NFL Preview: Week 12

With advertising for Christmas and the associated Christmas music being forced down our throat in early November (a rant for another place and time), I don't see why I can't make some playoff predictions, even though everyone still has six games left. After all, now is the time to make your move before the final stretch run in December.

In the NFC, I think the final six will end up being New York, Arizona, the North winner, the South winner (probably Carolina), and a wild card team from both the South and East.

Over in the AFC, I see the Steelers, Broncos, Titans, AFC East winner, Colts, and an AFC East wild card team making it in. We'll see how that all plays out over the next month and a half. On to the Week 12 games:

GAME OF THE WEEK: Giants at Cardinals

Believe it or not, Arizona wraps up the NFC West with a victory in this game and losses by San Francisco and Seattle (which is highly likely considering their opponents are Dallas and Washington, respectively). If the Cardinals want their first division title since moving to the Phoenix area twenty years ago to be final come Sunday night, they will have to earn it against the NFC's top team.

New York likes to pressure the quarterback, and as we all know, Kurt Warner is not the most mobile man in the world. He will have to get rid of the ball quickly for the Cardinals to have any chance. While Arizona is 2nd in total offense, New York is 4th. But this isn't the poor Cardinals defense we are all used to, as opponents are averaging less than 300 yards a game on the unit.

Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, and the rest of the Giants offense will not have it easy. Arizona did beat Dallas and played Carolina tough on the road.

To be considered a serious NFC contender, Arizona will need a signature win. I don't think they will have quite enough to pull it off come Sunday, but they will show the nation that they will not go quietly in January.



OTHER TOP GAMES:

Jets at Titans

That game in Foxboro last Thursday night was something else. Too bad I fell asleep in the fourth quarter like an old man. This should be another barnburner, as the Titans look to up their record to 11-0 before visiting the Lions on Thanksgiving.

Tennessee likes to create turnovers, and we all know how prone Brett Favre is to throwing interceptions. If he is having one of his errant games on Sunday, the Titans should control the festivities.

It's kind of hard to believe that these two teams have the best records in the AFC (Pittsburgh stands at 7-3 along with the Jets, and gets their shot at Tennessee in mid-December). The days of New England and Indy domination are, at least temporarily, in the past. As for the immediate future, I like the Titans in this game, even though they could find it tough sledding running the ball on the Jets.

Patriots at Dolphins

When the Dolphins pasted the Pats in Foxboro back in September, I think most people thought it was an aberration. The Dolphins played a great game to win for the first time during the Parcells/Sparano era, and New England was obviously without Tom Brady.

Now we are beginning to see this Miami team emerge as a serious playoff contender, in the shadows of New England's stranglehold on the AFC East this decade. After Miami ran the Wildcat formation up and down the field in Week 3 and Ronnie Brown scored five touchdowns, I think Belichick's team will be a little more prepared this time around.

But they cannot solely focus on Brown, or Pennington will be likely to beat them. The Patriots have historically had problems in Dolphin Stadium under the man in the hooded sweatshirt, but they cannot have that on their mind come Sunday. I believe at most one of these two teams will make the postseason, which turns this into a critical late-November contest.

Eagles at Ravens

Before commenting on this game, let me just make fun of Donovan McNabb for not knowing that regular season games can end in a tie. You would think someone with a decade in the league would know the nuances of the game, even if this one rarely comes into play.

Philadelphia has been widely blasted for their performance in Cincinnati, and from someone who watched a good portion of that game, they deserve it. If they want to make the playoffs, they need to start playing like a playoff-caliber team. This week's game against the Ravens and Thanksgiving night's home game against Arizona will be key determining factors for their playoff chances.

As for Baltimore, three of their final six games are against the NFC East, so even at 6-4, making the playoffs might be difficult. By the way, the Eagles and Ravens played to a tie in Baltimore 11 years ago.

Panthers at Falcons

Carolina easily took down the Falcons in Charlotte, but duplicating the feat in the Georgia Dome will be a difficult task. Matt Ryan has progressed immensely since that contest, and has to be considered a weapon for the Atlanta offense right alongside Roddy White and Michael Turner.

The Falcons were only able to muster three field goals in their first meeting with one of the league's best defenses. But on the artificial surface, their speedy playmakers should shine.

I also look for Jake Delhomme to have a strong performance against a weak secondary, seeing how he has had two pitiful games in a row. Last week, it was more of the Lions' inability to stop Williams or Stewart on the ground than anything, but two weeks ago in Oakland he struggled.

AND THE REST:

Bengals at Steelers (Thursday night)

When you are as bad as the Bengals are, it probably has to be tempting to consider a tie as a win. A squad that is actually good loathes a tie, but when you are the Bengals, I guess you have to take any small victories you can find.

Anyway, the real story in this game relates to the rumor that Cincy has put a bounty on Hines Ward for breaking LB Keith Rivers' jaw in the first meeting. Ward already has seen the Ravens put a bounty on him this season, failing to take him out of the game, so stay tuned.

Texans at Browns

I will go ahead and remind you that I picked both of these teams to make the postseason way back in August. Yeah...about that; I am obviously no expert.

It's difficult to write things about games that really have no playoff implications when late November and December roll around, so I will just go ahead and say both Gary Kubiak and Romeo Crennel may be fighting for their jobs in 2009, so every win counts.

Bills at Chiefs

Buffalo's playoff hopes have evaporated quicker than a vial of ether (chemistry reference), and for a fan base that has suffered through tough times in recent years, that has to be disheartening. It wouldn't surprise me if Buffalo went on the road and lost to the 1-9 Chiefs, even though they are clearly the more talented squad. That loss on Monday night, and the last month collectively, have really shaken the Bills.

49ers at Cowboys

Ah, the good ol' days of the 80s and 90s. They seem so long ago. Apparently, FOX did not get the memo that San Francisco-Dallas hasn't been important in about a decade, because they are sending Buck and Aikman down to Texas. Of course, this probably just keeps up the network's trend of sending their #1 and #2 teams to about their third and fourth best games of the day.

Anyways, it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys come out and play after the big win in Washington. They cannot get lackadaisical and put this one in the bag beforehand.

Vikings at Jaguars

Judging by Jags' wideout Troy Williamson's comments, he isn't a fan of Brad Childress, who coached the first round bust in Minnesota. That collective "AMEN!" you hear is coming from the Land of a Thousand Lakes, where Childress is not viewed too favorably for his handling of the offense and Adrian Peterson.

Like Houston and Cleveland, these were two teams I predicted would be in the playoffs, but right now, Jacksonville is in serious trouble and the Vikings are hanging on in the three-team NFC North race.

Bears at Rams

Losing 37-3 in Green Bay had to be a humbling experience for the Bears, but Sunday is their lucky day: they get to play the Rams.I think St. Louis has given up. How else can you explain getting blown out by the 49ers?

Chicago just needs to get back to focusing on what they do best: running the ball and stopping the run. All is not lost, considering how they are still tied for first with both the Packers and Vikings.

Buccaneers at Lions

Rejoice fellow Americans: just a little over a week until we all get to stuff our face with turkey, and wonder why the hell we are subjected to torture by having to watch the Lions. At least this will be the only time all season that the entire nation has to watch them.

But first things first: The Lions have to keep their imperfect mark going against Jon Gruden's squad. Tampa Bay's defense is menacing, and even with Earnest Graham out, they will be able to ram it down Detroit's throats.

Raiders at Broncos

Denver has some breathing room in the West now at two games, and has to be bubbling with confidence after playing fairly well on defense in Atlanta, even with several starters injured.

They pounded Oakland in the Black Hole back on opening weekend, and that was before the Raiders mailed it in (or at least I hope so). So I don't expect the Broncos will have any trouble at least maintaining their division lead.

Redskins at Seahawks

Jim Zorn returns to the place where he was a starting quarterback for a decade. Although back in those days, the Seahawks played in the dump known as the Kingdome, and featured silver as a prominent team color.

Frankly, those old Seahawks unis (which I wish they would break out next Thursday on Thanksgiving for the sake of remembering the past) were the ugliest in the league.

Anyway, the Redskins are reeling and simply need a win. They should get it, but a 3,000 mile trip to Qwest Field could make matters difficult.

Colts at Chargers (Sunday night)

You know, if NBC is going to have a flex game option, they should use it. Yeah, this game features LT and Peyton Manning, but San Diego's playoff hopes are on life support and only recently did Indy get back in the picture.

What about Carolina-Atlanta guys? Or Jets-Titans? Even Patriots-Dolphins (although New England might already be at the maximum number of prime time games)? Manning had one of his worst career games last year, throwing six interceptions. But the team was a Vinatieri missed field goal from a victory in the end. That was a crazy game.

Packers at Saints (Monday night)

I think it is safe to predict we will see a lot of offense on MNF once again this week, although I'm sure everyone involved will enjoy being indoors a heck of a lot more than in 25 degree Buffalo. Let's just hope Kornheiser doesn't talk about Brett Favre as much as he did during the Packers' first Monday game.

Both teams are 5-5, but Green Bay's chances of making a run at the postseason are much better in a wide open NFC North. New Orleans, meanwhile, is essentially out of the South division race, and will have to pass a gaggle of 6-4 teams for a wild card spot.