2015 NFL Week 12 Picks and Predictions

Another week of the 2015-16 NFL season is in the books and we all now look forward to Week 12. Expect this week to be more intense with every team back in action and while we also continue to approach the postseason. That being said, let’s now take a quick look at all 16 high-quality matchups guaranteed to satisfy your football cravings. Just read on below.

Meanwhile, why don’t you check out as well our full breakdown of the Monday Night Football Game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Enjoy.
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NFL Week 12 Picks

Thursday, November 26

Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions (12:30 PM ET)

What is happening with the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense? It’s been very shaky in recent weeks and was totally dissected by the Jameis Winston-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. During that game, they gave up a season-high of 45 points, five TDs to Winston and 235 rushing yards to Doug Martin, which is the most by a single player this year. The Eagles have now allowed an average of 29.7 points per game in their previous four outings and have gone 1-3 in that stretch.

[sc:NFL240banner ]But next week should be a pretty good opportunity for them to bounce back, as the Detroit Lions have struggled to rack up the points all-season long. Offense hasn’t been their forte at all, averaging just 18.5 points per game this season, the third-lowest in the league.

It’s worth noting, though, that the Lions have some momentum on their side with a two-game winning streak. In that time frame, QB Matthew Stafford has thrown for 532 yards with four scores and is beginning to look more comfortable under Jim Bob Cooter’s new system.

You can click here for a closer look at this game.

Writer’s Prediction: Philadelphia gets back on track and beats Detroit by only single-digits.

Carolina Panthers (-1.5) at Dallas Cowboys (+1.5) (4:30 PM ET)

Unstoppable and unbeaten. That basically describes how the Carolina Panthers have been thus far this season. They improved their record to 10-0 after a commanding 44-16 triumph over the Washington Redskins. Cam Newton was huge again in this one, throwing for 246 yards with a career-best five touchdowns to lead the way. The Panthers are winning by an average margin of 17.7 points in their last three contests and are 8-2 ATS on the season.

However, Carolina’s streak could be jeopardy when they pay the Dallas Cowboys a visit at AT&T Stadium on Thursday. The Cowboys are going to be in high-spirits with Tony Romo, who converted 18 of his 28 passes for 227 yards with two scores in his return to lead his team to an entertaining 24-14 win over Miami, behind center. The Cowboys are 3-0 this season with him as the starting quarterback.

If you want to know more about this matchup, click here for our comprehensive preview.

Writer’s Prediction: The Cowboys (+1.5) provide a valiant effort throughout the game. But the Panthers receive another prolific performance from Newton to help them stay perfect.

Chicago Bears (+9) at Green Bay Packers (-9) (8:30 PM ET)

The Chicago Bears’ brief two-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Peyton Manning-less Broncos, who edged them by just two points on Sunday night.  They had a chance to win it in the final minutes of the game but Jeremy Langford’s two-point conversion was stopped by the Denver defense. Now, the Bears look ahead towards a much tougher matchup in Week 12 when they face Green Bay Packers for the second time this season.

Speaking of the Packers, they finally got off their funk by trouncing the Vikings, 30-13, to even up the NFC North division race. The Packers will definitely strive to sustain this momentum this coming week. They are 9-1 SU and ATS in their previous 10 encounters with Chicago.

For more about this division matchup, click here for our full breakdown.

Writer’s Prediction: Green Bay (-9) breezes through an easy double-digit win.

Sunday, November 29

St. Louis Rams (+9) at Cincinnati Bengals (-9) (1:00 PM ET)

Another game, another loss for the St. Louis Rams. They were handed their third-straight setback on Sunday, as the Ravens pulled of the thrilling come-from-behind win. The Rams had Case Keenum starting for the first time behind center and he completed 12 of his 26 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t pull off the key plays and stops down the stretch.

The Rams, who are 4-6 on the year, shift their focus on the Cincinnati Bengals with the hopes of ending their losing skid. It’ll be easier said than done to take down the No.1 team in the AFC North but it’s worth noting that the Bengals are coming off a tough loss to the Cardinals on Sunday night. The Bengals are 8-2 on the season and are 4-1 (3-1-1 ATS) in their past five home games.

Click here for a complete preview of this clash.

Writer’s Prediction: Cincinnati (-9) gets back on track with a commanding 33-17 win.

New York Giants (-1.5) at Washington Redskins (+1.5) (1:00 PM ET)

A bye week might just be what the New York Giants needed to move on from a heart-breaking 27-26 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 10. In that game, Eli Manning went 26-of-42 for 334 yards and two touchdowns but his efforts came to waste thanks to Stephen Gostkowski’s 54-yard field goal with one second remaining in regulation. The Giants set their sights on redemption when they travel to the capital and take on the Washington Redskins this weekend. They are 2-3 SU and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five road games.

The Redskins, meanwhile, will be trying to recover from one of their most humiliating losses of the season. They were annihilated by the still-perfect Panthers, 44-16, on Sunday, wherein the Burgundy and Gold managed just 186 all-purpose yards and a season-low of 14 yards rushing.  But Washington has played fairly well across five home games this season, going 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in that span.

Writer’s Prediction: New York (-1.5) wins by double-digits as the Redskins struggle again on both sides of the field.

Minnesota Vikings (+2) at Atlanta Falcons (-2) (1:00 PM ET)

Minnesota’s five-game winning streak came to a bitter end at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, 30-13. Adrian Peterson was silenced in this one, as he was limited to just 45 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown. That loss ties both teams up for the top spot in the NFC North. The Vikings will now look to get back on track against the Atlanta Falcons. They are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in their previous five road games.

The Falcons, on the other hand, will also be aiming for a bounce back game. They were edged by the Colts, 24-21, despite holding the lead for almost the entire time. The fourth quarter led to their demise as the Falcons allowed their opponents to score 10 unanswered points. Matt Ryan’s efforts (280 passing yards and three touchdowns) were put to waste.

However, the Falcons, who are 6-4 at home this season, should feel a little optimistic about facing a Vikings’ team that is only averaging 21.1 points per game, which is currently the ninth-lowest in the NFL.

Click here for our in-depth preview of this battle.

Writer’s Prediction: Atlanta (-2) wins a nail-biter but doesn’t cover the spread.

Miami Dolphins (+3.5) at New York Jets (-3.5) (1:00 PM ET)

After guiding the Dolphins to back-to-back wins in his first two games as the interim head coach, Dan Campbell’s Fins have gone 1-3 in their last four contests. The latest was versus the Dallas Cowboys, who were spearheaded by the returning Tony Romo. Miami’s offense has struggled in the past five games, tallying just an average of 14.2 PPG. And making things worse, the Dolphins have lost three of their last four meetings with the New York Jets.

The Jets can relate to Miami’s woes as well. They’ve lost four of their past five games and fell to 5-5 on the season. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s ineffectiveness has been a big reason for their slump, as he’s only passed for 409 yards with three TDs and four picks in their last two games. New York is 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS at home this year.

For more information about this collision, click here for our detailed breakdown.

Writer’s Prediction: Jets (-3.5) win and manage to cover the spread.

San Diego Chargers (+3.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5) (1:00 PM ET)

The losing woes continue for the San Diego Chargers, who suffered their sixth-straight defeat Sunday night opposite the Chiefs, 33-3. Their QB Philip Rivers had his worst game of the year, going 19-of-30 for only 178 yards. The Chargers’ were completely shut down by the opposing defense as their lone score only came from rookie Josh Lambo’s 52-yard field goal.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, is on a surprising two-game winning streak for the first time since December of 2013. Their latest win was at the expense of the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night, during which they were saved by Blake Bortles’ five-yard touchdown pass to Julius Thomas with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. This win improved their record 4-6 and enabled to stay in the hunt of the AFC South title. The Jaguars enter Week 12, carrying a 3-2 home record this season.

Click here to see our full breakdown of this matchup.

Writer’s Prediction: Jaguars (-3.5) extend their winning-streak to three with another thrilling triumph, 20-17.

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 PM ET)

The Buffalo Bills will have their work cut out for them when they march into Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. The Chiefs, who are 5-5 SU and 3-7 ATS in their previous 10 meetings with the Bills, are currently one of the best defensive teams in the league, allowing just 327.4 total yards per game.

They’ll also be fresh off a commanding 33-3 triumph on Sunday night against San Diego, which marked their fourth-straight win. Expect this momentum to carry over to help Alex Smith and company extend their unbeaten run to five games.

Click here for a full preview of this showdown.

Writer’s Prediction: Kansas City wins again, 27-19.

New Orleans Saints (+3) at Houston Texans (-3) (1:00 PM ET)

The New Orleans Saints definitely needed a bye week to digest an embarrassing 47-14 setback to the Washington Redksins in Week 10. In that game, they allowed 510 total yards—209 rushing and 301 passing yards—and four TDs to Kirk Cousins. Their defense continues to look horrible, giving up a league-worst 424.3 total yards per game.

They also need a better showing from Drew Brees, who only completed 19 of his 28 passes for 201 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of crucial interception against Washington. The Saints are 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS on the road this season.

Meanwhile, the Houston Texans enter Week 12 with a lot of momentum on their side. They extended their unbeaten run to three games at the expense of the New York Jets on Sunday, 24-17. T.J Yates made the most out of his first NFL start since 2012, passing for 229 yards with two touchdowns.  That win was also a crucial one as it helped them keep pace with the Colts for the top spot in their division. The Texans have won three of their last four games at NRG Stadium.

Click here for our complete breakdown of this game.

Writer’s Prediction: Houston (-3) wins, 19-17.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) at Indianapolis Colts (-3) (1:00 PM ET)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off their best scoring performance of the season, posting 45 points in their dominant victory over the Eagles. Jameis Winston had an excellent showing in this game, throwing for 246 yards and a career-best five TDs to lead his team to its second-straight win. The Bucs are now 5-5 on the year and have won three of their past four games.

On the other side, the Indianapolis Colts are on a two-game run after beating the Broncos in Week 9 and the Falcons last Sunday. In that stretch, they are averaging 370.0 total yards per game and have improved their record to 5-5. The Colts, who are 3-3 SU and ATS at home this year, have won six of their last 10 games opposite the Bucs.

But Indy might have to continue playing without their injured star quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to be out until mid-December.

For more about this battle, click here for our in-depth breakdown.

Writer’s Prediction: Indianapolis (-3) wins but doesn’t manage to cover the spread.

Oakland Raiders (-2) at Tennessee Titans (+2) (1:00 PM ET)

Two teams looking to end their losing skids collide this weekend, as the Oakland Raiders face the Tennessee Titans. The Raiders have lost their previous three outing and are fresh off their worst performance of the season on Sunday against the Lions. They had season lows of 214 total yards (50 rushing and 164 passing yards) and 13 first downs in that game.

Plus, their defense has been just as bad, averaging 405.2 total yards allowed per contest on the year. This cannot be the case if the Raiders wish to emerge with a win opposite Tennessee on Sunday.

The Titans, on the other hand, have lost two in a row and their QB Marcus Mariota has been struggling as well. Mariota has thrown for just 416 yards with zero scores and was sacked five times during that stretch.  They have fallen to 2-8 on the season and are at the bottom of their division.

Click here for a closer analysis of this bout.

Writer’s Prediction: Mariota rises from his slump and leads Tennessee (+2) to a much needed win. But they don’t cover the spread.

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Arizona Cardinals (-10.5) at San Francisco 49ers (+10.5) (4:05 PM ET)

With Sunday night’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Arizona Cardinals have solidified further their hold of the No. 1 spot in the NFC West to three games. The Cards have also won four-straight and have Carson Palmer to thank for it. In that stretch, Palmer has passed for 1,329 yards along with 13 touchdowns to his name. He and the rest of his teammates will look to prolong this run when they take on the San Francisco 49ers, who have lost seven of their last nine games, in Week 12.

Click here for a complete preview of this match.

Writer’s Prediction: Arizona (-10.5) wins this one by double-digits.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+4.5) at Seattle Seahawks (-4.5) (4:25 PM ET)

The Steelers headed into their bye week with a smile thanks to Ben Roethlisberger. He made an off-the-bench appearance in their game versus Cleveland in Week 10. During that contest, the 33-year-old quarterback passed for 379 yards with three touchdowns to help his team earn its second-straight triumph and stay in striking distance in their division race. Pittsburgh is now only two games behind the Bengals for first place in the AFC North.

The Seahawks seem to have rediscovered their rhythm after a convincing 29-13 win over the Niners at CenturyLink Field. It was a much-needed bounce back game as it helped them move back to .500 for the season. Thomas Rawls, who started in place of the injured Marshawn Lynch, was the star in this matchup, rushing for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Rawls became just the third player in franchise history to surpass the 200-yard mark in a single game.

For more about this game, click here to check out our detailed breakdown.

Writer’s Prediction: Steelers (+4.5) win a thriller, 27-24.

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (8:30 PM ET)

Of course, this week can’t be complete without Tom Brady and the rest of the New England Patriots, who are still undefeated this season. The defending champions are going to be in for a test, though, as they face a tenacious Denver defense this coming weekend at Sports Authority Field. But the Pats have proven that they can be just as dominant away from home by beating their opponents by an average of 10.0 points across four road games this season.

The 8-2 Broncos have lost two of their last three contests after kicking off the year 7-0. A big reason for this had been the ineffectiveness of Peyton Manning, who’s been battling multiple injuries. Denver will have to go through life without its aging quarterback as he’s expected to miss his second game in a row against the Pats. That means Brock Osweiler, who completed 20 of his 27 passes for 250 yards and two scores in their 17-15 win over the Bears on Sunday, will get the nod once again versus Brady and company.

For more information regarding this highly-anticipated showdown, click here for our comprehensive preview.

Writer’s Prediction: Pats win but are unable to cover the spread thanks to a breathtaking Broncos defense.

Monday, November 30

Baltimore Ravens (+2.5) at Cleveland Browns (-2.5) (8:30 PM ET)

The Baltimore Ravens are in a very dire situation despite winning their last game against the Rams on Sunday. They lost two of their top players—Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett—to season-ending injuries and are already deemed out for the rest of the season. With those two gone for good, it’ll be interesting to see how the Ravens can cope up and fill in this huge void when they return to action opposite the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns, meanwhile, are fresh off a bye week and a 30-9 loss to the Steelers in Week 10. They’ll be hoping that their extra week of practice and rest will help them solve their issues on defense and offense. Cleveland is averaging 407.3 total yards allowed per contest and just 335.8 on offense this season, among the worst in the NFL. They’ve also lost their previous five games.

Click here for our comprehensive breakdown of this clash.

Writer’s Prediction: Browns (-2.5) end their slide and win this game, 23-17.

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