Saints Are Heavenly in Week 11 Confidence Pool

After several torrid weeks, we ran into a rough patch in Week 10 Confidence Pool picks as the bookmakers got the best of us. Let’s check out Week 11 where we rate our most confident straight up pick from (13) (six teams on a bye) all the way to our least confident (1). The point spread on each game is in parentheses but these picks are not against the spread.

Week 10 Straight Up Record: 8-6 (67 of possible 105)

13. Saints: Eagles at Saints (-9): We’ve heard of a Super Bowl hangover, but the Eagles are in a self-induced coma. The best online sportsbooks are installing Drew Brees, master of the shock and awe campaign being waged down on the bayou, and the Saints as a whopping nine-point favorite over the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles and it’s still not enough. Watch the Saints march to a double-digit win and continue their rampage.

12. Steelers: Steelers (-6) at Jaguars: The Jags are in the midst of a five-game shame spiral, while the Steelers are neck-and-neck with the Chiefs as the best in the AFC. Two teams going in opposite directions.

11. Chargers: Broncos at Chargers (-7): The other team in LA is quietly assembling an impressive record by beating up the weak sisters of the league. The Broncos qualify in that regard, averaging just 18 points per game over their last six losses, and that’s not enough to keep pace with Rivers and the Bolts.

10. Cardinals: Raiders at Cardinals (-4): The Raiders are so bad that they make the Cardinals look good. Last week the Redbirds looked gritty while the Raiders looked sh***y, and that’s why a 2-7 team takes its absurd place near the top of the totem this week.

9. Falcons: Cowboys at Falcons (-4): Can you say trap game? because we know we can, and that’s exactly the landmine about to befall Dallas after a huge win over a divisional rival and defending Super Bowl champion Eagles, with another divisional tilt against the Skins on Thanksgiving. Classic case of overlook here against a high-powered Falcons offense led by Matty Ice.

8. Colts: Titans at Colts (-2): Read above and everywhere you see Dallas, substitute Tennessee. Unfortunately, the same rule applies to our beloved Titans. An enormous win over the Pats followed by a divisional game against Houston next week has our boys forgetting about the increasingly dangerous Colts.

7. Panthers: Panthers at Lions (-4): The Lions look more like kitties while the Panthers will be licking their collective chops to atone for getting scorched by the Steelers last week. Detroit’s Matthew Stafford will still be drowsy after suffering from night terrors all week after the 16 sacks he took the past two weeks.

6. Redskins: Texans at Redskins (+3): Washington is 5-1 straight up and against the spread this year as an underdog, which bodes well for their chances this week against Houston. The best online sportsbooks are unanimous in dealing the road team as favorites but in this case, they’ve got it all wrong.

5. Packers: Packers (+2½) at Seahawks: Seattle is playing their third straight game against an upper-echelon team. In a choice between Rodgers’ passing attack and the Seahawks’ ground game, we’ll side with the former on Thursday night.

4. Bucs: Bucs (+1) at NY Giants: Bucs put up over 500 yards but scored only three points in their loss to Washington last week. All those yards will turn into oodles of points against Big Blue.

3. Vikings: Vikings (+3) at Bears: Minny has beaten Chicago the last three meetings, and young gun Trubisky will face a pass rush he hasn’t seen this season. Live road pup here.

2. Chiefs: Chiefs at Rams (-2½): Statistically, the Chiefs are 12-3 ATS over their last 15 games while the Rams are 1-6 ATS over their last seven. In a Monday night game (moved from Mexico City to LA) where the total is at a historic high of 63, this one will be a shootout and we’ll take the team with the numbers on its side.

1. Bengals: Bengals at Ravens (NL): Injuries and uncertainties abound in this one as the oddsmakers have yet to put out a line in the early going. Head/Bengals, tails/ Ravens. Heads!