The Monday Night game pushes us to 9-4 on the week, 62-36 on the season.   These are the updated rankings:

             Seven teams had their best or worst weeks of the season. . .many more than the previous two weeks.   Baltimore’s 41-13 win over Houston was Baltimore’s best game of the season, Houston’s worst.   Jacksonville’s 38-14 win at Detroit was the Jag’s best game of the year and the Lion’s worst, which is saying something.   The Jets 47-3 slaughter of the Rams was the Jets best game of the year and St. Louis’ worst, which ain’t easy, either; actually we see the Rams as being worse than the Lions, although the Rams have a couple of wins.    And San Diego’s 20-19 squeaker over KC scores as San Diego’s worst game of the year, despite the win. . .which probably is unfair and inaccurate, since Kansas City is playing competitive football now, the last three weeks.  

            I’ve been waiting until every game is in before making predictions for the next game, but this is generating more NFL slush than anybody wants to read, and, as the rankings have stabilized with more games played, I’m going to start doing the weekly writeup all at one time, rather than dribbling it out as the games are played.  Here’s how I see it:

Thursday night, Jets at the Patriots

            Should be an outstanding game, the Hall of Fame quarterback against the nice-looking kid who is improving rapidly since getting his chance in his fourth NFL season.    We have the Jets at 102.1 and the Pats at 98.9, which becomes 101.9 when you add in the home-field advantage, so. . .it’s a tossup.  Since we have to call it, we’re calling it Jets, but it’s basically an even game.

Oakland at Miami

            Miami by 12.   Oakland is making a drive to earn recognition as the most fouled-up franchise in the NFL.   Detroit fires the GM, people think “alright; at last.”   Oakland fires the coach, people think it just makes things worse.

Lions at Carolina

            Carolina by some very large number. . .. .we’ll call it 16.

Bears at Green Bay

            Both teams coming off of disappointing, hard-fought losses.   Green Bay by two. . .in all candor I’d probably bet on the Bears if Orton can play.

Saints at Kansas City

            Our system. . which as we all know is wrong 37% of the time. . .says the Saints by six.   But Kansas City’s game scores the last three weeks—all losses—are 96, 96 and 97.   Kansas City certainly has a chance at an upset.  

Ravens at the Giants

            Giants by 4.   Baltimore is coming off its best game of the season and off of two straight outstanding games; the Giants are coming off of three straight very good games.   If I was a betting man I would certainly bet the Ravens to beat the spread because

            1)  One should generally bet against New York teams, since betting odds are established not based on who will win but on how much money is bet on each side.   New Yorkers tend to bet on New York teams, when those teams are good, which often drives the point spread on the New York teams higher than it should be.

            2)  I would guess that bettors tend to follow won-lost records more than they should.    New York’s 8-1 record will cause people to think that they’re much better than Baltimore (6-3), whereas in reality (at least according to our analysis) the two teams are very close.  

Eagles at Cincinnati

            Philadelphia by 11, but the Bengals are coming off the bye week.  On my to-do list:  do my own study of the effects of coming off the bye week.

Vikings at Tampa Bay

            Buccaneers by 8.

Texans at Indianapolis

            Colts by 10.

Broncos in Atlanta

            Falcons by 11.   Denver also coming off the bye week.

Rams in San Francisco

            49ers by 10.

Cardinals in Seattle

            Arizona by 8.  

Titans at Jacksonville

            Tennessee by 7.   Should be a decent game, and Jacksonville certainly has a chance to end the streak.   Tennessee has been the most consistent team in the league, but Jacksonville has played just as well at times.

Chargers in Pittsburgh

            Steelers by 11.    Long-range prediction:   Chargers will make the playoffs at 9-7.

Cowboys at Washington

            Washington by 2.    But if Romo is back, which I am guessing he will be, Dallas could win in a rout.   The Redskins game scores the first five games:  101, 101, 104, 103, 108.   The last four games:  90, 100, 99, 94.  

Monday night, Browns at Buffalo

            Who knows?   Both teams are up and down and all over the place.   But we have it Buffalo by one point.