Pro Picks: The ‘Harbowl’ is the only matchup in Week 12 featuring two teams with winning records
Only one game in Week 12 features two teams with winning records: “The Harbowl.”
John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens (7-4) take on Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) on Monday night in their third career head-to-head matchup and first since they faced off in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season.
Of the seven division matchups this week, none involves two winning teams. The closest is a matchup for first place in the NFC West between the Arizona Cardinals (6-4) and Seattle Seahawks (5-5).
Jameis Winston led the Cleveland Browns to a 24-19 comeback win over Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North matchup on Thursday night.
Pro Picks likes plenty of favorites this week.
Denver (6-5) at Las Vegas (2-8)
Line: Broncos minus 6
Bo Nix has quickly established himself in Denver and is giving Washington’s Jayden Daniels a run for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Broncos are in the playoff race thanks to Nix’s emergence and a strong defense. The Raiders are heading the other way with six straight losses, no franchise QB and only the hope that new minority owner Tom Brady can restore a once-proud franchise that’s become a perennial loser.
BEST BET: BRONCOS: 27-15
San Francisco (5-5) at Green Bay (7-3)
Line: Packers minus 3
Forget about returning to the Super Bowl. The 49ers don’t even look like a playoff team. Still, despite their struggles, they have a shot in the NFC West. But they’re going to need Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa. Both are banged up. The Packers must do a better job against the run than they did last week or Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason could have a big day.
This game could come down to which team capitalizes on its red zone opportunities. Both teams have had a tough time inside the 20 with Green Bay ranked 27th and San Francisco 26th.
UPSET SPECIAL: 49ERS: 24-23
Minnesota (8-2) at Chicago (4-6)
Line: Vikings minus 3 1/2
Two teams who were expected to have opposite seasons meet up for the first of their two matchups over the final seven games. The Vikings have exceeded expectations and already surpassed their predicted wins total for the season. The Bears were considered a playoff contender coming in but four straight losses have reduced their margin for error. Caleb Williams hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass during the losing streak, but also has no picks in that span. The Vikings are 7-3 against the spread this season. The Bears are 8-1 ATS in their past nine home games.
VIKINGS: 22-20
Detroit (9-1) at Indianapolis (5-6)
Line: Lions minus 7 1/2
The high-powered Lions are steamrolling teams without letting up. They want the NFC’s No. 1 seed and Jared Goff has led the offense to 52 points twice in the past four games. Anthony Richardson is coming off his best game in his return to the starting lineup for the Colts. His mobility presents a challenge for Detroit, which is still trying to fill a major void on the defensive line without injured star Aidan Hutchinson.
LIONS: 30-20
New England (3-8) at Miami (4-6)
Line: Dolphins minus 7 1/2
Miami faces the only team it beat without Tua Tagovailoa this season. Tagovailoa’s return from a four-game absence following another concussion has sparked the Dolphins. They have to keep winning to climb into the playoff race. Drake Maye and the Patriots aren’t going anywhere but the rookie quarterback keeps improving.
DOLPHINS: 27-18
Tampa Bay (4-6) at New York Giants (2-8)
Line: Buccaneers minus 6
Back from a bye, the Buccaneers aim to snap a four-game losing streak after a brutal stretch against tough opponents. Tampa Bay remains the only team to beat Detroit and the last team to beat Philadelphia. The Bucs could have some help with the possible return of star wide receiver Mike Evans. The Giants are turning to Tommy DeVito after benching Daniel Jones. They’re looking toward the draft and the hope of landing a franchise QB.
BUCCANEERS: 24-20
Dallas (3-7) at Washington (7-4)
Line: Commanders minus 10 1/2
The Cowboys are better off tanking the rest of the season to improve draft positioning. They’ve been outscored 68-16 in two games without Dak Prescott. The Commanders have lost two in a row and Jayden Daniels now has competition for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its past six games vs. Washington. The Commanders are 2-7 straight up in the past nine against NFC East opponents. But this is a different Commanders team.
COMMANDERS: 31-13
Kansas City (9-1) at Carolina (3-7)
Line: Chiefs minus 11
The Chiefs are coming off their first loss. They weren’t going undefeated and the goal is a Super Bowl three-peat. Patrick Mahomes hopes one loss sparks more urgency. The Panthers are an ideal bounce-back opponent, though they’ve won two in a row. A bye slowed down their momentum. Carolina isn’t ready to pull off an upset of this magnitude.
CHIEFS: 27-13
Tennessee (2-8) at Houston (7-4)
Line: Texans minus 8
C.J. Stroud and the Texans won the battle of Texas and now look to take another step toward repeating as AFC South champions. Joe Mixon should have room to run against Tennessee. The Titans have the league’s No. 2 defense but are 12th against the run.
TEXNS: 24-17
Arizona (6-4) at Seattle (5-5)
Line: Cardinals minus 1
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals are back from a bye and leading the NFC West by one game ahead of the Niners, Seahawks and Rams. Arizona’s defense has improved, tight end Trey McBride has turned into a star to give Murray another option and the team is riding a four-game winning streak. The Seahawks should be feeling a little disrespect as home underdogs after an impressive win at San Francisco. The Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their past six games. The Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their past seven games and 1-6 ATS in their past seven home games. But Seattle is 4-1 ATS in the past five games vs. Arizona. The Cardinals are 3-14 straight up in their past 17 games vs. division opponents.
SEAHAWKS: 23-21
Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
Line: Eagles minus 3
While Saquon Barkley has joined Jalen Hurts to give Philadelphia’s offense another dynamic option, a stout defense has helped the Eagles win six straight games. They need to keep winning to keep up with Detroit in the race for the No. 1 seed. The Rams have won four of five to make a push for a playoff berth. Matthew Stafford and the rest of Los Angeles’ offense have a tough challenge against the league’s top-ranked defense. Rams coach Sean McVay is 0-3 at home against Philadelphia.
EAGLES: 26-19
Baltimore (7-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
Line: Ravens minus 3
Potent offense vs. stingy defense. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens are second in scoring at 30.4 points per game. The Chargers are giving up a league-low 14.5 points per game. The biggest problem for the Ravens has been their defense, ranked 26th in yards and bottom 10 in points allowed. Justin Herbert and a rushing attack led by J.K. Dobbins could be problematic for Baltimore’s defense. The Ravens will need Jackson to be a hero. He thrives in prime-time games, going 11-1 in his past 12 and 19-5 in his career.
RAVENS: 26-22
Last week: Straight up: 8-6. Against spread: 8-6.
Overall: Straight up: 112-64. Against spread: 89-75-2.
Prime-time: Straight up: 24-11. Against spread: 17-17-1.
Best Bet: Straight up: 7-4. Against spread: 6-5.
Upset Special: Straight up: 7-4. Against spread: 7-4.
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