Weekly Picks

A strong showing in a disputed week. While I raised holy hell in my league to get the correct spread used, the backlash against me was surprising in its strength and in its numbers. But if it hadn't been for a meaningless Dolphins touchdown late in the game I would have been shoving a perfect week up everyone's asses. Evidently these losers can only get games right when an error causes the spread to be off by 13 points. No mistaken lines this week so I should resume my excellence and everyone else should resume their mediocrity.

green bay +2 KANSAS CITY
I have a terrible record picking road underdogs this season but I just have a feeling there's something special about those Packers. They find a way to win. Watching "Hard Knocks" caused a lot of us to write off the Chiefs this year but they have come alive after losing their first two games. I still don't trust them though. And like I said, the Packers have something special going.

san diego -7 MINNESOTA
The Chargers are back. Their early season slide plus the overrated home field has this spread at an even touchdown. I'd be shocked if the Chargers didn't win this game by 20 points.

dallas -3 PHILADELPHIA
You know my rule by now, if two teams are playing and the spread is a field goal or less and you know that one of them is significantly better than the other, pick the better team.

PITTSBURGH -8 1/2 baltimore
The Steelers are still lurking just behind the Chargers as potential threats to knockoff the Colts or New England. If those four teams play in the second week of the playoffs that would make for a great weekend. Anyway, the Steelers are really good and the Ravens are really bad. Their 4-3 record is deceiving because the beat St. Louis, San Francisco, Arizona and the Jets (6 wins combined). The Steelers bounced back from a loss to the Broncos with a better showing against the Bengals and they'll keep that going against a depleted Ravens team.

Best Bet
new england +4 1/2 INDIANAPOLIS
This may surprise some people but I am not wavering at all on my all New England all the time strategy. Yes they are playing the undefeated Super Bowl Champs, and they are playing on the road and they're favorites, but I feel great about this pick because for once the Patriots don't need a blowout. I probably won't have to sweat a late touchdown unless the Pats are up by 10 or 11. I have full confidence that the Patriots will win this game.

Last week: 4-1 (5 points)
Season so far: 22-18 (26 points - tied for 3rd, one point out of 1st)
Best bet: 1-0 (6-2)
Home favorites: 1-0 (9-5)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (2-0)
Road favorites: 3-1 (10-8)
Road underdogs: 0-0 (1-5)

(Note: Since the two disputed games were covered by the real spreads as well as the erroneous ones I'm going to count them in the categories they should have been in.)