College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten                         (Week ending December 1)  

1.  Clemson (12-0)
2.  LSU  (12-0)
3.  Ohio State (12-0)
4.  Georgia (11-1)
5.  Oklahoma (11-1)
6.  Utah (11-1)
7.  Alabama (10-2)
8.  Florida (10-2) 
9.  Wisconsin (10-2)
10.  Baylor (11-1) 

NFL - Week Thirteen Preview

It's that time of the year again when people celebrate Thanksgiving Day and watch football.
Pro Football.
There are three games on tap once again this Thanksgiving, starting with the annual game in Detroit where the Lions (3-7-1) will host the Chicago Bears (5-6) in an NFC North tilt. Following that will be the Buffalo Bills (8-3) playing at the Dallas Cowboys (6-5) in what could be the best game of the day. The night cap has the New Orleans Saints (9-2) traveling to play the Atlanta Falcons (3-8), who defeated the Saints just three weeks ago in The Big Easy.
The Buffalo Bills have a solid defense and could give Dallas some fits in that game. The Cowboys have a top notch offense, but they were manhandled by the New England Patriots defense and the foul weather in New England last Sunday in a 13-9 loss. All the 'Pokes could muster in offense was three field goals. They will need more than that to defeat the Bills, so look for the Cowboys to rebound this week.
The Bears should be able to handle the Lions, who will likely be starting a third string quarterback if Jeff Driskel (hamstring injury) cannot go. The Bears cannot do much offensively this season, but their defense remains top notch, so expect a lower scoring game with Chicago getting the win.
The Saints were knocked off at home by the Falcons three weeks ago, but don't expect a repeat effort on Thanksgiving night. The Saints are 9-2 and could wrap up the NFC South division if they win this game in Atlanta.

As for the rest of the action this week, there is a full slate of sixteen games the rest of the way this season as all the teams have had their bye weeks. The following offers the capsule style previews of those games and the Heftyinfo predictions for Week Thirteen follow up.


San Francisco (10-1) at Baltimore (9-2) - Ravens QB Lamar Jackson cannot be stopped !  The 49ers defense disagrees. Stay tuned for the biggest game this weekend.

N.Y. Jets (4-7) at Cincinnati (0-11) - The Jets are flying high after crushing Oakland but if the Bengals are going to get a win this season, then this is the game for them to do it.

Tennessee (6-5) at Indianapolis (6-5) - Huge game in the AFC South as both teams are just one game behind the Houston Texans. Toss up here.

Oakland (6-5) at Kansas City (7-4) - The Raiders got a huge slice of humble pie last weekend, but they could be tied for first place in AFC West if they can pull off the upset in this one. Not likely to happen at Arrowhead Stadium.

Philadelphia (5-6) at Miami (2-9) - The Eagles have lost two straight games and the Dolphins are just the tonic they need to get back in the chase with Dallas for the top spot in the NFC East.

Green Bay (8-3) at  N.Y. Giants (2-9) - Packers should win this one, but they are coming off a total embarrassment last week that was witnessed on national TV against San Francisco. Ouch!

Washington (2-9) at Carolina (5-6) - Panthers should rebound at home to get back to the .500 mark.

Tampa Bay (4-7) at Jacksonville (4-7) - Two teams playing out the string of games left in the 2019 season. Yawn.

L.A. Chargers (4-7) at Denver (3-8) - See above comment.

L.A. Rams (6-5) at Arizona (3-7-1) - The Cardinals have lost four in a row and would love to pretty much put an end to the Rams' playoff hopes for this season.

Cleveland (5-6) at Pittsburgh (6-5) - Expect the refs to be dropping penalty flags aplenty if these two teams even think of getting chippy in this one. This game has huge wild card playoff spot implications in the AFC, but look for the Steelers to win in a squeaker.

New England (10-1) at Houston (7-4) - The Patriots are due for a loss and this game just feels like the right time for that to happen.

Minnesota (8-3) at Seattle (9-2) - The Seahawks will have plenty of motivation for this "prime time" Monday night match, especially if the 49ers lose on Sunday. However, the Vikings will not just roll over in this one.

The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Thirteen  . . . . . . . .     (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)


Thanksgiving Day Games
Chicago over Detroit
Dallas over Buffalo
New Orleans over Atlanta 

Sunday Games
Baltimore over San Francisco
Cincinnati over N.Y. Jets
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Kansas City over Oakland
Philadelphia over Miami
Green Bay over N.Y. Giants
CAROLINA over Washington
Jacksonville over Tampa Bay
L.A. Chargers over Denver 
Arizona over L.A. Rams
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Houston over New England

Monday Night Game
Seattle over Minnesota


Last Week's Record -  12-2

SEASON RECORD -  119-56-1

Lock of the Week Record -  12-0 

NFL - Week Twelve Review

The San Francisco 49ers (10-1) are serving notice to the rest of the NFL that they are the team to beat after they annihilated the visiting Green Bay Packers, 37-8 on Sunday Night Football. The 49ers defense held the Packers (8-3) to a meager 198 yards of offense and sacked Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers five times while limiting him to a career low 108 yards passing in the game.
San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and had 253 passing yards while tight end George Kittle returned from injuries to catch six passes for 129 yards, including a 61-yard TD grab.
But wait, not so fast is the cry coming from the Baltimore Ravens (9-2) after they crushed the host Los Angeles Rams, 45-6 on Monday Night Football for their seventh consecutive victory.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, the Heftyinfo NFL co-Player of the Week, had FIVE touchdown passes while also rushing for 95 yards to lead the rout. Baltimore running back Mark Ingram rushed for 111 yards and scored twice, once rushing and once receiving as the Ravens rolled up an astounding 285 yards on the ground against the Rams defense.
In addition, Jackson twice threw touchdown passes to wide receivers Willie Snead and Marquise Brown as the Ravens scored on their first six possessions to quickly put the game away. Meanwhile, the Rams fell to 6-5 while being held to just 22 yards rushing for the game and QB Jared Goff threw two interceptions in defeat.
The New England Patriots won a defensive struggle at home in terrible weather conditions, beating the Dallas Cowboys, 13-9 to improve to 10-1 for the season. All the Cowboys (6-5), who entered the game as the NFL's top offense, could manage was three field goals by Brett Maher for their scoring in the loss.
The Patriots scored the only touchdown of the game late in the first quarter when QB Tom  Brady threw a 10-yard scoring pass to wide receiver N'Keal Harry while kicker Nick Folk made two field goals to help account for the final score.
The Seattle Seahawks (9-2) beat the host Philadelphia Eagles, 17-9 to stay within one game of the 49ers in the NFC West race. The Eagles fell to 5-6 and remained one game behind the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson had a TD pass while running back Rashaad Penny (129 yards on 14 carries) scored on a 58-yard run to lead the way. The Eagles turned the football over five times (two interceptions, three fumbles) in the loss while scoring their only touchdown with just 20 seconds left to play.
The New Orleans Saints (9-2) coughed up double-digit leads twice against Carolina (5-6), but managed to win at home, 34-31 when kicker Will Lutz drilled a 33-yard field goal as time expired. Lutz' heroics were possible because Panthers kicker Joey Slye missed a 28-yard field goal attempt, giving the Saints the chance to win the game.
Saints QB Drew Brees had three TD passes along with 311 passing yards while Panthers QB Kyle

Allen also had three scoring passes and RB Christian McCaffrey scored two touchdowns.
The Tennessee Titans (6-5) blasted the Jacksonville Jaguars, 42-20 for an easy home victory as running back Derrick Henry (pictured right), the Heftyinfo NFL co-Player of the Week, led the way by rushing for 159 yards (on 19 carries) and scoring two touchdowns, including a 74-yard romp to put the Titans ahead 21-3 in the third quarter.


                                 
                                                 Elsewhere Around the NFL . . . . . . . .  


The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) squeaked out a 16-10 road win against the winless Cincinnati Bengals (0-11) as kicker Chris Boswell made three field goals and backup QB Devlin Hodges, taking over for Mason Rudolph, connected with WR James Washington on a 79-yard TD pass to make the difference . . .  The New York Jets (4-7) crushed the visiting Oakland Raiders, 34-3, snapping the Raiders (6-5) three-game win streak. Jets QB Sam Darnold passed for two scores and rushed for another score to pace the rout. The Raiders managed just 208 total yards of offense . . .  The Buffalo Bills (8-3) rolled to a home win over the Denver Broncos, 20-3 as their defense held the Broncos (3-8) to just 134 total yards in offense, which included just 49 passing yards. Bills QB Josh Allen and WR John Brown combined for a pair of 34-yard TD pass plays to lead the way. Meanwhile, Bills RB Frank Gore gained 65 yards on the ground, which puts him third all-time in the NFL in career rushing yardage  . . .   The Chicago Bears (5-6) won at home, 19-14 against the New York Giants (2-9), sending them to their seventh consecutive defeat. Bears QB Mitch Trubisky had a scoring run and pass in the win . . .  The Cleveland Browns blasted the visiting Miami Dolphins, 41-24 as QB Baker Mayfield threw for three touchdowns as the Browns (5-6) won their third straight game . . .  The Washington Redskins (2-9) snapped a four-game losing streak as they toppled the visiting Detroit Lions, 19-16 as kicker Dustin Hopkins made a game winning 39-yard field goal in the closing seconds . . .  Tampa Bay (4-7) beat the host Atlanta Falcons, 35-22 as QB Jameis Winston had three TD passes (along with two INT) and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh scored on a six-yard fumble return . . .  In the Thursday night game, the Houston Texans improved to 7-4 and took sole possession of first place in the AFC South division with a 20-17 home victory against Indianapolis (6-5). Texans QB Deshaun Watson passed for two touchdowns to WR DeAndre Hopkins, including the game winning 30-yard TD pass in the third quarter. Colts RB Jonathan Williams rushed for 104 yards and a TD in the loss.


Week Twelve Results
Houston 20, Indianapolis 17
Chicago 19, N.Y. Giants 14
Tampa Bay 35, Atlanta 22
New Orleans 34, Carolina 31
Pittsburgh 16, Cincinnati 10
Cleveland 41, Miami 24
Washington 19, Detroit 16
N.Y. Jets 34, Oakland 3
Seattle 17, Philadelphia 9
Buffalo 20, Denver 3
Tennessee 42, Jacksonville 20
New England 13, Dallas 9
San Francisco 37, Green Bay 8
Baltimore 45, L.A. Rams 6

College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten                                        (Week ending November 24)

1.  Clemson (11-0)
2.  LSU (11-0)
3.  Ohio State (11-0)
4.  Alabama (10-1)  
5.  Georgia (10-1)
6.  Oklahoma (10-1)
7.  Utah (10-1)
8.  Florida (9-2)
9.  Wisconsin (9-2)
10.  Minnesota (10-1)

NFL - Week Twelve Preview

There are some good showdown games around the NFL this weekend, which included Thursday night's game between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans in the battle for first place in the AFC South division. The host Texans won the game, 20-17 to take over sole possession of first place.
As for the games on Sunday and Monday night, the Dallas Cowboys face the New England Patriots on Sunday while the "prime time" Sunday night game will have the Green Bay Packers traveling to San Francisco to play the 49ers. Let's also not forget the Monday Night Football game in Los Angeles where the red hot Baltimore Ravens will take on the Rams.
Three very good looking games on paper, but will they live up to  the hype?
The Patriots are 9-1 but haven't been looking that impressive on the offensive side of the ball. The Cowboys have been rolling hot in offense, especially quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw for 444 yards last weekend with three touchdown passes. Can the Patriots strong defense slow down the Cowboys at Gillette Stadium?
The 49ers (9-1) lead the NFC overall while the Packers (8-2) would love to take over the top spot in the conference. San Francisco has slacked a bit in the past two weeks, especially on defense, so can they stop Aaron Rodgers and company coming off a bye week?
The MNF game between the Ravens and Rams could be a more lopsided affair given the way Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has been playing this season. But the Rams have a decent defense, so they need to get the offense in gear against an improving Baltimore defense that has been stingy in recent weeks.
One other game of interest could be the one between the surging Seattle Seahawks (8-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (5-5) being played in Philadelphia. The 'Hawks beat the 49ers two weeks ago in an overtime game and are coming off their bye week. Meanwhile, the Eagles looked terrible offensively last week in a 17-10 loss against New England. Philly cannot afford to lose and possibly fall two games behind Dallas (6-4) in the NFC East.

The rest of the games are looked at in the capsule style previews and of course, the Heftyinfo picks for Week Twelve follow up.

Tampa Bay (3-7) at Atlanta (3-7) - Falcons are suddenly flying high. Tampa Bay, not so much.

Denver (3-7) at Buffalo (7-3) - The Bills are getting closer each week to punching a playoff ticket.

New York Giants (2-8) at Chicago (4-6) - Can the Bears get some offense? Any offense? The Giants are a train wreck this season.

Pittsburgh (5-5) at Cincinnati (0-10) - Can the Bengals finally get a win? Doubtful, but you never know.

Miami (2-8) at Cleveland (4-6) - The Browns looking to make it three wins in a row.

Carolina (5-5) at New Orleans (8-2) - The Panthers desperately need a win. Saints looking to solidify their hold on the NFC South division lead.

Oakland (6-4) at New York Jets (3-7) - Jets could spring the upset in this game.

Detroit (3-6-1) at Washington (1-9) - Who cares?

Seattle (8-2) at Philadelphia (5-5) - This game will likely go down to the wire. Eagles rarely lose back to back home games, so they rate a slight edge in this one.

Jacksonville (4-6) at Tennessee (5-5) - Toss up here. Both teams need to win this game.

Dallas (6-4) at New England (9-1) - It's hard to pick against the Patriots at home, so . . .

Green Bay (8-2) at San Francisco (9-1) - The game of the week for sure in "prime time" . . . 49ers win in  a squeaker.

Baltimore (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (6-4) - The Ravens are rolling right now, so look for the Rams to try the ball control offense to keep Lamar Jackson and company off the field.


The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Twelve  . . . . . . . .      (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Houston over Indianapolis
Atlanta over Tampa Bay
Buffalo over Denver
Chicago over N.Y. Giants
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati 
CLEVELAND over Miami
New Orleans over Carolina
N.Y. Jets over Oakland 
Washington over Detroit  
Philadelphia over Seattle
Tennessee over Jacksonville
New England over Dallas
San Francisco over Green Bay
Baltimore over L.A. Rams 


Last Week's Record -  11-3 

SEASON RECORD -  107-54-1

Lock of the Week Record -  11-0 

NFL - Week Eleven Review

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson dominated the Houston Texans in a 41-7 rout.

The game with all the build up and hype turned out to be no contest as the Baltimore Ravens (8-2) crushed the visiting Houston Texans, 41-7, giving them their sixth consecutive win as quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Heftyinfo NFL Player of the Week, had four touchdown passes and also rushed for 86 yards to go with 222 passing yards to lead the way.
Two of the scoring passes went to running back Mark Ingram while Gus Edwards scored on a 63-yard run while going for 112 yards on eight carries. The Ravens gashed the Texans defense for 263 rushing yards. With the loss, Houston dropped into a first-place with Indianapolis (both 6-4) in the AFC South.
The Minnesota Vikings stormed back from a 20-0 halftime deficit to beat the Denver Broncos, 27-23 for the home win. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins had three second half touchdown passes in the comeback victory, including the game winning 32-yard pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph with six minutes to go. The win put the Vikings (8-3) within one-half game of the NFC North leading Green Bay Packers (8-2) in the division race.
The New England Patriots improved to 9-1 this season with a 17-10 road win at Philadelphia. Pats kicker Nick Folk drilled three field goals and wide receiver Julian Edelman threw a 15-yard TD pass to Phillip Dorsett while the defense limited the Eagles (5-5) to just 255 total yards in offense.
The Dallas Cowboys (6-4) topped the host Detroit Lions, 35-27 behind three TD passes from QB Dak Prescott, who also had 444 yards passing in the win. Lions QB Jeff Driskel had a scoring run and two TD passes in defeat as the Lions (once upon a time 2-0-1 this season) dropped to 3-6-1 following the loss.
In the Thursday night game, the Cleveland Browns beat the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-7 in an AFC North showdown that was marred a big bench clearing brawl as time expired.
Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett ripped the helmet off Steelers QB Mason Rudolph and hit him over the head with it, prompting the fight. Garrett has been suspended indefinitely for his actions while Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey was suspended for three games for retaliation against Garrett during the skirmish.
Browns QB Baker Mayfield had two TD passes and a touchdown run to pace the offense in the win, which improved them to 4-6. The Steelers dropped to 5-5 with the setback.



                                                     Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . .    


The Buffalo Bills (7-3) won at Miami, 37-20 as QB Josh Allen had three TD passes and a TD run to lead the rout . . .   The Atlanta Falcons (3-7) won their second straight game, 29-3 at Carolina (5-5) behind four interceptions by the defense and two scores on offense and a 78-yard TD punt return by Kenjon Barner . . .  New Orleans (8-2) rolled past the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34-17 as their defense had four interceptions, including a "pick six" INT by Marcus Williams, while QB Drew Brees had three TD passes . . .  The Indianapolis Colts (6-4) moved into a first-place tie with Houston in the AFC South as they routed the Jacksonville Jaguars, 33-13 behind big rushing yardage by the offense, gaining  264 yards with Marlon Mack (109 yards) and Jonathan Williams (116 yards) leading the way . . .  The San Francisco 49ers (9-1) beat the Arizona Cardinals, 36-26 as QB Jimmy
Garoppolo (pictured right) threw four touchdown passes along with 424 yards through the air to offset a TD run and two TD passes by Cards QB Kyler Murray. Garoppolo hit Jeff Wilson with the game

winning 25-yard TD pass with only 31 seconds remaining in the game. A fumble return as time expired by the 'Niners defense provided the final outcome . . .  The Oakland Raiders (6-4) continued their success this season with a hard fought 17-10 win at home against the Cincinnati Bengals (0-10) as QB Derek Carr ran for a score and also passed for another to make the difference . . .  The New York Jets (3-7) topped the host Washington Redskins, 34-17 behind four TD passes from QB Sam Darnold . . .   The Los Angeles Rams (6-4) beat the Chicago Bears, 17-7 in the Sunday night game as running backs Malcolm Brown and Todd Gurley scored touchdowns. The Bears (4-6) lost for the fifth time in six games as QB Mitch Trubisky had a TD pass and one interception before leaving the game with an apparent hip injury in the final quarter . . .  Los Angeles Chargers QB Philip Rivers was intercepted four times in a 24-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) in the Monday Night Football game played in Mexico City. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw for a touchdown and LeSean McCoy and Darrel Williams scored rushing touchdowns to help make the difference and keep the Chiefs in first place in the AFC West division.


Week Eleven Results
Cleveland 21, Pittsburgh 7
Baltimore 41, Houston 7
Buffalo 37, Miami 20
N.Y. Jets 34, Washington 17
Dallas 35, Detroit 27
Minnesota 27, Denver 23
New Orleans 34, Tampa Bay 17
Atlanta 29, Carolina 3
Indianapolis 33, Jacksonville 13
New England 17, Philadelphia 10
Oakland 17, Cincinnati 10
San Francisco 36, Arizona 26
L.A. Rams 17, Chicago 7
Kansas City 24, L.A. Chargers 17

College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten               (Week ending November 17)    

1.  Clemson (11-0)
2.  LSU (10-0)
3.  Ohio State (10-0)
4.  Alabama (9-1)  
5.  Georgia (9-1)
6.  Oklahoma (9-1) 
7.  Oregon (9-1)
8.  Utah (9-1) 
9.  Florida (9-2)
10.  Wisconsin (8-2)

NFL - Week Eleven Preview

By far, the most anticipated game this weekend is in Baltimore where the AFC North division leading Ravens (7-2) will host the Houston Texans (6-3) featuring a battle of two young, superstar quarterbacks who are in the discussion of NFL Most Valuable Player (or perhaps at least AFC Offensive Player of the Year) as Desahun Watson and Lamar Jackson will lead their teams in this one on Sunday afternoon.
The Ravens have been on fire, winners of five in a row with Jackson running wild and playing out of his mind in just his second season. Likewise, Watson (in his third season) has been just as effective as the Texans have won four of their last five games and lead the AFC South division after nine games.
Baltimore leads the league in scoring (300 points through nine games) and averages 33.3 points per game while Houston is averaging a more modest 26.4 points per game. This game is anticipated to be a shootout as both of these guys can pose a real threat on offense with their arm or legs.
Jackson averages 6.6 yard per rushing attempt and has gained 702 yards on the ground, which is ridiculous for a quarterback. He has also scored six times running the ball while throwing for 15 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Watson averages 5.4 ypc and has scored five touchdowns while also passing for 18 touchdowns.
Look for these two teams to light up the scoreboard and provide a very entertaining football game.
Two of the teams chasing the Texans in the AFC South include Indianapolis (5-4) and Jacksonville (4-5) and they will go at it in Indy this weekend. The Colts have been without starting QB Jacoby Brissett and they lost to the lowly Miami Dolphins last week while the Jaguars are coming off the bye week and are going back to Nick Foles at quarterback as he returns from the injured list.
A great inter-conference match will have the New England Patriots (8-1) traveling to Philadelphia to face the Eagles (5-4) in a late afternoon game. The Patriots were smoked, 37-20 in Baltimore two weeks ago and the Eagles have won two straight games to force a first-place tie with Dallas in the NFC East.
Look for Pats' QB Tom Brady to show his team is still the one to beat while their defense will attempt to bounce back from the shellacking they got after allowing a league low 61 points through the first eight games.
Philly will attempt to show a balanced offense with the running tandem of Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders, who are both averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season. The Eagles average 220 passing yards per game and 127 yards rushing per game while scoring 24.5 points a game.
The Monday Night Football game will be played in Mexico as the Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) will "host" the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) in a big AFC West divisional game. If the Chargers want to be taken seriously this year, they MUST win this game.
They lost at Oakland last week (in "prime time") as their defense let down in the final minutes after playing their best game in an easy win over Green Bay the week before. Meanwhile, QB Philip Rivers stunk it up by throwing three interceptions, which included a "pick six" early in the game that proved to be the difference in the final score as Oakland won, 26-24.
The Chiefs are coming off a shocking 35-32 loss at Tennessee last weekend and know they can put some more distance between themselves and the 'Bolts while also staying ahead of the surprising Oakland Raiders (5-4) in  the division race. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes looked like his usual spectacular self in the loss last week (446 passing yards and three touchdowns) after missing two games with knee and ankle injuries. The Chiefs defense is terrible, so look for a high scoring game in this one.

The rest of the action for Week Eleven is featured in the capsule style previews with the Heftyinfo predictions following up.

Atlanta (2-7) at Carolina (5-4) - Can the Falcons pull off two straight road upsets?  It's possible.

Dallas (5-4) at Detroit (3-5-1) - The Lions were without starting QB Matthew Stafford (back and hip injuries) and will likely lose this one if he can't play again this week.

Buffalo (6-3) at Miami (2-7) - Suddenly, the "tanking" Dolphins are playing winning football. Bills have looked average after a 5-1 start. Upset alert in this one.

Denver (3-6) at Minnesota (7-3) - Vikings are rolling with five wins in their last six games. Denver's defense will likely keep things close.

New Orleans (7-2) at Tampa Bay (3-6) - The Saints looked terrible last week in a home loss to a one-win team. Buccaneers have been scoring and giving up a lot of points this season.

N.Y. Jets (2-7) at Washington (1-8) - Stinker game of the week.

Arizona (3-6-1) at San Francisco (8-1) - The 49ers lost their first game on Monday Night Football while the Cardinals lost a heart breaker on the road. These two teams played a very close game just two weeks ago. Stay tuned.

Cincinnati (0-9) at Oakland (5-4) - Raiders should win this one, but then again . . .  on any given Sunday.

Chicago (4-5) at L.A. Rams (5-4) - It is surprising this game didn't get "flexed" from Sunday night prime time to day time in exchange for the Texans-Ravens game. But then again, these two cities are in the top three largest TV markets in the country.  Toss up in this one.

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Eleven  . . . . . . .      (Home teams are listed in bold, Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)


Cleveland over Pittsburgh
Baltimore over Houston
Atlanta over Carolina
Dallas over Detroit 
Indianapolis over Jacksonville
Miami over Buffalo
MINNESOTA over Denver
New Orleans over Tampa Bay 
Washington over N.Y. Jets
San Francisco over Arizona
Oakland over Cincinnati
Philadelphia over New England
L.A. Rams over Chicago
Kansas City over L.A. Chargers (game being played in Mexico)


Last Week's Record -  7-6
 
SEASON RECORD -  96-51-1

Lock of the Week Record -  10-0

NFL - Week Ten Review

The Green Bay Packers won at home in a snow storm, 24-16 against the Carolina Panthers (5-4) as their defense made a goal line stand from the two-yard line, stuffing Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey on the game's final play to secure the victory and improve to 8-2 for the season. Packers running back Aaron Jones scored three rushing touchdowns to pace the offense.
The Minnesota Vikings (7-3) topped the host Dallas Cowboys in the Sunday night game, 28-24 as tight end Kyle Rudolph hauled in two touchdown catches from quarterback Kirk Cousins and RB Dalvin Cook scored once and rushed for 97 yards. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and 397 yards in the loss, which dropped the Cowboys to 5-4 and a first place tie with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East division.
Baltimore (7-2) won on the road at Cincinnati, 49-13 for their fifth straight victory as QB Lamar Jackson had three TD passes and a rushing score of 47 yards to go with his second perfect passer rating in a game this season. The Ravens defense also forced three more turnovers against the winless Bengals (0-9).
The Tennessee Titans (5-5) stunned the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, 35-32 as QB Ryan Tannehill threw the winning 23-yard TD pass to Adam Humphries with just 23 seconds remaining in the game. From there, Kansas City tried a 53-yard field goal to force overtime, but the kick was blocked as time expired.
Titans RB Derrick Henry (pictured right), the Heftyinfo NFL Player of the Week, scored two rushing touchdowns along with 188 yards on 23 carries to spoil the return of Chiefs injured QB Patrick Mahomes, who had a monster game, passing for three scores and 446 yards in the loss, which dropped the Chiefs record to 6-4 in the AFC West.
In the Monday Night Football game, the Seattle Seahawks (8-2) beat the host San Francisco 49ers, 27-24 as Jason Myers kicked a 42-yard field goal on the final play of overtime, sending the 49ers (8-1) to their first loss this season.
The 49ers raced out to a 10-0 first quarter lead before the Seahawks scored the next 21 points to go up 21-10 after three quarters. Each team scored a defensive touchdown off a fumble recovery return and San Francisco tied the game 21-21 when kicker Chase McLaughlin drilled a 39-yard field goal with 6:17 left in regulation. From there, the teams traded field goals to send the game to overtime, where the Seahawks got the win. 



                                                 Elsewhere Around the NFL . . . . . . . .


The Oakland Raiders (5-4) pulled off a late game comeback win at home on Thursday night, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers, 26-24 as RB Josh Jacobs scored on an 18-yard run in the final minute of regulation. The Raiders defense intercepted Chargers QB Philip Rivers three times, including a "pick-six" TD by Erik Harris as the Raiders built a 10-0 lead in the first half . . .  The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) won their fourth consecutive game, 17-12 at home against the Los Angeles Rams (5-4) as their defense forced three turnovers (two INT, one fumble) and limited the Rams offense to only one field goal while DB Minkah Fitzpatrick scored on the 43-yard fumble return to help lead the way . . .   The Chicago Bears (4-5) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 20-13 home win against the Detroit Lions (3-5-1) as QB Mitch Trubisky had three TD passes. Lions starting QB Matthew Stafford missed the game with hip and back injuries . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (2-7) pulled off the stunner of the week as they routed the host New Orleans Saints, 26-9 with their defense sacking New Orleans QB Drew Brees six times. The Saints (7-2) were limited to just three field goals while Falcons QB Matt Ryan had two TD passes in the win . . .  The Miami Dolphins (2-7) won their second straight game as they won on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, 16-12 with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick scoring on an 11-yard run. The Colts (5-4) played without injured starting QB Jacoby Brissett and reserve QB Brian Hoyer was picked off three times . . .  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers  (3-6) won a back and forth game at home against Arizona, 30-27 as Peyton Barber scored on a one-yard run with 1:43 remaining. Cardinals rookie QB Kyler Murray had three TD passes in defeat . . .  Baker Mayfield had two scoring passes as the Cleveland Browns (3-6) won at home, 19-16 against the Buffalo Bills (6-3) . . .  In the battle of New York, the Jets (2-7) toppled the Giants (2-8) by a final score of 34-27. Jets QB Sam Darnold had a TD run and pass and the Jets defense scored on fumble recovery return to offset four TD passes by Giants QB Daniel Jones.   


                                   
Week Ten Results
Oakland 26, L.A. Chargers 24
Chicago 20, Detroit 13
Baltimore 49, Cincinnati 13
Cleveland 19, Buffalo 16
Atlanta 26, New Orleans 9
Tampa Bay 30, Arizona 27
N.Y. Jets 34, N.Y. Giants 27
Tennessee 35, Kansas City 32
Miami 16, Indianapolis 12
Green Bay 24, Carolina 16
Pittsburgh 17, L.A. Rams 12
Minnesota 28, Dallas 24
Seattle 27, San Francisco 24 (OT) 

College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten                    (Week ending November 10)   

1.  Clemson (10-0)
2.  LSU (9-0)
3.  Ohio State (9-0)
4.  Alabama (8-1)  
5.  Georgia (8-1)
6.  Oklahoma (8-1) 
7.  Oregon (8-1)
8.  Utah (8-1)
9.  Baylor  (9-0)
10.  Minnesota (9-0)

NFL - Week Ten Preview

Week Ten shapes up to be a big one as teams look to get some separation for playoff positioning around the NFL.
The Los Angeles Chargers (4-5) and the Oakland Raiders will get Week Ten started with the Thursday night game in Oakland. The Raiders (4-4) are playing better than expected to this point in the season following all the drama of the Antonio Brown saga during training camp that threatened to cause quite a stir within the organization before he was sent packing prior to the season opening game.
However, the Raiders have been playing well on offense with quarterback Derek Carr enjoying a solid season through the first eight games. The defense hasn't been so great though, giving up too many yards through the air while allowing opponents to score almost at will. They must stop Philip Rivers and the Chargers air attack if they want to win the game.
Speaking of Rivers and the 'Bolts, they have won two in a row after a terrible 2-5 start which saw them lose two games in the final minute. The Chargers are coming off a big win against the Green Bay Packers last week in which they thoroughly dominated the Packers in all phases of the game while winning 26-11 in L.A.
The other two "prime time" games this week are the best matchups as the Dallas Cowboys host the Minnesota VIkings on Sunday night and then the Seattle Seahawks will be at the San Francisco 49ers in the Monday Night Football game.
The Vikings are 6-3 this season and lost a heart breaker last week in Kansas City, 26-23 on a last second field goal for K.C. The Cowboys (5-3) blasted the New York Giants, 37-18 last Monday night and showed some real balance on offense with running back Ezekiel Elliott gaining 139 yards and QB Dak Prescott throwing three touchdown passes.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks (7-2) will travel to play the undefeated 49ers (8-0) in a huge game in the NFC west division race. Seattle won a 40-34 overtime shootout against Tampa Bay last Sunday as QB Russell Wilson (22 touchdown passes with just one interception) passed for five touchdowns in the game.
The 49ers toppled the Arizona Cardinals, 28-25 last week as QB Jimmy Garoppolo fired four touchdown strikes to lead the way. The story this season for San Francisco's success has been their suffocating defense, which has been right at the top of the league as far as yardage and points allowed are concerned.

The rest of the games are featured below in the capsule style previews and the Heftyinfo predictions follow.

L.A. Chargers (4-5) at Oakland (4-4) - The winner of this one will be in decent shape in the AFC playoff chase. The loser, not so much.

Detroit (3-4-1) at Chicago (3-5) - The Bears are looking to snap a four-game losing streak. The Lions need this one to stay in the wild card chase in the NFC.

Baltimore (6-2) at Cincinnati (0-8) - The Ravens are rolling right now and the Bengals are a mess.

Buffalo (6-2) at Cleveland (2-6) - Two teams going in opposite directions. Browns are due for a win while Bills look to keep a good thing going.

Carolina (5-3) at Green Bay (7-2) - The Packers got smoked last week while the Panthers rolled to a win. Packers will be tough to beat at home.

Kansas City (6-3) at Tennessee (4-5) - Will Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes play this weekend?

Atlanta (1-7) at New Orleans (7-1) - Saints roll !

N.Y. Giants (2-7) at N.Y. Jets (1-7) - Is this really a home game for the Jets? Is it really a road game for the Giants?  Who cares? These two teams stink.

Arizona (3-5-1) at Tampa Bay (2-6) - Both of these teams need a win bad. Toss up in this one.

Miami (1-7) at Indianapolis (5-3) - Colts lost a tough game last week and their starting QB to a knee injury as well. Dolphins finally won a game. Take the Colts.

L.A. Rams (5-3) at Pittsburgh (4-4) - Two teams riding modest winning streaks go at it in this one. Toss up.

Minnesota (6-3) at Dallas (5-3) - The Sunday night game between two solid teams. This game will likely go down to the wire.

Seattle (7-2) at San Francisco (8-0) - Can the Seahawks knock the 49ers from the ranks of the unbeaten?


The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Ten   . . . . . . .      (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

L.A. Chargers over Oakland
Chicago over Detroit
BALTIMORE over Cincinnati 
Cleveland over Buffalo
Green Bay over Carolina   
Tennessee over Kansas City 
New Orleans over Atlanta
N.Y. Giants over N.Y. Jets
Arizona over Tampa Bay 
Indianapolis over Miami
Pittsburgh over L.A. Rams
Dallas over Minnesota
Seattle over San Francisco



Last Week's Record -  8-6

SEASON RECORD -  89-45-1

Lock of the Week Record -  9-0 

NFL - Week Nine Review

The Baltimore Ravens (6-2) won their fourth consecutive game on Sunday night, beating the visiting New England Patriots, 37-20 to give the Pats (8-1) their first loss of the season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for two touchdowns and had one TD pass to lead the offense as the Ravens rushed for 210 yards against the league's top defense, with running back Mark Ingram rushing for 115 yards.
The game changing play was a scoop and score 70-yard fumble recovery return for touchdown by Ravens defensive back Marlon Humprhey early in the third quarter as the Patriots were driving for the go-ahead score after trailing 17-13 at halftime. From there, the Patriots were never able to get back into it as the Ravens scored 13 unanswered points after New England had closed to within 24-20 late in the third quarter.
The other remaining undefeated team won their game on Thursday night as the San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 28-25 to go to 8-0 this season. 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo had four TD passes and 317 passing yards to lead the way. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had two TD passes in defeat.

Christian McCaffrey scored three times in team win.

Carolina beat the visiting Tennessee Titans, 30-20 as running back Christian McCaffrey, the Heftyinfo NFL co-Player of the Week , scored three touchdowns (one receiving, two rushing) which included a 56-yard romp to help the seal the win for the Panthers (5-3) while QB Kyle Allen had a pair of TD passes.






The surprise of the weekend might well have been what happened to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. The host Chargers (4-5) dominated the Packers (7-2), ending their four-game winning streak in a 26-11 decision as the Chargers defense held the Packers to a meager 184 yards in total offense.
The Chargers defense had three QB sacks (1 1/2 each by Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa) while running back Melvin Gordon scored two rushing touchdowns and kicker Mike Badgley made four field goals.
The Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) won at home, 26-23 over the Minnesota Vikings (6-3) as kicker Harrison Butker drilled a 44-yard field goal as time expired. Butker made four field goals to go along with a 91-yard scoring run by Damien Williams and a 40-yard TD pass from QB Matt Moore to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins had three touchdown passes in the loss.



                                                      Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . .  
  


The Seattle Seahawks (7-2) stormed back from a 14-point deficit to defeat the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 40-34 in overtime as QB Russell Wilson (pictured left), the Heftyinfo NFL co-Player of the Week, threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game (10-yard TD pass to tight end Jacob Hollister) for the game winner. Seattle WR Tyler Lockett had 13 receptions for 152 yards and two TD in the win . . .  The Buffalo Bills (6-2) won at home against the Washington Redskins, 24-9 as QB Josh Allen threw for a score and rushed for another . . .  Over in London, the Houston Texans improved to 6-3 with a 26-3 trouncing of the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5) behind a defense that forced four turnovers (two fumbles, two INT) and had four QB sacks. Texans QB Deshaun Watson had two TD passes and RB Carlos Hyde rushed for 160 yards . . . The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) won their third straight game 26-24 over the Indianapolis Colts (5-3) as Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri missed a 43-yard field goal in the closing seconds to help decide the final outcome. Minkah Fitzpatrick took an interception back 96 yards for a score for the Steelers to offset three TD passes by Colts QB Brian Hoyer, who filled in for starter Jacoby Brissett, who left the game with a knee injury . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles topped the Chicago Bears, 22-14 for a home win to improve to 5-4 as RB Jordan Howard scored on a 13-yard run and Zach Ertz snagging a 25-yard TD pass from Carson Wentz as they built a 19-0 lead. The Bears (3-5) offense managed just NINE yards in total offense in the first half of what became their fourth consecutive defeat . . .  The Oakland Raiders (4-4) knocked off the visiting Detroit Lions, 31-24 as RB Josh Jacobs (120 rushing yards) scored twice and QB Derek Carr had two TD passes. Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw for three scores in the loss . . . The Denver Broncos (3-6) held off the Cleveland Browns, 24-19 for the home win. RB Phillip Lindsay had a 30-yard TD run and QB Brandon Allen threw two TD passes in his first career start to lead the way. The Browns (2-6) have lost four straight games . . .  The Miami Dolphins (1-7) won their first game this season, 26-18 against the visiting New York Jets (1-7) behind three TD passes from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick . . .   The Dallas Cowboys (5-3) drew away in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 points in a 37-18 win over the host New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had three TD passes and Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 139 yards to lead a balanced offensive attack that sent the Giants (2-7) to their fifth consecutive defeat.


Week Nine Results
San Francisco 28, Arizona 25
Houston 26, Jacksonville 3
Philadelphia 22, Chicago 14
Kansas City 26, Minnesota 23
Pittsburgh 26, Indianapolis 24
Miami 28, N.Y. Jets 18
Buffalo 24, Washington 9
Carolina 30, Tennessee 20
Denver 24, Cleveland 19
Oakland 31, Detroit 24
L.A. Chargers 26, Green Bay 11
Seattle 40, Tampa Bay 34 (OT)
Baltimore 37, New England 20
Dallas 37, N.Y. Giants 18

College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten                                (Week ending November 3) 

1.  Clemson (9-0)
2.  Alabama (8-0)
3.  Ohio State (8-0)
4.  LSU (8-0)
5.  Penn State (8-0)
6.  Georgia (7-1)
7.  Oklahoma (7-1)
8.  Oregon (8-1)
9.  Utah (8-1)
10.  Baylor  (8-0)

NFL - Week Nine Preview

The New England Patriots have the NFL's best defense through the first eight weeks this season and they will get a test with their game on Sunday night when they travel to face the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is among the leading rushers in the NFL this season and is on pace to shatter Michael Vick's single season rushing record for quarterbacks (1,039 yards), which was set in the 2006 season.
Jackson has confounded several teams this season with his running abilities, including the Seattle Seahawks, whom the Ravens dismantled in the second half of their 30-16 win two weeks ago. The Patriots defense has allowed just 61 points in eight games and they have been quite dominant to this point.
If they need any tips for containing Jackson, they need only look at the game film from last year's wild card round playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Ravens in Baltimore.
The Chargers were torched by Jackson and company a couple of weeks earlier in L.A. last year in a blowout loss, but then made the adjustments by putting defensive backs at the linebacker positions to keep Jackson in check. That plan worked perfectly as Jackson was confounded as the defensive backs made him look pedestrian when he tried to outrun them. The Chargers cruised to an easy win in that playoff game.
Of course, the Patriots know what they need to do on defense and they also have Tom Brady leading the offense, which despite leading the NFL in scoring, has been considered to be "off" so far this season.
Go figure.
This game should live up to the billing in Baltimore on Sunday evening and very well could come down to the final possession, which could be to the Ravens' advantage. They have All Pro kicker Justin Tucker, who has ice water in his veins when it comes to "crunch time" field goal attempts.
The Minnesota Vikings (6-2) travel to play the Kansas City Chiefs (5-3), who have lost all three of their games at Arrowhead Stadium this season after winning the first home game. They will likely be without starting QB Patrick Mahomes once again this weekend with the knee injury.
The Vikings have been rolling with four straight wins while averaging just under 32 points per game during the recent streak. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been lights out after an abysmal game against the Chicago Bears just before the winning streak. The Vikings defense could be the difference in this one.
Stay tuned.
Across the pond in London, England this Sunday morning, the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) will "host" the Houston Texans (5-3) in a very important AFC South tilt. The Jags have been up and down this year, but have won two in a row and QB Gardner Minshew has been solid in relief of injured starter Nick Foles.
The Texans are right behind division leading Indianapolis and would love to keep the pressure on the first-place Colts. Texans QB Deshaun Watson has been outstanding through eight games with 17 touchdown passes and five rushing scores as well. If he gets rolling in this one, the Jags could be in for a long game. However, the Jags defense showed signs of becoming "SACKS-onville" again and Watson has already been sacked 24 times this season. Keeping pressure on the Houston quarterback will be huge if the Jaguars are going to win this one.

The rest of the games in the NFL for Week Nine are featured in the capsule style previews and are followed by the Heftyinfo picks. For what it's worth, the predictions were a perfect 15-0 last weekend, which is the first time that has happened since this site launched ten years ago.

Houston (5-3) at Jacksonville (4-4) - (in London) - Two teams in need of a win to keep the pressure on the first place Indy Colts in the AFC South division.

Washington (1-7) at Buffalo (5-2) - The Bills aren't going lay another egg at home this week, plus the Redskins are awful. They could learn a thing or two from the World Series champion Nats.

Tennessee (4-4) at Carolina (4-3) - Panthers should rebound at home after getting crushed out in San Francisco last week. Titans have been getting the breaks lately after a rough start this season.

Minnesota (6-2) at Kansas City (5-3) - Vikings are rolling and the Chiefs are looking to avoid a four-game losing streak at home. Toss up in this one.

New York Jets (1-6) at Miami (0-7) - The absolute stinker game of the week.

Chicago (3-4) at Philadelphia (4-4) - Eagles soar again. The Bears offense is among the worst in pro football.

Indianapolis (5-2) at Pittsburgh (3-4) - Steelers looking to make it three wins in a row, but the Colts have won three straight games and will not be an easy task.

Detroit (3-3-1) at Oakland (3-4) - The Lions got it rolling again last week while the Raiders lost a heart breaker on the road. Toss up here.

Tampa Bay (2-5) at Seattle (6-2) - These two teams both entered the NFL back in 1976. So much for the history lesson . . . Take the Seahawks.

Cleveland (2-5) at Denver (2-6) - Broncos going with a brand new quarterback after put starting QB Joe Flacco on IR for the rest of the season. Browns are reeling with three straight losses. Another toss up game.

Green Bay (7-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-5) - Packers roll !

New England (8-0) at Baltimore (5-2) - The game of the week no doubt. Can the Ravens burst the Patriots bubble?

Dallas (4-3) at New York Giants (2-6) - The Monday night game in The Meadowlands. Giants are due for a win and the Cowboys have struggled on the road in recent weeks, including a loss to the lowly Jets (in The Meadowlands) just three weeks ago.


The Heftyinfo picks for Week Nine  . . . . . . . .      (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

San Francisco over Arizona
Jacksonville over Houston (in London)
BUFFALO over Washington
Carolina over Tennessee
Kansas City over Minnesota
N.Y. Jets over Miami 
Philadelphia over Chicago
Indianapolis over Pittsburgh 
Oakland over Detroit
Seattle over Tampa Bay
Cleveland over Denver
Green Bay over L.A. Chargers 
New England over Baltimore 
Dallas over N.Y. Giants 

Last Week's Record -  15-0 

SEASON RECORD -  81-39-1

Lock of the Week Record -  8-0