The ZP: Left Fielder has taken the last two weeks off from NFL predictions, which has left football unable to decide what to do. The Broncos lost to a (maybe-not-so) lowly Rams team, the Jets beat an all-over-the-place Steelers team, and the Chiefs win without a single wide-receiver based touchdown.
That being said, we’re ready to get back to the crystal ball and take a stab at the outcome of Week 12 in the NFL!
Chiefs at Raiders
I don’t see the Chiefs as a real powerhouse in the AFC, but they keep winning, and nobody is really sure why. At least this week, we’ll know exactly why.
Browns at Falcons
Would anyone have guessed that, at 4-6, the Falcons would be leading their division? Would anyone guess that the Browns would be near the top of theirs? With Josh Gordon coming back, the Browns might just be trustworthy.
Buccaneers at Bears
The first home win for the Bears last week was a huge sigh of relief. While there will be good feelings for Lovie Smith’s return to Soldier Field, the Bears are desperate to string some positivity together with another win.
Bengals at Texans
One week, the Bengals get blown out at home against the Browns. The next, they storm into the Superdome and steal one from the Saints. I’m going Bengals here, but only if they can contain J.J. Watt.
Jaguars at Colts
These Colts got embarrassed for the second time in three weeks. The Jaguars are a perfect opportunity to bounce back in a big way. I still think the Colts could be a power in the AFC, but only if they find help for Luck.
Packers at Vikings
The Packers are getting huge production out of their quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is looking like the full-package. I hate to say it, but the Packers look like one of the most complete teams in the league, especially against the weak Vikings.
Lions at Patriots
I so desperately want to pick the Lions, both because I like Detroit and because I think the Patriots are due to crash back to earth (or at least back to Kansas City). Alas, I don’t think New England will be the location for that fall.
Titans at Eagles
The Eagles come off a bad loss to the Packers. The Titans gave the Steelers a run for their money. The world will return to normal this week, with the Eagles flying high and the Titans losing in new and creative ways.
Dolphins at Broncos
What in the world happened to the Broncos? Peyton was downright bad, although the defense held the Rams to just field goals. Manning will not allow a losing streak, so the Dolphins should be very, very scared.
Rams at Chargers
Apparently, St. Louis is where good teams go to lose. The Chargers were everyone’s favorites to make a run this year. This week, though, I’m thinking we will see the teams we were expecting at the beginning of the year, with the Chargers taking down the Rams.
Cardinals at Seahawks
Everyone is fairly squarely on the Cardinals bandwagon, but, with a backup quarterback and the 12th man, I’m not nearly dumb enough to bet against the Seahawks. Plus, this is a team that will thrive as the “underdog,” if you can be an underdog as the defending champs.
Redskins at 49ers
Nobody is really sure what the hell is happening in Washington, although, at times, the same could be said for San Francisco. The 49ers will take merciless advantage of a team that they can embarrass.
Cowboys at Giants
This would be an awesome prime-time game, except that the Giants have no realistic chance at making it interesting. The Cowboys are coming off a bye, which should settle some of the subtle issues that were arising at the end of their streak of success.
Ravens at Saints
All of a sudden, the Saints can’t win at home, either. The Ravens are good, if not with a few holes. I think this might be the closest game out there, but it has the potential to dramatically change the playoff picture.
According to my predictions on ESPN’s Playoff Machine, the playoffs will be as follows:
AFC:
Seed 1 - Patriots
Seed 2 - Broncos
Seed 3 - Colts
Seed 4 - Steelers
Seed 5 - Ravens
Seed 6 - Chiefs
NFC:
Seed 1 - Cardinals
Seed 2 - Packers
Seed 3 - Eagles
Seed 4 - Panthers
Seed 5 - Lions
Seed 6 - Cowboys
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