There has been talk since week two that the New England Patriots are good enough to go 16-0. It heated up more this past week since the Pats knocked off the Cowboys last Sunday. So could it happen? Could the New England Patriots go undefeated and break the 1972 Miami Dolphins record for a perfect season. The answer to that is NO. The Pats could lose their first game in a few weeks when they play the Colts. Indy is flying under the radar this year and is enjoying the spotlight being on their arc-rivals. Instead of media focusing on them the Colts must be enjoying not being asked if they could go 16-0 or repeat as champs. The Colts are good enough to knock off New England in a few weeks. If they don’t then I still don’t believe that New England will go perfect for the year. The Patriots could have the AFC east wrapped up by week 11 or 12. Then they have back-to-back games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. If they win them they will have the home field for the playoffs. Look for Bill Belichick to rest his starters for the last three weeks of the season. Belichick cares more about championships then he does records. Would you risk Tom Brady, and a few others starters, on a bunch of meaningless games at the end of the season. Face it, as great as it is going for New England this year this team is still just one injured quarterback away from becoming an average team. I think that the Miami Dolphins have a better chance of going 0-16 than the Patriots do of going 16-0.

With that being said here is my six-pack for this week. Remember, I like my beer straight up. The 16oz Icehouse make the best six packs. So my picks don’t include the points. New England will destroy Miami this afternoon. Don’t listen to all that talk that you heard this week about how the Dolphins always play the Pats tough at home. Miami has no defense. Their starting quarterback is Cleo Lemon, and his best weapon Chris Chambers was traded this past week. I smell a shutout. Look for the Patriots to send the Dolphins off to London with a bloody nose.

A tale of two quarterbacks; The Cardinals are down to their third string quarterback-Tim Rattay. He was just signed two weeks ago. Today, he goes up against a Redskins team that should still be angry for giving away another game. Washington is 3-2, but could easily be 5-0. They didn’t lose to the Giants and Packers. They lost to themselves. They won’t lose today. The Redskins at home are the pick. Atlanta is going to start Bryon Leftwich this afternoon. Another quarterback who was signed late, but did anyone really think Joey Harrington would last the season? Atlanta is coming off a short week and still licking it wounds from the Giants. They go in New Orleans who beat Seattle last week. The Saints need this game if they have any chance of getting back into the race. New Orleans at home is the pick.

I have three road warriors picks this week. I like Indy over Jacksonville on Monday night. On Sunday night I’ll take Pittsburgh over Denver in Mile Hiigh. My upset of the week is the Bucs over Lions in Detroit. Tampa Bay running game is still hurting, but I love Jeff Garcia’s mobility. I love the Buc’s defense too. This should make for an interesting game. Detroit’s head coach Rod Marinelli was the Bucs defensive line coach for ten years. Think he knows their personnel?

So much for upsets. Last week I went 1-5. I am 21-13 for the season. Speaking of upsets here are my final thoughts on the upset of the season that could have been. My beloved Buffalo Bills against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago on Monday Night Football. (No I didn’t take the bridge.) It was a great game, but the Cowboys deserved to win. My Bills didn’t seal the deal in the end. They let the Cowboys hang around. When you do that you get bit in the end, and the Bills did. Still, I thought that the Bills were going to lose by 20. Instead they lost by only one, and I am happy for Wade Phillips. He is a great coach and an even better man. Everyone knew how much he wanted that game after being fired seven years ago. The team game him the game ball. Wade showed a lot of class at the post game press conference. He could have bad mouth the Bills. Instead he thanked them. Wade said that he would not be where he is today if it was not for Ralph Wilson giving him a chance all those years ago. He would not have his dream job as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Something he wanted back when he started coaching at a Texas high school. Still, the Bills should have never fired him. Phillips should be celebrating his tenth year as Bills coach instead of his first season as the Cowboys.

Also, Happy Birthday to Ralph Wilson jr. Last Wednesday he turned 89 years young. Just when you think you have seen it all that Monday night game came along. Sure a victory would have been a nice, but I guess it was just not meant to be. Still, thank you for bringing football to this area all those years ago. As one of the original owners of the AFL. Fall in Upstate New York would not be the same without football. Yes, even with the heartbreak. Because there has been more good times at One Bills Drive instead of bad. Like the last two times Dallas came here. I was at both those games. In which those underdog Bills teams pulled the upset. So it is my fault that they lost this time. I’ll take the blame as my gift to you. So thank you Mr. Wilson for everything you do on and off the field. Just ask Kevin Everett. All that money that you have donated to the Miami Project sure paid off for him. This past week we heard that he took a few steps with the help of a walker. The news just keeps getting better. As I wrote after week one losing a football game on a last second field goal is not the end of the world…enjoy the games everyone.