Doc Brown’s had a rough time with his Top 3 the last three weeks, and that was coming off two straight 3-0 sweeps. Doc Brown simply doesn’t slump for four straight weeks, so we expect a turnaround.
We’re heavy on the favorites this week, but all three of the top plays we’re going with underdogs. The Doc thinks Cincinnati and Washington getting a touchdown in divisional games are great picks, and that the Vikings match up well with the Raiders. More analysis of Doc Brown’s week 11 picks below.
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
The Redskins have done the wise thing and are going back to Rex Grossman. He at least has more of a chance of moving the ball than John Beck. We’re worried about how thin the team’s receiving corpse is getting, but at least Fred Davis is still available. What we’re really banking on here is Washington’s defense. They’re still very good and plenty capable of holding the Cowboys to around 20 points. They’ve been forcing turnovers and getting sacked, and they should keep that up. Even if they lose by 7, this is still a winning pick because of the hook.
The Bengals remain underrated. Their defense is very good, and even though they won’t have A.J. Green, the offense is reliable. If Baltimore tries to feed Ray Rice the way they’ve been talking, Cincinnati matches up well because of their good run defense. The Doc sees this being a close game, and therefore a good bet on Cincinnati.
The Doc admittedly had a struggle picking a third game, but is going with the Vikings. Sure they got blown out and hardly competed against the Packers on Monday night, but things change. They’re returning home and facing an opponent more on their level. They also match up well with Oakland. Minnesota’s strength is running the ball, while the Raiders’ rush defense is towards the bottom of the league. Contrarily, Oakland’s strength is running the ball, but Minnesota is good at defending the run. Additionally, without Darren McFadden, I don’t think the Raiders can break as many big plays. Needing to throw the ball more, I think Carson Palmer will be pressured into mistakes (Jared Allen should be in his face all game). It will be a bounce back week for the Vikings and a letdown for the Raiders.
