We had our first repeat winner in Week 10. Craig Havens has earned his second $50 Gift Certificate to Bogie's Pub + Grill at Bay Meadows thanks to his 11-4 record. It doesn't matter if you have won before, if you're the top picker, you win!
So make sure you play along with us on the Q101.7 app.
Onwards to Week 11.
New York Jets at New England Patriots - Thursday, 8:15pm on Amazon Prime Video
The New York Jets won this past week, but against the Cleveland Browns. The New England Patriots also won, against a quality opponent in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rhemondre Stevenson being out is no problem since the Patriots have found another option at the running back position, this one who can hold onto the football ... for now.
The Bills fans really need the Jets to help them out... but they're not going to get it this week.
RICK'S PICK: New England
Washington Commanders vs. Miami Dolphins (in Madrid, Spain) - Sunday, 9:30am on NFL Network
The final of the "international series" games pegs a Miami team that sent Buffalo into a panic because they helped reaffirm a problem first showcased when the New England Patriots beat them a few weeks prior against a Washington Commanders team fresh off a drubbing by the Detroit Lions. For Tua's problems all season long, at least he's been mostly working with the same receiver corps compared to Washington.
RICK'S PICK: Miami
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, 1:00PM
Carolina shut out Atlanta the first time these teams met. But Carolina also just got shell-shocked by the New Orleans Saints this past week. While the Panthers have learned they have a threat with Rico Dowdle, you cannot forget Atlanta has Bijan Robinson. And Atlanta is going to want it to be known that the loss in Week 2 was a fluke, not a marking for the pecking order in the NFC South.
RICK'S PICK: Atlanta
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills - Sunday, 1:00PM on CBS6 WRGB
Okay, if Buffalo didn't have their reality check back when they lost to New England and Atlanta in back-to-back weeks, they better have learned from this past week against Miami. That loss to the Miami Dolphins really took the wheels off the wagons in Buffalo, listening to how podcasts and flagship WGR has been reacting to Sunday.
And the Bills better have adjusted. The narrative behind last Sunday's loss is how the Bills are weak when you stop James Cook, and Miami tailored their defensive structure towards forcing Josh Allen to throw to a receiving corps that are not creating separation and thus are not getting open down the field.
Buffalo's not in trouble just yet, but let's be serious -- if they lose on Sunday and go 2 1/2 games behind the New England Patriots for the AFC East (plus the Patriots owning the tie-breaker for now), they better be ready to pack their bags to go on the road for the Wild Card round in January.... if they still maintain position to make it there.
This game being at home learns my pick towards Buffalo, but any news coming out in the next 2 days could easily lean it towards the Bucs.
RICK'S PICK: Buffalo ... for now.
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans - Sunday, 1:00PM
Only a small portion will get this game, and you have to either be in the southern tip of Texas or the Nashville metro area to be ... lucky ... to receive this game. Let's just give Houston the even record at 5-5 and move on, shall we?
RICK'S PICK: Houston
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants - Sunday, 1:00PM on FOX23 WXXA
Green Bay needs this after the last two weeks. Given the injury issues and the now new coach dynamic in New York, maybe the new coach can inspire the players to pick up the upset against the Green Bay Packers, but for now I feel like the talent level for Green Bay is much stronger and thus will be in line for the win.
RICK'S PICK: Green Bay
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers - Sunday, 1:00PM
Joe Flacco is now on borrowed time. Now that it's become known that Joe Burrow is returning to practice, Joe Flacco's main task is to salvage the Bengals season. A win against a divisional rival that looked empty against the Los Angeles Chargers would be a good start. But with the game being in Pittsburgh, I don't know.
Flacco has the ability, and I've swung wrong on Pittsburgh essentially the entire season sans a couple weeks...
RICK'S PICK: Pittsburgh
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars - Sunday, 1:00PM
Both teams puzzle me. The Chargers will lose to a team like the Giants, have a banged up offensive line and other key injuries, yet still find ways to win against teams like Pittsburgh. The Jacksonville Jaguars also have been so inconsistent this season. One week the Jags look like they could make it to the third weekend of January, the next they look like a team that might not make it beyond the first weekend of January.
I might just have to flip a coin here.
RICK'S PICK: LA Chargers
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams - Sunday, 4:05PM
The best game that won't be available to us locally will have ramifications towards the path of the NFC West. And it's going to be a battle of two great wideouts - Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Seattle and Puka Nacua for Los Angeles. This has the potential to be a high-scoring game, especially after the games the two teams had before this week.
I might just have to give the edge to the home team, because this could come down to the final posession.
RICK'S PICK: LA Rams
San Francisco 49'ers at Arizona Cardinals - Sunday, 4:05PM
This, however, won't be close. A week after quite a victory against the Dallas Cowboys, the Cardinals looked anything but the basement of the NFC West against the Seattle Seahawks. They better have a plan for stopping Christian McCaffrey... but I don't think it's possible against a player who has wracked up over 1300 all-purpose yards this season.
RICK'S PICK: San Francisco
