NFL Picks Week 12: Upstart Teams That Will Secure Critical Wins

Week 12 will see some of the 2013 NFL season's upstart teams in unique respective positions, with some coming off big wins and others trying to bounce back from crushing losses.

However, there are three in particular that will take care of business on Sunday and prove their legitimacy as playoff contenders. If the regular season were to end today, all three of these clubs would secure a postseason berth.

There is still plenty of football to be played, though, so that is why these upcoming victories will be huge for each team moving forward.

Carolina Panthers over Miami Dolphins

Cam Newton won a huge quarterback duel with New England Patriots superstar Tom Brady on Monday Night Football and will continue that momentum against another AFC East foe.

The Dolphins have won two of their past three games, but they're ranked 31st in total offense and are facing what might be the best all-around defense in the league.

After the Panthers' trio of backs in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert were all held under three yards per carry in the Patriots game, it faces a defense yielding 122.6 yards per game on the ground.

Three of Miami's losses have been by three points or less, but with the game on the line, it's clear which young quarterback is more trustworthy.

Second-year Dolphins signal-caller Ryan Tannehill doesn't have a full strength offensive line protecting him, and he holds the ball too long to thrive against this Panthers defense.

Look for Greg Hardy to wreak havoc off the edge as a pass-rusher to compensate for Charles Johnson being out, force Tannehill into multiple turnovers and help guide Carolina to a road victory.

Prediction: Panthers 34, Dolphins 17

Detroit Lions over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Winning at Heinz Field is never easy. That's why it had to be especially heartbreaking for the Lions to have 17 unanswered points dropped on them in the second half of last week's 37-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Detroit returns to the friendly confines of Ford Field to take on the 2-8 Buccaneers, who are riding a two-game winning streak and have a third-round rookie QB in Mike Glennon.

The NC State product had his best game as a pro against the defending NFC South champion Atlanta Falcons:

That is not good news for a Lions pass defense that is 30th in the league in yielding 283.8 yards per contest.

Plus, Calvin Johnson will be matched up with lockdown Bucs cornerback Darrelle Revis, making life difficult for Detroit's own aerial attack.

But this is a winnable contest for the current NFC North leaders. QB Matthew Stafford will lean on Reggie Bush and the running game to push Detroit over the top.

As a Buccaneers.com report highlights, Tampa Bay has given up an average of 120 yards rushing in the past four games.

Combine that with the pressure generated by the Lions' Ndamukong Suh-led defensive front, and the hosts will do just enough to pull out a close win.

Prediction: Lions 31, Buccaneers 27

Kansas City Chiefs over San Diego Chargers

A battle of new head coaches in the AFC West pits the Chiefs' Andy Reid against his San Diego counterpart in Mike McCoy.

Both are well-documented offensive gurus, but Reid's advantage comes on defense, where his unit is among the best in the league. Although Kansas City suffered its first loss with Reid at the helm in Denver last week, the defense still limited Peyton Manning's high-powered offense to 27 points.

And that was without any sacks for a defense that led the league in that category entering Week 11. Unfortunately, sacks have become more of a common theme for San Diego signal-caller Philip Rivers as of late, per B/R's Russell S. Baxter:

Rivers has experienced a resurgence in the Chargers' new offense, engineering a top-five passing offense, but San Diego gives up 389 yards per game on the other side of the ball—29th in the NFL.

The Chiefs' front seven is as good as any in the game, and that should reveal itself on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Jamaal Charles will get plenty of touches, while Kansas City signal-caller Alex Smith will keep making simple reads and smart decisions in nickel-and-diming the Chargers to devastation.

It will require a last-minute defensive stand, but coordinator Bob Sutton has the personnel and the array of calls at his disposal to allow the Chiefs to make the last stand.

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Chargers 20

Away Team	Home Team	Winner
Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	Browns
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Detroit Lions	Lions
Minnesota Vikings	Green Bay Packers	Vikings
San Diego Chargers	Kansas City Chiefs	Chiefs
Chicago Bears	St. Louis Rams	Bears
Carolina Panthers	Miami Dolphins	Panthers
New York Jets	Baltimore Ravens	Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars	Houston Texans	Texans
Tennessee Titans	Oakland Raiders	Titans
Indianapolis Colts	Arizona Cardinals	Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys	New York Giants	Giants
Denver Broncos	New England Patriots	Patriots
San Francisco 49ers	Washington Redskins	49ers