NFL Week 11 Predictions: We’re in Tim Boyle Territory Edition

Another Friday night means another chance for me to rant and rave about the poor state of this NFL season where I freely admit I don’t know what I’m even predicting anymore with these games. Again, it’s become a season where Indy’s Jonathan Taylor scoring a touchdown is maybe the safest bet, and even that one could be trouble this week against Buffalo’s No. 1 scoring defense.

Oh, but I had the right side in the Thursday game as the Atlanta Falcons are pretty much never the right side against the Patriots.

My full previews this week at BMR include Ravens-Bears, Steelers-Chargers, and Giants-Buccaneers. I’m pretty sure all six rosters are just listed in their entirety on the injury report this week.

Apparently the regression to more close games in Week 11 will have to wait until Sunday after that 25-0 rout. Yet I still wouldn’t have won shit if I made a big bet on that game since I likely would have been in on a Damien Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson (or both) touchdown, and the game’s lone offensive touchdown went to Nelson Agholor. Seriously, if you told me the Patriots would win by 25 and score one offensive touchdown, I’m not sure I would have believed it. In a matter of days we saw Russell Wilson (against Packers) and Matt Ryan get shut out. Sad season.

DET-CLE: I’m supposed to trust the Browns with a spread this big when Baker Mayfield is getting closer to entering the stadium in a full body cast? Oh, but the Lions are starting Tim Boyle at QB with the worst receiving corps in the league. Another crappy game.

SF-JAX: So much for those Elijah Mitchell props. There’s been a “maybe Jacksonville’s defense isn’t so horrendous” push after what happened against the Bills and Colts, but are we going to forget the two games before that were giving over 300 yards to Tua and getting lit up by Geno Smith? Of course, Kyle Shanahan is the coach who got crushed at home by Arizona’s backups and then blew out the Rams on Monday.

IND-BUF: Pretty good challenge for both teams. Colts have to win this one if they’re going to have any belief they can still be a playoff team. But I think that pass defense is bad and Josh Allen will exploit it in a win. Plus, Carson Wentz against a top scoring defense and likely division winner? Yeah, I’ll take the Bills.

MIA-NYJ: The Three Stooges of Who Gives a Fuck? game. Yep, we totally need a 36-year-old Joe Flacco to start against a defense he lost 24-0 to a year ago. That’s exactly what the Jets need to put on tape instead of giving Mike White another start.

WAS-CAR: Ron Rivera already lost his revenge game against the Panthers last season, but I’m just going with my gut that Washington will play decent after last week’s big win and Cam Newton won’t be as effective as the full-time starter.

NO-PHI: I’m 2-7 ATS picking 2021 Saints games, so take it with a grain of salt or just pick them to win since nothing about either of these teams makes sense this season. I just know Jalen Hurts had that big upset win against the Saints last season and he played well last week against Denver. No Alvin Kamara again for the Saints.

HOU-TEN: Probably will regret this pick but the Titans had to scrape out two close wins over Houston a year ago. Close wins are a common thing for these Titans. Just banking on Tyrod Taylor playing more like the QB he was in the first two games this season and keeping this one close enough. If Trevor Siemian can lose by two to these Titans… If the Jets can beat these Titans with Zach Wilson…Division game fuckery at hand.

GB-MIN: Another gut feeling that Rodgers is due for a loss, which hasn’t happened to him since Week 1 if you exclude Pat McAfee show appearances. I didn’t like the lack of execution against Seattle last week and the Vikings can actually score. Just feels like a split situation with the Vikings taking this one as they did split last year with the Packers.

CIN-LV: Don’t trust either team but I’ll back Joe Burrow off a bye over Derek Carr here. This should be a 4QC opportunity game.

ARI-SEA: Oh great, another week where Kyler Murray is a game-time decision. As we saw last week, you can’t trust Colt McCoy to get the job done. But I’m just going to bank on Kyler finally playing again and Arizona’s defense making Seattle look bad to get the win. This isn’t the Russell Wilson we’re used to seeing.

DAL-KC: This could be an amazing shootout, an incredible comeback/collapse, or a rout with a boring second half. I hope it’s not the third option. Chiefs getting another COVID break with Amari Cooper out, but the Cowboys still have plenty of weapons. I’m going to stick with KC after that impressive performance last week, but nothing would shock me anymore. We just saw Dallas go from trailing 30-0 at home to Denver before beating the Falcons 43-3. You know, a Denver team that promptly lost 30-13 at home to the Eagles on Sunday.

I wish I could explain this season better, but I just can’t. The offseason was closer to normal than last year, there was a preseason, and the crowds are back, yet home teams are 74-76-1 SU (.493). Home-field advantage is dead.

Defense is better than it was a year ago, but not by that much if you’ve seen some of the embarrassing blown coverages each week. And yet, Matthew Stafford is still leading all QBs with a 67.0 QBR, which would have ranked him ninth in 2020 and 12th in 2009, his rookie year.

Underdogs are 59-90-1 SU (.397) through Week 10. That’s the second-highest win% for underdogs in the last 21 seasons. The underdogs are also covering 57% of the time, one of the best starts to any season in the last 21 years. Neither record is egregiously out of place with past seasons, but it has been a successful year for underdogs.

No such thing as a lock this season.