Week 11 NFL Picks – Play of the Week by TJ Calkins

Play Of The Week

Panthers -5.5

Atlanta Falcons 2-7 at Carolina Panthers 5-4

1PM EST

Opening Line: Panthers -7 and 54
Current Line: Panthers -5.5 and 50.5

The Panthers took a horrific beat last week as Christian McCaffrey’s touchdown to end regulation cost them both a conversion attempt for overtime and more importantly, a cover. Referee botches have been especially kind to the Packers this year and that trend continued last week. The Panthers will surely have a sour taste in their mouth after their second loss of the season that saw a late game run from the league MVP come up just a bit short with the game on the line. They will also be returning home and won’t have to worry about an ice and snow covered field as they did last week. It feels too early in the season to worry about such things, but I digress. The Falcons defense played their best game of 2019 last week, but that unit is still a dumpster fire in terms of ability and they will regress back to their mean this week. The Panthers will score early and often and Matt Ryan and co. will be tasked with keeping pace in this one and Ryan will have to do it without top running back Devonta Freeman and top pass catcher Austin Hooper. The Panthers should get into the 30s in this one behind a balanced and effective offensive effort. The Falcons will score enough to get the over home, but it’s the Panthers that will roll in this one.

Betting Pick:
Panthers -5.5
Over 50.5

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Dallas Cowboys 5-4 at Detroit Lions 3-5-1

1PM EST

Opening Line: Cowboys -2.5 and 51.5
Current Line: Cowboys -4.5 and 49

The Cowboys travel to Detroit with a 2-2 road record with three of those games already coming against the bottom of the barrel the league has to offer. In their lone difficult matchup, the offense only mustered 10 points in New Orleans and they additionally lost to the lowly Jets. Their wins have come against the Giants and Redskins and the offense has been wildly inconsistent and inefficient away from home. The Lions enter the week with the availability of Matthew Stafford being an unknown and it seems he is more probable to sit than he is to play. Jeff Driskel didn’t play terribly in relief last week but the offense’s ceiling is fully capped with him under center and the defense will have some pressure to show up in this one. The Lions defense continues to be exploitable by the running back position and Ezekiel Elliott could be in for a real bounce back spot. When the Cowboys lean more on the passing game they have a bad habit, like the Falcons, of accumulating empty statistics and not having it translate to efficiency in wins and losses. With there still being potential of Stafford suiting up and the potential for the Cowboys to lay a road egg again, this is a spot to sit out of.

No Plays

New Orleans Saints 7-2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-6

1PM EST

Opening Line: Saints -5 and 51
Current Line: Saints -5.5 and 50.5

The Saints were without a doubt the biggest disappointment and letdown of any team in any matchup on the week and perhaps even on the season. The dud off the bye against the Falcons at home was a true shocker, but it has happened more than once in the Sean Payton era and can be expected once a year or so. The good news is we get to get that one back in just as soft a matchup this week. The Bucs continue their ineptitude against opposing passing games last week as Kyler Murray and Christian Kirk racked up the yards and points. The Bucs won 30-27 but they allowed at least 27 points for the eight time in nine games this season and this week will keep that streak going. It cannot be understated how inept the Bucs are in terms of passing defense and it will be a typical week where their own passing game sees high volume as they try to keep pace with what their defense allows. Michael Thomas, Jared Cook and company will be in for a fun afternoon as the Saints roll to a high scoring win in Tampa. Take the Saints and the over here.

Betting Pick:
Saints -5.5
Over 50.5

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Jacksonville Jaguars 4-5 at Indianapolis Colts 5-4

1PM EST

Opening Line: Colts -3.5 and 44
Current Line: Colts -3 and 44

The Colts passing game struggled last week with Brian Hoyer in relief of injured Jacoby Brissett, and they lost to the still low end Dolphins, albeit a drastically improved version of the team we saw early in the season. Brissett is truly questionable for this game, but the availability of wide receiver TY Hilton is perhaps the more impactful unknown. The Colts have amazingly seen all nine of their games this season end with a one score differential, so note the favorable nature of the underdog in any game they play in. The Jaguars come off a bye and get starting quarterback Nick Foles under center. Gardner Minshew performed admirably in relief but the change back should be viewed as a net positive for the team. With Foles back the Jaguars should be trending upwards while the Colts are trending downwards as talent limitations on the roster are becoming more of a factor than coaching and scheme. Take the underdog in this contest and the more likely team to win.

Betting Pick: Jaguars +3

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Denver Broncos 3-6 at Minnesota Vikings 7-3

1PM EST

Opening Line: Vikings -10.5 and 38.5
Current Line: Vikings -10.5 and 39

The Vikings showed they are a true contender last week with a win in prime time at Dallas while missing top pass catcher Adam Thielen. They are a balanced team with a high end running game spear headed by Dalvin Cook and one that will be a nightmare for the Broncos this week as they play from behind. Brandon Allen will make his second career start at quarterback and his first one on the road, and more will be asked of him than he can deliver. The Broncos will have real difficulty running the ball and Allen will need to elevate a mostly untalented pass catching corps to try to keep pace, and he will fall short. The Vikings will be able to implement a run heavy attack in this one that the Broncos won’t have an answer for and the Broncos additionally are simply unequipped to play from behind. This one could het very ugly from a lopsided score perspective.

Betting Pick: Vikings -10.5

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New York Jets 2-7 at Washington Redskins 1-8

1PM EST

Opening Line: Redskins -1.5 and 37.5
Current Line: Redskins -1 and 38

The Jets were able to win last week’s ineptitude bowl against the Giants and now get to run it back with the Redskins. While the same cannot be said for the Giants, the Redskins are one of just two or three teams in the league we can label the Jets objectively better than. It was announced early in the week the Redskins will be sticking with Dwayne Haskins as their starting quarterback and with this information, there is absolute zero reason they should be favored against another NFL team, point blank period, Bengals and Jets included. Haskins is objectively a sub NFL caliber quarterback at this juncture, and the Jets are stout against the run, meaning it will be up to Haskins to produce offense, which I’m happy to bet against. On the Jets side, quarterback Sam Darnold is looking to have established a rapport with possession receivers Jamison Crowder and Demaryius Thomas and this is the reason the Jets will be able to move the ball more effectively and ultimately win the game. The Redskins will have a laughably high amount of rushing attempts with a laughably low yard per carry average in a loss.

Betting Pick: Jets +1

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Buffalo Bills 6-3 at Miami Dolphins 2-7

1PM EST

Opening Line: Bills -7.5 and 39
Current Line: Bills -5.5 and 40

Dolphins coach Brian Flores deserves some kudos for turning this Dolphins team from an unmitigated disaster to begin the season to the reasonably competitive one we are seeing as the current version. They now have consecutive wins after an 0-7 start and have actually been bet down to an underdog of fewer than one score after opening. This is likely too aggressive of a move on them and the Bills team has a stout defense and balanced offensive attack. The Bills are coming off a road loss to the Browns and they allowed 7 and 9 points the week after their previous two losses. As I mentioned, the line probably opened in the correct spot in this one but has moved in the wrong direction as the Dolphins will have difficulty putting points on the board as they will be unable to run the ball in this one and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will be in a rough spot where mistakes will come. While it’s true the Bills generally play to the level of their opponents, the offense won’t have to do an incredible amount in this one to get the cover as they hold the Dolphins under 14 points.

Betting Pick: Bills -5.5

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Houston Texans 6-3 at Baltimore Ravens 7-2

1PM EST

Opening Line: Ravens -5 and 49
Current Line: Ravens -4 and 50

It’s been fun to watch what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have been able to do on offense. They are currently on a five game win streak with impressive wins coming over the Seahawks and the Patriots in that span. Their two losses on the season are to the Browns and Chiefs and there was a common denominator in those games. Running backs crushed them late in games and that is likely not a worry in this matchup. What is a worry is the high end passing attack from the Texans and their resilience. All of their losses have been by one score or fewer and they aren’t a team easily put away. They also have had two weeks to prepare coming off the bye and that is more significant in this matchup than most as the Ravens offense is truly different than any other offense in the league and a different defensive approach is warranted. The achilles heel of the Texans defense has been wide receivers beating them but that seems like a far fetched outcome in this one. Over the last three games, Raven wide receivers have seen 23 targets. No, not per game, 23 total. The truth of the matter is these teams are an excessively fun matchup with a wide range of outcomes and is a dog or pass spot. Sit this one out and enjoy watching it.

No Plays

Arizona Cardinals 3-6-1 at San Francisco 49ers 8-1

4:05PM EST

Opening Line: 49ers -14 and 44
Current Line: 49ers -11.5 and 46

This game is a divisional rematch from just two weeks ago when the 49ers had a narrow 3 point win at Arizona. That was a Thursday night game and the 49ers were potentially caught off guard late in the game when Andy Isabella broke an 88 yard touchdown as the electric rookie had been moth balled by Kingsbury to that point. Kenyan Drake was also quite effective for the Cardinals in his team debut, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an efficient performance from Jimmy Garropolo and it will be an even more difficult task for the Cardinals traveling to San Francisco and facing a team coming off their first loss of the season. The 49ers offense is banged up with Matt Breida set to miss time and George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders questionable to play. Even if they don’t play, the 49er defense is elite and a rough matchup for rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. This game is favorite or pass and with the line still in double digits, passing is the prudent move.

No Plays

New England Patriots 8-1 at Philadelphia Eagles 5-4

4:25PM EST

Opening Line: Patriots -3 and 46
Current Line: Patriots -3.5 and 44.5

Both teams are coming off a bye but the timing of the matchup is a tough one for the Eagles, as the Patriots suffered their first loss of the season heading into the bye against the Redskins. This game will be a measuring stick of sorts for the Patriots as they had a cake schedule leading up to the Baltimore loss, and the Eagles are likely to be a playoff team. The Eagles should be healthier in the secondary but they will remain a pass funnel and Tom Brady will likely shred them with the typical quick hitting passing game. What won’t be normal for the Pats is they will likely have difficulty running the ball and may have to abandon their typical balance. On the Eagles side of the ball, Carson Wentz may have to be about perfect in this one as the athleticism of his pass catchers is not high end after losing Desean Jackson for the season. Alshon Jeffery wins with size at this point in his career and with the next two best pass catchers being tight ends, the elite Pats secondary will be on these receivers like glue. Where the Pats are exploitable however, is with the run game and Jordan Howard leads a committee that’s been better than expected in that area. This is a favorite or pass spot and I don’t want to risk anything on the Pats in this road spot, so pass it is.

No Plays

Cincinnati Bengals 0-9 at Oakland Raiders 5-4

4:25 PM EST

Opening Line: Raiders -8 and 48
Current Line: Raiders -10.5 and 48.5

When the Bengals announced going into their bye that quarterback Andy Dalton would be replaced by rookie Ryan Finley, we didn’t know with any certainty if this meant they had seen enough of stopgap Dalton or if they were prepared to lose out if necessary to secure the number one overall pick in the 2020 draft. We got our answer on Sunday as Joe Mixon got 30 carries in a game they lost by 36 points. It’s clear they are well aware of Finley’s limitations and no longer have any interest in winning a game this season. On the other side, the Raiders have proven to be a competitive team this season with low end playoff hopes and will eagerly welcome the tanking Bengals and accept the gimme win. Their run game is sharp with rookie running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Darren Waller is the moveable chess piece they can call upon for a go to player in the passing game. The deep ball is the weak link for the Raider defense and it’s a reasonable thought they won’t even have to defend one in this game. Laying double digits with the Raiders is a brand new concept, but it makes a lot of sense in this matchup.

Betting Pick: Raiders -10.5

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Chicago Bears 4-5 at Los Angeles Rams 5-4

8:20 PM EST

Opening Line: Rams -7.5 and 42
Current Line: Rams -6.5 and 41.5

What a disgusting football game. Truly an abomination. A year ago head coaches Sean McVay and Matt Nagy were the toast of the league, but that year has seen them be exposed as somewhere between unadaptive as the rest of the league caught up to full blown fraudulent. The next 22 games will show us where each falls inside that spectrum, but for the time being we have two inept offenses lead by two quarterbacks who have had quite the fall from grace. We knew Mitchell Trubisky was never high end, but the prevailing thought was he was serviceable and Nagy would make it work. Not to be as Trubisky has cemented himself as a sub replacement level player. The more surprising development is Jared Goff has been at best a bottom half starter in the league. He truly only goes as far as slot stud Cooper Kupp can take him and this once feared offense is no longer a real threat. Also in stark contrast to 2018 is the defensive ineptitude for both teams. There simply isn’t any fear from opponents on either side. This game is sure to be a blooper reel and a disaster that we won’t be able to look away from, but also not making any bets on it.

No Plays

Kansas City Chiefs 6-4 at Los Angeles Chargers 4-6

8:15PM EST Monday Night

Opening Line: Chiefs -3 and 49
Current Line: Chiefs -3.5 and 52.5

In the intro, we touched on the high end teams in bounce back spots. We already covered the Saints and Panthers and on Monday we get the third one in the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes hadn’t missed a beat and was his normal elite self in his return last week, that ridiculously bad defense and true misfortune spoiled as the Titans eeked out enough points for a late win. The Chiefs have made the switch back to their best running back, Damien Williams and the offense has been all the better for it, and back to 2018 form. This week’s opponent, the Chargers, find new ways to lose games every week and remain an atrociously coached team with a good deal of wasted ability. Even if their mediocre defense finds a way to slow Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, they will come up short late in the game behind poor play calling and Philip Rivers making bad decisions when it counts the most. If I made that sound like there’s more than a variance level chance of the Chiefs not scoring plenty in this one, that was not the intent and is not the case. The Chiefs will get a lead in this one they will not blow. Take the Chiefs and the over on Monday night.

Betting Pick:
Chiefs -3.5
Over 52.5

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