NFL Best Bets, Week 12: It’s time to take the Jaguars seriously

We were a Marques Valdes-Scantling drop away from a winning week last week, but we still did pick up a “W” with the Rams game.

I’m disappointed that the Steelers could not find a way to beat the Browns with a rookie quarterback, but that really felt like the Steelers beating themselves with some terrible play-calling and shaky quarterback play.

Thankfully, the Steelers have addressed the former and made another appearance in our Week 12 picks.

Off we go.

Reminder: Lines taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.

JAGUARS -1.5 vs Texans

This should be a fun game (which we don’t usually say for AFC South showdowns). However, both teams have young, exciting rosters, and this game is for first place in the division.

The Texans beat the Jaguars by 20 points earlier in the season, and I find it hard to think they can pull off the sweep, as they won’t catch Jacksonville off guard in Week 12.

The Jaguars will use this game as a ‘prove it’ matchup and show why they belong in the conversation as a team to pay attention to in the AFC playoffs.

Jags by a field goal.

STEELERS -1 @ Bengals

Will the Steelers lose to Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jake Browning in consecutive weeks? I don’t see it.

Much like Josh McDaniel’s departure in Las Vegas, I expect the Steelers’ offense to show a little more moxy with the departure of Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. Pickett has his limitations, but the Steelers have worked within them for several weeks.

Browning will get a full week of practice, so he should fare better than the Browns game, but he is still very raw. Before getting thrust into the Ravens game last Thursday, he had one pass attempt in the NFL. I also feel like the air was let out of the Bengal balloon, and some of those guys might be thinking about their January vacation plans.

BEARS +3.5 vs Vikings

I can keep blaming the Bears for failing to cover games in which I pick them, or I can blame myself for constantly clinging to any positive trends that I see from their previous games.

Despite the epic collapse last Sunday, the Bears looked like a competent NFL team as a whole. They executed well for three and a half quarters, and the defense had Jared Goff on the ropes. A few breaks in their favor, and this line would look a little different.

The Bears played the Vikings fairly close in their first affair with a healthy Cousins and a half of Bagent. With an injured Cousins and a healthy Fields, I think this game favors Chicago to keep it close.

I can see either team winning by a field goal, which means the Bears would cover.