Week 12 Picks!

All week all the talk was about how the sky is falling in Denver, and how the Chiefs are poised to win the AFC West from the Broncos. Yes, there is a lot of football left to play, and the Broncos have some serious issues. An offensive line that has been very inconsistent all year is now shuffling the unit and trying to find the right combination of players for the stretch run. That spotty O-Line play has led to some unusual erratic play from Peyton Manning and a running game that is virtually nonexistent. Throw in the injuries to Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball, and Julius Thomas, and it looks like the Broncos are in trouble. And they are in trouble to a certain extent. Are they the same team as last year? No way. Are there some concerns that this team could beat a quality opponent on the road? Yes, but we still have Peyton Manning and we still have 6 games to figure this out. There is still time to sort out these problems and get back on track towards the Super Bowl. Everyone just needs to relax a little bit and focus on the next game. Besides, we already got some help with the Raiders knocking off the Chiefs on Thursday Night. Here are the picks for Week 12....

Last Week's Record: 8-6
Overall Record: 81-74-6
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Cleveland (+3) over ATLANTA: Typically, the Browns looked awful last week at home against the Texans. Now, they head to 4-6 Atlanta, who finds themselves in the thick of the NFC South race. I think the Browns will rebound this week and get the win on the road to get them to 7-4.

Tennessee (+12) over PHILLY: The Eagles will win this game, but I look for the Titans to keep it closer than the line. Too many points to give the Eagles as they still try to figure out how effective Mark Sanchez will be as their quarterback.

NEW ENGLAND (-7) over Detroit: The Lions are in 1st place in the NFC North, and they have one of the league's best defenses. This has all the makings of a big win on the road right? Not so fast. I see the Pats just doing their thing and blowing the doors off Detroit. Look for a big day from Tom Brady and that offense.

MINNESOTA (+9) over Green Bay: Now that the Vikings are playing outdoors, I can see that the weather could slow down Aaron Rodgers and that offense. I think the Packers will win, but look for the Vikings to keep it close.

INDY (-13) over Jacksonville: This game will not be close at all, and I think this is the lock of the week. The Colts will roll in this one at home. The Colts feast on beating the crummy teams on their schedule.

Cincy (+2) over HOUSTON: I don't see why the Texans are favored here. I know they are at home, but do you really have faith in Ryan Mallet after 1 week? Cincy got a big win on the road at New Orleans last week, so I look for them to continue that this week on the road in Houston.

CHICAGO (-5) over Tampa Bay: The Lovie Smith Bowl! The 2-8 Bucs and the 4-6 Bears! Anyway, I'm taking the Bears at home for selfish reasons because I want them to be 5-6 heading into Detroit on Thanksgiving to give that game a little more meaning, so the Bears are the pick for me.

SEATTLE (-7) over Arizona: The Cards are still the story in the NFC at 9-1, but this feels like a game where the Seahawks rise up and make a statement like "Hey, don't forget about us. We are the defending Super Bowl Champs!" Look for a rout in Seattle.

SAN DIEGO (-5) over St. Louis: Has any team lost all their bandwagon supporters like the Chargers have the past few weeks? When they were 5-1, they were considered a Super Bowl contender in the AFC and Phillip Rivers was a surefire MVP candidate. Now, they are 6-4 and everyone has jumped off their bandwagon. I think they take care of business at home to the Rams this week.

SAN FRANCISCO (-8) over Washington: When Jay Gruden comes out and publicly calls out Robert Griffin III, then you know that is a bad sign for a QB and a franchise. The Niners are starting to hit a bit of a stride here at 6-4, and a big win at home over the Skins will get them to 7-4 heading into their big showdown with Seattle on Thanksgiving Night.

NY GIANTS (+4) over Dallas: I have no faith in the Giants, but I'll pick them because this is one of those games where they can basically put everything they have left and try to ruin the Cowboys season on primetime television. I could totally get burned by this, but I am going with a hunch on this one.

New York Jets (+3) over BUFFALO: Only the Bills would have their playoff hopes possibly derailed by a massive snowstorm in Buffalo and force them to play this game in Detroit on Monday night. I'll take the Jets in this one only because their players didn't have to deal with a blizzard, missed practices, snowmobiling to the facility, and relocating to Detroit for the week.

NEW ORLEANS (-3) over Baltimore: I hate this pick, but I'll take the Saints because I can't see them losing three home games in a row. This has all the makings of a Ravens romp, but I think the Saints will rise up and find a way to get to 5-6.

Miami (+7) over DENVER: This game scares me because of the Dolphins defense. They are really good, and the Broncos obviously have had some struggles on offense lately. This game just scares me and I don't have a good feeling about it at all.

Final Score: Dolphins-24 Broncos-20