* Lions 20, Tampa Bay 19: This is how it goes with these two: When you don’t expect it, the Lions will win. And when you least expect it, the Bucs will win. All we have to figure out now is what to expect. The answer: I have no idea. Pick vs. spread: Tampa Bay.

* Dallas 14, San Francisco 14: I don’t know which hurts George Seifert more, falling to a .500 record, or having been outcoached by Wayne Fontes. Pick vs. spread: San Francisco.

* Oakland 28, NY Giants 10: Hostetler returns to the Meadowlands, takes breath, says, “They’re right, it does smell around here.” Pick vs. spread: Oakland.
* Buffalo 23, Atlanta 22: Assuming Buffalo has any players left not on crutches. Pick vs. spread: Atlanta.
* Miami 27, New England 20: Drew Bledsoe. Dan Marino. Forty yards and a cloud of dust. Pick vs. spread: New England.
* Indianapolis 16, New Orleans 10: It tells you something about the recent history of the Saints that the player they miss the most is their ex-kicker. Pick vs. spread: Indianapolis.
* Houston 21, Cincinnati 20: Tell Mel Gray any time he wants to come home . .
. Pick vs. spread: Cincinnati.
* Jacksonville 6, Seattle 3: Why bother? Pick vs. spread: Jacksonville.
* Minnesota 10, Arizona 9: Why bother again? Pick vs. spread: Arizona.
* Carolina 20, St. Louis 10: This is the first game in the new Trans World Dome. Sounds like they should be playing Space Invaders, not football. Pick vs. spread: Carolina.
* Chicago 23, Green Bay 14: If there’s a healthy quarterback in the state of Wisconsin, please contact the Packers immediately. Pick vs. spread: Chicago.
* Kansas City 24, San Diego 17: Steve Bono keeps playing this way, we’ll have to get him a haircut from this decade. Pick vs. spread: Kansas City.
* Denver 26, Philadelphia 19: John Elway operates out of a shotgun. Philly sports teams operate under one. Pick vs. spread: Denver.
* Pittsburgh 26, Cleveland 17 (Monday night): After which, the Steelers move to Las Vegas. Pick vs. spread: Pittsburgh.
* Last week: 8-6.
* Season: 47-44 (I got a late start).
* Last week vs. spread: 8-6.
* Season vs. spread: 44-44-3.
* Mitch vs. Curt (vs. spread): Curt Sylvester leads Albom by two games, 46-42-3 to 44-44-3. The sports writer with the best record gets his choice of teams in the Freep’s annual Great Super Bowl Debate. The debate will appear the day before Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, Ariz.
* Best pick last week: New England 20, New York Jets 10 (Patriots won, 20-7).
* Worst pick last week: San Francisco 35, Carolina 10 (Panthers won, 13-7).

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