Week 11 Picks: Hissing Favorites, Are You The Destroyer?

The NFL season is well over the half-way point, past the fantasy nightmares of bye weeks and injuries are piling up across the board. In Week 11, we've got a pretty good handle on all of these teams and what they're capable of. Knowledge is power, hopefully it'll help out our spread picks. MLTS Picks are highlighted in this edition, Schwartz and I did diverge on one game and that will be explained.

ATLANTA FALCONS (6-3) -5.5 Denver Broncos (5-4)

We know the Atlanta story well by now: Matt Ryan looks like the best rookie quarterback of the last decade, Roddy White has emerged as a top 6ish WR, Michael Turner is being heralded as a great Free Agent signing and one of the top backs in the NFL (in spite of being shut down by every legit defense in the NFL). This team plays well at home and gets rather inspired defense play at times, especially from the pass rush. Atlanta is a legit NFL team right now, maybe not a playoff team in loaded NFC South, but light years ahead of last year.

Denver still possesses the same explosive offense, albiet a little different than it was early in the year. Running-back less (Sorry, I'm not going to dignify Tatum Bell and Peyton Hillis as "Running Backs") but marching on with Cutler/Marshall/Royal/Scheffler/Stokley. Denver will be able to move the ball but eventually the Atlanta pass rush will connect a few times, forcing mistakes. There's also the minor problem of Denver having no discernable defense, staffed almost entirely by backup linebackers and defensive backs.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) -9.5 CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-8)

Bill Simmons has the Eagles figured out for gambling purposes: Take them against bad teams and pick against them against good teams. The Bengals are a bad team.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-5) -5.5 Chicago Bears (5-4)

Here it is, the great point of contention for the week. Schwartz is taking the Packers (and I don't blame him), where as I am taking the Bears (mostly for the points).

Green Bay throws the ball extremely well and, while their offensive line has not been as good as it was last year, will surely look adequate against the Bears pass rush. In spite of the assumed talent level in the defensive secodary of the Bears, zero QB pressure and virtually no blitzing from the scheme means easy completions. The Packers should put up plenty of points in this game, with a turnover-fest really the only way for the Bears to stop them.

Chicago runs the ball well, maybe not AP well, but well enough to aggrevate the center of the Packers defense. LB Nick Barnett was lost for the season last week, making that Pack run defense even worse than it was. The wildcard here is that Rex "Everytime I spike the ball, I'm intending to flip off every Bears fan in the country" Grossman vs. the Green Bay secondary. As a Bears fan, I'm doing all I can to hold off fear induced convulsions during every Bears passing play. Frightened as I may be, I'll take the points because the running game should keep the Bears close.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-4) -8.5 Houston Texans (3-6)

I will make arguments for the Colts in four word sentences (or less!):

Sage Rosenfels. Peyton Manning. Coming off Steelers victory. Colts defense forces turnovers. Rosenfels 4-INT Week 10. Sage Rosenfels. Sage. Rosenfels. Rumors of demise. Greatly exaggerated.

Hopefully that is non-sensical enough for you. Steve Slaton should have a bounce back game against the Colts, assuming the Texans don't fall so far behind that they have to throw the ball every down from the 8 minute mark in the 1st quarter.

New Orleans Saints (4-5) -4.5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-8)

No Reggie Bush might make this game interesting, but I doubt it. Tyler Thigpen has to remember he's Tyler Thigpen at some point.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-4) -10.5 Oakland Raiders (2-7)

Congrats Miami on the great turnaround. No, Jammin' JaMarcus and Run-DMC (Darren McFadden, you really need to earn that nickname against a team not named the Chiefs. Thanks.) won't make a difference. Sit Ted Ginn vs Nnamdi "Where pass plays go to die" Asomugha.

NEW YORK GIANTS (8-1) -6.5 Baltimore Ravens (6-3)

The Giants homerism continues. The Ravens are a great defense and this will surely be a test for the Giants. However, if there is one thing the Giants do well it is wear down defenses with their offensive line. B-Jac and Derrick Ward will be running for 6-7 yard gains by the end of this. Also, Joe Flacco vs. that pass rush.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-3) -3.5 Minnesota Vikings (5-4)

Tampa can theoretically stop AP, meaning this game will force Brad Childress' playcalling and Gus Frerotte's quarterbacking to win the Vikings a game against a good defense. This is very unlikely. The Minnesota defense should keep this close for a while, but give Tampa the home and coaching edge.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (7-2) -14.5 Detroit Lions (0-9)

Petitioning for the Detroit Lions to be named the "Detroit Play all of your fantasy players against us." For public awareness.

Tennessee Titans (9-0) -2.5 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-5)

The Titans are not unbeatable. Any team that scores early on them and has a better pass defense than the Bears can force the Titans into a game they can't play very well.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-7) -3.5 St. Louis Rams (2-7)

Putrid vs. Decomposing. This game would be more entertaining if one team was entirely replaced by mutant zombies that, instead of tackling, attempted to bring down ball carriers by eating brains. Let's see Frank Gore put up 200 total yards against that defense!

Arizona Cardinals (6-3) -3.5 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-7)

I am not encouraged by the return of Matt "The Hass" Hasselbeck. Best passing offense in the NFL vs. one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL. Good luck, Seattle.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-3) -4.5 San Diego Chargers (4-5)

2008 will be known as the year LT went from 1st pick to late 2nd-rounder.

Dallas Cowboys (5-4) -1.5 WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-3)

Dear Clinton Portis' MCL,

Thanks for forcing us to take the Cowboys.

Irreverently,

MLTS Fantasy

BUFFALO BILLS (5-4) -4.5 Cleveland Browns (3-6)

Worst game in Monday Night Football History? Look for more of the Browns offense that showed up last week -- lots of Kellen Winslow, Jr. and Jamal Lewis. The training wheels will still be on for B-Quinn.
Trent Edwards, Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch were doing their best to look like small market "Big Three" early in the season. Now they just look small.