NFL Week 12 Predictions

With most of the leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner safely digested (hopefully!), we can now turn our attention to the rest of this week's NFL games.  I went 9-5 last week and 2-1 on Thanksgiving Day, which puts me at 97-66 (59.5 %) this season so far. 

Falcons over Vikings
Bengals over Browns
Panthers over Colts

•  Not even a bad defense can doom Carolina's chances of winning this week.  Cam Newton should make short work of a Colts defense that has given up more points than any other team in the league this season. 

Texans over Jaguars

• The race for the AFC South got a little more interesting this week after Texans QB Matt Schaub went down for the season with a foot injury, leaving Houston's playoff hopes in the hands of Matt Leinart.  The good news for the Texans is that not only will WR Andre Johnson be returning, but their top-ranked defense will be up against the league's worst offense. 

Jets over Bills

•  Both of these teams have faltered lately, but the Jets have already shown that they can bounce back from a slump.  This game could very well make or break the once-promising Bills' playoff chances. 

Cardinals over Rams
Titans over Buccaneers
Raiders over Bears

• With QB Jay Cutler done for the season with a thumb injury, the Bears won't be able to match the Raiders' offense.  Oakland's running game has been absolutely phenomenal this season. 

Seahawks over Redskins
Patriots over Eagles
Broncos over Chargers

• With the Chargers faltering, and the Chiefs plagued by yet another season-ending injury, the Broncos just might be the dark-horse candidate to edge out Oakland for the AFC West title.  Maybe Tim Tebow was just the shot in the arm that Denver needed.  

Steelers over Chiefs

• The Chiefs just can't catch a break, can they?  Not only have they lost RB Jamaal Charles and S Eric Berry, but now they'll have to ride out the rest of this catastrophe of a season without QB Matt Cassell.  It's now up to Tyler Palko to restore hope to the Kansas City faithful - a daunting task against the Steelers' second-ranked defense.  Then again, with the way Pittsburgh has been playing the last few years, I wouldn't be surprised if the Chiefs pulled off an upset. 

Saints over Giants

• The Giants have been surprisingly inconsistent this season, and they'll be without RB Ahmad Bradshaw and possibly WR Mario Manningham on Monday night.  That doesn't bode well when you're facing the league's top offense in New Orleans.