Week 11 NFL Preview & BRB Pick 'Em Update

The bye-weeks are over. The NFL is playing on Thursdays still. The air is getting colder. It must be late November. Where did the season go?

Your Houston Texans head to New Jersey to take on the New York Jets. Optimists, it's going to be a tough, tough match-up for Gary Kubiak and company. Pessimists, I'll direct you to this SBNation Mock Draft to spare you from thoughts of Week 11.

Ladies (yes, there are ladies here) and Gentlemen, it is week 11 so you know the drill: Jump. NFL Preview. BRB Pick 'Em League Update. I do wonder if this week's pick 'em winner will read this...

 

Chicago Bears (6-3) @ Miami Dolphins (5-4) (Thursday 11/18 at 7:20 PM CST)
Who the hell is going to watch this game outside of Chicago and Miami fans? Yeach. Who is playing quarterback for Miami? Tyler Thigpen? That's the only reason I'm picking Chicago. Da Bears win 23-16.

Green Bay Packers (6-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (3-6) (Sunday 11/21 at Noon CST)
What would be more fitting than Aaron Rodgers delivering the knock-out blow on Brett Favre's last season? Well, technically super-beast Clay Matthews will knock him out, but you get the idea. The real show starts post-game as Favre and Brad Childress will go at it. Packers win 30-20.

Baltimore Ravens (6-3) @ Carolina Panthers (1-8)
Ray Lewis and company got hosed on a uncalled pass interference game-winning touchdown last week. The offense-less Panthers are their punching bag this week. Ravens win 27-3.

Houston Texans (4-5) @ New York Jets (7-2)
Prove me wrong, Gary Kubiak. Prove me wrong. Jets win 27-13.

Washington Redskins (4-5) @ Tennessee Titans (5-4)
I don't like it, but who can pick the Redskins after their shameful defensive performance? Especially against the Titans, who are 3-0 against the NFC East this season. You know what though...Donovan McNabb will hear a week of negative press about losing to his old team after signing a big deal. I think a motivated McNabb will outshine Vince Young, whose toughness is in question after not starting last week and then playing when Kerry Collins went down. Redskins win 27-24.

Buffalo Bills (1-8) @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-7)
Terrell Owens is facing his former team! Potential head coach/defensive coordinator candidate Marvin Lewis is in the game! There are players here on your fantasy team! I got nothing. Bengals win 34-31.

Cleveland Browns (3-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)
The Browns have played extremely well of late behind improved defense and Peyton Hillis. Ah, who am I kidding? I want the Browns to win. I wish nothing but misery on the Jaguars. /bitterness. Seriously, the Browns are capable as they catch the Jaguars post-Hail Mary. Browns win 23-20.

Detroit Lions (2-7) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-7)
From the "It could be worse, Houston" category: The Lions have lost an NFL-record 25 straight games on the road. I'll believe they can win a road game when I see it. Cowboys win 27-20.

Oakland Raiders (5-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)
The AFC West leaders take on the AFC North leaders. Last season, the Raiders came into Pittsburgh to stun the Steelers. This season? I think the Raiders are better than the team that won last season. Raiders win 17-16.

Arizona Cardinals (3-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)
The Chiefs may be fading, but to lose at home? Against the Cardinals? I just don't see it. A game against the Cardinals is just what they need. Chiefs win 26-13.

Atlanta Falcons (7-2) @ St. Louis Rams (4-5) (Sunday 11/21 at 3:05 pm CST)
NFC West teams play well at home, as evidenced by their 12-6 combined record (two of those losses are within the division). Aside from their Detroit Debacle, Sam Bradford's team has had their games decided by a touchdown or less. I think St. Louis can make things interesting in the NFC. Rams win 24-20.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-6)
I honestly thought these records would be switched. The 49ers have come alive under Troy Smith while Tampa Bay keeps reaping the benefits of Josh Freeman and a decent schedule. I think the 49ers playing at home, referencing that 12-6 record from a preview ago and the 49ers' own three home wins, is the difference maker here. 49ers win 20-17.

Seattle Seahawks (5-4) @ New Orleans Saints (6-3)
Seahawks aren't at home? Seahawks playing a top-NFC team? Seahawks lose. Saints win 37-17.

Indianapolis Colts (6-3) @ New England Patriots (7-2) (Sunday 11/21 at 3:15 pm CST)
Colts have only lost on the road. The Patriots haven't lost at home. The Patriots looked downright dominant against the tough Steelers last week, while the Colts have found themselves in close games lately. Patriots win 31-23.

New York Giants (6-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-3) (Sunday 11/21 at 7:20 pm CST)
This will be a fun game to watch. Both teams play fast, physical, and attack in big chunks offensively. Hard to pick the Giants on the road after flopping against Dallas at home. Hard to pick against the Eagles at home after Michael Vick's 6 TD performance last Monday night. Eagles win 33-20.

Denver Broncos (3-6) @ San Diego Chargers (4-5) (Monday 11/22 at 7:30 pm CST)
The Broncos aren't fairing well on the road while San Diego loves playing in front of the home folks. The Chargers have won two in a row and seem to be making their late-season surge. This one has Chargers written all over it. Chargers win 38-24.


BRB Pick 'Em League Update

When six underdogs win in a week, you know a pick 'em league is going to see some shuffling. In a cruel twist of fate, I had to type the team name "Glover Quin Never Allows TDs" more than a few times below. The heavens are just kicking a fella when he's down at this point. Enough of this, the standings are tightening up and shuffling while a few new names floated to the top this week. Speaking of new names at the top, how about the Week 10 winner of the Andre Johnson Award for Ass-Kicking and Excellence...Rip Jersey.

A few guys went 9-5 during week 10, but no one could touch the points leader: Rip Jersey. Funny thing, Rip Jersey said last week that he does not read these posts. I could test that right now by ending the victor's paragraph(s) here to see what Rip Jersey would do. I have a few options in mind, but I think it would be the appropriately-titled "other" option. Rip could also not read this because he's out hunting, bowling, or watching an Aeros game.

If Rip Jersey is reading, the one thing I have learned most about one of BRB's frequent commenters is that A) he is unapologetically Rip and B) he reminds me of the title of Charles Barkley's memoir "I May Be Wrong But I Doubt It." This week, Rip Jersey unapologetically got it right more than anyone else. His only losses? Upsets. Picking against Tennessee and Dallas? Like a true Texans fan. Nailing six of his seven high-confidence games? With ease. If Rip Jersey is reading this then I tip my cap to his strong week and raise a beer to the Week 10 BRB Pick 'Em Winner of the Andre Johnson Award for Ass-Kicking and Excellence - Rip Jersey.

"Should've Put Money On It" Game of the Week: Forty-seven out of 47 BRB Pickers chose Tampa Bay over Carolina, realizing that the Panthers do not have the offense to compete at the professional level.

"We Know Nothing" Game of the Week: None of the 47 BRB Pickers picked 14-point underdog Dallas to beat the Giants. I don't find any fault in picking against Dallas though. Great job, BRB!

Sippin' on Battle Red Drank: ChadillacSHSU, Distant_Texans_Fan, DilloTex, HoustonTransplant, Jordann, NWestTexan, papabear, RED56, Remember the Alamo, Shake, Taco Joe, txknight, texanmaniac, Southpaw70, USMC_Texas, Nolander, Jahon, and Cubic all put down 14 maximum confidence points on the Texans and had their hearts batted away by Glover Quin.

Hidin' Out In the Back of the Meeting Hall: Rip Jersey, tehGrindCrusher, Diehard Chris, riversmccown, and AllenOU all picked against the Texans.

The Rex Grossman "F**k It, I'm Goin' Deep" Award: No one picked 14-point Dallas to win so the next big underdog to win was 4.5-point New England. Surprise, surprise. For the fifth time in seven weeks, no one went bigger on a big underdog than - chrisd21. The ol' Pickslinger goes in guns a-blazin' every week and seems to nail it. At this rate, when does he start betting on underdogs?

The David Carr Misguided Faith Award: On the flip side of going big and nailing it, chrisd21 also put down the most points on a failed attempt at the Rexy. He put 11-points on 7-point underdog Cincinnati to beat Peyton and the Colts to become the first dual winner of the Rexy and David.

The Charley Casserly Decision Making Award: Former second place man CowboyH8ter also went 4-10, but he had 11 more points than RED56, who takes home the Charley for a second straight week. As the Texans have hit their midseason slide, so has RED56 apparently. Again, this is more indicative of Smithiak status as opposed to lowly-Charley.

BRBers with the best weekly record: Rip Jersey (AJ for DWTS), Shake (Black Salaami), riversmccown (Glover Quin Never Allows TD's), and goomba (goomba) 9-5.
BRBer with the most weekly points: Rip Jersey (AJ for DWTS) 76 points.
Overall best record: SATexan (Cake) 92-52 leads by 3 game over riversmccown (Glover Quin Never Allows TD's) and BigTexBD (BigTexBD).
Overall points leader: SATexan (Cake) 780 points leads by 53 points over riversmccown (Glover Quin Never Allows TD's).

For Comparison's sake...strictly straight up:
John McClain made blog picks, with an updated season record, but there is no Thursday pick. Jerome Solomon's Thursday pick cannot be found either. The BRB Pickers? Thursday tripped up a number of them and will likely see the same as we move forward. The records would be even more time consuming to figure out, so I'm opting to cut the segment because it would've gotten screwy. In its place? The Top-5 records of the BRB Pick 'Em League since it was all about records. I place points by so you see why confidence points change things up.

1. SATexan (Cake) 92-52; 780 points (1)
t-2. riversmccown (Glover Quin Never Allows TD's) 89-55; 727 points (2)
t-2. BigTexBD (BigTexBD) 89-55; 704 points (t-6)
t-4. bigfatdrunk (Feces Flingers) 87-57; 706 points (5)
t-4. CowboyH8ter (AJ Open Downfield) 87-57; 704 points (t-6)
t-4. Diehard Chris (Ladies Love Leinart) 87-57; 703 points (8)

Don't forget to submit your picks for Thursday's game and the rest by Sunday, BRB Pickers. Congrats once again Rip Jersey! Enjoy this week's slate of football and GO TEXANS!