NFL Week 11 Predictions

by JASmius



LAST WEEK STRAIGHT UP: 9-4
LAST WEEK vs. SPREAD: 8-5

SEASON STRAIGHT UP: 95-51-1
SEASON vs. SPREAD: 73-74

Seattle 38, N.Y. Giants 17.  Ahhhhh.  The first game since the opener against Green Bay that actually felt like Seahawks football.

At least, superficially.  There was also Russell Wilson's second consecutive stinker of an outing (10 for 17, 179 yards, 2 picks) and the Legion of Boom getting picked apart by the same Eli Manning that they mauled for five interceptions at the Snoopy Bowl a year ago.  The latter got so bad that a still-convalescing cornerback Byron Maxwell had to be pressed back into action pre-maturely to stop the bleeding.  And the injury epidemic continued, as not only was tight end Zack Miller finally put on season-ending injured reserve with his foot injury, but defensive tackle and designated run-stopper Brandon Mebane tore a hamstring and is now out for the year as well.

But all of the above was swept away by a franchise record 350 yards rushing, with Marshawn Lynch picking up 140 of it and four touchdowns, and the aforementioned RW3 tallying 107 yards, his third 100+ yard rushing game of the season.  When you're running the ball like that, it almost doesn't matter that you don't have a passing game.

Problem is, even the (currently) #1 rushing offense in the NFL isn't going to run the ball like that again, and the Champs will need some level of passing attack today at Kansas City, the beginning of their brutal stretch run to the end of the regular season.  The good news is the matchups aren't all unfavorable - our #1 rushing offense vs. the Chiefs' #20 rushing defense suggesting that another steady diet of Beast Mode and Russell Wilson scrambles are on the menu.  That had better work, because the passing matchup - our #31 passing offense vs. the Chiefs' #1 passing defense - isn't going anywhere.

The matchup that concerns me, though, is on the other side of the ball.  KC's #5 rushing offense against our #4 rushing defense doesn't sound like a disadvantage, but without Brandon Mebane to stop up the middle of the line, I can see Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis keeping the chains moving, and setting up play action possibilities for Alex Smith.  As injury ravaged as the LOB (entire defense) is, the last thing they need is to have to spend forty minutes on the Arrowhead tundra (snow is expected during the game) getting trampled up and down the field.

Seattle is going to have to force turnovers as an equalizer and - it's depressing that I even have to say this - hold onto the ball themselves if they're going to have a chance of pulling the upset.  The chances of about which I am not sanguine.

[Straight up picks indicated by asterisk (*); picks against the spread in parentheses (x).]

Atlanta* (+1.5)
Carolina

New England* (+3)
Indianapolis

Cincinnati
New Orleans* (-6.5)

Denver* (-9.5)
St. Louis

Detroit
Arizona* (-1.5)

Houston
Cleveland* (-3)

Minnesota* (+3)
Chicago

Oakland
San Diego* (-10)

Philadelphia
Green Bay* (-5.5)

San Francisco*
N.Y. Giants (+4)

Seattle
Kanas City* (-1.5)

Tampa
Washington* (-7)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pittsburgh* (-5.5)
Tennessee