Thanksgiving week is always a great time for NFL football. The Sunday contests tend to get overshadowed by the slate on Thanksgiving.
However, Sunday features some amazing games as well this year. A few dogs are hungry for a win, but there are three that won’t stop barking.
Free NFL Week 12 Predictions
Here are my top three picks for underdogs to pull off an upset on Sunday.
Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots Picks
Best Bet: New England ML (+120)
The Patriots are coming off a seven-point loss to the Texans last Sunday. The Patriots didn’t capitalize in the key moments to come away with a victory.
Despite this, it looked like there was a subtle change in the team on Sunday. Cam Newton was phenomenal. He was 26-of-40 for 365 yards and a touchdown.
The team was unable to run the ball effectively. This hurt them, but it was nice for Patriots fans to see Cam be efficient through the air.
Arizona is a very good team, but it has to come to New England and play in the cold. The Cardinals haven’t played a November East Coast game yet this season.
They are coming off a loss to Seattle where they didn’t play well. In the game prior, Kyler Murray threw a Hail Mary to beat Buffalo as time expired.
This hasn’t been a great stretch for the Cardinals. Seattle limited Murray last week.
New England coach Bill Belichick is one of the best defensive minds in football. He has the ability to create a game plan to shut down Murray again. If the Patriots can run the ball effectively, they have a great shot on Sunday.
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Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills Picks
Best Bet: Los Angeles Chargers ML (+210)
Nobody has barked harder this season than the Chargers. They’ve almost pulled off numerous upsets. They just haven’t been able to finish games, but that could change Sunday.
Buffalo had its heart ripped out by Murray and DeAndre Hopkins in its last game. The Bills went into the bye with a sour taste in their mouths, so it’s not clear how they’ll respond. The Chargers earned their third win of the season last week over the Jets.
Running back Austin Ekeler could play a role in Sunday’s game for Los Angeles. This could help rookie sensation quarterback Justin Herbert, but the Chargers have made do without Ekeler.
Herbert has been unreal this year, and he has kept his team in games. The team has lost seven games by a total margin of 32 points. Their largest defeat was by eight points, so they haven’t lost by two scores yet.
These dogs are barking, and this is the week they get their marquee win.
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Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts Picks
Best Bet: Tennessee Titans ML (+160)
First place in the AFC South is up for grabs this weekend. Tennessee and Indianapolis are both 7-3. The Colts beat the Titans on Nov. 12.
That wasn’t long ago, so these teams are very familiar with each other. In the NFL, it’s very tough to beat a team twice. Both teams are riding high after overtime victories in Week 11.
The Titans defeated Baltimore, while the Colts took down Green Bay.
The Titans struggle on defense, so they will need to figure this out to have a chance on Sunday. Philip Rivers is questionable, but he will most likely play. He took some big shots last Sunday against Green Bay.
If the Titans can get a pass rush, they’ll be in great shape. The Colts defend the run well, but Derrick Henry is a completely different animal. He averaged over five yards per carry against the Colts a couple of weeks ago.
The Titans may be a DOG, but this is their game to lose on Sunday. They’ll be sitting in first place when time expires this week.