NFL Predictions: Week 11

Week 11 of the NFL started out last night with a game on the NFL Network , so this story is in a little later than expected.

These games being played means we're getting near Thanksgiving time, which is next week, and it also means the end of the NFL season is slowly coming.

It's simply amazing how quick the NFL season goes. Back in September, we were all waiting for the Steelers-Titans game to kick off the season and now, we're trying to figure out who will be playoff teams come January.

No matter how fast it goes, the NFL season is always fun.

Last week in Week 10, I went 9-6 with losses by the Jets, Steelers, Broncos, Falcons, Raiders, and Cowboys. Overall, I am 101-43 on the season and looking to keep rolling with the good record.

Let's take a look at the schedule for Week 11.

Thursday Night Football

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers

OK, so this game already happened last night and I did in fact pick the Dolphins. I nearly picked Carolina, but here is why I didn't:

Every time I picked the Panthers this year, they end up burning me, because I still think they have some resemblance of the 2008 team that went 12-4. Instead, we have a 4-6 Panthers team that is 0-4 when trying to get to .500, so I no longer trust the Panthers to do anything great.

Ronnie Brown is lost for the season for the Dolphins, which is a huge blow, but last night was the Ricky Williams show. Williams reminded everyone why he was, at one time, a premier back, rushing for 119 yards, and also had 19 receiving yards and scored three total touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving).

The Panthers tried to run the ball with DeAngelo Williams, 13 carries for 122 yards, but got too much into the rhythm of trying to be a passing team. Jake Delhomme was 19-for-42, so his completion percentage was under 50 percent. How he is still the starter is beyond me.

Good win for the Dolphins, while the Panthers are a lost cause in 2009.

Final Score: Dolphins 24, Panthers 17

Sunday Football

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants

If the Giants have any playoff hopes for 2009, they must win this game.

If they don't, they are looking at a short week, playing on Thanksgiving on the road with a five-game losing streak, and that won't be a pretty thing to do.

The Giants have lost four in a row, but used their bye week to get everyone healthy. Justin Tuck, Michael Boley, Chris Canty, Aaron Ross, and Ahmad Bradshaw are all healthier and should be ready to go for Sunday.

The Falcons will be without Michael Turner with a high ankle sprain, which might make the Falcons more one-dimensional with the passing game. The Giants must put pressure on Matt Ryan and not allow him to get the ball to Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White.

The Falcons are not a good road team, and the Giants desperately need this win, so look for Big Blue to take down the Dirty Birds.

Final Score: Giants 34, Falcons 17

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens

The Colts are still 9-0 and looking to improve to 10-0. They have the heart and desire to come back, which is scary considering how good their offense is.

Peyton Manning had another fine game against the Patriots with four touchdown passes, and now must continue that good passing on the road in Baltimore.

The Ravens are clearly not the same defense without Rex Ryan as their defensive coordinator, despite still having Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on their team. They just aren't as aggressive, which is strange.

Yet, the Ravens were still able to pitch a shutout last Monday night against the awful Browns team that has no unity and no clue on how to play actual football.

These two teams have met in the playoffs before and it should be an interesting contest. Still, the Ravens aren't the same Ravens of the past, and look for Manning to air out the ball all game long to get to 10-0.

Final Score: Colts 30, Ravens 21

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

Until last week, I felt the Redskins wouldn't win another football game the rest of 2009. Yes, they are that bad.

But, the Broncos came crashing back down to Earth and are in a bad losing streak, which allowed the Redskins to beat them up in the fourth quarter and take a win over Denver.

At 3-6, Washington doesn't look like the worst team in the NFL, but they are nowhere near being good, plus they will be without Clinton Portis again on Sunday, which is not good news.

The Cowboys took a major setback with their loss to Green Bay on Sunday.

Roy Williams made himself look like a total bum with his fumble trying to stretch out a big pass play, and the offense didn't score until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Dallas has been good in their building and is looking for a major rebound win. Washington is that type of team you can pound into the ground to get it. Dallas should roll in this one.

Final Score: Cowboys 27, Redskins 10

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Like the Cowboys and a lot of the top teams in the NFL, the Steelers took a tough loss last Sunday.

Worst of all, they took their second loss of the season to their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, giving up control of the AFC North.

Even so, the Steelers are still a playoff contender and are still a strong team who bounces back nicely after tough losses.

The Chiefs, however, don't have much going for them.

They cut Larry Johnson, who signed with the Bengals, and lost top receiver Dwayne Bowe for a four-game NFL drug suspension, so now a weak Chiefs offense is even weaker.

Todd Haley's hair just got a littler grayer. At 2-7, the 2009 season cannot end any sooner for Kansas City.

Final Score: Steelers 28, Chiefs 7

Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions

Well, we have a matchup between two of the worst teams in the NFL, both at 1-8.

Do fans really care about this game? Some might, because the loser of this game has their chances improve even more for the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Other than that reason, this game might not be a highlight reel on ESPN .

The Browns are simply awful. They already fired their general manager and Eric Mangini should prepare to be next, because it's awful in Cleveland.

The Lions are bad, but they are in major rebuilding mode and the team has faith in Jim Schwartz, so it's OK if the Lions stink.

As bad as the Lions are, they are slightly better than the Browns, and being slightly better means getting a possible second win, which would be two more than what Detroit saw last season.

Final Score: Lions 21, Browns 3

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Buffalo just fired head coach Dick Jauron after a bad stay with the Bills, three consecutive 7-9 seasons, plus the 3-6 start. Just ugly. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will be the interim head coach the rest of the way.

According to owner Ralph Wilson, major changes are coming for Buffalo. Bye, bye Terrell Owens? Marshawn Lynch? Trent Edwards? It can be done in one swoop.

On the other side, the Jaguars are looking like a playoff contender somehow at 5-4. They pulled off a tremendous upset at Giants Stadium over the Jets with the last-minute field goal by Josh Scobee.

Maurice Jones-Drew, who has become one of the best running backs in the NFL, has carried the Jaguars in 2009. Jones-Drew has rushed for 860 yards and 12 touchdowns so far, which means you'll be seeing him in the Pro Bowl and maybe even in consideration for the MVP Award.

Jack Del Rio would love to save his job. A win would put Jacksonville at 6-4 and in the right direction.

Final Score: Jaguars 27, Bills 13

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers

10 years ago, this was not only a playoff game, but also possibly the NFC Championship Game, but this isn't the era of Steve Young vs. Brett Favre anymore. It's now Alex Smith vs. Aaron Rodgers, both of whom were drafted in the 2005 NFL Draft.

The 49ers won a tough game over the Bears and have had a nice layoff since their Thursday night game, but they are not exactly the best team on the road.

The Packers look re-energized after their win over the Cowboys and with their schedule being soft, could make a run at the playoffs.

Aaron Rodgers has had a nice season, as long as he stays off his back. Rodgers needs to stop getting sacked so much in order for the Packers to even have a chance in 2009.

If Rodgers is upright, he can get the ball downfield to Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, which will be expected at home in this game.

Final Score: Packers 35, 49ers 21

Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings

Anyone want to spot the Seahawks 20 points before this one starts? They really are going to need it.

Seattle hasn't been very good in 2009 and they've been a horrible running team. Most people thought when Matt Hasselbeck would be back from injury, he would help improve this team, but it's hardly been that way.

Maybe the success was really with Mike Holmgren, who is sitting at home enjoying retirement.

Minnesota, on the other hand, may be one of the most complete teams in the NFL, especially in the NFC.

Brett Favre can pass it downfield to Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice. Adrian Peterson again leads the NFC in rushing. Minnesota's defense is ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

Minnesota is almost a lock to win the division, and some feel could be a team seen in the NFC Championship Game, so long as Favre doesn't repeat his 2008 performance down the stretch.

Final Score: Vikings 41, Seahawks 10

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Saints are 9-0 and just keep going in the 2009 season.

Drew Brees has been great, throwing for over 2500 yards to a bunch of young and talented wide receivers lead by Marques Colston, the best receiver in the league that nobody knows about.

With the Saints playoff-bound, Colston will get more attention come January.

On the other side, there's not much to say about Tampa Bay. They're 1-8 and in the way of a freight train known as New Orleans.

They at least think they have their quarterback now with Josh Freeman, but they have a long way to go before getting back to respectability.

It's not a question of who will win, but how much New Orleans will win by in this one?

Final Score: Saints 45, Buccaneers 14

Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams

The Cardinals are coming back to the city they once played in.

That's right, from 1960-1987, St. Louis was home for the Cardinals before they moved to Phoenix and were known as the Phoenix Cardinals. So for 27 years, the St. Louis Cardinals were both an NFL and MLB team.

They became the Arizona Cardinals in the 1994 season and will stay that way.

As far as the Rams go, they did not always play in St. Louis, especially with the Cardinals there. No, they were the Los Angeles Rams from 1946 until 1994. Then former owner Georgia Frontiere moved them to St. Louis for the 1995 season and they too will stay there.

Back to 2009, and the Cardinals basically have the NFC West wrapped up at 6-4. The Rams at 1-8 are a mess and will continue to be one.

Final Score: Cardinals 37, Rams 9

New York Jets @ New England Patriots

It's Belichick vs. Ryan, part two. This time, it's in New England.

After a 3-0 start, the Jets are spiraling out of control and have been 1-5 over the last several weeks, including that last game where the Jaguars kicked a game-winning field goal on their own field to win.

Now at 4-5, the Jets are back to what everyone expected before Week One, a young team who might lose a lot of games and are still rebuilding.

The Patriots were embarrassed by a terrible call made by Bill Belichick in their 35-34 loss to the Colts, giving Indianapolis the ball back on the Patriots on 28-yard line instead of punting it away and trusting the defense.

Belichick stands by his move and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. That's what three Super Bowl wins do to a man's ego.

He also hates the Jets, so expect Tom Brady to run up the scoreboard, even if it's 50-0, expect four more touchdown passes to stick it in Rex Ryan's face a little more.

Final Score: Patriots 40, Jets 21

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos

This game is a battle for first place in the AFC West.

Last year, this battle was in Week 17, but this time, it's on Sunday, because the winner likely takes the division.

The Chargers have been on a roll since their last loss to these same Broncos, but that seems like such a long time ago, because the two teams are completely different now.

The Chargers have won four in a row on the arm of Phillip Rivers, who just continues to have another terrific year. The running game isn't where they want it to be, but it gets by.

As far as the Broncos go, to quote Will Smith, "Denver, welcome to Earth." After starting out 6-0, they have lost three straight games and are looking like the team everyone expected out of the Broncos early on, which is a young, rebuilding team.

Now everyone seems to have figured out Denver. One more loss and they can forget the AFC West and possibly even the playoffs.

This all seems so familiar...Oh yes, Week 17 all over again.

Final Score: Chargers 34, Broncos 14

Cincinnati Bengals @ Oakland Raiders

Don't look now, but it looks like the Bengals may be playoff bound.

This was a team that couldn't keep Carson Palmer healthy, had players in and out of jail, and Marvin Lewis was on the coaching hot seat.

Fast forward to Week 11, and the Bengals are 7-2 and have beaten the Steelers and Ravens twice in 2009 already.

What world are we living in where the Bengals are this good? Maybe they are just playing up to expectations finally, which is good.

As far as the Raiders go, JaMarcus Russell was benched this week for Bruce Gradkowski, so even Tom Cable is seeing that Russell has been a bust.

The 2009 season has been a mess at 2-7 and I wouldn't be surprised if Oakland doesn't win another game this season.

Final Score: Bengals 31, Raiders 6

Sunday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears

The Eagles have lost two straight games and got even more bad news this week.

Running back Brian Westbrook will be out again with a concussion and will also see a  specialist, which might end up ending his 2009 season if he is not fully recovered.

Westbrook has been one of the most popular Eagles over recent time, but injuries have slowed him down. With this injury, it might be the end of his tenure in Philly.

The Bears have not been good in 2009, even with Jay Cutler as their quarterback. Cutler has thrown 17 interceptions to 14 touchdown passes.

Aside from Devin Hester, Chicago has yet to bring in a top wide receiver for Cutler to throw to, which could explain a lot of the 17 interceptions.

This will be a tough game, but the Eagles are slightly better and should be able to find a win on Sunday Night Football.

Final Score: Eagles 28, Bears 21

Monday Night Football

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

After starting out 0-6, the Titans are starting to show signs of life, thanks to Vince Young.

Since Young took over for Kerry Collins, the Titans have won three in a row.

A big part of the success has been Chris Johnson, who has had a great sophomore season for Tennessee, rushing for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson has been unstoppable and will give Houston all they can handle on Monday night.

The Texans have been an up-and-down team and while their offense has been good, their defense has not been, they rank 27th in the NFL in total defense.

As good as Houston's passing game is, their running game has not been great in 2009, which might cause a problem if Tennessee forces Houston to become one-dimensional.

With Tennessee's resurgence and the running game being a force, they might pull this one off on Monday night on ESPN .

Final Score: Titans 28, Texans 24

There you have it. There are no bye weeks, so most of the teams will start playing out the rest of their schedules and getting ready for a playoff run in the second half of the season.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week and gets back for another fun and exciting weekend full of good NFL games.