Opinion Corner: NFL can be humiliating

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I guess I should be as proud of my near-hits as I am disappointed in the picks I blow by a mile.

I did pick the Bengals to beat the Jaguars 27-10 and they won 27-13. Likewise, I said the Bucs would win over the Redskins 24-22 and they won 24-21 (not sure why I used a weird number like 22).

A 10-4 week has me brimming with confidence, though I could easily get humbled into another four-win week with the state of the NFL. The confidence in me rose when Chicago easily handled Dallas on the road on Monday night, which I picked.

Night games seem to reinvigorate Chicago’s defense and special teams, and there are always big plays on the horizon for both on either Monday or Sunday night. Conversely, Dallas seems to choke in the spotlight more often than not (at least lately). The Bears defense picked Tony Romo five times, returning two for touchdowns.

The Minnesota Vikings continue to be the big surprise in the NFC North, though it sure seems like a letdown is on its way. As a Vikings fan, I’ve come to expect this. I fully expect Jake Locker not to play, and then watch a backup treat the Vikings defense like mashed potatoes and score at will. Watch the Vikings commit five turnovers and hand the Titans a win, a game Minnesota should win.

Oh, to be a Vikings fan. It often feels like an addiction. They constantly rip out your heart and stomp on it, but you keep going back. It’s like a purple pill.

Let’s get to it:

Miami (1-3) at Cincinnati (3-1): The Bengals look pretty steady. They have a good defense, consistent offense and they appear to be built to win. Can they win big games, though? We won’t find out this week. Bengals 28, Dolphins 13

Cleveland (0-4) at N.Y. Giants (2-2): Cleveland is just not a very good football team. Expect the Giants to rebound nicely. Giants 38, Browns 17

Green Bay (2-2) at Indianapolis (1-2): The Packers will start to play easier teams soon and rack up some wins after a tough victory against New Orleans. It starts this week. Packers 34, Colts 17

Philadelphia (3-1) at Pittsburgh (1-2): This might be one of the best games of the week. If Pittsburgh can run the ball against the Eagles stiff run defense, it can win. Steelers 24, Eagles 21

Atlanta (4-0) at Washington (2-2): Matt Ryan looks like the best quarterback in the league right now. What happened to all those questions about the interceptions he threw in college? Apparently, they fell to the wayside much like Dan Marino’s did. Falcons 34, Redskins 28

Baltimore (3-1) at Kansas City (1-3): Predictable vs. Unpredictable. There’s a reason the Ravens are 3-1. Ravens 21, Chiefs 10

Chicago (3-1) at Jacksonville (1-3): A game Chicago should win handily? It’s never that easy with the Bears. Bears 27, Jaguars 21

Seattle (2-2) at Carolina (1-3): Seattle appears to be outfitted with a playoff defense, while Carolina’s success rests solely on the arms and legs of Cam Newton. Seahawks 17, Panthers 14

Tennessee (1-3) at Minnesota (3-1): All signs point to the Vikings losing this game. It’s a game they should be heavily favored in. If Tennessee starting QB Jake Locker doesn’t play, that’s worse. Do Vikings fans remember what Bears QB Jim Miller used to do to them? Vikings 20, Titans 13

Buffalo (2-2) at San Francisco (3-1): Powerful AFC offense vs. powerful NFC defense. 49ers 38, Bills 27

Denver (2-2) at New England (2-2): The Patriots put on a clinic in the fourth quarter, scoring over 30 points last week. That offense might have just caught fire. Patriots 44, Broncos 41

San Diego (3-1) at New Orleans (0-4): Could the Saints be one of the best 0-4 teams ever? They’ll get win No. 1 here. Saints 34, Chargers 24

Houston (4-0) at N.Y. Jets (2-2): The Jets offense is so screwed up, I wouldn’t pick it to score 20 points on the Iowa Barnstormers. Houston, meanwhile, has one of the most lethal offensive-defensive combinations in recent memory. Texans 27, Jets 3

Last week: 10-4

Season: 31-28

Sun sports writer Chris Aarhus can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at caarhus@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, football, nfl