Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season doesn’t project as the most appealing on this year’s schedule, but the biggest returns are often borne of the lowest expectations.
Thursday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans was viewed as a matchup of perennial division winners when it was set. Now, it’s a pairing of two teams hoping to secure wild-card berths even as Houston tries to navigate another game without injured QB C.J. Stroud.
What seem like Sunday’s top contests also come with major asterisks. Will QB Aaron Rodgers suit up for Steelers-Bears? Will RB Josh Jacobs be available for the Minnesota Vikings’ visit to the Green Bay Packers? Might QB Joe Burrow even make a surprise return when the Cincinnati Bengals host the New England Patriots?
What is certain is that rookie Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will make his first regular-season start against the Raiders in Las Vegas. What’s fairly certain is that the .500 Kansas City Chiefs need to beat the first-place Indianapolis Colts if they’re going to keep their postseason hopes viable.
Rounding out the prime-time slate, the Los Angeles Rams − maybe the league’s top team − will welcome the Tampa Bay Bucs, who are also atop their division, on Sunday night. On Monday, the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers will meet in Silicon Valley in a game that actually has significant playoff implications for both squads.
How will the chips fall? Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ panel of NFL experts view things:
(Odds provided by BetMGM)
NFL Week 12 picks, predictions, odds
Bills at Texans
Seahawks at Titans
Giants at Lions
Jets at Ravens
Steelers at Bears
Patriots at Bengals
Colts at Chiefs
Vikings at Packers
Browns at Raiders
Jaguars at Cardinals
Falcons at Saints
Eagles at Cowboys
Buccaneers at Rams
Panthers at 49ers