Vikings at Packers (even)
Harrison Phillips had egg on his face Monday night when he started to take off his jersey in hopes of swapping it with ex-teammate Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers’ star rejected the offer in full view of ESPN’s cameras and the Manning brothers. Minnesota fans haven’t been that embarrassed for a disrobing Viking since the Lake Minnetonka sex cruise.
Pick: Vikings by 3
Bengals at 49ers (-5½)
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy went into the concussion protocol after the 49ers’ loss in Minneapolis. The first sign Purdy was suffering cognitive issues was when he agreed to swap jerseys with Harrison Phillips.
Pick: Bengals by 3
Saints at Colts (-1½)
New Orleans’ Chris Olave was arrested for speeding Monday night despite trying to seek leniency from the officer by telling him “I play for the Saints, man.” It was a tactic he learned at Ohio State when you could get away with anything by saying “I play for the Buckeyes, man.”
Pick: Colts by 3
Patriots at Dolphins (-9½)
Former New England star Rob Gronkowski criticized the Patriots for boisterously celebrating after upsetting Buffalo for only their second victory of the season. That’s pretty rich coming from a dude who boisterously celebrates nearly every day whenever it’s five o’clock somewhere.
Pick: Dolphins by 7
Texans at Panthers (+3½)
Houston furniture salesman Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale reportedly lost nearly $8 million when his beloved Astros lost to Texas in the American League Championship Series. It’s believed to be the biggest waste of money in the Space City since the Texans gave $72 million to Brock Osweiler.
Pick: Texans by 7
Browns at Seahawks (-3½)
Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss another game and says he doesn’t know how long his shoulder injury will linger. While Watson would no doubt be helped by some physical therapy, he has been banned from receiving massages in 47 states.
Pick: Seahawks by 7
Bears at Chargers (-8½)
Los Angeles standout Austin Ekeler raised eyebrows when he said his teammates have “no other choice” but to have faith in embattled coach Brandon Staley. So there’s still a chance Staley will use Ekeler as a reference after the season when he applies for a job in the XFL.
Pick: Chargers by 3
Chiefs at Broncos (+7½)
Denver safety Kareem Jackson was suspended four games after being flagged for multiple unnecessary roughness penalties and getting ejected from a second game this season. It’s a huge blow for the Broncos as he was one of their few defensive players making any tackles.
Pick: Chiefs by 14
Jets at Giants (+3½)
New York’s rivalry is renewed as the Met Life Stadium tenants meet at the Meadowlands. It’s no doubt the biggest game of the year for Jets and Giants fans as they realize they don’t have even the slightest chance of seeing postseason football.
Pick: Jets by 7
Falcons at Titans (+2½)
With Ryan Tannehill questionable, Tennessee may resort to using two lousy quarterbacks, Will Levis and Malik Willis. For its part, Atlanta will stick with its One Lousy Quarterback Option: Desmond Ridder.
Pick: Falcons by 3
Other games
Rams at Cowboys (-6½):
Pick: Cowboys by 7
Ravens at Cardinals (+8½):
Pick: Ravens by 7
Jaguars at Steelers (+2½):
Pick: Jaguars by 3
Eagles at Commanders (+6½):
Pick: Eagles by 7
Raiders at Lions (-8½):
Pick: Lions by 11
Record
Week 7
6-7 straight up
5-8 vs. spread
Season
63-43 straight up (.594)
54-52 vs. spread (.509)
You can hear Kevin Cusick on Wednesdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on Twitter — @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.
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