NFL picks, predictions for Week 11: Steelers score huge AFC North win; Bills get payback on reeling Jets

Bill Bender

NFL picks, predictions for Week 11: Steelers score huge AFC North win; Bills get payback on reeling Jets image

Will Taylor Swift and Donna Kelce be in attendance for Monday Night Football? 

It’s a good bet, right? After all, the Monday Night Football matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles is a Super Bowl LVII rematch of last year’s 38-35 shootout. Both teams are on top of their respective conferences heading into the home stretch of the season, and home-field advantage is always a plus. Expect Patrick Mahomes II and Jalen Hurts to put on a show. 

That’s one of three matchups featuring two teams with winning records in Week 11. The other two are head-to-head matchups in the same division. Cincinnati takes on Baltimore on Thursday Night Football. The fact the Ravens are in first place is not a huge surprise. The fact the Bengals are in last place in a division where all four teams have winning records is a shocker, however. 

Which leads to Pittsburgh at Cleveland. This classic AFC North rivalry is a matchup between 6-3 teams who have come a long way since Week 1. The Browns finally have Deshaun Watson settling in at quarterback, and the Steelers continue to find ugly ways to win with Kenny Pickett. This game will not be an exception either way. 

Each week, Sporting News picks every NFL matchup by the spread. A look at our track record this season: 

  • Straight up: 95-55 (8-6 in Week 10) 
  • ATS: 78-68-4 (8-6 in Week 10)

Here are our straight-up picks for Week 11 (lines courtesy of Caesars): 

POWER RANKINGS: Lions, 49ers level up; Texans jump Bengals, Bills; Jets, Patriots sink to bottom for Week 11

NFL picks, predictions for Week 11

  • Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)  

Thursday, 8:20 p.m., Prime Video 

All the pressure is on the Bengals here. Or is it? Baltimore won the first meeting while Burrow was still working back from a calf injury. Baltimore has two home losses this season, and this short week makes this a true toss-up game between division rivals. It's worth knowing Jackson is 7-1 S/U against the Bengals as a starter. Will Burrow reverse that trend? If Cincinnati wants to stay in the AFC North hunt, then he better. 

Pick: Bengals 24, Ravens 21 

Result: Ravens 34, Bengals 20

  • Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (-4)  

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

Here is the other huge AFC North showdown. The Browns rallied past Baltimore with 16 unanswered points, and they have a chance to get a split with the Steelers – who have won four of their last five games in one-score fashion. Cleveland is 2-1 S/U at home against Pittsburgh under Kevin Stefanski, and they are 4-1 S/U at home. Deshaun Watson is out, however, and now the Browns have to turn to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Cleveland still covers, but we'll change the pick. 

Pick: Steelers 20, Browns 17

  • Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-9.5) 

Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox

Will the Bears get Justin Fields back for this one? It would give them a better shot in this NFC North rivalry. Chicago is 1-4 S/U on the road this season, and they average more than two turnovers per game in those losses. The Bears also allow 298.2 yards per game on the road. This could be another huge game for Jared Goff. Detroit is 5-1 ATS as a single-digit favorite. They are reliable under Dan Campbell. 

Pick: Lions 31, Bears 15 

Justin Herbert
Getty Images
  • Los Angeles Chargers (-3) at Green Bay Packers

Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox

Somebody has to win a close game here. The Chargers are 2-4 S/U in games decided by one score or less, but they should be able to get the running game against a Packers' defense that has allowed 200-plus rushing yards three times this season. Green Bay is 1-4 S/U in games decided by three points or less. Jordan Love has thrown eight of 10 interceptions in the second half. It’s yet another 

Pick: Chargers 26, Packers 20

  • Las Vegas Raiders at Miami Dolphins (-10) 

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

The Raiders are riding a two-game winning streak under interim coach Antonio Pierce. The Raiders average 33 rushing attempts and 149 rushing yards per game the last two weeks, but the Dolphins have a decent run defense. Miami also has an offense that can pull a team out of their comfort zone quickly. The Dolphins are 3-0 ATS at home, and that includes two double-digit lines. 

Pick: Dolphins 34, Raiders 23 

  • New York Giants at Washington Commanders (-10) 

Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox

Didn't we just watch this game? The Giants are a full-blown mess, but they did beat Washington 14-7 in Week 7. Sam Howell has taken a league-high 47 sacks, and that has disrupted The Commanders' stop-and-start offense. Tommy DeVito has taken 11 sacks in two blowout losses. Still, that's a lot of points between two struggling division rivals. Six of their last seven meetings have been one-score games. 

Pick: Commanders 23, Giants 16

Dak Prescott
(Getty Images)
  • Dallas Cowboys (-11) at Carolina Panthers 

Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox

There is another giant spread. The Cowboys erupted for 640 total yards against the Giants, and the Panthers had a few extra days after the loss to Chicago. The Panthers average 14.5 points per game at home. That will not be nearly enough against Dallas. The Cowboys are 2-3 ATS on the road, and that is a lot of points. We'll play it right under that line. 

Pick: Cowboys 29, Panthers 17

  • Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-6.5) 

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

Will Levis has completed 52.5% of his passes the last two weeks, and the Titans averaged 11 points per game in those losses. That won’t do on the road against the Jaguars, who are coming off a reality check against San Francisco. Jacksonville shakes that off ahead of next week’s huge AFC South matchup with Houston. 

Pick: Jaguars 24, Titans 17

  • Arizona Cardinals at Houston Texans (-4) 

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

This line has dropped a point from its open – a nod to the return of Kyler Murray in Arizona. Houston’s C.J. Stroud continues to be a game-changer for the Texans. He’s 3-1 S/U at home with a 113.9 passer rating. The Texans are 0-3 ATS as a favorite, but Stroud keeps the good times rolling in another thriller. 

Pick: Texans 31, Cardinals 25 

(Getty)
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers (-10.5) 

Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Fox

The 49ers emerged as a much different team out of the bye week, and the defense totaled five sacks and 10 quarterback hits. The pass-rushing tandem of Nick Bosa and Chase Young is quite literally, a hit. Tampa Bay ranks 31st in the league in rushing offense (78.1). That is going to cost them in this one, even if Baker Mayfield makes it interesting for three quarters. 

Pick: 49ers 27, Buccaneers 17 

  • New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-7) 

Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS

The Jets’ offensive woes continue, and the Bills will be looking for payback after losing this game in Week 1. Josh Allen is 6-4 S/U with nine TDs and 10 interceptions in 10 career starts against the Jets, but they have won the last three home meetings by an average of 11 points per game. Still, New York is 4-2 ATS as an underdog. That defense still travels. 

Pick: Bills 22, Jets 17

  • Seattle Seahawks (-2.5) at Los Angeles Rams 

Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS

The Seahawks have quietly won three of their last four games, and they are 2-2 S/U on the road this season. Matthew Stafford is still dealing with a UCL injury in his thumb, and if he cannot go it might be a Carson Wentz production against Seattle. Geno Smith is coming off his best game of the season against Washington. The Rams did win this matchup 30-13 in Week 1, but the QB situation is less than ideal. 

Pick: Seahawks 27, Rams 19

Josh Dobbs
(Getty Images)
  • Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos (-1.5) 

Sunday, 8:20 pm., NBC

The Joshua Dobbs story is incredible to this point, and the key is the veteran quarterback does not turn the ball over. Denver still has the worst statistical defense in the league, and they struggle most against the run. Will these teams keep winning with role players such as Ty Chandler and T.J. Hockenson? Why not? 

Pick: Vikings 24, Broncos 23

  • Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5) 

Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

This could be a preview of this year’s Super Bowl. Hurts has struggled with interceptions on the road, where he has a passer rating of 87.8. Mahomes II keeps the Chiefs rolling at home with Travis Kelce. Kansas City is 4-1 ATS when favored by six points or less. This one will come down to the wire again, but it’s Kansas City’s defense that delivers with the huge stop this time. 

Pick: Chiefs 30, Eagles 22

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.