NFL 2014 Week 12 picks

Thursday night:  Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders:  Oakland is winless so far this season, and that will continue after this game.  KC has a strong balance of offense and defense, and they will dominate this game.  CHIEFS, 27-16

Sunday early games:
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans:  Either team could win this game, but Ryan Mallet has breathed new life into the Texans since assuming the starting position.  Throw in the Texans defense, and this team has the edge.  TEXANS, 23-21

Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons:  The Falcons had one good game last week, but basically they have been pathetic this season.  The Browns have been doing fairly well, combining a smart defense with excellent play by Brian Hoyer, who is keeping Johnny Manziel on the bench.  BROWNS, 23-20

Detroit Lions at New England Patriots:  Tough two-game streak for the Lions, who move from Arizona (the stiffest defense in the league) to New England (the best offense in the league).  The Pats will blow them away while they light up the scoreboard.  PATRIOTS, 34-20

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings:  Teddy Bridgewater has been playing fairly well, but the defense is lacking in Minnesota.  Given the recent scoring by Green Bay, facing a weak defense is an invitation for another huge offense performance.  PACKERS, 43-20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts:  The Colts struggle against strong teams, but the Jags are not a strong team.  COLTS, 31-20

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills:  Speaking of teams that are not strong, the Jets qualify for that claim.  BILLS, 23-17

Tampa Bay Bucs at Chicago Bears:  After beating Washington last week, the Bucs may believe they can win two in a row.  However, the situation is different.  In Washington, you had a team in disarray whose personal conflicts were bubbling below the surface, and they burst out during that game.  The Bears have dealt with their demons and have emerged stronger.  While their defense will give the Bucs a chance, the Bears offense will prevail.  BEARS, 27-23

Tennessee Titans at Philadelphia Eagles:  The Titans defense isn't strong enough to stop the Eagles, even if Mark Sanchez has regressed to his Jets performances.  Against a team like Tennessee, this offense can be run even with a mediocre quarterback.  EAGLES, 30-20

Sunday late games:
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks:  The defending champs are entering a tough part of their schedule.  They play very well at home, but I think the Cardinals will be a little too much for them.  CARDINALS, 23-21

Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos:  The Dolphins defense will give the Broncos some trouble, but they have the edge in the wintery weather of Denver.  BRONCOS, 27-23

St Louis Rams at San Diego Chargers:  The Rams manhandled Denver, but San Diego is another story.  Denver is one-sided -- they pass nearly all the time.  The Chargers have a more diverse offense, and I think that's more than the Rams can handle.  CHARGERS, 23-17

Washington Redskins at San Francisco 49ers:  Both teams are in disarray, but the Redskins' conflicts have erupted this week, potentially distracting them from the game.  Since some players reset the comments made by Coach Gruden, that conflict with the coach will impact their play on the field.  Great opening for San Francisco.  49ERS, 23-16

Sunday night:  Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants:  The Cowboys had a bye week to rest Romo's back.  He'll have a good game.  While Eli will not likely repeat his 5 INT performance from Sunday, there are too many problems on that offense for them to win.  COWBOYS, 27-20

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:  Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints:  This is a tough game to pick.  By numbers alone, the Ravens are the dominant force.  However, the Saints play well at home, and play hard after tough losses.  Both of those situations are in play for this game.  I'll still pick the Ravens, because I'm a "numbers guy," but watch for a Saints victory.  RAVENS, 26-23