A Look at the Expert Picks and Week 12 NFL Odds Preview
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (+3.5)
This is the first Thanksgiving Day game, which has long been a staple in Detroit. This line surprises me somewhat even though the Vikings are defending NFC North champions and the Lions had a losing record in 2016. Detroit was swept by the Vikings last year. The game in Detroit was Week 7 and the Vikings won 28-19. Stefon Diggs leaped from just inside the 5 and landed in the end zone with a 36-yard, go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. The rookie had six receptions for 108 yards overall. It was Minnesota’s first NFC North road win in three years. Detroit had an 11-point lead after Matthew Stafford threw for TDs on its first two drives, but blew it in large part because the offensive line couldn’t protect the quarterback. Minnesota had a season-high seven sacks, which also was a season worst for Detroit. The Lions led 17-6 on Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal late in the first half.Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (-1.5)
Needless to say, this pick depends on who Denver’s starting quarterback is. Four months ago, the Super Bowl champion Broncos had Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. Now after Manning retired and Osweiler left as a free agent for Houston, the defending champs head into the offseason with Mark Sanchez, Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch. Coach Gary Kubiak says the competition will be wide open, but most expect Sanchez to win the job. He would act as a bridge QB to Lynch. Regardless, Denver will still have one of the NFL’s top defenses. It won in Kansas City last year but lost 29-13 at home. Manning became the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yardage in the game, eclipsing Brett Favre’s mark of 71,838 with a 4-yard pass to Ronnie Hillman. Manning finished the day with just 35 yards on 5-of-20 passing, zero touchdowns, four interceptions, two sacks and a zero passer rating before being benched late in the third quarter in favor of Osweiler. The Broncos were missing defensive stars DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib that day. I like Denver here.Mark Sanchez is doing all the right things to be Denver’s starting QB: https://t.co/mfCvL2dRpX (via @jeffrichadiha) pic.twitter.com/D5bxTWbZw8
— NFL (@NFL) May 29, 2016