NFL Week 10: What Can The Browns Do For You?

After three straight good weeks, I was due for a bad one. And a bad one I had. 6-7 overall is not just a bad week, it’s under .500 and unacceptable. The records are soiled and tainted:
Overall: 78-44 (64%)
Vs. Spread: 69-47-6

A bad week usually results in a tremendous effort the following week, but please don’t use these picks as the sole basis for any gambling anyway.

SUNDAY

Buffalo Bills (4-4)(-3) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-8)
1:00 p.m. Dolphins Stadium
Very quietly, the Bills have snuck back to .500. I thought that would be impossible for Buffalo following their debacle against Dallas on Monday Night a few weeks ago. Though the wins have come against the Ravens, Jets and Bengals, you won’t see the Bills complaining. The competition doesn’t get any tougher this week against winless Miami. I could very easily see the Dolphins winning this game, coming off their bye week against an over-confident Buffalo team. But I have to pick against them until they have more wins than Notre Dame.
Pick: Bills

Cleveland Browns (5-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)(-9)
1:00 p.m. Heinz Field
The Browns only have three home games left. Let’s assume that they beat Houston, Buffalo and San Francisco at home. That’s eight wins. With road games against the Steelers, Ravens, Cardinals, Jets and Bengals, the Browns would only have to win two of those to get to 10 wins and a likely playoff spot. That’s very doable. They’ll probably get pounded here, but their playoff push starts next week in Baltimore.
Pick: Steelers

St. Louis Rams (0-8) vs. New Orleans Saints (4-4)(-12)
1:00 p.m. New Orleans Superdome
As I said the last two weeks, the Saints are going to win the NFC South and end up with at least 10 wins. If not more. They’ve finally figured out how to use Reggie Bush properly. Drew Brees has finally settled down. Plus, they play some really bad teams. Case in point: the Rams.
Pick: Saints, Rams cover

Atlanta Falcons (2-6) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-4)(-4.5)
1:00 p.m. Bank of America Field
Man I wish the Redskins were in the South. Playing in this division, the Skins would probably be 6-2 with a comfortable lead. Instead they’re fighting for the final wild card position and in third place in the East. Meanwhile, if the Saints falter, the Panthers could go .500 the rest of the way and still have a good shot at winning the division.
Pick: Panthers

Minnesota Vikings (3-5) vs. Green Bay Packers (7-1)(-6)
1:00 p.m. Lambeau Field
There’s this obnoxious Green Bay fan at my office. While it has been impossible to get him off his high horse with the Packers sitting at 7-1 (and thereby making him more obnoxious), it was fun watching him during the Vikings game last week. While Adrian Peterson kept racking up yards, he got real quiet, muttered something about “the next Randy Moss come to screw Green Bay” and sulked in his office the rest of the day. That was enjoyable.
Pick: Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (6-2)(-4)
1:00 p.m. LP Field
The Jaguars – officially known as the Redskins of the AFC – have no business going into Tennessee and winning this game while dealing with a bunch of injuries. So naturally, they’ll win by a touchdown.
Pick: Jaguars

Denver Broncos (3-5) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)(-3)
1:00 p.m. Arrowhead Stadium
Neither of these teams could beat Green Bay at home, and neither of these teams are going to challenge San Diego during the 2nd half of the season.
Pick: Chiefs

Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)(-6)
4:05 p.m. M&T Bank Stadium
Last chance to dance for the Criminals (the ones in black and purple, not black and orange). With a brutal second half schedule, the Ravens must beat both Cincinnati and Cleveland at home to have any hope of even sniffing a playoff spot. I believe you all know by now what I think the chances are of seeing the Ravens in the playoffs this season.
Pick: Bengals

Chicago Bears (3-5)(-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-6)
4:15 p.m. McAfee Coliseum
The Raiders invest millions of dollars in Jamarcus Russell. They started the season at 2-2, but have lost four in a row. Their starting quarterbacks, Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper, are throwing interception after interception. McCown just put up one of the worst performances of the season last week against Houston. And Russell is still on the bench. I think it’s time to see what the rookie can do.
Pick: Bears

Dallas Cowboys (7-1)(-1) vs. New York Giants (6-2)
4:15 p.m. Giants Stadium
Have you seen the promos that FOX has been running this week? At first, FOX was labeling this one the “Game of the Year.” Until they realized that New England, Indianapolis and CBS had just laid claim to that one. Now they’re billing it as the “Game of the Year in the NFC.” Somehow, I don’t think that has the same ring to it. Poor FOX.
Pick: Cowboys

Detroit Lions (6-2) vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)(-1)
4:15 p.m. University of Phoenix Stadium
Hard for me to get excited about Detroit’s 44-7 win over Denver. Especially when you consider the quarterback for the Broncos was Patrick Ramsey. He alone is worth 21 points for the other team.
Pick: Cardinals

Indianapolis Colts (7-1)(-3.5) vs. San Diego Chargers (4-4)
8:15 p.m. Qualcomm Stadium
Let’s see…an angry Peyton Manning or a stupefied Norv Turner? Jeez, that’s a tough call. Expect a beat down so severe and complete, that the game will end with Manning holding Norv’s head in the dirt until Turner agrees to by a new Sprint camera phone.
Pick: Colts

MONDAY

San Francisco 49ers (2-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)(-10)
8:30 p.m. Qwest Field
Ok, who was the wise guy who decided to put the 49ers in the Monday night game?
Pick: Seahawks

Bye Week: Houston, New England, New York Jets, Tampa Bay

The Redskins go for their second sweep in three seasons of the lifeless Eagles. More on that later in the week.