Back QB in homecoming

So desperate to escape Cincinnati that he seemed willing to retire instead of return to the Bengals, Carson Palmer got his wish - and landed in an even worse spot.

Cincinnati, still clinging to playoff hopes at 5-5, hosts its former quarterback today when Palmer and his train wreck of a team rolls into town. The Raiders are 3-7 after three consecutive losses.

Palmer, traded to Oakland in October 2011, is having a solid statistical season with 3,035 yards passing and 17 touchdowns. This is the right spot to support the Raiders as 8- to 8½-point underdogs, according to Micah Roberts of "The Linemakers" on SportingNews.com.

"As bad as the Raiders have looked the past three games, I see an opportunity now for them to play well, and it's because of Palmer," Roberts said. "He should be at his best against the team he played seven seasons for before it ended with sour feelings on both sides. Despite the losses, Palmer has put up some pretty good individual numbers, and best of all he's been healthy.

"He has thrown for over 300 yards in the past three games, mostly out of desperation, but I'm looking at it from the point of view that Palmer and his young group of receivers are finally in sync. I think we'll see a high-scoring game with the Raiders having a chance to win late."

Palmer is unlikely to get any help from running back Darren McFadden, who has not practiced recently because of a high ankle sprain.

"I'm going to do my best at making an argument for the Raiders. It's not my best bet, but I have a bet on them," Roberts said. "There was a small window where it looked like they might be a competitive team."

Oakland, allowing a league-worst 32.1 points per game, played well in trips to Atlanta and Kansas City before getting blown out at Baltimore.

Roberts projects Palmer and the Raiders to get back on a competitive track in a 34-31 loss to Cincinnati.

Roberts, a former sports book director, breaks down the rest of today's Week 12 rotation:

■ Pittsburgh (-1½) at Cleveland: It's amazing how well the Steelers have done over the years with their system when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been out. They don't seem to miss a beat. Charlie Batch is 5-2 as a starter for Pittsburgh, and he should be able to improve that mark in a low-scoring game against the scrappy Browns. One of my best bets is under the total of 34½. Steelers, 13-6.

■ Buffalo at Indianapolis (-3): It will be interesting to see how the Colts respond one week after having their four-game win streak snapped so rudely by the Patriots, 59-24. The Bills are a hard team to figure out, but I like them much better when running back Fred Jackson is in the lineup. This looks like a game Buffalo can steal. Bills, 33-27.

■ Denver (-10½) at Kansas City: During the Broncos' five-game win streak, they scored a franchise-record 30 points in five consecutive games. Look for Peyton Manning to extend the streak to six in a row. Because the Chiefs are averaging 10.6 points over their past six games, it's easy to go against them. You can't even use the rivalry or home angle with the Chiefs, who have packed it in. Broncos, 31-6.

■ Tennessee (-4) at Jacksonville: The Jaguars might be the worst team in the league, but I saw signs of a better future last week when they lost in overtime at Houston. Chad Henne made big throws, and rookie wide receiver Justin Blackmon made his first big splash. The Titans can't be trusted, especially laying points on the road. Jaguars, 27-23.

■ Minnesota at Chicago (-7): It's baffling how the Bears are so awful offensively without quarterback Jay Cutler, especially when you see how the Steelers can successfully run a system without their starter, and Cutler is not even in Roethlisberger's class. Cutler will be back from a concussion, but can he come back and save the day, and season, after two straight losses? Running back Adrian Peterson and the Vikings' conservative approach can keep it close. Bears, 20-17.

■ Atlanta (-1) at Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers and over the total made a winning two-team parlay the past four weeks, but they don't get a weak team to pick on this week. Tampa Bay has won five of its past six games, but the opponents were Kansas City, Minnesota, Oakland, San Diego and Carolina. When the Buccaneers matched up against a team that can score just as well, they lost to New Orleans. However, the Falcons have appeared to be in a daze the past three weeks and easily could have lost all three games instead of just one. I'm siding with the hot team. Buccaneers, 34-27.

■ Seattle (-3) at Miami: Although the Dolphins have lost three in a row, they should not be getting a field goal at home from a team that is 1-4 on the road. The Seahawks are taking their longest road trip and play at an early start time. I like the underdog, and I love this under the total of 37½. Dolphins, 16-13.

■ Baltimore (-1) at San Diego: The Chargers have not shown me much this season, except for a nice backdoor cover last week at Denver. So I have a hard time trusting my instincts that tell me they will beat Baltimore. Perhaps it has to do with the Ravens coming off a physical game against the Steelers and making the long trip to San Diego, where the Chargers have won two of their past three meetings. Chargers, 34-31.

■ San Francisco (-1) at New Orleans: I'm not sure what 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is doing by utilizing Alex Smith's injury as a means of getting Colin Kaepernick playing time, but I think it might backfire if he starts an inexperienced quarterback in the Superdome. Drew Brees and the Saints have won five of their past six games. Saints, 27-17.

■ St. Louis at Arizona (-1½): When these teams met in St. Louis, the Cardinals were 4-0. The Rams not only stopped that win streak, they also knocked out quarterback Kevin Kolb, who has yet to return. The Cardinals are riding a six-game losing streak, and the Rams are on a five-game losing streak. Ryan Lindley should improve Arizona's passing attack and stop its futility streak. Cardinals, 23-13.

■ Green Bay at New York Giants (-3): This almost mirrors the situation of the teams' meeting last season in Week 13. The Giants were on a three-game losing streak and fell 38-35 at home to the Packers. This time, the Giants have lost two in a row and come off a bye. The big difference is Green Bay was a 7-point favorite last season. The Giants seem to be bored with their schedule at times, but this one should get them fired up. The Packers have won the past three regular-season meetings, but the Giants have won two in a row against them when it counted most in the playoffs. Look for a high-scoring game, with Eli Manning getting a needed win. Giants, 31-27.

COMPILED BY MATT YOUMANS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL