NFL Predictions Week 11: Picks and Odds Advice for Latest Schedule

Mere hours separate would-be bettors from NFL Week 11. 

Like the weeks before it, the slate in front of bettors doesn't offer any favors. There are a handful of huge lines as parity throughout the league begins to dissolve. There are also tiny lines in downright awful matchups, such as a staredown between Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jay Cutler or Blaine Gabbert and Tom Savage. 

Like a quarterback reading coverages, bettors need to pick and choose their spots. It isn't panic time when it comes to the bankroll, but the approach of Thanksgiving means it's time to start thinking about the endgame. 

Here's a look at the full schedule and latest odds out of Las Vegas. 

NFL Week 11 Schedule, Odds

Arizona at Houston (-2) | O/U 37.5

Baltimore (-2) at Green Bay | O/U 38

Detroit (-3) at Chicago | O/U 42

Jacksonville (-8.5) at Cleveland | O/U 37.5

Kansas City (-11) at N.Y. Giants | O/U 44.5

L.A. Rams at Minnesota (-2.5) | O/U 46.5

Tampa Bay (-1) at Miami | O/U 40

Washington at New Orleans (-8.5) | O/U 51

Buffalo at L.A. Chargers (-6) | O/U 43.5

Cincinnati at Denver (-2.5) | O/U 39.5

New England (-7.5) at Oakland | O/U 52

Philadelphia (-5.5) at Dallas | O/U 48

Atlanta at Seattle (-3) | O/U 45

Late Upset to Grab: Detroit (-3) at Chicago

This has been a steady upset option for bettors all week. 

At 5-4, the Detroit Lions haven't exactly been the shining beacon of consistency this season so far and only broke up a four-game skid thanks to consecutive games against Green Bay without a starting quarterback and Cleveland, which doesn't need any further description. 

Matthew Stafford, while sitting on 17 touchdowns and five interceptions, isn't getting much help. He's suffered 30 sacks and has a ground game averaging 3.4 yards per carry, not to mention a defense ranked outside of the top 20 by coughing up 23.3 points per game. 

It's a situation a team like the Chicago Bears is ripe to exploit. 

The Bears have already matched their win total from a year ago at 3-6 after switching to rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky under center. As Chris Emma of 670 The Score noted, the unit around him keeps improving after the team traded for Dontrelle Inman:

A competent offense backed by a defense that has held potent offenses like Atlanta, Pittsburgh and New Orleans to 23 points or less has a window here to pull off an upset on the road—and the Bears took one of these games against the Lions last year in 17-14 fashion. 

Look for a similar story to unfold here as the Bears control the pace of this one. 

Prediction: Bears 24, Lions 20

Remain Steady: Arizona at Houston (-2)

A terrible quarterback matchup doesn't mean bettors shouldn't look at lines for a game.

This one is interesting because the opening line favored the visiting Arizona Cardinals. Apparently Stanton starting for the visitors in hostile territory was enough to have some side with the Cardinals compared to a Savage-led team. 

The Texans, at least, seem to expect big things from their starter under center. 

"Yeah, he doesn't have a ton of experience, but it's time," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. "It's time. It's time to get going."

The Texans have dropped two games in a row since going to Savage, who in that time has a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. But the Cardinals haven't looked much better over the same span despite a 1-1 mark, a win against the San Francisco 49ers not counting for much. 

Now the Cardinals turn to their third-string starter under center and hope a defense coughing up 24.8 points per game and with only 23 sacks can stop Houston's key skill players. That's the great divide here, as the Texans can still lean on running back Lamar Miller and eight-touchdown man DeAndre Hopkins to carry along Savage to a respectable game. 

It's going to be ugly, but this line hasn't swung enough to go away from the Texans at home. 

Prediction: Texans 20, Cardinals 17

Biggest Spread to Buy: Jacksonville (-8.5) at Cleveland

Hidden Truth: Jaguars Defense Can Beat Anyone in AFC Playoffs, Even Patriots

It doesn't get much easier than this. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the NFL's most dangerous teams right now, whereas the Browns are still the Browns. The visitors boast 35 sacks, 11 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles, and the hosts keep searching for answers under center—and win No. 1 on the season. 

Cleveland oddly hasn't geared the offense toward its strong running back tandem and will once again turn to rookie DeShone Kizer under center. He has four touchdowns against 12 interceptions so far, and to say the Jaguars are confident about the matchup would be an understatement. 

Check a quote grabbed by Alyssa Lang of NBC: 

Why not boast that sort of confidence? Not only do the Jaguars have six wins and three in a row, the defense can beat its chest all it wants while allowing only 14.9 points per game and just 165.1 passing yards per game. 

The Jaguars failing to cover the spread here would require an implosion on an epic scale. But even Blake Bortles and his 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions haven't hindered the defense, especially when he can calmly hand the ball off to a deep backfield. 

In short, the Jaguars are exactly what the Browns want to be. Look for the league's best defense to put on a clinic against a struggling rookie. 

Prediction: Jaguars 27, Browns 17 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Odds according to OddsShark.