CATS MAKE GOOD ’DOGS
Carolina can cover in ’Hawks clash
SUNDAY
Panthers (+7) over SEAHAWKS: Even should RB Marshawn Lynch get back for Seattle (no cinch), key LB Bobby Wagner may not. Trio of turnovers did Seahawks in last week at Cincinnati, but Carolina played Seattle stiff in last year’s postseason. ’Hawks aren’t right, LB Luke Kuechly returns for visitors, and coach Ron Rivera’s troops haven’t missed a beat since waking up last December.
JETS (6) over Redskins: Clever line — factors in anticipated Jets regression. Schedule is not Gang Green’s friend, here — coming off win against hated Miami (in London, yet), and facing a trip to Foxborough, Mass., to deal with the despised Patriots. Kirk Cousins has played two winning nopick games. He has thrown six, in three losses. Cluster of injuries hinders Washington’s cause
Broncos (4) over BROWNS: Josh McCown has thrown for 300plus yards in three successive weeks for Cleveland. Otto Graham never managed that. But McCown is nursing a sore left ankle, which should serve as enticing target practice for nasty Broncos defense. Peyton Manning prefers grass fields on the road, too, and is wellaware the comforts of the bye week are but three hours away.
Bengals (3) over BILLS: Bills QB Tyrod Taylor’s sprained MCL may sideline him, which would leave Bills fans with EJ Manuel. Due to Bills’ desperate straits, RB LeSean McCoy is rushing back, with a bad hammy — not good. But Bengals look good enough — though they’re not quite the same away from the Jungle.
VIKINGS (4) over Chiefs: Kansas City’s season — never overly promising flew out the window in tandem with the ACL in key RB Jamaal Charles’ knee. And when you observe how Kansas City’s defense hasn’t kept pace with opposition offenses for coach Andy Reid, this is a relatively clear call.
Texans (pick) over JAGUARS: We very seldom use the Texans — you’ve seen why. But with Ryan Mallett reclaiming his earned position on the Houston bench, Brian Hoyer should manage to eke this out with a healing Arian Foster’s help, against an eternally frustrated Jags outfit that is playing Blake Bortles (and his aching shoulder).
LIONS (3) over Bears: Wall Street rewards calling bottoms (say, Chrysler at $2 in 1980; $48, seven years later). Let’s try it. Keep in mind the Lions did everything but beat the Seahawks in Seattle, the week before that Cardinals’ disaster. Matt Stafford isn’t good enough to have rejected offseason coaching out of hand (as he did) — but Bears secondary no bargain.
Cardinals (3 ½) over STEELERS: There are multiple fundamentalvs.technical handicapping puzzlers this week — including this. No doubt Cards are more cohesive unit right now — and there’s plenty of historical Pittsburgh knowledge embedded on Arizona’s staff, from exoffensive coordinator Bruce Arians on down, though the Steelers have paired up with lastsecond fastandloose wins. Le’Veon Bell vs. Carson Palmer!
Dolphins (+1 ¹/₂) over TITANS: This is a tentative vote of confidence in Miami’s installation of the intense Dan Campbell as interim coach, replacing ineffectual Joe Philbin. Marcus Mariota’s relative inability to stretch the field is going to cramp Tennessee’s style for the foreseeable future.
PACKERS (10 ¹/₂) over Chargers: If you blinked, you missed Aaron Rodgers’ first interception(s) in Lambeau in close to three seasons — plus a lost Rodgers fumble — and they still covered doubledigits. That is Bolts’ tough luck, as Rodgers should make amends, against foe off bit ter Monday nighter and cursed with an aging talent base and pennywise ownership.
Ravens (2 ½) over 49ERS: Niners have epic Super Bowl revenge for the result in the Harbaugh Bowl ... though talent core’s long gone. Ravens have endured similar attrition. Shaky pick, but Ravens respect ballcontrol, and managed 30 points against Browns without Steve Smith.
Patriots (10) over COLTS: No doubt Andrew Luck’s champing at the bit, and given owner Jim Irsay’s public pronouncements, expect Luck participates. Multiple major tech indicators hint this could be tougher for defending champs than most of the public believes, but if Tom Brady and Co. would prefer to lay waste to any foe this year, it’s this one — and big Thursday line move supports this theory.
MONDAY
Giants (+4) over EAGLES: Parallels abound between Giants’ 2014 threegame win streak — which came to an abrupt halt (270) in Philadelphia, “sparking” a sevengame losing skein. But Eli Manning is in infinitely better form this time around. And last year’s Eagles roster was more cohesive than the one purported gridiron mastermind Chip Kelly is going to war with, now. Check status of the key injured Giants. LAST WEEK: 661 SEASON: 46251