From left: Sports Editor Karl Winter, Assistant Sports Editor Paxton Ritchey, Staff Writer Kyle McCabe, Photo Editor Ali Levens, Sports Assistant Justin Touhey and Staff Writer Austin Hall. This group of six made its picks for the 11th week of the NFL season after a tight tenth week. Art by Madeline Duvall
Division races in the National Football League took clearer shape in Week 10 of the 2020 season, though without significant change to the Graphic’s picks competition.
Indianapolis took a critical AFC South matchup in Tennessee. Baltimore slid further back in the AFC North race with a surprising loss in rainy Foxborough, Mass.
Meanwhile, in the NFC East, all went according to plan to advance the division on its path to become the worst division in NFL history: Washington lost a heartbreaker in Detroit and division leader Philadelphia dropped to 3–5–1.
An NFC West battle between Los Angeles and Seattle went to the Rams, giving that division three teams at 6–3 entering a Thursday Night showdown between Arizona and Seattle.
Arizona miraculously moved into that tie with the play of the year — a Hail Mary snag for the ages by DeAndre Hopkins.
Sports Editor Karl Winter rode the Rams’ victory to take back the outright lead in the PGM picks, but Week 11 promises drama with juicy primetime matchups plus Titans-Ravens and Packers-Colts during the day Sunday.
Without further ado, allow Staff Writers Kyle McCabe and Austin Hall, Sports Assistant Justin Touhey, Assistant Sports Editor Paxton Ritchey, Photo Editor Ali Levens and Winter to make their selections for one of the most divided weeks of picking thus far.
Arizona Cardinals (6–3) at Seattle Seahawks (6–3) (Thursday, Nov. 19 at 5:20 p.m., PST)
Justin: Seahawks
Paxton: Cardinals
Austin: Seahawks
Ali: Seahawks
Kyle: Seahawks
Karl: Seahawks
“Seahawks have too few healthy offensive weapons and too little defensive firepower to overcome a Cardinals team firing on all cylinders. But book it right here, right now: the ‘Hawks lose Thursday to drop to 6–4, but won’t lose again the rest of the season. 12–4 record, you heard it here first.” — Paxton
“It’s been a few rough weeks for Seattle, but they are off their road trip and are now home. I think the Cardinals have been good but also very lucky.” — Justin
Cincinnati Bengals (2–6–1) at Washington Football Team (2–7) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Bengals
Paxton: Football Team
Austin: Bengals
Ali: Bengals
Kyle: Bengals
Karl: Football Team
“In Joe Burrow I trust. Two crappy teams playing — I’ll take the better QB.” — Justin
“This’ll be fun. I’ll take the Football Team’s D-line and Alex Smith balling out. Like I’ve said all year: Joe Burrow’s supporting cast is a year or two away.” — Paxton
Atlanta Falcons (3–6) at New Orleans Saints (7–2) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Saints
Paxton: Saints
Austin: Saints
Ali: Saints
Kyle: Saints
Karl: Saints
“Famous Jameis [Winston] takes the reins in New Orleans and may have a chance to earn his role as their starter of the future. If the Saints play even half as well they have lately, the win streak will roll on.” — Karl
Pittsburgh Steelers (9–0) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1–8) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Steelers
Paxton: Steelers
Austin: Steelers
Ali: Steelers
Kyle: Steelers
Karl: Steelers
“If this is the Steelers’ trap game, I will pick the Jags in every game the rest of the season.” — Kyle
New England Patriots (4–5) at Houston Texans (2–7) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Patriots
Paxton: Patriots
Austin: Patriots
Ali: Patriots
Kyle: Patriots
Karl: Patriots
“An actual semi-decent performance out of Billiam and Cam over the Ravens last week. I will put my faith in them for the first time in a while and hope they can edge out the rooty-toot-tootin’ Texans.” — Ali
Philadelphia Eagles (3–5–1) at Cleveland Browns (6–3) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Browns
Paxton: Browns
Austin: Browns
Ali: Browns
Kyle: Eagles
Karl: Browns
“It’s about time for Baker [Mayfield] to play like garbage again.” — Kyle
“How do you lose to the Giants?! They’re fighting for who wants to get the most mediocre quarterback in the draft. Anyways, no NFC East team will be getting a win this week.” — Ali
Detroit Lions (4–5) at Carolina Panthers (3–7) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Panthers
Paxton: Panthers
Austin: Lions
Ali: Lions
Kyle: Panthers
Karl: Lions
“The Lions need to return to .500 where they belong. The Panthers being close to being a trap game for teams doesn’t make me think much better of them. If it’s close in the 4th quarter, I’ll take the better QB. No Stafford slander will be tolerated.” — Austin
“More expose articles this week about how bad the coach-locker room relationship is in Detroit. Teddy Checkdown [Bridgewater] is going to slice and dice.” — Paxton
Tennessee Titans (6–3) at Baltimore Ravens (6–3) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., PST)
Justin: Ravens
Paxton: Titans
Austin: Ravens
Ali: Ravens
Kyle: Titans
Karl: Ravens
“Fascinating contest for the Ravens, on a mini-slide and facing the team that knocked them out of the playoffs. For some reason, defenses have Lamar Jackson’s number and he hasn’t adjusted yet. I’ll take Tennessee on the road yet again.” —Paxton
“This would have been a very exciting game if it were played in Week 4. But here we are, both teams losing games they definitely should not have lost. This will still be a decently good game, though. I will still put my faith in Lamar [Jackson] even though he lost to Cam [Newton].” — Ali
New York Jets (0–9) at Los Angeles Chargers (2–7) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:05 p.m., PST)
Justin: Chargers
Paxton: Chargers
Austin: Chargers
Ali: Chargers
Kyle: Chargers
Karl: Chargers
“Is this the one? Is it? Beating a 6-foot-6-inch QB [in Justin Herbert] who just cut his long lovely locks before they get their own 6-foot-6-inch QB with an even better head of hair [in Trevor Lawrence]? Not this time. Participation trophy win for the Chargers.” — Austin
Miami Dolphins (6–3) at Denver Broncos (3–6) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:05 p.m., PST)
Justin: Dolphins
Paxton: Dolphins
Austin: Dolphins
Ali: Dolphins
Kyle: Broncos
Karl: Dolphins
“I think this is a mistake on the schedule. The Broncos aren’t playing any more games. All of our players are in the hospital.” — Kyle
“[The Dolphins] have a legit chance of winning the division and look to be only getting better.” — Justin
Dallas Cowboys (2–7) at Minnesota Vikings (4–5) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Justin: Vikings
Paxton: Vikings
Austin: Vikings
Ali: Vikings
Kyle: Vikings
Karl: Vikings
“Dem Boys’ bye last week makes things interesting, but Dalvin [Cook] will use their defense as a doormat after being contained by the Bears.” — Austin
Green Bay Packers (7–2) at Indianapolis Colts (6–3) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Justin: Colts
Paxton: Packers
Austin: Packers
Ali: Packers
Kyle: Packers
Karl: Colts
“The Packers are overrated. They are running away with their division but they don’t convince me. Aaron Rodgers is not necessarily overrated, but he has bad games here and there, and this top-notch defense spells trouble.” — Karl
The Colts defense is 6–3, not the rest of the team. They’ll get some stops, but saying Philip Rivers will beat Aaron Rodgers in Week 11 is entering into bet your pinkie on a game type of territory.” — Austin
Kansas City Chiefs (8–1) at Las Vegas Raiders (6–3) (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 5:20 p.m., PST)
Justin: Chiefs
Paxton: Chiefs
Austin: Chiefs
Ali: Chiefs
Kyle: Chiefs
Karl: Chiefs
“We seem to be in agreement that the Chiefs will not allow their only blip of the season to happen again. It would take another flawless offensive performance for Vegas to outscore them this time, and while Vegas has been good, that’s a lot to ask. Plus, Andy Reid always wins after the bye week.” — Karl
Los Angeles Rams (6–3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7–3) (Monday, Nov. 23 at 5:15 p.m., PST)
Justin: Buccaneers
Paxton: Buccaneers
Austin: Rams
Ali: Buccaneers
Kyle: Rams
Karl: Rams
“I’ve enjoyed watching Brady get destroyed by elite pass rushers, and Aaron Donald is an animal.” — Kyle
“I’m not sold on either team being a formidable contender when the playoffs start, and I believe the Bucs will carry the momentum from their win last weekend.” — Justin
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Contact Karl Winter via Twitter: @karlwinter23 or by email: karl.winter@pepperdine.edu
