Weekly Gold — Thoughts from Week 11 of the NFL Season
We’re at the finish line of Round 2!! It’s Championship week. Time to make sure you’re playing the best lineup possible. That means checking bye weeks, double checking injuries and triple checking matchups. It’s go time. Good luck and hopefully you’ll be a Champion by next week!
A big reminder….the ESPN x Champions Round “Do Over” Draft Party is THIS Saturday, November 24th, at Dave & Busters in Orange, CA. The event starts at 10 AM and is being hosted by ESPN Radio legend Steve Mason.
Ten Thoughts from Week 11
1. Lamar Jackson is absolutely ridiculous and the Baltimore Ravens are absolutely Super Bowl contenders. What they did to the Houston Texans on Sunday was wildly impressive. 41–7 win. Complete domination in all three phases. The race for MVP between Lamar and Russell Wilson over the next month or so is going to be very fascinating.
2. The Browns couldn’t even celebrate a big win on Thursday night because of the Myles Garrett fight. I thought the Browns would make some waves over the second-half of the season because of their easy schedule, but the Garrett suspension is going to hurt a lot.
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3. The NFL’s pass interference replay rule is an absolute joke. They simply will not overturn a PI penalty or enforce one that wasn’t called. If you’re not going to implement the review rules, then get rid of the rule. Simple as that.
4. The Rams have to be thrilled that Todd Gurley looked liked TODD GURLEY on Sunday night. Yes, the offense still has a ton of issues and it’s going to be hard for the team to make the playoffs, but Gurley looked healthy against a good Bears defense. 28 total touches leads me to believe that the former first-round pick is feeling great right now.
5. Very impressive comeback for the Minnesota Vikings. They were down by 20-points at home to the Denver Broncos, but charged back to win 27–23. However, you can’t get down by 20 at home to a middling team. That sort of effort is going to bite them down the road at some point. The Vikes are a wildly talented team that could absolutely be a force in the Playoffs, but not with that sort of effort.
6. The Falcons are officially back. Where did this defense come from? Since their bye week, they have absolutely destroyed the Panthers and Saints. The team is playing hard, the offense is coming together and Dan Quinn is saving his job. Really impressed by them. Hopefully they keep it rolling.
7. It seems like the Cowboys and Eagles are moving in different directions with their star QBs. Carson Wentz feels a little bit lost, while Dak Prescott is turning into a MVP contender for the Cowboys. Wentz doesn’t at all look like the same player he was two years ago.
8. The 49ers just keep winning, but the Arizona Cardinals impressed in Sunday’s loss. San Francisco was without some big-time playmakers and got off to a slow start. Good on them for coming back. That’s a very well coached team. But Kliff Kingsbury is figuring it out in the desert and Kyler Murray is absolutely killing it. He’s a legitimate top-15 NFL QB right now and is only going to get better. Watch out.
9. If you’re a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers then I feel bad for you. That has to be the most frustrating team in the NFL. The offense is good, but they make more mistakes than any other team I have seen this season. Jameis Winston is probably on his last stand in TB.
10. College Football thought on the week: Absolutely heartbreaking to see Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa go down for the year with an excruciating hip injury. If his career at Alabama is done, what a great couple of years. Hopefully he makes a full return and we see him playing on Sunday’s in the future.
Waiver Wire Targets
Jonathan Williams — Colts RB
Marlon Mack left Sunday’s game with a broken hand and will miss Thursday’s game against the Texans. If you can get Williams, you have to roster him. The Colts will continue to pound the rock and Williams will be the main beneficiary.
Bo Scarbrough — Lions RB
The former Alabama standout had a breakthrough game against the Cowboys on Sunday. The Lions have struggled to run the ball without Kerryon Johnson, but Scarbrough had 55 yards and a TD while getting a bulk of the snaps. He’s a good play against the Redskins next week.
Ryan Griffin — Jets TE
With Chris Herndon out, Griffin is stepping up and seems to have a good connection with QB Sam Darnold. He had 5 catches for 109 yards and a TD against the Redskins in Week 11 and should have a great game against the Raiders in Week 12.
Qadree Ollison, Falcons RB
Who? Qadree Ollison, that’s who. Falcons RB Brian Hill disappointed in his first starts for the Birds, but Ollison found a nice role in the red zone. He’s a short yardage back, so it’s basically going to be touchdowns or bust. That being said, Ollison could be a great play if you’re a little desperate at RB. Atlanta has a fantastic matchup against the Bucs in Week 12.
Final Thoughts
We hope to see you all at Dave & Busters on Saturday! If you can’t make it, make sure to follow along by adding us on Instagram and Twitter @ChampionsRound.
And finally, Round 3 is open right now. Create or re-new your leagues, invite your friends, set a draft date and destroy the competition!
