NFL Week 12 Predictions (Special Thanksgiving Edition)

When you think of Thanksgiving, three words that begin with the letter "F" come to mind: food, family, and of course, FOOTBALL!!!  And this Thanksgiving Day, we've actually got some games that are capable of keeping us out of our inevitable food-induced comas, which makes it a little harder for me to make my predictions, but I'll try my best.  So here goes:

Lions over Packers

• For the first time in over a decade, the Lions are in legitimate contention for the playoffs on Thanksgiving Day.  What makes this game even more exciting is that the undefeated Packers are coming to town.  Both of these teams are very good offensively, but Green Bay's pass defense is second-to-last in the league, which could make for a field day for Matthew Stafford and the Lions.  Call me crazy, but I think I just might smell an upset in the works... 

Cowboys over Dolphins

• Both of these teams are riding a three-game winning streak, though Miami's might be a little more impressive because they were 0-7 before that.  QB Matt Moore has done a phenomenal job these last few weeks, and the Dolphins have been playing lights-out on defense, having gone three straight games without giving up a touchdown.  However, all three of those wins have come against teams that are bordering on the mediocre (Kansas City, Washington, and Buffalo), so it remains to be seen if the 'Fins really have improved on defense.  Tony Romo has put up some pretty good numbers for the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but the Dolphins are 5-1 when playing on Turkey Day.  It was a tough decision, but I'm picking Dallas on the strength of their schedule - they're the only team to have beat the 49ers this season, and they've held their own against some of the tougher teams like New England and Detroit.  

Ravens over 49ers

• As if the other two games weren't tough enough to predict, this Battle of the Brothers Harbaugh had me pondering for quite some time.  If you analyze the offense-versus-defense matchups, the teams balance each other out.  Baltimore has the better passing offense and passing defense, while San Francisco has the better running game and the league's top run defense - not that any of those have been lacking for either side, though.  The Ravens have more sacks, while the Niners have more takeaways.  Ravens LB Ray Lewis is questionable for the game, but Baltimore still held its own without him against the Bengals last week.  In the end, I have to go with John and the Ravens over Jim and the 49ers on account of both experience and home-field advantage.  

Enjoy the games and the food, and have a happy Thanksgiving!  Stay frosty, y'all! 

B-)