Printed from the Globe And Mail (Toronto). Randall The Handle has a very good record over the last few years. He knows his stuff.
Randall the Handle
Friday, September 20, 2002 ? Print Edition, Page S2
NFL PICKS
Last week (13-3) Season (21-11)
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PREMIER
Last week (3-0) Season (5-1)
Carolina (2-0)
at Minnesota (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Minnesota minus six. The Panthers have already surpassed their win total from last year, but those victories came at home against the woeful Ravens and Lions. Carolina is on the road to face a Vikings team that remembers all too vividly where the Panthers' only win came last year on this very surface. Carolina has covered only one of its past eight games against a revenge-motivated team. Take: Minnesota minus six.
N.Y. Jets (1-1)
at Miami (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Miami minus six. Looks cheap, doesn't it? Well, buyer beware. Although the Jets have looked very ordinary, this rival brings out the best in them. New York has defeated Miami in their past eight meetings, with the Dolphins failing to cover in all eight. The Jets are a much better proposition as a road underdog, as they have covered 24 of their past 30 games in that role. Take: New York plus six.
Seattle (0-2)
at N.Y. Giants (1-1)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. N.Y. Giants minus 6?. It is one thing to be taking points against the 49ers and Rams. It is an entirely different thing to be giving away nearly a touchdown for the Giants. These two played in New York last year and the result was a 27-24 victory for the hosts. We expect a similar game this time. Take: Seattle plus 6?.
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HIGH GEAR
Last week (4-0) Season (4-3)
Green Bay (1-1)
at Detroit (0-2)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. Green Bay minus eight. Green Bay has covered only five of its 25 games when giving away more than a touchdown. In addition, Green Bay has been favoured in nine of its past 10 trips to Detroit and has departed with only one cover. The Lions will be making their debut at the new Ford Field and will start rookie Joey Harrington. Take: Detroit plus eight.
Buffalo (1-1)
at Denver (2-0)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT. Denver minus nine. The Broncos have looked extremely good so far, but this is a large spot against a Buffalo team that has rediscovered its offence under Drew Bledsoe. The Bills have had success against the AFC West recently, with four consecutive covers. Take: Buffalo plus nine.
San Diego (2-0)
at Arizona (1-1)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT. San Diego minus 1?. With all the strategies, planning and personnel moves, football still comes down to playing good defence. The Chargers epitomize that. They have allowed only 125 yards on the ground in two games. The Cardinals rarely give their home fans something to cheer about, as they have covered only 14 of their past 40 games at home. Take: San Diego minus 1?.
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LOWER TIER
Last week (3-1) Season (5-3)
Kansas City (1-1)
at New England (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. New England minus 9?. Nice of the oddsmakers to finally price this very real team as the favourite. The problem is that this figures to be a long-awaited breather for the champions. The Patriots won the Super Bowl, then opened with a Monday night game in a new stadium, followed by a trip to New York to play the Jets. This reeks of a letdown. Take: Kansas City plus 9?.
Cleveland (1-1)
at Tennessee (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Tennessee minus four. Both teams are hurting on defence and that could create a lot of scoring in this one. That should bode well for the Titans, who have Eddie George to run the ball against a Browns team that has had little success stopping the ground game. Take: Tennessee minus four.
St. Louis (0-2)
at Tampa Bay (1-1)
Monday, 9 p.m. EDT. St. Louis minus two. Another Monday night. Another Monday night home underdog. Unfortunately for the Rams, the Buccaneers perform well in that role, as they have won and covered nine of their 10 previous games when receiving points as hosts. Take: Tampa Bay plus two.
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BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE
Last week (3-2) Season (7-4)
Dallas (1-1)
at Philadelphia (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Philadelphia minus nine. Will the real Cowboys please stand up? Do we get the anemic group that forgot to show up in Houston or the the solid unit that whacked the Titans last week? We'll go with the latter, as this is a lot of points to be spotting in a division rivalry. Take: Dallas plus nine.
New Orleans (2-0)
at Chicago (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Chicago minus 1?. The Bears have been in a couple of tough games and were fortunate to come out with wins in both. They will be host to a much tougher opponent and one that has performed extremely well on the road. New Orleans has won 12 of its past 18 away games. Take: New Orleans plus 1?.
Indianapolis (1-1)
at Houston (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Indianapolis minus 12. Houston's saving grace is its reasonably good defence. The Colts rarely perform well on a grass surface, with only 10 covers in their past 27 games on the real stuff. Take: Houston plus 12.
Washington (1-1)
at San Francisco (1-1)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. San Francisco minus nine. Steve Spurrier's "fun and gun" looked more like "stop and drop" on Monday night. However, the 49ers have not looked overly impressive in the early going, and asking them to give away these many points right now is a tall order. Take: Washington plus nine.
Cincinnati (0-2)
at Atlanta (0-2)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT. Atlanta minus seven. The Bengals have had more facelifts than Joan Rivers, but to no avail. The Falcons could have won both their games with a couple of breaks. Take: Atlanta minus seven.
ufemailthehandle@rogers.com
Randall the Handle
Friday, September 20, 2002 ? Print Edition, Page S2
NFL PICKS
Last week (13-3) Season (21-11)
=============================================
PREMIER
Last week (3-0) Season (5-1)
Carolina (2-0)
at Minnesota (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Minnesota minus six. The Panthers have already surpassed their win total from last year, but those victories came at home against the woeful Ravens and Lions. Carolina is on the road to face a Vikings team that remembers all too vividly where the Panthers' only win came last year on this very surface. Carolina has covered only one of its past eight games against a revenge-motivated team. Take: Minnesota minus six.
N.Y. Jets (1-1)
at Miami (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Miami minus six. Looks cheap, doesn't it? Well, buyer beware. Although the Jets have looked very ordinary, this rival brings out the best in them. New York has defeated Miami in their past eight meetings, with the Dolphins failing to cover in all eight. The Jets are a much better proposition as a road underdog, as they have covered 24 of their past 30 games in that role. Take: New York plus six.
Seattle (0-2)
at N.Y. Giants (1-1)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. N.Y. Giants minus 6?. It is one thing to be taking points against the 49ers and Rams. It is an entirely different thing to be giving away nearly a touchdown for the Giants. These two played in New York last year and the result was a 27-24 victory for the hosts. We expect a similar game this time. Take: Seattle plus 6?.
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HIGH GEAR
Last week (4-0) Season (4-3)
Green Bay (1-1)
at Detroit (0-2)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. Green Bay minus eight. Green Bay has covered only five of its 25 games when giving away more than a touchdown. In addition, Green Bay has been favoured in nine of its past 10 trips to Detroit and has departed with only one cover. The Lions will be making their debut at the new Ford Field and will start rookie Joey Harrington. Take: Detroit plus eight.
Buffalo (1-1)
at Denver (2-0)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT. Denver minus nine. The Broncos have looked extremely good so far, but this is a large spot against a Buffalo team that has rediscovered its offence under Drew Bledsoe. The Bills have had success against the AFC West recently, with four consecutive covers. Take: Buffalo plus nine.
San Diego (2-0)
at Arizona (1-1)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT. San Diego minus 1?. With all the strategies, planning and personnel moves, football still comes down to playing good defence. The Chargers epitomize that. They have allowed only 125 yards on the ground in two games. The Cardinals rarely give their home fans something to cheer about, as they have covered only 14 of their past 40 games at home. Take: San Diego minus 1?.
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LOWER TIER
Last week (3-1) Season (5-3)
Kansas City (1-1)
at New England (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. New England minus 9?. Nice of the oddsmakers to finally price this very real team as the favourite. The problem is that this figures to be a long-awaited breather for the champions. The Patriots won the Super Bowl, then opened with a Monday night game in a new stadium, followed by a trip to New York to play the Jets. This reeks of a letdown. Take: Kansas City plus 9?.
Cleveland (1-1)
at Tennessee (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Tennessee minus four. Both teams are hurting on defence and that could create a lot of scoring in this one. That should bode well for the Titans, who have Eddie George to run the ball against a Browns team that has had little success stopping the ground game. Take: Tennessee minus four.
St. Louis (0-2)
at Tampa Bay (1-1)
Monday, 9 p.m. EDT. St. Louis minus two. Another Monday night. Another Monday night home underdog. Unfortunately for the Rams, the Buccaneers perform well in that role, as they have won and covered nine of their 10 previous games when receiving points as hosts. Take: Tampa Bay plus two.
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BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE
Last week (3-2) Season (7-4)
Dallas (1-1)
at Philadelphia (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Philadelphia minus nine. Will the real Cowboys please stand up? Do we get the anemic group that forgot to show up in Houston or the the solid unit that whacked the Titans last week? We'll go with the latter, as this is a lot of points to be spotting in a division rivalry. Take: Dallas plus nine.
New Orleans (2-0)
at Chicago (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Chicago minus 1?. The Bears have been in a couple of tough games and were fortunate to come out with wins in both. They will be host to a much tougher opponent and one that has performed extremely well on the road. New Orleans has won 12 of its past 18 away games. Take: New Orleans plus 1?.
Indianapolis (1-1)
at Houston (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT. Indianapolis minus 12. Houston's saving grace is its reasonably good defence. The Colts rarely perform well on a grass surface, with only 10 covers in their past 27 games on the real stuff. Take: Houston plus 12.
Washington (1-1)
at San Francisco (1-1)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. EDT. San Francisco minus nine. Steve Spurrier's "fun and gun" looked more like "stop and drop" on Monday night. However, the 49ers have not looked overly impressive in the early going, and asking them to give away these many points right now is a tall order. Take: Washington plus nine.
Cincinnati (0-2)
at Atlanta (0-2)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT. Atlanta minus seven. The Bengals have had more facelifts than Joan Rivers, but to no avail. The Falcons could have won both their games with a couple of breaks. Take: Atlanta minus seven.
ufemailthehandle@rogers.com
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