Scully’s NFL Week 12 picks: Cardinals will bounce back against Pats

Three NFL games are scheduled for Thanksgiving, but I will focus on Sunday’s action in Week 12.

Six underdogs won straight up in Week 11, and favorites were only 5-8 against the spread.

Here are my selections for Week 12.

Arizona Cardinals vs. New England Patriots

Following a dramatic victory over Buffalo, the Cardinals could not avoid a letdown against Seattle in Week 11, but they will rebound against the declining Patriots.

The New England offense is anemic. The Patriots don’t run it well, and quarterback Cam Newton lacks viable downfield weapons. New England exits an ugly loss against Houston, and it can only beat teams with offensive woes.

Arizona remains one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. Quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t have his best game against Seattle, but the phenom will exploit New England’s secondary. The Seahawks surprisingly limited the Cardinals to 57 rushing yards, and this is a good bounce-back spot for Kenyan Drake.

New England, which has had significant attrition defense this year, ranks only 21st against the rush (121.8 rushing yards allowed per game). And the league’s 26th-ranked scoring offense won’t be able to match points with Arizona.

Pick: Arizona -2.5

Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

After they switched to quarterback Jake Luton, the Jaguars played Houston and Green Bay to the wire. They proved no match for Pittsburgh in Week 11, but this is a favorable matchup.

Cleveland enters in top form, and it’s profitable to play against the Browns on the road. They are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games.

Nick Chubb has rejoined Kareem Hunt in the Cleveland backfield, and the Browns rely on the ground game, because of the inconsistent play of quarterback Baker Mayfield. Their passing offense is a mess, and the Browns are comfortable grinding out low-scoring games. Cleveland has failed to score more than 20 points in four of its last five contests.

Jacksonville has lost nine straight, but its run defense has improved in recent weeks. The Jaguars held Pittsburgh to 100 rushing yards on 27 carries, and their last four opponents have beaten them through the air. That isn’t a serious concern against Cleveland.

The Browns should be on upset alert, and I’m grabbing the points with Jacksonville.

Pick: Jacksonville +6.5

New York Giants vs. Cincinnati Bengals

This is an unfortunate spot for Cincinnati. Ryan Finley is a terrible backup quarterback, and the Bengals are still reeling from the loss of Joe Burrow.

New York is one of the most improved teams over the last six weeks. Quarterback Daniel Jones is no longer turning the ball over, and he has become a threat with his arms and legs. The Giants have depth at wide receiver, and their defense is legitimate, which has helped carry them to back-to-back wins.

The Bengals will struggle to score points. New York has won three of its last five games, and lost by only two points to Tampa Bay and by a single point to Philadelphia. The Giants have developed into the best team in an awful NFC East, under new coach Joe Judge.

The Giants should roll to a double-digit win.

Pick: New York Giants -5.5

James Scully's NFL ATS record heading into Week 12: 13-20