NFL Week 12: Predictions and Opinions

Nov 17, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) celebrates New Orleans Saints fullback Jed Collins (45) touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

If the New Orleans Saints don’t win by 21 points over the Atlanta Falcons Thursday, well, I will be a bit shocked. I know these two are rivals, and being a Thursday Night game, it will probably be a bit sloppy, but this is the Saints’ game to lose.

This Thursday game is also the perfect game for the Saints to really show they are one of the Top 3 teams in the NFL. If Drew Brees and his plethora of wide receivers can take advantage of the 2-9 Falcons’ defense they should be able to prove they more than belong in talks as being the best team in the NFL.

As for the Sunday games, one that catches my attention is the Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins. The Panthers are the “go-to” team right now with their recent win over the New England Patriots, and I want to see if they can keep that momentum rolling against the Dolphins, who can’t seem to shake their off-the-field problems long enough to concentrate on football.

In the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys are visiting the resurgent New York Giants, and from what I can tell, this could be the “Game of the Week,” even more so than the Sunday Night Football game with the Denver Broncos at New England.

Sep 8, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Dallas Cowboys defensive end George Selvie (99) and defensive end Jason Hatcher (97) in the fourth quarter at AT

The Cowboys and Giants are battling in the East, along with the Philadelphia Eagles for the division lead, as it feels like the Washington Redskins are all but out of the mix.

Every year with the Cowboys, it seems like they can’t win the “big” games, and to be quite honest, if they don’t find a way to get Dez Bryant more involved with their offense this week, they might as well pack it up for the season.

I’m not sure if the Cowboys have what it takes defensively to hold off the Giants, because it seems like Eli Manning (more often than not) finds a way to make life miserable for the Cowboys when they play, especially their second meeting of the season.

Now to the Sunday Night Football game with the always exciting buildup of Manning vs. Brady. Although by the time the game starts, I’m usually tired of hearing about both of them, as an NFL, fan it is always fun to see to future Hall of Fame, Super Bowl champion quarterbacks opposed against each other.

It should make for a fun game, and I don’t see the Broncos losing this one at all.

Game Predictions (Picking the outright winner of the game):
– Saints over Falcons
– Ravens over Jets
– Steelers over Browns
– Lions over Buccaneers
– Packers over Vikings
– Texans over Jaguars
– Chiefs over Chargers
– Panthers over Dolphins
– Bears over Rams
– Colts over Cardinals
– Raiders over Titans
– Giants over Cowboys
– Broncos over Patriots
– 49ers over Redskins
Bye Weeks: Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles