Colts drop a pass on fourth-and-1… Carolina fumbles a TD through the end zone and has another called back by penalty. It’s been that kind of season for this segment. We trudge forward. How about four of the six for the weekend?
Odds by ESPN BET
NFL picks
Cleveland Browns (-2.5, 44.5) at Houston Texans
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, NRG Stadium, Houston
Van Pelt’s pick: Texans +2.5
We are taking Houston on its home field, which is painful because [Joe] Flacco seems anointed by the football gods. But this Texans team is on a special trajectory, and we will assume that Amari Cooper won’t have a billion reviving yards like he did in the regular-season win over the Texans — cost me a fantasy title — whatever.
SVP: 0-4 all-time when picking the Texans
Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5, 43.5)
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Van Pelt’s pick: Dolphins +4.5
This one is GPG (General Principle Game) and the Not-A-Single-Human Theory… it’s everything. The Dolphins can’t win if it’s under 40 degrees. Well, Saturday it might by minus-5. That’s as big a difference as between 40 and 85 degrees. They get crushed, right? Has a single human suggested Miami can get there? We will. Kinda have to, according to the proprietary algorithms that have us under .500… Fish.
SVP: 4-1 all-time when picking the Dolphins
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (-3, 51.5)
Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, Ford Field, Detroit
Van Pelt’s pick: Lions -3
Also keep hearing the Rams are dangerous — and I agree. [Matthew] Stafford gives them a big-time chance to make a run. But we are rocking Honolulu blue and laying them with Detroit in this one.
SVP: 2-4 all-time when picking the Lions
Philadelphia Eagles (-3, 43.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC/ESPN+, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Van Pelt’s pick: Buccaneers +3
We close with the Monday nighter. Tampa Bay plus the points. I just watched the Cardinals and the Giants beat this Philly team who got more than a little bit loose into the final turn. So… we take the Buccaneers in the Super Wild Card finale.
SVP: 2-3-2 all-time when picking the Buccaneers