NFL Predictions Week 12: Picks for Every Game

Week 12 should be a good one on the NFL schedule. The games get started early, with three games on Thanksgiving. Two of the three should be really good, with the Packers taking on the Lions and the 49ers taking on the Ravens.

The week also ends with a bang when the Giants and Saints play on Monday Night Football.

Here is a pick for each Week 12 game.

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions

This is going to be a fun game to watch. The Lions actually match up well in this one. Their defensive strength is against the pass. They are fourth in the league in pass defense. Of course, they have not faced Aaron Rodgers yet this season, who is playing out of his mind.

Detroit's offensive strength is throwing the ball, and the Packers have had trouble stopping the pass this season. They are 31st in the league, giving up 289.3 yards per game.

In the end, this game will come down to Matthew Stafford. If he can match Rodgers' throw for throw for an entire game, the Lions will win, but the odds are not in his favor there.

Packers 31 Lions 27

Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys

This game looks a whole lot more interesting now than it did three weeks ago. The Dolphins are riding high on the back of a three-game win streak.

That streak will end on Thanksgiving. Look for Tony Romo to have a huge day in this one.  Miami is 25th in the league against the pass. They will not have an answer for Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

It is hard to see Miami's 23rd-ranked offense being able to move the ball against the Cowboys' 11th-ranked defense.

Cowboys 31 Dolphins 17

San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens

The 49ers will have a chance to make the nation believe in them with a win in this one.

This game has the looks of one that is not going to be much fun to watch. Both teams like to set up their offense by running the football, and both teams are really good against the run on defense. The team that is able to find the most success on the ground will win the game.

These teams are pretty even. The Ravens have a slight edge because San Francisco has a tough trip on a short week.

Ravens 17 49ers 13

Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons

This is going to be a tough week for the Vikings and their rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. He has had the benefit of lining up with Adrian Peterson in the same backfield to this point. That will not be the case on Sunday because of Peterson's ankle injury. Expect Ponder to struggle.

The Falcons will hit the Minnesota defense with a heavy dose of Michael Tuner early before putting the ball in Matt Ryan's hands against a weak Vikings secondary. The Vikings do not have much of a chance in this one.

Falcons 27 Vikings 13

Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals need a win in this one to stay in the hunt. So far, they have lost both of their chances to prove that their hot start to the season was not a fluke.

They should not have much trouble in this one. The only thing the Browns are even a little bit good at on offense is running the ball, and the Bengals have the third-ranked rush defense in the league.

Once again this week, it will be important to keep an eye on the health of AJ Green. Marvin Lewis seemed a little bit more optimistic he could be ready to play, but whether or not he is able to practice will be a better indication.

Bengals 24 Browns 13

Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts

Cam Newton and the Panthers have been struggling the last couple of weeks, so a game against the Colts is just what they need to get back on track. If you are playing against Newton in a fantasy league this week, you better hope your team has a couple of guys that play way above their heads because he is going to have a field day against the Colts defense.

Indianapolis might actually be able to move the ball a little bit in this one. Carolina is really bad on defense. They are giving up 375 yards of total offense per game on the season.

That will not matter in the end, though, because the Panthers are going to score a lot of points in this one.

Panthers 38 Colts 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans

This game features two really evenly matched teams. In fact, AccuScore has the projected score as 21-21. Both of these teams still have playoff aspirations, but one more loss would be detrimental to those hopes.

Tampa has been really bad on defense this season. They are 29th against the pass and 26th against the run. The Titans are not great on offense, but they should be able to get some yards and score some points in this game. 

The Buccaneers will give the Titans a steady dose of LeGarrette Blount, who Tennessee cut before last season started. He will be out for revenge in this one.

Titans 24 Buccaneers 21

Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams

Who does not love a NFC West showdown?

Both of these teams are bad and are on their way to top 10 picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, but they both have some talent on offense. The Rams will have an edge this week because they are healthier than the Cardinals, who still have Kevin Kolb and Beanie Wells battling injuries.

Speaking of Wells, if he is ever going to get it going again this season, it will be in this game.  St. Louis is giving up 148.1 yards per game on the ground.

Rams 21 Cardinals 17

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

The is the Stop the Skid Bowl. Both of these teams are desperately close to falling out of the playoff the race.

These two teams met just three weeks ago, with the Jets winning 27-11 in Buffalo. The Bills were only able to manage 287 yards of total offense in that contest. 

This game will be very similar to that one. The Bills offense has lacked the punch it had earlier in the season. The Jets are not great on offense, but they will have enough to win this game.

Jets 24 Bills 13

Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Most people are worried about the Texans chances now that Schaub is out. Matt Leinart is going to be better than most people think. He will not be asked to win games. He can turn around and hand the ball to Arian Foster and Ben Tate. That will win them a lot of games.

They are also winning games this year with a defense that ranks first in the league in yards allowed and second in points allowed.

The Jaguars, well, they are terrible. Leinart will not have any problem managing Houston to a win in this one.

Texans 24 Jaguars 10

Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders

This is a tough game for the Bears. They have to travel halfway across the country to take on the first-place Raiders without Jay Cutler. Luckily for Chicago, Oakland is terrible against the run. They are giving up 131.6 yards per game on the ground. Look for the Bears to give the ball to Matt Forte early and often.

The Raiders have been on a roll since their bye week. They look like they are easily the best team in the AFC West at this point. Carson Palmer should have a big day against a Bears defense that gives up 271 yards per game through the air.

Raiders 23 Bears 13

Washington Redskins vs. Seattle Seahawks

This is one bad football game.

It is pretty unbelievable how far the Redskins have fallen from the beginning of the season.  They are just really bad on offense.

The Seahawks are on a two-game winning streak. They will push that streak to three games on the back of the resurgent Marshawn Lynch. He has actually started playing like the running back people thought he could be when he came out of California.

Seahawks 13 Redskins 10

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles

This is a swing game for the Eagles. They are not out of the hunt in the NFC East, but they cannot afford to lose another game if they want a shot at the playoffs.

Philadelphia really needs Michael Vick to play if they are going to win this game. Sure, Vince Young led a nice drive in the fourth quarter last week, but that was after he had thrown three interceptions. If he throws three interceptions against the Patriots, the Eagles will be in a huge hole.

The New England defense has been getting better and better each week. They look to be peaking at the right time.

Patriots 31 Eagles 27

Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

The Tim Tebow legend is growing. He has a good matchup this week against the Chargers and their 23rd-ranked run defense. The read option is a tough thing to play against. That should give the Broncos a pretty heavy advantage in this one.

The one thing that no one is talking about in Denver is how well their defense is playing. They are sure to give Philip Rivers, who is having a horrific year, fits in this one.

Broncos 18 Chargers 17

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

There really is not much to say about this game. The Chiefs have been decimated by injuries on offense to the point that they really are not fielding an NFL competitive team anymore.  They, like the rest of the nation, probably wish this game would have gotten removed from prime time.

The Steelers have a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way. They will make a run at the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Steelers 38 Chiefs 6

New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints

ESPN finally got a good Monday Night Football Game. This game features two teams that have high-powered offenses and suspect defenses. 

A game like this will come down to the quarterback that plays the best, and you should never bet against Drew Brees in that situation.

This is a huge game for the Giants and their hopes of winning an NFC East title. They are currently tied with the Cowboys atop the division and will likely need a win in this one because Dallas should knock off the Dolphins on Thanksgiving.

Saints 35 Giants 31