This week’s big game pits the undefeated and defending Champion Colts against the undefeated and unstoppable Patriots. Will success rain down on the Colts this week? A better question may be whether we’ll be able to watch it…

I’m back to grace you with my NFL picks again this week after a surprisingly successful week 8.

The Milton Pigskin Prognosticator is back in town now after vacationing in Florida with his family for a couple of weeks. However, he was a little too beat to do his usual exhaustive research (understandable after spending so much ‘quality time’ with the wife and kids) so I’m courageously standing in for yet another week.

Week 9 features the Pats/Colts matchup we’ve all been waiting for with both teams sporting tidy, unblemished records, which has everybody pretty pumped up. The way both teams have dominated so far is pretty much rendering the rest of the regular season meaningless – it sure seems as if they’ll meet again in the AFC Championship Game in January, with the winner more than likely hoisting the Super Bowl Trophy a week later. Here’s all I’m concerned about: Will I be able to watch the game? Sportsnet just announced their schedule for Sunday – East (Atlantic) and West get the Pats/Colts, while the Ontario and Pacific regions get the epic Seahawks/Browns contest…. Granted, I’m a Seahawk fan, but come on. Looks like I’ll be checking out the Buffalo CBS affiliate or informing my wife and kids I’ll be ‘out’ for awhile…. This game can’t possibly not appear somewhere on my TV this Sunday, can it??

Okay, here we go, with the home teams in capitals:

BILLS (+1) over Bengals
The Bills are looking good of late and as I said last week, the Bengals seem disinterested. This one’s a no-brainer with the Bills in the friendly confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Broncos (+3) over LIONS
I’m taking the 3-4 Broncos on the road at 5-2 Detroit? This is the usual ‘they’re not THAT good’ or ‘remember they’re still the Lions’ game for Detroit where everyone gets suckered into taking them to cover and they promptly lay an egg.

Panthers (+4) over TITANS
I don’t know. I just don’t know.

CHIEFS (-2) over Packers
Just a hunch. I like the way KC has been playing lately and they’re always tough at home, even against the frozen-turf-tested Packers. Do you really see the Packers going to 7-1? Neither do I.

Chargers (-7) over VIKINGS
A risky call here, but Minnesota seems to be fading and the Bolts may be finding their groove.

Niners (+3.5) over FALCONS
The good thing about not having NFL Sunday ticket: I won’t accidentally stumble across one single play from this game.

SAINTS (-3) over Jags
Ditto the Chargers/Vikes comment above. Saints=Chargers; Jags=Vikings.

JETS (+3.5) over Redskins
‘Redskins’ seems like an appropriate word to describe Washington after the thorough spanking the Patriots gave them last week. Ouch.

Cardinals (+3.5) over BUCS
I so want to take Tampa but I just can’t figure them out – and then there’s all the injuries….

BROWNS (-1) over Seahawks
Add both of these teams to the ‘can’t figure ‘em out’ list also.

Patriots (-5.5) over COLTS
Since the name ‘Super Bowl’ is already taken (correct me if I’m wrong), let’s call this one the ‘Awesome Bowl’. I mistakenly went against the Patriots last week. I’m hoping for a close game here, but I think the Pats just have too many weapons and will pull away in the 4th quarter. The only chance Indy has is if they can hire Dr. Evil to steal New England’s ‘mojo’. The Pats ‘have it going on’ this year…

Texans (+3) over RAIDERS
Houston isn’t that bad. Oakland is.

Cowboys (-3) over EAGLES
Will the Andy Reid thing be a distraction or will it bring the Eagles together? This is Philadelphia we’re talking about: distraction. It won’t matter – the Cowboys have their own mojo going on this year…

Ravens (+9) over STEELERS
A tough one. I don’t really know what to expect out of the Steelers – they could crush the Ravens especially at home or it could be a close game…. Let’s go with a close game just for fun.

Survivor

(Pick one team to win outright each week, trying to put together the longest streak of consecutive winning picks while not able to pick any given team more than once during the season.)

My streak is at 2 games now, using Washington and then the N.Y. Giants last week. I have absolutely no idea who to go with this week – I don’t see any absolute locks jumping out at me – even the Patriots. Hmmmm. I’m going out on a big limb and picking Buffalo. Funny, I felt confident in them earlier, but not now…. I was also thinking of taking the Niners to beat Atlanta but the game is in the ATL and as bad as the Falcons are, I just have no faith in San Fran. Buffalo it is!

Now Milton, what do you think?

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