#3: NY Giants over Detroit Lions (6-4: BAL, cin, PHL, DAL, kc, tb, LV, ind, NE, SF)
Don’t look know but the NFC East has the best winning percentage
in the NFL. Yes, the Lions shocked the Bears at home last week
with a 31-30 victory in spite of an incredible effort from Justin
Fields and Cole
Kmet. Special shoutout to Jack
Sanborn after his 9 tackles, 2 sacks, and one (nullified)
interception in Week 10. Not bad for an undrafted rookie who is
looking like the future “monster of the midway” regardless of
draft status. But Sanborn isn’t playing in this week’s game between
the Lions and the Giants in MetLife Stadium.
Saquon Barkley
is a steady rock for the Giants in a season where Brian Daboll
has tied his success to the fourth-year player. Smart move! This
duo has turned around a franchise dying for a playoff spot and
finds itself in control of their postseason for the first time
in almost six years. Can they now perform as a home favorite?
Yes, the Lions have a few good players but they are not a good
team. At the same time, the Giants haven’t shown they have anyone
other than Barkley that is worthy of being on your fantasy team.
Daboll has a formula that seems to be working and if you have
used both of the teams below, you could do worse than picking
the Giants at home against a Detroit team that accidentally won
last week’s game against the Bears.
#2: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (6-4: NO, BUF, kc, det, PHL, sf, DAL, MN, MIA, chi)
If you paid attention to my number two pick last week, I said
never pick a team against a divisional rival where weather might
have an impact. Case and point, a 31-30 loss for yours truly.
This week, based upon the teams available to choose from, our
only viable option is Cincinnati over Pittsburgh, another divisional
rivalry game where the unexpected is to be expected.
Bengals-O / Steelers-D Comparison
CIN Off
Rk
Stat
Rk
PIT Def
361.8
8
TOT YDS
27
371.9
263.0
6
PASS YDS
30
263.9
98.8
27
RUSH YDS
6
108.0
25.3
6
PTS SCORED
20
23.0
10
9
T OVERS / T AWAYS
15
12
Bengals-D / Steelers-O Comparison
CIN Def
Rk
Stat
Rk
PIT Off
324.0
11
TOT YDS
28
307.9
205.2
12
PASS YDS
24
199.4
118.8
17
RUSH YDS
22
108.4
20.6
13
PTS SCORED
31
15.6
13
11
T OVERS / T AWAYS
26
14
Cincinnati statistically is superior in every category on both
offense and defense. But that doesn’t mean they automatically
win. At the same time, tendencies are tendencies and it’s a safe
bet that Joe Burrow
outplays Kenny
Pickett.
#1: Baltimore over Carolina (6-3: den, lac, GB, BUF, LAR, tb, PHL, KC, NYG)
Let’s start with the fact that P.J.
Walker is out for this week’s contest. Is Baker
Mayfield really considered the QB of the future or just the
QB for today? No disrespect to Baker, but now two teams have decided
that he isn’t their future. And nobody feels good after that happens.
But that won’t be enough motivation to propel a Herculean effort
from a QB that was expected to be a franchise savior when he was
drafted by the Browns.
The Ravens are coming off their bye and look like they will have
Gus Edwards
back this week. While this may not seem like a big deal, he has
the skills to pick up the blitz, the veteran acumen to pick up
schemes, and is the perfect complement to Lamar
Jackson at quarterback. Jackson and Edwards, should be more
than enough to upset a Carolina defense that has played admirably
but glaringly has a rushing deficiency that should be exploited
by the Ravens recently activated weapon.
Make no mistake. This is not a game that the Ravens should easily
win. But it is a game that works in your favor in Week 11.