A Trap Game for the Pats? Can Kolb Beat the Red-Hot Titans? Will the Dolphins Pull off Another Upset Against the Steelers?

If I had the time (or the motivation), I would love to look into the archives and discover when the last time every team from one conference had at least two losses after six weeks of football.

That’s the current situation in the NFC. Unreal. You’ve got to love the NFL. The race in the NFC is WIDE OPEN; it’s not completely unrealistic that the defending Super Bowl champions miss out on the playoffs.

Seems like a decent enough segue into my Week 7 picks:

CLEVELAND AT NEW ORLEANS: Last week, the Saints channeled their frustration from an embarrassing Week 5 loss to the Cardinals and took it out on the Bucs. New Orleans has a date with Pittsburgh in Week 8 before heading into a bye. So, to many, the Cleveland Browns might appear to be the perfect trap game. But I think the champs learned their lesson against the Cards. This one shouldn’t be close. PICK: SAINTS

JACKSONVILLE AT KANSAS CITY:  The Chiefs blew a great opportunity to beat the Texans last week. The good news for them is that no other team in the AFC West was victorious, so the Chiefs still have a two-game lead in the division. Jacksonville is having quarterback issues, so I think KC will win a close one. PICK: CHIEFS

WASHINGTON AT CHICAGO:  Both teams coming off three-point losses. I’m not sold on the Bears. The only good team they have beaten thus far is the Packers, and it was on a Monday night that Green Bay set a franchise record in penalties committed. The other three Ws for Chicago came against Detroit, Dallas and Carolina. PICK: REDSKINS

PITTSBURGH AT MIAMI: Very interesting matchup. The Steelers have a tough stretch coming up: at New Orleans, at Cincinnati and then home against New England. Pittsburgh is one of three teams in the league with only one loss, along with the Jets and Pats. That changes this week. PICK: DOLPHINS

CINCINNATI AT ATLANTA: The Bengals baffle me. They beat the Ravens in Week 2 then dropped two of their next three games, falling to Cleveland and Tampa Bay. Strange. Their unpredictable nature makes me nervous picking against them in a game where they appear to be the clear underdogs. But Atlanta is coming off a setback against the Eagles, so I think they’ll have a chip on their shoulders. PICK: FALCONS

ST. LOUIS AT TAMPA BAY: It’s crazy to say, but this game may actually turn out to have playoff implications come the end of the season. The Rams haven’t won a game on the road, but they’re coming off a huge upset over the Chargers. It’d be crazy to pick against them after such a big win, right? PICK: BUCCANEERS

BUFFALO AT BALTIMORE:  The Bills are certainly due. I think they’ll break the ice in the next few weeks because they’ve got Kansas City, Chicago and Detroit on deck, but there’s no chance in hell they beat a pissed-off Ravens club. PICK: RAVENS

SAN  FRANCISCO AT CAROLINA: Good opportunity for the Panthers to pick up their first victory at home against a one-win Niners team. Won’t happen though. PICK: 49ERS

PHILADELPHIA AT TENNESEE: This is a tough one to pick. The Titans are brimming with confidence after an impressive performance in front of a national audience. Last week, I predicted a quarterback controversy in Philly. Kevin Kolb was dynamite last week, so the only way a QB debate starts brewing is if he has an off week. The Eagles have a bye week, and then face the Colts in Week 9. The Titans beat the Eagles, and the media storm kicks off in Philly for two weeks. Who starts against Indy? Kolb or Vick? PICK: TITANS

ARIZONA AT SEATTLE: A battle for first place in the NFC West. PICK: SEAHAWKS

OAKLAND AT DENVER: The Broncos were a pass-interference non-call away from beating the mighty Jets. The Broncos have four losses, but those setbacks came against the Jaguars, Colts, Ravens and Jets. PICK: BRONCOS

PATRIOTS AT CHARGERS: I heard an alarming statistic last night. The 2-4 Chargers have the top-ranked offense AND defense in the NFL. Are you kidding me? What was it that Bill Belichick said during a press conference last year? “Stats are for losers. The final score is for winners.” As a Pats fan, this game scares the bejesus out of me. New England has struggled at San Diego in the past, and things just seem to be a bit too peachy for comfort. Riding high off victories over the Ravens and Dolphins, and then you’ve got Favre and Moss coming to town on Halloween. Looks like a trap game to me. PICK: CHARGERS

VIKINGS AT GREEN BAY: The Packers have lost three of their last four games by a combined total of nine points, including two consecutive failures in overtime. Great teams learn how to win the close contests, and the Packers haven’t proven that yet. With that being said, I think a win over Favre at Lambeau will give them a confidence boost. Plus, they’re playing at the Jets next week. At 3-3, the Packers really can’t afford to lose to Minnesota. PICK: PACKERS

N.Y. GIANTS AT DALLAS: I’m looking over my picks so far and I’ve only picked two road teams to prevail. That’s not good. I’ve been going back and forth on this game all week because the Cowboys are going to be desperate but, at the same time, the Giants are a much better, more disciplined football team. For lack of a better method, I’ll pick another road team since I’ve been one-sided so far. PICK: GIANTS

Last week: 12-2

Season record: 55-35