Skip to main content

Spoiler Alert: Week 12

The Week 12 picks are upcoming, but a few things real quick ...

We projected the NFC playoff seedings last week. Fair's fair, so let's do it for the AFC right now.

I went through all the contenders' remaining schedules ... and got some pretty interesting -- and wildly confusing -- results:

DOLPHINS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: at Broncos (7-3), at Jets (2-8), vs. Ravens (6-4), at Patriots (8-2), vs. Vikings (4-6), vs. Jets (2-8)

2-3 more losses
9-7


PATRIOTS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Lions (7-3), at Packers (7-3), at Chargers (6-4), vs. Dolphins (6-4), at Jets (2-8), vs. Bills (5-5)

1-3 more losses
12-4


BENGALS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: at Texans (5-5), at Buccaneers (2-8), vs. Steelers (7-4), at Browns (6-4), vs. Broncos (7-3), at Steelers (7-4)

2-4 more losses
9-6-1


BROWNS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: at Falcons (4-6), at Bills (5-5), vs. Colts (6-4), vs. Bengals (6-3-1), at Panthers (3-7-1), at Ravens (6-4)

2-4 more losses
9-7


RAVENS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: at Saints (4-6), vs. Chargers (6-4), at Dolphins (6-4), vs. Jaguars (1-9), at Texans (5-5), vs. Browns (6-4)

3-4 more losses
9-7


STEELERS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Saints (4-6), at Bengals (6-3-1), at Falcons (4-6), vs. Chiefs (7-3), vs. Bengals (6-3-1)

2-3 more losses
9-7


COLTS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Jaguars (1-9), vs. Redskins (3-7), at Browns (6-4), vs. Texans (5-5), at Cowboys (7-3), at Titans (2-8)

0-2 more losses
11-5


TEXANS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Bengals, vs. Titans, at Jaguars, at Colts, vs. Ravens, vs. Jaguars

1-3 more losses
9-7


BRONCOS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Dolphins (6-4), at Chiefs (7-3), vs. Bills (5-5), at Chargers (6-4), at Bengals (6-3-1), vs. Raiders (0-10)

1-3 more losses
12-4


CHARGERS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Rams (4-6), at Ravens (6-4), vs. Patriots (8-2), vs. Broncos (7-3), at 49ers (6-4), at Chiefs (7-3)

3-5 more losses
9-7


CHIEFS

REMAINING OPPONENTS: vs. Broncos (7-3), at Cardinals (9-1), vs. Raiders (0-10), at Steelers (7-4), vs. Chargers (6-4)

2-4 more losses
9-7


AFC PLAYOFF SEEDINGS

  1. PATRIOTS (12-4)
    1. BRONCOS (12-4)
    2. COLTS (11-5)
    3. BENGALS (9-6-1)
      5-6. BROWNS/CHARGERS/CHIEFS/DOLPHINS/RAVENS/STEELERS/TEXANS (9-7)

That's right: We're headed toward a seven-way logjam for the conference's two wild-card spots! Unfortunately, even with all my powers, and those of Football Baby -- the baby who picks football games -- I can't divine who'll emerge from all the tiebreakers to earn either of those two precious seeds. In lieu of that particular info, I'll go with this: The two teams the three- and four-seeds hope they don't have to face are likely the Steelers and Ravens, both of whose QBs have already proven capable of winning three road playoff games to reach a Super Bowl.


By the way, here are Football Baby's Week 12 picks.


Even without Latavius Murray's breakout performance, the Chiefs' rapid second-half comeback, Derek Carr's game-winning drive or Sio Moore's (almost) apocalyptically disastrous celebration, Thursday night's game was compelling from the jump thanks to the latest unveiling of the NFL's best uniform matchup.

No matter the quality of the performance by the players in the getups, your eyeballs are in for a treat when the Chiefs and their red pants pay a visit to the East Bay to face pro football's sartorial frontrunner: Oakland's Silver & Black.

Here's the top 10 (using only getups actually worn in the 2014 season):


Now that we've figured out the pressing matters above, let's get to the picks ...

WARNING: Do NOT continue reading if you don't to know scores of the upcoming Week 12 games. (0-1 this week; 10-4 last week; 103-57-1 on the season)


TENNESSEE TITANS 17
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 30

Kendall Wright: 7 rec, 120 yds, TD
LeSean McCoy: 160 yds/scrimmage, 2 TDs


DETROIT LIONS 22
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 27

Calvin Johnson: 3 rec, 45 yds
Shane Vereen: 6 rec, 90 yds, TD


GREEN BAY PACKERS 28
MINNESOTA VIKINGS 13

Eddie Lacy: 20-100 yds, TD
Teddy Bridgewater: 2 INTs


JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 19
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 35

Blake Bortles: 22-40, 290 yds, TD, 3 INTs
T.Y. Hilton: 5 rec, 130 yds, 2 TDs


CINCINNATI BENGALS 20
HOUSTON TEXANS 24

A.J. Green: 4 rec, 80 yds, TD
Texans defense: 7 sacks


CLEVELAND BROWNS 21
ATLANTA FALCONS 33

Isaiah Crowell: 18-105, 2 TDs
Julio Jones: 9 rec, 125 yds, TD


TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 27
CHICAGO BEARS 31

Vincent Jackson: 10 rec, 150 yds, 2 TDs
Matt Forte: 150 yds/scrimmage, TD



ST. LOUIS RAMS 14
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 17

Rams defense: 9 sacks
Nick Novak: GW 47-yd FG in OT


MIAMI DOLPHINS 17
DENVER BRONCOS 24

Cameron Wake: 3.5 sacks
Jacob Tamme: 2 TDs


DALLAS COWBOYS 30
NEW YORK GIANTS 26

DeMarco Murray: 25-130 yds, TD
Odell Beckham: 10 rec, 120 yds, 2 TDs


WASHINGTON REDSKINS 27
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 38

Robert Griffin III: 19-24, 280 yds, 2 INTs
Vernon Davis: 2 TDs


NEW YORK JETS 17
BUFFALO BILLS 19

Jets defense: 7 sacks
Bills defense: 8 sacks


BALTIMORE RAVENS 24
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 21

Ravens: 3 TD rush
D. Brees: 2 INTs


Enjoy Week 12, everybody! I hope your team wins (unless they're playing my team).

Follow Dave Dameshek on Twitter @Dameshek.