Scott Dryden breaks down the NFL Week 11 slate of games
Last Week: 5-8 Season: 95-52
TNF Pittsburgh at Cleveland: Despite massive changes to their lineup, the Steelers continue to play competitive football. They have won four in a row including a dominant defensive performance versus the Rams. The Browns won a hard-fought contest versus the Bills.
The combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will be difficult for opposing defenses. Two old, bitter rivals on the prime time stage should result in a physically intense game. In a tight slobber knocker, Chubb and the Browns running game is the difference. CLE 23 PIT 20
Houston at Baltimore: Two of the biggest young stars in the NFL will be featured in a battle of division leaders. Deshaun Watson and the Texans return from their bye with a one-game lead in the AFC South. Watson has been brilliant again this year. Lamar Jackson is as exciting to watch as any player in the NFL. His passing mechanics have improved within a system that allows him to show off his dynamic running ability. In a thriller, the home field is the difference. BALT 33 HOU 30
Denver at Minnesota: The Broncos return from their bye with a 3-6 record. They will once again have Brandon Allen under center despite rookie Drew Lock returning from injury. The Vikings earned a big win on Sunday night in Dallas. At 7-3, Minnesota is a good position for a wild card spot and only one game behind the first-place Packers. Expect another big game from Dalvin Cook. MIN 27 DEN 10
Jacksonville at Indianapolis: The Jaguars return from their bye week with a 4-5 record, good for last place in the competitive AFC South. They will reinsert Nick Foles, who returns from an injury, into the starting lineup. The Colts laid a huge egg in their embarrassing home loss to the Dolphins. Backup QB Brian Hoyer could not get the job done. Jacoby Brissett could return from injury which will light a fire under a team that desperately needs a victory. In a tight game, the Jags get a key road victory. JAX 23 IND 20
New Orleans at Tampa Bay: The old adage “Any Given Sunday” certainly applied last week in New Orleans. The Saints were flat in a shocking loss to the hapless Falcons. The Saints are in control of the division but need wins to get a first round bye. The Buccaneers are showing improvement under Bruce Arians. Expect Drew Brees and company to control the clock and earn a hard fought victory. NO 24 TB 21
New York Jets at Washington: The Jets put 34 points versus their neighbors, the New York Giants. Yes a win is a win but their defense struggled mightily. They will face a Redskins squad that returns from their bye with only one victory. Darnold vs Haskins is intriguing but the game itself plays like one featuring two teams with only three combined victories. The Skins grind out an ugly victory. WASH 20 NYJ 16
Dallas at Detroit: The 5-4 Cowboys are tied atop the AFC East but are under heavy scrutiny. There is little doubt the team is underachieving which has head coach Jason Garrett in the crosshairs. Despite a bevy of talent, outside of their division the Cowboys have struggled mightily. The Lions were without Matthew Stafford last week versus the Bears. His return will ignite their offense. In a key game for both teams, Ezekiel Elliott is the difference. DAL 34 DET 27
Buffalo at Miami: The Bills suffered a tough loss last week in Cleveland which places them two games behind the first place Patriots. QB Josh Allen is showing growth but their o-line needs to improve as do their wideouts. The Dolphins are playing hard for HC Brian Flores. They lack talent but are a gritty bunch. Miami keeps it close but the Bills defense along with big plays by Allen are too much. BUF 27 MIA 20
Atlanta at Carolina; The bye week, along with coaching assignment changes, served the Falcons well. They pulled off the upset of the week – maybe the year – with an impressive performance in New Orleans. The Panthers are playing well with Kyle Allen under center. They suffered a heartbreaking loss in the snow versus Green Bay. Allen and McCaffrey have big days. CAR 33 ATL 20
Arizona at San Francisco: Kyler Murray once again was impressive, albeit in losing fashion. The rookie QB threw for 324 yards with three touchdowns in a three-point defeat at Tampa. His young receivers Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella are starting to come on. The Niners were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten in a thriller on Monday night versus the Seahawks. Despite the difficult defeat, they still control their own destiny in the NFC West. The Niners bounce back. SF 31 ARI 23
Cincinnati at Oakland: The Bengals benched Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. It didn’t help as they were lambasted 49-13 by the Ravens. Their defense continues to struggle with no hope in the near horizon. The Raiders are one of the surprise teams despite a bevy of injuries. The earned a hard-fought victory last Thursday night versus the Chargers. Expect a big game from rookie running back Josh Jacobs keeping the Silver & Black in the playoff hunt. OAK 34 CIN 16
New England at Philadelphia: Both teams return from their bye week for a rematch of Super Bowl LII, and each is in first place. The Patriots sit alone atop of the AFC East with a record of 8-1 which is best in the AFC. The Eagles are now tied in the NFC East. Expect a boisterous Philly crowd. In a tight game, the Patriots get back into the win column behind running backs in the passing game. NE 24 PHI 20
SNF Chicago at Los Angeles Rams: The Bears are not a thing of beauty but they managed get the victory over the undermanned Lions. The victory moved the Bears to 4-5 on the season. Sean McVay’s explosive offense appears to be a thing of the past. Their offense was manhandled last week in Pittsburgh, managing only 12 points. In 2018, the Rams averaged 32.9 PPG which was good for 2nd in the NFL. This year they are scoring 25 per game which is tenth in the league. These two teams had an epic battle in week 14 last season but neither team is playing to that level this season. In a must-win game for both teams, the Rams grind out the victory. LAR 23 CHI 16
MNF Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers: Patrick Mahomes is back. He played well but, unfortunately for the Chiefs fans, Kansas City suffered a tough loss at Tennessee. Mahomes threw for 446 yards with three touchdowns in the 35-32 defeat. The Chargers surge was thwarted on Thursday night versus the Raiders. At 4-6, the Bolts may have already ran out of time. LA will attempt to run the ball to keep Mahomes off the field – it won’t matter. The Kansas City offense hits several big plays moving them to 7-4 on the season. KC 31 LAC 20
Bye Week: Green Bay, New York Giants, Seattle, Tennessee
