Week Nov. 2-3 NFL picks

LW: 2-3 -.9 Stars Season: 17-9 +13.6 Stars

Dal-4 (5-2 SU & ATS) vs. Wsh (3-4 SU 2-3-2 ATS)

Skins began the season with rather tenuous victories over the Jets and Falcons, and have lost four of their last five. HC Spurrier (the genius) is reputed to be fighting with owner, Snyder, and is unhappy with his team to boot. QB Ramsey has a hell of a time staying on his feet, and the running game has gone south with lightweights Betts and Canidate injured for most of the year. The organization that had those experts lauding it’s raid of the Jets for wide receiver Coles and place kicker Hall (Moves which doubtless necessitated letting Stephen Davis go) seems well on the way to self destruction.
Meanwhile, down at America’s team the show goes on. A Bill Parcells who fell in love with Drew Bledsoe and let him throw the ball forty times a game and who never seemed comfortable with his Jets’ gig has gone back to what got him that big rep to begin with: a stout defense, a time consuming, effective ground attack and a relatively sparse, but efficient passing game. The Boys are 5-2 SU and ATS and have become the team to beat in the NFC East, a big time butt kicking by the Bucs last week notwithstanding. I see one team going and one coming here and I think 4 pts. ain’t enough. Gimme dem boys for three stars.

Car-6.5 (6-1 SU 4-3 ATS) at. Hst. (2-5 SU 3-4 ATS)

Although they had to kick a FG in OT to win a game in which they pretty much dominated, Carolina got back to proven methodology last week vs. the Saints. Stephen Davis pounded NO for 178 yds. on 31 carries and the defense came up with three t/o.
Meantime, the Texans put forth a nice effort to cover vs. Manning and the Colts, but fell short 21-30.
I’ll be honest. To make a long story short, with Banks at QB, I don’t think the Hst. club can stay with Davis and that Carolina D. I look for plenty of mistakes in favor of Carolina, and a defensive TD or two. Three stars on Carolina.

Phi-4.5 ( 4-3 SU 3-4 ATS) at Atl

Same reasoning here as the Carolina game, with the superior ground attack and defense getting the vote. Philly and McNab are still not where they need to be, but Atl’s defense is in a mess and Danny Reeves is suffering more than the usual dissension. (Who ever heard of benching your entire secondary?)
Call me a sucker, but I gotta believe that this Philly team is gonna gel sometime this season. Still a lot of injuries on defense, but vs. the Falcons, they should be able to handle it.
Two stars on the Eagles

NO+8 (3-5 SU 4-4 ATS) vs. TB (4-4 SU 4-4 ATS)

This is one of those pick, scratch, pick scratch, pick games. I don’t have much statistical basis for it at all. My decision is based on the fact that NO has a stud (Duce McCallister) at RB and TB has been susceptible to a good ground attack at times this year. Ref. the SF, Ind and Car games. But, mostly, I question the Buc’s ability to put two sterling defensive efforts back to back. They seem to take a lot for granted and really have to work to get it up. Having said that, the Saints suck on defense and Brooks will have to play decent for them to have a chance. I like the eight points though. Two stars on NO

Notable scratches:

Mia-3 vs. Ind. Mia. D is tough this year, but against a soft schedule. Indy has beaten good Ten. and TB teams. and has James back. This will be a revealing game one way or the other.

Bal-7 vs. Jax Leftwich turning the ball over a lot and the Ravens have that tough D., but one of these days the rookie is gonna turn in a good game. Bal. blew off a lot of steam last week. Could be flat this time.