Coming in late this week, I know. The good news is, I’m just as good at being wrong on a Sunday morning as I am the rest of the week. So that’s something. Here’s what not to expect.<\/p>\n
Buffalo (+8) at Kansas City<\/strong> Green Bay (+5.5) at NY Jets<\/strong> Denver (pick ’em) vs. San Francisco (Wembley Stadium, London)<\/strong> Jacksonville (+6.5) at Dallas<\/strong> Carolina (+3) at St. Louis<\/strong> Miami (+2.5) at Cincinnati<\/strong> Washington (+2.5) at Detroit<\/strong> Tennessee (+3.5) at San Diego<\/strong> Tampa Bay (+3) at Arizona<\/strong> Minnesota (+5) at New England<\/strong> Seattle (+2.5) at Oakland<\/strong> Pittsburgh (-1) at New Orleans<\/strong> Houston (+5.5) at Indianapolis<\/strong>
\nYou can forget about how the Bills looked like they might upset the Ravens in Baltimore<\/a> a week ago. It would be meaningless with regard to this game even if they’d pulled if off – and they didn’t. What’s meaningful is that the Bills, who are playing their second straight road game, have the league’s worst pass defense. This Halloween, I expect to see Matt Cassel<\/a> break his old Tom Brady<\/a> costume out of the closet for the first time in a couple years. Kansas City by 14.<\/p>\n
\nThe Frat Boys are at home and coming off a bye. The Packers are on the road, apparently running on fumes and coming off a home game in which they barely squeaked by a division opponent<\/a> that they should have beaten handily. So, yeah, I’m taking New Jersey and giving the five and a half.<\/p>\n
\nEnjoy the show, London. (Man, we really do send our best over there, don’t we?) This contest between disappointing squads is as pure a coin flip as I’ve seen. On a neutral field in the United States, I’d probably go with Denver. But given the fact that the Broncos chose to wait until the last minute to fly to the UK (because apparently the organization is unfamiliar with the concept of jetlag), I’m gonna take the 49ers to win, probably by a field goal.<\/p>\n
\nDo you think if the Cowboys win a few games with Jon Kitna<\/a> starting at quarterback, they’ll start to edge toward realizing the fact that Tony Romo<\/a> is hideously overrated? Neither do I. Just had to ask. The Jaguars are probably a better team than the Cowboys, but they really, really, really don’t travel well. Dallas by four.<\/p>\n
\nIf the Rams can figure out a way to keep Sam Bradford<\/a> on his feet, they should have little trouble holding off the offense-free Panthers. St. Louis by a touchdown.<\/p>\n
\nThese two teams appear to be out of contention in their divisions. The loser will be all-but-officially out of the running for a wild card spot. That probably doesn’t matter much from a big picture perspective, since neither of these teams is making it to the post-season, but it will at least appear to mean something to the guys on the field this weekend. I’m taking the Bengals, because they’re at home, but I’m not giving the points. Cincinnati by one.<\/p>\n
\nThe Racial Slurs are on the road for the second consecutive week, which means I probably should take the Lions. But that would mean picking the Lions. I can’t do that. So, yeah, OK, I’ll take Washington to win it outright. Whatever.<\/p>\n
\nThe Chargers are about at sloppy and undisciplined a professional football team as I’ve ever seen. The Titans are a solid squad that comes in knowing that a win will put some distance between itself and one of the other teams in contention for the AFC South title. And still I’m taking San Diego. Just can’t see the Chargers surrendering a home loss two weeks in a row. I kind of hope I’m wrong, though, and I’m certainly not giving three and a half.<\/p>\n
\nNot only are the Bucs not “the best team in the NFC,”<\/a> they’re not even the best team in the NFC South. But they’re better than the Cardinals. So they’ve got that going for them, which is nice. Bucs by a field goal.<\/p>\n
\nFor the second straight week, the Patriots face an opponent that’s supposed to be better than its record. That’s still a description I can’t buy into, but this week, it at least includes a hint of truth. So far as I can tell the only thing separating the Vikings from success is the fact that they’ve got the wrong guy starting at quarterback <\/a>. And while it’s abundantly obvious that Minnesota’s not gonna figure that out (or maybe it’s just that there’s no way they can admit it — it hardly matters which, since the result is the same), there’s pretty decent chance they won’t have to. I can’t imagine Brett Favre<\/a> missing a start, but neither can I imagine that he’s gonna finish this game. (I put zero stock in this kind of thing, so don’t read this as anything more than a point of curiosity, but I awoke in the wee hours Saturday with this thought running through my head: “Gerard Warren<\/a> is gonna go down in NFL history as the guy who ended Brett Favre’s career.”) And while it’s easy, and not unreasonable, to say you’re not afraid of Tarvaris Jackson<\/a>, it remains the fact that the Vikings have been competitive enough with old, gimpy and seemingly addled Favre running the offense that one has at least to consider the possibility that they might be dangerous with a QB who can actually play. It’s also never easy to face two quarterbacks, let alone two QBs with such disparate playing styles, in a single game. This, of course, is all just a long way of saying that I think this has the potential to be a tougher matchup for New England than a home game against a 2-4 opponent ought to be. Still and all, the Pats don’t lose at home, and they’ve definitely got something to prove after last week’s sloppy win and someone<\/a> to make a bigger point to. So my guess is that while it may be tough through at least three quarters, New England will make it look less so in the end. Pats by 10.<\/p>\n
\nIs it even possible to follow a record-setting road victory<\/a> over a bitter division rival with a home loss to an uneven team from the other conference? Of course it is. These are the Oakland Raiders. Seattle by four.<\/p>\n
\nYou know, I’d love to see the Saints find a way to win this game. I just can’t, try as I might, find a reason to believe that they will. Steelers by three.<\/p>\n
\nOK, Texans, here you go. The Colts are seriously banged up<\/a> and probably in trouble. You opened the season by beating them in your building.<\/a> Completing the sweep on a Monday night at their place would confirm your place as a legitimate contender in the AFC. Can you manage a big win at a big moment? Probably not, huh? Colts by three.<\/p>\n