NFL Predictions: A Look at Every NFL Game This Season
By Steven Kriz
Week 12
Thursday, November 24th-
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions:
The Vikings are rolling into Detroit with high confidence, especially that Peterson fella. The Lions make a large effort to stop Peterson, but Sam Bradford puts on an impressive performance as he carves up the Lions secondary, consistently throwing behind the linebackers who have creeped up in the box to stop the run. The Vikings are going to make a push towards a playoff birth if they continue to play like this.
The Pick: Vikings 27 Lions 17
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys:
On Thanksgiving, Tony Romo leads the Cowboys back from a 17 point second half deficit. On this day, Romo is very thankful that Dez Bryant is his receiver, as Dez has 9 second half catches, two of them for touchdowns, one of the SportsCenter Top 10 quality.
The Pick: Cowboys 30 Redskins 27
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts:
Two quarterbacks that are in the mix for MVP battle it out on Thanksgiving night. Andrew Luck outshines Roethlisberger in this contest, throwing for four TD’s and no INT’s. Le’Veon Bell does his best to keep the game close, rushing for 142 yards and a TD, but the home team prevails.
The Pick: Colts 38 Steelers 31
Sunday, November 27th-
Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears:
Jay Cutler is brilliant on this day, throwing for a career high six TD’s, four to Kevin White as White enjoys a real coming out party. What a bizarre turn of events for a team that has been abysmal on offense basically all season.
The Pick: Bears 45 Titans 27
Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills:
The Jaguars look to keep pace with the Colts who upset the Steelers on Thanksgiving night. They do just that as Bortles throws for three TD’s, and Chris Ivory adds 121 yards on the ground and one more score. Julius Thomas catches his 10th TD of the season, marking the first time since his Denver days to do that.
The Pick: Jaguars 31 Bills 20
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens:
The Bengals are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time six years. They aren’t going down without a fight though, as they handle the Ravens handily on the road. Dalton is efficient, and the ground game with Jeremy Hill is downright impressive.
The Pick: Bengals 23 Ravens 13
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons:
The Cardinals get themselves back on track with a dominant road win against the Falcons. Matt Ryan is picked off twice by Mathieu, and loses a fumble on a big hit by Chandler Jones. Ryan has to leave the game with a concussion, and Matt Schaub is miserable filling in.
The Pick: Cardinals 30 Falcons 3
New York Giants at Cleveland Browns:
The Giants are right there with the Cowboys for the division crown, and a road game against Cleveland should keep them right there. Not today—RGIII and Josh Gordon have different ideas as the duo hooks up for three TDs. Gordon finishes the day with 264 yards on the game, and RGIII ends up with a 453 yard day in the air.
The Pick: Browns 28 Giants 20
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints:
The Rams come into this one on a win streak, but travel to the Superdome, a very tough place to play this season. Jared Goff throws for a pair of scores, but most importantly has a turnover free day. Todd Gurley adds 182 yards on the ground and another two scores, and the Rams take down the Saints in their building.
The Pick: Rams 31 Saints 17
San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins:
An uptempo Chip Kelly offense in the South Beach heat actually provides an advantage to the 49ers on this day. Kaepernick has a vintage Kap day, throwing for 245 yards and a TD, and rushing for 122 yards and two TD’s.
The Pick: 49ers 24 Dolphins 16
San Diego Chargers at Houston Texans:
The Houston crowd showers the Texans in boo’s after a halftime shutout by the pathetic Chargers. Osweiler is replaced at halftime by Tom Savage, and this time there is no injury. Savage does a little better in the second half, but not enough to bring the Texans back. This certainly wasn’t what the Texans expected when they spent mad money on their quarterback this offseason.
The Pick: Chargers 27 Texans 10
Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
The Bucs have been nice this year, but should be no match for the powerhouse Seahawks who have been downright filthy this year. Jameis Winston doesn’t listen to the noise, as he shreds the Legion of Boom for three TD passes and the Bucs get themselves their signature win of the season. The future is very bright for these young Bucs.
The Pick: Buccaneers 27 Seahawks 24
Carolina Panthers at Oakland Raiders:
The Panthers continue their assault, traveling cross country to the Black Hole to put a whoopin’ on the Raiders. The Raiders don’t belong on the same field with the Panthers on this day, as most of the crowd has exited by the end of the third quarter. The people who left didn’t get to see the only 10 points of the day scored by the home team against the Panthers backups.
The Pick: Panthers 37 Raiders 10
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos:
Don’t think the Broncos forgot the beatdown thay suffered at the hands of the Chiefs a season ago. The Broncos defense comes to play, sacking Alex Smith four times in the first half alone as the Chiefs can only manage 78 total yards by halftime. Paxton Lynch has himself a quiet, but efficient game as he doesn’t turn the ball over and throws for 212 yards and a TD, and the Broncos eat away at the Chiefs on the ground with a two-headed assault by C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker. This is one heck of a statement game by the defending champs who are finally being taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender.
The Pick: Broncos 24 Chiefs 7
New England Patriots at New York Jets:
The Patriots have gone full swing into playoff mode, and have no time for teams that stand in their way. This game was never in doubt from the opening kickoff that the Jets fumbled and the Patriots scooped up and ran in for a TD.
The Pick: Patriots 34 Jets 10
Monday, Nov. 28th-
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles:
Carson Wentz shows why the Eagles traded up to pick him, as he comes out and throws for 125 yards and two TD’s in the first quarter. He also shows why the Eagles wanted to let him sit a year as he throws three INT’s in the second half.
The Pick: Packers 27 Eagles 20
Standings:
AFC East
New England Patriots: 6-5
New York Jets: 6-5
Buffalo Bills: 5-6
Miami Dolphins: 3-8
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-5
Baltimore Ravens: 6-5
Cleveland Browns: 3-9
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: 7-4
Jacksonville Jaguars: 7-4
Houston Texans: 3-8
Tennessee Titans: 2-10
AFC West
Denver Broncos: 9-2
Kansas City Chiefs: 6-5
Oakland Raiders: 5-6
San Diego Chargers: 4-7
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NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: 7-4
New York Giants: 6-5
Washington Redskins: 4-7
Philadelphia Eagles: 2-9
NFC North
Green Bay Packers: 9-2
Detroit Lions: 6-5
Minnesota Vikings: 5-6
Chicago Bears: 3-8
NFC South
Carolina Panthers: 9-2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-5
New Orleans Saints: 5-6
Atlanta Falcons: 3-8
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: 9-2
Arizona Cardinals: 8-3
Los Angeles Rams: 6-5
San Francisco 49ers: 3-8
Next: Week 13