Del can only hope Week 10 is as bad as it gets. A 4-10 week against the spread is an absolute killer, and a 3-11 record straight up is enough to make you feel like you haven’t watched a single NFL game all season.
While Del has never been one for excuses, the following tidbit of info tells you everything you need to know about how difficult it has been to pick games this season:
There are now only 11 NFL teams with a winning record, the fewest entering Week 11 since 1990.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2015
As an overall league, the NFL hasn’t been this inconsistent in over 20 years. We’re still waiting for teams to find their identity, and it just isn’t happening for many of them. All that said, Del needs to bounce back in a huge way. The locks have to get going and there can be no more 4-10 weeks. Here’s hoping for better results in Week 11.
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
Del’s going to take some time to think about locks this week, so check back later for those. But for now, a few notes:
While the Bears have looked much improved lately, Alshon Jeffery is battling more injuries and has not been practicing this week. As sad as it is to say, I think Brock Osweiler has the potential to be an upgrade over Peyton Manning. We already know what the Denver defense is capable of. If Osweiler can throw the ball downfield — something Manning was struggling with — Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders should benefit. John Fox will be motivated against his former team, but he’s also facing some of the players he walked out on. That motivation will go both ways, and I think the Broncos are the better team. UPDATE: Jeffery was declared inactive, which inspired me to make the Broncos this week’s lock.
Miami-Dallas was a game I struggled with, and I’m still not confident in the pick. While Tony Romo will give the Cowboys a major boost, you have to take rust into consideration. It’s going to be tough for him to get on track in a road game when he hasn’t played since Week 2.
It’s a challenge for any NFL team to cover 13 points, but the 4-5 Seahawks desperately need a win after a tough home loss to the Cardinals in Week 10. I fully expect them to take out their frustrations on Blaine Gabbert and the 49ers.
