Five Best NFL Matchups in Week 11
There’s still one more game in Week 10 of the NFL but it’s never too early to look ahead. Here are the five best matchups for Week 11 of the NFL schedule.
Matchup 1: Rams at Vikings, 1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday
Seriously? Seriously. Who would have every thought that Rams-Vikings would be the headliner when Week 11 rolled around? Well, it is, by virtue of these are two of the top three teams in the NFC this season. According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Vikings are 2.5-point home favorites to beat the Rams, who opened as a 2-point road underdogs before the line was bet up. As for the total, the number hit the board at 46 and that’s where it currently sits.
The best reason to watch this matchup? Thanks to Sean McVay, the Rams have the No. 1 scoring offense in the league, averaging 32.9 points per game this season. That said, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley will be tested by Mike Zimmer’s defense, which is fifth in points allowed this season, surrendering just 18.3 per game.
Matchup 2: Eagles at Cowboys, 8:30 p.m. ET, Sunday Night
If Ezekiel Elliott weren’t suspended and had Dallas not suffered a 27-7 loss at the hands of the Falcons in Week 10, perhaps this would have been the top matchup in Week 11. Based on the rivalry and Philly’s red-hot start, the game still offers plenty of intrigue as is. The Cowboys, who could not protect Dak Prescott without Elliott and left tackle Tyron Smith Sunday in Atlanta (Falcons finished with eight sacks), have opened as a field-goal underdog for Sunday night’s game. Expect plenty of public support for the Eagles.
Matchup 3: Falcons at Seahawks, 8:30 p.m. ET, Monday Night
This game got a hell of a lot more interesting after what transpired in Week 10. The Seahawks beat the Cardinals on Thursday night but paid a price, losing cornerback Richard Sherman to an Achillies tear and new left tackle Duane Brown to an ankle injury. If Brown is still banged-up, Adrian Clayborn could be in store for another big performance after sacking Prescott six times on Sunday. The Falcons, meanwhile, may have saved their season with their 27-7 win over the Cowboys on Sunday. The 5-4 Falcons opened as 3-point road underdogs for Monday night’s game.
Matchup 4: Titans at Steelers, 8:25 p.m. ET, Thursday Night
Pittsburgh has won a lot of ugly games this season but the key word is “won,” as the Steelers are now 7-2 on the season. The Titans, meanwhile, are 6-3 following their narrow win over the Bengals on Sunday. Tennessee is neck-in-neck with Jacksonville for first place in the AFC South. Despite the Titans’ impressive record, they opened as 6.5-point underdogs for Thursday night’s game and are now +7 at the majority of sportsbooks.
Matchup 5: Patriots vs. Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday
This game will be played in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders enter Week 11 with a 4-5 record but remain in the hunt in the AFC by virtue of a wide-open wild card race in the conference. A loss, however, could put Oakland behind the 8-ball for good. The Patriots, meanwhile, just keep rolling. Tom Brady has struggled in Denver, but he carved up the Broncos on Sunday night as the Pats improved to 7-2. New England is a 5-point favorite over Oakland.