Happy Wednesday football fans and welcome back to our weekly edition of best picks for the upcoming slate of NFL games. Last week, I predicted close wins for the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Additionally, I picked that the Steelers would win big.
The Chiefs edged the Las Vegas Raiders by a 35-31 margin, while the Steelers beat up the Jacksonville Jaguars to the tune of 27-3. Unfortunately, the Packers prevented me from earning a perfect week as they fell to the Indianapolis Colts 34-31 despite leading by a 28-14 margin at halftime.
On the heels of another 2-1 week, my record stands at 25-7. Not too shabby, but I’m still somewhat disappointed because I was so close to a 3-0 week. Now that I’m done ranting a bit, here’s a look at my top outright picks for Week 12.
Week 12 NFL Best Bet No. 1: Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I have to admit not having the defending champs as my absolute safest pick feels a bit strange, to say the least. Out of all the times I’ve gone with KC this season, this is the slimmest point spread, which makes me a little bit hesitant.
On the other hand, as is the case with most matchups, I’m going to ride the hot hand. And although the Chiefs needed a late-game scoring drive to edge the Raiders, they have won five straight since a 40-32 loss in Week 5 against, you guessed it, the Las Vegas Raiders. That being said, I’m going to go with the reigning champs to push their win streak to six games.
James’ pick: Chiefs win by less than a field goal
Week 12 NFL Best Bet No. 2: Seattle Seahawks (-5) at Philadelphia Eagles
The Seattle Seahawks have dropped two of their previous three and three of their last five games overall following a 5-0 start. Furthermore, while the Seahawks are a formidable home team, they are just 2-3 on the road.
On the other side of the coin, the Eagles are in first place in the NFC East. But don’t be deceived as they are 3-6 -1 in the worst division in the NFL. Given the fact that the Eagles have dropped their last two games, scoring 17 points in both contests, they won’t be able to keep up with one of the highest-scoring teams in the league.
James’ pick: Seahawks win by a field goal
James’ NFL Best Bet of Week 12: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-7.5)
James’ NFL Best Bet of Week 12: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-7.5)
Yes, the Packers squandered a golden opportunity despite jumping out to a 14-point lead against one of the better defensive units in the league. Yes, they did keep me from posting a perfect mark in Week 11.
However, there are a few reasons why Aaron Rodgers and Co. are my safe pick this time around. As a guy that was born and raised in the Windy City, I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on the Bears this season. Sure, they got off to a 5-1 start. However, that proved to be fool’s gold as they have dropped their last four games.
Meanwhile, the Packers are 3-3 in their last six games following a 4-0 start. When it comes to the Bears, though, betting against the green and gold would not be a good call. Not only are the Packers the better team this season, they always seem to be the better team when these rivals square off.
In fact, dating back to 2015, the Packers have won eight of the previous 10 meetings between these two teams. While the Bears’ defense has played well, they continue to struggle on offense. Having said that, look for the Packers’ dominance to continue against their division rival. At the same time, I’m a bit cautious about the point spread given the fact that their margin of victory exceeded 10 points just twice in those eight wins.
James’ pick: Packers win outright in a close one