SB Nation Kansas City - NFL Picks, Week 11: ESPN's Sunday Countdown Crew Select Patriots Over Chiefshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2011-11-21T11:00:43-06:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23331902011-11-21T11:00:43-06:002011-11-21T11:00:43-06:00Steve Breaston Week 11 Fantasy Projection For Chiefs Vs. Patriots
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<p>For those fantasy football owners looking for some productivity out of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> this week, you might find a good player to bet on in <span>Steve Breaston</span>. A few things are clear for the Chiefs this week despite the presence of a first-time NFL starter, <span>Tyler Palko</span>, under center at quarterback (in place of the injured <span>Matt Cassel</span>). First of all, if the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> defense has a weak link, it's in the injury-depleted secondary. Secondly, the Pats are likely to be up early over the Chiefs, so the team will abandon the run if that's the case, moving the ball through the air.</p>
<p>That's what makes Steve Breaston a possibly solid starter this week for fantasy football. Thus far this season, Breaston has 33 catches for 483 yards and 2 touchdowns. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.numberfire.com/players/projections/wr">Numberfire's projections</a> have him predicted for 5.52 points with four catches for 40 yards. Those aren't major numbers to write home about, but the aforementioned elements in play make me believe that Breaston could go for more like 6 and 75 instead of 4 and 40.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/21/2576985/steve-breaston-week-11-fantasy-projection-for-chiefs-vs-patriotsMatt Conner2011-11-21T08:47:04-06:002011-11-21T08:47:04-06:00Jackie Battle Week 11 Fantasy Projection For Chiefs Vs. Patriots
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<p>For the season, <span>Jackie Battle</span> has been a pleasant surprise for both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> and fantasy football owners looking for help in unexpected places. For the Chiefs, he has helped stabilize the running back position after the loss of <span>Jamaal Charles</span> for the year early in game two and against the downward spiral of <span>Thomas Jones</span>' production. For fantasy owners, he's provided 87 carries for 403 yards and 1 touchdown. It's not exactly fantasy points central, but it also beats other waiver wire pick-ups.</p>
<p>It's clear, however, that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.numberfire.com/players/projections/rb">Numberfire's projections for Battle aren't that impressive</a> against <span>Vince Wilfork</span> and the rest of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> defense coming up on Monday Night Football. They have Battle predicted for five total fantasy points and final stats of 7 carries for 31 yards. That likely means that KC will be behind early so <span>Tyler Palko</span> will have to learn to throw early and often against the Pats.</p>
<p>For those expecting a possible breakout, don't count on it. After a 100 yard effort early in October, Battle has gone four games with rather middling totals.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/21/2576967/jackie-battle-fantasy-football-start-em-sit-emMatt Conner2011-11-20T09:09:25-06:002011-11-20T09:09:25-06:00NFL Picks: Chargers, Raiders Should Improve Against Vikings And Bears
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<p>This week in the <span class="caps">NFL</span>, the <span class="caps">AFC</span> West has already made one statement loud and clear. On Thursday night’s game this week, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a> took Tebow mania one game further with their win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a> in primetime behind the polarizing talents of <span>Tim Tebow</span> under center. Now other <span class="caps">AFC</span> West teams will hope to do the same. Here’s our Week 11 picks for the <span class="caps">AFC</span> West:</p>
<p><b>Oakland @ Minnesota</b><br> The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a>’ ship has already sailed this season and the team can only hope for signs of life under rookie quarterback <span>Christian Ponder</span>. The good news is that the flashes have already been there and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Oakland Raiders</a> have a secondary that a QB can burn if he wants. The pass rush? Well, that’s’ another thing entirely. If <span>Michael Bush</span> can continue to supplant <span>Darren McFadden</span> well, the Raiders should win this on the strength of their running game and strong defensive front seven.<br> <i>Raiders 20, Vikings 10</i></p>
<p><b>San Diego @ Chicago</b><br> The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">San Diego Chargers</a> are a shell of their former selves, that much is for sure. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a> hope they run into that version of the once high-octane offense led by <span>Philip Rivers</span>. In fact, the Bears defense might insure such a thing. But once the last few weeks of the year hits, the Chargers get hot and there’s no reason to believe it won’t happen this year as well. <br> <i>Chargers 24, Bears 13</i></p>
<p><b>Kansas City @ New England</b><br> <span>Tyler Palko</span> gets his first career start under the lights of Monday Night Football against the best quarterback in the league. It’s hardly a welcome mat thrown out for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> back-up. Palko won’t be as bad as many predict, but there’s no way he’s leading the Chiefs to victory on a cold New England evening on primetime television. <br> <i><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> 30, Chiefs 16</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/20/2575336/nfl-picks-chargers-raiders-should-improve-against-vikings-and-bearsMatt Conner2011-11-19T11:54:21-06:002011-11-19T11:54:21-06:00NFL Picks, Week 11: ESPN's Sunday Countdown Crew Select Patriots Over Chiefs
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<p>It’s been a unanimous in terms of <span class="caps">NFL</span> predictions against the Kansas City Chiefs as they head to face the New England Patriots for Monday Night Football for week 11 of the <span class="caps">NFL</span> regular season. As far as I can tell, there hasn’t been a single media outlet or sportswriter choosing the Patriots to lose to the Chiefs and the reasons are many. The Patriots are, well, the Patriots. The Chiefs have suffered numerous injuries, including their starting quarterback Matt Cassel. The Chiefs have no momentum and are sinking faster than anyone in the <span class="caps">AFC</span> West. Take your pick.</p>
<p>Speaking of picks, the latest round of choices to come in this weekend come from <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/notebook/_/page/sundaycountdown11/your-weekly-nfl-guide" target="new">ESPN’s Sunday Countdown crew</a> which includes Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Cris Carter. Each analyst has chosen the Patriots as their favorite on Monday night and it’s just another pile of names to put on the Pats side of the scale.</p>
<p>In short if the Chiefs can win on Monday with Tyler Palko as their quarterback, the Chiefs can truly say that absolutely no one believed they could do it, and no writer can say they saw it coming.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/19/2573577/nfl-picks-week-11-espns-sunday-countdown-crew-select-patriots-overMatt Conner2011-11-18T12:35:03-06:002011-11-18T12:35:03-06:00NFL Picks: Madden '12 Simulations Have Patriots Beating Chiefs 35-10
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<p>The Monday Night Football predictions continue to roll in heading into the upcoming <span class="caps">NFL</span> weekend slate of games, and the Kansas City Chiefs have a hard time finding a single person (or even simulation) to believe they have a chance to beat the New England Patriots. Even a video game simulation — Madden ’12 football in this instance — has a hard time believing it will even be close.</p>
<p>In ESPN’s weekly Madden simulation series, the Patriots are predicted to win 35-10. When analyzing the sims, <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videogames/easims12/_/gameId/7233840/madden-12-ea-simulations" target="new">Jon Robinson writes</a>, “The Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski connection continues to pay huge dividends inside the red zone for New England as Brady hits his tight end for two first half touchdown passes in the Pats 35-10 dismantling of the Chiefs. Brady finished the game with four touchdowns, while Gronkowski added nine catches for 120 yards as the Kansas City D was out there playing checkers while the Pats were playing chess.”</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/18/2571602/nfl-picks-madden-12-simulations-have-patriots-beating-chiefs-35-10Matt Conner2011-11-18T10:47:21-06:002011-11-18T10:47:21-06:00NFL Picks: Sam Farmer Picks Patriots Over Chiefs 35-17 For Monday Night Prediction
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<p>Sam Farmer has posted his weekly <span class="caps">NFL</span> picks and he ends up joining an incredibly one-sided chorus against the Kansas City Chiefs by choosing the New England Patriots to win their showdown on Monday Night Football. In fact, he predicts it won’t be much of a showdown given a final score prediction of 35-17.</p>
<p><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-11-17/sports/sc-spt-1118-farmer-picks--20111118_1_farmer-s-nfl-qb-alex-smith-browns" target="new">Farmer writes</a>, “Patriots tend to focus on task at hand, especially at home when weather turns cold. Without Matt Cassel, Chiefs will be hard-pressed to make game of it.”</p>
<p>The Chiefs are usually looked down upon for two primary things: their inability to play well against teams they should have beaten the last two weeks (Broncos and Dolphins) and the first career start for Tyler Palko. The Chiefs back-up quarterback steps into the spotlight after a hand injury had sidelined Matt Cassel for several weeks and Palko’s limited numbers over the last two years haven’t revealed any undiscovered flashes of greatness. In other words, things could get ugly on Monday.</p>
<p>The <span class="caps">NFL</span> is littered with stories just like Palko’s however, and it’s clear that anyone can win on any week in the <span class="caps">NFL</span>. Players rise to notoriety in the strangest of ways in this league and Palko has a chance to write a special one on Monday.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/18/2571336/nfl-picks-sam-farmer-picks-patriots-over-chiefs-35-17-for-mondayMatt Conner2011-11-18T08:08:59-06:002011-11-18T08:08:59-06:00NFL Picks: Peter King Predicts Patriots By 21 Over Chiefs With Tyler Palko At Helm
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<p>Tyler Palko makes for a good story. He doesn’t necessarily make for a good starting option against the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. That’s essentially what Peter King says in his <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/11/17/week.11/index.html#ixzz1e483CuBY" target="new">latest picks column</a> this week.</p>
<p>The Sports Illustrated columnist has the Patriots beating the Kansas City Chiefs 31-10 in week 11 and the gods of football programming have to hope that Matt Cassel’s back-up can provide a decent enough game so people don’t decide to get a good night’s sleep instead of watching.</p>
<p>King writes, “The story is so neat: Tyler Palko, cut in the <span class="caps">NFL</span> (Arizona) and United Football League (California Redwoods) and unable to crack the Montreal Alouettes lineup in 2009, makes his first <span class="caps">NFL</span> start in Foxboro. On Monday night, Palko should find out that Bill Belichick — and more importantly, rejuvenated pass-rusher Andre Carter — are not actors in a Disney movie.”</p>
<p>That “rejuvenated Andre Carter” is the one who had 4.5 sacks last week, doubling his season total to 9. He had 11 two seasons ago and now has 75 in his career, and Palko is going to have to stay keenly aware of the New England pass rush the entire game. If anything, Jackie Battle and Dexter McCluster are going to have to keep defenses respecting the running game with Palko at the helm. Even with dynamic receivers like Steve Breaston, Jon Baldwin and Pro Bowler Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs will likely have a fairly conservative game plan.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/18/2570904/nfl-picks-peter-king-predicts-patriots-by-21-over-chiefs-with-tylerMatt Conner2011-11-17T14:00:37-06:002011-11-17T14:00:37-06:00NFL Picks, Week 11: Patriots Over Chiefs Called 'Lock Of The Week'
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<p>The Sporting News isn't just predicting that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">New England Patriots</a> will beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> on Monday Night Football during week 11 in the NFL. They also say <a target="_blank" href="http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-11-16/week-11-picks-red-hot-bears-wont-allow-chargers-to-warm-up#ixzz1dzPjmOWJ">it's the safest bet of the week</a>. That's even more depressing for Chiefs fans who've already endured much suffering this season due to unpredictable performances and numerous injuries amidst a very winnable division in the AFC West.</p>
<p>"The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> let us down big-time last week, so we'll go a little "safer" this week," says Vinnie Iyer. "The Patriots won't need to face injured ex-Pat Matt Cassel at home on Monday night, and Bill Belichick should be ready to cook up some defensive confusion for <span>Tyler Palko</span>. In Week 10, the Chiefs lost to Denver despite giving up only two pass completions. They can expect Tom Brady to do a lot more damage through the air against their secondary this week."</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/11/17/2569164/nfl-picks-week-11-patriots-over-chiefs-called-lock-of-the-weekMatt Conner