NFL Picks Week 12: Teams Set to Triumph This Weekend

The New Orleans Saints' road win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night keeps the pressure on the rest of the NFC in Week 12.

The 10-1 Seattle Seahawks will enjoy a bye this weekend, but the streaking Carolina Panthers will be on the road and in need of another win to remain within striking distance of the Saints in the NFC South. 

Will they get it?

Here are some last-minute predictions for every game this weekend, followed by a breakdown of three teams in particular who will prevail. 

Away	Score	Home
Minnesota Vikings	17-20	GREEN BAY PACKERS (-3)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (+2.5)	23-16	Cleveland Browns
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	27-34	DETROIT LIONS (-9.5)
San Diego Chargers	13-24	KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-4.5)
CHICAGO BEARS (+1)	26-18	St. Louis Rams
CAROLINA PANTHERS (-4)	23-14	Miami Dolphins
New York Jets	16-20	BALTIMORE RAVENS (-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars	23-27	HOUSTON TEXANS (-10)
Tennessee Titans	21-24	OAKLAND RAIDERS (-1.5)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (+1.5)	31-17	Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys	20-27	NEW YORK GIANTS (-3)
DENVER BRONCOS (-2.5)	30-24	New England Patriots
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-5)	34-26	Washington Redskins

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Thanks to a lackluster division, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still right in the thick of things in the AFC playoff race despite an 0-4 start to the season.

Now having won four of their last six, the Steelers are just one game out of the AFC wild-card spot. Consequently, look for Pittsburgh to continue its playoff push in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. After all, the Steelers will be taking on a Browns team that has lost four of five and is coming off a 21-point loss at Cincinnati in Week 11.

Cleveland converted just four of 18 third downs and turned the ball over four times in the rout. 

However, the biggest difference in Sunday's matchup will be Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers' quarterback is leading the NFL's seventh-ranked passing attack and has thrown for more than 360 yards and four touchdowns in two of the past three weeks.

On the other side of the ball, watch for Pittsburgh's eighth-ranked pass defense to shut down Jason Campbell and the Browns' meager offensive attack, which ranks 25th in total yards and 28th in scoring offense.

Detroit Lions

The Lions squandered an excellent opportunity in Pittsburgh last weekend, but will have a shot to right the ship in Week 12 at home against the 2-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

While the Bucs have won two straight, they've yet to break through on the road in 2013.

Meanwhile, Detroit is 3-1 at Ford Field and lighting up opponents through the air wherever it goes. The Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson connection has already been good for 1,083 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, and there are still six weeks left to play.

Despite its improvement over the past two weeks, the Bucs' aerial attack still ranks 30th in the league, averaging a dismal 6.1 yards per pass attempt.

Although Tampa is sure to make this a competitive game, expect the league's top quarterback-wide receiver duo in Stafford and Johnson to outscore Tampa Bay at home.

Carolina Panthers

The Miami Dolphins will be no match for the Carolina Panthers, who have won six straight in a stretch that includes back-to-back signature victories over San Francisco and New England.

Not only is the dynamic Cam Newton maturing as a quarterback and playmaker, but Carolina's defense has developed into one of the NFL's most dominant units. The Panthers rank first in fewest points allowed and third in fewest total yards allowed coming into Week 12.

On the other hand, the Dolphins are trending in the opposite direction, having gone 2-5 since their 3-0 start.

And unlike Carolina, Miami hasn't stood out in any area this season. The Dolphins have been a middle-of-the-road team offensively and defensively in 2013, which is evidenced by the fact that they're scoring 21.3 points and allowing 22.5 points per week on average. 

Look for the scorching-hot Panthers to shut down the Dolphins offense and earn a low-scoring, hard-fought game on the road to keep pace with the Saints heading into December. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.