NFL Week 12 lines, spreads, picks: Go with the Falcons, Ravens

Picks for the rest of the NFL slate, Week 12.

Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons (-4)

The Cardinals are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games and haven’t looked good since beating up on the Jets on Oct. 23. They were involved in an awful 6-6 tie with Seattle immediately following that win then lost to Carolina, scraped by the hapless 49ers and lost in Minnesota to a team that had previously dropped four straight.

Meanwhile, the Falcons are rested off their bye week and look like a good “buy low” option after throwing in a clunker against the Eagles two weeks ago. That 24-15 loss was excusable as their offense has been dominant all year long. Matt Ryan’s unit is third in YPG and leads the league in scoring at 32 PPG.

The Falcons should also be able to generate pressure against the Cardinals woeful offensive line; Carson Palmer’s been sacked 31 times this year (third-most in the league), while Atlanta’s rushers have generated 22 sacks this season, one of the better marks in the NFL.

There are plenty of reasons to want to back Atlanta in this one, so lay the four points.

The pick: Falcons -4

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-4.5)

Cincinnati was dealt a devastating blow when it was revealed wide receiver A.J. Green would miss multiple games with a strained hamstring. To make matters worse, running back Gio Bernard tore his ACL in last week’s game and has been ruled out for the season. Sitting at 3-6-1 (2-7-1 ATS), there has to be sentiment going around the Bengals’ locker room that their season is over.

Even at full strength the Bengals would be up against it this week, facing the Ravens’ second-ranked defense by YPG. By contrast, Cincinnati’s defense has been porous of late and has dropped to the bottom third in the league by YPG allowed. The Ravens offense hasn’t blown anyone away this season, but they have put up back-to-back games with over 350 yards.

Joe Flacco has a good chance to pad the stat sheet again on Sunday and his team is poised to run their divisional record up to 4-0 against the wounded Bengals.

The pick: Ravens -4.5

Quick picks (picks inbold)

San Francisco 49ers @Miami Dolphins(-7.5)

Tennessee Titans(-3.5) @ Chicago Bears

Jacksonville Jaguars@ Buffalo Bills (-7.5)

Los Angeles Rams @New Orleans Saints(-7)

New York Giants (-7) @Cleveland Browns

San Diego Chargers@ Houston Texans (-1)

Seattle Seahawks(-5.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Carolina Panthers @Oakland Raiders(-4)

New England Patriots(-8) @ New York Jets

Kansas City Chiefs @Denver Broncos(-3)