I’ve gone 20-10 over the past two weeks to bring my season record to 44-32-2 (58%).
This week’s 15-game slate has a little bit of everything–with a few good intradivisional matchups, some interconference pairings we rarely see, and a rather monstrous Sunday-night game. Getting the week off are Detroit and New Orleans.
(All games on Sunday afternoon unless otherwise noted.)
Philadelphia 17, New York Giants 16 (Thursday night): The Giants had some wind taken out of them last week after losing a big lead at Carolina. But it’s critical that they’re at home for a Thursday-night game, which could help them. The Eagles won’t have to travel too far, and it all adds up to another head-knocking, entertaining NFC East Division duel.
Pittsburgh 33, Cincinnati 20: This game is absolutely crucial for AFC North Division watchers. Pittsburgh heads to its bye week on a roll after blasting Atlanta and, it hopes, getting a key win over the Bengals. The Steelers are on the road for this one, but that won’t bother them against a familiar foe. The Bengals deserve credit for last week’s comeback win over Miami but, in this game, they can’t afford another slow start.
Los Angeles Chargers 30, Cleveland 13: Euphoria doesn’t happen often in Cleveland and it usually doesn’t last long, either. But there’s a wrinkle in this one: the last time the Chargers played in Cleveland, they were the Browns’ only victim of the 2016 season. Look for Los Angeles to emphatically boost confidence and sap the Browns’ good feelings, both at the same time.
Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 24: Tampa Bay, a team struggling on offense, is coming off its bye– a welcome relief after quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick began to struggle. But with Atlanta profusely bleeding on defense, the Bucs could get well in a hurry and deal the Falcons another loss.
Houston 31, Buffalo 13: The Texans have their confidence back, winning two straight after putting themselves in a 0-3 hole. They will be at home again, this time to play a Buffalo team that’s proving to be more schizophrenic than hapless.
Chicago 24, Miami 9: It may be harsh to call the Dolphins a ‘fraud.’ But there’s no other word to describe a team that fattened up on three weak foes and, then, getting blasted by New England and choking away a big lead at Cincinnati. They’re at home against the Bears–a rested team coming off a bye with one of the league’s best defenses.
Minnesota 30, Arizona 17: Last time the Vikings played at home, they took Buffalo for granted and suffered a head-shaking loss. They won’t be fooled again, not with Arizona coming to town. The Cardinals are looking better under rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, but the Vikings were energized with last week’s road win over the Super Bowl champion Eagles.
New York Jets 20, Indianapolis 17: The Jets appear to be in more of a comfort zone at home. Besides, they’re coming off a comprehensive win over Denver. The Colts continue a tough road stretch that saw them lose at New England last week. Indianapolis is definitely more competitive than in recent years, but the Jets have good energy and should win.
Tennessee 23, Baltimore 16: Ugh! This is why last week’s Ravens loss in Cleveland was crucial. Teams usually lose a third straight road game and the host Titans will be in a salty mood after losing to Buffalo. The Ravens got off to a 3-1 start, but their offense is struggling after getting just three field goals against the Browns.
Oakland 19, Seattle 13: The stars are aligned for the Raiders to get a win here because the Seahawks struggle on the road. The Raiders, on the other hand, are showing off a point-prolific offense and Marshawn Lynch will be happy to see his former teammates. He’s not angry at the Seahawks, but you just know he’ll have extra effort to show them.
Carolina 26, Washington 16: The Panthers are best known for their defense, but they also have Cam Newton (still underrated after all these years) and a dynamic rookie receiver in DJ Moore, a Maryland alum who is making a homecoming of sorts. Carolina needed every bit of offense to pull out a home win over the Giants, but they won’t need nearly as much against the Redskins.
Los Angeles Rams 27, Denver 20: The Rams nearly stumbled on the road in Seattle, but pulled it out to remain unbeaten. Now they play another team that’s much better at home. But, somehow, the Broncos doesn’t seem to be the kind of the complete team that could give the Rams trouble. This game could be closer than my score pick, but the Rams should stay spotless.
Dallas 23, Jacksonville 20: It’s a good news-bad news situation for the Cowboys. They are unbeaten at home this year, but they have had trouble scoring points (Dallas has scored more than 20 only once all season). But that should help them in a low-scoring game against a Jaguars club that’s used to high-scoring contests.
New England 34, Kansas City 27 (Sunday night): The last time these teams met, the Chiefs took a resounding victory that seemed to signal the end of the Pats’ dynasty. But New England is not only tough at home it also seems to be rounding into form. The Chiefs have a leaky, penalty-prone defense that has been masked by Pat Mahomes’ brilliance. But, let’s face it: just about every team that plays the Pats gets exposed.
Green Bay 23, San Francisco 17 (Monday night): These franchises are known for several things: intersecting coaching trees, West Coast offenses, and high-scoring thrills. Green Bay is heading for a bye, which can’t come too soon. The 49ers have struggled without Jimmy Garoppolo, plus they have to travel to nearly-impenetrable Lambeau Field.
