NFL Week 11 Picks: Predicting the New Division Standings Picture

With a number of divisional matchups slated for Week 11, it's only natural that the standings will likely shift once this week is over.

All four teams in the NFC East are embroiled in divisional games this Sunday, but the outcomes won't likely shift the standings.

The New York Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, and the injury-plagued visiting team won't have much of a chance to defeat the division-leading Giants. On Sunday afternoon, the Washington Redskins attempt to reverse their five-game losing streak against the Dallas Cowboys, but that outcome is not so likely.

The AFC North is in a far greater state of flux, with the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers on their bye week and the Nos. 2 and 3 teams, the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, facing off in Week 11.

With a win over the Bengals, the Ravens and Steelers are tied atop the division, with the Ravens holding the tie-breaking advantage. Should the Bengals win, however, Pittsburgh retains the top spot, with the division resting on Baltimore and Pittsburgh's upcoming meetings against the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. The outcomes of these games will likely determining which team ultimately grabs the divisional title.

The AFC West is currently led by the Oakland Raiders, who have a one-game advantage over the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

While the Chiefs have little chance to take over the top spot, as they're facing the New England Patriots on Monday night, a win by the Chargers over the Chicago Bears would change the standings considerably.

The Raiders have been up and down since quarterback Carson Palmer took over for the injured Jason Campbell, and there's no guarantee they will best the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, though they are the clear favorites.

Should the Raiders fall and the Chargers defeat the Bears, the two teams are in a dead heat, each team having two wins apiece in the division. The Broncos, who have notched two unlikely wins in a row with quarterback Tim Tebow at the helm, also could pull off the unlikely win over the New York Jets tonight.

While it's not likely that will happen, a Denver win adds further confusion in an already murky AFC West division.

The Tennessee Titans have a brand new opportunity to wrest the AFC South away from the Houston Texans now that the division-leading team is going to be without starting quarterback Matt Schaub for the remainder of the season.

The Texans, who are on the bye this week, will have to rely on backup Matt Leinart to maintain the momentum the team has built over their last 10 games in pursuit of their first playoff appearance in franchise history. That leaves quite an opening for the Titans, who are two games behind the Texans in the divisional standings. A win this week over the Atlanta Falcons will narrow that gap, but they will have to notch more victories within the AFC South in order to overtake the first-place Texans.

While nothing will change in the division this week, a Tennessee win is an important first step for the team as we head into the most important month of the regular season.

The NFC North won't see too much of a shakeup this week; the undefeated Green Bay Packers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will likely grab yet another win. In the rare event that they lose, they still won't fall in their division.

However, with the Chicago Bears hosting the San Diego Chargers and the Detroit Lions hosting the Carolina Panthers, the wild card race for those two teams could switch momentum depending on the outcomes of either contest. A Bears loss and a Lions win would further cement their No. 2 standing in the North division, while a Lions loss and a Bears victory means that Detroit will find itself in the unappealing No. 3 spot.

Though the Lions have an additional divisional win over the Bears at the moment, the fact that they face the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving afternoon will potentially even the playing field between Detroit and Chicago, making a win necessary for Detroit's playoff hopes to remain alive.

Elsewhere around the league, the Atlanta Falcons host the Titans; should Atlanta win, it gives them hope to reach the playoffs, but with the New Orleans Saints leading the division by two games and on the bye this week, Atlanta still has work to do to overtake them

The San Francisco 49ers likely clinch the NFC West and a playoff spot with a win over the Arizona Cardinals this week; even if they should fall, it won't do much to harm either their divisional standing nor their playoff hopes.

And in the AFC East, where the New England Patriots have a tenuous one-game divisional lead over the No. 2 New York Jets and a one-game overall lead over both that team and the Buffalo Bills, this week's slate of games has the opportunity to shake up the standings.

The Buffalo Bills, at 5-4, take on the Miami Dolphins. Should the Bills defeat Miami this Sunday, it will give them a much-needed divisional win and keep them firmly in the race not just for a wild card playoff spot but for a divisional title.

While the Jets take on a non-divisional team on Thursday night, a win over the Denver Broncos only helps their own chances for a playoff appearance. But it's not likely that the Patriots will release their grip on the East division this week, hosting the struggling Chiefs on Monday night.

New England should remain on top, but with wins by both the Jets and the Bills, they don't have the luxury of resting on their laurels just yet.