Week 12 Preview (The Sunday Games):

Hope one and all had a Happy Thanksgiving holiday. The games were a tease, really not much of a challenge at all, but things are a lot tougher moving onto the Sunday games. The line between the haves and have-nots is more clear and the window of opportunity for those bubble teams is fading quicker than the November sun.

At Chicago -1.5 Denver 40.5
Hard to believe, but the Broncs are in the thick of the AFC West hunt due to the Chargers’ underperformance. For Chicago, it’s pretty much over. There’s one team that would like to win as a matter of professional pride while for the other, they’re in the fight for a postseason berth.

Projected Final Score: Denver 21, Chicago 20

Tennessee -1 At Cincinnati 47
At least it can be said that the Bengals have been consistently lousy all year while the Tuxedos have been a hit or miss proposition all year. Is Tennessee a contender or a pretender? That is what we’ll discover on Sunday.

Projected Final Score: Tennessee 24, Cincinnati 21

At Jacksonville -7.5 Buffalo 36

Without Marshawn Lynch in the lineup the Bills will be hard pressed moving the ball. The defense won’t give up 56 but the offense will have a difficult time putting up more than 10. The Jags are in great shape for a postseason berth so look for a methodical performance.

Projected Final Score: Jacksonville 24, Buffalo 13

At Kansas City -5.5 Oakland 34.5
There was a time when this rivalry meant something, but it has not been that for many a moon. These are two crummy football teams who just can’t wait for the year to end. The Chiefs have no quarterback or running game of which to speak and the Raiders are simply dreadful.

Projected Final Score: Kansas City 16, Oakland 14.

At Cleveland -3.5 Houston 51

The last time Cleveland was this close to the postseason, Bernie Kosar was at the controls. After last week’s thriller on the road against the Old Browns, the New Browns will keep the good times rolling by the Lake.

Projected Final Score: Cleveland 27, Houston 21

Seattle -2.5 At St. Louis 45

The Rams decided to make a go of things after all winning their last two. Seattle is the most underwhelming division leader in the League, as they’ve done nothing to inspire confidence out there. This week, they could actually lose against a team that they ought to whip.

Projected Final Score: St. Louis 23, Seattle 20.

At NY Giants -7.5 Minnesota 41
The G-Men need to solidify their tenuous grasp on a Wild Card spot, as it seems that Dallas will run away with the NFC East title. The Yikes are the perfect opponent for a team that’s looking to sharpen their skills coming into the stretch.

Projected Final Score: NY Giants 24, Minnesota 16

At Tampa Bay -2.5 Washington 38
This ought to be one of the better games on Sunday’s docket. The Bucs have played surprisingly well and have taken the lead in the NFC South while the ‘Skins aren’t quite ready to pack it in just yet. The Bucs may not be flashy, but they have played at a more consistent level than Washington, who performances have resembled a rollercoaster ride.

Projected Final Score: Tampa Bay 24, Washington 20

New Orleans -2.5 At Carolina 41

Both of these teams are two games behind the Bucs with six games left. If Tampa Bay loses, the winner of this one is incredibly back in the divisional race. Unfortunately for Carolina, Vinny T will be starting again. There is no reason why the Saints cannot seize the day. If they lose on Sunday, put a fork in ‘em.

Projected Final Score: New Orleans 23, Carolina 20

At Arizona -9.5 San Francisco 38
That’s not a typo. Did you ever think you’d see the day where the Cardinals were a two-possession favorite against the ‘Niners. My, my how things have changed. We may be witnessing what is the NFL’s worst offensive team in recent history. And the ‘Niners’ defense isn’t much further ahead of the offense. The Cardinals are a game back in the NFC West and can taste an opportunity for first place.

Projected Final Score: Arizona 24, San Francisco 13

At San Diego -8.5 Ravens 38.5
The Chargers are .500 and tied for first, which speaks volumes about the overwhelming mediocrity of today’s NFL. The Ravens blew a golden opportunity to catch up in the AFC North race and time is growing short. The Ravens lack the firepower to duke it out with San Diego in a firefight, but their defense remains strong enough to keep the Chargers honest.

Projected Final Score: San Diego 24, Ravens 20

At New England -20.5 Philadelphia 51
What is this, Ohio State against Podunk Community College? How many times has an NFL team been favored by three touchdowns? The Patriots don’t care about their record against the spread (9-1), they just want to play a consistent 60 minutes of football, go home and leave all the hoopla to the media. They’re not looking ahead or behind, all that matters is what’s in front of them each week. The Eagles will be without McNabb and are playing out the string in what has been a very disappointing year. But they are professionals and are aware of what is said in the public domain. The very idea that they are predicted to lose by such a lopsided score ought to make them see red and play as if there was nothing to lose because it’s true.

Projected Final Score: New England 34, Philadelphia 20