The NFL this week is like flipping through the channels and you come across an old rerun of one of your favorite shows. You have probably seen this episode about fifty times. Still, you say to yourself “what’s fifty one.” Then you watch it for a while. That is the way I feel about this week in the NFL. While checking out the games I just kept telling myself haven’t I seen this all before? I guess the old saying is true, the more things change the more things stay the same. So as I make my picks for this week please join me for a trip down memory lane.

Doug Flutie’s 45th birthday was this past week. It seems like only yesterday I was watching him play quarterback for my beloved Buffalo Bills. Back in 1998 he came down from Canada to give the NFL one last shot. He signed with Buffalo to be Rob Johnson’s backup. Johnson was the surfer dud from California who the Bills traded for in the off-season. He was going to lead the Bills to the promise land. It was going to be a whole new era in Buffalo. It sure was! It turned into the Flutie/Johnson quarterback controversy era. Johnson could never stay healthy and the Bills came out of the shoot 0-3. In the fourth game Flutie replaced Johnson after he got injured. Johnson got hurt so bad that missed a couple of games. After leading the Bills to a few victories Flutie stayed the starter even after Johnson got healthy. About week eight Flutie was named the started for the rest of the season. He led the Bills to a 10-6 record and the playoffs. Today, the Bills have another quarterback controversy. JP Losman, another quarterback from the west coast, missed two games with an injury. Rookie Trent Edwards replaced him. Edwards is the Bills third round draft pick out of Stanford. Losmen got healthy, but was still left on the bench. This eighth week of the 2007 season Trent Edwards was named the starter for the rest of the year.

The Bills travel to New York to take on the Jets. The Jets are having quarterback problems of their own. Chad Pennington will start, but I don’t think he is healthy after having off-season surgery. Kellen Clemens might start the second half, but the Jets have other problems besides quarterback. The Bills beat them a few weeks ago at home and I can’t see any reason why they won’t beat them again. Besides, I never go against my team. I’ll take the Bills on the road and look for Marshawn #### to have a big day.

The Colts and the Pats play what is called the look-ahead-to-next-week game this weekend. Before their big showdown next week in Indy. CBS is sitting on its hands and hoping that both teams are not looking ahead. That they remain undefeated. Back in 1990 ABC was doing the same thing. Both the NY Giants and SF 49ers were at 11-0.  ABC was promoting the hell out of that both teams were undefeated and would meet in week 13 on Monday Night Football. In week 12 both teams fell. The Giants lost to the Eagles and the 49ers lost to the Rams. (The Los Angeles Rams) When they played the following week it was one of the most boring Monday Night games I have ever seen with San Fran winning 7-3. So much for hype! Anyway, the Colts play in Carolina this week and the Pats are home to Washington. I don’t think there will be a repeat of 1990.

The Colts get a raw deal having to play two road games on a short week. Carolina is coming off of a bye. Still, I’ll take the Colts. They have the edge in defense, running game, and quarterback. I’ll take Payton Manning over both David Carr and Vinny Testaverde. Since my theme this week is reruns Vinny reminds me of that old actor who comes back to do a cameo. Just like Tom Sellect’s Magnum PI buddies did last Friday on NBC’s Las Vegas. It was nice to see Rick and TC again. 

As for the Patriots they have the edge over the Redskins in everything. Washington is a good team, but not as good as New England. Last week Washington just barely got past Arizona while New England had a trip to the Florida sunshine for a practice against the Dolphins. New England is destroying everyone and will beat Washington. Readers of my blog know I don’t pick with the points. I like my beer straight up. Still, it will be interesting to see if New England beats a good team like Washington by the 16-point spread.

Back in 1986 the Mets had just beat the Red Sox in game six of the World Series when the ball went though Bill Buckner’s legs. This set up game seven in New York the next night. That game got rained out and game seven was pushed back to Monday. At the same time the Mets were winning the series the Giants were across the river beating the Washington Redskins. Monday night in Denver there might be a World Series game and a Monday night football game being played again at the same time in the same town. The Red Sox maybe playing the Rockies while the Broncos will be hosting the Packers. Back in 1986 both home teams won. This Monday both home teams could lose. At least the football team will. I like the Packers on the road. And who knows maybe the Red Sox will be winning the World Series at the same time.

My road warrior pick this week is easy. The Giants travel to London to play the Dolphins. Miami is listed as the home team. The Dolphins are so bad that that they had to be shipped out of the country. They will not come back to the states with a win. The Giants are my pick as Dolphins continue their quest to become the first team to go 0-16.