NFL picks vs. the spread, Week 12: Saints' slide, Cowboys' comeback continue – NOLA.com
Does anyone want to win the NFC East?
The New York Giants boast one of the worst defenses in NFL history (420.9 yards a game) and still sit atop the division at 5-5. No NFC East team has won consecutive games in more than a month. And the Eagles’ 8th-ranked offense is the division’s highest-ranked unit league-wide.
Just how bad is this bunch? The injury-riddled Cowboys own the NFC’s worst record at 3-7, lost seven consecutive games from Week 4 to Week 11 … and remain in contention for the division title with six games to play.
As they like to say in Dallas these days, the NFL has three undefeated teams: Carolina (10-0); New England (10-0); and Dallas with quarterback Tony Romo (3-0) healthy and under center.
“We’re 3-0 and undefeated with Romo,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week after Dallas defeated Miami. “We want to play like hell again and play well against Carolina. If we go and play well against Carolina the goal is to win.
“If we go do that and we have a big game there, I think somebody might say, ‘If they would have had this guy, well, they probably were one of the top one or two teams in the league.’ That’s where we want to try to get to.
“It’s a dream, but not a fantasy.”
In the NFC (L)East, anything is possible.
Saints at Texans (-3): The Texans have allowed two touchdowns in their last 14 quarters. In that same span, the Saints have allowed 17 touchdowns. I know how I’m taking. Texans 28, Saints 27
Eagles at Lions (E): Gotta love Philly fans. The Eagles are one game out of first place in the NFC (L)East and the city’s long-suffering fan base has abandoned hope. Eighty percent of respondents to a Philly.com poll asking readers if a playoff spot was still a realistic goal for the Eagles said no. Losing starting quarterback Sam Bradford and consecutive homes games to the Dolphins and Bucs will do that to you, I guess. Lions 23, Eagles 20
Panthers at Cowboys (-1): From the NFL Believe It or Not Dept., the 3-7 Cowboys are favored against the 10-0 Panthers. Makes perfect sense, right? This will be a showcase game for Carolina’s Cam Newton, a trendy early pick for league MVP. The Panthers are the first team in NFL history to go from a losing season one year to a 10-0 start the next. Their magic number to clinch the NFC South is two. Unfortunately, the Panthers and Newton have been waylaid by the Sports Illustrated cover jinx. Cowboys 28, Panthers 23
Bears at Packers (-9): This will be the 190th meeting between two of the NFL’s most historic franchises. The Bears lead the series 92-91-6. The Packers restored order in the NFC North with their domination of the Vikings in Minneapolis. In short, they looked like the team we thought they were all along this season. Now, they get the plucky but overmatched Bears at Lambeau Field. I like the Packers’ chances of evening the all-time series. Packers 31, Bears 21
Vikings at Falcons (-2): The Falcons are in full-scale free fall. After a 5-0 start, they’ve lost four of their past five games, including home losses to the Colts and Bucs. The Vikings are the better team but the Falcons are the more desperate one. Falcons 27, Vikings 24
Rams at Bengals (-9): Case Keenum didn’t exactly solve the Rams’ offensive woes last week. Now the offensively-challenged outfit catches the Bengals, fresh off consecutive losses to the Texans and Cardinals. Good luck. Bengals 23, Rams 16
Buccaneers at Colts (-3): Jameis Winston is starting to validate the Bucs’ decision to invest the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft on him. Winners of three of their past four games, these aren’t your father’s Buccaneers. In fact, they aren’t your grandfather’s Buccaneers. Nobody in the NFL wants to play this spirited young team right now. Bucs 30, Colts 22
Giants (-2) at Redskins: Louisianans love a good conspiracy theory. So it’s no surprise that Washington defensive lineman and Jena, La. Native Jason Hatcher accused NFL officials of being biased against the team because of its controversial nickname. I am not making this up. What Hatcher should be concerned is the disparity between his team’s play at home and on the road. Washington is 4-1 at FedEx Field and 0-5 everywhere else. Redskins 31, Giants 30
Raiders (-2) at Titans: How tough is to be a Titans fan? Tennessee has lost 10 consecutive games at Nissan Stadium. They draw the perfect opponent to snap the dubious streak. The Raiders have won just four of their past 28 road games and have not won more than one road game in a season since 2011. Something’s gotta give here. I say it’s the Raiders. Titans 23, Raiders 21
Dolphins at Jets (-3.5): Two teams headed in the same direction: Down. The Jets have lost two straight and four of their past five. The Dolphins have lost three of their past four. Yet, former LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard still thinks they can win out and finish 10-6. I admire his optimism but the last time the Dolphins won more than three games in a row was 2008. Jets 21, Dolphins 18
Chargers at Jaguars (-4): Two head coaches and clubs going in opposite directions. A six-game losing streak has imperiled Chargers coach Mike McCoy. Jaguars coach Gus Bradley, meanwhile, has won three of four and has Jacksonville contending in the AFC South. Jags second-year quarterback Blake Bortles is a rising star. Chargers QB Philip Rivers is a fading one. Jaguars 30, Chargers 24
Cardinals (-10.5) at 49ers: Carson Palmer vs. Blaine Gabbert. That’s all you need to know. The Cardinals can have a letdown after their big win against the Bengals and still take this one. Cardinals 26, 49ers 16
Steelers at Seahawks (-4.5): Don’t look now but the Steelers might be the biggest threat to the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl. Folks forget the Steelers nly lost 28-21 at New England in the season opener and then-kicker Josh Scobee missed two field goals. Steelers 27, Seahawks 25
Patriots at Broncos (-3): How about this? The league’s two unbeaten teams are underdogs on the same weekend. That’s gotta be an NFL first. Denver’s new Brock Star quarterback, Brock Osweiler, comes down to Earth. Patriots 25, Broncos 19
Ravens at Browns (-2.5): Johnny Football squandered his chance to become Cleveland’s regular starting quarterback with an ill-advised weekend of partying in Austin during the Browns’ bye week. So a game with little star power to begin with is even less compelling. The Ravens will play without starting quarterback Joe Flacco, who this week joined Terrell Suggs, Justin Forsett and Steve Smith on the sideline with season-ending injuries.. Is it possible for the NFL to flex Monday Night Football? Browns 26, Ravens 16
Week 10 overall record: 3-11
Week 10 record vs. spread: 4-10
Overall record: 81-64
Overall record vs. spread: 62-73-10
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