Estimated read time: 11-12 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Plenty of divisional matchups and games that could decide the NFL playoff picture take place this weekend and KSL.com Sports' Pro Football Pick 'em preview for Week 11 has got you covered.
Washington Commanders (3-7) vs. Miami Dolphins (3-7)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 7:30 a.m. MST – Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (NFL Network)
The Commanders and Dolphins take the field in Spain as part of the NFL's international games.
Why Washington will win:
Washington is not the same team they were a year ago and most of that is due to injuries. Even with injuries to key players like starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders still have good players available and ready to make plays.
Miami is coming off a major upset victory against the Bills last week and may be feeling themselves a little too much right now. For Washington, coaches' jobs may be on the line now despite having a great season last year and even with injuries, this team has underperformed. Picking up a win against another 3-7 will help but a loss to the Dolphins, who have had their fair share of turmoil this season might be a death-blow for Dan Quinn and his staff.
Marcus Mariota filled in well enough for Daniels last week but wasn't able to help the Commanders beat the Lions. Mariota has been a capable starter in the NFL since he was drafted second overall to the Titans in 2015 and gives Washington a chance against Miami.
Why Miami will win:
The Dolphins have had a few ugly losses this season but for the most part have kept it close before melting down late in games. In two of their past three games, they have dominated the Falcons and Bills and looked poised to make a run with the Commanders, Saints, and Jets coming up on their schedule.
Washington's top defensive tackle Daron Payne is suspended for this game after throwing a punch in the team's loss to Detroit. It's a big loss for the Commanders especially as they will try to contain running back Devon Achane.
Achane had a massive game for Miami last week as he accounted for 225 yards total yards and two touchdowns. He has become the focal point for the Dolphins offense and should be able to make a big difference once again.
The key for Miami will be quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who can be a good game manager for Mike McDaniel's offense and has shown it in recent weeks. Taking care of the football will be important for him and the Dolphins defense was able to still slow down Buffalo despite two interceptions from Tagovailoa.
Line: MIA -2.5
Over/Under: 47.5
Houston Texans (4-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-8)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. MST – Nissan Stadium (FOX)
Houston meets Tennessee for a AFC South matchup as they look to stay alive in the playoff race.
Why Houston will win:
Davis Mills may have saved the Texans' season, helping erase a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun the Jaguars and keep Houston's playoff hopes alive. Those hopes will be alive and well on Sunday when they play against a Tennessee team that has looked like the worst team in the NFL.
If franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud is unable to go again this week after suffering a concussion in Week 9, Mills will be in line to make his second start. The Texans should be able to find ways to score against the Titans, who rank 30th in scoring defense this season. After trading some players away at the trade deadline, Tennessee's defense will not be as strong.
Houston's defense should be able to cause problems for Cam Ward and the Titans' offense. The rookie quarterback has struggled mightily in his first season and with not a whole lot of playmakers surrounding him, it will be tough to make that leap against a stout Texans' defense.
Why Tennessee will win:
Tennessee is coming off their bye week and has a chance to get healthier as they enter Week 11. The possible return of wide receiver Calvin Ridley may help out the team's passing offense, but will need to show improvement after struggling for much of the season.
The Titans' path to winning will likely need to fall on their defense and if they can generate turnovers against a Houston offense that has also struggled at times this season with Stroud or Mills at quarterback. Before the Jaguars' might collapse in Week 10, the Texans' offense looked lifeless, which could be a good sign for Tennessee.
With an extra week to prepare, the Titans may have had enough time to identify a weakness in Houston that just might help them win their second game of the season.
Line: HOU -5.5
Over/Under: 37.5
Seattle Seahawks (7-2) vs. Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2:05 p.m. MST – SoFi Stadium (FOX)
The Seahawks and Rams meet for the first time this season with both teams looking like top teams in the NFL and with their eyes set on the division crown.
Why Seattle will win:
Seattle has looked like one of the NFL's best teams this season with a combination of an explosive offense and an elite defense. Mike Macdonald has done a great job in his second year as head coach of the Seahawks and they are definitely Super Bowl contenders this season.
Making the upgrade from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold in the offseason has done wonders for this offense. Even after trading DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh, Seattle's passing game looks much better this season with Jaxon Smith-Njigba taking over the top wide receiver spot on the team. Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,041 yards and has accounted for nearly half of Darnold's passing yards.
The Seahawks face a tough test against the Rams this week but they possess the defense that is capable of constricting Matthew Stafford and this high-powered offense. A strong defensive effort along with Smith-Njigba creating problems for Los Angeles' defense may lift Seattle in this one.
Cooper Kupp also makes his return to play the team that he was once a star for, adding another intriguing element in this game.
Why Los Angeles will win:
The last time the Rams faced Darnold was in last year's NFC Wild Card game when Darnold was a member of the Vikings. Los Angeles held Darnold and Minnesota's offense to just nine points and they were constantly getting pressure on him. The Rams' defensive line is young and just getting started and they could have a huge impact on this game.
Los Angeles' defense is the second ranked scoring defense in the NFL this season and they will be up for the challenge of slowing down the best wide receiver in the league. Recreating that success they had in getting pressure on Darnold will help their chances in this one as Darnold can still be erratic at times with his decision making, especially when facing heavy pressure.
The Rams have one of the best offenses in the NFL with Stafford having one of his best seasons at age 37. He has thrown for 2,427 yards and 25 touchdowns with just two interceptions and has helped lead a balanced attack for Sean McVay's offense.
Seattle has the fifth best scoring defense so this game may be a lower scoring affair with whoever can break through going on to get the win on Sunday. With Los Angeles being back at home and seemingly firing on all cylinders, McVay should have a game plan to give his team the edge in this one.
Line: LAR -3.5
Over/Under: 48.5
Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) vs. Denver Broncos (8-2)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2:25 p.m. MST– Empower Field at Mile High (CBS)
Longtime AFC West rivals meet once again as the Chiefs travel to Mile High to face the Broncos.
Why Kansas City will win:
The Chiefs rattled off three straight wins before a loss to the Bills two weeks ago put an end to their momentum. Now fresh off of a bye week, Kansas City faces off against the AFC West-leading Broncos with a chance to cut into the division lead.
Denver's boogeyman is coming to town in the form of Patrick Mahomes. The three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback is 13-1 against the Broncos in his career and even though this may be the best Denver team he has faced in his career, it's hard not to go with Mahomes to win this one.
The Broncos have a great defense, no question about that, but the coach and quarterback combination of Andy Reid and Mahomes is hard to overlook. Mahomes easily wins the quarterback battle in this one over Bo Nix, who has struggled over the team's last two games despite coming away with wins.
This is a must-win for the Chiefs as they can't afford falling to 5-5 with games against the Colts, Chargers, and Broncos still looming. Mahomes always finds a way to get it done with his back against the wall and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will find a way to take advantage of Denver's offensive shortcomings.
Why Denver will win:
The Broncos escaped with a win over the Raiders last Thursday despite not playing well on offense. That won't be enough for them against the reigning AFC champions. Head coach Sean Payton will need to get more out of his offense in order to win this game, no matter how good Denver's defense plays.
Nix has shown flashes throughout his first two seasons in the NFL but inconsistencies have plagued him and the Broncos' offense. Their offense has come alive late in games to help power miraculous fourth-quarter comebacks against the Eagles, Giants and Texans. Denver will need a good offensive performance all game if they want to beat Kansas City.
The Broncos defense will have their hands full but they will be up for the challenge as they possess the pass rushers and secondary that can disrupt the Chiefs' offense. Nik Bonito has 9.5 sacks on the season and leads a Denver defense that has already racked up 46 sacks in 2025.
If the defense can continue to play the way it has this season and the offense can find some consistency, the Broncos should feel very confident about winning this divisional matchup at home.
Line: KC -3.5
Over/Under: 44.5
Detroit Lions (6-3) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (7-2)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 6:20 p.m. MST – Lincoln Financial Field (NBC)
Two NFC heavyweights battle it out on Sunday Night Football as both teams look to take a massive step towards the top seed in the NFC.
Why Detroit will win:
The Lions sit atop the NFC North after the Eagles defeated the Packers on Monday night. Detroit is still very much a top contender in the NFC even after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn's departures. Head coach Dan Campbell still has his team playing at an elite level on offense but defensively, this team has taken steps to be better in 2025 than they were a season ago.
The return of star pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson has helped the Lions defense become the seventh ranked unit this season. The Packers were able to hold Philadelphia's offense to just 10 points last game and after plenty of hit-or-miss performances from quarterback Jalen Hurts, Detroit could come in and stun the home crowd.
The Lions have something to prove in this one, as it looked like these two teams would meet in the NFC Championship game last season before the Commanders punched Detroit in the mouth and forced them out of the playoffs in the Divisional round.
Campbell always seems to have something special dialed up in these primetime matchups and with all the talent he has at his disposal on offense from Jahmyr Gibbs to Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions could be prepared to shock Philly fans.
Why Philadelphia will win:
It wasn't a great showing on Monday night for the Eagles' offense but their defense held Green Bay in check all night with linebacker Jaelan Phillips making an impact in his game with the team.
Being back at home should help Philadelphia find more offensive rhythm as they will need more than 10 points if they want to beat Detroit. The Lions can score in a variety of ways and this will put pressure on Nick Sirianni to figure out how to get his offense going.
Star receiver A.J. Brown was in the news once again for comments he made about his lack of targets and production. After having only two receptions last week, the Eagles need to find ways to get Brown the ball as he and his teammate DeVonta Smith could be in line for big games against the Detroit secondary that has had its struggles against top receivers .
If Philadelphia can take away the Lions' big plays on offense, they will make it harder for Jared Goff and Detroit's offense to score touchdowns. The new-look Eagles defense should be able to get pressure on Goff and force some turnovers.
If they do that, I expect Philadelphia to have a bounce-back game on offense and make the necessary plays to beat the Lions and show why the NFC goes through them.
Line: PHI -2.5
Over/Under: 46.5
