins

New York Jets at Houston Texans (+2.5) – Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5) – Eagles

Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions (+2.5) – Lions

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (+.5) – Dolphins

Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (+2.5) – Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+3.5) – Chargers

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-11.5) – Seahawks

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-.5) – Vikings

Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5) – Bengals

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-7.5) – Patriots

 

SPORTS CHUMP NFL Week 11 Picks

My long-time friend is back and seeking revenge.  Here are the Chump’s takes for Week 11:

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)

With Andrew Luck sidelined (not that it mattered much with the way he was playing) and this division clearly the worst in football, amazingly neither Tennessee nor Jacksonville has been eliminated from playoff contention.  In fact, Jacksonville is only one game out of first place.  Whoulda thunk?  They’re close and they can sniff it.  They’re not going to win this division but at least it serves as inspirational locker room chatter.  Expect Jacksonville to stay in the hunt for the division.  They’re the more consistent of these two teams and will show that Thursday by covering the three.

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers (-7)

The Carolina Panthers continue to be undervalued.  Does no one in Charlotte wager?  Cam and company have been covering machines lately.  I get that the Redskins just put up 47 on the Saints but everyone’s doing that.  Carolina covers again this week and continues their undefeated season.

Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions (+2)

The Oakland Raiders just lost Aldon Smith for a full season for doing things that NFL players do.  That’s going to hurt, not only on the field but in the locker room.  Detroit is hot right now, coming off a big win in Green Bay, their first in over two decades.  When I see two teams going in opposite directions, I take advantage, which is what I’m doing this week.  Take Detroit and the points in a game they should win outright.

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (pick)

Seven straight losses for Big D?  Greg Hardy and Dez Bryant are running out of people to yell at.  It’ll be all hugs and smiles this week though as they take their extremely limited talents to South Beach to end that losing streak against the Dolphins.  If not, Tony Romo might just stay down there and open up a night club called “The Clavicle.”

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (-6)

The Falcons have been struggling lately.  Consecutive losses to San Fran and Tampa, they are losers of three of their last four.  It’s time for them to get back to the team we once thought they were, a potential playoff troublemaker.  I don’t know if Julio Jones will get back to putting up the gaudy numbers he did in the beginning of the season but the Falcons should have no problem covering the six at home against the Luck-less Colts.

St Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-2)

What’s up with the Ravens?  Is it safe to start calling them the worst team in football yet?  If Steelers fans have their Terrible Towel, Ravens fans this season should be waving a white flag.  The Ravens are so bad, the Rams just benched the struggling Nick Foles for Case Keenum and will still go into Baltimore and win.  Just you watch.

New York Jets at Houston Texans (+2.5)

Someone just woke Houston up.  Hello, Houston, it’s halfway through the season.  It’s safe to start playing football now.  They did just that last Monday, absolutely shutting down Cincinnati’s running game.  They’re home dogs this week and I like it.  I’ll take ‘em at home as they try their best to win a lousy division.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (pick)

Finally, the NFC North game we’ve all been waiting to see.  Can you believe it’s Week 11 and these two teams haven’t played each other yet?  Green Bay and Minnesota are the class of the division.  Well, at least the Packers used to be.  They’ve lost three straight while the Vikes have won their last five.  And still they’re a home pick.  There’s a reason for that.  The Packers have been horrid lately but are still clearly capable of winning this division.  They’ll need to start that push this weekend… and they do with a well-needed win to get things back on track.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles (-5.5)

I’m taking the Bucs and the points here.  I’ve finally got faith in my team, however scary or irrelevant that might seem when it comes to picking football games.  The Eagles just lost Sam Bradford (shocker!) meaning the Sanchise will start.  When the Bucs go up early (we know they do well in that stadium, just ask any Eagles fan), expect the chorus of boos to be overwhelming, not battery-throwing bad but close.  This will be Jameis’s first NFL visit to the City of Brotherly Heckling but he should be strong enough to lead his team without distraction.  After all, it’s not like he hasn’t been heckled in the past.

Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (-1)

No Manning, no problem.  It’s not like he was playing all that well anyway.  Enter Brock.  Hmm, that didn’t seem to give Broncos fans a warm and fuzzy.  It’s definitely bad timing for the old man to go down with the Bears playing well.  They’ve won their last two, both on the road.  The home crowd will be happy to see them back… with a win.

Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (-5)

Here’s your game of the week, boys and girls.  Cincy is coming off a tough Monday night loss where they reminded everybody they’re the Cincinnati Bengals.  It was only a matter of time.  ‘Zona looked ridiculously good against a ridiculously bad Seattle team.  To be perfectly honest, I don’t have a good feel for this game.  I have this sneaky suspicion feeling Las Vegas really wants you to lay the five and I think I’ll bite.  After watching the last outings of both these teams, five points doesn’t seem like that much to lay.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-12.5)

This is how bad San Francisco is.  The Seattle Seahawks are horrible and the Niners are still two touchdown underdogs.  I’m inclined to take the points here based on how bad the Seahawks are but the Niners are the only team in this league they can beat.  Ironically 12.5 is also the over/under for how many times network cameras pan to a dejected Colin Kaepernick on the sidelines.  Seattle covers.

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+3)

I’m taking Chargers here.  I know the Chiefs are a better team but I think the Chargers will give this season one last push.  Plus, with the Broncos losing in Chicago and the Raiders losing in Detroit, this isn’t a must-win for KC.  The Chargers, the worst team in the AFC West, will be the only team in that division to win this Sunday, making things out west a lot more muddled.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-7)

I’d like to take the Bills here.  I really would.  But the New England Patriots are just downright frightening.  The Bills would have to play the perfect game just to keep this one close and even then the Pats could come back and make them pay.  Eh, I’ll take the Bills and hope for a back door cover.

 

Special Guest: Scott Gabree

Scott is one of the nicer people you’ll ever meet… unless you’re playing Fantasy sports against him.  Then, he will pepper in a heaping helping of trash talk, while still being one of the nicer people there is.  Here are Scotty’s picks for NFL Week 11 and while you read them, try to avoid any Andy Dalton jokes, as he’s a die-hard Bungles fan.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5)

What a way to kick off Week 11! It’s games like this that make me glad I don’t have the NFL Network or I might feel compelled to put this travesty on my TV screen. But alas, I don’t, so I can’t, so I won’t. And my family is all the better for it. Thus my only wasted time will be the past 35 seconds I spent writing that I’ll take the Jaguars because they seem less bad. (Jaguars -3.5)

St. Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-1.5)

I don’t really know what to make of the Rams, but who doesn’t like watching Todd Gurley? Gurley will be traveling to his hometown of Baltimore for the first time as a pro this week, which hopefully inspires him to play in top form. The Rams passing game is a different, and actually quite scary, story. On Monday, that horror story took a somewhat expected turn; the Nick Foles days are in the past and in rolls the Case Keenum era. While no one expects Keenum to become a Pro Bowl QB, the change can’t really set them  back any further, so why not mix things up a bit? I also flat-out don’t trust the Ravens this season. (Rams +1.5)

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5)

I tend to expect more than I should from the Colts and less than I should from the Falcons. I believe my Colts inflation is because for the second straight year I drafted Andrew Luck in the first round of my fantasy draft and my visions of a pass-heavy offensive juggernaut have somehow not faded along with Andrew’s ribs. My Falcons issues are harder to pinpoint, but I suspect it may be as simple as the fact that I tend not to trust teams with more modern looking jerseys (note this probably means I like the Bears more than I should and the Panthers less than I should). I know this about myself. But hold off on the The More You Know [music note emoji] PSA humming, because as GI Joe taught us, knowing is only half the battle. The other half, which I can only assume is, at least in part, absorbing and acting on that knowledge, I have yet to learn. Hence, the Colts it is. (Colts +6.5)

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers (-7.5)

The Panthers look very tough. But something makes me leery of their continued success and I don’t think it’s entirely uniform driven. Their hardest games have been against the reeling Packers and the Seahawks, who remain a somewhat unknown commodity. I have a feeling that a decent team, playing well, could shake their confidence a bit. But are Kirk Cousins’s Washington…team…that team? No. Being second in the NFC East is about as impressive as being in first place in the AFC South. The Washington’s have yet to win a single road game and I have a feeling Carolina will not be the first. Panthers take this one by a lot. (Panthers -7.5)

New York Jets at Houston Texans (+2.5)

The Texans defense looked great against the Bengals on Monday night; especially rookie CB Kevin Johnson, who was fantastic. The Jets paid a lot of money to have the CBs and defense that they have, and it seems to be working for them to some degree. I see this as two sub-par offenses playing against decent defenses. I’ll take the points in what I assume will be a low scoring, pretty bad, game. (Texans +2.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5)

I trust this Eagles team as much as I trust my 14-month-old son at the top of the stairs. And that was BEFORE the Eagles handed the keys to Mark Sanchez. I certainly don’t think the Bucs are all that great, but if you are going to offer me over 6 points against this Chip Kelly team, I’m going to take it. (Bucs +6.5)

Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions (+2.5)

I don’t trust either of these teams. But the Raiders seem to be playing for more at this point. Megatron seems tired of playing on a perennial loser while the Raiders young core is too new to be jaded. (Raiders -2.5)

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (+.5)

I could not be happier about the fact that the Cowboys have yet to win a game since rostering Greg Hardy. All that was accomplished by his signing was the solidification of Jerry Jones as a Mr. Burns-esque, morally bankrupt villain and the precipitous fall of the Cowboys to the cellar of the division. It was fun to hate the Cowboys in the 1990’s, but that disdain faded over time. It’s nice to have a new reason to despise that franchise. They’ll cut bait with Hardy soon, but rostering him and talking about him as a leader was too much already. The Dolphins are hot and cold, so it’s not clear what you’ll get this week. I’m counting on the bad mojo in the Cowboys locker room overcoming anything else and sealing a win for the ‘phins. (Miami +0.5)

Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (+2.5)

The Bears are playing quite well right now – something few people would have expected before the past two wins. And with GB playing the Vikings this week and a date with the Packers on Thanksgiving night, the Bears could be in the Wild Card mix come early December. Could be. What stands in the way this week is a very talented Broncos defense at whom Jay Cutler will be throwing footballs.

As a defensive back, you hope that you are able to play the Bears the year before your contract is up so that you can point to your amazing 2 INT game and grab a little extra coin. Maybe Cutler is different this season; currently on pace for a 26:10 TD:INT, which would be a career best. Or maybe Adam Gase has figured out how to build an offense around Cutler’s skill set. Or maybe the Broncos, with the best pass defense in the league, will be too much. (Broncos -2.5)

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+3.5)

Chiefs are coming off of a bye week, so a trip out west won’t be so bad. And they seem to be turning their season around at the right time. Three wins in a row: two good wins against the Steelers and Broncos and a statement annihilation of the Lions. They have the ball rolling in the right direction. (Chiefs -3.5)

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-11.5)

The 49ers are horrible.  With few exceptions, they have been blown out by clearly superior teams. The Seahawks beat the 49ers in SF by 17 just a few weeks ago. But the Seahawks are so hit or miss that it’s hard to give them 11.5 points against anyone. You never know what team is going to show up. Picking the 49ers feels off, but so does not taking that many points. (49ers +11.5)

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-.5)

The Packers are playing awful. Aaron Rodgers has fallen from being considered the best QB in the league to looking overmatched by mediocre defenses. Seriously, if you DogPile (or Bing or Google or whatever) “Aaron Rodgers Greatest QB of All Time” you will see an endless array of articles written in September 2015 with a consistent theme of praise. Rodgers, during that time, had a string of three 115+ QB ratings, a mark which hasn’t been hit since September. There isn’t much you can do when your receivers don’t get open.

While I think the Packers will turn the ship around, it’s not looking good for them right now. The Vikings are on the other side of that coin – they are at the top of their game. I see another real tough day for Rodgers against a very tough Minnesota defense. [*Side Note: Good on Aaron Rodgers for calling out a small-minded Lambeau fan for saying something bigoted during the moment of silence. When you have a platform to promote tolerance, use it.] (Vikings -0.5)

Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

Full disclosure, I cheer for the Bengals and have for a number of years now. While such a proposition was blasphemous in 2002, wearing tiger stripes in today’s NFL has become somewhat en vogue. Following them through that rollercoaster has been pretty great, but the team has hit a point where making the playoffs is no longer good enough. If you take Monday’s loss out of the equation, this is the most confident and talented Bengals team in decades. But Monday was a wake-up call (perhaps a needed one). In an effort to dull the emotional blow of Monday’s loss, I have decided that the Bengals were looking past the Texans to this matchup with the Cards. Bill Simmons would have said it was a textbook “trap game” and I’m choosing to believe it was exactly that. Everyone on the offense was off. Eifert dropped passes that my 14-month-old would have caught. AJ didn’t really show up at all. Dalton seemed to be showing glimpses of 2014 with happy feet and passes sailing over his receivers heads.

But these are not the 2014 Bengals [he said, probably lying to himself]. The 2015 Bengals are more talented and confident and Andy is a new QB [my brain won’t let me say aloud that there is a 50% chance that we saw the real Bengals on Monday night]. The Cardinals present quite a challenge. Carson Palmer hosting his former team while having a season reminiscent of the last time he took the Bengals to the playoffs. There are few teams in football that are scarier than the Cardinals are right now. Their only home loss came at the hands of Todd Gurley’s first breakout game; a 22-24 nail-biting loss. Everything I know tells me that the Cardinals should pounce all over this recently defeated Bengals team; The More You Know [music note emoji]. (Bengals +2.5)

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-7.5)

The Patriots are the best team in football. I honestly don’t think it matters that Edelman is out until the playoffs. Bill Belichick is a motivator unlike any other coach in the NFL. Fans of every other team in football know what a game looks like when your team just doesn’t show up like they normally do [ahem, Bengals last Monday, ahem]. The Patriots fans really don’t. Belichick doesn’t let his players take a game off – something just about every coach will say, but few can put into action. Belichick has surely spent all week schooling Amendola and devising a game plan that will use his skills in the best way possible. It’s what he does. That said, the Bills are somewhat formidable in spite of their coach. They have a good defense which will surely test the Patriots depleted offensive front. I think they keep this game within a score, but the Pats pull out the win like they always do. [*Side Note: I’m not a Patriots fan, but I can’t help but smile thinking of the idea of Roger Goodell having to hand a trophy to Belichick/Kraft/Brady at the end of this season. Serves him right.] (Bills +7.5)

 

Who do you have in NFL Week 11?