NFL Week 12 Picks: New England Patriots and Contenders Ready to Oust Pretenders

There's plenty of dreck still hanging around the NFL playoff picture, to say the least. Week 12 should provide a bit of clarity to the league's muddled middle, with these three teams taking firmer control of their own destiny while sending their opponents spiraling into obscurity.

New England Patriots

The Eagles were able to stave off near-complete playoff elimination against the Giants last Sunday night, but won't be so lucky to stay alive when the Patriots come to town this weekend. Philly's defense will be hard-pressed to hold down Tom Brady and the Pats offense quite like they did with Eli Manning and company, unless New England's running backs suddenly (and woefully) morph into Brandon Jacobs.

Michael Vick is expected to sit out once again, leaving Vince Young to throw interceptions with a team that knows what to do with turnovers when they get them. That should be enough to bring the Eagles' hopes for a dream season to an early end while forcing Andy Reid and Howie Roseman to share the hot seat in the City of Brotherly Love.

New York Jets

Elsewhere in the AFC East, the Jets and the Bills will battle for second place in the division.

And though both teams sport 5-5 records, only one has a realistic shot at reaching the playoffs.

That, of course, belongs to Gang Green, who hold the upper hand in this game more as a result of Buffalo's misery than their own present company. Ryan Fitzpatrick has lost the "Fitz-Magic" ever since signing a lucrative contract extension and will be hard-pressed to get it back now that Fred Jackson is done for the year.

The Jets had little trouble moving the ball against the Bills defense in Week 9, and don't figure to have any more difficulties with the change of venue to MetLife Stadium this time around. A loss won't drop Buffalo out of the playoff picture entirely, though a fourth defeat in a row this late in the season doesn't bode well for the Bills' chances of playing deeper into January.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are rounding into shape, slowly but surely, while the Chiefs are clinging desperately to a shred of hope in the atrocious AFC West. KC claimed Kyle Orton off waivers from the Broncos after losing Matt Cassel for the rest of the 2011 campaign and watching Tyler Palko's putrid performance against New England on Monday night.

Not that Orton will be of any help to the Chiefs' slim playoff hopes, particularly on Sunday night against the Steelers. Unless Todd Haley decides to go all Hue Jackson on Pittsburgh, he's likely to leave Orton on the sidelines while Palko gives it the ol' college try once again.

Either way, the Steelers are too good and too well rested to let a Sunday night showdown at Arrowhead Stadium turn in anyone's favor but theirs. Look for Ben Roethlisberger to have a big night throwing to his speedy receivers before this game—and this season—gets out of hand for the Chiefs in the second half.