Week 12 NFL picks for Thanksgiving games

Thanksgiving is all about the three F's: Family, food and football.

I'm especially thankful for my wife, even if she keeps reminding me that she is picking NFL games better than me. She went 10-3-1 last week, and the only football she follows is when I'm rambling on about my column. It was an experiment I thought of to illustrate that there's no science to trying to predict this unpredictable game.

The Panthers-Cowboys matchup is the main event, the turkey of Thursday's lineup. With that, I wish a happy Thanksgiving to all, and enjoy the tryptophan tripleheader.

EAGLES (4-6) AT LIONS (3-7), 12:30 p.m.

TV: Ch. 5; Radio: WFAN (660, 101.9)

Lions by 2; O/U: 45

The Eagles just lost back-to-back games at home, and the Lions have won two in a row, including a win at Green Bay. Take the hot team, right? Wrong. This scenario reminds me of Week 3 when no one, including myself, gave the Eagles a shot to beat the 2-0 Jets. They did, of course, because desperate teams find ways to win. Mark Sanchez put "The Butt Fumble" of Thanksgiving 2012 behind him last Thanksgiving with a big win at Dallas. I think the good Sanchez shows up.

The pick: Eagles

PANTHERS (10-0) AT COWBOYS (3-7), 4:30 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2; Radio: WFAN (660, 101.9)

Cowboys by 11/2: O/U: 45

If Tony Romo doesn't miss seven games, maybe this is a matchup of 10-0 and 9-1 teams. The Cowboys went 0-7 without Romo, and you can make a strong case they would've won six of those games with him. Now that Romo snapped the skid, Dallas is the popular pick. I guess everyone forgot that the Panthers are undefeated. Cam Newton (26 total TDs) and the Panthers' defense (19.1 points per game allowed) are playing out of their minds. A 10-0 team getting no respect from Vegas? Count me in. I think Newton has a big game. Wouldn't it be great if after one of his trips to the end zone, he ran up to the Cowboys owners box and gave Jerry Jones a ball, too. How 'bout them 11-0 Panthers!

The pick: Panthers

BEARS (4-6) AT PACKERS (7-3), 8:30 p.m.

TV: Ch. 4; Radio: WFAN (660, 101.9)

Packers by 8; O/U: 441/2

After stuffing your face for hours, it's time to loosen the belt on those Wranglers and watch Brett Favre have his number retired. Green Bay snapped a three-game skid last week with a big win at Minnesota. Aaron Rodgers has owned Chicago (12-3 with 34 TDs and 8 INTs), but I expect the Bears to be in this game. Let's not forget that the Packers lost at home to the Lions two weeks ago. Jay Cutler, another gunslinger like Favre, does enough to keep the Bears inside the number.

The pick: Bears

BOB GLAUBER: Eagles, Panthers, Packers

KIMBERLEY A. MARTIN: Lions, Cowboys Packers

TOM ROCK: Lions, Panthers, Packers