NFL Week 11 Predictions

Game of the Week: Chiefs @ Broncos: I taking a risk by saying that the Kansas City Chiefs will beat the Broncos tommorrow on Sunday Night Football. Yes, you read that correctly. Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs will beat Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Peyton Manning and Denver's high-powered offense will go up against the best defense in the league, who have allowed just 12.3 points per game, ranking 1st overall in the NFL. Kansas City also ranks first in the league in sacks, which is an extremely helpful statistic considering how immobile Peyton Manning is at this point in time. Manning did not practice on Thursday, but we all know that Manning desperately wants to play in tomorrow's game. The key for Denver will be to give Manning time in the pocket, as they do not want their hobbled quarterback avoiding defenders all game. If Manning was completely healthy, I would say the Broncos would win with no doubt in my mind; however, the Chiefs' pass rush will ruin Peyton Manning's tempo throughout the game. It is Kansas City's time to prove that they are the real deal.
Chiefs over Broncos 26-20

Stand Out Performance: QB Russell Wilson: Luckily for Seattle's offense, the offensive line may have three injured starters returning to the starting lineup in a Week 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Russell Wilson has been very consistent over the last few weeks, and with an improved offensive line, we can see him having a monster game against Minnesota. Percy Harvin might in uniform tomorrow as well, so one can say this is a perfect storm for success. The Vikings are having a hard time stopping the passing game so far in 2013, so we predict Russell Wilson to throw for three touchdowns tomorrow afternoon.
QB Russell Wilson: 305 passing yards, 3 TDs

Player to Watch: QB Alex Smith: Tomorrow's game against the Broncos will be Alex Smith's first truly big game as a member of the Chiefs' offense. Smith has a reputation of making few mistakes on the field, and with just 5 total turnovers this year, Alex Smith is a very consistent quarterback that you can count on. His numbers are not mind boggling, as he has just 9 passing touchdowns and a passer rating close to 85.0. Jamaal Charles really is the core of Kansas City's offense, and Alex Smith is there to provide a consistent passing game to bail this offense out on third down. Smith will have a mediocre game against Denver, where Kansas City's defense will be the true MVP in Sunday Night's game.
QB Alex Smith: 200 passing yards, 1 TD

Week 11 Predictions:

Colts over Titans (Correct)

Jets over Bills

Ravens over Bears

Bengals over Browns

Texans over Raiders

Cardinals over Jaguars

Eagles over Redskins

Steelers over Lions

Falcons over Buccaneers

Chargers over Dolphins

Saints over 49ers

Giants over Packers

Seahawks over Vikings

Chiefs over Broncos

Patriots over Panthers

Last Week: 9-5

2013 Season: 101-46 (68.7%)

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (Week 11)

Start 'Em:

Ben Tate, RB, Houston Texans

Perhaps the best backup running back in the NFL, Tate should be able to cash in on Arian Foster's injury.  The Texan's quarterback situation is less than favorable, with Case Keenum playing in only his forth career game, and Tate will go up against the mediocre Raider's run defense this week.  The Texan's running back is primed for a successful week 11 and chances are a productive remainder of the year.

Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Cooper's stats have dramatically improved since Nick Foles took over the starting quarterback job for the Eagles and the trend shouldn't end this week.  Cooper will go against a very poor Redskins secondary that has allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.  The Redskin's only decent cornerback, DeAngelo Hall, will surely be locked up on DeSean Jackson all game, which would allow Cooper to have a very big day.

Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Now, last week I projected Jake Locker to have a good week against the Jaguar's miserable defense.  That didn't turn out too well... However, this week I'm right back at it, picking the Jaguar's defense to return to their old ways against Carson Palmer.  Palmer does have more weapons than Locker, the most prominent being Larry Fitzgerald, but my faith in this pick still arrises from my opinion that the Jaguar's defensive performance last week was an outlier.

Sit 'Em:

Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills

Jackson has been the most consistent fantasy performer for the bills offense this year, but there are just too many things going against him this week for him to be a good fantasy start.  First off, he is going up against the third ranked Jets run defense that has only given up five rushing touchdowns all year.  Also, as C.J. Spiller gets healthier, Spiller's carries continue to cut into Jackson's, putting a major dent in his potential.  The five fantasy points that Jackson had last week may be more indicative of what his production will be for the rest of the year.

Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders

Moore is undoubtedly the Raider's number one wide receiver, but when he has Matt McGloin throwing to him (Pryor is out), that does not mean too much.  The tough Texans defense probably won't be the remedy for the Raiders faulty passing game; keep Moore on your bench this week.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Kaepernick is in the midst of a disappointing season, and a difficult matchup against the Saint's defense won't help.  The Saint's shut down Tony Romo last week, and should have no trouble containing Kaepernick, who only managed a measly two points last week.

NFL Power Rankings Week 11

1. Kansas City Chiefs: The Kansas City Chiefs' Week 10 Bye came at a perfect time, as they will be playing the Denver Broncos in Week 11. The Chiefs may be 9-0, but their first game against Denver in 2013 will truly separate the men from the boys.

2. Denver Broncos: The San Diego Chargers are a mediocre team at best, and yet the Denver Broncos were a touchdown away from going into overtime. Luckily, Peyton Manning's four touchdowns were enough to give Denver the win on the road. This week's game against Kansas City will be the biggest regular season game of the year without a doubt.

3. Seattle Seahawks: I have my doubts about this Seattle Seahawks team. They may have beaten Atlanta Falcons on the road, but the Falcons are struggling in 2013, especially due to Matt Ryan's terrible turnover numbers. The previous week, Seattle almost lost to Tampa Bay who, at the time, was winless! The 9-1 record is great, but I bet they lose two or three more by the end of the year.

4. New Orleans Saints: A dominant win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football shows the resilience of this football team, especially after an ugly loss to the Jets the previous week. Drew Brees looks spectacular, and we expect this team to be a powerhouse throughout the playoffs.

5. New England Patriots: Who would have guessed that the New England Patriots would be 7-2 going into their Week 9 Bye? New England's Bye will allow a team that is riddled with injuries to have several key players grow stronger, therefore improving the team as a whole.

6. Indianapolis Colts: Despite beating some of the most talented teams in the NFL so far this season, the Colts were utterly annihilated by the St. Louis Rams last weekend. Andrew Luck turned the ball over a whopping four times, almost resembling Michael Vick and his turnover troubles. Every team has at least one terrible game during the regular season, so even though the Colts dropped pretty drastically in the power rankings, they should be able to bounce back quickly.

7. Carolina Panthers: It is about time that people start taking this Carolina Panthers team seriously. At 6-3, the Panthers are coming off of a victory over the San Francisco 49ers, limiting the powerhouse offense to just 9 points. The Carolina Panthers offense may have scored only 10 points, but the defense proved they are capable of stopping the best of the best. The Panthers are clearly a threat come playoff time.

8. San Francisco 49ers: In a loss against the streaking Carolina Panthers, the defense looked great, but the offense was a mess. Colin Kaepernick has not turned into the elite quarterback that many were hoping for, as he threw for just 91 yards and an interception against the Panthers.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: The Cincinnati Bengals managed to pull off the impossible; a last second hail marry pass in order to send the game into overtime. The Bengals lost the game to Baltimore in overtime, putting their record at 6-4. The offense needs to find its groove once again, especially when passing the football.

10. Detroit Lions: The NFC North is riddled with injuries and inconsistent play, so it was only time for the Detroit Lions to step up their game and gain control of the NFC North. Detroit's passing game ranks third overall in the league, and with a guy like Calvin Johnson at wide receiver, that should come as no surprise. 

Best Pictures (Week 11)

Week 11 Predictions

     The streak lasted nine weeks, but Atlanta was unable to continue their perfect season. Within the past five or six years, Atlanta has been unable to defeat their division rivals, the New Orleans Saints. The beginning of the game went well for Atlanta, with a quick touchdown and an interception that resulted in another three points. Throughout the remainder of the game, however, New Orleans dominated, resembling the same Saints team of 2011. The word that best describes Atlanta's performance was sloppy, with many errors late in the game. Matt Ryan had the perfect chance to take a last minute lead, but instead felt rushed by opposing defenders and threw an inaccurate pass to a blanketed wide receiver. Then, on third down with less than 20 seconds remaining, Ryan could have easily rushed for the first down and stop the clock, but he chose to bomb a ball downfield to the double teamed Roddy White, which resulted in an incomplete pass. The return of tight end Jimmy Graham as well as a win over Atlanta may mark the beginning of a hot streak in New Orleans. The weekend before Thanksgiving adds a playoff-like atmosphere to each and every game, where a single loss could set a playoff hopeful off course.

Adrian Peterson

Game to Watch: Bears @ 49ers: For the first time in four years, an NFL game, this time between San Francisco and St. Louis, resulted in a tie. It will be extremely strange to see a 1 underneath the tie column, and this has the potential to affect San Francisco's spot in the playoffs. That said, the 49ers were expected to destroy a mediocre St. Louis team. However, the 49ers defense allowed 24 points against a struggling Rams offense. On the other hand, Chicago is coming off of a low scoring game to the Houston Texans. Defense will clearly be a major part of this Monday Night matchup, so offense will be the difference maker. San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith is ruled as questionable due to a concussion. Even if he were to return to the starting lineup, the Chicago Bears would likely shut Smith down, for the offense is not the only unit capable of putting points on the board in Chicago. The Bears offense, led by Cutler and wide receiver Brandon Marshall, has been too inconsistent, and like I said for last weeks game against Houston, Marshall will have to be involved with this offense if they wish to win.
Bears over 49ers 24-10


Stand Out Performance: RB Arian Foster: The highest scoring running back through Week 11 has been Arian Foster of the Houston Texans. Adrian Peterson's comeback performance has almost out shined  Foster in 2012, but the Texans running back has a legitimate shot at Offensive Player of the Year if his spectacular play were to continue. Sunday's game between Houston and Jacksonville is an enormous mismatch, and Foster is projected to be extraordinary. Back in Week 2, Foster rushed for 110 yards against Jacksonville with a score. However, this was not the only poor performance from Jacksonville's defense; the Jags have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns so far, 4 of which came against Detroit in Week 9. Arian Foster will be your fantasy football Week 11 champion, so you should feel very comfortable if Foster is starting for your fantasy team tomorrow afternoon.
Arian FosterL 125 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 50 receiving yards


Player to Watch: QB Alex Smith: A concussion kept Smith from finishing San Francisco's game against St. Louis, and now, he is trying to return for Monday night's game against Chicago, a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Smith has finally proven himself in the National Football League, with one of the best passer ratings among starting quarterbacks. If Smith were to watch the Week 11 game from the sideline, the 49ers hopes for a win would be dashed. Apart from Frank Gore, Smith is the only hope this team has offensively to overcome such a powerful defense, but hopefully, the organization does not rush him into playing even if he continues to show signs of a concussion.
Alex Smith: 180 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD, INT


Week 11 Predictions:

Falcons over Cardinals

Buccaneers over Panthers

Cowboys over Browns

Packers over Lions

Texans over Jaguars

Bengals over Chiefs

Rams over Jets

Redskins over Eagles

Saints over Raiders

Broncos over Chargers

Patriots over Colts (OT)

Ravens over Steelers

Bears over 49ers

Last Week: 7-6-1

2012 Predictions: 90-52-1 (63%)