So, the NFL only has a few more games before we reach the playoffs and week eleven is a do or die week for many teams. Who will win this week in hopes of keeping their playoff hopes alive? Who will continue tanking for the first round draft pick? Let's see, shall we?
Thursday Night Football Results: Green Bay 24 @ Seattle 27
Sunday's Games:
Tennessee 24 (5-4, LW: Win VS NE, 34-10) @ Indianapolis 20 (4-5, LW: Win VS. JAX 29-26)
Considering Tennessee's statement win over New England last week, I see little reason as to why they won't continue to win. I also said this about their win over Philadelphia, then went on to proceed to lose to Buffalo, get shut out by Baltimore, and struggle against the Chargers. Despite this, I see little reason as to why Indianapolis would win. Sure, Andrew Luck is a game changer, but they've got little they can do to scratch an otherwise frightening Titans defense. Marcus Mariota is a game changer and they've got plenty to work with on defense. I firmly believe this will be a Tennessee victory, they'll need this if they wish to catch up to Houston in the race for the AFC South.
Actual Results: TEN 10 (5-5) - IND 38 (5-5)
Tampa Bay 27 (3-6, LW: Loss VS WAS, 16-3) @ New York GIants 24 (2-7, LW: Win VS SF, 27-23)
Oh, boy, who's ready for some more uninspiring, sleep inducing football? Both teams are currently racing for better draft picks. What happened to Tampa Bay? They started off so nicely, 2-0, a beautiful offense orchestrated by Fitzpatrick, and now... they're comfortably dwelling in the NFC South's basement. The New York Giants are no better and are probably just better off searching for a replacement for Eli Manning. Tampa Bay will probably pull some Fitzmagic out of their asses to show up an uninspiring GIants team, giving them a win. It could really go either way, but perhaps this'll determine who gets the second overall pick.
Actual Results: NYG 38 (3-7) - TB 35 (3-7)
Pittsburgh 45 (6-2-1, LW: Win VS CAR, 52-21) @ Jacksonville 20 (3-6, LW: Loss VS IND 29-26)
At the beginning of the season, these teams looked very different. Pittsburgh tied with Cleveland, lost to Kansas City, and just looked like a very slow team. Big Ben was gonna retire, Antonio Brown wasn't the same player, the lack of Le'veon Bell hurt the team, but they've since responded and have had several huge wins, the blowout of Carolina being among them. I don't think there's anyone that could stop them. Jacksonville was a favorite to win the AFC South and the AFC itself, going 3-1, but since then, they've returned to the basement of the AFC once again. Blake Bortles has regressed yet again, the defense isn't anywhere like it was last season and I don't think it'll get much better. Houston and Tennessee are running away with the division, Indianapolis is improving. I doubt the Jacksonville offense will do anything to scratch Pittsburgh's defense.
Actual Results: PIT 20 (7-2-1) - JAX 16 (3-7)
Carolina 35 (6-3, LW: Loss VS PIT, 52-21) @ Detroit 20 (3-6, LW: Loss VS CHI, 34-22)
While the blowout to Pittsburgh was devastating, Carolina's offense is still potent and Cam Newton is a dangerous quarterback, their defense isn't to be dismissed either. Considering how much punishment Matthew Stafford has been taking, I doubt Carolina will have much of a problem picking apart Detroit's offense and defense, giving them an easy victory in the Motor City. Carolina desperately needs this win if they want to stay in the race for the fifth seed.
Actual Results: CAR 19 (6-4) - DET 20 (4-6)
Dallas 20 (4-5, LW: Win VS Philadelphia 27-20) @ Atlanta 24 (4-5, LW: Loss VS Cleveland, 28-16)
I'm not sure what to think about these teams, one moment they both look like they belong in the basement with the Giants, 49ers, and Lions, but at other times, they look like they'll go deep in the playoffs. Dallas' win over Philadephia helped them a bit in the race of the NFC East, but I doubt they'll be catching up to Washington anytime soon, and unfortunately, I don't think they'll be able to outscore Atlanta. The loss against Cleveland was a bit strange, but playing in a cold weather city in November isn't easy for a team from the south. They'll be playing at home, and it'll likely give them a close victory.
Actual Results: DAL 22 (5-5) - ATL 19 (4-6)
Cincinnati 21 (5-4, LW: Loss VS NOR, 51-14) @ Baltimore 35 (4-5, LW: Loss VS PIT 23-16)
Both of these teams are looking poor, uninspiring, and are definitely not the teams that were racing for the division title earlier in the season. Cincinnati was absolutely embarrassed, at home. Who can blame them? New Orleans looks nearly unstoppable now, but still, letting the opponent score 51 points while you barely put up two touchdowns is depressing. Baltimore might be on a losing streak as well, but most of these losses were close. I believe that the Baltimore offense will do more than enough to outscore the Bungles.
Actual Results: CIN 21 (5-5) - BAL 24 (5-5)
Houston 30 (6-3, LW: Win VS DEN, 19-17) @ Washington 20 (6-3, LW: Win VS TB, 16-3)
Has there ever been more uninspiring 6-3 teams in the history of the NFL? While Houston has been winning like crazy lately, none of these wins were really noteworthy, all of them came against teams at or below .500. Washington is slow, boring, and slow, Alex Smith isn't the quarterback he was in Kansas City, and Washington is just banged up on the offense. I doubt they'll get passed a J.J Watt led Houston defense while Deshaun Watson will have no problem getting passed the Washington defense.
Actual Results: HOU 23 (7-3) - WAS 21 (6-4)
Oakland 16 (1-8, LW: Loss VS LAC 20-6) @ Arizona 20 (2-7, LW: Loss VS KC 26-14)
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, get excited for the battle for the first overall draft pick. In all seriousness, this is gonna be a terrible game. Oakland has nothing worth mentioning, Derek Carr isn't the quarterback he was a couple years ago, the defense is awful. If it weren't for some official assistance against Cleveland, they'd be 0-9. Arizona on the other hand might be interesting, their defense is showing signs of life, especially seeing that they managed to hold Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes to a low of 26 and Josh Rosen is a solid quarterback, so perhaps there's hope for Arizona. Regardless, for now, this is a battle to see who gets the first round pick.
Actual Results: OAK 23 (2-8) - ARI 21 (2-8)
Denver 14 (3-6, LW: Loss VS HOU, 19-17) @ Los Angeles Chargers 30 (7-2, LW: Win VS OAK, 20-6)
The Chargers are on a roll and are probably the biggest threats to Kansas City's dominance in the AFC, I see little reason as to why this will change. The defense has been putting up dominant performances, though their wins have all been against teams at or below .500, they're still enough to keep LAC rolling. Denver on the other hand hasn't gotten much done, the defense does what it does best, but the offense isn't doing much to help. The Chargers will continue creeping closer to Kansas City, while Denver will comfortably sit near the basement.
Actual Results: DEN 23 (4-6) - LAC 22 (7-3)
Philadelphia 20 (4-5, LW: Loss VS DAL, 27-20) @ New Orleans 40 (8-1, LW: Win VS CIN, 51-14)
The defending Super Bowl champions are doing a terrible job at defending their title, the offense is slow, the defense is terrible, and I don't see them having much luck against a red hot Saints team that looks near unstoppable, especially when their playing in New Orleans. This is likely gonna be another blowout tacked onto Drew Brees' long career.
Actual Results: PHI 7 (4-6) - NO 48 (9-1)
Minnesota 20 (5-3-1, LW: Win VS DET, 24-9) @ Chicago 24 (6-3, LW: Win VS DET 34-22)
This game is huge for both teams, a win for either team would likely decide who's taking home the NFC North. Chicago is led by a solid defense and a strong offense, while Minnesota has that suffocating defense. It's gonna be a close, defensively dominated game, though I believe Chicago's offense will provide them a bit of a cushion, but either way, a victory here will go a long way in the division race.
Actual Results: MIN 20 (5-4-1) - CHI 25 (7-3)
Monday Night Football:
Kansas City 43 (9-1, LW: Win VS ARI, 26-14) @ Los Angeles Rams 40 (9-1, LW: Win VS SEA, 36-31)
Will we finally see a primetime game that isn't a total snooze fest? Two 9-1 teams with red hot offenses, a promising young quarterback, and questionable defenses. I'm fully expecting a shootout from these teams, Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff will have no problem tearing apart the opposing defenses, though my bias for my Kansas City Chiefs is clouding my judgement, I believe their defense will step up more often when it matters. Justin Houston and Dee Ford have been productive all season, and if Eric Berry plays, that'll provide some extra support for the away team. Either way, we might be witnessing a preview for Super Bowl LIII.
Actual Results: KC 51 (9-2) - LAR 54 (10-1)
It's week eleven and more often than not, the playoffs begin to take shape around this time of the season. The league is unpredictable and I bet you, this'll look completely different by the time week seventeen arrives. Anyways, let's just see what we've got here.
AFC East: New England Patriots
I think this one is obvious, the AFC East is in such disarray, I firmly believe that New England could go on to lose every remaining game in the season and they'll still have a comfortable hold on the division. It'll likely be this way until Tom Brady retires.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
When the season started, it looked like the race was between the Bengals and Ravens, but Pittsburgh has since rebounded and has taken a comfortable lead over the rest of the division once again. Though, the Steelers need to keep their winning ways going, as the Bengals and Ravens still have a shot at taking the division.
AFC South: Tennessee Titans
This is gonna be a close one between the Texans, Titans, and Colts. In the end, I believe the Titans defense is gonna hold out in the end. Houston hasn't beaten anyone that's been really too noteworthy, Andrew Luck doesn't have much of a supporting cast around him, but he's giving Indianapolis a bright future.
AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers/Kansas City Chiefs
As much as it pains me to give the division to a rival, I have a feeling Kansas City's defense will let it down when it matters most, the Chargers have been a much more rounded team. The offense is putting up points, the defense is doing well. Though, the division will likely come down to the final game between these rivals, but from the looks of it, it's likely to be the Chargers. While the Chargers are pretty solid, I don't think the Chiefs offense is cooling down anytime soon, this is gonna be a close race.
AFC Wild Card #1: Los Angeles Chargers/Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Wild Card #2: Houston Texans
NFC East: Washington Redskins
The entirety of the division is pretty pathetic, but the Redskins seem to be the most reliable here. They've got a solid defense, though the offense could certainly use some work. Alex Smith doesn't have the weapons he had back in Kansas City, but he's still got a few key pieces to work with. Unless Dallas manages to get a few big wins in the next few weeks, this is going to Washington.
NFC West: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a great team, their offense seems nearly unstoppable and they've built up a comfortable lead in the division, sweeping the Seahawks has only made it easier to hold onto their division title. This will likely be their division for several years to come, an improving defense will only make it easier.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
Since starting 0-1, this team has won every single game since then. The offense seems unstoppable, Drew Brees is essentially handing out touchdown passes like Halloween candy, the defense is solid, and the rest of the division is a mess. Carolina is inconsistent, Atlanta is plagued with a terrible defense and injuries, and Tampa Bay is just horrible.
NFC North: Chicago Bears
This team is very different from what is was last season, it's not the same lovable losers, they're got a solid offense and a great defense will make it easy to slide into the division crown, though their match up with Minnesota will likely determine who takes the division.
NFC Wild Card #1: Minnesota Vikings
NFC Wild Card #2: Carolina Panthers
What are your predictions for Week 11 and the playoffs?
Thursday Night Football Results: Green Bay 24 @ Seattle 27
Sunday's Games:
Tennessee 24 (5-4, LW: Win VS NE, 34-10) @ Indianapolis 20 (4-5, LW: Win VS. JAX 29-26)
Considering Tennessee's statement win over New England last week, I see little reason as to why they won't continue to win. I also said this about their win over Philadelphia, then went on to proceed to lose to Buffalo, get shut out by Baltimore, and struggle against the Chargers. Despite this, I see little reason as to why Indianapolis would win. Sure, Andrew Luck is a game changer, but they've got little they can do to scratch an otherwise frightening Titans defense. Marcus Mariota is a game changer and they've got plenty to work with on defense. I firmly believe this will be a Tennessee victory, they'll need this if they wish to catch up to Houston in the race for the AFC South.
Actual Results: TEN 10 (5-5) - IND 38 (5-5)
Tampa Bay 27 (3-6, LW: Loss VS WAS, 16-3) @ New York GIants 24 (2-7, LW: Win VS SF, 27-23)
Oh, boy, who's ready for some more uninspiring, sleep inducing football? Both teams are currently racing for better draft picks. What happened to Tampa Bay? They started off so nicely, 2-0, a beautiful offense orchestrated by Fitzpatrick, and now... they're comfortably dwelling in the NFC South's basement. The New York Giants are no better and are probably just better off searching for a replacement for Eli Manning. Tampa Bay will probably pull some Fitzmagic out of their asses to show up an uninspiring GIants team, giving them a win. It could really go either way, but perhaps this'll determine who gets the second overall pick.
Actual Results: NYG 38 (3-7) - TB 35 (3-7)
Pittsburgh 45 (6-2-1, LW: Win VS CAR, 52-21) @ Jacksonville 20 (3-6, LW: Loss VS IND 29-26)
At the beginning of the season, these teams looked very different. Pittsburgh tied with Cleveland, lost to Kansas City, and just looked like a very slow team. Big Ben was gonna retire, Antonio Brown wasn't the same player, the lack of Le'veon Bell hurt the team, but they've since responded and have had several huge wins, the blowout of Carolina being among them. I don't think there's anyone that could stop them. Jacksonville was a favorite to win the AFC South and the AFC itself, going 3-1, but since then, they've returned to the basement of the AFC once again. Blake Bortles has regressed yet again, the defense isn't anywhere like it was last season and I don't think it'll get much better. Houston and Tennessee are running away with the division, Indianapolis is improving. I doubt the Jacksonville offense will do anything to scratch Pittsburgh's defense.
Actual Results: PIT 20 (7-2-1) - JAX 16 (3-7)
Carolina 35 (6-3, LW: Loss VS PIT, 52-21) @ Detroit 20 (3-6, LW: Loss VS CHI, 34-22)
While the blowout to Pittsburgh was devastating, Carolina's offense is still potent and Cam Newton is a dangerous quarterback, their defense isn't to be dismissed either. Considering how much punishment Matthew Stafford has been taking, I doubt Carolina will have much of a problem picking apart Detroit's offense and defense, giving them an easy victory in the Motor City. Carolina desperately needs this win if they want to stay in the race for the fifth seed.
Actual Results: CAR 19 (6-4) - DET 20 (4-6)
Dallas 20 (4-5, LW: Win VS Philadelphia 27-20) @ Atlanta 24 (4-5, LW: Loss VS Cleveland, 28-16)
I'm not sure what to think about these teams, one moment they both look like they belong in the basement with the Giants, 49ers, and Lions, but at other times, they look like they'll go deep in the playoffs. Dallas' win over Philadephia helped them a bit in the race of the NFC East, but I doubt they'll be catching up to Washington anytime soon, and unfortunately, I don't think they'll be able to outscore Atlanta. The loss against Cleveland was a bit strange, but playing in a cold weather city in November isn't easy for a team from the south. They'll be playing at home, and it'll likely give them a close victory.
Actual Results: DAL 22 (5-5) - ATL 19 (4-6)
Cincinnati 21 (5-4, LW: Loss VS NOR, 51-14) @ Baltimore 35 (4-5, LW: Loss VS PIT 23-16)
Both of these teams are looking poor, uninspiring, and are definitely not the teams that were racing for the division title earlier in the season. Cincinnati was absolutely embarrassed, at home. Who can blame them? New Orleans looks nearly unstoppable now, but still, letting the opponent score 51 points while you barely put up two touchdowns is depressing. Baltimore might be on a losing streak as well, but most of these losses were close. I believe that the Baltimore offense will do more than enough to outscore the Bungles.
Actual Results: CIN 21 (5-5) - BAL 24 (5-5)
Houston 30 (6-3, LW: Win VS DEN, 19-17) @ Washington 20 (6-3, LW: Win VS TB, 16-3)
Has there ever been more uninspiring 6-3 teams in the history of the NFL? While Houston has been winning like crazy lately, none of these wins were really noteworthy, all of them came against teams at or below .500. Washington is slow, boring, and slow, Alex Smith isn't the quarterback he was in Kansas City, and Washington is just banged up on the offense. I doubt they'll get passed a J.J Watt led Houston defense while Deshaun Watson will have no problem getting passed the Washington defense.
Actual Results: HOU 23 (7-3) - WAS 21 (6-4)
Oakland 16 (1-8, LW: Loss VS LAC 20-6) @ Arizona 20 (2-7, LW: Loss VS KC 26-14)
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, get excited for the battle for the first overall draft pick. In all seriousness, this is gonna be a terrible game. Oakland has nothing worth mentioning, Derek Carr isn't the quarterback he was a couple years ago, the defense is awful. If it weren't for some official assistance against Cleveland, they'd be 0-9. Arizona on the other hand might be interesting, their defense is showing signs of life, especially seeing that they managed to hold Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes to a low of 26 and Josh Rosen is a solid quarterback, so perhaps there's hope for Arizona. Regardless, for now, this is a battle to see who gets the first round pick.
Actual Results: OAK 23 (2-8) - ARI 21 (2-8)
Denver 14 (3-6, LW: Loss VS HOU, 19-17) @ Los Angeles Chargers 30 (7-2, LW: Win VS OAK, 20-6)
The Chargers are on a roll and are probably the biggest threats to Kansas City's dominance in the AFC, I see little reason as to why this will change. The defense has been putting up dominant performances, though their wins have all been against teams at or below .500, they're still enough to keep LAC rolling. Denver on the other hand hasn't gotten much done, the defense does what it does best, but the offense isn't doing much to help. The Chargers will continue creeping closer to Kansas City, while Denver will comfortably sit near the basement.
Actual Results: DEN 23 (4-6) - LAC 22 (7-3)
Philadelphia 20 (4-5, LW: Loss VS DAL, 27-20) @ New Orleans 40 (8-1, LW: Win VS CIN, 51-14)
The defending Super Bowl champions are doing a terrible job at defending their title, the offense is slow, the defense is terrible, and I don't see them having much luck against a red hot Saints team that looks near unstoppable, especially when their playing in New Orleans. This is likely gonna be another blowout tacked onto Drew Brees' long career.
Actual Results: PHI 7 (4-6) - NO 48 (9-1)
Minnesota 20 (5-3-1, LW: Win VS DET, 24-9) @ Chicago 24 (6-3, LW: Win VS DET 34-22)
This game is huge for both teams, a win for either team would likely decide who's taking home the NFC North. Chicago is led by a solid defense and a strong offense, while Minnesota has that suffocating defense. It's gonna be a close, defensively dominated game, though I believe Chicago's offense will provide them a bit of a cushion, but either way, a victory here will go a long way in the division race.
Actual Results: MIN 20 (5-4-1) - CHI 25 (7-3)
Monday Night Football:
Kansas City 43 (9-1, LW: Win VS ARI, 26-14) @ Los Angeles Rams 40 (9-1, LW: Win VS SEA, 36-31)
Will we finally see a primetime game that isn't a total snooze fest? Two 9-1 teams with red hot offenses, a promising young quarterback, and questionable defenses. I'm fully expecting a shootout from these teams, Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff will have no problem tearing apart the opposing defenses, though my bias for my Kansas City Chiefs is clouding my judgement, I believe their defense will step up more often when it matters. Justin Houston and Dee Ford have been productive all season, and if Eric Berry plays, that'll provide some extra support for the away team. Either way, we might be witnessing a preview for Super Bowl LIII.
Actual Results: KC 51 (9-2) - LAR 54 (10-1)
It's week eleven and more often than not, the playoffs begin to take shape around this time of the season. The league is unpredictable and I bet you, this'll look completely different by the time week seventeen arrives. Anyways, let's just see what we've got here.
AFC East: New England Patriots
I think this one is obvious, the AFC East is in such disarray, I firmly believe that New England could go on to lose every remaining game in the season and they'll still have a comfortable hold on the division. It'll likely be this way until Tom Brady retires.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
When the season started, it looked like the race was between the Bengals and Ravens, but Pittsburgh has since rebounded and has taken a comfortable lead over the rest of the division once again. Though, the Steelers need to keep their winning ways going, as the Bengals and Ravens still have a shot at taking the division.
AFC South: Tennessee Titans
This is gonna be a close one between the Texans, Titans, and Colts. In the end, I believe the Titans defense is gonna hold out in the end. Houston hasn't beaten anyone that's been really too noteworthy, Andrew Luck doesn't have much of a supporting cast around him, but he's giving Indianapolis a bright future.
AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers/Kansas City Chiefs
As much as it pains me to give the division to a rival, I have a feeling Kansas City's defense will let it down when it matters most, the Chargers have been a much more rounded team. The offense is putting up points, the defense is doing well. Though, the division will likely come down to the final game between these rivals, but from the looks of it, it's likely to be the Chargers. While the Chargers are pretty solid, I don't think the Chiefs offense is cooling down anytime soon, this is gonna be a close race.
AFC Wild Card #1: Los Angeles Chargers/Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Wild Card #2: Houston Texans
NFC East: Washington Redskins
The entirety of the division is pretty pathetic, but the Redskins seem to be the most reliable here. They've got a solid defense, though the offense could certainly use some work. Alex Smith doesn't have the weapons he had back in Kansas City, but he's still got a few key pieces to work with. Unless Dallas manages to get a few big wins in the next few weeks, this is going to Washington.
NFC West: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a great team, their offense seems nearly unstoppable and they've built up a comfortable lead in the division, sweeping the Seahawks has only made it easier to hold onto their division title. This will likely be their division for several years to come, an improving defense will only make it easier.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
Since starting 0-1, this team has won every single game since then. The offense seems unstoppable, Drew Brees is essentially handing out touchdown passes like Halloween candy, the defense is solid, and the rest of the division is a mess. Carolina is inconsistent, Atlanta is plagued with a terrible defense and injuries, and Tampa Bay is just horrible.
NFC North: Chicago Bears
This team is very different from what is was last season, it's not the same lovable losers, they're got a solid offense and a great defense will make it easy to slide into the division crown, though their match up with Minnesota will likely determine who takes the division.
NFC Wild Card #1: Minnesota Vikings
NFC Wild Card #2: Carolina Panthers
What are your predictions for Week 11 and the playoffs?
