NFL Week 12 Predictions

It's time for some Thanksgiving football! Seriously, is there anything better than stuffing your face and then sitting on the couch and watching football? I guess it would be better this year if the Thanksgiving games were actually intriguing matchups.

Here are my picks for Week 12 of the NFL season. Remember, all picks are made strictly based on who I think will win and do not take the spread into consideration.

Record Last Week: 12-4, .750
Overall Record: 112-48, .700

Thursday Games:

Packers (6-4) @ Lions (2-8) The first Thanksgiving game figures to be a blowout by halftime so you should have plenty of time to get eating. While the Packers are banged up on defense, the Lions will be without Matthew Stafford and possibly Calvin Johnson, a recipe for disaster. All the Pack needs is a little blocking and they will rack up 30 points in no time. My pick: Packers

Raiders (3-7) @ Cowboys (7-3) How much is Jerry Jones paying the NFL to schedule a creampuff game like this at a time when everyone in the country is watching? It's like the high school homecoming game where the weak opponent is brought in to get slaughtered by the home team. My pick: Cowboys

Giants (6-4) @ Broncos (6-4) How bad are the Broncos? Normally, a 6-4 team is one of the better ones in the league but not after Denver has dropped 4 in a row. The Giants aren't much better, though Eli Manning did fare better last week as he hopes to stave off his late season swoon for another week or two. My pick: Giants

Sunday Day Games:

Bucs (1-9) @ Falcons (5-5) Atlanta is hoping to sneak into the playoff picture and this winnable game should be the first step. Still, with Matt Ryan looking very shaky and Michael Turner likely out, this game will be closer than you would expect. My pick: Falcons

Dolphins (5-5) @ Bills (3-7) The Dolphins might be the best team that won't make the playoffs. With probable losses against the Patriots and Steelers yet to come on their schedule, Miami will have to win all of the rest to even be close to a playoff spot. They will start with a win this week against a Bills team just playing out the string. My pick: Dolphins

Browns (1-9) @ Bengals (7-3) This one looks as certain for the Bengals as last week against the Raiders looked. That said, the Browns are actually even worse than the Raiders so Cincy should have no trouble here. Don't be fooled by all those points the Browns put up last week against the Lions, Brady Quinn is still an awful, awful quarterback. My pick: Bengals

Seahawks (3-7) @ Rams (1-9) I was actually going back and forth on this game thinking that the Rams could pull out their second win. Then, I noticed that Kyle Boller is starting for the Rams and that Steven Jackson sat out of practice on Wednesday. That made my choice easy. My pick: Seahawks

Panthers (4-6) @ Jets (4-6) Oh, how the Jets have fallen. What once looked like a team that could challenge the Patriots in the AFC East has turned into a mess. What was once the next great rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez is starting to look more like Matt Leinart. There is no way the Jets slow down the Panthers two headed running attack. My pick: Panthers

Redskins (3-7) @ Eagles (6-4) On paper, this game looks like a blowout. In reality, as we all know too well, these NFC East matchups tend to be low scoring and close. If the Eagles want to have any shot at making the playoffs they must win this game. With games against playoff contenders like the Falcons, Giants and Cowboys down the stretch, the Eagles have to get themselves in the best position possible. The Redskins defense is better than advertised, just ask the Cowboys, but I still think the Eagles find a way to edge Washington out in this one. My pick: Eagles

Colts (10-0) @ Texans (5-5) Every year, the Texans are the breakout team in the NFL and every year they crap the bed in a game they should win. The Colts have always been their daddy and I see no reason for that not to continue. My pick: Colts

Chiefs (3-7) @ Chargers (7-3) Nice win by the Chiefs over the Steelers last week. That game might have told us more about the Steelers not really being that good than how improved the Chiefs actually are. The Chargers should have no problem moving the ball in this one. My pick: Chargers

Jaguars (6-4) @ Niners (4-6) The Jaguars are a playoff team? Really? I guess Jack Del Rio isn't as bad of a coach as everyone thinks. The Niners are another team just playing out the string at this point, their once promising start just a distant memory in their rearview mirror. My pick: Jaguars

Cardinals (7-3) @ Titans (4-6) This game comes down to the status of Kurt Warner. If Warner plays, I like the Cardinals to damper the spirits of the streaking Titans. If Warner sits, Matt Leinart will ruin this game for Arizona. Right now, all indications are that Warner will play. You didn't actually think the Titans would win 10 games in a row, did you? My pick: Cardinals

Bears (4-6) @ Vikings (9-1) We can all now assume that Brett Favre is coming back in 2010, right? There is no way he hangs them up with the way he is playing this year. The Vikings offense is so good right now that Adrian Peterson is almost an afterthought. It's actually brilliant how they are not wearing him down and he is being saved up for the playoffs when he can really run roughshod over the league. My pick: Vikings

Sunday Night Game:

Steelers (6-4) @ Ravens (5-5) There is always one certainty when these two teams play: pain. Even though these defenses aren't quite as good as they used to be, expect a ton of big hits. I like the Steelers to take out their frustration for losing to the lowly Chiefs in this one. My pick: Steelers

Monday Night Game:

Patriots (7-3) @ Saints (10-0) Is this really the "game of the year" like everyone is hyping it up to be? Last time I checked, the Patriots had 3 losses. If this game was Colts vs. Saints, now we're talking about a classic matchup. Expect this game to be high scoring as both teams pass the ball all over the field. The difference will be in the secondary as the the Saints can make some plays to turn the ball over. My pick: Saints

Those are my picks for Week 12 of the NFL Season. Check back every Thursday during the season for the latest predictions. Feel free to discuss, argue or make your own picks in the comment section!