Three Must-See Games: Week 11

By the end of week 11, many a division race across the NFL will begin to take much clearer shape. The race to the playoffs is on, and for the teams involved in this week’s biggest games, a win could prove crucial to the standings in a month’s time. The tightly contested NFC features heavily in this week’s edition of Must-See Games.

Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys

Last week, the Cowboys forewent Tony Romo, rode with Dak Prescott, and escaped Heinz Field with a streak-matching win in arguably the clash of the season. But the ‘Boys don’t need this game as badly as the Ravens, whose underrated defense will be the latest to be tested by rookie phenom Ezekiel Elliott. Baltimore holds a tentative lead on the volatile-but-disappointing AFC North. With their next closest foes facing the winless Browns, an upset victory here could prove the difference in January.

Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks

So while Dallas looks set to cruise to the NFC East title, Philly sits at the bottom of the division despite a winning record. Things don’t get much easier as they travel cross-country to face arguably the most complete team in football. The Eagles’ undefeated mark at home stands in stark contrast to their 1-4 record on the road; part and parcel of resting your season on a rookie QB, I suppose. The Seahawks, meanwhile, hold a comfortable lead in their division, and will have a first-round bye in their sights throughout the season’s second half.

Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins

If winning truly does cure everything, then losing must spawn a bunch of diseases not yet discovered by modern medicine. Former Packers tight end Jermichael Finley was the latest to hop on the “Rodgers hate” bandwagon, calling him a poor leader weighed down by family issues and his self-consciousness. So, what did we learn? Apparently, elite quarterbacks are people too, and they’re susceptible to downturns in their career. Except that Rodgers is the only player worth a mention on the Pack’s offense right now. A win over the surging Redskins might give his cheeseheads some much-needed perspective.