Hard to believe a season that almost never was is almost over. While most of the playoff spots have been locked up there is still some drama remaining, including the NFC East showdown between Dallas and the Giants and the final AFC wild card spot. 16 divisional games are on the docket, which certainly isn't a foolproof solution to fixing some of these so-called meaningless games, but nevertheless we are in for another fun finish.

Last week: 8-8

Season: 110-121-9

Buffalo at New England (-1...

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All eyes will be on Lambeau Field Sunday afternoon, as the Green Bay Packers' march to 16-0 continues against Oakland. In the evening they will turn to Jerry World, where the Giants and Cowboys will face off in the first of two meetings in the season's final four weeks to decide the NFC East. As for me, I need a miracle to finish over .500. My chances are about as good as that of the Bills - as in non-existent.

Last week: 7-9
Season: 86-98-8

Atlanta (-3) at Carolina

Analysis:            Carol...

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It's almost gotten to the point where I'm "playing out the string", to drudge up the dreading saying. 10 games under means I need almost every week to be a stellar one the rest of the way. That starts with a Thanksgiving weekend full of monster games, perhaps none bigger than Packers-Lions to open the Turkey Day slate. The Harbaugh Bowl and Super Bowl XXXIX Pats-Eagles rematch are big, but Sunday's gem could be Arizona-St. Louis. After all, their first meeting featured back-to-back safeties a...
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Another Thursday loss means another uphill climb come Sunday for me. Bengals-Ravens highlights Week 11, as does Part 6 of the Jay Cutler-Philip Rivers saga. The Packers' chase for perfection collides with the reeling Bucs, while the Colts jaunt towards imperfection takes a hiatus with a much-needed bye.

Last week: 6-10
Season: 66-74-6
 

Buffalo at Miami (-1)

Analysis:            Does anybody want more redemption in this game than Dan Carpenter? The normally-reliable Dolphins kicker missed a career...

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Good thing there's Sunday. After bombing Thursday's pick, it's time to get back over .500 in a week featuring a number of key divisional and intraconference showdowns. Several divisions could see a changing of the guard, most notably the AFC East, where the Jets are looking to unseat the hated Patriots.

Last week: 6-8
Season: 60-64-6

Arizona at Philadelphia (-14)
Analysis: It appears as if Kevin Kolb's homecoming won't happen, meaning John Skelton gets to face the slumping, underachieving Eagles....
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Safety first

The Rams did something historic in an otherwise-ugly third quarter in Arizona. With their only two scores being safeties, they became the first team to ever score exactly four points in a single quarter. They also became the first team since the 1999 Jaguars to record safeties on consecutive defensive plays. Perhaps not surprisingly, the two quarterbacks in these instances are Kordell Stewart and John Skelton.

 

Double whammy

            It’s not often we get to enjoy ...

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            With my big Week 7 surge, I have officially moved over .500 for the year. What an accomplishment considering the Dolphins-like start I had to my season. There are five double-digit spreads among the six early games, so if you live on the West Coast like me, you can probably sleep in until the late games start this week. Then again, could we have an upset or two in store?

 

Week 7:            9-3-1

Season:            49-48-6

 

Arizona at Baltim...

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Finally, a week to be proud of. 8-4-1 (I guess the bye weeks are helping me out) and now 3-3 on upset specials for the year. Did I say upset special? Jim Schwartz was especially upset after Jim Harbaugh’s overly-excited postgame handshake. That means only the 6-0 Packers remain unbeaten. Will they remain so in Week 7? Let’s take a look at the 13 games on tap: 

Last week: 8-4-1
Season: 40-45-5

Atlanta at Detroit (-3.5)

Analysis:            Okay, so the Lions are human after all. At 5-1, t...

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Buffalo at New York Giants (-3): Giants
Carolina at Atlanta (-4): Falcons
Indianapolis at Cincinnati (-7): Colts
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh (-13): Steelers
Philadelphia (-1) at Washington: Eagles
St. Louis at Green Bay (-14): Packers
San Francisco at Detroit (-4): 49ers
Cleveland at Oakland (-6.5): Raiders
Houston at Baltimore (-7.5): Texans
Dallas at New England (-7): Cowboys
New Orleans (-4.5) at Tampa Bay: Buccaneers
Minnesota at Chicago (-3): Vikings
Miami at New York Jets (-7): ...
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Yikes. 5-11 a week ago, it's time I get this thing turned around. But until I do, feel free to look at my picks and for betting purposes, pick the opposite. That would have made you wealthy in Week 4. Week 5 rolls around with just two unbeatens, the Packers – okay, we're not shocked – and the Lions – seriously, were they playing Division I-AA schools? But give Detroit credit, including the preseason, they have won 12 straight games dating to last year. There are still four winless teams...

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I wasn't exactly on point last week, going 5-9-2, although the late games brought me back a bit (thanks for showboating, Jesse Holley). The aerial assaults and scoring barrages continue, a trend that looks like it's here to stay. Week 3 features several perennial also-rans playing in big games looking to show they are for real (see: Detroit, Buffalo, Houston). 2-0 is great for those teams, but stepping up to a real challenge is what truly makes believers. And now, a breakdown of the games:

La...

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To say the offenses were ahead of the defenses in Week 1 is a vast understatement. Five different games featured two quarterbacks going over 300 yards, most unforgettably Cam Newton's stellar 418-yard debut and Tom Brady's 517-yard demolition of the Dolphins on Monday night. So will it be more of the same in Week 2? In Newton's case, a repeat performance will be awfully tough against the defending champion Packers. Brady will also face a stiff test in San Diego. But smart money says continue ...

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Week 7 is already upon us, and this so-called year of parity is really only a half-truth. The NFC is wide open with no one-loss teams after just six weeks, but it’s the usual suspects in the AFC. This week features a few key divisional games, perhaps none bigger than Monday night in Dallas between the surging Giants and the fading Cowboys. Will Wade Phillips, remarkably still employed at this point, still have a job if Big D loses that one? At any rate, let’s dive right into the picks:

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