With Thanksgiving just around the corner, NFL playoff races are heating up.
Contending teams are jockeying for positioning, while some pretenders have already turned their attention to the offseason.
Ahead of Sunday, let’s tackle my favorite NFL Week 12 predictions.
NFL Week 12 Best Bets
All NFL odds used for these Week 12 best bets are current as of Thursday, Nov. 20, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Chicago Bears -2.5 (-115) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Johnson looks like he was the right head-coaching hire for the Bears, who sit atop the NFC North at 7-3 after three straight wins. While they’ve been far from dominant the last two weeks, squeaking by the Giants and Vikings, their ability to pull out close, hard-fought games cannot go unnoticed.
Aaron Rodgers is pushing to play despite a fractured wrist. While he’s historically owned the Bears, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll be compromised.
That alone makes me hesitant to back the Steelers.
Lay the points with the Bears using our best sportsbook promos for 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs -3.5 (-105) vs. Indianapolis Colts
Can the Chiefs possibly fall below .500? The AFC West is probably out of reach. Soon, so too will the playoffs if Kansas City is unable to turn it around.
The Colts are 8-2 and statistically have the NFL’s best offense, but they’ve been slightly less productive on the road (29.8 PPG) compared to at home (33.7 PPG).
While Indianapolis should be refreshed coming off its bye, I’m backing a desperate Chiefs team at Arrowhead for my Week 12 NFL picks.
Dallas Cowboys +3 (+100) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ defense is humming after holding the Packers and Lions to single digits in back-to-back weeks. But Dak Prescott has always played well against Philadelphia, especially at AT&T Stadium, where he is 6-1 with 14 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 97.4.
Jalen Hurts and Co. may be able to exploit Dallas’ 31st-ranked scoring defense, but the Cowboys have the firepower to match.
The Cowboys are 3-1 ATS and 1-2-1 outright as an underdog this season. Look for them to keep it close, if not win outright, as one of my best NFL bets today.
