PATRIOTS THIS WEEK

Patriots (4-2, -3) over At Bears (3-2), 1 p.m. (CBS)

Spread: Patriots by 3

Outlook: Yes, both Pats losses were on the road, but they didn’t have Josh Gordon or Julian Edelman. And Bill Belichick has made a career of bedeviling young QBs such as Mitch Trubisky; Belichick is 57-18 on the road against under-25 arms. Oh, and the Bears just got shredded by Brock Osweiler. Meet Tom Brady.

Prediction: Patriots 27-23

GAME OF THE WEEK

Saints (4-1) at Ravens (4-2), 4:05 p.m.

Spread: Ravens by 21/2.

Outlook: Drew Brees and the NFL’s highest-scoring offense face the league’s No. 1-rated defense. Brees’ next scoring pass will be his 500th, but getting it at Baltimore is no given. Something else: Brees is 0-4 vs. the Ravens – the only team he has yet to beat in his 18-year career. But Baltimore has the first defense since the 1970 merger to not allow a second-half TD through the first six games. Sorry, Drew, but for a change yours is not the winning hand. Defense and home field are.

Prediction: Ravens 28-24.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Vikings (3-2-1) at Jets (3-3), 1 p.m.

Line: Vikings by 31/2

Outlook: Kirk Cousins has helped make Adam Thielen the first NFL receiver since 1961 to open a season with six straight 100-yard games. But Cousins also has eight turnovers, five on lost fumbles, and the opportunistic Jets are second in league with 15 defensive takeaways.

Prediction: Jets 23-20.

OTHER GAMES

n At Dolphins (4-2, +21/2) over Lions (2-3), 27-23: Miami is 3-0 at home with 46 fourth-quarter points. It’s because opposing defenses are wilting like week-old roses by then. Did I mention Detroit is 0-2 on the road? Ryan Tannehill out again (shoulder) and Brock Osweiler in again concerns me. But Detroit allows 27.4 points per game and is especially generous against the run, inviting a big day by Frank Gore/Kenyan Drake.

n Chargers (4-2, -61/2) over Titans (3-3) in London, 24-13: The Chargers are really good and have won three straight. Their pass rush will make it a bloody nightmare for Marcus Mariota.

n At Colts (1-5, -71/2) over Bills (2-4), 23-17: Buffalo yanked QB Derek Anderson, 35, off the unemployment line because rookie Josh Allen is hurt and Nathan Peterson is awful. But does Indianapolis have the defense to exploit Anderson’s rust?

n At Eagles (3-3, -5) over Panthers (3-2), 27-17: The Eagles are rested after playing last Thursday and Carson Wentz is finding his rhythm. Carolina is 0-2 on the road this season and 1-4 all time in Philadelphia.

n At Buccaneers (2-3, -3) over Browns (2-3-1), 41-37: The teams with the NFL’s longest playoff droughts are angling to deliver a wildly entertaining slopfest shootout. Jameis Winston and Tampa Bay are the highest-scoring of all bad teams, but with a defense so awful they just fired their D-coordinator. Baker Mayfield will keep the Browns close.

n At Jaguars (3-3, -5) over Texans (3-3), 20-17: The shine is off Jacksonville after consecutive lopsided losses by a combined 70-21. But it’s on an 8-1 run at home and should get its mojo back.

n Rams (6-0, -10) over At 49ers (1-5), 27-20: Just another game for the last-unbeaten Rams but a season-maker for the Niners. The ’72 Dolphins can keep the champagne corked but San Francisco showed its fight in Green Bay on Monday night.

n At Washington (3-2, -11/2) over Cowboys (3-3), 23-20: Dallas has won five straight at Washington and eight of the past 10 in this rivalry. Washington is on a 1-7 skid following a victory. Sometimes, though, the trend must end. The Cowboys are appreciably worse on the road.

n At Chiefs (5-1, -6) over Bengals (4-2), 34-16: The Sunday nighter suggests fireworks thanks to two quality offenses and not a decent defense between them. There’s only one great offense here, though. It’s the one at home. Solidifying the pick: The Chiefs are on a 9-3 run in night games.

n At Falcons (2-4, -5) over Giants (1-5), 28-17: The Monday fellows can’t oversell a matchup of two teams that are a combined 3-9, and yet lots of starpower could keep us watching. The dysfunctional Giants have lost six of their past seven on the road and have about packed it in, while the Falcons are feeling some muscle after maybe saving their season last week. Matt Ryan at home, please.

Last week: 11-4 overall, 7-8 vs. spread

Season: 64-27-2, 52-38-3

By Greg Cote, Miami Herald

Copy the Story Link