Niners won’t stay down for too long

Not quite midseason yet, but we have begun to see this as an NFL year that one survives more than conquers in terms of trying to make sense of it by predicting results. Brutal! Head barely above water at 7-6 overall last week with a scrambling 6-7 against the spread. Our .585 mark overall for the season is lousy — but as good or better than six of nine on the ESPN Experts Panel.

Had some good stuff last week. Nailed Upset of the Week with Giants beating Washington (“Aawwk!”), had another outright upset with Steelers over Rams, and had Vikes with points over 49ers. Long road left. Let’s rally!

Week 7: 7-6, .538 overall; 6-7, .462 vs. spread.

Season: 62-44, .585 overall; 51-53-2, .491 vs. spread.

BEST GAME BENGALS (3-3) AT 49ERS (5-2)

Line: SF by 3.

Cote’s pick: SF, 24-20.

TV: 3:25 p.m., CBS.

Cincy off a bye and San Fran played last Monday, so big rest edge to Bengals. Niners QB Brock Purdy is in concussion protocol and questionable to play, with WR Deebo Samuel already out and OT Trent Williams iffy. Even with the injury doubts weighing against them, give me the 49ers here. This is a really strong home-field advantage, with Christian McCaffrey and a great defense to carry the day. SF fell to Vikes Monday, and good teams seldom stay down.

BEST UPSET FALCONS (4-3) AT TITANS (2-4)

Line: ATL by 2 1⁄2.

Cote’s pick: TEN, 17-16. TV: Noon, CBS. “AAAWWWK!” bellows the Upset Bird. “Tennessaaawwwk!” One of nine home dogs this week. QB Ryan Tannehill (ankle) may be out for Titans, and we hear rookie Will Levis may get the call

over Malik Willis. Little matter. Titans, coming off a bye, will pound the ball with a rested Derrick Henry and go right at Falcons’ solid run-D.

OTHER GAMES

SUNDAY

Note: Home team in CAPS

DOLPHINS (5-2, -9 1⁄2) over

Patriots (2-5), 31-17: Byes take Week 8 off so we get the full 16 games here, baby! This is one of the better ones as two old AFC East rivals meet again with roles reversed. After many years with Miami the dog on Bill Belichick’s leash, the Dolphins now lead the division while Bill looks everywhere for his misplaced mojo. Tua Tagovailoa is 5-0 in his young career vs. Bill’s Pats, though the Week 2 win in Foxborough was a less than dominant 24-17.

COWBOYS (4-2, -6) over

Rams (3-4), 24-20: Dallas is coming off a bye and on a 10-game home win streak. That’s a good starting point for this pick. Rams losing RB Kyren Williams to injury is big, but Matthew Stafford has major weapons left in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Thinking ‘Boys rid that home streak but lean L.A. with the generous points. Never sure if Good Dak or Bad Dak will show up. Vikings (3-4, -1 1⁄2) over PACKERS (2-4), 23-17:

Near-even game finds Minny coming off a huge Monday night upset of San Fran but unlikely to let down in a division game at Lambeau. Temperatures in 30s could be edge for the Pack, but Kirk Cousins is still doing big numbers even sans Justin Jefferson while Jordan Love has slid into a funk after a fast start to season. Going with the hotter team led by the hotter hand. That’s Kirk’s. COLTS (3-4, even) over

Saints (3-4), 23-21: The Colts are 3-0 when winning on turnovers and 0-4 when negative, so a clean(ish) game from Gardner Minshew is the big key. Jonathan Taylor and a healthy Zack Moss will help there. Jets (3-3, -3) over GIANTS

(2-5), 19-17: Don’t overthink this New York, New York duel. The Jets, coming off bye, have saddled up their defense to rally to life with two straight wins including a stunning upset of Philly — to be competitive mostly despite Zach Wilson. STEELERS (4-2, +2 1⁄2) over

Jaguars (5-2), 23-19: Upset! Game of the Week-first alternate. Pitt cannot hang with Trevor Lawrence if the scoring gets high, but Steelers have the defense to see that it doesn’t. Eagles (6-1, -7) over COMMANDERS (3-4), 31-13:

Commanders are 1-4 since a 2-0 start and have lost five of past six at home to division rival Eagles. Texans (3-3, -3) over PANTHERS (0-6), 27-18:

The first pro career meeting between both top-two QB draft picks Bryce Young of winless Carolina and C.J. Stroud of Houston, with both teams off a bye week. Stroud has been better so far by a mile, and that should continue here. SEAHAWKS (4-2, -4) over

Browns (4-2), 20-17: One of only two Week 8 matchups (Jags-Steelers) with two winning records. P.J. Walker starts again at QB for Cleveland as all that $$ the Browns gave Deshaun Watson looks dumber and dumber from a football/injury prism, issues of morality aside. Geno Smith gets DK Metcalf back healthy, and ‘Hawks defense has toughened lately. Chiefs (6-1, -7) over BRONCOS (2-5), 24-16:

Denver has lost 16 times in a row to the Chiefs, so if there was a game to give Taylor Swift a few snaps, this might be it. Ravens (5-2, -9 1⁄2) CARDINALS (1-6), 37-10:

Baltimore put a major whuppin’ on Detroit last week and only a massive mental letdown by Ravens will prevent something similar here. CHARGERS (2-4, -8 1⁄2) over

Bears (2-5), 28-24: Oddly the second straight Sunday night stage for a hardly deserving Chargers team against a bad opponent likely without QB Justin Fields again due to a thumb injury.

MONDAY LIONS (5-2, -8) over Raiders (3-4), 30-20:

Detroit as a rare Monday night host will wear alternate blue helmets worn by the club in 1946-69, the era in which the Lions last won an NFL championship. Both teams are coming off blowout losses; I’ll take only one for the big rebound.