By Lance Tominaga, ESPN Honolulu Web Editor.
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On to this week’s picks:
♦ GREEN BAY @ ARIZONA: Here’s your NFL marquee game of the week. At 7-0, the Cardinals are the league’s hottest team, and they’re already making good use of their latest offensive weapon, TE Zach Ertz. Green Bay, meanwhile, has won six straight. They won’t be without top receiver Davante Adams, however. He’s in COVID protocol. That tips the scale in favor of… Pick: CARDINALS
♦ MIAMI @ BUFFALO: Once upon a time, I stated the the Miami Dolphins were a team on the rise. They had just drafted Tua, and head coach Brian Flores was being regaled as a future coaching great. Well, so much for that. Now the talk is that Flores has lost the locker room, and Tua is the subject of daily trade rumors. And this Sunday they head to an angry Buffalo team that’s still smarting from their MNF loss to Tennessee. This could get ugly, and fast. Pick: BILLS
♦ PITTSBURGH @ CLEVELAND: It’s sad how injuries have ravaged both teams. For the Browns, at least, QB Baker Mayfield and RB Nick Chubb might be able to return on Sunday. Mayfield is the bigger priority, as the Browns seem to have uncovered a gem in RB D’Ernest Johnson. The Steelers are 3-3 and still contenders in the AFC North, but it’s hard to see them climbing past the Bengals, Ravens and Browns. I think their slow decline will continue. Pick: BROWNS
♦ TENNESSEE @ INDIANAPOLIS: The Titans and Colts are one and two in the AFC South, and should be in those spots all season. (Their division rivals are beyond horrible; Jacksonville is 1-5 and Houston are 1-6.). I love the Colt’s’ defense, led by former Punahou standout DeForest Buckner. But the Titans rode the broad shoulders of RB Derrick Henry to beat Indianapolis in their first meeting (25-16 on Sept. 26), and I see the formula working again in the rematch. Pick: TITANS
♦ NEW ENGLAND @ L.A. CHARGERS: New England is a team that still has playoff aspirations but is, in reality, in rebuilding mode. The Chargers, meanwhile, have so many great pieces on defense, and QB Justin Herbert and RB Austin Ekeler are the real deal. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t think the Chargers would be this good. On Sunday, they’ll have a chance to snap a six-game losing streak to the Pats. More importantly, they need this win to stay atop the AFC West. Pick: CHARGERS
♦ DALLAS @ MINNESOTA: Being a Raiders fan, I always have a hard time rooting for the Cowboys. However, I do like seeing Ezekiel Elliott and CeeDee Lamb putting up big numbers (you get only one guess why). After struggling out of the gate, the Vikings have fought their way back to a .500 record, and QB Kirk Cousins is throwing more TDs and fewer picks. This will be a battle, but the Cowboys are riding high right now. Just give me some points, Zeke and CeeDee! Pick: COWBOYS
Last Week: 5-1 | 2021 Record: 20-22 (.476)