Week 11 NFL Picks: Final Score Predictions for Top Matchups

It's incredible how tight the playoff races are for both the NFC and AFC heading into Week 11 of the NFL season. With the exception of five teams with two wins or fewer, the majority of the league remains in contention for a postseason berth.

Looking ahead at the slate of games in Week 11, there are several contests with severe playoff implications. The outcomes of these marquee matchups won't only play a part in determining postseason seeds but could also affect which teams continue playing once the regular season concludes.

Three contests in particular figure to shift the league's hierarchy as we head deeper into the second half of the season. Here's a look at a preview, final score prediction and expected fallout for each.

Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers

A road win for the Eagles would give them a one-game cushion over the inactive Dallas Cowboys atop the NFC East. A loss for the Packers would be devastating, dropping them to 6-4 and in the thick of an enormous battle for one of the two NFC wild-card spots.

Conversely, a win for the Packers would propel them to 7-3 and put them in a great position for a playoff berth. That would be bad news for teams like the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. A loss for the Eagles would drop them into a tie with the Cowboys. Philadelphia and Dallas meet twice within the final five weeks of the season.

A change at the quarterback position for the Eagles will be a huge factor here. Mark Sanchez looked great in Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers, but could his performance be a career outlier? ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted the quarterback's showing was not exactly common:

There's also a world of difference between Carolina's secondary and Green Bay's.

The Packers are ranked ninth in the league against the pass and have accumulated 12 interceptions this season, ranking fourth in that category. Green Bay's turnover differential this season is at plus-10 as a result. That's not good news for a quarterback who's known for a history of poor throws and interceptions.

Should Sanchez struggle out of the gate, expect Aaron Rodgers to quickly gain a lead over an Eagles team ranked 22nd in the league against the pass. Any kind of a substantial lead would surely force Philadelphia into passing more frequently, allowing for more opportunities for errant throws from its quarterback.

Prediction: Packers 34, Eagles 26

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals

This game has a very similar theme for the aforementioned contest, as playoff implications are similar, and a change at the quarterback position is the biggest storyline.

The Cardinals currently own the league's best record at 8-1. That's given the team a nice two-game cushion atop the NFC West. A loss would allow both the Seahawks and 49ers to creep closer in the highly competitive division. A Lions win puts them in great position to potentially earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

On the flip side, if the Cardinals win, they would quickly be on the fast track to the playoffs, assuring themselves of a winning record this season. A Detroit loss would potentially see it lose its grasp of the NFC North to the Packers.

Arizona is a very well-rounded team; however, the offense lost a red-hot Carson Palmer for the season due to an ACL injury. This brings Drew Stanton back into action. Stanton isn't a bad replacement, but he's been inconsistent at times this season, showing some accuracy issues. Pete Damilatis of Pro Football Focus elaborated:

That could plague the Cardinals offense against a top-ranked Lions defense.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are stout against the run on the defensive side of the ball, but they haven't been solid against the pass. A matchup against Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and others just isn't favorable.

Expect a low-scoring game for the most part, but the Lions passing attack will find a way to score more points in the end.

Prediction: Lions 23, Cardinals 17

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts

All eyes will be on this clash of AFC juggernauts on Sunday night. Win or lose, both the Colts and Patriots will remain atop their respective divisions; however, the pecking order for the conference could stand to change in a big way.

Heading into Sunday, 11 AFC teams have records of .500 or better. While the loser of this contest will still remain ahead of the wild-card picture, its cushion will be lessened, and plenty of contenders will be nipping at its heels.

This game sets up in a similar fashion to New England's contest against the Denver Broncos. Like Denver, the Indianapolis defense is very solid against the run, but it can be exploited through the air. That's exactly what Tom Brady did in that contest, and we can expect more of the same on Sunday.

Andrew Luck leads the league's most prolific passing attack, and he'll have to be at his best to keep up with the Patriots attack while avoiding poor throws against New England's ball-hawking secondary. Peyton Manning couldn't get it done, but will Luck fare any better?

History says he won't, via a tweet from ESPN Stats & Info:

However, one thing on the young quarterback's side will be home-field advantage in a pass-friendly dome environment. Unfortunately, Luck hasn't been immune to interceptions on his home turf this season, throwing four of his nine in Indianapolis. An ill-timed turnover will be the difference-maker against a Patriots team ranked fifth in the league in takeaways.

Prediction: New England 36, Indianapolis 30