9102170322 DETROIT FREE PRESS 911221 Saturday, December 21, 1991 METRO FINAL

SPT

5B MITCH ALBOM the picks Copyright (c) 1991, Detroit Free Press BANDWAGON ONLY TAKES YOU SO FAR * BUFFALO 20, LIONS 17: First I thought about Buffalo's two- year winning streak in Rich Stadium. Then I thought about the Lions, riddled with injuries. Then I thought about that terrible cold up in Buffalo. Then I thought, what the hell? I'm on the bandwagon, right? Right. But not that much. * MINNESOTA 21, GREEN BAY 6: Bye-bye, Jerry.* PITTSBURGH 24, CLEVELAND 17: Bye-bye, Chuckie. * NEW ENGLAND 20, CINCINNATI 10: Bye-bye, Sammy. Oh, I know Wyche didn't say he was quitting. But he should. * HOUSTON 28, NY GIANTS 20: Here's the battle cry in New York these days: Play for that draft pick, boys! * DALLAS 20, ATLANTA 19: Meanwhile, with all the talk about Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas, you know who I think has the best shot at the rushing title? Emmitt Smith. That's what I think. * TAMPA BAY 2, INDIANAPOLIS 10: Only the insane should be forced to watch this game. No. Wait. Only the terminally insane. * MIAMI 3, NY JETS 3: Either one could have clinched the playoffs last week, but both lost to bad teams. So now they play each other for the final playoff spot. Given the way they react to big games, I figure they'll tie. * SEATTLE 23, LA RAMS 10: After the game, John Robinson escorts his team to the plane, puts them on, waves good-bye and shuts the door. * LA RAIDERS 17, KANSAS CITY 7: This is interesting: No matter what happens Sunday, these two play each other the following week in the playoffs. So what is this, a dress rehearsal? * NEW ORLEANS 28, PHOENIX 14: I don't want to say Bobby Hebert is big in New Orleans, but they just changed the name to Mardi Bob. * WASHINGTON 13, PHILADELPHIA 12: With no other reason to play, I figure the Eagles just want to kill somebody. * DENVER 30, SAN DIEGO 20: Will somebody please talk to John Elway about this going to the Super Bowl business again? Offer him a couple of tickets to Boblo. * SAN FRANCISCO 23, CHICAGO 20 (Monday night): You think Mike Ditka called Marv Levy this week and said, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO USE JIM KELLY AGAINST THE LIONS?!!" * RECORD LAST WEEK: 11-3. * RECORD VS. SPREAD: 7-6-1. * SEASON RECORD: 151-59. * SEASON VS. SPREAD: 106-96-8. * BEST PICK LAST WEEK: Detroit 21, Green Bay 17 (Lions won, 21-17). * WORST PICK LAST WEEK: Philadelphia 9, Dallas 7 (Cowboys won, 25-13).