Denver Broncos (3-6) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (7-2)
Preview
This AFC West divisional matchup features two teams that are on opposite sides of the spectrum this season. The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL while the Broncos are sitting at an embarrassing 3-6. A Los Angeles win would put them in a good spot for their divisional chase of the Kansas City Chiefs. At this point in the season, the Broncos don’t have much to lose but still have some dangerous talent that always gives them a chance to win. If that talent shows up, this game could be a lot closer than people expect.
Players to watch
For the Chargers’ offense, all eyes will be on star running back Melvin Gordon. He is currently fifth in the NFL in rushing with 672 yards and seven touchdowns. Gordon will be running against a Broncos defense that has struggled against the run, ranking 26th in the league in run defense. For the Broncos, quarterback Case Keenum will need to get going if they want to stay in this game. He will be facing a Chargers pass rush that could be see defensive end Joey Bosa returning. They also must get a run game going with running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman in order to keep a balanced attack.
Keys to the game
Denver Broncos
Establish the run
Put pressure on Rivers
Limit turnovers
Los Angeles Chargers
Protect Rivers
Capitalize on the deep ball/big plays
Keep feeding Gordon
Injury list
Denver Broncos
Dymonte Thomas, DB - Ankle (Out)
Brandon Marshall, ILB - Knee (Out)
Max Garcia, OG - Knee (Out)
Los Angeles Chargers
Joey Bosa, DE - Foot (Questionable)
Antonio Gates, TE - Knee (Questionable)
Trevor Williams, CB - Knee (Out)
Top 5 Fantasy Players
Melvin Gordon, RB (LAC)
Keenan Allen, WR (LAC)
Philip Rivers, QB (LAC)
Phillip Lindsay, RB (DEN)
Emmanuel Sanders, WR (DEN)
Prediction
With this being a divisional matchup, I picture it being a close game for at least three quarters. The Broncos will make some plays in the beginning of the game and some key stops in order to stay in the game. However, this Chargers offensive attack will take over in the fourth to pull away with the victory. I have the Chargers by two scores, pulling them closer to the Chiefs for the top of the AFC West.
Final Score: Chargers 27, Broncos 17
Written by: Ryan Lippert
Oakland Raiders (1-8) vs. Arizona Cardinals (2-7)
Preview
Two bottom of the barrel teams are set to square off for the battle for the #1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Raiders are currently set to pick 1st with Arizona coming in at 4th. Oakland remains the only 1-loss team in the league and will head to the desert to face off against the 2-win Cardinals, who picked up both their wins against division rival the San Francisco 49ers. This is set to be one of the most frustrating games to watch in week 11; both teams are unproductive offensively, and have been poorly coached to this point in their dying season. This game will have lasting implications on the future of these organizations. It may be wiser to play for draft position, but this is the NFL, and giving up on a season will usually have you on the street without a job. Both teams will be trying to build confidence, as the players and coaches pride is on the line in this battle of bottom feeders.
Players to watch
Byron Leftwich ignited a stagnant offense last week against Kansas City, but David Johnson’s stock was boosted the most. Last week marked the emergence of an elite dual-threat back. Johnson finished the outing with 183 yards and 2 scores, opening up the field for playmakers like Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. Expect Josh Rosen to get them involved early, but the key to this game will be to protect the ball, as Rosen has turned it over 10 times in just 7 contests. Chandler Jones will be tasked with pressuring Derek Carr, as Carr could turn in a 400 yard performance or dud out in any given week. The Doug Martin resurgence is real; he has been their most productive player since Marshawn went on IR, and he will need to have a big game against the NFL’s 28th ranked run defense.
Keys to the game
Oakland Raiders
Pressure Rosen
Stop David Johnson
Force Turnovers
Arizona Cardinals
Protect the Ball
Get David Johnson Involved Early
Play Aggressively
Take Chances
Injury list
Oakland Raiders
Martavis Bryant, WR - Knee (Out)
Jordy Nelson, WR - Knee (Out)
Nick Nelson, CB - Illness (Questionable)
Kyle Wilber, LB - Knee (Questionable)
Gareon Conley, CB - Groin (Questionable)
Arizona Cardinals
Budda Baker, S - Knee (Out)
Chad Williams, WR - Ankle (Out)
Phil Dawson, K - Hip (Questionable)
Rudy Ford, S - Heel (Questionable)
Rodney Gunter, DT - Not Injury Reported (Questionable)
D.J. Humphries, OL - Knee (Questionable)
Mike Iupati, OG - Back (Questionable)
Robert Nkemdiche, DT - Calf (Questionable)
Top 5 Fantasy Players
David Johnson, RB (AZ)
Derek Carr, QB (OAK)
Doug martin, RB (OAK)
Larry Fitzgerald, WR (AZ)
Josh Rosen, QB (AZ)
Prediction
Expect David Johnson to control the game from the first snap. He provided the explosive playmaking ability this past Sunday many thought would be in full swing 10 weeks ago. The Cardinals offense has been turnover-prone and stagnant for the majority of the season, ranking last in offensive production. If this continues, the Raiders will have an excellent chance to take home their second win of the year. However, with the Raiders ranking 28th in takeaways this season, there won’t be many opportunities to steal this game. This contest heavily favors Arizona, and Josh Rosen will have plenty of room for a breakout game in this week 11 matchup.
Final Score: Cardinals 23, Raiders 16
Written by: Jason Feiner
Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) vs. New Orleans Saints (8-1)
Preview
The hottest team in the NFL looks to continue its streak as the New Orleans Saints welcome the Philadelphia Eagles to the Superdome. The Eagles are coming off of a home divisional loss to the Cowboys and are looking to stay alive in their wide-open division. The Saints, meanwhile, will have to play two games at home in a five-day span, hosting the Falcons on Thanksgiving night. This game has the potential to be the best contest of the season, so we’re looking to see if these squads can live up to the hype. It’s very possible that this is a potential NFC playoff game if the Eagles can swipe the division away from Washington.
Players to watch
It’s a quarterback showdown, as Carson Wentz will look to go blow-for-blow with the NFL MVP frontrunner Drew Brees. Brees has more help though, with a stout running game in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, along with Michael Thomas to beat the Eagles over the top. Pass rush could be a factor, as both quarterbacks enjoy a clean pocket, but aren’t afraid to tuck it if the play can’t be reasonably completed. Look for the Saints secondary too, as their roster is healthier than Philadelphia’s, with Ronald Darby going on the IR just last week.
Keys to the game
Philadelphia Eagles
Keep Wentz upright
Restrict the running lanes
Get Brees in the ground
New Orleans Saints
Get the two-headed monster going
Brees’ continuing his deadly accuracy
Pass rush generation
Injury list
Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Mills. CB- Foot (Out)
Darren Sproles, RB- Hamstring (Out)
Josh Perkins, TE- Knee (Out)
Haloti Ngata, DE (Questionable)
Tim Jernigan, DT- Lower Back (Out)
Lane Johnson, OT (Questionable)
New Orleans Saints
Marcus Davenport, DE- Toe (Out)
Terron Armstead, OT- Pectoral (Out)
Top 5 Fantasy Players
Drew Brees, QB (NO)
Alvin Kamara, RB (NO)
Michael Thomas, WR (NO)
Carson Wentz, QB (PHI)
Zach Ertz, TE (PHI)
Prediction
All signs point to this game being the best contest of the Sunday games, and I don’t believe it will disappoint. However, New Orleans may slip up here, as they’re trying to focus on this scheduling conflict of having two games in a five-day span. The good side is both games are at home, so they won’t have to travel anywhere. Philadelphia is depleted in the secondary, and with #9 on the other side, that is the last situation any team wants to be in. New Orleans wins in a shootout, but don’t be surprised if it comes down to the final two minutes.
Final Score: Saints 35, Eagles 31
Written by: Joe Carlino
Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1) vs. Chicago Bears (6-3)
Preview
This game could quite possibly determine the winner of the NFC North, and thus have major playoff implications. The Vikings are coming off of a bye week, and are looking to build upon their week 9 victory over the Detroit Lions. Minnesota has won four of its last five games, and two of the team’s three total losses have come against the Saints and the Rams, the top teams in the NFC. The Bears, on the other hand, are on a three-game win streak and are looking to continue to build momentum going into the home stretch of the season. Chicago currently sits a half game ahead of Minnesota, and it’s worth noting these teams meet again in Week 17. If at that point they are still within a game of one another, this game could be considered a scrimmage.
Players to watch
Mitchell Trubisky has been a pleasant surprise this season under Matt Nagy. The second year QB will have his hands full against a surging defense that is finally as close to full strength as they’ve been all year. Defensive end Danielle Hunter currently has 11.5 sacks on the season, including 3.5 last game in addition to a fumble recovery returned for a TD. The return of Everson Griffen, along with a possibly healthy Xavier Rhodes and Anthony Barr, is a scary thought for any opposing offense. On the opposite side of the ball, Kirk Cousins will have his hands full against the likes of Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, and Leonard Floyd. It will take a valiant effort from both offensive playmaking groups to win the game for their respective teams. Dalvin Cook, Stefon Diggs, and Adam Thielen, or Tarik Cohen, Jordan Howard, and Allen Robinson… which weapons will prosper? Your guess is as good as mine!
Keys to the game
Minnesota Vikings
Continue to target Thielen
Exploit Chicago’s secondary
Protect Cousins
Limit Chicago’s explosive plays
Chicago Bears
Force Cousins into quick release
Exploit pass game mismatches with Tarik Cohen
Throw the kitchen sink (lots of gadget/misdirection plays)
Injury list
Minnesota Vikings
David Morgan, TE - Knee (Out)
Andrew Sendejo, S - Groin (Out)
Anthony Barr, LB - Hamstring (Questionable)
Mike Remmers, G - Lower Back (Questionable)
Tom Compton, OG - Knee (Questionable)
Chicago Bears
Dion Sims, TE - Concussion (Out)
Javon Wims, WR - Knee (Questionable)
Bilal Nichols, DT - Knee (Questionable)
Top 5 Fantasy Players
Adam Thielen, WR (MIN)
Mitchell Trubisky, QB (CHI)
Dalvin Cook, RB (MIN)
Tarik Cohen, RB (CHI)
Kirk Cousin, QB (MIN)
Prediction
This game is about as even a matchup as it could get. The Bears and Vikings defense couldn’t be closer in terms of ranks and statistics. They are 2nd and 3rd in sacks, 2nd and 3rd against the run, 11th and 12th against the pass, 3rd and 4th in yards allowed. The list goes on and on. So it’s nearly impossible to take one side or the other defensively. Offensively, it’s a different situation. The Vikings certainly have the more well rounded, more talented, and more proven offensive weapons, but the X-factor is playcaller Matt Nagy. He’s one of the league’s best at getting the most out of his players and setting them up for success. All that being said, I lean slightly towards the veteran QB and playmakers of the Minnesota Vikings, and believe they will edge out a victory at Soldier field.
Final Score: Vikings 27, Bears 24
Written by: Jack Bourgeois