Ten bold predictions for NFL Week 11

NFL Week 11 brings viewers 14 matchups, including a Monday Night Football contest taking place in Mexico City.

Teams facing extended losing streaks may just have a change of luck this week. And speaking of Luck, how will Andrew and the Colts perform against a suddenly very hot Tennessee Titans team?

Meanwhile, the league’s best rusher will face the No. 1 ranked rushing defense. We have projected an outcome for that matchup here, as well as nine other bold predictions for NFL Week 11.

1. Vikings losing streak ends when Cards come to town

After losing their fourth game in a row, the Minnesota Vikings slipped to second place in the NFC North. Now in desperation mode, Minnesota hosts the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11.

The Cards are an interesting team this year and have produced some strange results. Their offense ranks No. 8 and their defense is No. 2. This makes their 4-4-1 record kind of puzzling. Arizona has lost to a couple of underdog teams and had that weird 6-6 overtime tie game against Seattle back in Week 7.

Most recently, the Cardinals narrowly beat the San Francisco 49ers, 23-20. They are no sure bet to win considering their suspect track record.

The Vikings’ defense could certainly take advantage. It has managed 18 total takeaways and Carson Palmer is known to melt like butter when pressured. This should be a game that produces multiple turnovers and fairly low points.

A final score of 13-10 favoring the Vikings is our prediction.

2. Antonio Brown bests Cleveland Browns with 225 yards, two touchdowns

Brown is one of the most-athletic and skilled receivers in the league. He reminded us all of that when he dumped 154 yards and one touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. Brown caught 14-of-18 targets in that game, a clear indication he will continue to pile up yards against the Browns this Sunday.

If there was ever a more perfect matchup on tap for Brown it is against Cleveland’s pitiful defense. Currently, the Browns are giving up an average of 285.9 receiving yards per game. Brown should eat that up like free food at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Boldly, we are suggesting that Brown will draw 25 targets, resulting in 20 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns.

The Browns’ defense will look absolutely helpless and exhausted once No. 84 is done for the day. Brown has just one other career game that he went for over 200 yards. That took place against the Oakland Raiders last season when tallied 284 yards. We know he is capable of this task.

3. Andrew not so Lucky in clash of the Titans

Luck and the gang are returning from a bye after an exhilarating win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9. Rested, the Indianapolis Colts will host a Tennessee Titans unit that is playing some fantastic football as of late.

During their last three games, the Titans have totaled 118 points. That includes a 47-25 romping against those floundering Packers. Now, Marcus Mariota and the team get to test the Indianapolis’ 29th-ranked defense. We are looking at a defense giving up 402.8 yards and 28.4 points on average to its opponents.

Mariota has been simply amazing, throwing for 14 touchdowns compared to three picks in his last five games. Equally as impressive, DeMarco Murray has averaged 101 rushing yards over his last four games. He has also rushed in four scores and passed for one during this span.

On Luck’s side of the field, he will be going up a defense that just made Aaron Rodgers look like a rookie. And, Luck is returning from a two-interception performance himself.

In the end, the Colts’ luck will run out with the Titans winning by at least 10 points.

4. Jaguars declaw Lions after Blake Bortles throws four touchdowns

This Sunday’s game featuring two quarterback who can throw for miles should be a high-scoring event.

Blake Bortles will be up against the Lions’ porous passing defense. It’s a defense that has only four interceptions on the books and has given up 20 passing touchdowns. This will be a breeding ground for Bortles to score plenty.

The Jags will also attack through the air, because their run game is practically non-existent. This furthers the belief Bortles will have a huge statistical game.

On the Lions’ side, Matthew Stafford should have a clean performance. The Jags’ defense has only managed three interceptions. Meanwhile, Theo Riddick will not have much trouble making a mark against the Jags’ 28th-ranked rush defense.

But Bortles will prevail and have his first four-touchdown performance of the season. Jags fans will sigh with relief after their team wins for the first time in five weeks.

5. Ezekiel Elliott gets deflated by Baltimore

Elliott is bound to have a poor game, right? So far this season, Elliott has been a dynamo on the ground and leads the league with 1,005 yards in nine games. The rookie is also averaging 5.1 yards per tote and has scored nine rushing touchdowns.

This upcoming game against Baltimore should present Elliott his most-difficult test of the season.

The Ravens have the best rushing defense in the league and have only given up four scores on the ground all year. Overall, running backs are averaging just 71.3 rushing yards at a pace of 3.3 yards per carry. Even though Elliott looks super-human at times, something has to give.

To date, Elliott has only one game that he has not rushed for at least 100 yards or scored a touchdown. That happened in Week 8 at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. We are calling for a 75-yard effort with zero touchdowns for Elliott this time around. Sorry, fantasy football owners.

6. Giants advance after shutting out “Bad News Bears”

The two-win Bears have been so bad this season that they made our list of the worst six teams heading into Week 11.

Quarterback Jay Cutler is just not playing at a high enough level to advance his team into scoring territory. A fine example of Cutler’s ineptitude took place last Sunday in a 36-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a day full of three-and-outs, turnovers and even a famous Cutler-pick-six (watch here).

Over their last three games, the Bears have averaged only 13.3 points. We are going to predict that they do not even score against the New York Giants in Week 11. There is just too much going wrong for Chicago these days. The final straw was losing Alshon Jeffery to a suspension.

7. Patriots gash 49ers for 600 yards, score 50 points

While playing at home, the New England Patriots just fell to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday evening. It was not the outcome that many predicted for a favored New England squad. Tom Brady also just threw his first interception of the season.

This takes an angry group of Patriots to the west coast to feast on a hapless San Francisco 49ers squad. We can expect a blowout game, because, newsflash, the 49ers are just plain bad.

What is bold about the prediction here, is that Brady will likely be without his best receiving weapon in that of tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Plus, Julian Edelman has not exactly been impressive this season with only 457 yards and one touchdown on the books.

None of this will matter when Brady and his Pats hit Levi’s Stadium Sunday afternoon. The 49ers’ defense is giving up an astounding average of 429.7 yards and 31.4 points per game.

By the end of 60 minutes of play, Brady’s receivers will look like Antonio Brown and Julio Jones.

Tom Terrific will finish the day with 400 passing yards while LeGarrette Blount goes for 200 on the ground. And, the duo will combine for seven touchdowns.

8. Case Keenum will be called to replace Jared Goff

Head coach Jeff Fisher finally had a light bulb moment. He decided the Rams’ offense might be more successful by taking the training wheels off of rookie Jared Goff in Week 11.

Goff has been rotting away on clipboard duty for over two months while Case Keenum and the Rams have been losing more than winning. As a result, the Rams are the lowest-scoring team in the league.

This week presents a home matchup against the Miami Dolphins. We are talking about a defense that just intercepted Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers four times in San Diego last week. Talk about throwing your rookie out to the sharks.

Things are not going to be pretty here. So, we are predicting at some point during this messy game, Keenum will be called to rescue Goff. After all, the Rams need the quarterback they gave up the farm to draft to remain in once piece.

9. Richard Sherman has two pick sixes off hands of Carson Wentz

The Philadelphia Eagles are soaring high after defeating the Atlanta Falcons. They will now face another bird team when Carson Wentz and the gang head to CenturyLink Field to face the Seahawks.

The noise should be like no other that Wentz has experienced when he steps into this daunting environment. Seattle has yet to lose at home this season and its defense should present one nightmare after another for Philly’s rookie quarterback.

In particular, cornerback Richard Sherman should be feared. He has three interceptions to date, but none have been returned for a touchdown. A rookie quarterback and receivers prone to ball drops will make for the perfect setting for Sherman to end the day with a couple pick sixes.

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This should be an easy win for Seattle to secure its status at the top of the NFC West.

10. Oakland Raiders reclaim lead in AFC West

Speaking of winning, those red-hot Raiders return from a bye for a prime time Monday Night Football matchup against the Houston Texans.

The game will take place in Mexico, which will serve as home for the hosting Raiders. But technically, Oakland will still be “on the road” where they play their best football.

They will face a tough opponent, however, in Houston’s defense. Despite missing J.J. Watt, the Texans defense ranks No. 4. It’s allowing only a 60.5 percent pass completion rate and a stingy 6.5 yards on average per pass.

The Texans sit first within their division (6-3) primarily due to the efforts of their defense. But this will be the week that Houston’s defense struggles to contain Oakland’s overbearing offense. And, it is painfully obvious that Brock Osweiler couldn’t score a bulls eye if the target was a foot in front of him.