Free NFL Picks for Week 12, 2021

Free NFL Picks for Week 12, 2021
Fri 26th November 2021

Week 12’s schedule has given us a jam packed Sunday and we have provided our NFL picks for the five best games across the country! 

We have division leaders squaring off, division rivals fighting for the #1 seed and Super Bowl hopefuls looking to bounce back from shock defeats. Don’t miss out as our NFL picks cover every angle to provide you with our best bets from the top five Week 12 games. 

Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots – 1pm ET

We kick off our Week 12 NFL Picks with a clash between two AFC Division Leaders. The Tennessee Titans are not only on top of the AFC South, but the entire AFC, while the New England Patriots have just taken over the top spot in the AFC East, edging out the struggling Bills, albeit having played an extra game. 

Michael Lantz

It’s death, taxes, and the Patriots leading the AFC East, as New England currently sits atop the division (with the Buffalo Bills) going into week 12. So far rookie quarterback Mac Jones has been far from flashy, but he’s playing smart football and adapting to Bill Belichek’s system by the week. On top of Jones already looking like a natural, the team has been electric on defense, as QBs have the second worst average rating against their 11. They’’ hope to continue that pesky play against the Tennessee Titans and Ryan Tannehill. 

The Titans have been a tough one to put a finger on: they have had huge wins against teams like Chiefs, Rams and Saints—only to lose to the lowly Texans. They hope to bounce back against a potential playoff opponent in the Patriots, but will have to depend a lot on going through the air, with Derrick Henry out. The Patriots seem to feast on QBs and I’m still not totally convinced with Tannehill to consistently win games. I’ll pick the home team Patriots to keep rolling. 

Michael’s NFL Pick: New England Patriots (-295)

Mike Su

The Titans are somehow on top of the AFC despite having an NFL high 20 players on the injured reserve list. The resilience of the Titans has been a sight to watch as they have continued to win despite the constant setbacks. A loss to the Texans was embarrassing but not out of the ordinary for a Titans team that has consistently beaten good teams but lost against some of the league’s worst. I wouldn’t sound the alarms quite yet for the Titans, but a consecutive loss to the Patriots would be worrying. 

The Patriots on the other hand have played solid football and are vying for the first seed. Mac Jones has been the story in New England but the team is being carried by a phenomenal underrated running game and powerhouse defense. After shutting out the Falcons last week, the Pats defense is looking strong. They now face a Titans team that has shifted its strength from its running game to its passing game. The Patriots strong group of secondary players should be able to at the very least slow the Titans downs and potentially lock them up. 

The key to success for the Titans will be to run the ball well early. The Patriots corners are simply too good to take advantage of for an entire game. If the Titans can run the ball well early and then run play action with Tannehill, they should be able to open up holes for the Patriots. The Patriots will need to continue playing team football to win. No area is a particular weakness, but if the Titans can force Mac Jones into some mistakes, that could win the Titans the game. Overall I have to side with the Patriots here as I feel like they are the more complete team and the home field advantage at Foxborough is too much.

Mike’s NFL Pick: New England Patriots (-310)

Tony Battalio

It is safe to say the Mac Jones experiment has worked out as the New England Patriots find themselves in sole possession of first place in the AFC East. New England has played their way to a record of 7-4 on the year and are a half game clear of the Buffalo Bills for the top spot in the division. The Patriots come into this game after blanking Atlanta 25-0 last Thursday night, adding to their impressive win streak that now sits at 5 games. 

The Tennessee Titans were on a six game winning streak until they fell to the Houston Texans last Sunday by a score of 22-13. Now they will be looking to break a winning streak of their own against the New England Patriots. The Titans are currently 8-3 on the year and hold a 2 game lead over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South with 6 games left to play for both teams. The Titans swept the Colts this season in both matchups so they virtually hold a three game lead but every win will be important as Indy is getting hot at the correct time. 

As for the result of this game, it has all the hype around it to be a good one, two division leaders are battling it out for playoff positioning. Mac Jones gets another chance to show the NFL why he’s a potential Rookie Of The Year award winner and the Titans get to show the league they are still capable of winning without Derrick Henry on the field. At the end of the game I look for the Patriots to continue their impressive winning streak as they look to win their first AFC East title without Tom Brady under center. 

Tony’s NFL Pick: New England Patriots (-310)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1pm ET

We move on to the first of two AFC North showdowns as the Cincinnati Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati are a half game above Pittsburgh in the standings, and are one game behind the Ravens for the lead in the division. Cincinnati won the first meeting between the two sides by 14 points on the road, meaning this game has massive implications on tie-breakers and where the standings may lie at the end of the season. 

Michael Lantz

At times, one of the NFL’s best rivalries, the Steelers and Bengals will battle on Sunday in Cincinnati. After a brutal injury last season, Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow has shown no signs of a sophomore slump as the Bengals are 6-4 and second in the AFC North. They’ll look to maintain a steady lead over a Steelers team that sits right behind them in the standings at 5-4-1. 

Pittsburgh has had a rough go over the past couple of weeks, as they lost a shootout to the L.A. Chargers last weekend after a frustrating 16-16 tie to the bottom dweller Detroit Lions the previous weekend. Pittsburgh will look to spoil their rival’s home game, much like Cincinnati did to them when they met earlier in the season 24-10. Since that game I’m not necessarily sure the Steelers are much better. They barely beat a Russell Wilson-less Seahawks team, subpar Broncos and Bears teams, and a last place Cleveland Browns squad. I’ll for the Bengals to sweep the season series in front of their home fans. 

Michael’s NFL Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (-190)

Mike Su

In this inter-division matchup, the Bengals take on a Steelers team that looks to escape falling behind in the AFC North and out of the running to make the playoffs. The Bengals have been hit or miss recently but have bounced back with a big win over the Raiders last week. Joe Mixon was a powerhouse against the Raiders poor run defense while Joe Burrow took advantage of the short passing game. The Bengals may not have as much success with their running game due to the Steelers’ league best front 7. The Bengals need to take advantage of the short passing game once again and get the ball out of Burrow’s hands quickly. If not, the Burrow will face a lot of pressure which may lead to some costly turnovers.

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The Steelers have slumped once again after having a strong stretch of games. After tying to the league-worst Lions, the Steelers lost to the Chargers in a high scoring affair. Herbert absolutely destroyed the Steelers defense with 382 yards in the air and 90 yards on the ground. The Steelers will look to avoid a losing streak like the one they suffered earlier this season. 

The key success for the Steelers will be Big Ben taking advantage of the Bengals middle of the ground defense. If Big Ben is unable to step up that will be bad for the Steelers overall. For the Bengals they will be looking to get the ball out quickly to their talented skill position players. I think the Bengals take this game as the Steelers and Big Ben are notorious for slipping late in the season.

Mike’s NFL Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (-205)

Tony Battalio

Everytime two AFC North teams get together on the football field you should expect a rough hard nosed football game and that is what both of these teams will deliver on Sunday. It is fair to say the AFC North is the most competitive division in the NFL as from 1st to 4th there is only a difference of a game and a half between the teams. Which means every single game down the structure is equally as important but none more than this one as the last time these two teams met up the Bengals  absolutely smashed the Steelers. Pittsburgh will be out looking for revenge and a victory after their last two games, one that ended in a tie versus Detroit and a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers have left a sour taste in their mouth. 

The Cincinnati Bengals rebounded nicely after being blown out by the Cleveland Browns a few weeks ago as they toppled the struggling Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. Not many people expected the Bengals to be in this position as they sit here with a record of 6-4 and in second place in the AFC North. Joe Burrow is a contender for Comeback Player Of The Year and his favorite target Jamarr Chase is the potential Rookie Of The Year as well and Cincinnati finds themselves in a position to make the playoffs and make some noise this season. 

As for the results of this game, I look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to avenge their previous loss to the Bengals. While I believe the game will be close, I think having a somewhat healthy Big Ben will help lead the Steelers over the top and help them pick up a decisive road victory as they look to reclaim first place in the division from Baltimore. 

Tony’s NFL Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers (+160)

Los Angeles Rams @ ​​Green Bay Packers – 4:25pm ET

In what is potentially a preview of the NFC Championship, the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers go head to head inside Lambeau Field. Both sides are coming off a tough loss to a division rival last time out and will be looking to bounce back against not only one of the best in their conference, but one of the best in the league. 

Michael Lantz

Fans are graced with another potential playoff matchup this weekend as two of the NFC’s best are at it when the Los Angeles Rams visit the Green Bay Packers. Both these teams are coming off discouraging losses, as the Packers fell to division rivals the Minnesota Vikings in a shootout. The Rams also suffered defeat at the hands of a division rival as they were blown out by the last place San Francisco 49ers 31-10. The Rams are coming off a bye week, so they’ve had some time to reflect on their recent losses (they lost to a strong Titans team the week before the 49ers). Despite all the controversy surrounding him, Rodgers provided a classic “AR12” performance against the Vikings as he tossed 385 yards and four touchdowns,as the Packers loss was no way on him. 

As for the Rams’ quarterback play, QB Matthew Stafford has hit some bumps over the past two games, throwing 2 TDs/4 Ints in those defeats. The Rams lost wide receiver Robert Woods recently, but with so many weapons on the roster, they’ll need Stafford to continue to make big plays with no excuses. Despite the Rams’ recent struggle to score, I expect them to be refueled after a week off. With the over at 47 in this one, that just looks too good to pass up. 

Michael’s NFL Pick: Over 47 (-106)

Mike Su

The Rams are on a slide as they’ve lost 2 in a row. They now are looking to bounce back against a Packers team that has been inconsistent. Rodgers did have a near perfect game last week but the defense couldn’t hold on as the Packers lost to a last minute field goal by the Vikings. This means the Packers have lost 2 of their last 3 games, with all 3 of them being winnable games. The key weakness for the Packers has been its running game which is a problem as they face one of the best pass rushing units I have ever seen. That combined with a strong secondary led by Jalen Ramsey and Taylor Rapp, and the Packers may face problems passing the ball. 

The Rams will need a strong showing from Matt Stafford who has been problematic with 2 interceptions last week in a blow out loss. The Rams need more consistent offense to be a contender as they’ve now failed to crack over 16 points 2 weeks in a row. The Rams defense also looked bad last week against the run heavy 49ers.

The Packers will need to exploit the Rams and their recently weak looking run defense. Although Aaron Donald will always be a problem, the Packers need to find ways to run the ball early and often to win. The Rams will want to try and score as many points as possible as their offense needs to get back into rhythm. I think the Rams will bounce back and beat the Packers.

Mike’s NFL Pick: Los Angeles Rams (-116)

Tony Battalio

This game could very well be a potential preview of the NFC championship in a few months. Both teams however are coming off losses in their last game so they will be looking for ways to bounce back against each other this Sunday. The Los Angeles Rams have seemingly found new life under Matthew Stafford as the Packers are still the same Green Bay Packers that we have come to know with Aaron Rodgers under  center. The difference makers in this game will be at the wide receiver position as Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams are both capable of huge games week in and week out. Green Bay is currently 8-3 on the year and they hold a 2.5 game lead in the NFC North. While the Los Angeles Rams are currently 7-3 and in second place and a game and a half back of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. 

This game could easily go either way as both of these teams are capable of picking up a huge much-needed victory as a season begins the wind down. However in the end I look for the Los Angeles Rams to come out on top and keep pace with the Arizona Cardinals in the division. I expect Matthew Stafford to have a big bounce back game and for Cooper Kupp to thrive even more in the absence of Robert Woods. 

Tony’s NFL Pick: Los Angeles Rams (-116)

Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers – 4:25pm ET

The two sides that beat the Rams and Packers in their most recent losses face off in a game that will have massive Wild Card implications. The Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers both have a 5-5 record so far this season and are two of the five teams in the NFC that have five wins, fighting it out for the last two Wild Card slots. Who can get the win and the edge in the standings? Our experts let you know below. 

Michael Lantz

The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a big win against their rival, the Green Bay Packers, winning 34-31. Kurt Cousins put on the kind of performance this team expects from him, after they acquired him a couple seasons back. Now Minnesota just barely sits on the outside of the NFC playoff race as they look to improve their chances against the San Francisco 49ers.

Speaking of big wins, the 49ers showed the rest of the league they deserve some respect, beating division rivals the L.A. Rams by three touchdowns on Monday the 15th. They followed that game with another three score win—this time against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers now look to make it three straight, and potentially enter the playoff picture themselves as they’ve improved to 5-5 on the season. This should be a solid battle between two teams that could disrupt the NFC playoff picture. While I like how the Vikings offense has been flowing, the 49ers defense is really coming together as a unit as of late. Defense wins big games, and with this defense playing at home, I’ll take the Niners in one that’s all of the sudden becoming a must-watch matchup. 

Michael’s NFL Pick: San Francisco 49ers (-172)

Mike Su

The 49ers had a big win against the Jaguars last week and the Rams the week before. This is a good sign for a team that struggled in the earlier part of the season with a 4 game losing streak. The strength of this team has been its running game. Using a running back by committee approach and getting the ball into the hands of their playmakers has been the key to success with Jimmy G serving as the facilitator. The 49ers will likely need to win out for a chance to get into the playoffs in the loaded NFC. 

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The Vikings have also looked great recently with back to back big wins. Their win against the Packers proved that the Vikings team has the heart to play in the big moments. They also sit on 5-5 like the 49ers and this will be a crucial matchup that will help decide who makes the playoffs. There are very few scenarios where both these teams make the playoffs, and whoever wins this game will likely be the team to make the playoffs. 

The key to success for the 49ers remains the same as they need to run the ball well against the Vikings. The Vikings on the other hand need another strong game from the in-form Kirk Cousins. Overall, this is a close matchup but I feel like I trust the Vikings to win this one.

Mike’s NFL Pick: Minnesota Vikings (+144)

Tony Battalio

Ironically enough this game between the Vikings and 49ers is a matchup of the last two teams to beat the Rams and Packers in the last couple of weeks. It has been an up-and-down season for both the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings as they find themselves with identical records of 5-5 on the year. Due to the insane amount of parity in the NFL this season both of these teams still have a chance to make potential playoff appearances as well. 

There have been plenty of questions at the quarterback position this season for San Fran as no one really knows how much longer Jimmy Garoppolo will be at the helm before Trey Lance finally gets a shot to take over. For the Minnesota Vikings they will likely lean on Dalvin Cook to handle the ball and manage the clock in this game. Adam Thielen and Deebo Samuel will likely be the X factors for each team. As for the result of this game I have the Minnesota Vikings coming out on top on the clock at zero. I believe they’re just playing better football at the moment and their  wide receiving corps and Kirk Cousins are starting to heat up and mesh at the correct time. 

Tony’s NFL Pick: Minnesota Vikings (+144)

Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens – 8:20pm ET

We round out our NFL Picks with the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Cleveland Browns on Sunday Night Football. While the two sides are on opposite ends of the AFC North standings, there is just 1.5 games between them meaning both Cleveland and Baltimore know the importance of a win tonight. 

Michael Lantz

In the second AFC North matchup of the weekend, the Cleveland Browns visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football. Luckily for the Ravens, it looks like they’ll have Lamar Jackson back after a week of the Tyler Huntley experience. Huntley got them the victory, but it was a messy game against a poor Bears team. In addition to that game, the Ravens had a confusing loss two weeks ago to a poor Miami Dolphins team. After a couple of odd games, the Ravens will look to stay atop the AFC North against a Browns team that, despite being in fourth, is only two games out of first.

The Cleveland Browns have had their fair share of odd games too. Last Sunday they barely snuck by an awful Lions team that had Tim Boyle at quarterback. This came one week after the Browns got blown out by the New England Patriots 45-7, which had followed a Browns blow out of division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals.  The Browns are a big question mark, especially after they dropped Odell Backham Jr. a couple of weeks ago. Now, this’ll be the first of two consecutive matchups for them against the Ravens (Cleveland has a bye in between games). It’ll be a very telling time for how this Browns team’s season could unravel, as they still sit as playoff hopefuls. With this one being in Baltimore, and the Ravens looking like they’ll have Jackson and star receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown back, I’ll go with the Ravens and pick them to cover. 

Michael’s NFL Pick: Baltimore Ravens -3.5 (-114)

Mike Su

In this key division matchup the Browns will be looking to beat the AFC North division leader. The Browns have been playing poorly in the last couple of weeks. A 3 point win against the league worst Lions is nothing to celebrate, especially after getting destroyed by the Patriots the week prior. 

The Ravens are in similar form after a tight win against the bad Chicago Bears and a big loss to the Dolphins. The Ravens need to win this game to solidify their division lead as all 3 of their division rivals currently sit 1.5 games or less behind them. Lamar will be returning this week and I think he will be the spark plug the team needs to pull out a win here.

The key to success for the Browns will be to run the ball. Nick Chubb is a monster and one of the best backs in the league. If the Browns don’t feed him and take the pressure off of a hobbled Baker Mayfield, the Browns will not win this game. The Ravens on the other hand need to take advantage of the short passing game as the Browns have one of the league’s best front 4s. I think this will be a tight low scoring affair that the Ravens should win. 

Mike’s NFL Pick: Baltimore Ravens (-188)
Mike’s Bonus NFL Pick: Under 46 (-110)

Tony Battalio

Much like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals game that’ll take place earlier in the day this one will be another smash mouth AFC North football game. This will be the first game of two games in a row against the Baltimore Ravens for the Cleveland Browns next week they will go on by before returning to base Baltimore again. Cleveland has been struggling in recent weeks even with their victory last week over the Lions as the prior week they were demolished by the New England Patriots. Baker Mayfield’s health and ability to lead this team is coming into question a lot this season as the Browns find themselves in danger of missing the playoffs after such an impressive season last year. 

The Baltimore Ravens managed to pull off an amazing come from behind victory against the Chicago Bears even without Lamar Jackson and his top pass catcher Hollywood Brown. The Ravens find themselves in first place in AFC North with a one game lead over the Bengals but the division is a lot closer it looks as each team is within a game and a half of each other. As for the result of this game I think the Cleveland Browns are going to shock the NFL world and pick up a huge victory over the Ravens heading into their bye week. 

Tony’s NFL Pick: Baltimore Ravens (-188)

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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.

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