Playing The Spread, Week 7

A hearty Playing The Spread welcome goes out to all of you joining me for week seven of the NFL season. But if you're not joining me this week, well, I can understand why. You see, the last full week of October traditionally corresponds with a lull in interest in the NFL. With six weeks gone, teams have sorted themselves out into various categories: the teams to beat (Chicago, Indy, Denver), the hopeful (St. Louis, Jacksonville), the mediocre (Buffalo, Minnesota), the hopeless (Arizona, Detroit), and the Raiders. While some amazing success stories are still ongoing (New Orleans), we're beyond the point where major surprises are going to pop up. Playoff races will heat up in a month or so, but for the time being it's all about holding down the fort.

Perhaps another reason for this annual lull is the one sporting event that might actually eclipse the NFL in national interest. I speak, of course, of the World Series. Admittedly, baseball is not the national passion it once was, but it is still formidable enough a rival that the NFL opts to yield the stage to Game Two on Sunday night, rather than trying to throw a marquee matchup on TV in competition.

Hopefully the Detroit Tigers will make quick work of the St. Louis Cardinals and by time next weekend rolls around, football will once again be squarely in the forefront of the American consciousness, notwithstanding the pockets of Appalachia that care only for the NASCAR Chase for the Cup and the upper reaches of Minnesota (and Revere) that actually follow the NHL's interminable grind toward the protracted postseason.

As always, the following picks are for entertainment purposes only and should not be the basis for any actual cash wagers (though you'd probably be leading your league if you disobey my advice).

Last week: 7-6
Season to date: 49-33-5
Best bets: 2-4
Eliminator: 6-0

Patriots (-5.5) over Bills
Why will this game be much more of a landslide than the first Pats-Bills meeting? (1) New England has cobbled together some semblance of a passing game (2) Bill Belichick has already seen Buffalo play this season (3) the Bills just lost to the Lions. WIN

Chargers (-5) over Chiefs
Remember what I said about Damon Huard being the hottest quarterback in the NFL right now? Yeah, um, forget that. LOSS

Jets (-3.5) over Lions
The Detroit Lions must be thrilled that the Tigers are in the World Series, since the entire city doesn't really care how badly the Lions are playing now. The Jets, meanwhile, are trying to give New York sports fans something to cheer about, seeing as how both baseball teams have failed in that regard. (Carlos Beltran, caught looking on an 0-2 pitch, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, rookie pitcher. Wow. Awesome.) WIN

Dolphins (-5) over Packers
As long as Joey Harrington continues to start for the "injured" Daunte Culpepper, Miami has a fighting chance of winning a game or two. Had they not decided to play it safe with a chip-shot 51-yard field goal instead of going for the first down on 4th and 2, they might have actually pulled off the upset against the Jets last week. LOSS

Falcons (+2.5) over Steelers
Enjoy the last full week of Michael Vick before he suffers his annual career-endangering injury next Sunday. You heard it here first. WIN

Eagles (-5) over Bucs
I give Bruce Gradkowski (who I called Brad two weeks ago -- sorry!) much credit for a terrific game-winning drive last week, though perhaps he really needs to share that credit with Mike Carey. I'm not quite ready to anoint him the next Phil Simms, though he makes a better case than, well, Chris Simms. LOSS

Jaguars (-9.5) over Houston
Now that the dirty bomb threat thankfully has been dispelled, the only blowout taking place this Sunday in Houston will be at the hands of the Jaguars. LOSS

Panthers (+3) over Bengals
After a decisive loss to the Pats and a last-minute comeback loss to the Bucs, Cincy appears like they're back to their old tricks. TIE

Broncos (-4.5) over Browns
Much of their schedule thus far has featured patsies, but the fact that the Broncos have yielded but a single TD in their first five games is nonetheless an amazing feat. WIN

Cardinals (-3) over Raiders
Dennis Green needs to send a bouquet of flowers to the folks who make the NFL schedules. After Monday night's debacle, Green desperately needs a win this week to save his job. Fortunately for him, the Raiders are the one team the Cards might actually be able to beat. LOSS

Vikings (+6.5) over Seahawks
Who needs a running back when your kicker is automatic from 50 yards out in the fourth quarter? Let's just say that had Shawn Alexander been in the game last week, Josh Brown could have remained comfortably seated on the bench. WIN

Redskins (+9) over Colts
Don't you think that Clinton Portis is just salivating at the chance to face the league's worst run defense? LOSS

Cowboys (-3.5) over Giants
In his constant quest to find something to complain about, even in light of three touchdowns, Terrell Owens has taken issue with the paltry number of passes thrown his way in the first half, claiming he gets bored. Why Parcells puts up with this nonsense, I have no idea. LOSS

BEST BET: (randomly selected once again) Chargers (-5) over Chiefs LOSS
ELIMINATOR: Jacksonville Jaguars LOSS