NFL 2024-25: Week 12

The last undefeated team went down last weekend, as the Bills defeated the Chiefs in Buffalo. With his performance, Josh Allen is now the frontrunner for MVP, moving ahead of Lamar Jackson. Jackson threw just one TD pass in the Ravens’ loss to Pittsburgh, who is now in firm control of the AFC North. The Eagles also have control of their division with their victory over Washington, and Detroit looked unstoppable against the Jaguars. Bo Nix threw 4 TD passes against the Falcons, and Seattle surprised the Niners with a late TD run by Geno Smith. The Chargers won a wild Sunday night game over Cincy, and Houston rolled over the hapless Cowboys on Monday night.

This week the Steelers will try to keep rolling in a divisional matchup in Cleveland on Thursday, while the Vikings try to keep pace with the Lions as they meet the struggling Bears in Chicago. The Niners travel to Green Bay, while Seattle hosts Arizona in a key NFC West matchup. The Rams host the Eagles on Sunday night, while the Chargers host their second consecutive prime-time game on Monday night against the Ravens in what might be a battle of two playoff teams.

This week’s games. All spreads taken from ESPNBet on Tuesday, November 19 at 9:20 am CT.

Thursday Night:
Steelers @ Browns (+3.5)

Sunday early:
Chiefs @ Panthers (+11)
Vikings @ Bears (+3.5)
Lions @ Colts (+7.5)
Patriots @ Dolphins (-7)
Buccaneers @ Giants (+5.5)
Cowboys @ Commanders (-10.5)
Titans @ Texans (-8.5)

Sunday late:
Broncos @ Raiders (+5.5)
Niners @ Packers (-2.5)
Cardinals @ Seahawks (-1)

Sunday night:
Eagles @ Rams (+3)

Monday night:
Ravens @ Chargers (+3)

Byes:
Falcons, Bills, Bengals, Saints, Jets, Jaguars

I looked at the Pittsburg Cleveland line (3.5) as too low but now I’m thinking upset.
Cleveland home game.
Usually play each other close.
Pitt coming off a war with the Ravens.
Short week Thursday game.
Cleveland has an actual QB above replacement.
Pitt has a serious red zone conversion problem - lots od FGs, no TDs.

When the Brows get blown out, don’t come looking for me😁

I think it would be hilarious if the NFC West ended the year with every team having the same record.

I’m not sure if it’s mathematically possible, I am too lazy to try to calculate such a thing, but if so it would crack me up.

Of course, I’m sure there would be a winner of the division due to the various tiebreaker situations, but just the same I think it would be very funny.

Each team in a division plays the other team in the conference twice and plays the other 11 games against teams from other parts of the league. So if the teams split all the inter-divisional games 3-3 and then have the same record in the other 11 games they would end up tied. The tiebreakers would be

  1. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
  2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
  3. Strength of victory in all games.
  4. Strength of schedule in all games.

Thank you for doing what I was too lazy to do.

:+1:

My pleasure

I have way too much history with Washington vs Dallas to trust that point spread. Something always seems to happen.

The Jets fired GM Joe Douglas this morning, seven weeks after firing head coach Robert Salah. Douglas had been the Jets’ GM since 2019, and in that time, the team has among the worst records in the NFL. Bringing in Aaron Rodgers and his friends has done nothing to turn around their fortunes.

I look for the Colts to lose fairly easily to Detroit. I don’t think it’ll be particularly close, but Indy is playing at home, and Richardson’s benching seems to have paid some dividends, so I’m hoping that I’m wrong and Indianapolis scores an upset.

I also don’t think Indy will win, but taking the Colts and getting 7.5 points seems like a reasonable wager. If I were a betting man, of course.

I honestly think that Detroit is the best team in the NFL this year. Regardless of record, the way they’ve won games tells me they are the team to beat. I consider them the favorite in any matchup against anyone.

Will we see a Lions Chiefs SB this year?

You are going to get no disagreement from anybody who has watched the NFL this season. The Lions lead in points scored, are third in points allowed, and have the highest point differential by a wide margin. Both ESPN and the NFL website have them #1 in the power rankings.

Their game against the #2 team, Buffalo, on 12/15, is shaping up to be a monster matchup.

Absolutely.

I am a Seattle fan but I figure it would be unlikely for them to make the playoffs this year. But what I’d like to see is a Lions/Bills Super Bowl. I think that would be fun. And this game in December may be a preview of sorts, if I get my wish.

I just noticed a rather obvious and stupid typo in the title of this thread.

Mods, please change the title to:

NFL 2024-25: Week 12

Much thanks in advance!

The visiting team is favored in 8 of the 13 games this weekend. It’s probably not a record, but is at least unusual.

In the NFL 25-25
If man still has touchdown drives
You won’t need to choose to go for one, go for two
Some analytics guy’s doin’ that for you

Done.

Looking ahead, the Chiefs seem to have a slightly more difficult schedule than the Bills. If they lose just one more game, it’s plausible the Bills could overtake Kansas City thanks to head-to-head tiebreaker. But the Bills themselves have the Lions juggernaut game coming up.

Another Seahawks fan in complete agreement. If the Seahawks can’t make it I would love to see a Lions / Bills SB.

With the division so wide open I’ve not geven up on us making the playoffs (though I think a win this week is a must). However we dont have a team that is like to go all the way, I think it unlikely we get pas t the WC round and even if we did make it we would likely be going to Detroit or Philly for the divisional round which I can’t see ending well.