NFL Week 11 Predictions: The Falcons and Others Who Will Save Their Seasons

With so few weeks remaining in the NFL regular season, it's coming to that point in the year when teams will need to begin making their playoff pushes or risk being on the outside looking in come January.

This has been one of the top NFL seasons in recent memory because of just how evenly matched each club is. Aside from the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers who stand at 9-0 and 8-1, respectively, there are a great number of clubs who are 6-3 and are attempting to fight off the other 6-3 and 5-4 teams that are looking to make their postseason push.

In a vastly important week, these teams will need to begin winning games just so they could potentially save their seasons.

Atlanta Falcons (5-4)

After it appeared that the Falcons had finally righted the ship with three consecutive wins, they now find themselves potentially missing the postseason after an upsetting overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints where coach Mike Smith made the gutsy move to go for it on 4th-and-inches at his own 30-yard line.

The Falcons would fail to come up with the inches and the Saints would kick a field goal a few minutes later for the victory.

The loss was tough, but they could move on with a win this very week a home against the 5-4 Tennessee Titans. The Titans are coming in off of a 30-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers, but also bring in the worst rushing offense in the NFL to play one of the NFL's top rushing defenses.

The Falcons have more weapons on both sides of the ball and are looking to make a statement win after that emotional loss to the Saints.

The Titans have only beaten one team with a record above .500 and it'll continue to stay like that if Matt Ryan and Michael Turner can take advantage of a relatively below average defense.

New York Jets (5-4)

The Jets are ailing after an embarrassing 37-16 home loss suffered at the hands of the New England Patriots and they follow with just what the doctor ordered with a game against the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos.

The Broncos are attempting to salvage their season as well with a third consecutive win, but that option offense may not work against a team that's as stingy on defense as the Jets.

That rushing attack of the Broncos that has gained more than 177 yards in every game that Tebow has started will be taking on a rush defense ranked 15th. Even with this new offense the Broncos are running, it's hard to believe that it'll fool a keen defensive mind like Rex Ryan.

The Jets will have to deal with the Denver atmosphere as well as their rushing attack, but it still gives no reason to believe the Broncos are going to beat a defensive-minded Jets team that's looking for a win after their loss to New England.

Oakland Raiders (5-4)

The Raiders may find themselves somehow leading the AFC West, but they could see that change very easily after Sunday considering that the other three teams in the division are tied for second at 4-5.

The good thing for Oakland is that they'll have the easiest matchup of the week of these three with a game against Minnesota while San Diego takes on Chicago, Kansas City plays New England and Denver plays the Jets.

This is the perfect opportunity for the Raiders to create some distance between themselves and second place as they take on a Vikings team that is on a short week after falling to the Packers 45-7 last Monday night.

Minnesota may be an embarrassing 2-7 this season and in a bit of disarray, but they could still give the Raiders trouble considering they have the sixth best rushing defense and are taking on an Oakland team that likes to run.

This gives another chance for Carson Palmer to step up as he'll be taking on the 30th-ranked passing defense in the league. As long as the Raiders can somewhat limit Adrian Peterson and put a shroud over Christian Ponder, a win should come easily.