Week 12 NFL straight up, against the spread, and survivor pool picks

Bills (-5.5) at Texans: C.J. Stroud won't play, and while I don't love this Bills team, it's hard to see Davis Mills succeed against them.

Steelers at Bears (-2.5): The Steelers will start Mason Rudolph if Aaron Rodgers can't go due to a broken wrist. However, the Bears have dominated bad quarterbacks all season, making them a solid pick.

Jaguars (-2.5) at Cardinals: The Jaguars are young but inconsistent, while the Cardinals have shown they're not great. I'm taking the Jags in this matchup despite my reservations about their consistency.

Browns at Raiders (+4): Shedeur Sanders is starting for Cleveland after being selected in the fifth round of the draft. While the Browns and Raiders both stink, the Raiders' defense makes them a better pick.

Giants at Lions (-10.5): The Giants are like "get right" teams, making them intriguing underdogs. I'm taking the Giants despite their lack of success this season.

Patri*ts (-6.5) at Bengals: The Patriots remind me of the 2017 Eagles with a second-year quarterback in the MVP conversation. They've been impressive on the road this season and will likely come out on top against the Bengals.

Seahawks (-13.5) at Titans: The Seahawks have played competitive games recently but are still the worst team in the NFL, making them an easy pick.

Vikings at Packers (-6.5): This feels like a game where Brian Flores can scheme up a win, so I'm picking the Packers against J.J. McCarthy's team.

Colts at Chiefs (-3.5): Both teams are unimpressive, but I'll take the desperate Chiefs at home with their backs against the wall.

Falcons at Saints (-1.5): The Falcons have been inconsistent this season, making them a decent pick in this matchup despite Kirk Cousins being healthy.

Wow , it seems like you're having some tough picks this week! I'm feeling interesting about the Steelers at Bears tho , think they can take down Rudolph and the Bears' defense is too strong for Mills.

Interesting , Shedeur Sanders getting a shot with the Browns is gonna be fun to watch. He's got that fifth-round hype on his side

Wow , Giants vs Lions is like a "get right" game, you've gotta love that underdog pick!

I gotta say , some of these picks are sounding kinda sketchy to me. Like, C.J. Stroud not playing for the Bills is pretty big news and I'm gonna be keeping an eye on that one . And what's with Mason Rudolph starting for the Steelers? Is Rodgers really out that long?

And while I do love the Giants being underdogs against the Lions, 10.5 points seems kinda steep for me . The Jaguars playing the Cardinals is another puzzler - aren't they both pretty mediocre teams?

But you know what's not sketchy? A second-year QB in the MVP conversation like the Patriots' QB has been . And I'm all for taking the underdog, especially when they've got a solid coach like Brian Flores .

One thing that's definitely true is that some of these teams are just really bad . The Seahawks and Steelers have played some good games recently, but are still super inconsistent.

I do think I'm gonna be keeping an eye on the Falcons vs Saints game, though - Kirk Cousins being healthy changes things up a bit .

I'm telling ya, something fishy is goin' on with these NFL picks... Like, the Bills are sayin' C.J. Stroud won't play and you're thinkin' they got nothin' better? And what's up with Davis Mills against the Steelers? That guy's got a short leash.

And don't even get me started on the Patriots being like "get right" teams... that's just code for "we've found our magic fix". You can take it or leave it, but I'm not buyin' it .

And have you noticed how all these picks are goin' against the underdog? It's like they're tryin' to cover up somethin'. The Giants and Jags got no shot...

I gotta say , those Steelers and Bears are gonna be tough to beat! I'm loving the Bears' dominance over bad QBs all season, they're like a wrecking crew . On the other hand, Jaguars are young and inconsistent but I think they got this one against Cardinals... they gotta step it up ! And don't sleep on Giants against Lions, they remind me of those "get right" teams that can pull off some major upsets !

the patriots are for real , i know it sounds crazy but they've been on fire on the road this season and cj stroud not playing against the bills is a huge blow

I'm telling you something is off about these NFL picks . Bills playing Stroud? That's like saying the moon doesn't exist . And don't even get me started on Davis Mills going up against his former team. There has to be some inside info or a hidden agenda at play here .

And have you noticed how many of these picks are centered around the teams with the worst defenses? Raiders, Bengals, Seahawks... something fishy is going on here . It's like they're trying to create upsets by giving the underdogs an unfair advantage . I'm calling foul!

Omg I'm so hyped for this week's NFL games ! C.J. Stroud sitting out is like, a huge loss for the Bills, you feel me? But I gotta say, Mason Rudolph is no joke against the Bears' defense - that's like, a recipe for disaster . Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders starting for the Browns is like, whoa! The Raiders' defense is gonna shut them down so easily . And can we talk about how the Giants are just so underrated? They're like that underdog team everyone loves to hate on, but I'm all in !

omg i'm loving the patriots right now they're like the 2017 eagles or something and jordan mcdermott is on fire he's got that MVP vibe going on for sure. and i gotta say, shelby lenard fitts is a beast at tight end too it's gonna be tough for the bengals to keep up with them.

think texans game is gonna be super close , c.j. stroud's absence is huge for bills, but mason rudolph's got some tricks up his sleeve... maybe the bears will show us all what they're made of meanwhile, i'm low-key rooting for browns to pull off an upset against raiders

I'm thinking the Bills game is gonna be a low-scoring mess C.J. Stroud's absence is a huge blow for Buffalo, and Davis Mills is no match for their D Meanwhile, I think the Bears are the real deal they've been dominating QBs all season and Mason Rudolph will be in over his head

On the other hand, I'm loving the underdog Giants against the Lions They're like that "get right" team everyone loves to hate, but I think they'll pull off a huge upset Brian Flores always finds ways to scheme up a win and I'm counting on him to make the difference in this one

The Patriots are also looking solid with Mac Jones leading the charge, especially on the road where they've been on fire Meanwhile, the Seahawks are still the worst team in the NFL and the Titans will take them down without a problem

dude i think the patriots and giants are gonna crush it this week they got that mvp vibes goin on with jordan maldonado tho idk about shelby smith's QB play like what's up bro lol but seriously with the chiefs at home against the colts yeah they need a win more than anyone

I feel u... the Bills team is kinda like the NFL's underdog story They've had some tough losses recently but they're still holding strong! It's def a challenge for C.J. Stroud to play against them tho I think Davis Mills will struggle too, he just started and everything will be on his shoulders What do u wanna watch this wknd?

Ugh, I'm low-key excited to see Davis Mills get destroyed by the Bills . Like, even if he's not C.J. Stroud, he's still gonna get owned out there. And don't even get me started on Mason Rudolph - I mean, I guess he's got some decent QB skills, but he's just so... Mason . The Jaguars are a wild card (no pun intended), but the Cardinals are just kinda... bad? I'm gonna take my chances with them too.

The Raiders' defense is def worth it at +4 - that guy Shedeur Sanders is like a lottery ticket waiting to happen . And don't count out those Giants just 'cause they're struggling this season. They've got some magic dust in them, you know? Same thing with the Patriots - they're always gonna be an underdog team in my book .

As for the rest... Seahawks are still trash, Vikings are probably gonna get schooled by the Packers (again), and I'm just gonna stick with my gut on the Colts-Chiefs game. And Falcons at Saints? Who knows, but I'll take my chances with Kirk Cousins being healthy .

I'm loving these NFL picks - the Bills vs Texans one is definitely got me thinking, I mean CJ Stroud can't even play and Davis Mills is like a rookie trying to go up against C.J. but at the same time the Bills team just seems so... meh this season.

I don't know about all these young QBs comin' into the league and thinkin' they can take on the pros right off the bat ... I mean, I love watchin' 'em try, but sometimes you gotta give it to experience, ya know? Like with Mason Rudolph startin' for the Steelers if Aaron Rodgers is out. That guy's got some game, and I think he can make a difference in that matchup against the Bears

I'm so over these underdog picks . Can't we just play to our strengths for once? I mean, the Giants are like that one friend who's always "getting right" but never actually does anything with it . And don't even get me started on the Browns and Raiders combo - they're like the NFL's equivalent of a timeshare .

I do love the Bills vs Texans matchup though . C.J. Stroud is going to be a star for years to come, no matter who he plays against. But I gotta agree with the Steelers at Bears pick too . That defense of theirs is like a brick wall .

And yeah, let's be real, the Jaguars are gonna win this one . They might not be consistent, but they're young and hungry... and the Cardinals just aren't that good .

The Seahawks vs Titans game is basically a formality . I mean, I guess it'll be fun to watch them get destroyed . But hey, at least the Patriots are looking strong this season . They might actually make some noise in the playoffs.

Overall, I'm just gonna go with my gut and pick the teams that have the most pieces on the board . It's not always pretty, but it's how you win games, right?

Can't say I agree with all these picks... think the Steelers will struggle big time against the Bears and that Jaguars game is gonna be super low scoring . Browns at Raiders (+4) is a weird one, don't get it . And on the other hand, Patriots are looking solid especially with their road performances this season . Seahawks might actually surprise us against the Titans . Guess we'll just have to wait and see how these games unfold .

The NFL is so unpredictable . I mean, you gotta respect teams that can turn games around, like the Giants and Patriots. They're like the underdog story of the league right now . But at the same time, there's some tough matchups here too. I'm not loving the Bills vs Texans game one bit, C.J. Stroud is a big deal for them . And don't even get me started on the Seahawks and Titans game... it's like they're giving away wins left and right . On the other hand, teams that are actually good like the Chiefs at home against the Colts should be able to take care of business, you know? The Bengals are just getting robbed by a 10.5 point spread . Anyway, gotta keep an eye on all these games to see who comes out on top .

LOL what's up with all these picks, dude? I got to say, I'm all over the board with my opinions too! I think you're right on Davis Mills vs the Bills tho, he's gonna get destroyed. And Mason Rudolph vs the Bears is a solid call, those Steelers QBs are always weird. But Jags at Cardinals? You gotta be kiddin' me, that's like pickin' your nose . Browns at Raiders? That fifth-round QB is gonna get lit up in the first quarter, no way. The Giants are like the crazy aunt of teams, I'm all over 'em! And don't even get me started on the Pats and Bengals, that's a no-brainer too. But Seahawks vs Titans? Yeah, that one feels right, they're still suckin' pretty bad this season . Pack your bags for a Packers win, J.J. McCarthy's got his work cut out for him .