LAST WEEK’S RECORD:(10-4)

THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD:(6-5)

FRIDAY NIGHT RECORD:(0-1)

MONDAY NIGHT RECORD:(9-4)

SEASON RECORD:(105-61)

NFL WEEK 12 STRAIGHT UP PICK-EM

THE THURSDAY GAME

PITTSBURGH STEELERS(8-2) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS(2-8)

The Steelers coming off two impressive victories against the Commanders and then last week taking down Lamar Jackson and company the Ravens. The Browns were destroyed by the Saints. It’s a short week as both the Browns and Steelers are division rivals who know each other well so this should be a close game. Russell Wilson even in the win last week looked flat. That’s better than what the Browns have at QB with Jameis Winston in which the Steelers defense may feast on multiple turnovers. Browns defense keeps this game a game. In the end the Steelers prevail late.

OUR PICK:STEELERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

MINNESOTA VIKINGS(8-2) AT CHICAGO BEARS(4-6)

Did the Bears get robbed last week versus the Packers on the no call penalty on the block field goal? The Bears would have won from a walk off field goal. The Vikings have won three straight and are heading to Chicago for their 3rd straight road game. The Bears offense looked better versus the Packers on the week they fired their Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. The Vikings defense has carried this team for several weeks now after the hot start. Sam Darnold the Vikings QB has definitely come back down to earth after getting out the gates looking strong. This game will be close. It seems when either the Vikings and Bears are good, bad, or ugly it does not matter when, it’s always a close game. I don’t trust the Bears because they lost 4 straight games and the offense has been dormant most of that time. The Vikings defense will do the heavy lifting and come after the rookie QB Caleb Williams and cause a few turnovers that will decide this one.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS(9-1) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS(3-7)

Last week the Chiefs were knocked off their perch by the Buffalo Bills as they suffered their first loss of the season. The Carolina Panthers coming off a bye week and the last time we saw them they had a successful business trip to Germany and knocked off the Giants. The Panthers have actually won two in a row. The Chiefs are a different animal. This match up is varsity against the freshman team. The Chiefs are mad after their perfect season ended. This will be the story of the bully taking the younger kid’s lunch money… that simple.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

TENNESSEE TITANS(2-8) AT HOUSTON TEXANS(7-4)

The Texans got back on track with a beat down of the Cowboys on Monday night. Do you remember the Titans last time they won? It must have been three weeks ago because they have lost two straight games. CJ Stroud looked better with the return of his old number one receiver in Nico Collins.

The Texans lost their other top notch receiver Stephon Diggs to a season ending injury. The Titans QB Will Levis as a starter this season is 1-6 and has only 8 touchdown passes. Levis has also thrown 8 interceptions and he makes too many bone-headed decisions. This game should be an easy one for the Texans to pad the division lead on the AFC South. They are the only horse in that stable that has gotten out of the gates.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

DETROIT LIONS(9-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(5-6)

Another 50 point game for the Lions as they buried the Jaguars. The Colts surprised me with a win over the Jets. Maybe the Aaron Rodgers Jets team is just that bad as we all think they will take off sooner as later has arrived and they have been grounded all year. Anthony Richardson had one of his best games last week as a starter. The Lions are the king of the jungle of the NFC and can beat up many of the AFC teams. The Lions offense will baffle the Colts defense which is not a solid unit. The Lions will rule the ground game with their two headed monster back field. They will rack up points with the play action pass. The Lions defense will eventually slow down the Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. I see Richardson regressing from his last start a week ago. Lions will win their 9th straight.

OUR PICK: LIONS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(3-8) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS(4-6)

The Dolphins are swimming the high waters as suddenly they have won two straight games. The Dolphins have always feasted on bottom of the ocean level teams like the Patriots. I like the way Drake Maye has performed so far in his rookie season.

He is 2-4 as a starter completing 66.7% of his passes. He has thrown 9 touchdown passes but six interceptions you like to see him do better at protecting the football. Could Drake be the next Boston legend like May Day Malone?

Maye Day Drake may have a tough landing in Miami which is a tough place to play for visitors. Tua Tagovailoa for the Dolphins is playing his best since returning from his concussion injury that sidelined him for several weeks this season. Dolphins pick up their 3rd win in a row slowly crawling back into the playoff picture.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS(4-6) AT NEW YORK GIANTS(2-8)

In New York it is the end of the Daniel Jones era at the quarterback position. Looks like it was a mutual thing as Jones will go through waivers and another team may pick him up. Now the keys to the car have been handed over to Tommy DeVito, a 26 year old out of the University of Illinois. He has seen some action as he is 3-3 as a starter filling in for Jones which was all last season. He had 8 touch down passes and only 3 interceptions. The Giants need some kind of new direction & new life as they have lost 5 straight games. Meanwhile the Buccaneers coming off their bye week have lost 4 straight. A much needed bye for the Buccaneers because they got healthier. The Giants will look better this week with DeVito behind center. Baker Mayfield is having a great year and my gut is telling me he will have a big game and Tampa Bay will get back in the win column.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

DALLAS COWBOYS(3-7) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS(7-4)

The Cowboys are a gigantic mess as they lost 5 straight games. They are using back up quarterbacks with Dak Prescott out for the year. Will the Commanders see Cooper Rush or Trey Lance? They may even see both. The Commanders have lost two straight tough games versus the Eagles and Steelers as they are looking up at Philadelphia in the standings. These two teams are division rivals. Archrivals from the days of the Redskins. The Cowboys really have no chance in this one. Jayden Daniels will slice and dice this Cowboys defense with his arm and legs. This will be a easy one for the Commanders as they get back in the win column.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

DENVER BRONCOS(6-5) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(2-8)

The Bo Nix/Sean Payton marriage is looking like the real deal. Flashing back to the New Orleans days of Payton and Drew Brees.

The frightening thing is Payton has had Nix as a pup and has been programming him from day one. The Raiders have lost 6 straight games. Only thing you can say about the Raiders and Broncos is this is a division game so it could be a close game. I like the Broncos defense smothering a bad Raiders offense which is the X-factor of this match up. Nix will generate some points on the score board in a Broncos win.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(5-5) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS(7-3)

Every time I think the 49ers will take the right step forward, they seem to takes 4 steps backwards as they lost to the Seahawks last week after manhandling them in the first match up earlier in the season. The Packers get away with a penalty on a last second blocked kick and escape Chicago with a win. The injuries have riddled this 49ers team all year as they will be without their starting QB Brock Purdy in this one.

Brandon Allen will be the 49ers starter as he has been around for 5 seasons and is 2-7 as a starter in the NFL in his career so far. The 49ers will be without their star defensive lineman Nick Bosa. I like the Packers in this one even though Jordan Love has struggled in the last few weeks. The Packers being at home have found the 49ers at the right time.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

ARIZONA CARDINALS(6-4) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(5-5)

This looks to me like the game of the week between the Cardinals and Seahawks. The Cards coming off their bye week have won 4 straight games and are perched at the top of the NFC West standings. The Seahawks season looked to be in a tailspin until they accepted the challenge and beat the division rival 49ers in a street fight style game. The Cardinals defense has played solid the last 4 weeks. The Seahawks defense has been up and down but played solid versus the 49ers. Kyler Murray has outplayed Geno Smith this season. This game can go either way. I like the Cardinals making the playoffs at the end of this season. The Seahawks will make a bold statement being at home that they are in the playoff conversation. These two teams will meet again in Arizona in 2 weeks. I like Seattle taking this one at home which is a hard place to win for visitors.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES(8-2) AT LA RAMS(5-5)

The Eagles have been one of the hottest teams in the league & winners of their last six games. The Rams season has been a battle of ups and downs as they handled business on the east coast last week in New England versus the Patriots. The Rams and Eagles have multiple young pieces on their defenses. These are two very talented defenses and units on the rise. That Rams defensive line is explosive going after the quarterback. Jalen Hurts will have his work cut out for him. You have to love both these teams’ starting running backs. Saquon Barkley for the Eagles is having an outstanding season in his first year as an Eagle. Kyren Williams is no slouch for the Rams and a guy that can get his yards in chunks. Matthew Stafford and that passing attack will take off on Sunday night which will give the Eagles defense problems and will end their six game winning streak. It will be a close affair. In the end Rams take this one at home.

OUR PICK: RAMS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

BALTIMORE RAVENS(7-4) AT LA CHARGERS(7-3)

Jim versus John in another epic battle between the Harbaugh brothers. John has been a stationary fixture in Baltimore for over a decade. While Jim has bounced around the NFL and helped his alma mater, University of Michigan, win the National title last year. Jim has turned this Chargers team into a force in the AFC. The Ravens were in cruise control until Lamar Jackson could not slay his demon in the Ravens. This match up has Jackson versus Justin Herbert, two stud QB’s in the AFC. The Ravens lack a defense while the Chargers have defended the field this season well. The Ravens offense can score on anyone. The Chargers have won 4 straight. The Chargers have been playing a basic easy schedule. It’s hard to imagine the Ravens losing two straight. The Ravens have played the cream of the crop all year and have done well. I like John over Jimbo in this match up right now. In the future maybe it will be a different story.

OUR PICK: RAVENS