Week 12 NFL Pick ‘Em: Thanksgiving games were fun!

Kyle Madson
·2 min read
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The 2021 NFL slate on Thanksgiving Day was perfectly imperfect. The Lions-Bears game was a total disaster, but it was expected and provided just enough entertainment for the morning. The midday game with the Raiders and Cowboys was gross from an officiating perspective, but it was a shootout and provided some terrific pre-dinner entertainment. The Bills-Saints matchup was abysmal, but by then the food coma had set in and it didn’t matter. Shoutout to Thanksgiving games.

To the picks! (Betting lines provided by Tipico Sportsbook.)

Every game straight up

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Bears at Lions

Raiders at Cowboys

Bills at Saints

Panthers at Dolphins

Jets at Texans

Eagles at Giants

Buccaneers at Colts

Falcons at Jaguars

Steelers at Bengals

Titans at Patriots

Chargers at Broncos

Vikings at 49ers

Rams at Packers

Browns at Ravens

Seahawks at Washington

Last week: 9-6

Season: 94-69-1

Picks against the spread

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots (-6.5) vs. Titans

Trying a new strategy where I pick the opposite of my immediate thought on a game. My immediate thought was there’s no way the Titans don’t keep this within a touchdown.

Vikings (+3.5) at 49ers

The Vikings almost exclusively play close games, so getting 3.5 points is the move.

Browns (+3.5) at Ravens

Cleveland has been really bad, but a division game is a good opportunity for a bounce-back.

Last week: 0-3

Season: 13-27

Over/Unders

Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buccaneers at Colts, under 52.5

My gut said to take the over in this one. Thus, we’re going under.

Falcons at Jaguars, over 45.5

The Falcons are going to start scoring eventually, right? And their defense is bad enough to get the Jags offense going.

Vikings at 49ers, over 49.5

Neither defense is very good, so this has big shootout potential.

Last week: 2-1

Season: 13-25

Lock of the week

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers (-145) at Broncos

The Justin Herbert coming out party could use a big divisional win on the road. LA is just the better team right now.

Last week: 0-1

Season: 4-7

Upset of the week

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings (+145) at 49ers

The Vikings’ 5-5 is more convincing than San Francisco’s.

Last week: 0-1

Season: 4-7

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