Weekly Picks

This is a strange week. I have been tracking my performance in the pool I'm in and giving you those picks in this space. However due to a rule in that pool (we go by the lines published in Thursday's USA Today), this week is completely fucked up. There was a typo on the USA Today page making the Colts an underdog against Carolina, instead of the other way around. Also because there was no line on the Chargers-Texans game due to uncertainty about location, that game is a pickem. If you have a brain you probably realize that's a very stupid way to run a pool in which more than $5000 is at stake. But I spoke out and tried to get a rule change and was shouted down and insulted. So I will be going with the incorrect lines here and my stats from now on will be affected by this crap.

cleveland -3 ST. LOUIS
The Rams are absolutely putrid and the Browns are better than people think. Plus, they can put points on the board which should prevent a fluke outcome.

ny giants -9 1/2 MIAMI
The Dolphins are the home team even though this game is being played in London. The Dolphins might not score any points against this rejuvenated Giants defense.

pittsburgh -3 1/2 CINCINNATI
This is a classic don't let one week fool you game. The Steelers are still good, the Bengals still have no defense and this one shouldn't even be close.

SAN DIEGO even houston
The real spread is 9 1/2 and despite the upheaval in San Diego the Chargers have finally started balling again and they should pound the Texans.

indianapolis +6 1/2 CAROLINA
The real spread should be -6 1/2 but I think the Colts will cover either way. One good game from Testaverde I can understand, but two? Not gonna happen. Especially not against Dwight Freeney. David Carr could be in by the second quarter. This will probably be the first game in NFL history in which a team used two overall number one picks at quarterback and still lost by 20 points.

Last week: 3-2 (4 points)
Season so far: 18-17 (21 points)
Best bet: 1-0 (5-2)
Home favorites: 2-0 (8-5)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (2-0)
Road favorites: 1-1 (7-7)
Road underdogs: 0-1 (1-5)