2020 Week 11 Predix: Primetime NFC West Clash in Seattle

Courtesy of SportsNet

Written by Sam DeCoste

Are you not entertained? Week 10 of the NFL saw one of the greatest finales to a regular season the world has ever witnessed. Kyler Murray launched a 50 yard bomb to DeAndre Hopkins who hauled in a Hail Mary reception over 3 Buffalo Bills defenders to snatch a comeback win for the Arizona Cardinals. Week 11 begins with those same Arizona Cardinals taking on the Seattle Seahawks with first place in the NFC West up for grabs. 

My picks were not as thrilling. I finished 8-6 in Week 10, which is about my season average. I would have been 9-5 if a Bills defender knocked the Hail Mary pass away, but I also did not foresee the Titans losing to the Colts, the Giants beating the Eagles, or the Patriots beating the Ravens. It was a highly entertaining week of football capped off with phenomenally competitive games and all-time highlight plays. But 8-6 is not acceptable, I must improve. Week 11 will be challenging with such a dense field of competitive games, but I believe this is the week I will eclipse 10 wins. Let's see how the cards fall. 

Football, take it away!

Here are my records from this season:

Week 10 record: 8-6

Regular season record: 93-53-1

Lock of the Week record: 6-4

Cardinals @ Seahawks

First place in the NFC West is on the line on Thursday night. 

The Seahawks hope to buck their losing streak with a strong performance free of turnovers from Russell Wilson. Since Week 7, Wilson leads the NFL in turnovers with 10. Wilson's turnover streak will not last, and Wilson can right the ship for Seattle with a vintage MVP performance. Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf are the best one-two punch on the outside in the NFL, and Wilson will find them all game long. With Cris Carson out yet again, the passing game will be in the limelight all night. However, the Seattle defense surrenders 448 yards and 30 points per game. The Cardinals will torch them, and Kyler Murray will dance all over the Seahawks defense. Wilson will have to match Murray punch for punch without much help coming from his defense.

The Cardinals shocked the world when DeAndre Hopkins mossed three Bills defenders to haul in a last gasp Hail Mary pass from Kyler Murray to win at the last second. It marked one of the greatest regular season wins in the modern era, and the Cardinals are riding high at 6-3, hoping to win the NFC West for the first time since 2015. However, after such a dramatic last-gasp win, the Cardinals are bound for an emotional letdown. They are prone to coming out feeling high on their emotions and could quickly be punched in the mouth by Seattle's high scoring offense. Arizona is the NFL's highest ranked offense in yards per game, and they will throttle the ball down Seattle's throats with Murray's dynamic rushing and passing combination. DeAndre Hopkins will be busy, and the duo of Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds will wreak havoc as well.

Arizona is vulnerable to an epic wakeup call despite their win on a Hail Mary last week. Seattle is looking to put an end to their losing streak, and they are poised to do it on the back of a prolific MVP performance by Russell Wilson. 

Prediction: Cardinals 17, Seahawks 34

Titans @ Ravens

This game matters just a little bit more than others for the Ravens. After getting bounced by the Titans in the first round of last year's postseason, the Ravens will be determined to extend Tennessee's tailspin of 3 defeats in their last 4 games. The Ravens need to come out angry after their slow, pathetic showing against the Patriots. Lamar Jackson was efficient and on target, but the Pats were prepared to contain their high octane rushing attack. Tennessee was equally prepared in the 2019 postseason, so the Ravens must bring an element of surprise to beat the Titans. It comes down to Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown. If Jackson can use his legs to extend plays and find Andrews on third downs, and find Brown on a deep pass or two, the Ravens can assert their dominance and find a new way to win. 

After a 5-0 start, the Titans have cooled off. Their last appearance against the Colts was flat and very disappointing. Ryan Tannehill completed half his passes for 147 yards, and the defense allowed 430 yards of offense. Opponents are forcing Tannehill to use his arm to win, and the Tennessee defense is trying to catch its breath. The defense must slow down Lamar Jackson and the offense, which has been admittedly slow and predictable this season. As they did in the postseason last year, the Titans ought to start fast and force Baltimore into an early deficit to let Derrick Henry wear down the Ravens defense and let Tannehill burn them on play-action.

The team which jumps out to the early lead will likely go on to win. Neither team is built to rally from behind based off their high octane rushing attacks. The Ravens are more dynamic in their rushing attack, and will be sure to avoid defeat to the team which ended their season much earlier than they would have liked in 2019. Dub for Baltimore.

Prediction: Titans 14, Ravens 23

Lions @ Panthers

Teddy Bridgewater is unlikely to start against the Lions after going down with an MCL sprain a week ago. That is a huge blow for the Panthers and could spell downfall with the Lions in town. If Bridgewater cannot suit up, the Panthers have to decide between Will Grier and X.F.L. legend P.J. Walker. The fact that the Panthers have yet to decide is concerning in itself, but the Panthers offense may crumble nonetheless. Mike Davis will be busy early, but the Lions will seek to slow him down out of the gate, and force whoever starts at quarterback to dish the ball out to Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore. Curtis Samuel could see an expanded role with touches out of the backfield and jet screens, and he will have to be the focal point of the offense for the Panthers to muster any offense.

Matt Stafford's status is also up in the air, but he is trending towards suiting up on Sunday. If he does, that may hand Detroit the edge, especially if Bridgewater is inactive. D'Andre Swift played a prolific game on the ground against Washington a week ago, and he is quickly ascending to one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL. The offense runs through Swift, which is a virtue the Detroit Lions have not been able to say for a long time. Marvin Jones and T.J. Hockenson are also prominent red zone threats that can extend drives and make the Panthers secondary pay.

There is a chance this game features Chase Daniel and P.J. Tucker, which would not be nearly as exciting as Matt Stafford versus Teddy Bridgewater. With Bridgewater likely to sit out and Stafford likely to play, the Lions are considerable favorites.

Prediction: Lions 24, Panthers 16

Patriots @ Texans

For the first time this season, the Pats are hot. Their win over the Ravens shocked the world and reminded the NFL that the Patriots are still the Patriots. Although their win was not because of the play of Cam Newton. The running game was terrific, spearheaded by Damien Harris, and Rex Burkhead was phenomenal coming out of the backfield. If the Pats can run the ball down Houston's throats, they will be in position to win their third straight and keep their winning run alive. Houston ranks bottom in the league in rushing yards allowed per game at 168 yards, and Harris is poised for another breakout performance. 

Houston played pathetically in Cleveland a week ago. The Texans fell to the Browns 10-7, mustering just 243 yards of offense. The Texans were 7/14 on third downs, which speaks to where it all went wrong for the offense. The defense surrendered 231 yards on the ground as well. For the Texans to knock off the Pats, they have to slow down the ground game and Deshaun Watson has to move the ball down the field. Last week's offensive woes were definitely an outlier, the Texans will surely be more efficient this week. Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks have the speed and explosiveness to burn the Pats secondary and make it a long day, but they were silent a week ago.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Texans 14

Eagles @ Browns

The year is 2020, and the Cleveland Browns managed to win a game by scoring just 10 points. After a highly competitive defensive battle, the Browns look to down the Eagles and move to 7-3. The duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt exploded in Week 10 with 36 combined carries for 230 yards on the ground. They will be the focal point of the offense against Philly, who gives up 133 rushing yards per game. As long as Baker Mayfield is on target and avoids turning the ball over, the running game should steamroll the Eagles defense and lead the Browns to a comfortable win.

Four years ago, Carson Wentz made his NFL debut at home against the Cleveland Brows. The Eagles prevailed 29-10, and Wentz completed 22 out of 37 passes for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns. He started his NFL career with a bang and promise to be the next great young quarterback in the league, but this season has been his worst yet as a pro. Wentz has thrown just 12 touchdown passes this season compared to 12 interceptions, and posted a 73.1 passer rating. The offense has been starved of weapons all year, and Wentz has continuously unraveled with back-breaking turnovers on a weekly basis. Wentz has thrown 2 interceptions in 5 games this season, and another performance like that will see the Browns roll the Eagles over with the running game. The Eagles are bound to lose in the ball control department, but they will have to make up for it with their time on the field. No turnovers, efficient offense, and proficiency in the red zone.

Neither quarterback is rather protective of the football, but the Browns running game is the ultimate tiebreaker. Chubb and Hunt will combine for 200-plus rushing yards and hand the Eagles another defeat. 

Prediction: Eagles 17, Browns 23

Steelers @ Jaguars

Three seasons ago, the Steelers lost to the Jaguars twice. The next season, the Jaguars had them on the ropes in a regular season game before Ben Roethlisberger pulled off another dramatic fourth quarter comeback. The Steelers under Mike Tomlin have a habit of playing down to their competition, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are the face of it. While the Jaguars have undergone so much transition on the roster since then, this screams trap game for Pittsburgh. A turnover heavy game for Roethlisberger could spell trouble early on. But he has weapons scattered across the board with Chase Claypool, Juju Smith Schuster, and Diontae Johnson. The passing game will flourish against Jacksonville's 31st ranked defense, and the Steelers will light up the scoreboard.

Jake Luton and the Jaguars had the Packers on the ropes just a week ago. It was a wildly impressive performance, but the Packers were too talented and too strong to fall to one of the AFC's least talented teams. Luton will start once again as Gardner Minshew recovers, and will hope to avoid throwing the ball 35 times like he did a week ago. James Robinson carried the ball 23 times against the Packers, and he needs to see as many carries this week as well. The Steelers allow 107 rushing yards per game and can be exploited on the ground if Robinson is busy early on. If Luton has to drop back 40 times, the Steelers will annihilate him. They lead the league in sacks and turnovers.

As lopsided a matchup this is on paper, don't be surprised to see the Steelers play down to their competition. This game could bode very similarly to their narrow comeback win over Dallas. Nonetheless, the outcome should not be surprising to anyone. Steelers win.

Prediction: Steelers 24, Jaguars 21

Bengals @ Football Team

The Bengals were rattled a week ago by their divisional foes. Joe Burrow was running fr his life all game long, was sacked 4 times, and two lost fumbles cost unraveled the game for Cincinnati very quickly. Washington is a great matchup for Burrow to regain his mojo, and for the Bengals to put a run of efficient offense together. The backfield of Samaje Perine and Giovani Bernard yielded 139 yards of rushing offense, which will do just fine. The running game will also keep the fearsome pass rush at bay and keep Burrow upright. With fellow rookie Chase Young lining up on the other side, it is imperative for the Bengals to keep their future star quarterback standing up. 

Washington may not be the most talented football team, but new head coach Ron Rivera has filled this team with the best virtue possible: heart. The team rallied from a three score deficit in the second half to come back and tie the game up going into the final minutes. Alex Smith played arguably the best game of his career, completing 38 passes and throwing for 390 yards after going down with a potential career-ending injury. Smith is still playing at a high level, and he can count on a dynamic running back duo led by Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic. The running game can keep Cincy on their toes, and the prolific Terry McLaurin will see plenty of targets from Smith all afternoon. 

Burrow is set up to play well if the Bengals offensive line holds it steady against the Washington pass rush. Considering the weapons on tap for Cincy, they are the clear favorites. Washington will have something to say about it, but they won't be quite loud enough. 

Prediction: Bengals 29, Football Team 17

Falcons @ Saints

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees is likely to miss New Orleans' game against Atlanta on Sunday after suffering broken ribs and a collapsed lung a week ago. The Saints have yet to declare him out on Sunday, but they would be wise to start Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill. Winston is the safe bet, considering his 5 years of starting experience with the Buccaneers. After learning from one of the greatest quarterback-head coach duos in NFL history, Winston will ideally be more protective of the football from here on out. He can lean on Alvin Kamara as a safety blanket coming out of the backfield. Michael Thomas may see his targets go down considering his out-of-this-world chemistry with Brees, but Thomas is such a crucial pillar of the Saints offense. Kamara is the engine of the Saints offense, but Thomas kicks it into high gear. Getting them the football should not be too difficult for whoever starts at QB, even if it isn't Drew Brees. 

The Falcons are 3-6 after a calamitous first half of the season, but the offense is beginning to kick into high gear. They scored 34 points against the Broncos, and handled them comfortably. Matt Ryan is spreading the ball out to a high volume of receivers, and involving the likes of Olamide Zaccheaus, Russell Gage, and Hayden Hurst. The Falcons wil feel confident they can spread the ball out against New Orleans, because they handed the Saints a defeat in the dome last year. With Brees on the sideline, it boosts Atlanta's chances of an upset exponentially. Nonetheless, Atlanta still ranks 31st in passing defense, and they will have trouble slowing down the Saints no matter who is taking snaps. If Gurley can find space against the Saints stiff rushing defense, and Ryan can spread the ball out to Atlanta's top weapons, they will make it competitive.

New Orleans is on upset alert without their starting quarterback. But even so, the Saints are the better coached team with better players on both sides of the ball. It will be close, but it will end in a Saints win.

Prediction: Falcons 23, Saints 27

Dolphins @ Broncos

Name a hotter team in football than the Miami Dolphins. After being virtually written off before the season even began, the Dolphins have rattled off 5 straight wins, and 6 out of their last 7. Tua Tagovailoa has played well, using his legs to extend plays and make back-breaking plays against opposing defenses. The Dolphins defense has been stellar, allowing 17 points per game in the past 5 weeks, and forcing the third-most turnovers this season. Takeaways will be key against a Denver squad which ranks 31st in turnover differential and first in giveaways. Drew Lock is banged up and may not play, but will inevitably be loose and reckless with the football if he does. That plays perfectly into the hands of Miami's secondary.

Drew Lock tossed 4 interceptions in the blowout defeat to the Raiders a week ago. The running game stalled, no receiver caught more than 4 passes, Lock imploded, and the defense could not stop Josh Jacobs. The Dolphins offense lacks explosiveness, and the Broncos defense will feel confident they can slow them down, and force Tagovailoa into making a few mistakes. The rookie signal caller has yet to taste adversity in the NFL this season, and Denver will look to send blitz package after blitz package to bamboozle Tagovailoa. On offense, Denver has to tote the rock with Melvin Gordon and Philip Lindsay to alleviate Lock's recklessness and move the ball. 

There is no doubt the Dolphins are on a roll and the far better team. But this is a trap. The Broncos could easily catch the Dolphins stumbling and make them pay. But considering the quarterback situation in Denver, I doubt that. Fins up.

Prediction: Dolphins 27, Broncos 19

Jets @ Chargers

The Chargers and Jets have had seasons as bad as Justin Herbert's haircut. New York's winless record checks out, but the Chargers are not as woeful as their 2-7 record suggests. That being said, last week's performance against the Dolphins was putrid. Turnovers, three-and-outs, and failing to convert on fourth downs cost the Chargers from the get-go. But against a Jets defense giving up over 400 yards per game, Justin Herbert should avoid turning the ball over and finding Keenan Allen, Hunter Henry, and Mike Williams in space. The potential return of Austin Ekeler bodes promisingly for them as well.

Joe Flacco is slated to start for the Jets once again against the Chargers. He played very well in his last appearance against the Patriots, throwing 3 touchdown passes in a heartbreaking defeat. Flacco has performed above expectations to this point, and could play well against the Chargers. The running game led by Frank Gore and La'Mical Perine is bound to flame out early, and Flacco will be tasked to make plays all game long and keep up with the Chargers high scoring offense.

Although only two wins separate these two AFC bottom feeders, the Chargers are leaps and bounds more talented than the Jets. This game is only heading in one direction, a Chargers blowout win. 

Prediction: Jets 13, Chargers 31

Packers @ Colts

Davante Adams did not practice on Thursday, which bodes horrifically for the Packers. That being said, Adams missed two games to injury in September, and Green Bay didn't miss a beat. Aaron Rodgers is having a career season, and his absence may not affect the MVP frontrunner as much as we think. However, the Colts defense is legit. They are the number one defense in yards allowed, second against the pass, third against the run, and fourth in points allowed. If the Colts collapse the pocket on Rodgers and pressure him all game long, the running game becomes obsolete, and the inexperienced Green Bay receivers will not be able to make plays in Adams' place.

The Colts defense will hold their own, but against Aaron Rodgers, they can only do so much. The X-factor to this inter-conference showdown is Philip Rivers. If Rivers can avoid turning the ball over, and deliver the ball on the money all game long, the Colts offense can lay the hammer down on the Packers defense. Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins were fantastic from the backfield against Tennessee, and Rivers spread the ball out brilliantly all night. Role players like Michael Pittman, Jr. and Zach Pascal must continue to make plays in the passing game and match whatever Green Bay's offense musters on the other side. Also, it is time to unleash T.Y. Hilton. He has been silent all season, but his emergence could change everything.

Adams' availability could turn the tide on who wins on Sunday. Nonetheless, the Colts defense is poised for a standout performance against the Packers. The Packers could be in for a similar defeat they suffered at the hands of the Bucs in October. Colts win.

Prediction: Packers 13, Colts 24

Cowboys @ Vikings

Andy Dalton is practicing, and should be slated to start under center in Minneapolis. With Dalton in the fold, the Cowboys may have a shot to beat the Vikings. Two weeks ago, the Cowboys gave the undefeated Steelers everything they had, even leading at halftime. CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper outmatch the Vikings corners and they should be busy in the secondary all afternoon, and the running game led by Ezekiel Elliott will be productive. If Dalton has time to stand in the pocket and find the Cowboys playmakers in space, they will give the Vikings trouble.

No matter how you slice it, Kirk Cousins will be the better quarterback on the field this Sunday. A turnover-free game from Cousins will go a long way in securing a win, but the Vikings coaching staff will let Dalvin Cook do most of the work. Cook carried the ball 30 times on Monday night, and he will definitely be busy against Dallas. Cook could rack 200 yards all by himself, but the Cowboys defense has been porous against the pass all year, which bodes well for the likes of Adam Theilen and Justin Jefferson. The Vikings are capable of lighting up the scoreboard this week and putting Dallas in an early hole right away if the offensive coaching staff puts the ball in Cousins' hands. But Cook probably will have his way without Cousins playing a monster game.

If Dalton plays well, the Cowboys have a fighting chance. But the Vikings are mostly healthy and their offense is ascending of late with the elite play from Cook, and the emergence of a star rookie receiver in Jefferson. The Vikings should outlast the Cowboys, but it will go down to the final minutes.

Prediction: Cowboys 20, Vikings 27

Chiefs @ Raiders

The Raiders shocked the world in Week 5 when they handed Kansas City their only defeat of the season. They did it with a strong ground game, and stiff defense in the second half. Derek Carr played his best football of the season, throwing 347 yards and 3 touchdowns, in a 40 point performance for Vegas. The Raiders will likely have to score 40-plus points again to sweep the Chiefs. The duo of Josh Jacobs and Devonte Booker totaled 193 yards on the ground a week ago, and they will need to replicate their production against KC. Derek Carr will need to on target and look towards Henry Ruggs down the sideline consistently. The nature of the Raiders offense is to matriculate the ball down the field in 10-plus play drives by chewing the clock, but they will need to dish the ball out all game to beat the Chiefs.

Apart from their Week 5 loss, the Chiefs have been humming on all cylinders this season. The Chiefs were on bye a week ago, so they will be fresh for their road trip to Vegas. They narrowly scraped by the Panthers in their previous game 33-31, off 4 touchdown passes from Pat Mahomes. The running game stalled, totaling just 36 yards on the ground. The Raiders will pound the rock all game long, and the Chiefs should be able to regain their mojo on the ground with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Le'Veon Bell splitting the carries. Kansas City's offense runs through Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, on explosive plays for large gains. That will be the story once again.

The Raiders have not swept the Chiefs since 2012, and that will not change. The Chiefs will move to 9-1. This is my Lock of the Week.

Prediction: Chiefs 33, Raiders 21

Rams @ Buccaneers

The Bucs bounced back from their blowout defeat with a dominant showing over the Panthers. Tom Brady threw 3 touchdowns without turning the ball over, and the running game surpassed 200 total yards after accumulating just 5 rushing yards two games ago. With the Rams in town, the Bucs have to carry their momentum from last week and harness that offensive mojo they displayed in Carolina. Ronald Jones must be involved consistently and see 20-plus carries, which will slow down the heavy pass rush led by Aaron Donald and allow Tom Brady to stand comfortably in the pocket. Brady needs time to find Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin in space. 

The Rams handled the Seahawks rather comfortably a week ago and handed Seattle their second straight loss. The running game was slow and spread out with three backs, and likely will split carries against the Bucs with Henderson, Brown, and Akers taking snaps. The Bucs defense is best in the NFL against the run, and they will keep the Rams rushing attack at bay. Jared Goff will be called on to drop back and deliver against Tom Brady on the other side, but the Bucs secondary is phenomenal in its own right. The Rams game plan must revolve around the short passing game and chewing clock, with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods seeing targets early on and often. Role players like Gerald Everett and Josh Reynolds have to step up as well, to keep up with the high octane Bucs offense.

This fits the billing for a great Monday Night Football game. The game could go either way, but the Bucs are a more complete squad from top to bottom. The Bucs will take it.

Prediction: Rams 23, Buccaneers 31