It was not a good week.
MDS and yours truly disagreed on none of the 14 games. But each got only eight games right.
Even worse, in our weekly best bets segment, MDS and yours truly combined for a truly crappy 0-6 showing.
I’ve got a season-to-date record of 93-55 (62.8 percent). MDS is 91-57 (61.4 percent).
In the best bets competition, I’m 13-16-1. MDS is 11-17-2.
This week’s best bets appear in the video attached to this post. The good news (if there is any) is that there’s no way we’ll go 0-6 again this week.
Packers at Seahawks
MDS’s take: Two teams with their backs to the wall, with another loss potentially devastating their playoff chances. I think the Seahawks, with home-field advantage, will deal a death blow to the Packers.
MDS’s pick: Seahawks 24, Packers 17.
Florio’s take: It’s an elimination game, sort of, for a pair of teams that seem to be destined to be eliminated, eventually. Seattle’s newly-bruising running game makes the difference.
Florio’s pick: Seahawks 23, Packers 20.
Bengals at Ravens
MDS’s take: The Bengals’ defensive struggles go far beyond anything that firing their defensive coordinator can fix.
MDS’s pick: Ravens 28, Bengals 21.
Florio’s take: It’s a pair of desperate teams, and one of them will likely be missing its starting quarterback. The other is missing a defense.
Florio’s pick: Ravens 27, Bengals 17.
Cowboys at Falcons
MDS’s take: I don’t think the Falcons are as bad as they looked last week, and I don’t think the Cowboys are as good as they looked last week. A course correction is in order.
MDS’s pick: Falcons 24, Cowboys 13.
Florio’s take: The Falcons supposedly took the Browns too lightly. They won’t do that a second week in a row.
Florio’s pick: Falcons 31, Cowboys 21.
Buccaneers at Giants
MDS’s take: Ryan Fitzpatrick should outplay Eli Manning and the Bucs should eat a W.
MDS’s pick: Buccaneers 28, Giants 20.
Florio’s take: The Buccaneers are disintegrating their way to a new coach, and the Giants are surging away from a top-five draft pick.
Florio’s pick: Giants 27, Buccaneers 20.
Steelers at Jaguars
MDS’s take: Two teams heading in opposite directions. The Steelers should keep things going with a very easy win against an overmatched Jaguars team.
MDS’s pick: Steelers 27, Jaguars 17.
Florio’s take: The Steelers will be determined to settle a couple of scores from 2017, and the Jaguars are getting more and more desperate.
Florio’s pick: Steelers 31, Jaguars 20.
Texans at Washington
MDS’s take: I don’t think too many people expected this to be a matchup of first-place teams, but that’s exactly what this is. I expect the Texans to go on the road and make a statement.
MDS’s pick: Texans 28, Washington 14.
Florio’s take:Washington continues to be a tough team to read. Chalk up the Week 10 win to a Bucs team that is teetering on implosion. The Texans aren’t.
Florio’s pick: Texans 23, Washington 17.
Titans at Colts
MDS’s take: A big one in the AFC South race, I think the Colts will earn a narrow victory in a low-scoring game.
MDS’s pick: Colts 17, Titans 16.
Florio’s take: It’s a critical AFC South game involving a pair of teams that continue to be firmly in position to make a run at the Texans. The home team takes down a final-eight franchise from 2017 for the second straight week.
Florio’s pick: Colts 23, Titans 20.
Panthers at Lions
MDS’s take: The Lions look like they’re rapidly swirling down the drain. The Panthers should bounce back from an ugly loss to the Steelers.
MDS’s pick: Panthers 30, Lions 20.
Florio’s take: Panthers coach Ron Rivera had the right attitude regarding the Week 10 wipeout in Pittsburgh. Throw in extra time and a desperate need to stay within striking distance of the Saints, and Carolina finds a way to turn things around.
Florio’s pick: Panthers 30, Lions 21.
Broncos at Chargers
MDS’s take: The Chargers might just be the second-best team in the AFC. They’ll need to keep winning to have any chance of supplanting the Chiefs as the best team in the AFC.
MDS’s pick: Chargers 28, Broncos 17.
Florio’s take: The second best team in the AFC, and possibly the best overall team in L.A., keeps rolling.
Florio’s pick: Chargers 27, Broncos 16.
Raiders at Cardinals
MDS’s take: In a battle of two of the worst teams in the league, I think the Cardinals care more and should come away with the win.
MDS’s pick: Cardinals 27, Raiders 23.
Florio’s take: Whether they’re trying to do it or not, the Raiders are tanking. The tanking continues against a Cardinals team that isn’t.
Florio’s pick: Cardinals 23, Raiders 13.
Eagles at Saints
MDS’s take: This one might be the final death blow for the Eagles’ playoff hopes.
MDS’s pick: Saints 30, Eagles 20.
Florio’s take: This is precisely the kind of trap into which a team could easily stumble. The Saints currently seem to be immune to that.
Florio’s pick: Saints 30, Eagles 20.
Vikings at Bears
MDS’s take: First place in the NFC North is on the line, and I think the Bears are primed for one of their best performances in front of what should be a great home crowd.
MDS’s pick: Bears 31, Vikings 20.
Florio’s take: The Bears get their biggest test of the year. They’re good enough to pass it.
Florio’s pick: Bears 27, Vikings 24.
Chiefs at Rams
MDS’s take: Maybe the best game of this NFL season. Call it a hunch, but I think the Chiefs pull off the road upset.
MDS’s pick: Chiefs 31, Rams 28.
Florio’s take: The Rams’ defense isn’t great, but it’s good enough to slow down the Chiefs’ offense a little more than the Chiefs’ defense will slow down the Rams’ offense.
Florio’s pick: Rams 41, Chiefs 38.