8702140667
DETROIT FREE PRESS
870920
Sunday, September 20, 1987
METRO FINAL CHASER
6D
MITCH ALBOM
the picks
Copyright (c) 1987, Detroit Free Press
WITH STRIKE ON HORIZON, TIME TO MAKE MY MARK
As we head into the final week of this NFL season, I must say it has gone
by quickly. It seems like just last week we were kicking off. And so many
surprises!
Who would have thought, for example, that last year's Super Bowl champs,
the New York Giants, would be winless going into their last game? Or the San
Francisco 49ers? Or the Cleveland Browns?
Who would have thought that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be undefeated
at this stage? Is that remarkable? One more game for a perfect season?
My choice for MVP? Has to be John Elway, after what he did against Seattle,
and against, uh, you know, against, well, the other people.
My choice for coach of the year? Has to be Jerry Glanville of the Houston
Oilers. After what he did against the Rams, and . . . uh, well, he runs great
practices.
As for the local situation, the Lions never seemed to recover from that
opening game loss to the Vikings. In fact, it's hard to even remember any of
their other games. I guess that was really the one that counted.
So, anyhow, this is it, the finish to an exciting season. Soon the
playoffs, and the conference championships, and the Super Bowl. . . .
Funny. It seems a little warm outside, doesn't it?
And now, this week's picks. . . .
LA RAIDERS 20, LIONS 17: A winless season. How depressing. Of course, if
the Lions should pull this out, they'd end the year at .500. Hey. Wait a
minute. How can they. . . .
DENVER 35, GREEN BAY 10: And I'm picking the Broncos in the playoffs, which
should begin, what? Saturday?
PHILADELPHIA 27, NEW ORLEANS 20: Actually, this strike business has its
positive sides. No Buddy Ryan for a while.
LA RAMS 17, MINNESOTA 13: Vikings discover that not every team closes shop
after the first half.
CLEVELAND 21, PITTSBURGH 14: Not a decent restaurant between the two of
them.
WASHINGTON 35, ATLANTA 12: When Jay Schroeder went down with an injury,
backup quarterback Doug Williams said, "I guess this means I'll be in
Washington for a few more weeks." Now, there's a man with a positive attitude.
MIAMI 35, INDIANAPOLIS 23: The only fun part about going to a lousy town
like Indianapolis is that you get to play the Colts. If they ever got good,
nobody would want to go there.
CINCINNATI 31, SAN FRANCISCO 30: The 49ers aren't worried. Joe Montana says
he'll play during the strike.
SEATTLE 30, KANSAS CITY 20: It seems a little unfair that Brian Bosworth,
who has been in this league a week, has already been interviewed more than the
entire Lions' defense has in its career.
HOUSTON 20, BUFFALO 17: Bowing to public pressure, I said last week I
would pick the Bills once, and if they lost, never again. They lost.
SAN DIEGO 35, ST LOUIS 10: The next game in San Diego may be the Super
Bowl.
CHICAGO 19, TAMPA BAY 14: Mc-who?
NY GIANTS 30, DALLAS 7: Winless teams. The battle for the basement in the
NFC East. Who'da thunk it?
NEW ENGLAND 28, NY JETS 26 (MONDAY NIGHT): And when this one ends, put the
pretzels back in the cabinet, the beer back in the fridge, and take a deeeeep
breath. . . .
BEST PICK LAST WEEK: New England 31, Miami 24. The Patriots won, 28-21.
WORST PICK LAST WEEK: Seattle 17, Denver 14. The Broncos won, 40-17.