New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady leading his team

NFL Week 11 picks: Preview, predictions & best bets for Week 11 of the NFL including the Patriots, Cowboys & Ravens

By Paul Higham

NFL

Sun November 24, 2019 · 5y ago

Paul Higham says the champion New England Patriots can bounce back in their Super Bowl LII rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Recommended bets

2pts Patriots (-4pts) to beat the Eagles at Evens

1pt Dallas Cowboys to beat the Detroit Lions (-7pts) at 11/10

1pt Ravens (-3.5) to beat the Texans and Over 50.5 Total Match Points at 2/1

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

New England Patriots @ Philadelphia Eagles

A Super Bowl rematch from a couple of seasons' ago highlights the Sunday slate of matches, as the Patriots return to action having had a bye week to stew over suffering their first loss of the season against the Ravens. The Eagles have also had a week off to even things up, as they look for another 'Philly Special' against the champs.

It could be a Tom Brady v Carson Wentz shootout with both sides tough to run on, especially the Eagles who will look to force Brady to throw but try and pressure him at every opportunity. Tom Terrific has not lived up to his name when pressured, he's in fact bottom of the league for completions when under duress.

Stats though, go out of the window when it comes to Bill Belichick on a Super Bowl revenge mission coming off a bye week. His defence is still historically good and Wentz is down a couple of receivers - which is not good coming up against a unit that ranks first in interceptions, second in passing yards and fourth in sacks.

The Eagles can run the football, and that's the one flaw in the New England rearguard, so will likely be the route Philly will try and exploit, but if I know that, and the Eagles know that, you can be sure Belichick knows that so he'll have a plan in place.

We're backing the empire to strike back.

Best bet: New England Patriots (-3.5pts) to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Evens

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens

This could be one of the games of the weekend as two uber-talented young quarterbacks with growing MVP claims clash in Baltimore, and as such the Lamar Jackson v Deshaun Watson shootout is pegged as the highest-scoring contest of the week.

That 51-point line is a high one given both of the respective defences allow just 12 points a game, but it just shows how highly the quarterbacks and their third (Ravens) and fourth (Texans) ranked offences are.

Passer ratings are a big thing in the NFL, and the last and only time two under-25 quarterbacks with ratings as high as these two faced off was this time last year, when Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff played out a 54-51 thriller!

Jackson and Watson are different quarterbacks though, as they’re both dual-threats who can kill teams with their arms or their legs. Jackson has more designated run plays and actually leads the team with 702 rushing yards – the Patriots couldn’t stop him and now the Texans have to try.

Houston can really play, and they could easily go into Baltimore as underdogs and pick up the win, but the Ravens are on a roll after winning five in a row and they’ve got everything needed to win a shootout.

Best bet: Baltimore Ravens -3.5 and Over 50.5 Total Match Points at 2/1

Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions

They're both coming off disappointing losses last week and they're both in something of a slump, with Dallas dropping four of the last six and the Lions going one better, or worse, with five defeats in their last half dozen outings to ruin what was a solid start.

The Cowboys get plenty of offence going, they could top the charts for the first time 42 years if they keep this pace going, but they can't turn those offensive yards into points and wins right now, leaving them tied with the Eagles at the top of the NFC East.

Detroit should be without starting QB Matt Stafford again, Jeff Driskel will take the reins once more, but it's the Lions defence, notably their run-stopping struggles, that could be their undoing in Motor City this week - with Ezekiel Elliott coming to town ready to run angry after recent below-par efforts.

Backing the Cowboys hasn't been profitable at all this season, they've been favourites for every single game they've played, yet have returned a 5-4 record so they owe us one! With their offensive numbers they really should be clear in their division

After late disappointment for Elliott in last week's loss, he'll be desperate to respond against a side he piled up 152 rushing yards and 88 receiving yards on last season - he could be the difference maker this week.

Best bet: Dallas Cowboys to beat the Detroit Lions (-7pts) at 11/10

Odds correct as of 2235 GMT 15/11/19