Derrick Gunn makes his picks for Week 11 of the NFL season.
Eagles at Cowboys (8:30 p.m. NBC Sunday Night Football)
Now that their bye week is over, the Eagles are focused on wrapping up the NFC East. Dallas is licking its wounds after getting manhandled down in Atlanta. Ezekiel Elliott is serving his suspension. LB Sean Lee is out with a hamstring injury, and Pro bowl LT Tyron Smith is ailing with a groin injury. It all sounds too easy for the Birds, but with Dak Prescott on the other side, they're not about to overlook this one. And they still remember what happened in Dallas last season.
Without Elliott and Smith, trying to establish a ground game against the Eagles' top-ranked run defense will be near impossible. Dallas is 0-2 in games Sean Lee didn't play in this season. Carson Wentz will spread the wealth through the air, and now that Jay Ajayi has had extended time to get familiar with the offense, the Birds' running attack should be even more diversified. If the Eagles' defense can make the ‘Boys offense one-dimensional, it's game over.
Pick: Birds 27 Boys 17
Detroit at Chicago (Sunday 1 p.m. on FOX)
The Bears' defense is actually decent, ranked ninth overall, but the offense is abysmal. In their last two outings, the Bears hung tough, losing by eight to New Orleans and by seven to Green Bay. Chicago just doesn't have enough offensive firepower to hang with Matthew Stafford and the Lions.
Pick: Lions
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Jacksonville at Cleveland (Sunday 1 p.m. on CBS)
This is a matchup of feast or famine, and the Jags defense (first in sacks with 35) should be doing a lot of feasting. The Jags are tied for first in the AFC South and should win their fourth in a row.
Pick: Jaguars
Baltimore at Green Bay (Sunday 1 p.m. on CBS)
Aaron Rodgers' replacement Brett Hundley has improved each week, but this time he's facing a Ravens' defense that leads the league in interceptions with 13. It is likely the Packers will be without their top two rushers. Joe Flacco has been a disappointment this year (eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions) but he will pile up yards against a generous Packers' pass defense. Ravens win a close one.
Pick: Ravens
Tampa Bay at Miami (Sunday 1 p.m. on FOX)
3-6 Bucs vs. 4-5 Fins. No one expected both of these teams to have losing records at the stage of the season. Tampa's list of offensive weapons on paper is impressive but has not lived up to expectations. The Dolphins are a mess, losing the last three and giving up 40 or more points in two of their last three. Somebody has to win this battle of Florida. Bucs get a slight nod.
Pick: Bucs
Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota (Sunday 1 p.m. on FOX)
This clash of division leaders is worth watching. The Rams are the best scoring offense (32.9 points per game) and are facing the Vikings' No. 5 scoring defense (18.3 ppg). Jared Goff has come into his own and Case Keenum has been solid. It comes down to which defense can get the most stops. The Vikings' D is really good and playing at home. Advantage Minnesota.
Pick: Vikings
Washington at New Orleans (Sunday 1 p.m. on FOX)
The Skins keep losing frontline bodies while the Saints just keep winning. Drew Brees has completed a minimum of 71 percent of his passes the last four games and the Saints' D isn't bad, ranked eighth overall. The Redskins will not win in the Bayou.
Pick: Saints
Kansas City at New York Giants (Sunday 1 p.m. on CBS)
Andy Reid's crew is lucky the rest of the AFC West is struggling. The Chiefs have had a bye week to fix the problems they had against Dallas. Meanwhile, the Giants have become a laughing stock. Players are getting suspended, and others are grumbling. The Giants will do a lot of sulking after Kansas City is through with them.
Pick: Chiefs
Arizona at Houston (Sunday 1 p.m. on FOX)
Both teams are without their starting QBs. The Cardinals still don't know who will start this one, Blaine Gabbert or Drew Stanton. Tom Savage has been ineffective for Houston the last two games (46 percent completion, two touchdowns and two interceptions). All of the Cardinals' losses have been against teams with winning records. This will be ‘Zona's first loss to a team under .500.
Pick: Texans
Buffalo at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday 4:05 p.m. on FOX)
What has happened to the Bills? The defense can't stop anybody. The Bills are losers of two straight and now QB Tyrod Taylor is benched. Phillip Rivers is in the concussion protocol. If it's a battle of backup QBs, I'll take the Chargers' Kellen Clemens over the Bills' rookie Nathan Peterman.
Pick: Chargers
Cincinnati at Denver (Sunday 4:25 p.m. on CBS)
The only thing these two 3-6 teams have left to play for is pride. The Broncos have lost five straight and the last three to the Chiefs, Eagles and Patriots. The Bengals are minus-9 in turnover differential but Andy Dalton who hasn't thrown a pick in his last three games and will lead Cincy to victory.
Pick: Bengals
New England at Oakland (Sunday 4:25 p.m. on CBS)
Like them or not, the Patriots just keep finding ways to win. Their defense is ranked dead last yet once again, they control the AFC East. Old Man Brady still has many tricks up his sleeve and will dissect the Raiders' defense.
Pick: Patriots
Atlanta at Seattle (8:30 p.m. Monday night on ESPN)
The Falcons were impressive against Dallas, but that was in their dome. This one will be outdoors in the cold with possible rain, and the Hawks' 12th man will be out in full force. Seattle can't run the ball but Russell Wilson can carry this team on his back. The Seahawks desperately need a win to stay close to the Rams. They'll get the W.
Pick: Seahawks
