From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe

Today, I’ll lay out my picks for this week’s games. Starting next week, I’ll post them on Thursday to include Thursday’s game.

Thursday – Sep 24

Washington Redskins (1-1) at New York Giants (0-2)

Giants were 3-point favorites.

Thursday Night Football featured the Redskins against the New York Giants. This was a tough pick for me at first. Neither team is very good. Then when I went back and considered that the Giants should’ve beaten the undefeated Cowboys in Week 1 – so I picked the Giants and got it right when the Giants beat the Redskins 32-21 in a game that wasn’t really as close as the score indicates.

Sunday – Sep 27

1:00 – Atlanta Falcons (2-0) at Dallas Cowboys (2-0)

EVEN game with an O/U of 44 points.

In a battle of unbeatens, I’m picking against Dallas for three reasons:

1. No Dez Bryant
2. No Tony Romo
3. Brandon Weedon stinks.

I say the Falcons remain undefeated.

1:00 – Indianapolis Colts (0-2) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)

Colts are 3-point road favorites with an O/U of 45½ points.

I’ve long considered Andrew Luck as being over-rated – and his play in the first two games makes me look good right now. My negative feelings toward Luck, coupled with my belief that Marcus Mariota will bounce back and look more like his first game then his second, makes me pick the Titans.

1:00 – Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Cleveland Browns (1-1)

Browns are 3-point favorites with an O/U of 43 points.

I don’t like either team, but I’m picking the Raiders for two reasons:

1. The Browns don’t have a quarterback.
2. The Raiders seem to be up-and-coming.

1:00 – Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) at Baltimore Ravens (0-2)

Ravens are 1-point home favorites with an O/U of 44 points.

The “experts” believe that the desperate Ravens can’t possibly get off to an 0-and-3 start. But I can. I believe the Bengals are dark-horse contenders for the Super Bowl. Conversely, I think the Ravens need to start doing some rebuilding. I take the Bengals.

1:00 – Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) at New England Patriots (2-0)

Patriots are heavy 14½-point favorites with an O/U of 48½ points.

No-brainer. Don’t think it’s possible for the Jags to beat the Patriots in New England. I take the Pats.

1:00 – New Orleans Saints (0-2) at Carolina Panthers (2-0)

Panthers are 9½-point favorites with an O/U of 42½ points.

Drew Brees and the Saints are in the midst of a downward spiral. Even if Brees played – which he’s not – I can’t see the Saints beating the Panthers on the road this week. Their only chance would be if Luke McCown played like Tom Brady. But I don’t see that happening, so I take the Panthers.

1:00 – Philadelphia Eagles (0-2) at New York Jets (2-0)

Jets are 1-points favorites with an O/U of 46 points.

My beloved Eagles stink. In a low-scoring game, I don’t see any way the Birds can outscore the defense-rich Jets. I’m rooting for the eagles, but I’m picking the Jets.

1:00 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) at Houston Texans (0-2)

Texans are 7-point favorites with an O/U of 40½ points.

The Texans won’t remain winless this week for two reasons:

1. The Bucs stink.
2. Jameis Winston not yet – if ever – a good NFL quarterback.

So I’m taking the Texans.

1:00 – San Diego Chargers (1-1) at Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

Vikings are 1-point favorites with an O/U of 44½ points.

Don’t really like the Chargers or Philip Rivers. Teddy Bridgewater is starting to develop and Adrian Peterson bounced back last week better than I expected. So I’ll take the Vikings.

1:00 – Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at St. Louis Rams (1-1)

EVEN game with an O/U of 48 points.

I was going to call this my Upset Special, but the Rams are no longer the underdogs.

Levian Bell is coming back with the Steelers this week, but I don’t see him being at the top of his game just yet. Even though Ben Roethlisberger is off to a great start and that I’m playing Antonio Brown on all my fantasy teams. I’m thinking that Nicky Football will manage to put enough points on the board as the Rams somewhat smelt the Steelers.

So I’m taking Nick Foles and the Rams.

4:05 – San Francisco 49ers (1-1) at Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

Cardinals are 7-point favorites with an O/U of 44½ points.

Never liked the 49ers quarterback – whom I derisively call Copernicus. Plus, I like what Bruce Arian’s done with this team. So I take the Cardinals.

4:25 – Buffalo Bills (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (1-1)

Dolphins are 2½-point favorites with an O/U of 41½ points.

Don’t know how much Shaky McCoy is playing, but it doesn’t make any difference. After what I saw the Patriots do to the Bills last week in Buffalo, I see the Dolphins outscoring the Bill. I take the Dolphins.

4:25 – Chicago Bears (0-2) at Seattle Seahawks (0-2)

Seahawks are heaviest favorites of the day at 15½ points with an O/U of 43½ points.

The Bears stink with Jay Cutler at quarterback. Without him, they may be better – but nowhere good enough to deal with the Seahawks in Seattle. With the return of Kam Chancellor, I see the Seahawks winning and possibly covering the 15½ points. I’ll take the Seahawks.

8:30 – Denver Broncos (2-0) at Detroit Lions (0-2)

Broncos are 3-point favorites on the road with an O/U of 44½ points.

I don’t like the Lions or their quarterback. Meanwhile, the Broncos defense might be better than the Peyton Manning and the offense. So I’m taking the Broncos.

Monday – Sep 28

8:30 – Kansas City Chiefs (1-1) at Green Bay Packers (2-0)

Packers are 7-point favorites with an O/U of 49 points.

If it’s a close game, Mike McCarthy will out-coach Andy Reid. But I don’t see it being a close game. I take the Packers to win. If it comes down to a tie-breaker in the pool I’m playing, I took 54 points.

That’s it. Those are my picks:

• Giants – Giants won 32-21 – 1 Win – 0 Losses
• Falcons
• Titans
• Raiders
• Bengals
• Patriots
• Panthers
• Jets
• Texans
• Vikings
• Rams
• Cardinals
• Dolphins
• Seahawks
• Broncos
• Packers

In addition to being an official Eagles Outsider, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow
• Soon-to-be-published Birth of the Birds