Games of the week

[Morbius]

Lions at Vikings. Minnesota (5-0) is favored by 1.5 over Detroit (5-1) and is coming off a bye. Lions lost Hutchinson last week with a broken leg, and that is almost certainly part of the reason the Vikings are the favorite. Still, I like the Lions. They have the best offensive line in football and the best running back tandem in Montgomery & Gibbs. Goff is playing extremely well and he has lots of weapons. Minnesota has a stout defense and plenty of weapons of their own at receiver. I just don't think they have enough. Smart money thinks this will be a high scoring affair; I think it will be a very entertaining game.

Texans at Packers. Green Bay (4-2) is favored by 3 over Houston (5-1). These teams are pretty evenly matched. Neither team is a world beater at running the football but both feature terrific quarterback play and gifted receivers. The loss of Nico Collins hurts the Texans more than a little. Green Bay isn't as good at rushing the passer (they're no slouches either) but they have a superior secondary. I'm a Bears fan. I hate the Packers. I have hated them since 1986 when Charles Martin broke Jim McMahon. But I have to admit they're a good football team. Houston is 5-1 but three of those wins have come against teams with losing records, and they beat the Bears in week two when Chicago was frankly a mess on offense. I'll take the Pack here, but I hope I'm wrong.

Ravens at Buccaneers. Baltimore (4-2) is favored by 3.5 over Tampa Bay (4-2). The Ravens are looking like the team that had the best record in the AFC last year, and adding Derrick Henry - an absolute stud at running back - has definitely improved them. Their defense has slipped a bit against the pass, but running on this team is extremely difficult once again. Tampa meanwhile just keeps winning football games. They're the only team this year to hang a loss on Detroit. On paper the Ravens win this game nine out of ten times. I think they'll win Monday night, but don't be surprised if it's a close game. Tampa Bay is a better football team than most think.

The only other game that looks really close to me is the one between Jacksonville and New England on Sunday morning, and both teams are so bad that this matchup has little appeal. The Seahawks/Falcons game looks evenly matched on paper but I do not believe in Seattle.

[werdna]

1. You forgot one!

Browns vs. Bengals The Battle of the Defeateds.

[RockRaven]

2. No interest in the Superb Owl redux, apparently...

Fair enough.

[Morbius]

3. Well...

If San Francisco was healthy I might be interested, but they're not. Kansas City has a pretty good defense and the Niners are weak at running back. The Chiefs have that Mahomes guy, who's really, really good at winning football games. I think this is going to be a one sided game, not close at all. Of course, I am no expert.

[Auggie]

4. Weak at RB? 49ers Jordan Mason ranks second among all NFL RBs in rushing.

49ers weakest link is their defensive coordinator.

[Morbius]

5. I thought he was hurt.

He WAS hurt. Apparently he got better. They're thin at RB and without Mason ... well, I was wrong.

[Auggie]

6. Yes -- shoulder. He'll be back vs the Chiefs.

[True Dough]

8. I picked up Mason off of waivers in fantasy football in Week 2

He's the best addition I've made this season!

[BOSSHOG]

7. I'll chuck in Eagles-Giants

Divisional rivals. The NFC is usually attention getting good or bad.

[Morbius]

9. Well, the first two games of the week

absolutely did not disappoint. Between them, the Lions and the Vikings scored 60 points, and the game was decided by a field goal with 0:19 on the clock. Both these teams should make the playoffs, barring injury, and they'll meet again in the regular season. Expect a quick bounce back from the Vikings, as they play Thursday night against the hobbled Rams.

Meanwhile, the Packers defeated the Texans with a field goal as time expired.

Games like these are why I watch football.

Anyway, I was dead wrong about the Seahawks, or maybe I overestimated the Falcons. That game wasn't close, but it also wasn't in the direction I expected. And the next time Kyle Shanahan coaches his Niners to a victory over the Chiefs, it will be the first. Neither team looked good on offense, but that Chiefs defense managed three interceptions and administered a ten point spanking, which was only so close because of a garbage time touchdown.

I realize belatedly that I didn't make a pick on the Ravens/Bucs game; I figure the Ravens are too good against the run and balanced offensively, and they will win.