Alternative Picks: Week 11, 2020

Well … that tightened up quickly.

A 2-5 week by Andy kick-started a lopsided week 10 win for Tony, who still trails in the alternative picks contest, but now can think of paying off his lunch debt in Subway sandwiches rather than in Oceanaire seafood dinners.

Tony was 6-1 or the week. Here are the standings:

So far when Tony wins a week, he has usually followed up with a clunker. Can he get a winning streak going?

1) Tony: Steelers over Jaguars – Despite playing several games down to the level of their opponent, the Steelers are still undefeated. The Jaguars playing to the level of their opponent would be a significant improvement in most games.
2) Andy: Chargers over Jets – San Diego, err, Los Angeles might be the most likely team in the league to lose to the Jets, but they shouldn’t. And with this week’s slate of games, that’s pretty much enough.
3) Andy: Chiefs over Raiders – This game shapes up to be a lot more interesting than I would have expected when the schedule came out, but Kansas City is rested off the bye and still the superior team.
4) Tony: Patriots over Texans – This is an ugly slate of games for easy picks this week…the Patriots seem to have figured a little bit out, though, and the Texans still haven’t.
5) Andy: Browns over Eagles – You’re not kidding about easy games this week. It’s either solid team against solid team or crappy one against crappy one. This one matches enigmatic QBs. The Browns aren’t in the NFC East, so I’ll take them.
6) Tony: Packers over Colts – Yes, the Colts are only one game back of the Packers from a record stand point, and they’re playing at home. And they’re coming off a nice win over the Titans. But even though the Packers are once again criminally overrated, the Pack simply is the better team–outside of that Titans win, they’ve beaten the Lions, Bengals, Bears, Jets and Vikings–and even the Titans are reeling, right now.
7) Andy: Vikings over Cowboys – I’m not comfortable picking Minnesota here because a Kirk Cousins-led team is capable on any given Sunday of losing to anyone. But the Cowboys are so desperate they have inquired with my agent about playing QB this week. … Well, maybe that wasn’t for playing QB. And maybe I don’t have an agent. But you get the idea.
8) Tony: Saints over Falcons – If Drew Brees hadn’t gotten hurt, this game would be a lot higher –probably top 3. But even with Jameis Winston at the helm, the Saints should be able to Eat the W.
9) Andy: Dolphins over Broncos – Tua looks solid. Miami has won five straight and looks like an actually solid team. Denver … doesn’t. Hell, this game probably should be higher.
10) Tony: Cardinals over Seahawks – I almost took Miami a couple times, but Tua isn’t winning games as much as he isn’t losing them–was the potential for weather that Tua hasn’t seen much (any?) of that held me back. In Seattle, the Seahawks haven’t won a game since Russel Wilson trademarked “Let Russ Cook” and the Cards are finding ways to win.
11) Andy: Buccaneers over Rams – Speaking of QBs who aren’t winning as much as they’re not losing, enter Jared Goff. Until this week. Tom Brady ain’t what he used to be, but he can still get it done. And he will here.
12) Tony: Lions over Panthers – The Lions have actually won 3 of their last 5, and the Panthers haven’t won any. Add in some uncertainty around Teddy Bridgewater and CMC, and the Lions finally realizing that DeAndre Swift is the best RB on their team…and the Lions should be able to move to .500.
13) Andy: Bengals over Football Team – Cincinnati is over-matched from a talent perspective a lot of weeks right now. But this isn’t one of those games and Joe Burrow is a gamer. Washington just doesn’t seem to be going in the right direction.
14) Tony: Ravens over Titans – Both teams are 6-3, both teams have lost 2 of 3, both teams are coming off games that on paper they probably should have won. Both teams prefer to run the ball and play solid defense. At the end of the day, I’ll give the slight edge to the home team, and slightly better defense.

Tony didn’t pick up quite as many games in the straight-up pool, but he still started a solid comeback.

Here are the picks for week 11.