NFC South Week 12 Preview

With the Saints surging, the Buccaneers on a four game winning streak and the Falcons owning the conference’s best record, the NFC South is unquestionably the hottest division in the NFL. Week 12 will bring some high-profile match-ups in the division, including an inter-division clash between the Falcons and Buccaneers and a game between the NFC West leading 49ers and the Saints, who are looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. Here’s a quick look at each of the three games in the South this week and as always, the winning picks.

San Francisco 49ers 7-2-1 at New Orleans Saints 5-5

Although Alex Smith will be available for this week’s road game against the Saints after missing Monday night’s game with a concussion, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has said that he will go with “the hot hand” for this week. It appears that Colin Kaepernick will get the start, considering he is the hot hand right now. His solid performance in the win over the Bears may have created some QB controversy, at least for this week, However, the whoever starts at QB may not matter for a team that ranks first in the league in rushing and is a top defensive power.

The Saints will face a challenge no matter who starts at quarterback for San FranÂ

The Niners will be encountering one of the league’s hottest teams, the Saints, who started the season 0-4, but have gone 5-1 since. The Saints appear to be back in top form offensively, but have struggled on the defensive side, ranking last in run defense and second to last in pass defense. That will be a huge concern entering this week’s contest, considering they will be up against the league’s best rush offense.

Although the Saints are hot, this match-up should cool them off. There’s just no way the worst run defense will stop the league’s best rush offense. Take the Niners to cover -2 points this weekend.

Carolina Panthers 2-8 at Philadelphia Eagles 3-7

There’s no question that it’s been a disappointing season for the Panthers and their fans after entering 2012 with a high level of confidence, but the good news is they are encountering a team that has similarly underachieved in the Philadelphia Eagles. With the Eagles’ organization amidst plenty of inner turmoil, not to mention that the team is on a six-game skid, this may be an opportunity for the Panthers to steal a game on the road.

While Carolina’s season has been marred by close losses, Philadelphia’s had included several embarrassing routs, as the Eagles have dropped their last four contests, each by more than 13 points. Those large margins have been caused by turnovers and a defense that has developed an aptitude for giving up the big play, not to mention an offense that is scoring fewer than 17 points per game.

The Panthers haven’t fared well this season in close games, but they might not be in one this week. Look for Carolina to beat up a down Eagles squad by covering -1 points.

Atlanta Falcons 9-1 at Tampa Buccaneers 6-4

With the Falcons and the Saints getting the majority of the attention in the division, it’s surprising to learn that the Bucs are actually the hottest team down south. Currently on a four-game winning streak, Tampa Bay has an opportunity to close the gap to two games with a win this week. Of course, it will not be easy to keep that streak going against arguably the league’s best team.

Can the Bucs keep rolling against hotlanta?

What the Bucs do get attention for is their premier running game that features rookie sensation Doug Martin at tailback, but what many don’t know about them, is they actually have the NFL’s top ranked run defense. This will certainly serve them well against an Atlanta squad that loves to run the ball to set up the pass.

With the hotter team and with home field advantage I like the Bucs in a slight upset this week. Take Tampa to cover +2.