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Dan Leach's 2014 NFL Locks: Week 12 'Lets Put The Losses On The Shelf' Edition

By Dan Leach
@dtmleach

With the NFL season heating up, so do my NFL picks, which will be here for you each and every week to help you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends, and just become a more whole football fan and human being. I will take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 scale. I have been on fire for you all season long and do not expect to slow down anytime soon. And....Here....We....Go!

DTM Song Of The Week: Pink Floyd "Louder Than Words" from the album "The Endless River"

Well, it has been 20 years since the last Pink Floyd album and it will be 200 until their next when they are revived ala Walt Disney, as they have said this one will be their last. Even without Waters and the brilliant but late Rick Wright, you can still hear what Floyd would be like if they were all together today. Its been 23 years since the Lions won at Foxborough, let listening to this song bring them a little good karma.

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks 4:05 p.m. Sunday TV FOX (Seahawks -7.5)

The Cards come off the big win against the Lions and will continue the Drew Stanton Express, hoping that he is enough to get this team to a Super Bowl. We all know that is fantasy land, but I do like what this team has been doing whether its Palmer or Stanton at the helm, but they are 9-1 mainly because of that defense and more specifically the secondary with Cromartie, Peterson, and the Honey Badger among others, that can absolutely give you fits.

The Hawks have not been a shade of themselves as of late, but still are a scary team and if Skittles Lynch can play at a high level with the injury that could be a major antidote to the cards great secondary. Lynch and Wilson will be tough, but AZ will do just enough to hang in this one and will keep it a one score game throughout on the solid play of -- dare I say it -- Drew Stanton.

5.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Cardinals +7.5

Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m. EST Sunday TV CBS 62 (Falcons -3)

This is one of those games that makes you wonder if parity is really a good thing for today's NFL. The Browns are team that is definitely improving and on the rise, but is way inflated for a 6-4 team. Atlanta is a true riddle that somehow, someway (maybe because of the rise of Sasquatch) is leading their division at 4-6 going into week 12. That's about as insane as Dennis Rodman's everyday life. The good news for Dirty Birds fans is they are solid at home under Matty Ice and after Cleveland got lambasted by the Texans in C-Town last week, there is simply no trust factor there. The Falcons will have their way with a diminishing Browns and will make their division leading record in the South just a little bit less embarrassing.

6.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Falcons -3 (buy down to 2.5)

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans 1 PM EST Sunday TV CBS 62 (Texans -2)

Was super high on Cinci last week and am just as high on them this week against a Texans team that just doesn't have enough overall balance to make me a believer, and will start Ryan Mallet Gun instead of the Harvard Sensation as they try to keep their head above water in a desperate bid for a playoff run.

Arian Foster will be a game-time decision and that would be a huger loss for the Texans despite his great acting turn in "Draft Day." Foster has been extremely valuable when healthy for Houston and if he doesn't play I would go from giving the Texans a small chance to no chance against a Bengals team that seems to be gaining steam at the perfect time for a run at the AFC North. Look for a huge day out of the #RedHerring and A.J Green.

7.1 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Bengals +2

Detroit Lions at New England Patriots 1 p.m. EST Sunday TV Fox Radio 97.1 The Ticket (Pats-7)

Last week was one of the "golden opportunity" type chances for the Lions to make a major statement on the road....They failed! Now they get another one just one week later and this is twice as big with what the Pats have been doing as of late, which is simply be unstoppable. These are the type of games that can define a season and the Lions know it and have to tackle it that way from the get-go.

Detroit's offense has been inept at times this year and has yet to truly get going. If they are going to have any chance at a monumental win on the road it is going to have its best performance of the season. There is probably little chance for the Lions to win the North for the first time since 1993 without winning either the Patriots or Green Bay game at Lambeau. While Detroit won't win this one, they will hang in it until the bitter end and show that they are a good football team and not one that is just lucky like so many absurd fans think they are.

PATS 28 LIONS 24

7.4 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Lions +7

Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints 8:30 p.m. EST Monday TV ESPN (Saints -3)

This could be Drew Brees and company's last chance at really gaining enough momentum to win their putrid division and make a run towards the postseason. The Ravens are truly the definition of the NFL Up/Down theory and have the talent to make a move, but can't be trusted. This is the spot that the Saints muster all they have left and show why they still can be a dangerous team. Look for Brees to have a huge day against a much maligned Ravens D as of late and to give fans on the Bayou a little late season hope.

8 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Saints-3 (buy down to 2.5)

Bonus Game -- New York Jets VS Buffalo Bills 1pm Sunday....Line (Schwartz -1 black eye) Tickets (Free) Excitement Level (None-not even for fans of their own squad) DTM Prediction....both Marty Mornhinweg and The Schwartz get carried off the field for absolutely different reasons then last time -- this time its cause of....PAIN!!

ODDS TIDBIT -- Lions drop to 11-1 to win NFC and drop to 25-1 to win Super Bowl XLIX after being 16-1 before Cards game last week. Lions now +$225 to win NFC North after being +$140 last week with Packers the fave at -$350, their highest odds of the season.

Last Week: 1-4 UGHHHHH
DTM'S 2014 Record ATS:36-19
DTM's 2013 Record ATS:43-26

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