JIM RUBERA

Last Week: 7-9 / Overall: 21-25-2 /  Best Bets: 1-4-2 / Monday Night: 2-2 / Against Cincy: 1-2

Five games get lumped into one general analysis…  “Now or Never.”  These are underachieving teams that have the talent to turn their season around for a playoff run, but need to start immediately because of the hole they’ve dug for themselves early.  They’re all playing winnable games and I’m picking all of these teams.   NFL teams usually respond when they’re backs are against the wall.  Here they are.

Minnesota -1.5 @ Kansas City

Now or never Mr. McNabb.

Tennessee +1 @ Cleveland

Now or never Mr. Johnson.

Atlanta -4.5 @ Seattle

Now or never Mr. Ryan.

NY Giants @ Arizona +1

Now or never Mr. Kolb.

Washington @ St. Louis +1

Now or never Mr. Bradford.

And the rest…

Detroit @ Dallas -1

Toughest game to pick this week.  The Lions have been…well…Lions…against the spread since halfway through last season.  But the Cowboys toughed out a good and ugly win Monday night against another undefeated team.  That game was at home and this one is also, so the short week shouldn’t affect them.  I expect more than just field goals from the suddenly healthy Cowboys to keep pace with Stafford and Calvin Johnson.

New Orleans -7 @ Jacksonville

The reverse line movement favors the Jaguars, but I still don’t see any way they can offensively keep up with the Saints.  The sharp bettors are called “sharps” for a reason, but I think they have this one wrong.  It’s still Brees vs. Gabbert.  And don’t look now, but the combination of Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles is just as good as Maurice Jones-Drew.

San Francisco +8.5 @ Philadelphia

Can’t pick the Eagles again until Vick stays in for a whole game and DeSean Jackson has more than 30 yards receiving in a game again.  Too many points to ignore here.  The 49ers aren’t good, but they’re competent.  Which is all it seems to take to hang with Philly so far this year.

Buffalo -3 @ Cincinnati

Bengals stink.

Carolina +6.5 @ Chicago

Cam gets a pass for not throwing for 400 last week in a typhoon.  And he won the game.  If Chicago’s offensive line plays like they have been, this game will be close.

Pittsburgh @ Houston -4

Arian Foster is back.  Houston succumbed to a nasty Saints offense late last week and blew the game, but they are still in the driver’s seat in their division.  Pitt looked awful in Indy Sunday night and lacks the firepower to match points with the Texans.  Their defense can be had and Houston has plenty of people that can make them pay.

Miami @ San Diego -7

The Dolphins have been torched through the air all year, save for last week against Colt McCoy and his band of no-name receivers.  This should be just what Phillip Rivers needs to snap out of his mediocrity.

Denver @ Green Bay -13

The Broncos hat is hung on a two point victory against the Bengals.  That’s not enough to earn respect.  The Packers have not won by double digits yet, but have been in shootouts with the Saints, a surprising Cam Newton and his Panthers, and the division rival Bears.  This should be a varsity/junior varsity scrimmage.

New England -4 @ Oakland

I know I keep using the rationale that one team can’t keep up with the other offensively, but with the ridiculous passing games that some of these teams have it’s the only real explanation in most of these cases.  The Patriots have one of those attacks.  Jason Campbell and the Raiders do not.  You can talk all you want about the tough West Coast trip and how the Raiders just beat the mighty Jets.  But Oakland hasn’t beat a passing team yet and that’s just what the Patriots are.

NY Jets @ Baltimore -3.5

This will be a great game and show who is for real at the top of the AFC.  The Ravens have the advantage on offense and surprisingly on defense as well.  Aside from croaking the awful Jaguars, the Jets are the ones that can’t stop a nosebleed these days.  Ravens by a touchdown.

Indianapolis @ Tampa Bay -10

I think Indy showed us their best Sunday night in front of their home crowd.  And it wasn’t enough. This should be a tough road game and they’ll be all out of inspiration.  Tampa is solid all around and should hold off…Curtis Painter.

Best Bets: Atlanta, New Orleans, Patriots

Photo: AP

Popularity: 5% [?]