NFL ... PRO PICKS
Numbers in parentheses are AP Power Rankings:
KNOCKOUT POOL
Baltimore kept us moving and now Pro Picks turns to the PATRIOTS. SUNDAY’S GAMES
(10) Cleveland (plus 3½) at (4) Pittsburgh: Once the best of NFL rivalries, Cleveland-Pittsburgh fell on hard times as a matchup basically when the Browns left for Baltimore in 1996. The team that replaced them in Cleveland in 1999 never has measured up, and Ravens-Steelers became an AFC biggie. Maybe now, finally, the Browns are ready for the big time. They are 4-1 under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski, looking balanced on offense and defense. On Sunday comes their biggest test since an opening-game flop at Baltimore when they head for the short drive southeast to the Steel City, where the Browns haven’t won since 2003. Pittsburgh is 4-0, but those opponents have a total of three victories combined. STEELERS, 26-21
(32) New York Jets (plus 8 ½ ) at (18, tie) Miami: Could this be current Jets and former Dolphins coach Adam Gase’s last game? BEST BET: DOLPHINS,
41-20
(17) Arizona (minus 2 ½ ) at (18) Dallas, Monday night: This might be the last time we do this all season. We are slow learners. UPSET SPECIAL: COWBOYS, 26-23
(3) Kansas City (minus 3 ½ ) at (8)
Buffalo, Monday night: Two very ticked-off teams coming off ugly defeats. CHIEFS, 30-28
(2) Green Bay (minus 2) at (14) Tampa Bay: No team has looked better than the Packers, and they come in rested. PACKERS, 27-23
(25) Houston (plus 3) at (6) Tennessee: Your basic trap game for the Titans, who face Pittsburgh next week. Still, can’t pick Houston. TITANS,
31-30
(7) Los Angeles Rams (minus 3 ½ ) at
(20) San Francisco: It’s been a rolereversal season for these two long-time rivals. RAMS, 24-21
(27) Denver (plus 9 ½ ) at (9) New England: It sure seems like forever that this game has been in limbo. PATRIOTS, 27-13
(5) Baltimore (minus 7 ½ ) at (22) EAGLES: A short bus trip to another victory for the Ravens, their first ever in Philly. RAVENS, 28-15
(29) Washington (plus 2) at (31) New York Giants: Joe Judge gets to celebrate a victory as a head coach, finally. GIANTS, 20-16
(30) Atlanta (plus 3 ½ ) at (23) Minnesota: Raheem Morris does not get his first victory as interim head coach in Atlanta. VIKINGS, 25-17
(26) Detroit (minus 1) at (28) Jacksonville: The scoreboard might explode — or expire — in this shootout. LIONS,
36-33
(24) Cincinnati (plus 8) at (15) Indianapolis: Joe Burrow deserves better protection and he won’t likely get it here. COLTS, 27-20
(13) Chicago (plus 2 ½ ) at (16) Carolina: Matt Rhule is our early choice for Coach of the Year. PANTHERS, 27-26
2020 RECORD
Last Week: Straight up: 10-4. Against spread: 9-3-1
Season: Straight up: 50-26-1. Against spread: 42-30-2
Best Bet: Straight up: 4-1. Against spread: 3-2
Upset Special: Straight up: 1-4. Against spread: 1-3-1